𝐂𝐋𝐀𝐑𝐊𝐄

( @RED-EMPTION )
            
            He laughed along with him, looking absolutely enamoured of his boyfriend when listening to that beautiful melody. Big, green eyes would drop to his lips and reconnect with Tom's precious eyes in a second, before he moved his other hand to cradle the back of the midfielder's head. "That I am," he agreed easily, with another chuckle. "It's your fault, though, that I'm madly in love and obsessed with you... that you live in my thoughts, sweetheart. Inevitably."

   tom couldn't help but laugh at the protests and the silly tone of voice,  deciding not to chastise him for this hypothetical situation because he realised it wasn't real.  it was ridiculous,  he was never one to get so involved with making up these scenarios.  jon was turning him into an honest man!  in a way.  "you know what you are."  the midfielder kept his head there while he thought about it,  waiting for a few seconds before tilting it to the side and muttering:  "incorrigible."  he decided,  his head angled away from jon on his shoulder to hide the smirk on his face.  

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            "I can't help it!" he defended himself in a playful, high pitched tone of voice. Jon was quick to intertwine his fingers with his and hold Tom's hand, when he turned it against his chest. He kept it to him, looking at the midfielder with open admiration in his eyes; he couldn't tell his partner was doing the very same with him in return, nor that they were thinking very similarly at the moment. The keeper often found himself struck by the beauty of his boyfriend's eyes and smile, stuck in them like there was no way out. Not that he wanted a way out. If he could, he would easily get lost in those eyes all day, admiring his angelic handsomeness. "I am..?" he teased, burying his face on Tom's hair when he leaned his head against his shoulder.

   "i'm brash.  s'one of my best qualities."  he joked.  the idea that jon could tell what he was doing by the tone of his voice was so adorable,  and the idea made the midfielder want to run into his arms in a barrel of energy.  in this state,  though,  he'd probably fall over and make a fool of himself-  so...  he could just feel incredibly warm at the realisation.   "psht.  stay there,  loverboy.  keep it as something to look forward to,  right?  *i'm*  looking forward to it.  miss your face.  mwah."  

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            "...Maybe," he grinned too, after sensing it in his boyfriend's tone of voice. When Tom rolled his eyes, Jon could almost tell he did so for the way his breathing and tone of voice changed once again. "You don't know that, there could be always someone hearing it," he said, trying to sound purposefully like one of those ridiculous people who believed in even more ridiculous conspiracies, such as 'noses aren't real, because I can't see my own. Mirrors lie', sort of crap, doesn't matter the *obvious* evidence of noses when you look at other people! Because that's how conspiracy lovers work, they deny *facts*! "Excuse me?!" he chuckled then, shaking his head fondly — even if he couldn't see him. "Awww — you're my favourite everything too. Now shut up, or I'll be driving to Manchester right now, I don't care — I need to hug you when you're being all adorable like that."

   "that's why you love me,  isn't it?"  he grinned at nothing at all,  using the excuse that he was always teasing and making fun of people in a lighthearted way.  in the next sequence,  the midfielder rolled his eyes at the ridiculous hypotheticals.  "pfft,  they can't hear me.  shuddup."  despite trying to protest,  his voice sounded so light and admiring,  openly in awe of his boyfriend's stupid joking.  "it's cool?"  tom laughed,  quickly bringing his hand to his mouth to stop it from sounding too obvious.  even when he stopped,  the grin on his face was so blatant.  "m'sorry,  m'sorry.  you're right,  it is.  so cute.  you're my favourite everything."  

@RED-EMPTION // *hold your hand* WE CAN DOO ITT !! hahaha

/   this is so me. we can make a comeback in the new year it's fiiiine

// but for now, I just have muse for Jon bc he's my everything <333

   the romantic part of him must've been inspired by jon himself,  because he'd never imagined this kind of life for himself before this.  before jon,  he didn't dream of marriage or sharing a home with anyone or simply ending the day and sleeping in someone's arms—  but nowadays it was constant.  he imagined himself after retirement,  a wedding ring on his finger and a comfortable home for two in a neutral third-party destination.  perhaps they could find a place halfway between liverpool and manchester so they'd be near family,  or a different place in england entirely.  maybe they'd have a holiday home somewhere else in europe,  god knows!  "you don't need to thank me."  he scoffed,  pulling back slightly  (  just enough that he could look at jon properly whilst still keeping the arms around him from the hug  )  and cupping the keeper's face to admire him openly.  "you are,  like,  everything.  to me.  you're  *it*  for me,  i swear—  you've done so much for me,  babe,  and i can't—  i wouldn't even know where to begin.  but i've only ever wanted to make you happy,  in the same way that you've done for me."  

