Chapter 182 You are God's favor to me
When Fino saw off his friends in Milan and returned to the locker room, it was already quite late; Casillas had already finished his post-match press conference.
Fino hurriedly took a shower, and when he came out, most of his teammates had already left. Only Alonso, sitting in front of the locker, was left in the locker room, deep in thought.
"Xavi, haven't you left yet?" Fino asked Alonso while drying his hair.
But Alonso did not answer him.
Alonso remained in a pensive posture, his elbows resting on his legs, his hands supporting his chin, and his eyes looking at the ground.
Fino walked over and patted Alonso on the shoulder.
"Harvey, what are you thinking about? You seem so focused."
Alonso sighed, straightened up, and looked up at Fino.
He had just taken a shower, and his hair wasn't completely dry yet, sticking together in clumps. His drooping eyes showed a hint of grievance and unhappiness.
This Alonso was so different from his usual composed and sophisticated self. He looked much younger, like a lonely dog sitting on the street, soaked by the rain, looking dejected.
Fino quickly asked, "What's wrong? Did you suffer some injustice?"
Alonso reached out and hugged Fino's waist, burying his head in Fino's stomach. He didn't say anything, just shook his head.
Fino placed one hand on Alonso's shoulder and gently ruffled his still-damp hair with the other, soothingly saying, "Don't want to talk about it? Is there anything I can do for you?"
"Finnie, I'm so jealous of Pirlo." Alonso's muffled voice came from below, his warm breath tickling Finnie's abdomen.
"Huh?" Fino was somewhat surprised. He lifted Alonso's head with both hands and looked down into Alonso's eyes to confirm.
Alonso's lips curled down slightly, and his unhappiness was clearly visible in his eyes.
Fino chuckled helplessly, ruffled Alonso's hair, slapped away Alonso's hand that was around his waist, and turned to sit down next to Alonso.
“I always thought you were joking, but it’s really true? What’s there to be jealous of? He’s my good friend, just like you and Arteta, and Gerrard.”
Alonso shook his head, took Fino's hand, looked into his eyes, and said, "I'm jealous that he got to know you so early, jealous that he left such a deep impression on your teenage years, jealous that he's perfect in your eyes... Fino, you two have so many wonderful memories, a period of time I wasn't a part of at all, even our meeting happened when you traveled together..."
Fino paused for a moment, hesitated for a while, then patted Alonso's hand and said evasively, "But now the person I spend every day with is you! You are perfect in my eyes and occupy an important place in my life, so why be jealous of Pirlo?"
Alonso seemed somewhat disappointed, no longer looking at Fino, but turning his head to look at the wall a few meters away.
After a few seconds of silence, he said softly, "You know perfectly well what I'm saying and what I want."
Fino sighed and fell silent.
Of course he knew what Alonso wanted, and he was also attracted to Alonso. But this time, his attraction was different from when he was with Inzaghi. He felt not only sexual attraction from Alonso, but also the long-term companionship and soul resonance he longed for.
But he dared not take that step easily.
He's no longer a young adult who can recklessly let his reason run wild. He's 22 now, more clear-headed and more restrained.
He really liked Alonso, but the more he liked him, the more cautious he had to be. Even before he had him, he was already worried about losing him.
Moreover, he and Alonso were teammates who spent every day together, and once they were separated, he lacked the confidence to act as if nothing had happened as he did with Inzaghi.
Fino didn't know how to answer Alonso. He looked down at their clasped hands and suddenly realized that he hadn't put on any clothes after taking a shower; he was only wearing basketball shorts.
Being able to open up to each other in this semi-naked state gave Fino a slightly comical feeling. He let go of her hands and prepared to put on some clothes first.
But as soon as he stood up, Alonso grabbed his hand again.
"Fini, you won't even give me a perfunctory reply? You could at least tell me a lie to comfort me, and I would believe you." Alonso looked up at him and said sadly, his eyes filled with even more grievance.
This made Fino's heart clench; he felt burned by Alonso's gaze.
Alonso is such a proud man, yet now he's heartbrokenly begging me to comfort him.
Fino felt particularly bad, like a shameless scumbag who, taking advantage of Alonso's tolerance and affection, kept him hanging on, neither agreeing nor rejecting, and taking no responsibility.
He didn't bother to put on his clothes, squatted down and put his hands on Alonso's thighs, looking up at Alonso.
“Harvey, I was just going to get dressed, I wasn’t ignoring you. My indecisiveness made you uneasy, didn’t it? I’m sorry, I’m really not a brave person when it comes to relationships.”
He paused for two seconds, as if he found it difficult to say, but he still said it: "I really like you. This liking is different from liking Pirlo, Nesta and Kaká. But I'm too afraid of having you briefly and then losing you. If that happens, it's better if it never started."
Alonso helped Fino up and made him sit back down next to him.
"Am I not giving you enough security?"
Fino shook her head: "You're very good, really very good, but taking that step takes a lot of courage for me."
Alonso pulled him into his arms, kissed his forehead, and whispered, "Finnie, no one is immune to anxiety in relationships, including me. I understand your hesitation and am willing to wait until you're fully ready. But can you give me some confidence? Let me know that my waiting is worthwhile."
Fino hesitated for two seconds, then closed his eyes, steeled his resolve, and kissed Alonso's lips.
