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outsideratheart · 2 months

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Healing (Alexia Putellas x reader)

A/N: This took me a lot longer to finish than I hoped but it’s done. Grab a drink and get comfy because it’s a long one, in fact I think it’s my longest fic to date.

The world had its questions and you were well aware of the headlines.

Y/N Y/L/N quits football.

Where is Y/N Y/L/N? Here's what we know.

The best in the world has vanished.

If you find Y/N tell her Sarina is looking for her.

The last twelve months had been the hardest in your life. You thought you could prepare for it, that it would easier because you knew it was coming but that wasn't the case. The day it happened was the day your heart broke and as you buried her you knew you were burying part of yourself too.

You left the world speculating as to why you didn't extend your contract with Lyon, why you never signed for another club and more importantly people were wondering where you had disappeared to.

Both your club and country team mates knew about your personal life and the tragedy that happened shortly after the euros.

You missed football, of course you did, but you also needed to take time away to process what had happened. A return date was never set but then the world cup happened. You watched your team mates cry after losing to Spain and you couldn't help but feel partially responsible. The game might have ended differently if you had played.

A decision had been made. It was time to return to the pitch. You had offers before and after the euros. The only question is what teams would still want you?

The sun was setting in Barcelona as the team finished up a late training session. Most of the players stayed behind to take advantage of the free food given they knew once they got home they wouldn't have the energy to cook themselves.

“Lucy your phone is ringing” Ona shouts over to where the English defender is filling her plate.

“Who is it?” Lucy replies.

Ona’s face floods with guilt. Almost as if she shouldn’t be looking at the phone. This sparks interest of those around her but no one more than Keira who sees the name on the screen.

“Y/N” Lucy all but ran back to table after hearing Keira say your name “is everything ok? Where are you? Yes I’m with Lucy. Before I hand you over promise me that you’re ok? Good”

Keira hands over the phone and watches Lucy’s face as she tries to figure out why you called and what you are talking about.

“Yes there are people around me. Ok, I’ll ask”

When you hang up the phone Lucy does as you ask or at least she makes the first step.

“Alexia” Lucy walks around to where the captain is sat with Mapi and Ingrid “Who would I talk about signing a new player?”

“It’s not our job to recruit players but if you know something that might help the club then tell me and I will ask” Alexia wasn’t stupid. She heard your name and now Lucy was asking this. It wasn’t a coincidence.

“I can’t. This is a sensitive subject”

“Vale. Talk to Jona and if he thinks the player is right for the club then he can set up a meeting”

Alexia left the training facility that night thinking of you. You were at the peak of your career, many people considered you the best in the world and if she is being honest she thought you would win the Balon d’Or, not her. That night Alexia watched your highlights for hours, even the ones in the games against her. You really were a once in a generation player which makes it that much harder for Alexia to understand why you walked off the pitch at Wembley and hadn’t been seen on one since.

The next day at training the energy felt different. Lucy and Keira had a sense of happiness that their team mates hadn’t seen before. They would gather around Lucy’s phone but then hide it when somebody came close to them.

Jona came walking into the gym with Xavi Puig right behind him and called over both Keira and Lucy. A couple of players watch the conversation unfold and tried their hardest to read their lips.

“Ingrid, what are they saying?” Mapi nudges her girlfriend.

“They’re talking about Y/N Y/L/N” Alexia was stretching on the floor playing no part in the eavesdropping.

“How do you know?” Ingrid asks her.

“She called Lucy yesterday and then Lucy talked to me about the club signing a new player. I can’t know for sure but that’s what I think is going on”

A couple of days later you landed in Barcelona, greeted by the warm weather and your two England team mates who kept a low key appearance in the arrivals hall. You stop when you are a meter away them. You didn’t know what to do, you hadn’t seen them in almost a year.

“Come here” Lucy throws her arms around you followed by Keira.

“We’re so happy to see you Y/N. We really have missed you”

You remain quiet as you walk to the car. Both of them fill you in on what the team is like and you make sure to remind them that you haven’t officially signed yet.

“Jona mentioned that. You want a trial training session?”

“It’s the right thing to do” you didn’t want any special treatment. You wanted to earn the right to play for the club and not just be handed the contract.

“You could have not played football for 5 years and still run rings round all of us” Lucy knows you the most having played with her at both club and country. You were too humble in her eyes so she took it upon herself to remind you of your greatness from time to time.

“I never said I haven’t played football. That has been the thing to get me through the past 10 months” you didn’t mean to be a downer, in fact you didn’t know what you were saying until it was too late.

“How are you doing?” Keira asks from the front seat and you see Lucy eyeing you up in rear view mirror.

“Some days are harder than others and no day has been easy. She would be happy that I’m here though. She always said that if I didn’t go back to England then she’d want us to come here”

You couldn’t bring yourself to say her name.

“She always did hate the french winters” Lucy laughs at the memories she shared with your wife.

Your mind goes back to just a couple of years ago. Lyon were playing at home and the weather was awful. You saw Natalia in the crowd shivering but still she cheered you on, she always was your biggest fan. Come rain or shine, your girl was in the audience. You hated the thought of playing without her being in the crowd but you also knew she wouldn’t want to give up your career.

“Y/N” Keira gently nudged your knee. It was obvious that you were taking a trip down memory lane and she didn’t want to scare you.

“Huh” you quickly wiped away a tear “Oh we’re here” you grabbed your backpack and jumped out of the car leaving them in the front not knowing what to do.

“Let’s leave her be. She knows we are here and will come to us when she’s ready”

You were in awe as you walked the halls of Joan Camper. The things the team has achieved were that of greatness. It was a club that created legacys and you found yourself feeling something that you hadn’t in a long time; excitement.

Lucy and Keira lead you to the locker room just as they were instructed to. The rest of the team were already out of the field which was part of the plan. There hanging in a corner locker was a training kit for you. You didn’t expect it and you definitely didn’t expect to have been given your number.

“You did this?” You ask the pair.

“Salma did. The team knows you called Lucy and when Salma heard to locker room rumours of you joining she insisted. Between us she is a big fan of yours, bigger than Luce”

“Not possible” the defender joked.

The boots were fastened and you were ready, well almost ready. There was one thing you wasn’t prepared for. You looked down at your necklace. It was a simple gold chain that held two rings: yours and Talia’s.

“I can’t do it” you slumped down in defeat and bury your face in your hands.

“Hey” Lucy crouches down in front of you “they let us wear jewellery for training, you can keep them on”

You walked out onto the field and all eyes fell on you. You felt like a spectacle and you hated the attention. They didn’t know the current version of you, they had only met the old Y/N so you channel her and introduce yourself to them during the next drinks break.

“I know some of us have met as opponents but this is different. I’m Y/N, it’s a pleasure to meet you all, I hope I can keep up” you make a joke hoping to avoid the elephant in the room.

“We’ll see about that. I’m Alexia” She is the first person to you.

“Lovely to meet you Alexia”

It’s hard to explain the feeling when you’re playing football. It’s as if you mind switches off whilst also been completely focused. It take a few attempts to get into the rhythm that is Barcelona football but you catch on quickly. It comes as no shock to the rest of the team that you play in complete sync with Lucy and Keira. The two of them even stay back at the end to work with you on some movements that you weren’t pleased with.

Some players go shower but a few stay behind, albeit out of sight, and watch you.

“She has a gift” Alexia says to nobody in particular.

“Nobody has seen her in over a year and this is how she is playing. Look, she is running rings around them. How is that possible?” Patri adds.

“Does anybody know where she was?” Pina asks the small group.

“No but I could ask Ingrid or Caro to ask Ada. They are best friends and surely you would tell your best friend where you are going” Mapi forms a plan in her head, one that she will soon find out to be a bad idea.

“Do it” Alexia tells the defender “We are a family here and if she joins us then we have a right to know where she has been”

When Barcelona posted a photo of you signing a contract on their socials the world went crazy. The media were relentless and the fans were quick to show their support for you even though some were skeptical about your sudden reappearance and new team.

You ignored them for the most part as they had no idea what had happened. You fit into the team almost right away and was enjoying every game with Barcelona. You scored on your debut and had been involved in a goal every game since. Months had passed and much to your surprise you had only been asked about the missing year once or twice.

Caro refused to ask Ada about you and Ingrid only did when her girlfriend became obsessed with finding out the truth. Ada’s answer was simple ‘I won’t tell you and if she doesn’t want you to know then you should respect her wishes’.

You remained a mystery though and for the most part the team seemed to forget about your missing year.

When the second international window came that is when things changed and you felt like you made a friend. Mapi still wasn’t representing her country so she reached out and asked if you wanted to meet up for a coffee.

Anybody could easily be intimidated by the blonde but you liked her. She had this energy that made you know accepting her invite was a no brainer. That and you had questions of your own.

“How did you know?”

Mapi places down a a small coffee in a glass; a cortado.

“I asked Keira what you ordered”

A comfortable silence took over as the two of you sipped on your coffees. You found it funny the way Mapi looked at you then her coffee and back to you again. You recognised the signs; you were making her nervous. Why though you had no idea.

You decide to make the first move and you get straight to the point much to the defender’s surprise.

“I spoke with Ada”

This got her attention. You had your suspicions but the look on her face confirmed it. Still, she played along.

“That’s nice. You’re very close, no?” Mapi tried her best to look innocent but you weren’t having any of it and the look on your face told her that.

“She had an interesting conversation with Ingrid. Do you happen to know anything about this?”

She did. You know she did.

“No” you got a sheepish look from Mapi and you wondered if she knew how unconvincing she was being.

“I think you did. I think you got Ingrid to ask Ada about me”

“Lo siento”

“Here’s the thing I don’t understand. I know you all want to know, you’ve been whispering about me for months yet not one of you has come to me and asked me directly. You have been going behind my back trying to dig up information about a time that I clearly don’t want to talk about”

Mapi dips her head. She truly thought that her and the team were been careful but obviously not.

“Maria, I want you to put yourself in my shoes. Would you want to talk about it with strangers when you barely talk to your best friends about it?”

The defender thinks about it for a moment. You had barely left Lucy and Keira’s side but she hadn’t really heard you talking, you were always listening to what they were saying and replying when necessary.

“It was bad wasn’t it?” She asks.

“The worse year of my life” you confess and you can your throat close at the thought of the months in question.

“We are in jail?”

You cannot help but chuckle at her words.

“No, I was not in jail”

“Did you kill somebody?”

“No, I did not kill anybody”

“So no crimes were committed?”

“Is that what you have all come up with? That I broke the law?”

“Most of us, yes. Aitana think’s you were in the hospital because you were sick”

Her response came at the worst time possible. You spit your coffee out when you hear the midfielder’s suspicion.

Technically she was right. You were in the hospital but you weren’t in the hospital.

“I wasn’t sick”

“Clearly. Look at you, you’re huge. I mean you are big. No, you are strong”

“Calm down Mapi, I know what you mean. Thank you”

The two of you stay in the cafe for another hour. You take this time just the two of you getting to know one another. You ask Mapi about her tattoos and she learn’s you have a few of your own which are hidden on your back. When she asks for their meaning you promise you will tell her the stories another time.

You both walk to the metro station and by coincidence you end up of the same train. You get off before her and just before the door opens, Mapi grabs your hand.

“I’ll get them to stop. You don’t owe us an explanation, Y/N”

“Thank you Maria”

You’re not sure what the tattooed defender said but the whispers stopped or so you thought. They stopped whispering in front of you but little did you know the speculations were still going on behind your back. It is early in December when things come to a head and you snapped.

“What do you mean she is staying Spain?” Alexia asked Salma.

“That she is staying her in Barcelona. She said she might go to Valencia for a few days but that’s it” the forward wasn’t sure what to say or if she should have said anything at all.

“And you don’t think that is strange? This is woman who used to love England. The fans called her Queen of England, por dios. How can she be apart of this team if we know nothing about her. She is lying to us” Alexia ranted on and who knew how much longer she would have continued if not for Lucy interrupting her.

