𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐬 𝐝'𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐥𝐨⠀ ... .ᐟ⠀

'With the car, babe. Now, it's with you, babe,' he would be responding to his boyfriend's joke, looking over his shoulder and grinning back at him, while inspecting the car. Man! He would never forget any details of that day. He laughed like crazy! ...Although it was easy to catch himself laughing like that when he was in his partner's company, which said a lot on how well and happy he felt in his presence. "You do?" he asked with a tilt of his head and a small smile, chuckling a bit at the images his boyfriend was asking him to imagine. "That's true— as long as I'm with you, darling, the destination is a mere detail. As long as I'm with you, it's all that matters to me."

   the car thing had been a little bit silly at first,  but tom had gotten used to it.  after a few jokes of  'are you talking to me or the car?',  he eventually got the message that it was a totally necessary way to fix them.  and if anyone else questioned it,  tom was sure he could quote word-for-word the rant about diagnosis and illness.  everything about the goalkeeper was just strikingly adorable and so incredibly likeable.  "i like your ideas.  beaches sound amazing,  and you'd look stunning under the sun like that.  imagine,  all the way out there laid back with a glass of wine or something.  one can dream!  we would have an amazing time wherever we go,  that's for sure."  
            
            /   @-NEVERALONE 

Gladly. He would teach him anything he knew and that his partner wanted to learn, as well as pick up new hobbies by his side when they retired (or even before that! Playing guitar was really cool, and he could give him small lessons everyday, if it sounded like a nice idea to Tom).
            'C'mon, babe, talk to me, what's going on with you?' Jon never forgot the first day he talked to his boyfriend's car like that— it might've confused the hell outta him! But, hey— his uncle used to do that, he liked to joke that cars could 'feel' people's energy and intentions, and that they 'cooperated' for the 'diagnosis' of their 'illness' if you spoke to them and treated them nicely. Robert was the best mechanic in the town back in his days! So, of course, Jon would follow his methods! ...Even if it made him look like crazy in front of the man he loved.
            "Greece would've been nice... it looks beautiful, doesn't it? Have you seen all those beaches? We could get so fancy there. Now, if we were feeling adventurous— Peru! Imagine exploring Machu Picchu?" he chuckled then, shaking his head. "Where would you like to go, my love? What would you want to do? I'm in! Let's go wild with our plans— one day..." he kissed him, tenderly. "One day we'll be able to make all those dreams come true."

   tom smiled,  no desire to protest the joke about the protagonist because perhaps he was.  jon's ability to whittle him down to the romanticism he admired was unrivalled,  and the midfielder couldn't help but watch him with his typical wide and honest look.  "you're a bad influence,"  tom muttered in reference to the newfound romantics.  "and i love you,  too,  jon.  i always will."  
            
            /   @-NEVERALONE 

"Aw, babe," he was touched. He really was! Because he knew, pretty well, how it was all new for Tom. And to think that he inspired in him such sentiments? It could've made him cry! But Jon was also a menace (in the most boy-ish, and playful sense of the word), and he never missed a chance to joke (Tom knew that, all too well, at this point!) "You're talking just like one of the protagonists!" he teased, gasping dramatically as he rested a hand on his chest. After a small laugh, though, he pressed an 'apologies for the tease' kiss on his temple, adding: "If I didn't make a joke, I would've cried... quite possibly. I love you— I love you soooo much."

  "no,  that's not—"  his protesting was practically useless,  because there was absolutely no point in pretending that a part of him hadn't been caught up in the romance of it all.  he knew it was slightly dangerous to throw himself into a relationship,  but jon just made him feel so—  well,  nothing he would say could back up the idea that he wasn't a romantic now.  when it came to his boyfriend specifically.  "it's not those bloody shows,  it's just you.  how could i not get a little romantic when it's you i'm thinking about?" 
             
