Pairing: Sho Shunko x Stefan Levin
Disclaimer: Me no own...sigh....*pouts*
Summary: A short, schmoopy love story of how Stefan and Sho got together ^___^
Never, Never Gonna Give You Up is a song by Barry White (and covered nicely by Lisa Stansfield)
Pairing: Sho Shunko x Stefan Levin
Disclaimer: Me no own...*pouts*
Sho Shunko turned the key in the lock of the front door to his home. It was almost 11:00 in the evening, and he had just gotten back from visiting family in China. He was exhausted; The long trip had taken a lot out of him. Funny how you could get so tired from sitting for 11 hours...
Sho slowly opened the door, expecting pitch darkness, but instead found the living room softly aglow with several candles, all attractively arranged on his coffee table, across the mantle above his fireplace, trailing to his dining room table. In the center of the table was a box wrapped with shiny silver paper, with a card placed on top. At one end of the table, was a bottle of fine red wine. Two place settings were arranged on either side of the oak table. At one of the place settings, stood a beautiful blue-eyed young man, with very light, sun-kissed blonde hair, which was perfectly straight except for a single lock which curved down and touched the end of his nose, thereby hiding part of his angelic face. He smiled softly at Sho, walking slowly, and a little apprehensively, as he hoped he didn't overstep his boundries; after all, this wasn't his house. But, it was Sho's landlady who gladly entered into conspiricy with Stefan to let him into Sho's house (she liked Stefan; thought he was a nice young man). Stefan just wanted to do something special for Sho, as they hadn't seen each other in two weeks, and Stefan didn't get to celebrate a very special day with him....
"Stefan...." Sho said, his voice tender, obviously touched. "you didn't have to do all this." He smiled as he took in his gorgeous boyfriend, who was wearing a jade green silk button-down shirt with black pants. Stefan smiled, looked down at his feet, a faint blush glowing on his pale cheeks. Gods, he couldn't believe he was blushing - Sho still had that affect on him; It could be something like a smile, or the way he looked at him, or the tone in his voice; there was just something about Sho Shunko that made Stefan Levin melt.
"Well...." Stefan began, walking up to Sho, butterflies in his stomach - he still got those whenever Sho walked into a room. "I wanted to do something....special, since we didn't get to spend your birthday together this year, and...."
"Oh, I'm sorry." Sho put his duffel bag on the floor next to the couch, and walked into the dining room towards Stefan. He couldn't believe he did all this - wine, candles, and - what was that delicious smell? "Stefan, is that - is that lamb?"
Stefan nodded and smiled shyly. "Lamb soulvaki - I know how much you like Greek food."
"I didn't know you could cook" Sho said, pleased and impressed with his pretty boyfriend.
Stefan laughed, something he did more often these days, thanks to Sho. "Sho, you know I can't cook." Stefan said, still smiling. "I ordered it from your favorite Greek restaurant."
Sho laughed too, happy to see Stefan smile. He remembered a time when Stefan rarely smiled, and never laughed. The only time he was happy, it seemed, was when he was playing soccer. His beautiful blue eyes would light up every time he was on the field playing the game he so loved, whether it was for practice or for an actual game. Whether Bayern won or lost (which never happened, by the way) , it didn't matter so much to Stefan as long as he got to play. But the second it was over, the light would go out of his eyes, realising he had to face bitter reality once again; Of being alone, of the love of his life gone forever. For as thrilled as Stefan was to be in the Bundesliga, his accomplishment was bittersweet without someone to share it with. Without Karen. And what was worse, was that even when Stefan was ready to put the tragedy behind him, he still carried with him a heavy feeling of melancholy. For he was convinced that he could never fall in love with anyone again. Ever. Karen was his one true love, and after she died, all love and happiness died with her. He had no interest in dating anyone, despite his teammates' efforts to introduce him to potential dates. It was like he was living a half-life; He had his soccer, which made him so happy, which was like life itself to Stefan. And yet, the other part of him was so thoroughly convinced that he could never fall in love again, he didn't feel whole. His life would always be missing something.
All of this changed when he met Sho Shunko.
Stefan remembered Sho from the U-20 games. He remembered watching Sho on the field, and thinking what an amazing player he was! Never did he see anyone play soccer like Sho before. He was so quick, so agile; so strong and talented. And a really cool guy to boot. From the moment he first met him, Stefan felt completely at ease with Sho. Stefan felt like he could be himself around Sho. He didn't know why, exactly; There was somthing about Sho that made him forget about his troubles, forget about his lonliness. The man had such a peaceful, friendly way about him. And he laughed so easily. Around Sho, Stefan could let go of the bitterness and sorrow he always harbored. Instead, he always found himself smiling around Sho; He even started to laugh again, to the pleasant surprise of his team mates.
Little did he know at the time how much Sho would come to mean to him; Little did he know he was falling love with the man a little more every time he saw him.
It wasn't until about 6 months after they met, did their friendship become something more.
It was just another after-practice pub excursion, or at least it seemed at the time to Stefan. It was Friday night, and their usual bunch of friends, which consisted of his team mates and some of their non-soccer friends, all met at their favorite watering hole. This was only an in-between stop to have some dinner before heading out to the clubs (provided they didn't have practice the next morning).
It started out as a fun evening. Stefan was having dinner with his friends, Sho sitting next from him joking and making Stefan laugh as always. It wasn't until one of their well meaning, but obviously-didn't-get-the-hint team mates introduced yet another girl to Stefan. And again, Stefan was very uncomfortable with this. Damn, didn't his team mates get the hint? He didn't want anyone! Why did they have to keep trying to set him up for? He wished they would just let it go already.
Only this time, to his utter surprise, Sho put his arm around him and said to the woman: "I'm afraid you're too late; You see, Stefan here is already spoken for: by me."
You should have seen the looks on their faces! Especially Stefan's. The blonde just stared at him, mouth agape, cheeks blushing a light pink, when Sho winked at him, as if to say: "Just play along." Stefan smiled, as his heart beat faster to Sho's touch, his closeness; He could smell his warm scent, a mix of nag champa oil and Sho. He was so close, that Stefan could have leaned an inch or two forward and kissed him. And he wanted to....badly...
Stefan smiled mischeviously - what the hell? What did he have to lose? He leaned forward and kissed Sho softly on the lips. It was only a peck, but it was enough for Sho to look at Stefan in surprise. What was that? Was he kidding?
"Sho, you're so protective of me." And Stefan smiled sweetly at him, amused by Sho's look of surprise. But then Sho said, "Sorry, Stefan...but, you know, I can't help it..." He said those words softly, as though he really meant them, as he looked into Stefan's big blue eyes. At that moment, there was no one else in the room, no one else in the world, except Stefan. And he wanted to return the kiss Stefan gave him. But not here. Their teammates were still gawking at them in surprise. Thankfully Karl Heinz-Schneider said, 'C'mon guys, break it up; stop gawking at them; it's nothing you haven't seen before "
Sho then stood up and said, "It's alright Karl, we should probably get going, anyway." He then looked down at Stefan. "Ready, Stefan?" Sho asked, not sure how far Stefan was willing do go along with this little charade; if it still was a charade, that is.... but Stefan got up and said, "Let's go." His heart was beating a mile a minute...he and Sho, alone?
What would happen next, he wondered?
You'll have to wait until next chapter ;p
I'll update this soon though - I want to know what happens too ;D