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The morning sun spilled golden light over the roads of Monaco, already warming the asphalt rapidly. Tadej was practically vibrating with excitement, his blonde hair still damp from the shower, his jersey half-zipped as he bounced around the kitchen, slipping energy bars into his back pocket with the excitement of a child on Christmas morning.
“Ljubček,” he called out, voice filled with affection, “are you ready yet? I’ve been dreaming of this ride for weeks!” Jonas appeared in the doorway, smile on his face, hair tousled from sleep and the helmet he had just removed to adjust his sunglasses. “I’m ready, Taddy,” he said., observing Tadej. “You’ve packed enough food for a stage race,” he laughed.
Tadej grinned and crossed the room in two steps, wrapping his arms around Jonas’s waist and pressing a kiss to his cheek. “You never know, srček. Maybe we will get lost and have to survive on energy bars and love.” Jonas chuckled, the sound muffled against Tadej’s shoulder. “With you, I would survive anywhere.”
It had been months—months filled with altitude camps, race schedules, media obligations, and lonely nights spent apart. They had texted, called, sent voice memos and sleepy selfies, but nothing compared to the feeling of riding next to each other with the wind in their faces and the road stretching endlessly ahead just for the two of them.
The ride was everything Tadej had hoped for. They climbed together, descended with laughter, and raced each other on the flats like kids pretending to be their sports idols. Tadej was radiant, his joy infectious, and Jonas—though quieter—was happy just to be near him.
But halfway through a winding descent, Jonas’s front wheel caught a patch of gravel. It happened fast: the skid, the lurch, the thud of carbon on the asphalt and the sickening crack of breaking bones. Tadej was ahead, thriving, until he heard the crash and turned with a gasp. “Jonas!” he shouted, heart skipping a beat as he turned around with his bike to sprint back up the road.
Jonas was already sitting up, face pale but composed as he cradled his arms awkwardly. “I’m okay,” he said quickly, too quickly. “Just a bit shaken.” Tadej dropped to his knees beside him, hands fluttering over Jonas’s shoulders, his helmet, his face. “Bog pomagaj, srček moj, you scared me! Are you sure you are okay?” Jonas nodded, forcing a smile. “Just bruised. I think I can still ride.”
And somehow that is what he did. He got back on his bike with a grimace hidden behind his sunglasses, and gripped the handlebars, making his arms scream in protest. Tadej was too caught up in relief and adrenaline to notice the stiffness and the way Jonas’s hands trembled, the way he winced every time they hit a bump in the road.
They made it home just as the sun set. Tadej was still buzzing with excitement despite the crash, and recounted every moment of the ride while helping Jonas out of his jersey. “You were amazing today!” he said, pressing a kiss to Jonas’s temple. “My mali lev, so brave even after the crash.” Jonas smiled weakly, his arms hanging limply at his sides. “It was worth it. Just to be next to you.”
Tadej reached out to touch his forearm, intending to massage the sore muscles—but the moment his fingers touched the skin, Jonas cried out, a sound that broke the peaceful quiet. Tadej froze. “Jonas?”
Jonas’s face crumpled, the pain too sharp to hide now that the adrenaline had faded. “I—I think they are broken,” he admitted whispering with a trembling voice. “I didn’t want to ruin your day.”
Tadej’s heart broke in an instant. “Oh, ljubezen moja,” he breathed, gathering Jonas gently into his arms. “Zakaj mi nisi povedal? Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I saw how happy you were,” Jonas murmured, tears streaming down his cheeks. “I didn’t want to take that away.”
Tadej held him tighter, pressing kisses to his hair, his forehead, and his damp cheeks. “You could never ruin anything, srček. You are everything to me. My ride, my joy, my home.” He helped Jonas to the couch, cradling his arms carefully, whispering soft Slovenian pet names as he called Jonas’s team doctor. “Moj pogumni fant,” he said, stroking Jonas’s hair. “My brave boy. You don’t have to hide from me. Not ever.”
Jonas leaned into him, exhausted and hurt, but happy to be at Tadej’s side. “I love you,” he whispered. Tadej smiled through his own tears. “I love you more, moj zaklad. And soon, we will ride again. Even if it is just to the hospital to get your stubborn little arms in a cast”.