Ten years later...

Luca let out a huff as he fished his key out of his scrub pocket, unlocking and opening the apartment door. It was completely dark inside, which Luca found unusual. He was hoping Aidan would be home, but much to his disappointment, he wasn't.

Part of Luca always felt unsettled when he'd walk into their shared apartment and find Aidan nowhere to be found. Usually he was just working late or out to get dinner for them or something, but a part of Luca wondered when Aidan would get fed up with him and leave or find love elsewhere.

After the championship game their senior year, they became internet sensations. The picture of the gay high school football player-cheerleader couple making out on the field went viral, but their fifteen minutes of fame didn't end there. Once they started their freshman year at Columbia they became even more famous, and that only grew when Luca went on to represent Team Canada at the 2021 and 2024 Olympics, winning two silvers and one bronze medal in men's artistic gymnastics and the team event.

Luca and Aidan became instant sensations, they were instagram influencers and even started their own youtube channel to talk about their lives as openly gay student athletes and Luca's Olympic journey. After graduating from Columbia they worried that life would separate them based on whichever paths fate had in store for them, but yet again fate proved that they were meant to be exactly where they were, together.

Luca got into Med school at Columbia, and Aidan turned down the opportunity to be drafted to the NFL in order to start Law School at Columbia as well. Luca wanted him to take it, knowing that playing in the NFL has been Aidan's dream since he was just a kid, but Aidan insisted that his interests had changed. The reality of the matter was that Aidan didn't want to leave Luca alone while he travelled around the country for games; though he didn't dare tell Luca that, knowing he'd throw a fit and force him to do it.

But Aidan never once looked back and regretted choosing the path he was on. From all their brand endorsements and the royalties from the book they co-wrote about their love story and their journey, Aidan and Luca went on to move into a glitzy apartment in the Upper East Side, with a gorgeous view of Central Park.

Luca set down his backpack and unzipped his heather grey sweatshirt, slipping it off as he grabbed a glass of water. It had been a rough day, though most of his days were rough. As a second year emergency medicine resident, what more could he expect? He loved the fast paced and exciting nature of the ER, but at the same time, at times he felt frustrated that he was always so damn tired.

It wasn't that Aidan himself wasn't busy, working at one of the top sports law firms in the country, but unlike Luca, he had a far cushier work environment with set hours and a nice office that had an amazing view of the city. Though they didn't have the time and energy to keep things romantic like they did when they were younger, Aidan loved nothing more than to just cuddle up to his exhausted husband as he slept soundly after a long shift at the hospital.

Yes, you read that correctly. Husband. Aidan proposed to Luca at their college graduation and they got married later that summer before they started med and law school. It was the happiest day of their lives, and to think that it almost didn't happen because of a stupid high school rivalry.

Luca often thinks back to the first two months that they dated, to all the pitfalls they faced; every argument and disagreement, of which they were many. He imagines how his life would have panned out had he gave in to the pressure and broke things off with Aidan ten years ago. Shuddering at the thought that he wouldn't have ended up with his one true soulmate.

Luca passed through the hallway towards their bedroom, glancing over the portraits that lined the wall. After their viral photo from the football field, Luca and Aidan recreated that photo at every major milestone in their lives. As cringe as that might seem, it was just one of the many little things that they loved about their relationship. The same pose in different situations and wearing different clothes, Aidan carrying Luca off the ground as the smaller boy embraces him behind the neck, kissing him gently on the lips. It served as just one of the subtle reminders that though life may go on, days turn to months and months to years, some things truly do stay the same.

"Guess who." Luca tensed slightly as he felt two warm hands covering his eyes from behind, a familiar voice cooing in his ear.

"Aidan." Luca whispered, spinning around to look up into the taller boy's blue eyes. Luca bit his lower lip teasingly as he took in his handsome husband, looking dapper as always in his perfectly tailored Armani suit. Aidan gently caressed his cheek, now with a tasteful amount of dark blond stubble. He stood on his toes and gently kissed him on the lips while Aidan curled his arms around Luca's waist and pulled him in close against his body.

"How was work today?" Aidan asked lovingly as Luca fiddled with the buttons on his suit.

"Tiring, as usual." Luca drawled sheepishly, walking away form Aidan as he stripped out of his scrubs and changed into one of Aidan's Columbia Law t-shirts. "What about you? Did you just get in?"

"Yeah I did." Aidan rolled his eyes. "It was a fucking nightmare, I can't give details but let's just say a certain New England Patriot might have been involved in a hit and run. That's why it took so fucking long."

"Merda. (Shit.)" Luca blinked in shock. "Was anyone hurt?"

"Nobody hurt, but the McDonald's he plowed into didn't fare too well" Aidan said as he held back a chuckle, though Luca wasn't so successful at it. Aidan threw himself backwards onto the bed, as Luca climbed in next to him, cuddling against him as his head rested on his chest. "What about you, baby?" He asked placing a chaste kiss atop Luca's dark hair. "Anything interesting in the ER today?"