“Alexia, that is enough!” Lucy slams her fist on the locker before turning to her captain “She has come to this team and done nothing but good. She plays well for us and gives it her all on the pitch. Off it she makes the effort and yes sometimes she says no to things but isn’t that her right? You stand there as our captain but look at you, you’re nothing but a bully. I am ashamed to say i’m your team mate right now. That girl has been through hell these past couple of years and since coming here all you keep doing is reminding her of what has happened. You are obsessed with her. Look around, no one else is digging for information. No one is making her uncomfortable on a daily basis”

“She is lying to us. She won’t tell us where she was for over a year. She is hiding something and that isn’t fair on us” Alexia tried to defend her actions.

“Isn’t fair? Are you really that self centred? You have no right to talk about what is and is not fair. I don’t care if you are my captain, I won’t stand by you while you treat my best friend like she has done something wrong. You, Alexia, are a —“

“Lucy” The whole locker room turns upon hearing your voice “I have given up on Alexia, it’s time you do too”

“No! I won’t let her talk about you that way. You don’t deserve this”

“No I don’t but —“

“Y/N” Lucy begs you to let her fight you case.

“Walk away Lucy”

A stare down takes place between you and Lucy. A few seconds later the defender grabs her stuff and leaves the room. To everyone else you are calm and collected but Keira recognises the look in your eye, you are furious.

“I want everyone to listen to me and listen good. My past is none of your business. To those who have let the obsession go, thank you. To those that haven’t” you look Alexia dead in the eye “I want nothing to do with you. I will remain civil on the pitch. Other than that I ask you to stay away from me. That’s if you can respect my wishes. I know it has been hard so far”

You quietly gather your things and try to ignore the multiple sets of eyes on you. With each second you can feel your chest getting tighter and you know it is only a matter second before you will no longer be able to control your breathing. You just needed to get out of there, away from prying eyes.

The hallway is the furthest you get. Your mind was filled of flashbacks, the moments that you tried so hard to bury. The past was not a pretty place, not the last year, but you know that it was only a matter of time before it came crashing down on you.

“Y/N, are you ok?” Mapi and Ingrid are by your side, clearly the couple had left just after you.

“Natalia, she, she”

Ingrid and Mapi shared a look, who was Natalia? They had never heard you mention a Natalia before. Both of them didn’t know what to do. Whilst you had become friends with the pair, they didn’t know you well enough to cope with this moment.

Luckily for them Keira appears out of nowhere. The English woman clearly equipped with what to do.

“Get Lucy, now!” She whisper shouted and Ingrid goes running hoping to catch the defender before she leaves.

“Keira—Natalia”

“I know, I know. We can talk about her later if you want. Right now, I need to focus on me. Can you do that?”

You nod your head as tears flow down your cheeks.

“What happened?” Lucy rushes over to you.

“We found her on the floor. She kept talking about Natalia”

“She told you?” Lucy asks shocked. She knew you wasn’t ready to tell them team but in a state of panic you might be let it slip.

“No. She only said her name” Mapi says. She couldn’t take her eyes off you. This wasn’t a panic attack, no she had seen one of those before. This was something much more intense.

A few minutes pass and Keira manages to keep your breathing under control but you’re still not ready to move. Lucy, Mapi and Ingrid stay close making sure to tell anyone who passes to keep moving.

“What is going on?” Alexia asks with concern, a concern that doesn’t reach Lucy in fact her asking is the worst thing she could have done.

“Get away from her” Lucy is up on her feet and pushing Alexia backwards. She would has fallen to the floor if not for the wall behind her “This is all your fault. You see this, you see her, this is what you have done to her”

“Lucy” you reach up and take her hand. The defender used her strength to pull you up.

You, Lucy, Keira, Mapi and Ingrid walk towards the exit of the stadium.

“Y/N” Alexia’s voice is soft and it is only now that she realises she might have taken things too far.

You turn around to face the Catalonian. For the first time since arriving you make no effort to hide the pain you have felt on a daily basis.

“I want nothing to do with you Alexia”

A week had passed and Alexia started to worry about you more so than she wanted to let on. Lucy and Keira were visibly worried about you and kept an eye on you at all times. She was confused at how things got this bad. Yes, she knew that maybe things had been taken too far but you didn’t show rage, your energy radiated nothing. You were numb. The Barcelona captain had no idea how to make things right with you.

You wore a smile on your face in front of the cameras and fans but behind closed doors it’s liked you switched your emotions off. Alexia asked Mapi about you but it seemed that even her closest friend was on your side. The zaragozian and her girlfriend had become close with you since the incident and Alexia didn’t understand why.

One night she found herself knocking on Mapi’s door hoping to find out how things got so bad.

When the captain was let in there is an evident scowl on Ingrid’s face which Alexia did not expect. The Norwegian excuses herself stating that she needed to go to the supermarket.

“Mentiroso” Alexia says to herself.

“Watch it Alexia. She has her reasons” Mapi jumped to her girlfriend’s defence.

Mapi leads Alexia over to the kitchen table and gets a glass of water for the two of them.

“You’re here about Y/N, aren’t you?” her captain nods “I don’t know what to tell you. What happened in the locker room was bad Ale. We didn’t leave the stadium when you thought we did. Y/N used everything in her to make sure Lucy didn’t do something she would regret. I don’t know what happened during those months but whatever we think it is, it’s so much worse. I shouldn’t be telling you this but she kept mentioning Natalia, I don’t know who that is but I think something happened to her”

Alexia thought she felt guilty about the way things went down with the two of you but that failed in comparison to how she was feeling now. To think that you were grieving someone and her questions were it worse for you, well it made her feel ashamed.

She knew that she hadn’t been the most welcoming. Yes, you and her got a long on the pitch and yes, you were ok at training but she hadn’t made the effort she should have to make you feel at home in Barcelona.

“I don’t know how to fix it Mapi. You know I like her, I think she is amazing—“

“You were her biggest fan” the blonde teased

“But what if I’ve ruined any chance for being friends with her? What if what I’ve done is undoable?” Alexia ignores Mapi comment seen as though she knows she cannot deny it.

Mapi was at a loss for words. She always has had her friend’s back but there was something about you which made her want to protect you and Alexia was someone that you needed protection from.

“You need to give her space Alexia. This week alone I have seen you walk towards her then walk away at least 6 times. Y/N even asked me why you were doing it. You’re making the girl feel uncomfortable”

Alexia mentally scolded herself for her behaviour which in her defence she did not think anyone noticed.

“So space?” Alexia asks.

“Space” Mapi confirmed.

Alexia found it hard at first because she wanted nothing more than to make things right with you but she did as suggested, she gave you space. She saw you start to come out of your shell a bit more as December rolled on. The day game before the Christmas break you were playing in Madrid and that is when Alexia heard you discussing your winter plans with Keira.

“Keira, that’s a sweet offer but I’m sure. I’m going to stay in Barcelona, it is my home now”

The Catalonian took a little comfort in knowing you had grown the love her city despite the hostile behaviour.

“Y/N, it’s Christmas. She would want you to be home for that” your friend asked.

“I don’t know if I can handle going back for Christmas. It would hurt too much”

It felt wrong for Alexia to eavesdrop on your conversation so she leaves out of respect.

“She wouldn’t want you to avoid England. The two of you spent years in France and both of you said coming home to England was your favourite thing to do”

“Keira, stop. It was our favourite thing. There is no more our, no us. It’s just me”

Keira could see your hands shaking. This is the first sign of your panic attack so she drops the subject. She does suggest you going away with them for new years and you said you would as long as it isn’t in the UK or France.

The team had one last recovery session before the winter break and it’s safe to say when it was done everyone was more than happy to go home. You wished everyone a Merry Christmas and without knowing it, Alexia is included.

“Feliz Navidad Alexia, por tu y tu familia”

“Gracias Y/N”

To Alexia this was a gift in itself. Maybe you were opening up to idea of forgiving her. After that you quickly grab your stuff and run off to where Ingrid was waiting for you.

After that interaction, Alexia couldn’t stop thinking about you. She also thought she was hallucinating when she saw your name appear on her phone screen. In the rush of leaving the training facility you picked up the wrong bag, only realising when got home a few hours later and your shirt had an 11 on instead of a 7. You texted Alexia asking if you could meet up to get your stuff back. Alexia, at that point was already at her mother’s house so she sent you that address and told her mum that you were coming over.

You tried to ease your nervous as you drove to your captain’s mother’s house. It was going to be awkward, this much you knew but regardless of the place you and Alexia were in, you wanted to make a good impression on her family.

The knock was gentle as you stop on the door step.

“Y/N, hola. Adelante”

You didn’t know that word meant but you put two and two together and guessing in meant come in so that is what you did. Eli leads you to the living room after telling Alba to go get her sister. Eli headed back into the kitchen and left you in the living room. You didn’t want to take a seat, it wasn’t that kind of visit so you looked around and a wall of photos gains your attention.

Alexia couldn’t have been more than 7 years old. She was adorable. Next to her stood her younger sister and behind her, her parents. You didn’t recognise the man so you assume Alexia’s father works away a lot as you have never seen him at a game.

“That’s Jaume, Alexia and Alba’s father” Your cheeks flush in embarrassment at being caught stooping.

“And your husband” you turn to face the woman “I haven’t seen him around, does he work in a different city?”

“Jaume passed away a little over ten years ago”

She is a widow, like you. That is the first thing you thought. In that moment you had so many questions for her but this is a woman you had only just met. It’s not exactly the small talk she would be expecting. The two of you go quiet and you guess she is thinking about her lost love, just as you are thinking about yours.

Alexia comes downstairs, your bag in hand but stops at the door was upon seeing you in conversation with her mother. Alba nudges her forward but she doesn’t move. The two of them watch you.

“Does it ever get easier?” The question was out of your mouth before you could stop it.

The two sisters share a look. They had no idea what you were talking about and by their mother’s response, she didn’t either.

“Que?” As expected, the question catches Eli off guard.

“Living without the person who promised you forever” you turn to face the older woman with tears falling down your cheek.

“Oh Querida, come here”

You feel comfort in her arms and for a brief few seconds you forget that she is a stranger. In this moment she is someone who understands your pain and that is more than enough for you. When you pull away you see Alexia and Alba, you feel extremely exposed.

“Hi. You must be Alba” you wipe the last of your tears and extend your hand towards the younger Putellas.

She swats away your hand and pulls you into a hug.

“So formal” Alba laughs “you’re even hotter in person”

“Alba!” Both Eli and Alexia scold her.

“What? I’m being honest”

“Thank you, I think. Is that mine?” You point the bad Alexia is holding.

“Yes. Sorry for the mix up”

“No, no. It was my fault. I was running late for dinner with Ingrid. I left yours in the hall as I wasn’t sure where to put it”

Alexia stared at you almost as if frozen in place.

“Was I not suppose to do that? I can go get it for you”

“This is the most you’ve spoken to me since joining” Alexia was honest with what she was thinking.

“It must be the Christmas air” you laugh a little “speaking of, you three clearly have plans so I will leave you be”

Eli tries to get you to stay but you can’t. The woman knew too much and even though shared the same pain, you knew it was only a matter of time before the pity eyes came. You also didn’t know how much the two sisters had heard.

Alexia asked and asked what the you and her mother were talking about but the woman refused to tell. The only answer Alexia got was to be careful with you and that not all is as it seems. It seemed to be enough for Alexia but she wasn’t giving up on you, not just yet.

She kept an eye on you over the Christmas break and just as you said you stayed in Barcelona. Alexia all but stalked your Instagram and even went as far as texting you some recommendations. You felt something towards the midfielder and it made you think that you might have been a little harsh on her. You made a mental reminder to speak to her once the break was over.

The first game back was away to Bilbao and it brought you the perfect opportunity to speak to Alexia as the two of you were roomed together. It was late by the time you got there so everyone went straight to their room.

