𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐬 𝐝'𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐥𝐨⠀ ... .ᐟ⠀

He chuckled at his 'attempt' to complain, brushing his fingers through the hair on the back of Tom's head— he looked at him, with purpose, studying his eyes that always got him utterly speechless. "Thank *you*, gorgeous," he rested a hand on his chest, on top of where he knew his rose tattoo was. Now, healed. He loved tracing it with his fingers in the morning, waking up beside him. He loved kissing it while looking at his partner, showing him all his devotion. Their 'sub rosa' love— a flower rich of meaning for the two of them. "Always. Through every page and every chapter and every plot twist, babe," he spoke as if making him a *vow*, before leaning in and pressing a lingering kiss to his forehead.

   he registered every movement his partner made and let them all envelop him,  he regressed backwards into the touch and let himself focus only on the love he was being given.  the reverence in every touch was nauseating,  and he wished he could have it constantly every day.  the effort the goalkeeper put into supporting him was evidently clear,  it was loud and loving and beautiful.  his hands skirted over jon's shoulders,  his head leaning against his boyfriend's,  eyesight angled down to gravitate back towards the tattoo.  "i love it when you share things with me,  too."  he pretended to complain,  but there'd be no point in acting as though the surprise hadn't overjoyed him.  but still,  he loved every little detail jon told him about,  the things he thought about or the things he did or the things he was going to do.  "i love it,  it's perfect.  thank you.  i'll always be here for you,  gorgeous.  always.  we're in this together,  right?"  his voice had never sounded so hopeful and pleasant before,  he thought,  a fuzzy sentimentality laced throughout it with wide eyes and a silly grin.  he brushed his hand up and down jon's back,  before it rested on the back of his neck and stayed there in the name of stability.  
            
            /   @-NEVERALONE 

"Just saying... if you did even *that*, I would understand," he chuckled, bringing a hand up to run his fingers through that soft, angelic hair of his. As angelic as those eyes. As angelic as everything else about him, and way far beyond his surname. D'Angelo. His precious angel. The love of his life. What a lucky man he is! Able to fit his entire world in his arms and hold him tight, protect him from everything bad, from everything evil.
            It was a little bit harder when it was his own mind eating him alive, but you wouldn't see Jon standing there and doing nothing. He would still try to fight off the negative thoughts, too!
            "It would ruin the whole concept of 'surprise' if I told you," he grinned, pressing a lingering kiss to the side of his head. "It wasn't easy, though— especially when I share every little thing with you. Every idea, however silly... even if only a joke I thought about. I can't keep it from you. I was dyiiing on the inside a little, the longer I waited for the perfect moment!" he laughed, nuzzling the crook of his neck. "I'm so glad you liked it, though."

The text messages never failed to make him smile— sometimes even blush! Because his partner accused him of being dramatic, romantic —or better saying, dramatically romantic! —, but... so was he! "Yes, my dear. You. Absolutely perfect. In my eyes, you'll always be," he sent him a flirty wink, before nodding in response to him. "Of course... 'your majesty'? Oh, boy— I think I need a little help, here. If I'm 'your majesty'... tell me: which is the title used to address an angel who walks this Earth, huh?"

   "mm,  i know."  he replied fondly,  having often seen the outfits he wore to the interviews—  it was sweet,  jon had things he was comfortable with.  besides,  he looked absolutely gorgeous anyway,  and tom would sometimes text him as he watched them with stupidly dramatic compliments and a lot of heart-related emojis.  "perfect?  aw,  please."  he laughed,  accepting the kiss and getting his phone out to order them a meal that he would have to go and collect in ten minutes.  "would you like to help me set the table before i collect our dinner,  your majesty?" 
            
            /   @-NEVERALONE 

"Sometimes I forget that," he admitted with an embarrassed chuckle; he would show up to an interview with a beaten up pair of Converse shoes, ripped jeans or comfy trackies and an oversized Beatles shirt, along with plenty of handcrafted leather bracelets and cord necklaces, and that was exactly how he used to dress before 'fame'. All those expensive brands and jewelry— those things never appealed to him. "Yeah. Learned a thing or two about wine with my perfect boyfriend," he grinned, kissing his temple. "Sounds wonderful."

