CHRISTMAS DINNERS were a big thing for FC Barcelona. Every year, they were all invited and couldn't be absent. It was one of the only times of the year that they were really all reunited, which makes it a very important event.

Marc-André loved it. He loved the club, he loved his teammates, and he loved Christmas. He couldn't imagine skipping that dinner, because it was really symbolic for him. After it, they were all leaving to spend Christmas with their families, and then the New Year. It was their last time of the year as a team, a kind of closure. The season was clearly not over, but it was still very important for him.

This year, he was sat next to Philippe and Samuel. The latter was always talking nonsense, and his laugh was communicative, which was one of the reasons why Marc loved to spend time with him. Philippe was more reserved, but he was, nonetheless, a very good friend.

They all stayed at their place during the dinner, but before dessert, they were always moving around. They were all friends, but of course, they had more affinity with some people than others. For example, Lionel and Luis always ended up next to each other, speaking Spanish, probably exchanging over their children.

Marc and Philippe stayed longer, though, because they were in the middle of a Portuguese lesson, and when the latter finally excused himself to answer his phone, another Brazilian took his place.

"Still learning Portuguese, I see," Rafael said, and Marc laughed.

"You mean, heard. Or even, eavesdrop."

"It's not eavesdropping if you're speaking right in front of me."

"What's up, Rafi? What are doing for Christmas this year."

He shrugged.

"Nothing special. Going to Munich to celebrate it with my family."

"That's great," Marc smiled, knowing that the Alcantaras were pretty close to each other.

"What about you?"

"Going to Germany," he sighed, and Rafael frowned.

"What's wrong with that?"

"They are just...going to ask me where is my girlfriend, those kinds of things. I hate it."

"Oh. They don't know that you actually don't like girls?"

"I can't tell them that," Marc shook his head, "some of them won't even talk to me anymore."

"Dessert!" a man appears with a big plate in his hand, and Marc and Rafael both took one of the little cakes. The man left, and Rafael bit his lip.

"I know that it's not easy, but...you really should tell them. I mean, it they really really love you, from the bottom of their hearts, they have to accept you as you are."

"Thank you, Rafi," Marc ate his cake before coughing. "Shit, shit, shit, what was in that?"

"Which one did you take?" Rafael frowned before looking at Marc, panicked. "You took the one with a cherry? But you're allergic!"

"There was--" he started coughing and spat the cake out in a napkin. Rafinha gave him water, and he drank immediately.

"Do you need something else? Lay on the floor, I'll make you mouth-to-mouth," Rafinha said very seriously, and Marc laughed.

"I don't need mouth-to-mouth, don't worry."

"Oh," Rafinha frowned. "Are you sure? How do you feel?"

"I kind of want to go home," he realized, not used to it. He was usually staying till the very end, but tonight, he just wanted to leave. "Are you coming at my place?" he offered to the Brazilian, who shrugged.

"Sure. Let me stop somewhere to buy pizzas."

"We just ate," Marc said, clearly mocking him, and Rafinha smiled back.

"Are you saying not to pizzas?"
"Never."

🎄

"You bought me a Hawaiian pizza."

"It really looks disgusting," Rafinha frowned.

"Why did you buy it, then?"

"Because you love it."

Marc smiled.

"How are you feeling?"

"Fine, don't worry. Allergic reactions appear in the two hours following the swallowing. I didn't even eat it, so nothing happened," he looked at Rafinha, who was listening to him very carefully. "You have tomato sauce on your cheek," he laughed, taking it off, and Rafinha bit his lip.

"Can I kiss you?"

Marc wanted to answer 'what?', but his mouth decided not to listen to his brain. Instead, he mumbled a 'yes', and when Rafael kissed him, he kissed him back.

"You just had to ask earlier instead of talking about mouth-to-mouth," Marc smiled, and Rafael laughed.

"I was serious, actually. But kissing you is better."

And he kissed him again.

🎄 tomorrow: a player from Paris Saint-Germain 🎄