“Oh Y/N I don’t know what happened” Alexia says as she swiped the room key.

“What are you — oh I see”

There was only one bed, albeit a large double bed.

You hadn’t shared a bed in almost a year and you wasn’t sure if you were ready for it. Now you had to find a way to explain this to Alexia.

“I’ll sleep on the floor” Alexia suggests and even though you weren’t ready, you also knew you wasn’t going to let her do that.

“Alexia you are one of the most important players on the team. I cannot let you sleep on the floor. Take the bed, I’ll take the floor”

“Y/N, you are important too. You are our highest goal scorer. I am taking the floor, don’t argue with your captain”

She refused to take no for an answer and you hated it. When you came out the shower Alexia was on the floor and it looked awful. It was almost funny and you couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Don’t say anything. Bed” Alexia laughed along with you.

The room was dark except from the street lights then peaked through the curtains. Sleep wasn’t coming easy to you and by the sounds of tossing and turning, Alexia was struggling too.

“Alexia, come sleep in the bed” The thought of having someone sleep next to you wasn’t something you necessarily wanted but Alexia sleeping on the floor wasn’t fair.

“I don’t want to make you feel uncomfortable”

There was something in her tone. She wasn’t talking about sharing the bed with a team mate, she was talking about sharing a bed in general.

“She told you” Eli had to have told alexia about your conversation.

“Who?” Alexia asked even though she knew you were talking about her mother.

“Your mother. She told you about what I said”

“I asked but she didn’t tell me anything. I’m sorry that something happened to your friend”

You sat up upon hearing her condolences.

“My friend. What are you talking about?”

Alexia, now sat up too, looked at you as if saying you know what I’m talking about.

“Natalia?”

She said her name. Nobody had said her name. They knew it would cause too much pain.

In that moment you are brought back to the last time someone said her name. It was the 5 November 2023 in a hospice not to far from your shared home in London. Natalia was the strongest woman you knew and no one would ever come close to her in your eyes. Yet just after Euros she told you that her time was coming, that the cancer was starting to win. You begged her to fight, you weren’t ready to lose her but you knew that you had been on borrowed time for many many years. The last person to say her name was a nurse as your wife took her final breath before she was called home.

“She was my wife” you could feel your nose twitch as a ball of emotion built in your throat. You knew the day was coming when you talked about her but you didn’t think it would come in Bilbao with Alexia now sitting at the foot of your bed.

The Catalonian knew she heard you correctly but she still sat in disbelief. She had no idea you were dating anyone let alone you were married. Alexia could do nothing but watch as you bury your head in your hand as your body racks with sobs. She wants to hug you, to hold you and to tell you to let it out but you weren’t that close.

When you aggressively wipe your eyes you notice Alexia looking prettified and you cannot help but burst of into a fit of giggles.

“I’m going to go get Lucy or Keira or anyone else who isn’t me” your captain panics and makes a bee line for the door. She is stopped in her tracks as your hand grabs her wrist.

“You don’t have to”

She didn’t believe you and that was made obvious as her eyes dart back and forward between you and the door.

“Isn’t this what you have been wanting? To know why I walked away” you pat the side of the bed next to you.

You saw the hesitation is Alexia’s eyes. In that moment she wanted to respect your boundaries and you appreciated that but for the first time in a while the thought of talking about Natalia didn’t make you feel like you would break.

Once she sat down you turn to face you and you saw the look many people had given you. She felt sorry for you.

“I didn’t know you were married”

“Not many people did. We never hid anything. If you look you’ll see her in a lot of photos, she always supported me” you get comfy knowing that this is going to be a long conversation “I’m a private person and all I ever wanted to do was protect her”

In that moment Alexia understood for she too was a private person. She knew that she was in the limelight but she still kept herself to herself off the pitch.

“How did she—“ Alexia stopped talking as soon as she realised what she was about to ask “sorry, I shouldn’t have said that”

“Leukemia” you closed your eyes, took a deep breath and counted to three “she first got it when she was six. We used to take the day off school to go to the hospital. She would call me her emotional support friend” you laugh as you remember the way she made you wear a badge “she won the battle only for it to come back when she was 16 then again at 28. The third battle was the hardest for her and it was the one she lost”

Alexia caught the way you couldn’t look at her whilst you talked about the hardest times of your wife’s life.

“She sounds like a strong woman”

“Oh she was the strongest. She went through so much yet you never would have known it. Natalia had this heart that was big enough to like up the whole world. I wouldn’t be where I am today without her. She supported me in the youths teams, was in the stands when I made my Arsenal debut and moved to France with me when I signed for Lyon. She said she’s followed me everywhere because she knew I’d be lost with her”

When Alexia sees you laughing, she joins in too.

“Things got bad just before the euros. I was so close to withdrawing but she begged me to go. She wanted to see me lift that trophy and I did, I did it for her. I didn’t know how bad it was until afterwards and I made the decision to be by her side. We did all the things on her bucket list. A couple of months later she couldn’t fight it anymore. Her strength was gone and the light was barely there. I was able to be by her side as she took her last breath”

Alexia didn’t stop you as you got off the bed and made your way towards the window. She could tell by the way your hand went straight to your face that you were crying.

“You wanted to know why I walked about?” You turned to face her and in that moment, knowing what she did, Alexia felt guilty. Guilty for reminding you of the loss you had suffered.

“I walked away because I didn’t feel like I had a purpose. For so many years I played for her. I scored to see a smile on her face and I won my trophies so that I can give her my medals. I couldn’t return to Lyon without her and it felt wrong being in England”

“Y/N I’m —“

“Don’t tell me you’re sorry. You didn’t kill her, the cancer did”

You hated it when people told you they were sorry for your loss. Why? Why are they sorry? You heard it so many times that it made you numb.

Alexia could tell that you were feeling a lot right now. She wanted to be there if you wanted to talk more about Natalia but she also knew the importance of changing the subject when it’s needed.

“Can I ask you a question?” She looked at you with a sincere gaze.

“You can. Is it about Na—“

Alexia shakes her head.

“Why Barcelona?”

It is a question that she had been desperate to know. You have now told her why you weren’t ready to go back to Lyon but plenty of teams would have offered you a contract if you announced your return.

“I said it wasn’t about her but turns out it was. Talia loved Spain and Barcelona was her favourite place. I honestly thought I would retire at Lyon but she always said that if she could pick a team I play for them she would choose Barcelona. When I decided to come back, it felt right to sign for Barcelona. Also, Lucy and Keira are here. As you have seen, I have depended on them quite a bit and I knew that it wouldn’t be easy so having someone who knew made everything easier”

You could see Alexia processing what you had told her.

“I’m happy you don’t play for Lyon anymore”

“Yeah, you might be able to beat them now”

Alexia stared you down and you wondered what her next move would be. Turns out you didn’t have to wait long because a pillow soon smacked you in the face.

You both burst into laughter when the pillow fight turns competitive.

“We really should be getting some sleep” Alexia says as she stands.

You took a second to think.

“You can sleep in the bed Alexia. I won’t freak out you know”

“Y/N I can’t. Not now”

“Oh stop. I’m not some fragile little doll that will break if she shares a bed with someone. Now get in bed”

You pull the duvet back and pat the bed. It is only when Alexia gets in that you realise she is on your side and you are on Talia’s.

“You know this is my side of the bed” Alexia says as she gets comfy.

You had your reasons for sleeping on that side. You want to be closest to the door in case someone broke in. You wonder if Alexia has a reason.

“Got to make sure no one comes in and kidnaps you. Buenas noches Y/N”

You fall asleep that night with ease. You no longer feel the weight of keeping your emotions at bay and having Alexia knowing the truth makes you feel at ease around her for the first time since you joined the club.

From that day on things were different between you and Alexia. You found yourself spending more time with her than you did with Lucy and Keira. The two of them found it strange but didn’t question it. Whilst the defender was still very much protective over you, she did see a change in her captain which lead to her giving her the benefit of the doubt.

Life in Barcelona was finally what you imagined. Even in January the sun was shining and the sky was blue, unlike the weather you have been used to. The pain in your heart was still there but for the first time in a long whilst you felt happy or at least the closest thing to it that you could feel. Alexia has invited you to family dinner which happened after every other home game. Her mother and sister made you feel welcome. You had become rather close with Eli as she would often reach out to talk to you and check in with you. She didn’t need to say much, the fact that she could understand was more than enough.

Alba was quite the character and there was never a dull moment with her. She would relentless tease her sister and it had you holding stomach with laughter.

You had received some calls that made you think about a few things. You thought about talking to Lucy and Keira about it but you knew their decision would be biased so you confided in Alexia one night as the two of you walked Nala along Barceloneta. She helped you work though the feelings that the question brought up and by the the time you arrived back to your apartment, which you learnt was in the building opposite to hers, you knew what your decision would be.

During the game against Atleti there was a certain Dutchwoman in attendance. It was the second to last game before the Nations league semi final, a game that England has got to by the skin of their teeth. Barcelona came away with a 2-0 win and a lot of the players stayed out on the pitch afterwards to greet the fans that came to support them.

Sarina stood near the locker room and praised the team as they entered.

“Are you here for Lucy and Keira?” Aitana asked as she walked down the hall.

Behind her walked the two English women, along with Alexia. The latter knew to expect her, it made sense for her to come see you in person. The other two clearly had no idea that their national team coach was coming.

“She isn’t here for them”

Alexia’s words cause Lucy and Keira’s heads to turn in surprise.

“Y/N’s still out on the pitch. She is playing with Irene’s son Matteo, shall I go get her?”

“No, I can wait”

Just as three of them were about to enter they hear your voice followed by a child’s laughter. You walked down the tunnel with Irene and her little boy. Sarina saw just how happy you were and for a brief moment she regretted coming. She questioned whether or not this is what is best for you.

“Gaffa” you saw the look on your team mates faces and chuckled. Surely they knew it was only a matter of time before Sarina came knocking “Let me get showered quickly and we will go”

“But we’re going out tonight. It’s team night” Aitana sulked.

“I’ll meet you guys there”

Alexia and you shared a look. She knew what this conversation was going to be about and she was pretty sure she knew what the outcome would be and she was worried. You squeezed her shoulder and smiled before going into the locker room.

It was over 3 hours later that you finally enter the restaurant that the team were eating at.

All heads turned to you as you walked through the door. The seat reserved for you happened to be next to Alexia which you don’t think was an accident. Lucy and Keira were sat opposite you and you see the look of suspense in their eyes. They hadn’t officially been told what you and Sarina were talking about but they had very good guesses.

The rest of the team were having their own conversations and you didn’t want to make a scene so you nodded your head and that was enough confirmation for them.

“Yes!!” Lucy stood up suddenly and slammed her hands on the table.

“Holy fuck. Lucia, sit down”

Lucy does as her told.

“Our captain is back” Keira said to herself.

You tried your best to include yourself in the conversations around you but your mind kept wandering. You found yourself staring off into the distance. It is only when you feel a gentle hand on your thigh do you realise just how spaced out you were.

“Is everything ok? Did your coach say something because if she did then—“

“Stand down Ale” Alexia’s eye soften at the nickname. It wasn’t a new one for her but you had only just started calling her it and she loved it “I’m just thinking is all. What if I’m not good enough? What if I don’t have a place in that team anymore?” You lean into her and whisper.

“Y/N, they are your team. Yes you took some time away but you lead them for a long time and you told me they knew your reasons. It might take some time to get back into things but you will soon be back to how you were before. Besides if things go well for both of us then we will have a World Cup rematch on our hands and I want to see what might have happened if you played in the summer”

Oh you didn’t think about that. You hadn’t given your upcoming opponents a second thought. Alexia was right. If England beat France then they will face Spain in the national league final.

You thought there might be some awkwardness when you walked through the doors at the England camp but you couldn’t have been more wrong. Each player welcomed you with open arms and the players that you didn’t know as much treated you like everyone else did.

