Football One Shots

Crismes

AU (not edited)
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James pushed the last of his things into his book bag and quickly pulled the zipper. The hallways were jam packed with eager students who wanted nothing more than to leave the prison. James peered up from his bag and down the hallway, trying to spot the boy he admired one more time before he had to go home. James hated going home.
As James stood to full height, his back cried out, the fresh bruises making themselves known for the hundredth time. A whimper left James mouth as he was bumped into, his body slamming against the lockers.
"I'm so sorry! Are you okay?" James knew that voice better than any other.
"D-Don't worry about it. I'm f-fine..." James chanced a look at the man behind him.
There stood the most handsome man in all the world, according to James, and a look of concern adorned his face. James tried his best to smile in reassurance.
Cristiano was easily the most popular person at the school, James was a member of his fan club, which consisted of one member, himself. No one knew how much James admired Cristiano, but it wouldn't be hard to figure it out with the way James lit up every time he spotted Cristiano.
"Are you-" Cristiano reached out towards James but he was interrupted, a nicely manicured hand yanking his arm back.
"Babe. Come on. Why are you talking to this loser? Scram." The manicured hand shooed James away from his own locker.
James wasn't one for confrontation so he didn't argue but simply closed his locker and went the opposite way, ignoring the way Cristiano embraced his girlfriend, Georgina.
James kept his head down as he wandered through the crowd, trying desperately to get out of the building and into open space.
When James finally made it out of the school, his forehead was lined with sweat and he felt nervous. He hated large crowds so it was nothing new to him as he dealt with it everyday.
His trek home from school was only about 20 minutes, but he always tried to make it more, dreading going home. By the time the next school day rolled around, James had yet another bruise, but this time it was on his cheek. His father had gotten upset when James didn't have his dinner ready when he got home from work, something James rarely messed up, but with his foreign interaction with Cristiano on his mind, he couldn't help but be distracted.
When James entered the school, his head dropped as he attempted to keep to himself and hide his new bruise. Of course luck was not on his side and instead he found himself falling to the floor, landing on his back side and getting the wind knocked out of him.
"Oh my- you again? I'm so sorry! I don't know why I keep running into you!" Cristiano leaned down to help James up.
"Maybe we're soulmates." James thought but by the look that came across Cristiano's face, James had said that out loud.
"I-I was just j-joking." James ignored the out stretched hand and pulled himself to his feet.
The shock on Cristiano's face fell off after a few seconds and he stood up right, studying James.
"What happened there?" Cristiano's hand hovered dangerously close to the bruise on his cheek, causing James to flinch slightly.
"Oh uh I was uh... b-boxing?" Cristiano looked James up and down before quickly deciding James wasn't boxing.
"No offense, but you don't look like the boxing type." James flushed as Cristiano stared at him intensely.
"W-Well you know what they say... 'never judge a movie by its case'." James flashed Cris a nervous smile as the man became confused.
"Isn't it 'never judge a book by its cover'?" Cristiano chuckled as a small smile graced his lips.
"Oh, right. That's what I meant." James couldn't help the shy smile that itched at his lips.
"Well uh I better get going." James scratched the back of his head as he ended the conversation, a hint of sadness in his voice. He quite liked talking to Cristiano, for some reason it felt natural.
"Wait. What's your name?" Cristiano's hand was lightly gripped on James's arm, stopping him from running away.
"Oh. I'm James. James Rodriguez." James smiled once more.
"James. We should talk more." Cristiano left it at that as he pivoted and left James standing in the middle of the hallway, his cheeks bright red and his heart racing.
"Okay." James breathed out as he headed towards his locker.
James had just opened his locker only to have it slammed shut by a manicured hand, his fingers almost losing their lives in the process.
"What the hell was that?" James slowly turned around to see Georgina's pissed expression directed at him.
"W-what?" James was confused.
"Don't act dumb you pillock. Why were you flirting with MY boyfriend?" Georgina leaned impossibly closer, forcing James to shrink back.
