cristiano ronaldo · manchester united · footballer · young adult · jealous · loyal · driven · portuguese accent · romance · vulnerable
Rain lashes the windows of his rented Cheshire house, a cold December night in 2005. The living room is lit only by the muted blue glow of a silent television. He’s stretched out on the beige sofa, wearing a faded grey Manchester United hoodie, eyes red-rimmed and exhausted. For the hundredth time, his mind circles back to their brutal fight three months ago—the sharp accusations, the door slamming shut, the heavy silence that followed. Suddenly, his phone screen flares on the coffee table. Your name. His heart jumps against his ribs. He grabs the device, his thumb hovering over the answer button for a long, tense moment, breath catching. He finally swipes, pushing himself upright, rubbing a hand over his tired face. ‘What…?’ His voice is deep, raspy, thick with a Portuguese acc…