saira

“you’re making me work today.” but despite the complaint, he starts the explanation all over again from the beginning.

his arm around your seat

the movie’s been playing for twenty minutes and joão hasn’t watched a second of it.

his arm is stretched lazily along the sofa behind you, fingers brushing your shoulder whenever you move. it’s not possessive, really, it’s just there.

often, you glance over and catch him already looking at you. his lips twitching into a smile before he looks back over to the television as if he’s been paying attention the whole time.

when he’s tired and keeps saying “mhm”

“and then she said she wasn’t even talking about me, which is absolutely ridiculous because—“

“mhm.”

you look over and see joão sprawled across the bed, one arm thrown over his eyes. he’s clearly seconds away from falling asleep from a long day at practice, but he’s somehow still listening.

“did you hear anything i just said?”

“yeah”

“okay… what did i say?”

he shifts his arm just enough to peek at you. “something about someone annoying you.” pause. “come here.”

you laugh softly as he makes room for you besides him right away.

taking his time while kissing you

the conversation somehow seems to fade away between one smile and the next.

joão's hand settles against your jaw, his thumb brushing your cheek as he leans in closer. there isn’t any rush to it. no impatience, no urgency.

he pauses for a second, eyes flicking down to your lips before meeting your again—giving you every oppourtunity to pull away. but when he finally kisses you, it’s slow and unhurried. smiling against his mouth.

putting on and taking off your heels

“lift your foot, amor.” 

you blink and put your phone down.

joão is already kneeling in front of you, one hand resting on your ankle as he fastens the strap of your heel. 

you laugh and ask what he’s doing, but he just shrugs. “helping.”

the entire time, he keeps looking up at you. not at the shoe, not at the buckle, at you.

later that night when the two of you are back home, he crouches down once again to undo the straps. “better?” he asks quietly while sliding the heels off your feet.

you nod with a soft smile and his grin comes immediately.

“good, meu amor.”

"it is," he murmured, looking at you instead of the sunset. "but you know what's even better?"

"hm?"

"you."

you laughed immediately, nudging his side with your elbow.

"that was so cheesy."

"it worked though."

"it absolutely did not."

"it made you smile."

"...okay, maybe a little."

his grin widened triumphantly.

moments like these had always been your favorite. no cameras. no interviews. no crowds chanting his name from the stands. just the two of you walking barefoot along the beach after one of the few vacations he managed to take during the season.

you had been together for years now, growing alongside each other through transfers, victories, injuries, and the overwhelming attention that came with dating one of football's brightest stars.

through everything, joão had remained the same.

still the boy who stole fries off your plate.

still the man who insisted on holding your hand whenever you crossed the street.

still the person who looked at you like you hung every star in the sky.

he suddenly stopped walking.

you turned toward him with a confused smile.

"what?"

"i..." he scratched the back of his neck, looking oddly nervous.

that alone made your eyebrows lift.

joão félix? nervous?

"you okay?"

"yeah."

"...are you sure?"

"...no."

you giggled.

"you're scaring me."

he took a deep breath before pulling something small from his pocket.

your smile slowly disappeared.

"joão?"

his hands were shaking.

actually shaking.

"i had this whole speech memorized," he admitted with a sheepish laugh. "i practiced it in the mirror... probably a hundred times."

you felt your heartbeat speeding up.

"but now you're standing here looking at me..." he smiled softly, his eyes already glossy. "...and i forgot every single word."

a laugh escaped you, quickly followed by tears you hadn't even realized were forming.

"oh my god..."

"i know." he laughed too. "i'm messing this up."

"no."

you shook your head immediately.

"you're not."

he inhaled deeply before lowering himself onto one knee.

everything around you seemed to disappear.

the crashing waves.

the breeze.

the distant sounds of people farther down the beach.

all you could see was him.

the man you loved.

the man who had become your home.

joão carefully opened the small velvet box.

inside rested the most beautiful ring you had ever seen.

"i've been lucky enough to score goals," he began quietly.

"i've played in incredible stadiums."

"i've worn jerseys i dreamed about as a little kid."

"but none of those moments compare to meeting you."

fresh tears streamed down your cheeks.

"you've celebrated every win with me."

"you've stayed beside me through every loss."

"you remind me that i'm more than football."

his own voice cracked.

"and every single future i imagine..." he smiled through watery eyes. "...you're in it."

you covered your mouth, already crying too hard to speak.

"i don't want another day where you're just my girlfriend."

"i want you to be my wife."

he looked up at you with so much love that it made your chest ache.

"so..."

he laughed nervously.

"will you marry me?"

you didn't answer immediately.

mostly because you physically couldn't.

you were crying too hard.

joão's expression shifted into panic.

"was that too much?"

you shook your head.

"no."

"you don't have to say yes if-"

"joão."

he stopped talking instantly.

"yes."

his eyes widened.

"...yes?"

you nodded over and over again.

"yes."

"yes, i'll marry you."

"oh my-"

he stood so quickly he almost dropped the ring.

you both burst into laughter through your tears.

"so that's a yes?" he teased.

you laughed harder.

"i literally just said yes!"

"i wanted to make sure!"

"you're an idiot."

"your idiot?"

you cupped his face with both hands.

"my idiot."

he carefully slid the ring onto your finger with trembling hands before staring at it in complete disbelief.

then at you.

then back at the ring.

then back at you.

"you can't take it back now," he whispered.

"i wasn't planning to."

he wrapped both arms around your waist, lifting you off the sand as he spun you around.

your laughter echoed across the quiet beach.

"i love you," he breathed against your forehead.

"so much."

"i love you too."

he kissed you slowly, gently, like he wanted to memorize the feeling forever.

when he finally pulled away, he rested his forehead against yours.

"so..."

"so?"

"what do i call you now?"

you blinked.

he grinned.

"my fiancée."

the word made both of you laugh all over again.

"my fiancée," he repeated softly, smiling even brighter.

you looked down at the ring sparkling beneath the fading sunlight before looking back up at the man who had just promised you forever.

there would be wedding plans.

guest lists.

flowers.

late-night decisions over venues and colors.

a lifetime of memories waiting to be made.

but for now... there was only the ocean.

the sunset, and the way joão looked at you as if your "yes" had been the greatest victory of his life.