Chapter Text
It was early in the evening, after a meal and a movie with Declan, when Benjamin White got the sad call. They had decided that Martin and Mikel's choice of semisweet churros wasn't very tasty and had switched to nachos. The offer of cheese sauce with the purchase of two bags of nachos made Declan overspend, and Benjamin clicked his tongue at himself for falling prey to big business. The bag of nachos was big, too big. So they put it in the cupboard, thinking they should take one to Martin and Mikel. Of course, it was just a thought. It was bothersome to carry the nachos, even though they are right next door.
This time, the movie they chose was neither a action-thriller nor a romantic comedy. The former is Benjamin's favorite and the latter is Declan's, and they decided to take turns watching the movie of the other's choice. That was a great idea for a month with four weekends, but when there were five weeks, it became a real problem. So they asked the AI for recommendations. To their surprise, the AI recommended Ghibli animation. The two of them were annoyed at being teased, but as the story progressed, they found themselves getting hooked.
"What's the point of calling at this hour?"
"Yeah."
"What did they say?"
"...They can't fix my phone."
The phone that had died a spectacular death between Benjamin and the ping-pong table and the floor had been forgotten by both of them. Benjamin had grown accustomed to the phone the store'd given him to use while they looked into getting it fixed. He'd seen the text message asking him to return it, but he'd ignored it. The UK is slow at work, and Benjamin White's work is sometimes slower than the UK average. Anyway, he has to buy a new phone.
Benjamin glanced back and forth between his phone and Declan, who was cheering on Totoro as he set off to find little Mei. So much for the North London Forever ringtone. Suddenly, he recalled Martin's phone, which was even worse than his own, and wondered if Martin'd changed it. It didn't look like he had, but he can't ask now anyway. If he ask now, he'd have to give him nachos, and besides, Martin had been sick the last few days. Before he knew it, Mikel's departure is four days away.
"This looks good."
"I don't like it."
"Why? You should buy a pro. It's cool."
"Expensive and heavy."
Buying a new phone is a daunting task. Benjamin needed a phone, not a computer, but there are so many features that tempted him. Benjamin wanted to get an entry-level iPhone, but Declan begged him to get the Pro. Even though Benjamin is paying for it, Declan is excited. Declan explained how many features the Pro has and how convenient it is for Instagram.
"What about pricing?"
"What do you have?"
"For families and partners, it's usually a numbered package. Can you take a look at this?"
Benjamin flinched at the word partner. Declan was dumbfounded, but he is quick to interrupt. Benjamin knew he shouldn't ask a random store clerk this, but he has to. This is important.
"Do you think... do we look like that?"
When she smiled broadly instead of answering, Benjamin jumped to his feet and headed for the door. "Ben! Hey, Benjamin!" He heard Declan call his name from behind him. He don't know why, but he is facing a huge fear, that something couldn't be expressed. As he passed a coffeehouse, a flower shop, and a couple of clothing stores, Benjamin realized he had done something terrible to the relationship he had barely begun to build.
*
Declan Rice was dumbfounded. As Benjamin stormed out of the store without a second thought, an eerie silence settled over the room. Declan froze in his tracks when he noticed a young man over there, displaying cell phone accessories, looking at him in a very pitiful way. But it couldn't be helped. He is right to feel sorry for him now. Declan stormed out of the store, telling the clerk, whose name he didn't even know, that the guy who just ran off is never his boyfriend, that he is a man who respected minority rights. Suddenly, the wind is cold.
The house was also very cold. Declan and Benjamin's house was usually moderately warm, so this was a very unfamiliar sensation. Declan felt nervous and embarrassed. He hesitated for a moment, wandered around, and eventually made his way next door. Martin Odegaard had been getting sicker and sicker as Mikel Arteta's departure date approached. Even if he took Martin to a doctor, who wouldn't find a cure. It is a lovesick.
"...What, there's soup."
