Peace - Erling Haaland Fanfiction

Chapter 31

Jennie led me to the private wing of the hospital, a section guarded with discreet security. Upon spotting Alfie, I thanked Jennie profusely before hurrying towards him.

He looked visibly distressed as he paced back and forth along the corridor. Once he saw me approaching, he sighed with relief. "Hello Aria, I'm so sorry for calling you here."

"Hi, please don't worry about it. I wanted to see Erling after what I saw during the match. It looked terrible." I replied, my voice trembling slightly. The memory of his injury flashed before my eyes, causing my body to shake involuntarily. "Is he okay now?"

"It's a concussion, and he has a wound on his left forehead, but thankfully, it's not serious. He'll miss a few matches, of course," Alfie explained, his arms crossed. "When we were taking him to the ambulance, he kept mentioning your name repeatedly. He really wanted to win this match for you."

His words touched my heart, and I turned to look at the door to Erling's room. "Can I see him?" I asked softly.

"Of course you can," Alfie replied, a hint of relief in his voice. "If he wakes up, tell him we won. The final score was 1-0." A small smile crept across his face.

I entered the room, my heart pounding in my chest. There he lay, his eyes closed, the paleness casting a shadow over his usually radiant face, and his forehead bandaged, a stark contrast to his fair skin. The exhaustion apparent on his features was heartbreaking. A tear escaped my eye as I took in the sight of him. Kneeling beside the bed, I gently took his hand in mine. "You're so silly," I whispered, my voice trembling, "why can't you be more careful?" Fear and worry gnawed at me as both my hands wrapped around his large warm hand, offering what little comfort I could. I closed my eyes to recall the horrific incident from the match.

"I was doing everything I could to seal the victory," his voice, weak but determined, startled me. My eyes snapped open, and I found myself staring into his face.

"You're so silly, go back to sleep," I scolded, tears streaming down my face.

His other hand reached out to grasp my arm as he tried to sit up. "At least tell me we won," he insisted, his voice filled with determination.

"We did," I replied, a sigh escaping my lips. "It was your goal that sealed the victory. The final score was 1-0."

A small smile crept across his face as his hand reached up to ruffle my hair. "So you were watching?" he asked with a hint of amusement.

"Erl, don't ever scare me like that again," I sobbed. "I can't bear to see the man I like hurt this way."

His eyes widened in surprise at my words, almost as if he couldn't believe it.

I continued by reaffirming, my voice shaky, "I really like you, Erl, and I can't imagine my life without you. I can't bear to see you hurt. I realised it when-"

Suddenly, his lips silenced my confession, his kiss a swift and unexpected shock to my senses. I didn't expect it. I froze in place momentarily, but the softness of his lips, the familiar scent of his cologne, and the overwhelming sense of rightness pulled me in. I could tell with the way he kissed me that he had been waiting for this moment since so long. I grabbed his collar to pull him closer, and I kissed him back deeply. We didn't need words, because the kiss was a silent confirmation of our feelings.

He pulled away slightly, his hand gently cupping my cheek as a radiant smile spread across his face. "Aria, will you be my girlfriend?"

Against all logic and fear, I answered, "Yes." For once, my heart had triumphed over my mind. I yearned to protect and care for him, just as he had always done for me. "Yes, I will," I confirmed with a shy chuckle.

"Good, because you really did play hard to get, and it was tougher than facing Atletico," he chuckled, his arms wrapping around me and pulling me into a comforting embrace. The familiar warmth of his body enveloped me, a stark contrast to the fear that had once consumed me in his presence. This was different. This was safe. This was ours. "You're mine," he declared, his voice filled with a possessive tenderness, "and I'll give you the world."

His presence offered a sense of peace. I spent the rest of the evening by his side, watching as he drifted in and out of sleep. His hand, warm and comforting, rested in mine. I would gently remind him to rest, but his playful spirit would occasionally surface, his eyes peeking open to gauge my reaction.

"Okay, mister, if you don't sleep soon, I'm calling Alfie," I teased, standing up to assert my point. But his grip tightened around my wrist, pulling me back onto the bed with his viking strength.

"You're not calling my dad," he chuckled, his arms wrapping around me. "Let's cuddle and sleep here together."

"That's a tempting offer, but I have work tomorrow, and you need to focus on recovery," I replied, gently pushing against his chest. His eyes widened in mock surprise, a playful pout forming on his lips. "Come on, Erl, I'll see you tomorrow, I promise. I'll be back as soon as I'm done."

"Fine," he sighed, feigning disappointment. Yet, a mischievous glint sparkled in his eyes as he leaned in to press a gentle kiss to my forehead. "Make sure you rest," he added, his voice laced with concern

"Yes, I will," a warm smile spread across my face as I rolled out of bed. One last glance at him, and I waved goodbye, my heart bursting with an unfamiliar joy. As I closed the door behind me, the weight of the world seemed to lift, replaced by a lightness I had never known. This was the happiest I had ever felt.

I bid farewell to Alfie on my way out, expressing my gratitude for his help, and he thanked me for coming. I quickly made my way out of the hospital to catch the last bus home. That night, I didn't even have to try, as sleep came without invitation. The butterflies in my stomach and the thought of Erling was so comforting, that I felt safe enough to fall asleep, without any medication or external help. For the first time in years, I drifted off into an untroubled slumber just like a normal person would, and it felt so peaceful.