Alonso was stunned...
His performance tonight was half genuine and half acted.
Fino and Pirlo are so close that he's been jealous for a long time, and he has to tell Fino how he feels.
Moreover, Fino is like a snail when it comes to emotions, hiding himself in a thick shell. If he doesn't find an opportunity to push him, Fino will stay comfortably hidden in his shell.
He knew very well that even though he was older, he couldn't always show his mature and stable side in relationships. He had to appropriately reveal his vulnerability and insecurity so that Fino would feel sorry for him and indebted to him.
Feeling sorry for someone and feeling guilty are powerful catalysts for the development of a relationship.
But he didn't expect Fino to kiss him on the lips; she didn't have any skill, just like an honest man who went all out...
He was even more certain of how much Fino liked him, because for someone as conservative and shy as Fino, making such an intimate gesture already took all her courage.
This made Alonso feel guilty again; he felt like he was bullying Fino.
Fino's hesitation in relationships is likely related to childhood trauma. He lacks security and is afraid to easily enter into intimate relationships. He is already suffering enough, so why should I bully him?
He hugged Fino tightly and whispered comfortingly, "Fino, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have rushed you. Like you said, we should just let things take their course..."
...
After the Champions League ended, Real Madrid's focus returned to the league.
On October 23, the day before Fino's birthday, the 8th round of La Liga saw Real Madrid host Racing Santander.
Racing Santander is not a strong opponent, or rather, the entire La Liga is a two-man show between Real Madrid and Barcelona.
Real Madrid and Barcelona stand at the very top of the pyramid, while teams like Valencia, Villarreal, and Sevilla can almost always stay in the European competition zone, and other teams can only occasionally make a splash.
But the ball is round, and no matter what kind of opponent you face, if you don't take them seriously, you might end up losing unexpectedly.
Last season, Real Madrid suffered a humiliating 4-0 defeat to third-division side Alcorcón in the Copa del Rey. This season, in the second round of La Liga, Barcelona were also upset 2-0 by newly promoted Hercules.
Real Madrid played very smoothly in this match, using a fast-paced attack to directly break down Racing Santander's defense. By the end of the first half, Real Madrid was already leading 3-0.
In the 7th minute, Higuain broke the offside trap and scored with a shot after receiving a pass from Fino, making it 1-0.
In the 25th minute, Higuain and Ronaldo switched positions, and Ronaldo received a cross from Higuain on the wing to extend the lead to 2-0.
In the 38th minute, Fino received the ball on the right wing after beating the offside trap and passed it to Ronaldo in the middle. Ronaldo easily scored in the penalty area, making it 3-0.
As the second half began, Real Madrid's goal-scoring spree continued.
In the 47th minute, Di Maria crossed from the right wing, and Ronaldo slotted home from the edge of the six-yard box to complete his hat-trick, making it 4-0.
In the 56th minute, Fino took a long-range shot from outside the penalty area, the ball grazing the shoulder of the opposing defender and going into the net, making it 5-0.
Desperate to avoid defeat, Racing Santander became increasingly aggressive, and in the 64th minute, a Racing Santander defender brought down Di Maria in the penalty area as he was about to shoot.
This is a clear penalty kick.
Cristiano Ronaldo happily carried the ball to the penalty spot, as it was his turn to take the penalty in this match.
A quadruple victory is in sight!
At this moment, Alonso walked over and started discussing with Ronaldo: "Cristiano, you've already scored three, can I take this penalty?"
Cristiano Ronaldo was somewhat reluctant, as he still wanted to compete for the La Liga Golden Boot this season!
Last season, he and Fino both scored close to 30 league goals, with him slightly behind Fino, but the La Liga Golden Boot went to Messi from Barcelona. This was because he and Fino shared the penalty-taking duties, and Messi was Barcelona's first-choice penalty taker.
This season, Fino moved back to midfield. Due to his position, he created more chances than he scored, but his shooting stats improved dramatically thanks to Fino's assists. Of course, he will strive to win the La Liga Golden Boot.
Moreover, his relationship with Alonso was just average, merely that of ordinary teammates. He wasn't so petty as to refuse to give in, but he was very reluctant.
Fino noticed the problem and came over to see what was going on.
"Xavi wants to take this penalty!" Ronaldo gestured with his chin.
Alonso stood to the side, smiling.
Fino thought for a moment, patted Ronaldo on the shoulder, and said to him, "Give this penalty to Xavi. You'll have all my penalty-taking duties this season."
At least until Kaká returns, he won't score many goals, and he's basically out of the top scorer race. It would be better to give the penalty kicks to Ronaldo and let him compete for the Golden Boot. It's better to benefit a teammate than to benefit Barcelona!
Cristiano Ronaldo happily agreed!
Since his transfer to Real Madrid, Alonso has had few opportunities to score, but his penalty kicks are actually quite good, as Fino witnessed in the World Cup final.
Alonso scored, making the score 6-0.
After the whistle blew to confirm the goal, Alonso made a heart shape with his hands at Fino, ran over amidst the clamor, and embraced Fino, raising his voice in his ear to say, "Fino, happy 22nd birthday. You are a gift from God to the football world, and also a blessing from God to me."
Fino felt a tingling sensation throughout her ears and heart...
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Author's Note: Thank you everyone for your support! [cat emoji]
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