There were a few moments when you got pulled aside by Sarina for what she called her mental health checks. She promised that nothing said between you would be told to anyone else and you chose to believe her. You were honest about how heavy the shirt felt when it had the England badge on and you told her of the nerves you were feeling about playing for your country again.

Alexia had kept texting you to check in and for the most part you told her the truth. It was the day before the match when you got overwhelmed and instead of lying, you chose to ignore her. You knew it wasn’t fair but wanted to stay focused. You could bury your feelings for 24 hours. Alexia on the other had wasn’t going to give up on you.

“Alexia” Jenni nudged her friends leg “Earth to Alexia”

The woman in question had her eyes glued to the her phone as you sent you yet another message.

“What do you want!” Alexia snaps.

“Hey, don’t snap at me. Who you texting? Is it a girl?” Jenni peaked over her shoulder.

“No” Alexia pulled her phone closer to her chest “It’s Y/N”

“Y/N Y/L/N is a girl last time I checked” Jenni couldn’t help but tease.

“She but I don’t like her like that, well I do. Wait! I don’t” Alexia slumps down in her seat “Oh Jenni, I don’t know how I feel”

Jenni hasn’t seen her friend like this in a long while. Normally Alexia knows what wants and isn’t afraid to go for it. This though is different. It’s almost like she knows what she wants but she is hesitating and Alexia doesn’t hesitate.

“It’s ok not to know but something is clearly bothering you. What is it?”

“She is ignoring me”

“Last time I saw you you told me she didn’t want anything to do with you”

So much had changed since then and she didn’t know how to explain it. In the end she told her everything she could without going into the finer details. Alexia confesses her feelings and explains that she cannot get a hold of you and that none on your team mates were answering either.

“Alexia, I may not know why she stopped playing football but I saw the way she played, she loves the sport. Her playing for England again is a big deal. Everyone is talking about her press conference she did this morning, it’s all over social media”

Alexia wasn’t aware of a press conference. She never goes on social media the day before a match because it is quite often a distraction. Jenni picks up on her friend’s obliviousness and gives alexia her phone so she can see what is being said.

Jenni was right. You are everywhere.

Y/N Y/L/N makes her return but what does it mean? Why now?

Sarina Weigman confirm Y/N is the captain of this team despite turning her back on them.

Beth Mead ruled out for Semi final, should be back for final if England are successful.

World Cup rematch? Y/N says that Spain wouldn’t have won if she was playing.

Alexia read headline after headline, article after article. She was beginning to feel overwhelmed so she couldn’t imagine what you must have been feeling. The last headline made the Catalonian laugh because she too had thought about what the outcome might have been if you were playing.

“I think the last one is a stretch” Jenni mumbles.

“We will never know” Alexia is ever more determined to get a hold of you. Just as she was about to call you again, a message comes through.

Hi. Sorry I haven’t been around, it’s been a lot. Thank you for checking in on me Alexia, I promise you I’m ok. Good luck in your match tomorrow.

“She’s ok” Alexia tells Jenni as if the forward was the one who was worried about you.

The next day you wake up and are ridden with nerves. It’s not a familiar feeling and you know that you need to calm down before the game or things will end badly.

Despite protests from your team mates, you will start the game on the bench. It’s the right decision and you make sure to tell Sarina just that. Whilst the team’s recent performances have been spotty to say the least, you refuse to walk back in like nothing had changed. You know you need to earn your place on the pitch with the lionesses.

Spain’s game has an early kick off and finishes just after yours starts. The team get back to the hotel and have organised to watch it the hotel bar. Much to Alexia’s dismay she is called for Media seen as though Spain won and have qualified for the Olympics.

When she finally joins the team she knows that the first half is over but that’s it.

“What’s the score?” She asks anyone who is listening.

“2–0” Ona says.

“That’s—“ Alexia is cut off before she can finish her sentence.

“To Germany” Jenni knows that Alexia would have wanted England to win if for no other reason than you “Y/N is going on for Toone”

She cannot help the smile that tugs at her lips as your number goes on the subs board.

The world watches as Mary runs over to you and gives you the band.

“Welcome back skipper” Mary pushes the band up your arm before you can stop her because she know’s that is what you’ll do. She was there in the captain’s meeting when you told Sarina that you didn’t deserve the captaincy.

“Game on, Maz”

It felt right being on the pitch and wearing the three lions crest. You allow yourself to take in your return but only for a couple of seconds before you turn your attention to the game and the challenge that you face. 3 goals was a lot to ask for when Germany are playing as good as they are. It wouldn’t be easy and it would take everything you had but you never shied away from a challenge and you wasn’t about to start now.

After about ten minutes you found your rhythm and England were playing the type of football they are known for. It doesn’t take long for LJ to make a run and dance around the opposition. You have faith in her but follow her anyways in case she loses the ball. She doesn’t but Frohms does save her shot, she doesn’t save your rebound though.

“Get the ball” You shout to the Chelsea player.

When the match restarts, the lionesses are on the hunt. Shot after shot is taken but somehow the ball stays out the net. England get a corner in the 80 minute and you’re lurking on the edge of the box, ready to make your run. Popp is the one marking you because she has studied you new way of play since joining Barcelona. Chloe’s corner is pin point and no amount of research in the world could stop you from getting the second goal and tying the game.

Alexia finds herself up on her feet with Ona and a couple of your team mates when you get your brace.

“Vamos Y/N” she says.

“You do realise that we will face them if they win” Misa reminds her.

“Right now, I don’t care. She deserves this and I’m celebrating my team mate” Alexia didn’t care if she might face you in the final.

“She told you” Aitana whispers as she pulls her captain down to the sofa “That is why she doesn’t hate you anymore and why you’ve stopped interrogating her”

Alexia does nothing but nod. Her fellow midfielder didn’t need to know anything else and she doesn’t ask for it either. She accepts that the reason must be valid if Alexia has dropped her questions.

There are 4 minutes announced of stoppage time.

When you look up the the score board and see the number you get flashbacks on the euros final. You have been in this position before and came out victorious. Today was going to be no different.

It was huge mistake by Germany when Gwinn takes down Hemp about a meter outside the box.

In the past you have found yourself stood over the ball with Beth but this game it’s Alex who stands beside you.

With her hand over her mouth she gives you strict instructions.

“You’re taking it”

It’s not a question and you don’t argue.

“You have saved us tonight, now get your hattrick”

The amount of faith Alex had in you did wonders but it didn’t settle every nerve running through your body. Free kicks were your specialty, this wasn’t nothing new and the pressure was a familiar feeling.

As soon as you strike the ball you know it’s going in. It’s a hard feeling to describe but many call it shooters instinct, it had never been wrong and it wasn’t now. The ball floated over the wall and went in the further part of the top corner. The shot was unsaveable. You ran over to the bench, more specifically to Sarina, to celebrate with the woman who gave you space and welcomed you back with open arms.

“It’s like you never left”

Her words caught you off guard. For a brief moment you agreed with her but you got hit by the feeling of grief, you looked towards the family section and there was no one supporting you. Maybe some things hadn’t changed but a lot certainly has. When the full time whistle was blown your team mates ran towards you, all of the congratulating you on your performance and your first game back.

It was a weird kind of celebrations that night. The team was split, half wanted to celebrate getting through the final and the other half knew the job wasn’t done, they knew that the biggest task was yet to be faced. Spain had beaten them before and on the greatest stage, the UEFA national league final could either repeat history and England could rewrite it.

The team travelled to Madrid that night, only hours after the game. Upon arrival almost everyone went to their rooms but not you. You knew sleep wouldn’t come easy so you decided to wander the streets of Madrid. It had become a habit of yours, you would walk around and people watch. Every human had their own story to tell and it made you forget about yours.

You had no destination planned yet you found yourself stopping outside a hotel, the one you know from your text messages with Alexia, was the one the Spain team was staying at.

A lot of feelings were running through you and you saw this as the universe’s sign that maybe you should talk about them. You have confided in Alexia since Sarina first reached out to you, she knew more than anyone how you really felt about returning and you talked about this very moment, the hours after your first game when the past is very much present in your mind. You remember the words she told you ‘when that happens you call me’ so that is what you do or at least that is what you go to do.

“Y/N” you hear a familiar voice say. You turn to see Jenni, Irene, Laia and Misa walking towards you.

“Hi guys” your voice is quiet, shy almost and you cannot help the way your eyes scan for Alexia knowing full well that these are the people she spends the most time with.

“What are you doing here?” Misa asks you. The two of you hadn’t formally been introduced but you had scored a brace against her in the El Classico.

“I’m—“

“Here for Alexia” Jenni says with a knowing look and you cannot help but feel like she knows something you don’t.

You can only nod. Apart from Irene, you didn’t know these girls very well and the version of yourself that you show to strangers is very different to the one that your friends see.

‘I can take you to her. We are roommates” Jenni seems sincere with her words but you feel a pang of jealousy. Everybody knew that the two of them used to date, it shouldn’t bother you, you had no right to be jealous yet that is exactly what you were feeling.

You think about it and Jenni can tell you are thinking about it.

“She hasn’t stopped talking about you and I know she will want to see you. She was your biggest fan when we watched the game” Jenni added hoping to create some sense of comfortability.

“She watched my game?” You asked in disbelief. You thought you had no one but maybe you did, maybe Alexia was the someone that was cheering you on but instead of the family area she was cheering you on from the hotel you were currently standing outside of.

“She did. I think she forgot she was Spanish for a minute” Irene says which causes you to laugh.

“I doubt that but I appreciate the support. You know I shouldn’t be talking to you, you guys are the enemy now”

“Yet you came here for our captain, she will be your enemy too. Come on, I’ll take you to her. We wouldn’t want you to be spotted outside our hotel, just think of the optics” Jenni once again says.

“Ok” you nod your head a few times to solidify your answer.

The girls lead you through the hotel but only Jenni and Irene stay with you, Misa and Laia walk ahead. The longer you walk the more you begin wondering if this was a good idea. What if you are overstepping your boundaries. You had no right to be here and could easily be turned away at any point.

You enter the lounge area of the hotel which holds the majority of the Spanish national team yet your eyes search for only one. She see’s you before you see her and is walking over to you with a worried look on her face.

“Estas bien? What are you doing here?” Alexia’s arm rests on your shoulder.

“It was an accident. I was out for a walk and I ended up here” you explained.

“She was asking for you” Jenni says even though technically it wasn’t true. In her eyes she wanted to play matchmaker after it was made evidently clear that Alexia was hesitant to peruse things with you even though she had feelings for you.

“Is this true?” Alexia asks and you nod.

“We won, I returned, I scored, wore the armband and I didn’t have anyone is stands” you whispered so only she could hear you.

The look in your eyes changed. For the first time that night you showed your true emotions. Alexia didn’t need to hear anything else. She grabbed your hand and escorted you to the outdoor seating area. She sat down whilst your paced the patio.

“Y/N, come sit down” Alexia pats the seat next to her and you comply “Are you ok, really? What made you come here to me?”

“I’m not ok but I’m more ok than I thought I would be. It’s been quite a day, that game was —“

“Incredible. You changed the entire play”

“It felt right. I belong on the pitch with the girls, I should never have left” You didn’t register that you felt guilty about your absence until you said the words out loud to Alexia.

“You needed to. You had to process your loss and you returned when you were ready”

Alexia was very understanding, you had to give her that.

“That answers my first question but the second” the Catalonian didn’t want to push but there had to be a reason and until she heard the truth she was filled with worry. You had been walking the streets of Madrid, alone, at almost midnight.

“Why am I here?” You repeated it. Maybe you hoped that hearing the question again would help you figure out an answer, it did “I wanted to celebrate…….with you. I was surrounded by my team, people I consider family yet you were the one I wanted to call and tell about the game”

You dipped your head when you felt yourself getting emotional. You were suppose to be happy but with everything you were feeling you were overwhelmed. On top of what you were feeling you couldn’t ignore the way your heart beat twice as fast because Alexia was sat opposite you with her hand now resting on your thigh.