"Mr. Arteta made it, he's nice..."
"Save this for later."
Martin is sick in bed, but he is still singing Mikel's praises. Not wanting to go empty-handed, Declan grabbed a bag of nachos and a can of soup. Declan usually walks in unannounced and takes the couch. Seeing that he's not himself, Martin pulls back the covers and pokes his head out. Declan felt bad again, but he can't throw away the soup Mikel had made for poor Martin. If he did, Martin might get sick quickly and throw him out. So he put the can in the cupboard.
"I'm breaking up with Benjamin White."
"What??"
Martin odegaard had many ways of dealing with his illness. Declan and Benjamin are a gay couple that made him wonder why they fought so much but never said they were breaking up. However, they seemed to be having a good time in their own way. Then... what?? Declan's bombshell made him feel the heat drain out of his body.
As he watched Martin jump out of bed, Declan was instantly overcome with a strange feeling. Sorrow? Appreciation? He sank to the floor and suddenly started picking at his nachos. It is really embarrassing.
*
Benjamin White's fear didn't go away as he wandered the streets. He didn't go back, didn't go somewhere to kill time, didn't go for a drink. Instead, he called home in Bournemouth from a payphone. But after a few beeps, he hung up in hurry.
He couldn't believe the state of disorganization he was in. He had never felt this way before in his life. Ever since he'd started dating Declan Rice, he'd been plagued by feelings he'd never experienced before, but this one was worse than any of them.
*
Martin Odegaard first met Mikel Arteta at an internship seminar while he was living in San Sebastian. After immigrating to Spain, he thought he had made it in the world on his own, but he was lonely. Especially when he was suffering from the unnecessary sadness that his hometown was somehow too far away and that no one seemed to care about him. Anybody, sombody.
"Oh, did you and Mikel get close then?"
"No, we didn't. We were on different teams. But Mr. Arteta was pretty and kind, and he ended up taking me to his team!"
"Oh... So you had a crush on him then?"
"No, I was scared of him."
"But you said he was pretty and kind."
"No, Being pretty and kind and still be scared. The two are compatible. Of course, Mr. Arteta is a very impressive person, but I'm not, so I was surprised and... delighted when he asked if I wanted to come to London with him!"
Martin had a wistful look on his face. Declan is a little annoyed. He'd been talking about breaking up with Benjamin (he don't really have anyone else to talk to), and he wondered why the conversation had suddenly turned to Martin's fond memories of Mikel. Martin is a really nice guy, but when the subject of Mikel comes up, he suddenly changes a bit. Declan think he'll just break up with Benjamin without his advice.
"Well, you must have impressed Mikel, too, I guess..."
"That's why I came to London."
"Wait! That's why you came to London?"
"Mr. Arteta was the only person who recognized me, care me, and he asked me to come to London! I loved it so much..."
"No, that's just why you came? Have you ever lived in London?"
"No. Never. For the first time in my life."
A lonely animal will eventually be comfortable with touch, so don't try to tame it, you'll be in trouble. When Martin Odegaard concluded that he had fallen in love with Mikel Arteta, he was very puzzled and felt giddy, which was a feeling he had never experienced before in his life. It was almost a natural disaster: he had never had any doubts about his sexual identity, so of course he didn't like other men. Martin had been a hetero for twenty years of his life, and he even had a girlfriend at the time. Wait a minute.
"What?? Huh! Did you have a girlfriend?? Aren't you a mikel-sexual??"
"What's a mikel-sexual?"
"Or weren't you a plant-sexual?"
"What's that again, mikel-sexual, is that something to do with Mr. Arteta?"
"...Okay. Keep going. Wow, this is exciting!"