            /   @-NEVERALONE 

   "oh,  stop it."  he nudged his boyfriend with a smirk on his face that he was trying to pretend wasn't there,  all because he couldn't act as if he wasn't amused with that look on his face.  "it's just what you bring out in me,  sweetheart."  he gave as a half-hearted explanation,  his voice unsteady as he laughed and had to give up on trying to sound at all charming.  
            
            /   @-NEVERALONE 

He let out a quiet, but dramatic gasp. Just like one does when they're surprised, or ends up finding something they've been looking for, for a long time. "My goodness! The romantic-ness is contagious!" cinema lost a good actor, but football had a pretty decent keeper! Jon's expression shifted in a minute, and the surprised look gave place to a boy-ish, playful grin instead. "Who would've guessed that?!"

   "feels like all your fault,  though."  tom's words just came out as a distracted mumble,  staring at the beautiful smile on jon's lips and practically locking himself away from the outside world.  he didn't even need it!  he had someone way better to focus on.  his lips quirked into a smile as they kissed as the simplest of actions seemed to drive him utterly insane.  "my mean side is useless with you,  i can't commit to it.  you're too disarming."  
            
            /   @-NEVERALONE 

   the small things were so noticeable,  like the way his touch tightened within their hug and he could practically hear the smile on his boyfriend's face.  or maybe that was just his laughter-  a noise that may as well be intoxicating with how much the midfielder loved it.  "well,  what do you think is the worst thing i could do for my revenge?  just as some market research before i commit to anything." 
            
            /   @-NEVERALONE 

Surrounded with all that love, it wasn't difficult to notice how happily his heart tended to beat. It was like he was protecting Tom when he involved him in his arms, but the keeper, too, felt safe in his boyfriend's embrace. He pressed a few kisses on his head as he leaned closer, rubbing his back tenderly as he did... but, of course, he was quick to catch the teasing comment and react to it. "Oh?! Is that so?!" he laughed, his arms tightening around him. "Of course. Of course, angel. I'll be waiting for it."

  "that's the sappiest thing you've said yet."  tom laughed after the kiss,  dizzy with love and it practically showed in his eyes with how close they were.  through his endlessly bright smile,  he idly leaned in closer and reciprocated the movements;  his arms winding around his boyfriend as he exhaled calmly.  "i might still get my revenge,  though."  he whispered teasingly after a few seconds of silence.  
            
            /   @-NEVERALONE 

  "you're always skipping to that part anyway."  he teased,  utterly endeared by the way jon tried to stop himself from smiling.  the end result was such a pretty sight,  tom thought,  as he considered himself damn near blessed for being able to see it,  let alone being this close.  even further,  let alone being part of the  *reason*  for it.  he could get dizzy with it sometimes,  lightheaded and addicted to the man he could see so often and be so open and honest with.  tom was thoroughly exasperated at the sappy words from his boyfriend,  tilting his head as if to say he was absolutely ridiculous.  "jesus!  do you actually write poetry?  you're a bloody sap."  despite his protests,  he did actually take the suggestion and get comfortable against his chest slightly,  hiding his smile as he angled his head to the side.  
            
            /   @-NEVERALONE 

"Well, since the tea has already been made—" he smiled gently, putting an arm around his shoulders— "why don't we skip to the part where I hold your hair?" he finished it with a quirk of his eyebrow, biting his bottom lip to prevent a smile. Of course, failing pathetically. "Because I totally agree with you here, although I'm offended that the reason behind your nausea is my mighty club," he narrowed his eyes at him, judging his boyfriend's delusional ways. "But let's avoid your illness if we can..." he then tilted his head, chuckling at the things he said. "Come here, my sweet angel. Rest your head on my chest and hear how happily my heart beats for you and you only." he said it, as sappy as he could, just to get the other rolling his eyes at him. Or any other reaction equally hilarious that he learned to expect when he sounded overly romantic! "I can't promise I won't be playing with your hair in the meantime, though!"