When you looked up Alexia noticed the the tears in your eyes and was quick to wipe away one when it fell.

“I shouldn’t be feeling this way Alexia, it is wrong” you met her eye as you made your version of a confession.

“You can be happy about playing football again Y/N. Natalia would have wanted you to be”

“Don’t say her name, not now” you shook your head and Alexia’s hand fell back to its prior place on your thigh.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to overstep. I can give you space if that what you need” the blonde stands, ready to leave you be but you grab her hand and pull her back down.

“I don’t want space and that is the problem. I wasn’t talking about the game Alexia. I shouldn’t be feeling this way about you” you shook your head in disbelief. You were sure that your shot of happiness died with your wife but you have developed feelings for Alexia and could no longer deny it.

“Y/N” Alexia cupped your face so that you would look at her but when you did, her hand didn’t move.

“Ale” you melted into her touch. That very touch gave you butterflies and you enjoyed the act of intimacy.

The two of you went silent but each of your thoughts were very loud. Alexia glanced at your lips, you knew what she was about to do and you didn’t stop her. Maybe you should have, maybe you should have pulled away but you didn’t. You didn’t move when her lips hovered centimetres from your own, you let her kiss you. You froze in the moment, like a deer in headlights. It was only when you closed your eyes did you realise what was happening. The kiss felt like you were cheating, it felt wrong yet felt so right.

“You shouldn’t have done that. We can’t do this. It was wrong” you pushed Alexia away and stood up hastily.

You stormed away before Alexia had the chance to speak. All eyes were on you as you walked through the sea of Spanish players. Their eyes went from you and then to Alexia who was running through, trying to catch up to you. She was hot on your heels until you turned to face her. She waited a couple of seconds before taking steps towards you.

“Stop” you say but she doesn’t “No!” you held you arm out to further imply your seriousness.

After that she can do nothing else but watch you walk away from her. Her hazel eyes stayed on you until you were out the lobby doors and onto the streets of the Spanish capital.

Alexia was frozen in place. She has ruined everything by rushing but she felt something when she touched you, she felt a spark and that wouldn’t have happened if you didn’t feel the same thing she did. You told her that had feelings for her, you came all this way to see her. Those things meant something but maybe she had read it wrong, maybe it had all been in her head.

“Alexia, are you ok? You’re crying” Irene appeared in front of her. The woman in question was quick to wipe her eyes in hope that no one else would see her tears.

“I’m fine. It’s getting late, everyone should go to their rooms. We have a final to prepare for and we need to be at our best” Alexia walked away.

The two of you were very quiet in the upcoming days and were laser focused on the task at hand. Beat the opposing team and being the first even UEFA Nations League champions. Both of your team mates could tell something was wrong but they didn’t know what to do. Your team mates wasn’t aware of your late night adventures until Aitana texted Keira to ask if you were ok and told her that Alexia wasn’t after you showed up at their hotel. The English midfielder kept this to herself given that Lucy has only just got started talking to Alexia and there were a few players on the team who’s protectiveness could rival the defenders.

By the time the day of the final came around there was plenty of reason for concern but both teams knew that this is what you had been working towards. Yes, a trophy was on the line but it was the previous trophy that was the topic of conversation.

The first time Alexia saw you was when they arrived for the pitch inspection. You were near the goal with LJ, it has become a new pre match routine for the two of you. Well you did it the game a couple of days ago and you won that so the two of you gravitated towards the goal today.

Alexia wanted to go to you and that is what she was going to do until she felt a hand grab her wrist.

“Alexia”

She turned to face Keira.

“Leave her be”

“I didn’t mean to upset her. We were talking about feelings and then I kissed her, I couldn’t help it. It felt right in the moment” Alexia couldn’t stop talking. It’s like was making a confession and Keira would be the one deciding whether or not it was a sin.

Meanwhile the English midfielder couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Sure she had suspected something was going on between the two of you but she also had a strong sense that you wasn’t ready for anything knew. In her eyes you were still healing.

“You kissed her?” Keira whispered as not to bring attention to their conversation.

Alexia was about to explain further but Keira stopped her as she sure her other team mate coming towards them.

“Lucy is coming. I will talk to you about this later”

It was as if Keira flipped a switch. Her look of concern was replaced with a smile and she even put on a fake laugh so Lucy wouldn’t arrive to an awkward silence. Soon enough it was a gathering of Barcelona players yet Alexia could stay focused on what her friends were saying for you were beginning to walk towards her.

In your eyes you wanted to talk to Alexia and you knew you needed to. The other night was a lot for you to process but you did owe her an explanation for leaving, that much you did know. She looked good as you watched her enter the pitch. You let your eyes linger in the most discreet way possible.

“You and Putellas?” LJ asked you. She wasn’t aware of what happened, nor did she know you were married. In her eyes, you were hiding something and she wasn’t wrong.

“We are friends…..I think. It’s complicated” you admitted knowing that Lauren wouldn’t push you further.

“Uncomplicate it” she suggested.

“If only it was that easy. Let’s head in and get ready”

You felt the change in heartbeat again as you got closer to where Alexia was standing. Your head might have been all over the place but you heart was being very clear in what it wanted only you weren’t ready to admit it.

“Y/N” Alexia shouted to you as you walked past her.

“Hi” for whatever reason, you pulled her into a hug “Good luck today, you’re going to need it”

You both started laughing at the quick change of energy.

“I don’t think it’s us that need luck. We beat you in the summer” Alexia was cocky but she wasn’t confident.

“You didn’t beat me though” you couldn’t help but smile at her.

Your smile was genuine and that is something Alexia took great hope in seeing. Maybe you weren’t mad at her, maybe you just needed a little space.

What you said next doubled that hope.

“Come find me after the game”

Then just as quick as the hope was there, it wasn’t.

“We need to talk”

Those 4 words struck fear in Alexia but she didn’t have the chance to say anything because you were already down the tunnel by the time she came to her senses.

Your was brought up several times in the Spanish locker room and each time all eyes fell to Alexia for she is the one that knew you most. She had learnt how you think, what plays you are going to make before you make them. In her team’s eyes she knew how to stop you. Only it wasn’t that easy. Alexia did knew how you play but that style changes when you are hungry, like you have a point to prove and this game brought both of those things.

“Stop focusing on Y/N! If you focus on how to stop her then you’ve already lost. Focus on stopping her from getting the ball” That is the last thing she said before heading out into the tunnel.

The lionesses were waiting for her, she expected it. It was an intimidation tactic. You weren’t there and that was a surprise, she would have bet good money that you would be in the starting 11. Mary stood opposite her and smirked when she saw the look of bewilderment on the opposing players face.

Alexia wanted to say something, she kept looking back at the team. If she was paying attention she would notice that there was only 10 players on the England side of the tunnel. With her eyes now facing forward she didn’t see you walking towards the front of the line. The sound of your cleats fell on deaf ears.

Her head shot to the side when she caught a glimpse of you standing next to her with the pendent in your hand.

“Capital Y/L/N, nice to see you back where you belong” Alexia covered her mouth, her being well aware that there were cameras on her.

You shake your head at her greeting.

“Captain Putellas. You’re going to wish I wasn’t” you had one last attempt to get in her head.

“No I won’t. Win or lose today, this is something the world, myself included, has been waiting for”

You thought you would get a smart remark not a reply that was genuine.

“Alexia”

“Y/N”

Those were the last words spoken except from a good look after the coin toss.

You called a huddle before everyone got into place. This game was important, not only because of the trophy on the line but it was the lionesses chance at redemption. To prove that it was only one game.

“I want you all to do something for me. Play for right now, not for the past. You cannot change what happened in the summer, no matter how hard you try. Winning today won’t get you the star on the shirt but it can be the reset you guys have been wanting. That loss has been haunting you, I can see it by the look on your faces and I promise you here today that if you play with revenge in your hearts then you will fail. Yes, this is Spain but we are England. We don’t stay down, we get up and fight. We stand together as a team, a pride. We go out there and leave everything on the pitch”

Each player is hooked on every word as you give Mary the signal.

“England on three”

You all come together one more time before getting in position.

Alexia tries to do the same by most of the team is watching you.

“She is going to make it hard” Olga tells her captain.

“She is going to make our lives hell for the next 90 minutes but that’s not to say we can’t give it back. Look at that star on your shirt, we got that by beating this team. Yes, Y/N wasn’t playing but she is one player. As good as she may be, we are better. You’ve seen what everyone is saying, they are calling our World Cup win a fluke, that we didn’t win but England lost. We may have qualified for the Olympics but our job is not done. We have a trophy to win. Vamos Espana”

Just like England did, Spain come together before readying themselves for the game.

The game which starts in the worst possible way for the away team. It seems the your players might be a bit more nervous that they are letting on. Inside the first 15 minutes Salma gets through on goal and sends Spain up 1-0. It wasn’t ideal but it didn’t mean the game was over either. You were playing safe, as a way to get the most out of the team around you. When the first half is done with you haven’t take a single shot on goal.

Spain entered the tunnel happy and England entered it less so.

The atmosphere was eerie in the locker room and you could see the self doubt radiating off your team mates.

Sarina takes the floor and explains all sorts of strategies but nobody is listening. They are in their own head.

“Do you mind?” You walk up to Sarina hoping to have a talk with your team. The coach happily steps aside.

“How many of you are thinking about the World Cup? Raise your hand” nobody does and you decide to call bullshit “You’re lying and I won’t have that. You are telling me none of you are out there thinking of the summer? the picture of them lifting the trophy that should have been yours?”

One by one players begin lifting their hands.

“I can stand here and say I haven’t been good enough. I need to be better and I will be better. In 45 minutes we will be crowned champions. The question is are we going to do it in style or are we going to make it harder for ourselves? We know what we need to do and we will do it”

You leave the locker room and go back out onto the pitch. You are the first one out there and you take a minute to look at the score board. 1-0. You hated to lose but more than that, you hated to let people down. You made the decision to come back and you didn’t do that to come second. You returned to be a champion and to make Natalia proud, you wasn’t doing to let her down. You had spent the past couple of days trying not to think about her and maybe that was the problem. She was your greatest strength, your biggest supporter and she may be no longer with you, you may be beginning to move on but that doesn’t mean you have to forget about her. No, you need to play for her just as you always did.

The first ten minutes of the second half it was like a different team was on the pitch. England were pushing and pressing and Spain were struggling. In the 67 minute was when the game was made even once again. You and hempo were tiring out the defence and it made them vulnerable. On one counter attack they couldn’t keep up. Irene was the only player standing between you and Cata but she could see Hempo running up beside you. She found herself in a lose lose situation so she stuck with you in hopes that the pressure would work, it didn’t. You pull her in just enough to give hempo enough space. At the last minute you passed to your left and she fired the ball into the back of the net.

Game on.

Spain were beginning to tire and the one touch football that was known around the world began to work in favour of England. They were unable to play out from the back because you, Alessia, Hempo and LJ was pressing the defence. It was mind play and it was working.

It was during a corner where things got interesting.

“Keep going!” You clapped your hands to rally the team “we are in their heads, now we end it”

“You’re not in our heads” Alexia says as she chooses to mark you. It was a tactic they hadn’t done yet, so far Jenni had marked you.

“Just you saying that is proof that we are but feel free to prove me wrong” you had a minute to talk as the ref walk talking to Lucy and Irene.

“I will. Let’s make it interesting. You score right now and I’ll buy you a drink later”

“So that means I’ll be taking the trophy and your money? Oh you’re on”

Alexia followed you are you walked around the box as you got into position. You would end up in one or two places; front post or in the middle. Never did she think you would make a run for the back post and swap positions will Lucy. The change caught Alexia out and when the ball hit the back of the neck she shook her head in defeat.

