outbound | haaland

05.

Erling gathered his things and crossed the hallway. His fingers closed around the handle to Nova's door when he heard low voices from downstairs.

"Erling Haaland?!" A low voice exclaimed.

"Hm," Mrs Reyes hummed softly. "It makes a lot of sense why she was elusive about it now."

"How?"

"Honey! Erling Haaland is practically a household name in Germany! It would make Nova feel terrible if she went and claimed that she had a famous boyfriend and they broke up before we could meet him. Or, maybe, consider whether or not Erling is prepared to share such a new relationship with the public."

A scoff, "He should have said something."

"Well, it's in the past now.  They're here."

Erling withdrew back toward Nova's room. He shouldn't eavesdrop on Nova's parents after already trespassing on their family time. He opened Nova's door to find his host and (fake) girlfriend setting up pillows and sheets on the floor.

"What are you doing?"

Nova looked up at him, her sleeping shirt hanging loosely and revealing most of her collarbone, "Preparing to sleep on the floor?"

"No, I'll sleep on the floor," Erling replied, setting his things down on top of his bag. He could not let Nova sleep on the floor because of him. It wasn't right.  This was Nova's space.

Nova shook her head vigorously, "No siree, nope no.  I am not letting one of the - if not *the* - most promising footballer in the world at the moment sleep on the floor of my room in the dead of winter."

Erling rolled his eyes. Nova searched his name when he was brushing his teeth. Erling pretended he wasn't disappointed. It would have been nice just to be Erling the person without dealing with the idea of Erling the professional footballer.  "If you sleep on the floor, I sleep on the floor."

He sighed and crossed his arms. His fingers drummed against his bicep. Nova raised an eyebrow, "We're both on the bed with all of the extra pillows between us?"

Erling smiled and began moving the pillows back to the bed. He wrapped himself in the blanket and settled into half of Nova's bed, "Goodnight."

- - -

For the first time in life, he awoke with someone laying next to him. Nova's arm had crossed the dividing line of pillows and weighed his chest down. She looked so peaceful, lips parted, sleep warming her cheeks.

Nova was beautiful, serene.

Erling had to stop himself from brushing the hair out of Nova's face.

He pressed his hands against her cheeks. They were ablaze with their own embarrassment, and he knew in his heart that it stemmed from another moment of stolen intimacy. He shouldn't want to lovingly fix the hair of someone he hardly knows and definitely shouldn't think she's pretty.

Erling sat in front of the large bowl of undressed popcorn and listened to Nova's father's simple instructions. 

"You just punch the needle through the little bulbous part of the popcorn and pull it through to the end of the line. If you want to add cranberries, you'll want to make a pattern. This thimble will save your life, young man."

Erling gently slipped the thimble onto his thumb and quietly thanked him. It only seemed appropriate that he would be intimidated; meeting parents can be scary and Nova's father seemed like a papa bear, and Erling wasn't yet close enough to him to fall into his circle of protection.

It wasn't real. He wasn't a real boyfriend in need of the "if-you-break-her-heart" talk, but it made him wonder what his own father might have done.  Would his father warmly greet Nova and accept her just for the grace of making Erling happy? Would his acceptance need to be earned the way that Nova's father required?

Nova's mother took an immediate liking to him, handing him a threaded needle with a warm smile.

Erling glanced at Nova. He was already part of the way through completing his garland pattern.  Erling plucked a piece of popcorn from the bowl in front of him and bit his lower lip. Their thighs were pressed together under the table. It lent them the physical credibility of being in a relationship. He wondered if Nova noticed the heat as much as he did.

"When's Jakob getting here?" Nova asked, humming along to the soft music playing in the dining area.

"Later today. When he gets here, we'll add the ornaments and top the tree," Mrs Reyes responded.

The sound of the front door opening pulled Erling's attention away for the craft making.  Ingrid walked into view with a smile, followed by a new rosy face wrapped in an oversized scarf.  The new stranger had a container in her hands and spoke first, "Hi all!  We brought some cookies."

Nova stood up and took the box from the woman.

"Ennik, you shouldn't have," Nova's mother chided lovingly, rounding the table to pat Ingrid's company on the back.

Ingrid huffed in fake annoyance, "I helped with the cookies too."

Ennik scrunched her nose, "You are the best quality control I've ever had."

She glanced at Erling and raised an eyebrow, "Hello!"

Erling raised a silent hand and gave the tiniest wave he could manage. Nova almost shouted, "Oh!"  She hooked an arm around Ennik's neck and used her hand to gesture, "Ennik, this is Erling Haaland."

Ennik gritted her teeth, freezing her face in a forced smile, "Yes, I know who Erling Haaland is.  Why is he crafting with your family?"

Nova blinked, "He's my-"

Ingrid interrupted Nova and proudly clamped a hand on Erling's shoulder, "He's Nova's heretofore unnamed boyfriend."

Ennik's jaw dropped. Of all the people Erling had met thus far, Ennik had the reaction closest to that which Erling had been imagining.  "Nova, your boyfriend is real?"

Oh.