"I-I w-wasn't." James swallowed in fear. He knew Georgina wouldn't hesitate to hit him.
"Everyone around here except Cristiano sees the way you look at him. I know you like him and now you're trying to steal him from me. If I see you even look his way, we're gonna have an issue. Got it?" Georgina had her fist gripped in his shirt threateningly.
"Y-yes." James squeaked as he felt perspiration build up on his forehead.
"Good." Georgina slammed him back against his locker and marched off, swaying her hips dramatically.
James made it his personal goal to avoid Cristiano like the plague after that. If he caught a glimpse of him at the end of one hall, he made sure to go down another, even if it made his walk a few minutes longer. He wouldn't be caught dead associating with Cristiano. This routine lasted almost a week, and while James found it exhausting, it was better than being murdered in cold blood by Georgina.
By Tuesday of the next week, James had mastered his avoidance of Cristiano. The constant glares of a passing Georgina were enough to remind him that his life was in her hands. So when James was heading to his next class via his new route, he was shocked to run into Cristiano. Except this time when they collided, Cristiano managed to wrap his arms around James and pull him into his chest, instead of letting him hit the floor.
"I-I'm so sorry Cristiano! I wasn't watching where I was going!" James quickly stepped back, checking around for Georgina, fear gripping him tightly as he thought of what would happen if she found out.
"It's okay James. I haven't seen you around. Where've you been?" Cristiano tried to get James to look him in the eyes, missing his warm, brown ones for some reason.
"Uh you know. Around. I-I have to go. Sorry again." James ducked his head and bolted down the hall and away from Cristiano, his heart pounding out of fear but also out of excitement, Cristiano thought about him.
The next day, James left the lunch room, as he did everyday, to go to the library. It was much quieter in there, no shouting teens and high pitched laughs. As he rounded the corner to library, he found himself falling to the floor, tripping over something.
When he landed on the floor, his chin hit the ground, causing him to bite into his lip and make it bleed. A small cry left his mouth as he tried to turn around to see what he tripped over. When his faced turned to look behind him, a hard hit rained down upon his cheek, forcing his head back to the floor with a thud.
Another cry left his lips.
When he finally managed to look, Georgina stood above him, fuming.
"I told you to stay away from him. You think I wouldn't find out about you flirting with him in the halls yesterday? I know everything! Would you like to know what else I know James. I know what Daddy does to you at home, how he hits you," another slap landed on his cheek, "how he kicks you," three hard kicks landed on his already bruised abdomen, "and how he reminds you everyday how worthless you are, just like he should." Georgina leaned down and gripped James by his hair, making sure to get in his face.
"Everyone knows how f*cking worthless you are and everyone knows you deserve every beating you receive, including this one." She pushed his head down roughly once more, causing his vision to blur momentarily before she landed another blow to his face, and more kicks to his abdomen.
"Georgina?" The kicks halted immediately as Cristiano's voice startled Georgina and James.
"What're you doing? James?" Cristiano's quickly approached James's bloody frame only to be stopped by Georgina.
"Oh Cris you should've seen it! He was like a wild animal! I had to defend myself! He tried to touch me!" Georgina fake cried into Cristiano's arms as he only stared at James's curled up form on the floor.
James could no longer hold back his tears and a sob wracked through his body. Cristiano quickly pushed Georgina to the side and kneeled beside James, taking in his injuries.
"What are you doing Cris!? He was trying to hurt me! You shouldn't be helping him!" Georgina stomped her foot angrily, her fake tears dried.
"Shut up Georgina! We both know that isn't true. You don't have a scratch on you and James wouldn't do anything like that, to anyone." Cristiano shot her a glare before he reached for James.
A small cry left James's mouth, reminding Cristiano of an injured animal, but James allowed Cris to touch him nonetheless.
"But Cris! You should be checking on me! I'm your girlfriend!" Georgina's foot stomped on the floor once more.