   "i'd rather skip the sickness altogether,  then you can hold my hair and make me tea and i'll get to enjoy it.  rather than being all hot and sweaty and sick and gross."  he pointed out,  shaking his head at the wink nonetheless.  like most people,  tom didn't like being ill,  it was a thoroughly uncomfortable experience and everytime he'd just hide in his bed and try to sleep it through.  which never really worked,  especially when he thought that working out while sick would make him build strength back up—  it actually just made him pass out,  apparently.  "i've got to make the most out of the fact that the love of my life is such a charming gentleman,  haven't i?"  
            
            /   @-NEVERALONE 

   "obviously i have an evil plan for everything."  the midfielder stared at him,  eyes wide and affectionate,  studying the details of his face endlessly.  he would never get bored of it,  always finding something new to commit to memory that he could think about at random intervals when jon wasn't there.  he could watch him on the tv,  knowing that he knew exactly what his face looked like in gorgeous detail.  tom could be in the middle of his post-match interview,  pushing his way through the questions all because he knew he could visit jon sooner.  maybe that very day,  maybe the day after.  it didn't matter,  as long as it was imminent.  "aww,  that's not true,"  he rubbed jon's arm then,  trying to be comforting but the fact that he'd laughed wasn't that convincing.  "you'll just have to settle with being second favourite!  that's not so bad.  can't help it that i'm the best gift-giver out there."  
            
            /   @-NEVERALONE 

"Is that right, huh?" he asked him, feeling privileged for being able to see his beautiful eyes from this close, under those dimmed lights — they looked so bright, as if possessing a star in each one of them. Tom was *absolutely* right, he would never, ever, say he looked like an idiot, although it's a fact that the two of them looked quite silly right now... but in a cute way! A sight reserved only for them. And it was nice, *so* nice, to be able to look at him like this, openly, without fearing with how much love his expression was filled, as he usually had to worry when they were out in public... he treasured, all and every opportunity, that he got to be with him, like this, in the safety of their homes. "Oh, you did, babe. Trust me — and I was calling you a Freddist. It's different! The plush toy and mascots cult. Taz joined it because of your influence! It's terrifying— he sleeps with that little devil, he eats with it, he goes for a ride in the car — it used to be our moment! — with that thing. I feel like I'm being replaced, my son prefers it over me!"

   "maybe that was my evil plan the whole time."  he thought out loud,  after he'd leaned into the kiss and reciprocated the hug accordingly.  everything he did was in reaction to his gorgeous partner,  because he was stupidly in love and he probably looked like an idiot if someone was watching them.  luckily,  though,  nobody else was--  and jon was overly biased and wouldn't call him that.  they probably looked as silly as each other.  "i didn't even do anything,"  he argued,  his hand rubbing up and down jon's back slowly.  "but i'll take it.  obviously.  as long as you stop calling me a satanist or whatever."  
            
            /   @-NEVERALONE 

He shook his head to him, as if telling him not to think about it like that. He didn't feel 'interrogated'. He knew, for a fact, that they had to talk things through, after he dropped that 'bomb' by Tom's feet. Jon gently moved one of his boyfriend's hands, resting on his cheek, to kiss his wrist and then his palm, looking with pure adoration to the love of his life. After peppering it with kisses, he let go and closed his eyes, enjoying the way his partner played with his hair. "Because... I see a real angel everyday, so it gotta be it," he finally said it then, already anticipating the moment the midfielder would be rolling his eyes to him.

   "well,  that bit was my fault,  wasn't it?  i was practically interrogating you."  the midfielder laughed,  putting his hand on the side of jon's face as if to encourage him to look back as soon as he shifted his focus—  which he did,  rather quickly,  and tom couldn't help but smile at him with a sappy sort of look in his eyes.  his hand moved up slightly to play with jon's hair,  straightening his back for the sake of comfort because he knew he had forever to kiss jon anyway.  "oh yeah?  wonder why that is.  you fool."  in that moment,  he leaned his head back against the sofa and looked away,  chuckling as he did so because he wasn't quite able to pretend he wasn't.  
            