 "oh,  was he?  that's a coincidence,  seeing as i was on my way anyway."  his hand rested on the small of his partner's back at the short kiss,  the other snaking upwards to cup his cheek and press their foreheads together.  "sounds perfect,  hopefully your little nightmares stay entertained elsewhere."  the midfielder teased,  stepping away to sit down and wait for his partner patiently.  
            
            /   @-NEVERALONE 

"Two dogs," he retorted with a playful glint in his eyes. "And one Devil. A Tasmanian Devil. It's not that many dogs," he laughed at that, then, sighing at the warm touch of his partner. "The 'hot goalkeeper' is question was dyiiing around here, missing his *divinely handsome midfielder*." he added with a tiny smirk, leaning in to peck his lips, gently. "Please, find yourself the most comfortable seat, gorgeous. I'll get us both some snacks and drinks. How does that sound to you?"

   he practically beamed when he heard his partner's laugh,   his hands going to jon's waist almost as an immediate reciprocation of the touch.  he stepped forward,  angling his head up slightly as he was forced to at this distance,  and brought his hands round to rub up and down the goalkeeper's back idly.  "are you trying to flatter me out of the decision?  because i only really visited to see this really hot goalkeeper that hangs around these parts.  with an insane amount of dogs."  
            
              /   @-NEVERALONE 

   "that doesn't prove anything."  and although he was acting all smug about his point,  he rubbed his hand over that spot on jon's chest with a quiet confirmation.  "you're full of shit.  have i told you that yet?  i love you so much,  and i'm pretty sure my heart might be doing the same thing.  somehow."  
            
            /   @-NEVERALONE 

"Oh, I can prove," and in a dramatic but fluid motion, he carefully took his partner's hand and placed it on his chest, right over his heart. "You see how crazy it beats? You could accuse caffeine, but it only acts that way when you're around me. It started in that very same day, when I first met you. And it continues this way whenever you walk in the room, sweetheart."

   "you're making some offensive comparisons,  jonathan clarke."  he did his usual acting-coy to keep his own innocence in tact,  sounding more like one of those scandalised women in a 30s old hollywood film.  "you cant prove anything.  being in love isn't a crime!"  
            
            /   @-NEVERALONE 

   "did  *not*.  i practically flew across the pitch at the force you pushed me!"  he did have to spend those few minutes on the floor,  with a few teammates coming up to him as he told them that he just needed to get up and walk it off.  that had been all it took,  in the end  (  thank god!!  ),  and he knew jon would get a little worried once everything settled and the midfielder held up play to get back into it.  still,  it was all part of the job,  and he wasn't even really injured.  sometimes people worried more than they should because thomas wasn't the kind if player to go down if he wasn't actually properly hurt.  it took a lot to get at him!  "you won't enjoy it when we get to it." 
            
            /   @-NEVERALONE 

"*You* ran right into me, technically. You were the one approaching the goal, it wasn't me who was running towards the center circle, right?!" he knew he was trying to use logic to 'twist' the facts around, saying that *technically*, it was Tom's fault (that's what he would forever argue, actually. Because while they were very much *both* responsible, it was super fun to put the 'blame' all on his dear boyfriend and watch his reaction). The worst part is that he really had to fight off his instincts after seeing it was him, because if he helped him... the worry in his eyes and all the other feelings that would become visible in them... they would be impossible to hide. "I won't? I'm looking forward to that challenge, babe."

   "wow.  that's so rude,  you ran right into me."  it was a simple collision,  he knew that seeing as he ran into jon as much as jon ran into him,  and it summed up their individual dedication.  they both focused so heavily on the ball that everthing else just disappeared,  it was just their team and their desire to win.  the midfielder remembered that collision,  practically flying into the goal post and struggling to get back up for a few seconds.  it really had hurt his back,  but the adrenaline kept him going.  he exclaimed a   'shitting christ,  clarke!'  as he got up and had to run back to his original position,  immediately stretching and getting himself back into the game.  "you won that time,  but next time you won't be so lucky."  
            