She had played right into your hands. You had pulled her in with your words and left her hanging when you celebrated what would go on to be the winning goal of the game.

You had to take a moment when the game was over. Everyone was celebrating but you and Lucy made the effort to congratulate your club team mates of a game well played.

“Ay, Capi. You’re predictable you know that?” Lucy threw her arms around the Catalonian.

“Lucy!” You slapped her on the back of the head “What she meant to say is you guys played a good game and that we will see you in Paris”

“We’ll see them in Barcelona” Lucy tried to correct you.

“I mean on the pitch as opponents, idiot”

Alexia was to focused on what the defender said first to hear the bickering that was now taking place between the two of you.

“What did she mean?” Alexia asked you.

Lucy gave you a look before leaving the two of you be.

“You once told me that in order to see yourself as the best, you had to beat the best. Tonight you wanted to beat me”

“No, I —“

“You did and that’s ok. I wanted to beat you too. It’s our competitive nature. That need you had allowed us a way in. I didn’t know it would come from a corner, only that in at least one part of the game you will stick to me just so you could say you got the upper hand”

“I should have dropped you off, let Irene pick you up and followed Lucy” Alexia understands the error she made.

“You should have but don’t beat yourself up about it. That wasn’t our first plan or second. Our plan was for Hempo to tire Ona out and for Lucy to get inside Olga’s head. Without those two things happening, we wouldn’t have got the corner in the way we did”

Alexia didn’t know whether to be pissed off or impressed that you read her and her team so well.

“You deserve the win today. Go celebrate with your team”

“I will but remember you owe me a drink. I’ll text you the address of wherever we go. Invite the girls too”

Alexia watched you walk away but there was one more thing she wanted to tell you only she feared it would do more damage than good. In the end she bite the bullet and ran to you.

“Y/N”

“Hi again” you laughed “Do you want another explanation of our strategy? We can always watch the game back when we in home in Barcelona”

Home in Barcelona. There is something about the way you said it that made alexia feel warm and fuzzy inside. She quickly shook her head to rid herself of those thoughts and the overthinking that came with them.

“I just want to say that Natalia would have been proud of you today. Not just today but the other game too. I know it’s not my place to say that because I didn’t know her but you should know that. You—“ Alexia began rambling.

“Breathe. Thank you for saying that. I know she is looking down on me right now with a huge smile on her face and truth is if I think about her too much then I think I might cry so I don’t want to go into that right now. Thank you though”

Alexia couldn’t help but feel like she shouldn’t have said that.

The ceremony went by in the blind of an eye. One minute you are waiting for Spain to collect their medals, the next you are raising the trophy with Mary. Back in the locker room you find yourself staring at the medal on your neck. Never in your professional career had one stayed on your neck for this long and never has the gold felt so heavy. It felt like it was weighing you down so you take it off and stuff it into your back. You would talk about that means with your therapist if you had one.

Later on in the night you found yourself at the hotel bar with the rest of the team celebrating. You tried your best to be happy and part of you truly was but you life off the field was becoming more complicated and hard to ignore.

“Excuse me” you tell the group that included Leah, Georgia, Keira and Lucy.

“Should we be concerned?” Georgia asks.

“Yes but let her have a moment. These past ten days have been a lot for her” Lucy tells her friend.

They watched as you paced back and forth on the balcony. To the English it was warm outside but there was still a chill in the air and you weren’t wearing a jacket. Keira kept looking at her watch asking herself how long is long enough before she goes out to you.

Some of the Spanish team arrive about an hour after the lionesses. Some of them go to the bar, some go to friend but Alexia, well she only had one interest and she couldn’t it or more specifically couldn’t find you. Her eyes scanned the room one, twice and third time. She had her phone out ready to call just as she sees you.

Leah catches her walking towards you and wants to stop her.

“What is she doing” The blonde asks defensively “Y/N doesn’t want anything to do with her”

The Arsenal player has heard about you bust up when Keira visiting England over Christmas.

“Things are different now but I’m not sure this is the right thing to do. Alexia!” Keira shouts her club captain over.

“Hola. Congratulations again. You guys sure know how to party” she tried to be polite even though she had no interest in a conversation with anyone who wasn’t you.

“Thank you” Leah seems genuine “Were you going to see Y/N?”

Alexia nods.

“That might not be the best idea right now. I think she needs a minute to herself. It’s been quite the day for her”

“I know. That’s why I want to talk to her” Alexia knew that you might be been struggling but to her that was all the more reason for her to talk to you.

“She won’t even wear her medal” Georgia adds earning her a shove. As far as the English players are aware, Alexia didn’t know anything.

“That isn’t surprising. Every tournament until this one she has given her medal to Natalia” Alexia says as if it is the most obvious thing but your friends didn’t put two and two together.

“Wait” Lucy says “She told you about her?” Again, Alexia nods.

“When? She hasn’t talked about her since she passed” the defender added.

“After Christmas” Alexia explains but goes no further.

“That’s why she went to you the other night but then you—“

“Keira, I won’t talk about that right now. I just want make sure she is ok and I can’t do that if I am being interrogated by you”

With that Alexia leaves your friends speechless and makes her way towards the balcony.

As quietly as possible, Alexia slides the door open and closes it behind her. She didn’t want to startle you so she watched from a distance. Your face wasn’t puffy so you hadn’t been crying but your posture was stiff so you were stressed.

“They’ve spent the past hour burning holes in the back of my head from their staring yet you have come straight out” you turn to see Alexia resting against the door.

“I owe you a drink and —”

“And yet your hands are empty” you point to Alexia’s hand which as you stated aren’t holding a drink “You can come closer you know. I’m not going to blow”

“I know it’s just that—“

“The last time we were along I ran away crying” you laugh as you think back to that night. Things were going really well until they wasn’t.

“Are you going to let me finish a sentence or are you going to keep talking for me?”

You mumble an apology and signal for her to continue.

“Your friends know I know and I accidentally told keira we kissed”

“Figures. She has been hovering”

The two of you go quiet. It’s not awkward, it’s comfortable but even then it’s not what either of you wanted.

“You said we needed to talk” Alexia didn’t want to push things and you had told her this before the game.

“We do. What happened the other night it—“

“Shouldn’t have happened”

“Who is finishing the other’s sentences now”

“Lo siento”

“As I was saying” you send her smirk so she knows she isn’t in trouble “The other night was very overwhelming for me, not because I didn’t like what happened but because I did. I told you that I had feelings and those feelings are for you Alexia. You make me feel things that I thought I’d never feel again. I promised my heart and love to her Alexia and to feel these things for someone else is like an act of betrayal. It feels wrong but I don’t want those feelings to stop. You kissed me and I knew it was going to happen yet I didn’t to stop it. I shouldn’t have ran away like that”

“It was a lot for you, I understand that” Alexia tried to reassure you that it was ok.

“It was but I should have stayed. You wanted to talk to me and I didn’t give you the opportunity. Just because I lost someone doesn’t mean that it’s only my feelings that matter. I’m sorry Alexia”

Alexia couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Since you said the words ‘we need to talk’ she has been trying to think of all the things you could have said, an apology was not one of them.

“Can I say what I would have that night?” Alexia asks and you nods your head whilst closing the distance between you.

“Those feelings you talked about, I feel them too. Things changed between us after you told me and I couldn’t ignore it, trust me I tried. I was also aware of your loss and that this might not be something you are ready for so I talked to my mum one night. She is the only other person I know who has experienced the same loss you have. I told her that I had fallen for you and that I wanted to act on my feelings. You know what she told me? She told me that time heals all wounds but no amount of time is the same. If I wanted to prove to you that I truly liked you then I would need to take it slow so that is what I am willing to do. If you want to pursue this then we will take it slow, as slow as you need. You said it feels like an act of betrayal and I respect that. I won’t push you into anything you’re not ready for”

Alexia reached out for you and noticed once again tears were falling down your face.

“I have made you cry again. I shouldn’t have said anything. Y/N I am so sorry”

“Alexia, these aren’t sad tears” you reach for her hand “I can’t promise you that this will be easy. When Natalia died she took a lot of my heart with her and I don’t know how much is left but I want to share what I have left with you. Please be patient with me Alexia because I don’t know how to do this again. For most of my life it has been her and I but now I get the chance at happiness again, with you. We can take this slow?”

“We will go as slow are you want. I have nothing but time for you Y/N”

Alexia knew what to say and for the first time in a long time you found yourself leaning forward. Just as you were about to kiss her she moves and kisses your cheek.

“Slowly Y/N” Alexia winked causing you to chuckle “How about we go for dinner when we return to Barcelona?“

“I would really like that”

“Me too. Now if I remember correctly I owe you a drink” Alexia holds the door open so that you both can rejoin the party.

“That does seem to be the case. Make it a double. It’s not every day you pull one over on La Reina to score the winning goal” you shoved her playfully.

#woso x reader #woso imagine #woso one shot #alexia Putellas one shot #alexia Putellas imagine #alexia putellas x reader #barcelona femeni x reader #barcelona femeni imagine #barcelona femeni one shot #espwnt x reader #espwnt one shot #espwnt imagine

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orlandospride · 1 year

Note

Pernille probably wants to get a shot on the champions league trophy and i actually think she deserves it so go for it. Smart business by Lyon. Two really good players for free

and that’s kind of partly the issue. lyon shouldn’t be punished for being good, yes, but also it’s just boring as a viewer if (and when) that goodness comes at the expense of genuine competition

players don’t owe clubs anything and they’re entitled to put their own wants or goals above the club etc etc etc, I agree

i just think that in europe we don’t have a very good distribution of talent in any league, let alone the champions league, and whilst I don’t know what the solution is - i do hope it doesn’t continue because it’s not very fun

#ie there are multiple candidates in men’s football if you want a ‘better shot’ at cl #in women’s football - you just go to Lyon and you’re almost guaranteed a W #I’m sure somw howeced would argue that Chelsea ARE contenders #(I wouldn’t and I hope they don’t)#but leaving clubs looking to achieve the same thing as you and working toward it doesn’t make too much sense #answered

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jaja-dingdong · 1 year

Text

Death taxes and Liverpool flopping

#Liverpool loosing 1-3 in a friendly match against Lyon... I didn't miss club football

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mead-iocre · 4 months

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Our New Normal | Leah Williamson x Reader

Our New Normal (1/4)

“Okay girls. We’re starting in a bit. Everyone ready?

You force your eyes away from the grinning blonde beside you, trying to smother your grin underneath your palm. It was media day and you were currently sat beside your teammate, best mate, and girlfriend– Leah. That was normal. These days, the social media team often choose to partner the both of you together for content because of the “natural chemistry” you both have; plus, the fans seem to echo the same thoughts– the proof lies in the large amount of views the videos of you two would get on the team’s Youtube channel. To those outside of the team, and your friends and family, most people only know the two of you to be really (really) good friends who happen to play for the same team. Those close to you know that the two of you have been dating for a little over a year now.

You and Leah had first met playing for the England U17 team, instantly clicking and forming a friendship that was tested when you both ended up signing for different clubs. Leah signed her first senior contract with Arsenal; meanwhile, you had chosen to stick with the club that had offered you the best contract as a promising young talent– Manchester United. This meant that for a while, the only chance to meet up with the Arsenal defender was during match days where your teams played against each other, or during England camp. Memories of swapping roommate arrangements so you could room together, and early morning walks to catch the sunrise are some of your most treasured memories till this day. It was hard to say goodbye to the blonde after international break was over, but as they say, distance makes the heart grow fonder.

And that was very true in this case.

In between late night conversations and good morning texts, and the frequent weekend getaways from Manchester to London whenever either of you had time to spare outside of football, it was hard not to fall for her.

