In the End

Pushing the frames of his sunglasses back up his nose, Gerard huffed out a small sigh, trying to get rid of the lump which had lingered in his throat since he’d woken up that morning. He wasn’t surprised by it, with him having passed his mid-thirties, the date of his retirement had been drawing ever closer, and with it finally having arrived, he knew that the feeling of dread couldn’t be shaken, even if a small part of him was a little relieved by the idea that he was going out on a high. He still didn’t quite know how he felt about the idea that he’d played his last game for Barcelona.

Pushing a hand back through his hair, he spared a brief glance across the quiet garden before the sound of giggling reached his ears, causing him to turn slightly, his face creasing into a soft smile as he spotted Toby padding out of the patio door, his younger sister, Grace, trailing after him. She had been a surprise, throughout Ariella’s second pregnancy, both she and Gerard had been convinced that they were going to give Toby a little brother, but both they had been over the moon when their midwife had announced that they’d welcomed a daughter, even if it had surprised them. They’d both been hoping that they’d have a little girl eventually.

Quirking a small smile, he watched the two children play for a few seconds before the sound of a light cough reached his ears, causing him to look up, his stare settling on Ariella who stood over him, a soft smile on her face. “I hope that they didn’t disturb you” she quipped “I mean, I know that you snuck out here to have a few minutes alone, but Toby was kicking that ball of his around the living room so I sent the two of them out here. If you still want a few minutes...”

“It’s OK” Gerard interrupted, offering her a faint smile.

Ariella spared him a dubious look, noting that his smile looked a little forced, before she shook her head, gently slipping into the seat at his side before she wrapped her arms around him, something which made him chuckle before he pressed a soft kiss against the top of her head. “You know I’m fine, right?” he mumbled into her hair.

“You keep saying that” Ariella replied, her fingers gently tracing patterns into his thigh “I just don’t know how much I believe you” she added, offering him a soft teasing smile.

Gerard admired her smile for a second before he shook his head, dropping a soft kiss against her shoulder.

Ariella closed her eyes at the feel of his lips against her skin before she let out a soft sigh, disturbing the momentary silence which had settled over the two of them. “You know that we have to go soon, right?” she mumbled.

Gerard, who’d settled his head against her shoulder, sighed. “We really have to go?” he mumbled “I mean, the rumours having been flying around for months. I am sure people will piece it together when I don’t show up for the start of preseason” he added.

“Probably” Ariella mused “But the club would still like the chance to say goodbye to you. I mean, you’re quite a big deal and your leaving is going to leave a pretty big hole” she added, trying to keep the tone of their conversation light. She knew that it bothered him, even despite his insistence that he was fine, she knew that the idea that he’d played his last game was something that stuck in his throat, and she wanted to try and lift his spirits slightly, even if she doubted that it would work. She wanted to at least try and cheer him up a little.

Gerard breathed out a sad laugh. “You’re just saying that” he mumbled as he sat up slightly, his blue eyes mirroring hers.

Ariella shook her head. “I don’t pretend to be an expert” she mused “In fact, I am pretty sure that our six year old son probably knows more than me, but I do know that you are one of the best players I’ve ever seen” she insisted with a grin.

Gerard mirrored her smile weakly. “You’re my wife” he pointed out “You might just be a little biased” he added.

Ariella shrugged playfully. “Maybe” she teased.

Gerard shook his head, smiling despite himself, before the sound of Grace’s voice calling for her mother reached them, something which caused Ariella to roll her eyes before she stood up, offering her hand down to him. “Come on” she mused “You can try and get a clean shirt on Toby whilst I get Grace’s shoes on” she added.

Gerard stared at her hand for a second before he placed his own into it, allowing her to pull him to his feet.

~#~
Quietly sipping on the bottle of beer which sat in his hand, Gerard stared quietly around the kitchen, his eyes taking in the plethora of cardboard boxes that filled that room like they filled every other one in the house. It had taken them a while, after Gerard had made the decision that that season would be his last, he and Ariella had spent a lot of time discussing what it was that came next for them, and after a while they’d agreed on a move to New York, something which Gerard was looking forwards to, even if it did mean leaving a place that held so many of their memories. A small part of him was excited about seeing what came next.

Taking another sip of his drink, he allowed his eyes to roam around the room before they settled on the other side of the island, something which made him quirk a faint smile, recalling the first time that he and Ariella had kissed. It had been a long time coming, after two years of trying to pretend that they both weren’t interested in one another, Ariella had finally attempted to babble out her feelings to him, and before she could finish, he’d kissed her, wanting her to know that he felt the same way that she did.

“You’re smiling”

Gerard, who’d spaced out slightly, jumped at the sound of Ariella’s voice, something which made the brunette giggle as she stepped a little further into the room. “I didn’t mean to scare you” she mused.

Gerard shook his head. “It’s fine” he noted “I just didn’t hear you coming. Are the kids asleep?” he asked, sparing her a look as she sat down next to him.

“Grace threw a bit of a tantrum” Ariella mused “We’d lost her teddy and she wouldn’t go to sleep without it, but we found it in the end” she added.

“You should have called” Gerard returned “I could have helped” he added.

Ariella shrugged, allowing a brief moment of silence to pass between them before she gently nudged his side. “What were you smiling about?” she asked.

“Huh?” Gerard asked.

“When I came in” Ariella clarified “What were you grinning about?” she asked.

Gerard spared her a brief look before he shook his head, a soft blush spreading across his cheeks. “It’s silly” he mumbled.

“And?” Ariella countered playfully.

Gerard rolled his eyes a little before he stretched his arm out, gesturing towards the spot which stood on the other side of the kitchen island. “I kissed you for the first time right there” he quipped “You were babbling, trying to tell me that you liked me, and I just...I kissed you” he explained.

Ariella, who’d turned her attention to the spot, smiled gently before she turned in her seat, gesturing to a different spot in the doorway. “Toby took his first steps over there” she mused.

Gerard quirked a half-smile. “Grace took hers in the living room” he mused “She was trying to catch Toby who’d taken one of her toys” he added.

Ariella nodded. “She said her first words in garden” she mused.

“And Toby said his when I was putting him down to sleep in his room” Gerard continued.

Ariella, who’d turned back to look at him, admired the soft expression on his features for a few seconds before she gently lifted her hand, cupping it around his cheek. “You know” she murmured “If you’ve changed your mind...” she trailed off, offering him a slightly tearful smile.

Gerard leant into her hand slightly, pressing a soft kiss against her palm. “Have you?” he asked.

Ariella shook her head. “It’s going to be strange” she mused “I mean, a new country, new people, new jobs...it’s a lot to get a hold on, but I think it’ll be good for us. Besides, Toby and Grace are already so excited. I’m not going to be the one to tell them that we’re not going” she added, spluttering out an awkward laugh.

Gerard smiled and pressed another kiss against her hand, something which made Ariella shake her head before she leant into him, pressing a soft kiss against his lips. “I’m going to go upstairs” she murmured “I know it’s still early, but today’s been a pretty long one and I think I could do with an early night. What about you?” she asked, gently shuffling back to her feet.

“I’ll be right up” Gerard replied.

Ariella nodded, pressing another soft kiss against his lips, before she padded out of the room, mumbling a soft ‘goodnight’ over her shoulder. Gerard watched her out of the room before he quietly shook his head, his eyes returning to scanning over the empty and quiet room. Things had changed a lot for them. After Ariella had ended things first time around, Gerard had assumed that that would be the end of them, and he doubted that he quite had the words to express how happy he was that it hadn’t been. Sparing a brief look around the room, he quirked a small grin to himself before he followed after Ariella, more than a little excited to see what came next for them.