            /   @-NEVERALONE 

His eyes remained connected to Tom's for the entire time he spoke, like it was impossible for him to look away, completely drawn to those eyes he loved so dearly. Their uniqueness and beauty only seemed to become even more hypnotizing when they got filled with his emotions when he talked. Seriously, Jon forgot to breathe sometimes, completely struck by his angelic traits. "That conversation in the morning after, in the kitchen, was how it should've been my confession to you. Just... somewhere more romantic than in the kitchen," he chuckled, temporarily looking away from him, perhaps due a brief moment of shyness, but quickly meeting his gaze again and smiling at his joke. "I'm not sure." he started jokingly himself. "Sometimes I think I'm in Heaven. You know—" he winked at him then, letting him fill in the rest, for Tom knew *exactly* where he was going with those words. 

   it was just as well jon could so easily share an easier outlook of the whole thing,  because tom did always tend to hang onto his every word.  because jon was so smart,  so humble and kind and accepting,  that tom naturally felt himself trusting absolutely anything he'd come out with.  another part of it,  he supposed,  was that jon  *was*  so reliable—  he trusted that the goalkeeper would stay by his side in his struggles,  because not only was he doing that exact thing in the moment,  but also he'd been doing it the whole time.  tom knew that he'd never struggle the same way he did the first time around,  because of his boyfriend.  he didn't have that the first time.  he didn't have anyone that understood him so fundamentally that he didn't even need to say that he was upset,  they just knew.  well,  him and his sister were quite in tune with each other,  but at the time tom had made the mistake of creating distance between him and his family.  he'd spent forever apologising for it,  because he was selfish enough to only register his own grief in that moment.  they always told him it didn't matter,  but the guilt still prodded at him periodically.  "you're right."  it was like jon read his mind as he brought up the mental protests,  and he had no choice but to agree with what he was saying because the logical part of him knew it would never be as bad as the other time.  "yeah,  you're right,  i'm sorry.  i did overcome it.  eventually.  and look at me now."  he offered a smile in response,  helpless against his perfect boyfriend when he looked at him like that.  "thank you."  
            
            /   @-NEVERALONE 

"...Worry and fear can be valuable instruments to push us into working to be our best versions as well, after all. But... I should definitely tell you to remember that feeling. That love and passion that got you into playing and hold onto it? Because our happiness is all that *really* matters in the end? I... you know... you've been to that bad place, and you overcame the difficulties. You won't be facing that again, you won't. But I can hear your mental protests right now, so let's pretend that's a possibility: you overcame it once. If it happens again, you'll overcome it twice. Because you're the most resilient and determined person I know." he smiled playfully then, although it was fleeting, it was there to try and make him smile too, when he teased: "And you can be pretty stubborn too! And hey," he chuckled a little. "That's also one of the many things I love about you."

The keeper moved their locked hands when his partner hesitated, intertwining their fingers carefully — he put on a small, but encouraging smile to his boyfriend, before his eyebrows furrowed slightly with concentration as he listened further. He let a moment of silence settle between them, and when he spoke, it wasn't a direct answer to what the midfielder was saying, but totally connected to it all still. "Remember when we were kids? — Well, not *we*, because we obviously didn't know each other back then... anyways, you'll get it the further I try and explain it —" he shook his head and started over: "*Remember when we were kids*, when we played football only because that's what we really loved doing? There was no pressure — from media, from the supporters, not even the club... not the way we experience now, anyways —, we just... I think that's the kind of mindset we should bring back when walking on the pitch. Because if we enjoy ourselves, and we try to block out any other thought that has nothing to do with the *present*, everything is bound to work out, you know? Getting rid of the weight of all these responsibilities when on the pitch, only with the obligation of *enjoying* it. I don't know about you... but I often forget to do that. We automatically 'flip the switch' in your brains, and it's like, we convince ourselves that it's your *job*. What we chose to do for a living. And as such, the results are more important than having fun, or if... like... in order to have success, we shouldn't have fun at all, and neither of those thoughts are true," the Scouse paused, looking deeply in those eyes he adored. "I can't tell you not to worry or not to be scared, because that's not how it works..."
            
