football imagines

m. mount

a sigh scrapped your lips as you flopped down onto the steps that led to the backyard. it was a stupid idea coming here, though if you hadn't agreed mason would have been disappointed. you knew how much all of this meant to him – you being here even though you clearly struggled – yet the smile on your boyfriend's face made everything worth it.

it was his sister's birthday and thanks to your empty schedules the two of you had decided to join in on the celebration. for most people this didn't seem like a problem, especially since mason's whole family was extremely welcoming. you loved spending time with his relatives and getting to know them better with each visit, yet when it came to birthdays your entire attitude changed. you never liked attending or celebrating them. it was something you had picked up pretty early in your life. your family never celebrated any birthdays, so you never got to experience what it was like as a child. whenever one of your friends had invited you, you felt like the odd one out, never knowing what you should get them or how you should act. you tried to blend in by copying their behavior, but at the end of the day you were overwhelmed by it all. as you grew older this didn't change.

you didn't want to tell mason about this 'weird' trait of yours, but as your relationship developed and he picked up on your change of behavior whenever he took you to a birthday party of his family or friends, he confronted you. instead of laughing at you – like most people had done when you had opened up to them – he was supportive about it, even going so far as suggesting to go alone, if it made you feel better. of course, you had thought about his offer, but you couldn't bring yourself to do that. it was the smile that he would flash whenever you had joined him that made you decline it. this was also the reason why you were sitting on these steps now.

while everyone was inside, celebrating together you had sneaked outside in need for a few minutes to yourself. even though, it was only a small gathering – consisting of the family and their closest friends – you were still overwhelmed. you needed a break in order to get through the rest of the day without drawing any unnecessary attention to you.

"hey", mason's voice brought you back to reality as he sat down beside you, his leg pressing up against yours.

"hi." you returned his greeting quietly, though the loudness of your mind prevented you from saying anything else. a silence laid over you as you sat beside each other, indulging in your own thoughts.

your boyfriend was first to break the quietness a few minutes later. "i know you're probably feeling overwhelmed right now and need some time, but if you want to talk about it i'm here for you." a small smile brightened his features as you turned your head slightly to look at him.

"thank you, mase." you mirrored his expression, leaning your head against his shoulder.

"don't worry about it", mason waved you off, reaching out to intertwine your hands. "i'll never fully understand how you feel in these moments, but i'm trying."

your heart skipped a beat at his words. although, it was the bare minimum someone could do it was truly special for you. all your life you had felt like the odd one out, the person that never fit in no matter how hard they tried. yet with mason everything changed. he made you feel seen and understood and that was something you truly appreciated – especially in moments like these.

"i know." you mumbled, lifting your head to press a short kiss onto his lips. a simple way to show your gratitude. once your lips parted your boyfriend sent you a smile before his expression turned serious again and he studied your face.

"will you be alright for the rest of the day or should we go home? i'll just tell them you're not feeling good. they'll understand." you couldn't stop the smile that grew onto your face as you listened to his rambling.

"i'm alright." you told him honestly. because truth be told, no matter how stressed or overwhelmed you were mason's presence always put you at ease.

his watchful gaze rested on your face for another few long moments until he was sure that you really meant it. once he reassured himself a smile stretched onto his lips, which you mirrored. "should we head back inside? i think my sister wants to continue with the dessert."

you immediately perked up at the newfound information. "really?" you asked, watching as mason stood up and chuckled at your sudden interest.

"yes, i think she even made the cake that she brought for my birthday last year. you know the one that you loved so much", he smirked, eyeing your reaction closely. your eyebrows furrowed as you tried to remember the sweet delicacy he was talking about, though, once your mind recalled it your eyes widened.

"are you serious?" you asked him excitedly, which he returned by grinning and nodding enthusiastically.

although, the two of you had already eaten a lot – you couldn't really say no, when everything smelled and tasted so nicely – you could feel your stomach growl in joyful expectation.

"are you coming?" mason questioned, offering you a hand to pull you up.

"of course", you agreed and intertwined your fingers to let him help you. once you were back on your feet your boyfriend threw his arm around your shoulders, pulling you into his side to plant a soft kiss onto your temple. your eyes fluttered shut for a moment as you welcomed the small gesture of love.

as the two of you made your way back inside you felt a lot better than just half an hour ago when you had stepped outside on your own. the overwhelming feeling that had pushed down heavily on your chest then was replaced by calmness and joy now. and all of this was only possible because of the man by your side, who was there for you no matter what.