Declan Rice had forgotten why he had come to see Martin Odegaard, and he felt a little guilty when he remembered that he had once believed that Martin had gone from being a plant-sexual or asexual to a mikel-sexual, and that he had even wondered if Martin can't get it up. The whole story is fascinating. Martin had a girlfriend! Declan couldn't wait to tell Benjamin about it. (Martin won't mind if he tell B, will he? Please! It's a secret smaller than the ping-pong table!) And he soon felt a little down again: should I tell Benjamin this story and then break up with him, or should I tell him this story after breaking up with him? He can't figure out the order.
The bottom line is that Martin broke up with his girlfriend. But that didn't mean he couldn't tell Mikel about it and ask him to go out with him. Mikel was pretty and kind, but a little scary, and above all, too much for Martin. So he took his advice and started studying again. To become a better hottie (not that it mattered, in Declan's opinion).
Martin's saddest thought was that Mikel must not have been thinking about him while he was struggling so much. What comforted him was the cactus he started to grow around that time, and the plants became more and more varied. Plants and aromatherapy are important to him, too.
"Wait, Martin. I'm not thinking straight. I mean, you said you're here because Mikel called you, so shouldn't you be studying in Spain?"
"That's..."
Martin's expression darkened sharply again.
“Mr. Arteta has family and friends in San Sebastian... and anyway, he has so many people he knows. But I'm the only one in London, and now you're here, but you're not important.”
It was a cold truth, and it made Declan feel strangely bad. But he felt like Martin would kill him if he argued back. He'd thought Martin's emotion was pure respect and love, but now Declan was terrified of him. It's not Mikel Arteta that scares him. It's Martin Odegaard.
"Mr. Arteta spends a lot of time in London. He always calls me when he comes to visit, but he won't do that back home. So I have to stay in London."
Wow. This guy is a total nutjob. Does Mikel know this?
"Anyway, what I'm trying to say is... you have to cut him some slack. Give him time. Emotions aren't easy, and I think Ben's a little worried about it. He's more privacy-conscious than you are. He probably hasn't even told his family."
"Oh..."
Come on... I'm new to Benjamin. I even know his ex-boyfriend, but he kept his mouth shut. A corner of his heart sank. By the way, all this advice coming from this dude who hasn't even confessed yet? At least Declan's confession was cool and Benjamin said okay. But... that means Martin's got a lot on his mind, right? After a moment of staring at Martin, Declan stood up and patted him on the back.
"Martin, hope you and Mikel work out. You're a good guy, too. You're like a real captain. I'll accept you as the real captain of our team."
"I've always been the captain..."
But no matter how hard Declan thinks about it, Benjamin White seemed to have taken a hundred steps ahead of Martin Odegaard. But as soon as he heard Declan's simple conclusion that things would work out with Mikel, Martin's fever began to rise again. He pulled the covers back over his head. "I should have told him, I don't think I can say it now, I'm going to spend the rest of my life missing Mr. Arteta alone forever, am I going to die?" Martin suddenly began to make logic jumps. Declan went to the kitchen and started to heat up the soup Mikel had made. He felt like such an asshole for thinking about throwing it away. And if he did, he would never get out of this house alive.
*
Benjamin White staggered down the street, and whenever he found a pay phone box, he would enter, made a call, and soon came out again to wander the streets. On fifth phone box, he spotted a familiar figure buying oranges at a fruit stand.
"Ar... Ah... Ar... Mikel!"
Martin Odegaard had been sick for two days. Mikel Arteta was shopping for something tasty to eat. He was the one who could fix the underlying cause of Martin's unwell, but no one knew if he wanted to. Mikel, who was arguing with the owner about the oranges being too bumpy, being small, and whether they were from California, turned around when he heard his name called.
"Ben? What are you doing here?"
"I... I... I..."
It was the first time Benjamin had ever called Mikel by his first name. Anyway, it didn't really matter now. Mikel stared at Benjamin's face, which looked like a cat that had been hit by a car.
"I... I think I did something terrible."
When Benjamin finally admitted it, Mikel put down the orange he was picking and tilted his head. The owner yelled angrily at him to go away if he wasn't going to buy.