            (1/2)

  "i guess it is,  actually.  you're quite the catch nowadays."  tom would always sing jon's praises in any environment,  because he did look gorgeous in those jackets and tom always found himself at a loss for words when he saw him.  he adored the small gestures and the ways his expression changed and the little habits that were so him.  although,  he would make a case against his fifa argument,  because that game was great.  he often flaunted his  'team of the week'  or other special edition cards of himself on the game to jon and the other man would make that face that seemed like he was trying to look impressed but,  really,  he didn't quite get the point.  "there's a niche bit of social media somewhere that adores you.  i might see if i can join."  
            
            /   @-NEVERALONE 

"You are the fashionable one," he agreed without needing to even think about it. "Though 'vintage' is quite trendy nowadays, innit?" he laughed a little at that, especially when he mentioned the jackets. "Don't they reinforce the 60s-70s aesthetic?" he inquired with a quirked eyebrow, watching him. He was glad that he was inspiring Tom to see the beauty in physical media. They'll be the only things to survive in case of an apocalypse! ...Just saying. It was just like football: it would always be infinite times better to play the real thing than playing those FIFA games. The actual things would always beat the digital, cyber, virtual (or whatever nomenclature was the most accurate) stuff.

   "admittedly cds are a little less old fashioned."  he conceded,  a small gesture of his hand to let him have that one.  besides,  he was beginning to understand the beauty of physical media—  he took advantage of it back in the day,  having a few cds and dvds but not enough to constitute a collection.  he'd never been particularly attached to them then,  but jon seemed to teach him a lot.  "hey,  you know i wouldn't hold it against you if you  *were*  that old fashioned.  it's cute,  it makes me feel like the fashionable one.  even though you've got a strong case with your jackets."  
            
            /   @-NEVERALONE 

The 'convincing' part tended to be the *tricky* part. Deep down, they knew the other just wanted to help for the sake of helping. Not to imply that the other 'needed' it, just because they wanted to look after each other. However, moved by different reasons, it tended to be difficult for the one another to accept it. Tom had a very independent nature, and the keeper respected that, of course. He wanted to show him, though, that he wasn't *alone*. That he had someone he could count on, that would always have his back. As for Jon, well... the independency in which he tended to deal with things, was due how, too many times, in his childhood, he saw himself on his own to take care of his little sister. His uncle lived and worked a block away, so if it was an emergency, he could call him. But effectively, in the house, it tended to be just the two kids sometimes. So he developed an instinct to protect and do everything alone, and that included dealing with whatever was going on in his head as well. He couldn't worry his mother. He knew she was working hard to provide for them, and anything he said could affect her focus on her job. They understood each other, though, and they were very in sync... knowing just when and how to 'interfere' and assist. Instinctively. And that kind of connection was... quite beautiful, sincerely. He was a romantic, though! So of course he would think it was beautiful! "Perfect! I could definitely use a nap too, to be honest."

   the fact was that they could sit together,  look up each other,  and the silence was comforting rather than awkward.  they understood each other in such a way that everything was so comfortable and natural,  and tom absolutely adored the opportunities they got to remember how in sync they were with each other.  if they were cooking,  they did jobs that helped each other without getting in the way,  without even having to say anything.  even if,  sometimes,  they tended to have to convince each other that they could help.  "thank you."  he offered a smile,  because jon worried too much and the midfielder wanted to support his boyfriend in the same way he did for him.  "we can wash up later.  it's definitely nap time first."  
            
            /   @-NEVERALONE 

It was just one, of the many things, that Jon loved about them. Those silent conversations that no one else could decipher but themselves — like they were sending the messages directly to each other's minds, without interference from the external world. He never thought how valuable it all could be, as well, the moment they started playing on the same side, for England. But it was easy to think that it would all occur to them naturally, as everything always seemed to do... the most important usage was, without a doubt, to convey and pick up messages that would've been really difficult to word out, otherwise. "Alright," he chuckled, nodding to him. "I'll do that."