            /   @-NEVERALONE 

"We should bring together everyone, sometime! I'm also owing your ma a visit, as well as meeting your sisters," he said with a soft smile; Tom's mother was a very kind woman and he truly enjoyed meeting her. It was quite a pleasing afternoon they've all spent together, the three of them. "Ha, that you really did! Ma fell platonically in love with you, right at first sight, and Jane... well, she kept the number of insults very limited, which is a positive," he laughed, pressing a gentle kiss to his boyfriend's jaw. "See? That's the charm who won Elizabeth Clarke's heart... but, especially, mine." he grinned. "You bet, beautiful. I'll bring it up with the two of them."
            
            
            // that's high praaaise coming from youuuuu, who writes your characters always so brilliantly !!!!!!! <3333 I'm ur fannn ;)) HAHAHA
            *uno reverse card* hahhaa tysmmm, darling, it truly means a lot xx

   "aw,  c'mon."  he brushed off the flattery,  finding the idea of jon himself loving him to he ideal enough,  but the edition of his mum and taz and everything else made it even more moving!   "i'll win jane over,  promise.  after a few times.  i did pretty well the first time."  the midfielder was optimistic,  obviously,  because jon's family was lovely and as welcoming as ever.  "well,  mention it to them and whatever day is best we'll do.  for them.  i think it's a nice thing to do,  especially during the summer!  a beautiful man is bound to have a beautiful family."  
            
            /   @-NEVERALONE   GOOD!!! you SHOULD feel comfortable bc u write so beautifully,  it's very easy to understand jon and his character as long as ur writing them xx  which extends to other characters!  i love them!  ur perfect....  <3333 

"She'll probably swoon. You have a huge fan, you know? And it isn't *just* me, so it's three huge fans— my mother *and* Taz, too—, without mentioning all the others worldwide!" he laughed at that. "Just knowing you went through the trouble of making something, or even learning it just to make her something, she. Will. Swoon." he shook his head with fondness, then looked his boyfriend right in the eyes again. Ah, those eyes... pure poetry if they were materialized into something! ...As well as the man who had those eyes, of course. He was poetry in motion, as a whole. "They'll love that. Ma certainly will— Jane will joke about entering enemy's territory. As she always does. Though she told me, secretly, that 'you aren't that bad', which, in her words, is the highest form of compliment she'll ever give you— a Red Devil," he chuckled, kissing his forehead. "Of course I'll help you, love. Though you know that no gift is necessary, right? She flipping adores you."
            
            
            // BABE you're too kind, SERIOUSLY !! thANK YOU SOOO muchhh <333 you're incredible xx I feel so comfortable writing with you, fr. I don't fret over mistakes (that much hahaah) and our scenarios and characters flow soooo naturally, it's like chapters from a book being written together !! <333 love writing and chatting w/ you !! xx tysmmm fr fr

"well,  you've done your bit today."  tom insisted with a laugh,  still holding onto jon's face like it was the most precious thing he'd ever get the chance to touch.  his hold was full of reverence,  his own head tilting in response to jon's words like he was trying to find anything that would mean as much as what he felt.  "i think we're at the point where you don't even need to do that.  you're poetic enough as it is without a whole book getting involved."  he looked utterly adoring,  his tone light as he spoke in a way that it only ever ended up being when he was with jon.  he leaned in to press a lingering kiss to his forehead,  leaning their foreheads together afterwards for the sake of being close.  if anything,  that was one of jon's moves he was stealing.  
            
            /   @-NEVERALONE 

"Hmmm... funny, I think I just give you the credit you deserve. Although I think you deserve a lot more, so you better get used to it, because they'll keep on coming," he said with a tiny smile, looking right into the eyes of his partner as he cupped his face— just absolutely and incredibly besotted, and there was no flipping hiding it! "I would collect those flirty limericks. Stick them all to the pages of a journal and stuff like that— and you bet, you bet... the way you inspire me, I could write a whole book of poems about you."

   jon was a very wise man,  and he was increasingly lucky to have him.  he didn't have time to beat himself up anymore,  because after a tough defeat he would only think about seeing his boyfriend.  particularly as he knew what he'd get,  he knew the teasing and the wordplays would hit him as soon as they saw each other,  and he loved that escape.  "you give me too much credit."  he scoffed,  cupping his face and brushing his thumb over his partner's cheekbones gently.  "i think that description goes both ways—  i love you and your fancy ways of declaring things.  maybe you should start writing me poetry and then i'll send you like...  i dunno,  flirty limericks back."  
            