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            That is... super sweet. He's a romantic too, isn't he? Despite how he teased Jon for it? Well, he is *the one*. The keeper couldn't imagine anyone else to spend the rest of his life with. Tom is the guy he pictures getting married with, living together in a simple and nice house that reflected their personalities — even if *home* would be forever each other's embraces, doesn't matter where they are. Tom is everything he needs and everything he wants, his whole world — fitting in his arms, for him to love and protect. And he was quick to catch him, holding him just as tight in return. "Always, my love." he responded, pressing a gentle kiss to the side of his head — rubbing his back, affectionately. "Thank you too... for everything. I'm lucky to have you... and a happier man since I've met you."

   he wanted jon's mum and sister to  *know*  that he was someone that was willing to  *stay*—  he wasn't just some passing boyfriend who didn't care as much as the real thing would.  thomas adored the goalkeeper,  he wanted to be  *the one*,  and he was willing to  show that genuinely.  through every possible means,  first to his boyfriend and then to his boyfriend's family.  
            
            it seemed to strike him in the most random of times just how dictated by love he was—  when it came to jon,  any expression or touch took tom back to that day in his kitchen,  where they confessed their feelings to each other.  he sniffled,  not admitting to the tears in his eyes as he placed the camera down and pulled jon into a proper hug.  "you are so—"   tom's arms tightened around his boyfriend as he hid his face in the crook of his neck.  "i love you too.  thank you."  

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            With a dramatic gasp and a feigned look of hurt, the keeper rested a hand on his chest. "How dare you! Are you implying that I don't play fair? I could *never* do that to you, darling," he said, trying to hide his smile behind his bottle of beer — of course, it didn't work very well for him.

   "no,  'cause i already know what you're gonna do."  with a pointed look towards the cards in jon's hands,  the midfielder settled back where he was sitting with defiance.  "you're gonna let me show you and then you won't do the same.  i already know your tricks,  honey,  it's not gonna work."  
            
            /   @RED-EMPTION 

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            "Yeah, yer do." he repeated with a mischievous smile, casting a glance at his cards again, before finding Tom's eyes with an amused look in his own. "I'm so happy to know my boyfriend's such a gentleman... but I'm sound. Yer first, my dear."

   he uttered a hum of confirmation at the response,  because he  *did*  love it and there was no sense in denying.  besides,  he was comfortable enough that moving away was so much  *effort*,  he was almost betrayed by it.  but,  because he was a grown man,  tom was soon getting the sandwiches from the plastic bag and also retrieving them both a can of fizzy drink that he'd picked up at the same time.  upon returning,  he placed their drinks upon coasters on the coffee table,  handing jon his sandwich with a smile.  "don't mention it,  it's my pleasure."  

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            "I know." he answered with a small, mischievous smile. "You love it, though," the keeper added, tilting his head up while also raising an eyebrow at him, as if in defiance to him when his boyfriend shrugged with all his smugness. He loved it, he loved all of those expressions of his — he felt compelled to hold him and kiss his gorgeous face all over again, but he let the midfielder go... despite how painful it was to do so, especially when he could tell Tom was lingering, giving him yet another kiss before parting. Goodness, he was acting like the other was already going back to Manchester! ...He would ask him to stay tonight. Hopefully, batting his eyelashes to him, he wouldn't be able to say no! "Yes, please, my Angel. Thank you."