You always knew athletes were your type– your childhood crushes were David Beckham and Marta– but it still surprised you when you came to the glaring realisation that you were in love with your best friend. There was a lot to love about her– from her calm and collected demeanour, her ability to make you laugh, the way she seems so wise beyond her years, her passion for the sport, and the way that she just gets you. Hand on your heart, you could wholeheartedly swear that no one else in this world understands you better than Leah.

That was why when your agent told you that Arsenal had put in an offer for your transfer that coming season, you did not hesitate to express your own interest in joining the club. Not only was Arsenal a dream club for a lot of other players considering it’s rich history in success in women’s footballl, but Leah was there too.

And speaking of Leah, you were adamant that Leah was not to know about your potential transfer to Arsenal. You did not want to risk disappointing the blonde if things did not work out the way you wanted them to. After all, football is unpredictable.

A few weeks into the transfer window and you were already patting yourself on the back for how tight-lipped you’ve been about your next club– with offers coming from Chelsea and Lyon coming in and creating buzz on social media amongst fans and football journalists. Leah knew that your contract was up this summer, and being the nosy person that she is, she has been pestering and trying to get you to spill where you’ll be heading next. Not a day goes by where Leah isn’t slyly bringing up your transfer into one of your conversations.

——————————————

“Twitter says you’ll be going to Lyon” You roll your eyes at the blonde in front of you. As usual, you had decided to spend your pre-season break in London, mainly to see Leah, but also so you and your agent can meet with a couple of people at Arsenal to further negotiate your potential transfer in person– which Leah obviously does not know about.

You bring your mug up to your lips, hoping to hide the grin that was forming on your lips. Leah has recently started bringing up the transfer rumours that were making their rounds on social media, and every time you tried to brush them off, the blonde would grumble and moan about how you rude it was that you were keeping her in the dark.

You came into town late last night and slept over in the guest room at Leah’s flat. She proudly pointed out the new dresser she bought a few weeks ago and told you that you can start leaving some of your clothes and stuff inside so that when you come over next time, you won’t have to bring so much.

For a moment, you were worried she knew about the transfer. But then again, that was just Leah– thoughtful, sweet Leah.

“Didn’t know Twitter was my agent now” You send her a cheeky smile over the rim of your coffee mug. Leah narrowed her eyes at you at your obvious attempt to ignore the real question. She reached up to adjust the grey beanie warming her head from the slight chill outside, fidgeting around to make sure her freshly cut bangs were still neatly tucked underneath the beanie.

“So where are these rumours coming from then?” You watched her scowl down at her mug, avoiding your eyes, and instead picking at the brown napkin sitting by her saucer. She scrunched the napkin in her fist tightly, before smoothing it out again on the table with both her palms. She was nervous, you can tell. You wouldn’t have heard the next bit if she had said it any quieter. “Lyon is too far. don’t want you to be so far”

You put your mug down back and place your palm on top of Leah’s. It’s moments like this where you want to share the news of your potential transfer to her club, but you would hate to break her heart if it doesn't even up going through. You didn’t want to get her hopes up for nothing. You notice her palm is a bit cold so you inch forward in your seat, closer to the blonde in front of you, and hold her hand in both of yours. You rub and squeeze her hand, playfully bending down to blow warm air onto them, hoping to share some warmth with her. She gives you a small grin in return, keeping her hand snug in yours.

“I can promise you, Lee, I’m not going to Lyon. I want to stay in the WSL”

“I don’t understand why you won’t just tell me” Leah was stubborn, you knew this, but sometimes it astounds you just how determined she is to get her way.

“Because there is nothing to tell yet, Lee” You give her hands another rub, your thumb tracing the lines of her palm. Her hands were a lot warmer now thanks to them being cocooned in your own. “Louis said we are getting offers but we want to take our time and make the right choice– you know how he is about the transfer business.”

Maybe it’s the way she’s looking at you, or maybe it’s the way her hand fits nicely in yours, but you want to give her something that can ease her mind a bit. “I heard a few London clubs are interested and have put offers down…“

You were obviously talking about Arsenal, but the blonde didn’t know that.

“Oh fuck off. It’s true then– Chelsea?” You wince slightly at the sudden increase in volume in her voice. From the corner of your eye you see a few customers turn their heads towards your table, probably cursing you both for ruining the peace and quiet inside the coffee shop. Leah attempts to tug her hand free from your grasp, but you don’t let her. “Shush, Lee. You’re being too bloody loud–”

“Yeah well sorry about that, I just heard my best mate might be going to our biggest club rival”

You squeeze her hand in warning again when her voice continues to go beyond what was sociably acceptable on an early Sunday morning in a quiet cafe. Pretty blue eyes meet yours, eyebrows furrowed, lips slightly parted, ready to argue back against whatever comes next; the slight wrinkle in the middle of her forehead just begging to be smoothed out by your thumb, so you do exactly that. “stop frowning, Lee. Your whole face will get wrinkly”

She moves her face away from your touch, annoyance clearly written all over her face. You can tell she was up to her limit with how secretive you were being because it’s never been like this between the two of you– you usually tell each other everything.

“Nah think ‘bout what I’d look like if you signed for Chelsea then! I wouldn’t even want to look at you anymore”

You frown at that. Ouch. You snatch your wrist out from her hold. “You don’t mean that–“

She must’ve seen the hurt on your face, because her gaze immediately softens and she shifts forward in her seat. “No, no of course not, baby”

That was normal.

Leah was the kind of person who had nicknames for everyone close to her. It wasn’t unusual for her to slip in a term of endearment here and there, although you were certain it was purely platonic. That doesn’t stop your heart from skipping a beat every time you hear it directed at you.

Leah reaches out, grabs one of your hands and intertwines your fingers together. Her hands aren’t as cold anymore and they feel nice against your own. This is normal too. Leah might not seem like it to others, but she can be incredibly affectionate– or least with you she is. She loves to randomly grab your hand and hold it in hers during walks, she always wants to share your blanket during movie nights even if there are other blankets, she’ll tug you over so you can sit on her lap– saying something about “so there’s space for others to sit, baby”– and she’ll always kiss your cheek hello and goodbye.

With the hand that’s not currently occupied with your own, she reaches out and gently nudges your chin up so your eyes meet. “Hey. I always want to see you. I was only jokin”

She grins and winks at you before she continues with a sight pout on her lips. “I just really don’t want to see you in blue”

“Oi! I’d look good in blue, Williamson” You proclaim a little too loudly, jolting in your seat. You were far too caught up in your conversation with Leah to realise that this time it was you who was disrupting the quiet, even almost spilling your mug of coffee over from where it sits by your arm in the process. Leah notices and immediately goes to move your mug further away from you– just in case.

“I know you already look good in blue, baby. Any shade of blue really. Just not Chelsea Blue”

——————————————

It’s weeks later, and the deal has finally been made. You were going to be a Gunner. Just like Leah. You had made another trip down to London, this time without seeing Leah, so you can shoot and film content for the announcement to go up on social media. Although there were a few reports online that listed Arsenal as a potential club for your next move, it was always overshadowed by fans and journalists wholeheartedly believing that you were off to Lyon all thanks to your agent’s cheeky media “leaks”. Once Leah caught wind of Arsenal’s interest in you, she apparently started pestering Jonas if there was any truth behind it. Luckily, you managed to convince him to play along with your secret and keep her in the dark. But that will all change soon.

You spent a few hours at the Emirates taking photos with your new red and white kit, filming your first interview as a Gunner, and filming a few shorter videos for tiktok. Now that it’s official, the only thing going through your head was how you will tell your best friend. Obviously, you wanted to tell her before the rest of the world found out, but you didn’t know how. Eventually you decided that the simpler, the better. Although it’s a special occasion– the mere idea of being in the same team with Leah for both club and country is exciting– but it’s not a proposal or anything, so you don’t know why you were overthinking this.

It only has to be you and Leah. That would be enough.

(Pt. 2 coming soon!)

Our New Normal Pt. 2

my first fic on this site. pls be nice :)

-- kisses, butter.

#woso #woso fanfics #leah williamson #leah williamson x reader #woso x reader #woso imagine #woso blurbs #woso community #leah williamson imagine #Our New Normal fic

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adascore · 5 months

Text

The Golden War

pairings: alexia putellas x lyonnais!reader

warnings: swearing. for culers the ‘22 uwcl final ig. jona is kinda mean in this.

author’s note: this is the same reader from my ‘one for the money, two for the show’ fic of the lionesses!captain. reader is basically ada hegerberg lolsies :) will be turned into a series.

masterlist

•••••

Turin, Italy - May, 2022

''The final has been dubbed as a duel between you and Alexia Putellas, do you experience it as that?''

The Lyon captain fought the urge to roll her eyes at the question, despite having expected it. ''It is a final between Barcelona and Lyon, nothing more than that.'' She answered, diplomatically- the way they had rehearsed it.

''Lyon is the underdog coming into this final- FC Barcelona has been unbeatable so far. What do you need to do in order to beat them tomorrow?'' Another reporter asked, a pen ready in his hand to take notes.

There was a slight change in her expression as the question left his lips, the man succeeding in poking through her stoic expression. ''Well, we have never lost to Barcelona- I don't know if you remember 3 years ago or even last year,''

Lyon had comfortably beaten the Spanish club in 2019. In that Champions League Final, Y/N had become the first player to score a hattrick in a UWCL final. Their last meeting had been in 2021, in the pre-season, where Lyon had won 3-2, the Lyon captain again putting one in the net.

''We have won this competition many times. There was football before Barcelona, and it was being played by us.''

Her last sentence of the quote had struck a nerve with the Barça captain.

''She acts like she has already won the whole thing.'' Alexia remarked as she read a transcript of the press conference.

Patri and Mapi glanced at one another, a knowing look in their eyes. ''Technically, there is nothing wrong about what she said, Ale. How many times has she won this competition now? 6? 7?'' The defender said, not having a problem with the opposition's words.

''She's just pissed that everyone is talking about us now.'' She ignored Mapi, continuing berating her opponent.

The rivalry between the captains of the two top teams had been something made up by the media, seeking a female counterpart to the famed Ronaldo-Messi rivalry. Both Alexia and Y/N led Europe's premier clubs, won the Champions League, captained their national teams, and earned the Ballon d'Or. This fueled incessant comparisons.

Alexia and Y/N hadn't given it much thought at first. There were also many differences between them; Alexia is a midfielder, while Y/N is a striker. Despite their similar ages, their careers took diverse paths. Alexia remained in the Spanish league, while Y/N gained experience across various countries.

Over time, an unexpected shift occurred. They began caring about each other's achievements. Yet, they knew the comparison wasn't fair.

Despite being younger, Y/N dominated women's football for longer, winning the Champions League seven times – twice with Wolfsburg and five times with Lyon. In contrast, Alexia secured one with Barcelona. Neither had won anything major with their national teams, though she had come close with England a few times. Furthermore, on the accolades side of things, Y/N led with a repertoire that most players could only dream of.

For a long time, it hadn't bothered Alexia. She had watched in admiration as the younger player became the first recipient of the Ballon d'Or, a huge step in women's football. Y/N's advocacy for the sport also didn't escape the Spanish player.

However, her admiration had turned into envy.

The turning point came in the 2019 final against Lyon. She had observed the way the English striker had celebrated with her entire team- how the Lyon squad immediately ran to her once the whistle blew and how Y/N bathed in all the (rightly deserved) glory. Alexia wanted that for herself. For years, Y/N had been the nail in Barcelona's coffin, scoring the goals that made sure they couldn't continue in the competition- in the captain's opinion, the striker had made a joke of her team for years, even if she didn't meant to do that.

Their interactions over the years were limited to polite handshakes before or after matches. Occasional encounters outside the pitch were rare and brief, seldom extending beyond a few sentences.

Alexia's surprise peaked when Y/N congratulated her on winning the Ballon d'Or through both private and public Instagram messages. Despite her reservations about comparisons and rivalry, receiving praise from someone she admired as one of the best in the game left Alexia with a positive feeling.

''No, I think she's just not a fan of being referred to as an underdog.'' Patri defended the Lyon striker.