"Oh my God! Yes!" Luca propped himself on his side animatedly. "A guy came into the ER with a broken penis!"

"Oh..." Aidan grimaced at the thought. "Why do you look so happy about that."

"Because turns out he was cheating on his wife when it happened." Luca said with an evil snicker. "Karma's a bitch, as I always say." Luca smirked smugly.

"Do you want to go out tonight, babe? Maybe a nice restaurant for dinner. It's Friday after all." Aidan suggested as he thumbed Luca's cheek lovingly.

"Do we have to?" Luca groaned. "I'm just so exhausted... Plus I'd much rather stay in with you..." He bit his lip seductively as pinned Aidan down onto the bed, staring adoringly into his bright blue eyes. "I'm sorry..."

"Why, babe? What's wrong?" Aidan blinked at him confusedly, a concerned look in his eyes as he watched Luca's eyes water.

"I know I'm not as fun as I used to be..." Luca said with a sigh as a tear escaped his eye. He began to sniffle quietly, his voice wavering slightly.

"Where's this coming from?" Aidan asked him as he pushed the dark hair out of Luca's face.

"I feel like I'm always tired from work and sometimes I feel like because of me we can't do all the fun romantic things we used to do." Luca sobbed gently. "I just feel like I'm not enough for you anymore."

"No baby, don't say that!" Aidan shook his head vehemently. "So what if we can't do the stuff we used to do before. We're busy! You're saving lives, and I'm saving the careers of overpaid athletes." He said as Luca cracked a smile. "There's that smile that I love... I don't care if we do fun stuff, as long as we're together. I love you, and you're my everything."

"Really?" Luca's voice cracked as Aidan smiled down at him, nodding his head as he caressed Luca's cheek.

"Come on. I've got an idea." Aidan said as he tugged Luca out of bed and forced him into a pair of joggers and sweatshirt.

Aidan led Luca out to the parking garage under their apartment building, sitting his boyfriend down in his sleek black BMW and driving out to their favorite Chinese takeout place. He got all their usuals and brought them back to the car with a cheeky smile plastered across his face.

He tied a blindfold over Luca's eyes, ignoring all the smaller boy's protests. He insisted it was a surprise, so Luca figured he would just give in. In a way he liked it, it had been a while since they had surprised each other. They were both so busy with professional school and then their jobs later on. It felt like a taste of the old days.

Aidan drove about an hour outside the city, still refusing to tell Luca where they were going. They chatted, caught up, and just had a good laugh together; something they didn't have much time to do recently since most nights Luca would just fall asleep after his shifts at the hospital.

"Alright, we're here." Aidan said excitedly, which made Luca's heart throb within his chest. Something about Aidan being happy always made him happy as well; then again, isn't that what love is? Finding someone whose happiness makes you happy?

"Can I take the blindfold off?" Luca asked seriously.

"Nope. Just wait a second." Aidan said as he climbed out of the car, ran to the passenger side, and pulled Luca out. He could feel the grass under his soles as his shoes pressed down onto the ground. His surroundings smelt different, more fresh and clean than the thick urban air in New York City. Aidan held him by the shoulders walking him gently away from the car. After a few paces he scooped Luca up in his arms, carrying him bridal style and laying him down in the grass.

"Alright, keep your eyes closed and don't open 'em till I tell you." Aidan said softly as he slipped the blindfold off of Luca's eyes. "You can open them... now." he whispered as Luca blinked his eyes open.

Luca inhaled sharply as his eyes took in the millions of stars twinkling above him in the vast black sky. He propped himself up on his elbows  and glanced around, immediately recognizing the hill that he had known all to well.

"We're back in Crenshaw?" Luca said as he looked into Aidan's adoring blue eyes. Aidan nodded at him as he cupped Luca's face adoringly.

"Ten years ago I brought you here because I knew you were special." Aidan started. "I knew you were my soulmate even though you didn't. Ten years ago you took a chance on me, you took a chance on love. Even though I did something horrible to you, even though you knew everyone would give us hell for it, you still gave me a chance, you gave us a chance. And look at us today. I've loved you every day, every minute, every second of the past ten years. I loved you before I knew you, I loved you the moment I first laid eyes on you. I don't care if we can't go on romantic dates to fancy restaurants every night. I don't care if we never do those things ever again. The only thing I care about is you... As long as you're by my side, I feel like I'm the luckiest man in the world, I feel like anything is possible. I loved you then. I love you now. And I may not know what the future has in store, but I know one thing for sure, Luca Taylor. If you let me, I will love you till the day I die."

"I love you too, Aidan." Luca hugged him tight as the tears of pure happiness and content streamed down his face. "Till the day I die."

THE END.