Cristiano's face contorted in annoyance and frustration.
"Not anymore. Leave." Cristiano didn't spare her another glance as he pulled James into his embrace and lifted him from the ground, pushing past a flabbergasted Georgina and to the nurse's office.
"I'm so sorry she did that to you James. You don't deserve any of this." Cristiano's grip tightened slightly, protectively.
"I do deserve this. She was right. I'm nothing. No one wants me." James pressed his head into Cris's chest and sniffled as he struggled to hold back his tears.
"Don't say that James. You're surrounded by all the wrong people. People who can't recognize your worth. People who thrive from belittling everyone around them. You deserve so much more." James stayed quiet as they entered the nurse's office.
"James what happened?" The nurse fussed over a bloodied James as Cristiano laid him on an open bed.
"I-I fell?" James averted his gaze, embarrassed to have been so easily beat up. He felt weak.
"He was attacked by another student." Cristiano didn't spare James a glance as he spoke to the nurse.
James felt his cheeks burn as Cristiano sat in a chair beside his bed, clearly not planning to leave.
"Well let's get you cleaned up James." The nurse did her best to smile and comfort James as she poked at the gash on the side of his head that had finally stopped bleeding.
"I don't think you'll need stitches dear." The nurse removed her gloves after disposing of all the bloody gauze pads and napkins.
"Thank you." James spoke softly as he began to play with his fingertips nervously.
Just then the final bell rang signaling it was time for last period.
"I guess we should be getting to class." James attempted to sit up but as soon as he was upright, he became dizzy.
"Are you okay?" Cristiano supported James with a firm hand on his lower back.
"I-I'm okay. Just a headache."
"You might be concussed. Did you hit your head?" The nurse approached James once more.
"Y-yes..." James stuttered nervously. He couldn't have a concussion. He shouldn't even have had the bruises and the gash on his head. His dad would be pissed.
"I'm fine. I need to go to class." James shot up in a slight panic, thinking about the punishment he'd receive when he went home in 45 minutes.
"Woah slow down James. We need to make sure you're okay." Cristiano grabbed onto James and pulled him into his side.
"I am fine. I have to be. My dad will kill me if I'm not." James quickly shut up after the words left his mouth.
"James... is that where your bruises have been coming from?" Cristiano forced James to look into his eyes, gently gripping his chin.
"I-I don't know what you're talking about."
"James you nearly had a black eye last week. Every time someone bumps into you, you flinch. You didn't even try to defend yourself earlier. It's like you're used to it..." Cristiano connected the dots quickly.
James felt pure fear and panic. No one could know. His dad would kill him. He knew he was dead if his dad found out Cristiano knew.
"Just stop prying! It's not any of your business!" James shoved Cris as best he could but Cristiano only held James tighter.
"It's okay James. I won't let anything happen to you." Cristiano tried to comfort him, but James was so scared.
"No! You can't protect me! No one can protect me! It's been like this for so long and no one has ever helped me! I don't deserve help! This is happening because I deserve it!" James continued to struggle against Cristiano.
"I'll help you. I promise James. You just have to let me."
"No one can help me." James sobbed into Cristiano's chest as he finally gave up his fight.
"I promise I can help you. I've got you." Cristiano tightened his grip on James, feeling the need to soothe his worries and fight all of his burdens.
A sob wracked through James's body once more but he felt comfort and peace bloom in his chest, spurred on by Cristiano and his soothing words. James didn't know how everything would turn out, but he believed Cristiano would do everything in his power to keep him safe. That was enough.
———
Hi! I'm SO sorry I've been gone! I had no motivation for a while, but with rumors of Neymar coming back and all my free time I decided to pick this writing stuff back up! So I know a lot of you are waiting for the Prison AU update and I AM working on it. I have to finish rereading the other parts so I don't mix anything up and I write the best updates possible! Please be patient! I promise it'll be up in at most a week! Much love!!!!