   "pfft.  okay,  okay—  c'mon.  you are ridiculous."  he was at the mercy of his boyfriend,  tilting his head slightly with a grin as he gave himself up to the kisses.  tom almost forgot what he was actually supposed to be doing,  watching the goalkeeper's lips and his eyes as he came closer and drew back over and over again.  "feel free to."  tom shrugged smugly,  leaning up onto his knees beside him and putting a hand on his chin to tilt his head up and kiss him again.  he realised,  then,  that he'd look like a hypocrite,  so he shifted back to gradually escape jon's touch.   "i got drinks,  too.  do you want yours?"  

  tom was glad to have gotten the heads-up during their drunken conversation in the end,  even if he thought it was a joke at the time.  he didn't think he would've ever had the balls to admit his feelings to jon,  and was absolutely willing to die with them untouched.  it was lucky that liquid courage gave the goalkeeper a boost,  really.  "i'll be looking forward to that.  couldn't wear sunglasses on the motorbike anyway i suppose."  

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            Seven colours. A drink for every colour of the rainbow. He wouldn't ever forget it — nor any detail about that night. Or the day after, when they were sober and could set things right — when he could then finally let Tom know that he meant it, every single word he told him while drunk. It wasn't the best way of confessing his feelings for him, and if he could, he would've done it differently, but... here they are. They truly loved each other, that's the only thing that matters. "...A shame that my contract doesn't allow me to drive motorcycles. Too risky. I do plan on buying one after retirement, though, so we can make your dreams come true... preferably without the arrestment bit, though."

   his drunk rambling was as endearing as it'd been the very first time he heard it.  and if halfway through a night at the bar he made an effort to get them both some bright cocktails,  that was nobody's business.  he took the sunglasses from the top of his head and slid them onto jon's face,  smiling absently all the while.  "they do look very natural on you.  you look like you're about to get arrested for dangerous driving on a motorbike with a cigarette." 

   the touch to his hand practically made him shiver,  gentle and caring in its manner which always had a way of going straight to tom's heart.  he was caught in a trance,  eyes wide and admiring with little shame in his boyfriend's direction—  a glance towards the ring on his finger,  one that could switch places with a more valuable one on a different finger,  a dream made all the more real with each passing day.  "you're better with words than i am.  if only there was another way i could show my appreciation."  

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            "Every day," he answered without hesitation, whilst keeping on caressing his boyfriend's hand. "My favourite thoughts are those about *us*," he flashed him a small smile, eyes lighting up at the words he said — before he blushed profusely. "Then I do consider myself the luckiest guy in this planet, for spending the rest of my life with you is what I want the most — what an honour and privilege it is. To have met you and to have you in my life. You're certainly the best part of it."

   he wondered if there was something about the early morning that made them so ridiculously sappy,  or perhaps if the good news on tom's side made him more susceptible to it.  he was practically blown away with the reminder that jon loved him in a way that was so absolute and lasting,  and he almost couldn't believe it.  "big intentions."  he mumbled with a sniff,  keeping himself together because it was not cool to get emotional about this kind of thing.  but..  promises of a future that he always wondered if he'd even be given were overwhelming!   "you've thought about it a lot?  i do want to spend the rest of my life with you."  

  tom watched him consider it with what he hoped was a convincing look on his face,  just to add to his case of how important it would be.  in all honesty,  he was sure they could come up with other ideas he was more comfortable to do;  in the meantime,  the private showing was much more promising!  the midfielder laughed,  nodding his head along at the idea with a considering expression of his own.  "that's too kind of you.  i have a lot more to look forward to this halloween,  it sounds like.  you spoil me,  sweetheart!"   

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            "Yes?" he laughed at the other's reaction, watching with a playful pout as he disconnected their hands and went to take hold of his bottle instead, not even in the slightest 'ashamed' of stealing his boyfriend's own move and using it against him. When he asked him to at least consider it, the keeper hummed thoughtfully — tapping his chin whilst looking at him, grinning when he said he would accept a private showing instead (actually, he said 'also', not 'instead', but Jon would purposefully ignore that). "A private showing, all for you, huh? Now that I can totally do. We gotta find a nice sword, though. For you, my darling, it has to done *right*!"

   "trousers?!"  he groaned in disappointment,  disconnecting their hands out of outrage and reaching for his bottle again.  he'd momentarily thrown his head back dramatically,  almost ready to denounce halloween as a whole at that news,  but then he was fully aware that jon didn't want to go with that costume anyway.  so,  he supposed that was the kind of compromise he should've expected.  even if the shorts sounded like a  *great*  idea!  "at least tell me you'll consider it.  maybe i'll try to convince you for next year!  i would also accept a private showing."  tom winked over his beer,  taking a sip with an amused look dancing across his eyes.