            /   @-NEVERALONE 

   "are you talking about me?  'cause all i'm looking at is you."  which was true,  obviously,  because they were both obsessed with each other,  enough that they could do each other a favour in that regard.  every good relationship had two people that were the other persons biggest fan!  thomas very much enjoyed the suncream application process,  because jon had some great hands and they were always so gentle and loving—  one touch told him everything he needed without words,  that silent communication he cherished more than anything.  he tilted his head back,  hoping to catch a glimpse of his stunning boyfriend—  a calm smile shining on his face as he pushed his sunglasses up his nose.  "i'll get yours too,  if you like."  
            
            /   @-NEVERALONE 

He didn't call it 'dramatic thinking'... he called it 'romantic thinking', and he would've very much melted at the idea if he knew his boyfriend walked around, thinking that way... for he, too, walked around thinking that way. But he was irremediable, wasn't he? Not that he cared on *how* irremediable he truly was. "Beautiful," he commented, as soon as Tom had his sunglasses on, watching him idly— and so much in love! —that when his partner talked to him, it took him a second to register his words. "Oh, sure!" he accepted the bottle back from him and smiled— a playful smile at that. "I got your back. And I always will, sweetheart," he responded with another one of those typical, silly winks of his, before he positioned himself behind Tom and proceeded to apply the suncream on his back. Gingerly so... but as if he was making him a massage, as well, in the process.

   there were a million ways they could spend time together,  even though they didn't exactly get to see each other every single day.  it wasn't fair,  but hey—  tom was an adult,  he wouldn't whine too much about it.  especially seeing as the days they  *did*  get to spend together were some of his favourites,  and made the distance feel even more bittersweet when they had to go.  he felt very dramatic in thinking of it like that,  but the point is that a pool did sound like a very good idea.  "so much,"  he laughed as he took the items,  immediately putting his sunglasses on and putting suncream on his arms.  "could you get my back?"  tom asked overly-sweetly,  smiling up at him as he held out the bottle again and shifted on his chair.  
            
            /   @-NEVERALONE 

   he openly scoffed at the compliment,  leaning forward to press a kiss to his cheek even though he was talking rubbish.  because the tone of his voice was addictive,  and he was willing to ignore the ridiculous compliment in order to relish in the sound of him.  he took another cookie when he received the prompt,  and was infinitely flattered that he was on jon's mind when they were being made.  it almost made them taste better!  but he wouldn't comment on whether his mum's were better or not,  he'd need to keep taste testing both batches just to be sure.  "how is your mum,  anyway?"  
            
            /   @-NEVERALONE 

"I'm a work of art?! Babe, you should be right next to Mona Lisa, if you wanna know what I think," he commented with a charming tone of voice, with a playful wink sent his way. "She'll be very happy with the praise, though," finishing his cookie, he went for another— encouraging his partner to do the same. They were indeed good! Not as great as his mother's, but good! And if he spent a long time trying to get it perfect for his boyfriend... well. It was definitely worth it!
            Jon loved Tom's souvenirs and kept a collection of them in his bedroom. It varied from keychains to the famous leather jacket that became his favourite, instantaneously, amongst his nice collection of jackets. Jon loved getting him souvenirs, too, so they had plenty of things to surround themselves with that reminded them of each other when they were apart.
            "It'll be my pleasure, sweetheart."

   it was sweet to know jon felt the same way tom did about him—  with every journey and activity having some sort of relevance to the love of his life.  his partner was his everything,  and tom couldn't go on journeys or eat food without at least considering jon a little bit in the little things.  he'd buy him souvenirs thoughtlessly,  as if absently thinking  'oh,  jon would find that funny or cute or sweet or nice'  whilst jon would receive them and truly understand how much thomas thought of him.  vice versa,  of course,  with the cookies.  "perfect."  he half-heartedly corrected,  because either way he could eat a million of them!  "your mum is a genius,  and you are a work of art.  so this was bound to impress me,  i'll order these from you routinely."  
            
            /   @-NEVERALONE