Golden days☀️

Chapter seventeen

Chris wakes up in a great mood. It's the 14th of february, his birthday. He doesn't mind celebrating it on St.Valentine's say, it was always fun to mix the two occasions.
The midfielder doesn't even know if his friends are aware that it's his birthday... they were so busy that it didn't even cross his mind to mention it. Now he feels kind of guilty...he should have said something and maybe asked the others out to dinner.
He closes the door to his apartament and decides to try and see if his friends are free tonight, even if it's all last minute.

D'Ambrosio and Skriniar are talking with De Vrij and Barella about decorations, while Handanovic, Lukaku, Young and Sanchez talk about the present.
They all knew it was Chris' birthday and they decided to throw him a surprise party, it was all almost ready.

"So i'm gonna stall him while you set up the things at my place, alright?" says D'Ambrosio
"We got balloons and party hats" says Bastoni, who loves parties and especially silly decorations
"Perfect...how are we doing with the present?"
Lukaku answers
"We got him a really cool sweatshirt and we were thinking about making an album with pictures of all of us together?"
Young continues
"We already chose a few and picked the album"
D'Ambrosio smiles brightly
"That's a great idea, i'm sure that Chris will love it"
With that, they part ways and reach the training center.

Chris was wrong. All his friends are hugging him and wishing him happy birthday, some even pulling his ears (some italian tradition he doesn't quite understand but finds funny).
"Thank you guys, really. I'm sorry i didn't tell you...how about we have dinner tonight? We could-"
D'Ambrosio interrupts him
"That's a great idea! Come at my place, it's been a while since we did something there"
The dane was thinking about doing it at his place and the defender's suggestion seems weird...but then everybody agrees so he accepts, happy to get to spend his birthday with them.

At the end of the session, some of the players run home, saying they have to get ready for dinner.
D'Ambrosio offers Chris a ride  and the blond accepts.
"Chris you don't mind a short detour, do you?" asks the defender
"Uhm no (?) Why?" answers the dane, curious about his friend's odd behaviour
"Just remembered i broke a pan yesterday and i need it to cook tonight...it's just gonna take ten minutes"
"Yeah sure, no problem" Chris is still sure that his friend is hiding something, but decides to wait and see what happens.

"HOW COULD YOU GET THAT WRONG" Bastoni half laughs and half screams, pointing at the sign that says
HAPYP BIRTDAY
"THERE'S EVEN AN 'H' MISSING" continues the defender
Barella shouts back
"I'M SHORT. WHAT DO YOU THINK WAS GONNA HAPPEN WHEN YOU GAVE ME THIS TASK?"
That's when they all burst out laughing, the situation too ridiculos
Luckily DeVrij is able to find the missing 'h' and correct the sign.

"They're here" says Handanovic looking out of the window.
Skriniar turns the light off and everybody hides.

D'Ambrosio gets his keys, hoping his friends managed to do what they had to do.
He slowly opens the door, with Chris right behind him.
He walks in and turns on the light

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHRIS"
They all jump out and scream, at first scaring Chris who recovers and giggles.

"You- when, really? Thank you...i always wanted a surpries party"

They all hug him, and Chris takes his time to thank each of them individually.

They have dinner chatting and laughing, Bastoni telling the story of Barella and the sign, receiving a plastic cup on his head as a "shut up" by the italian midfielder.

Young and Sanchez bring the cake and Bastoni makes them all take a picture with the stupid party hats on
They would never admit it, but they loved that hats.

"Now...time for presentsss"
"What" says the dane shocked "there's something else? You already did so much for me..." he thinks he doesn't deserve friends like this.
"Of course we got you something Chris. It's your birthday...even if you didn't tell us" jokes D'Ambrosio.

First he opens the bag containing the sweatshirt
"It's so cool! And so soft...thank you!"
When Lukaku hands him another present, Chris just opens it with an amazed look on his face. All this, just for him.
"Oh...that's us...it's-" the dane finds himself speechless, his restless fingers caressing the pages of the album, covered in pictures of him and the group
" We thought you might like it..."
Chris looks at Young, his eyes a bit wet
"Like it? I love it! And all you did...i could never ask for more on my birthday" he says, his voice honest and open

After the last hugs, everybody goes home.
"Wait Chris" D'Ambrosio says while the dane puts on his coat.
The blond stops at that
"I just...kind of got you something on my own? It's nothing really..."
Chris can't believe what he's hearing
"You shouldn't have...you already gave me the best birthday i've had in years" says Chris, moved by how much these guys care about him

"Here, just open it"
Chris takes the bag in his hands and opens it a little yellow peluche shaped like a sun.
"It's-" tries to say the dane, but D'Ambrosio beats him to it
"A sun. I just... i saw it when we were at the observatory and i knew...i just think it suits you, your personality"
Chris stares blankly at his friend, before hugging him tight; they stay like that for a few seconds.
"Uhm..." the blond starts
"Grazie D'Ambro"
Accent still thick, but italian nonetheless.
It's the first time Chris has talked italian since his arrival, he probably didn't feel confidenf enough until now.

D'Ambrosio proudly smiles and hugs the dane again, honored by the younger man's trust in him
"Prego"

The defender takes Chris home and goes back to his place, getting ready for bed.
Chris is already under the covers, a little yellow sun next to him.