This explanation didn't sit well with Alexia, evident from the displeasure on her face. ''Whatever,'' she retorted, looking forward to settling matters on the field that Saturday.

Saturday, May 21, 2022

Excitement, adrenaline, nerves, and tension permeated the tunnel of Juventus Stadium as Alexia, tightly gripping her pennant, stood at the front of her lined-up team, awaiting the opposing captain.

The sudden hush among the Barcelona team signaled the arrival of their counterpart. Turning around, Alexia frowned at her teammates' fascination with the approaching striker.

This is not the time to be fangirling, she thought to herself, as she saw most of her players' eyes following the striker's figure.

As the two top players faced each other, uncertainty lingered about whether they should exchange greetings. Y/N broke the silence, deciding to offer some acknowledgment. ''Hey, you alright?'' Her charming English accent filled the air.

''Yeah, and you?'' Alexia almost cringed at her own quick response, not giving her brain time to think.

''I‘ll see in about 90 minutes.'' The younger one grinned.

I'll wipe that smirk off your fucking face, Alexia said in her mind, not a fan of the confidence the striker was oozing.

Ten minutes later, the referee blew the whistle, signaling the start of the highly-anticipated final.

Lyon applied intense pressure right from the start, managing to create two goal-scoring opportunities within the first three minutes of the match.

However, the audience were offered their first initial glimpse of the rivalry in the 6th minute of the game.

Y/N positioned herself strategically, eyes fixed on her teammate readying a precise pass to her. The ball zipped across the pitch, and in a heartbeat, both Y/N and Alexia were locked onto winning it for themselves.

The striker, a master of timing, surged forward. Simultaneously, the midfielder closed in on the target. The collision was inevitable.

Both players fell with a thud, groaning at the contact with the ground. Despite the force of the clash, they both showed resilience as they wanted to use the momentum to their advantage.

They were momentarily entangled, fighting for control of the ball. It was a brief display of the rivalry that had brewed between them.

Y/N rose swiftly from the turf, eyes filled with determination. The collision had only fueled her competitive fire. With the ball firmly at her feet, she accelerated away from the mess, leaving Alexia behind.

The crowd erupted in gasps and cheers as Y/N, now in open space, scanned the field. Seizing the opportunity, she unleashed a powerful strike from well outside the box.

Time seemed to slow as the ball sailed towards the goal. Panos's desperate dive was in vain as the ball found the back of the net. The roar of the crowd echoed through the stadium, a symphony of cheers and applause for a goal that showcased the skills and spirit of the Lyon captain.

A fleeting scowl crossed Alexia's face, frustrated at the missed opportunity.

Y/N turned on her heels as the net rippled, ready to embrace her teammates who were rushing to her.

''Vamos!'' She roared, the Spanish word escaping her lips like a battle cry.

Yet, she found herself face-to-face not with the familiar sight of Lyon jerseys but with the intensity of Alexia's determined gaze.

Her expression froze for a quick second, confusion adorning her features. Y/N's eyes widened in realization, and for a brief instant, the two captains locked eyes in an unspoken exchange.

The celebration continued around them, teammates engulfing Y/N as they screamed with delight at their captain's prolific opener. The air was filled with jubilation, but within the chaos, the tension lingered between the two captains, adding an intriguing layer to the unfolding drama on the pitch.

The match unfolded further, Barcelona grabbing a few opportunities of their own, but not being clinical enough to score an equalizer. The Spanish squad remained calm, showing no signs of panic in their play, despite being behind.

Selma and Melvine played a great one-two with each other, and the young defender shot a beautiful cross towards the box. Anticipating the trajectory of the ball, Y/N skillfully pulled away from Leon, who undoubtedly had the impossible task of marking the striker.

The ball connected with Y/N's forehead, falling perfectly into the mesh. The scoreboard illuminated with Lyon 2, Barcelona 0. The narrative had shifted as the favorites stomped the ground in frustration, while the ''underdogs'' celebrated another goal from their captain.

The first half flew by. Y/N managed to assist Catarina to make it 3-0, but Alexia found the back of the net to get one back.

3-1.

The second half saw more scoring opportunities for Barcelona, but no one managed to finish the job.

After contact with Martens, Griedge cited experiencing a cramp and asked for treatment- a request that the Barcelona side was not having. Y/N, understanding the frustration of time-wasting, especially when behind in a match, stood aside.

However, the Lyon captain didn't appreciate the scolding she received from the opposition's coach. ''Tell your player to stop the comedy, what a shit job!'' Jonatan exclaimed to the English captain, who observed the scene from the sideline.

Y/N didn't budge, paying him no attention, knowing it was all tactics. She gave an unimpressed look toward the referee, who had been observing the one-sided interaction.

The official ran up to them, pulling a yellow card from her pocket and holding it in front of the manager. ''Step back, please. Don't talk to the opposition.'' she instructed him.

The match eventually resumed. In extra time, Paredes almost managed to pull off a header, but it went flying over the post.

In the last minute of the game, Y/N teamed up with Eugénie to score a last-minute beauty, but the volley slammed against the post.

The piercing sound of the referee's whistle resonated through the stadium, marking the conclusion of the final. Lyon emerged triumphant for a record-extending 8th time.

Overwhelmed by her own emotions, Y/N fell to the ground as the whistle echoed in her ears. It didn't take too long for her teammates to rush up to her, colliding in a chaos of hugs, kisses, and jubilant shouts.

They had done it again, proving once more why all the records were tied to their name.

''Y/N, you're a fucking legend!'' Lindsey yelled in her ear, kissing her cheek multiple times.

As her teammates slowly got up from their celebratory cuddle with the ground, they formed a protective circle around their captain. Hands reached out to help her rise from the grass, and she found herself enveloped in a symphony of gratitude.

Eventually, she shook off her glorious daze, a wide grin etched on her face.

Y/N turned her attention to the defeated Barcelona players, spread out across the field with tears and disappointment staining their cheeks. She approached them, offering a helping hand to those still on the ground and sharing comforting words. Acknowledging the effort they had brought, she assured them that they gave her team a greater fight than the scoreline implied.

Before the Lyon squad embarked on their victory lap to greet the traveling supporters, Y/N's gaze fell on a heartbreaking scene. Across the field, the Spanish captain, Alexia, was cradled in a comforting embrace by a Barcelona staff member as tears streamed down her face.

Y/N hesitated, caught in a ''should I or shouldn't I'' moment with herself.

She chose to make an attempt to resolve whatever tension had built up between them.

Tears glistened on Alexia's cheeks, a testament to the intensity of the match and the dreams left unfulfilled. The Barcelona staff member, offering solace in the face of defeat, glanced up as Y/N approached, and let go of her.

''Alexia,'' Y/N greeted her softly, putting her arm around the Spaniard, ''thank you for the great battle.'' She hadn't prepared what to say, because what do you say against someone you feel like you are supposed to hate? What do you say against someone you've been constantly compared to for over a year?

To the striker's surprise, Alexia reciprocated, feeling an arm on her lower-back. ''Congratulations, you deserved the win. You played phenomenal.'' The midfielder told her, a forced yet genuine small smile making a way onto her face.

''Don't let this hurt you. You are literally one of the best players I have played against- your team is amazing. Use this, like in 2019.'' Y/N advised her, not particularly caring if the opposing player would take it or not.

''We will. I hope we can play many more finals. You make me- you make us grow.'' Alexia stuttered.

Y/N nodded. ''I hope so too. It's been fascinating to see the growth you guys have made these last years.''

The stadium now bore witness to a quieter exchange between the two captains. Almost every camera lens and watchful eye fixated on them.

As Y/N and Alexia exchanged words of mutual respect, their moment of shared understanding was abruptly disrupted by the Barcelona coach.

''Congratulations on the win, Y/N.'' He acknowledged briskly, his gaze quickly turning toward Alexia. His extended hand to her seemed more like a formality, but Y/N accepted it.

Almost forcibly, he placed a hand on Alexia's shoulder, a non-verbal cue that spoke volumes. ''Come on.'' He declared, his tone leaving little room for negotiation and they were off to wherever he needed her to be.

Alexia casted an immediate glance back at Y/N, a mix of emotions played across her face- gratitude for the moment, and frustration at its abrupt end. She hadn't responded to her words yet.

As the Spaniard was led away, Y/N's eyes lingered on the departing figure, a tinge of melancholy in her gaze.

The brief encounter had sparked a momentary connection- a bridge attempting to break through the perceived rivalry and show praise for a strong opponent. However, Jonatan's swift intervention acted like a pair of scissors, cutting through the threads that held that connection.

In Y/N's mind, Alexia had seemed appreciative of the opportunity to have a genuine conversation. She figured there must have been a good reason for her to have been pulled away like that, especially by the head coach.

The Barcelona captain had reacted with a hint of irritation when her coach suggested to the Lyon player to remove her arm from Alexia's shoulder. She tried asking Jonatan why he had coaxed her away, but she didn't receive a proper answer.

The whole thing had left a bitter taste in her mouth. The potential for a more extended, sincere exchange was cut short, leaving Alexia with lingering frustration. There was a desire to understand Y/N beyond the competition, but it was cut short.

She hoped her last glance had worked as a silent acknowledgment of what could have been.

#woso x reader #woso imagine #woso fanfics #alexia putellas x reader #woso fic #alexia putellas fic

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magics-neptunes-things · 7 months

Text

Fire and Ice

Hi guys!

Yes I know it's me again! I got a request for a story with Leah, so here is a story with Leah.

I'm open to request btw :)

I hope this story will please you, I tried to stick as much as possible to the way I imagine Leah’s dynamique.

Part 2 is HERE :) and the chapter bonus HERE.

Thanks everyone ♥

____________________________________________________________

New to Arsenal, you’ve only been part of this team since this summer. You left Bayern Munich at the end of you contract and after some hesitation between different clubs, you finally chose Arsenal. Lyon would have loved to hire you too, but you felt that English football was probably better if you wanted to continue to evolve in your career. You're only 21 and hopefully, many years ahead of you.

You were scared at first to be honest, you know the team had a lot of players who already know themselves. But Lia was particularly welcoming to you, playing the role of a little mother. Frida, who is also your teammate in the Norway team, decided to show you her favorite places in London and Alessia who arrived at the same time as you quickly offered to do the exercises in training together.

In reality, your arrival at Arsenal was very smooth even if some personalities continue to impress you a little. For example Leah, Beth or Katie. As a result, you have very little interactions with them, as Leah’s injury has not helped to create a special bond with her. Even if she was present on the day of your presentation to the rest of the group, wanted to welcome you like the others.

You do, however, enjoy evenings organized by your teammates and you go regularly. Far from your family, you don’t know anyone here and it makes you feel less alone.

So here you are, in Leah's appartment with some of the Arsenal girls. You hesitated to come since Frida wasn't here, but Alessia is and hasn’t given you much choice to do otherwise. Leah was in charge of the cocktails and only gave Lia a smirk when she asked her what she put in it. You took the time to discreetly sniff the mixture before bringing it to your lips, pleasantly surprised by the sweetness of the drink. A little misleading though, because after two or three drinks, getting up to go to the toilet took a little longer than usual.

When you came back, you drop on the couch next to Alessia, trying to get back into the conversation. You became bit uncomfortable when you realize that the discussion has turned on the girls being in couple or those who are not. You are single obviously, finding it particularly difficult to have a long-distance relationship, or with one of your teammates. In the case of a breakup, you were always afraid that it would be too complicated for you to handle.

So you say nothing, hoping that hiding behind your glass will save you from possible questions. You are very naive.

"And you, Y/N? You never mention anyone, I guess you're single?"

Beth’s question makes you grimace and you find yourself nervously biting the edge of your plastic glass before answering a simple "Yes".

"Why that?" asks Beth and you just shrugs.

"We should make her up with someone" Katie decide and you can't help but laugh a little.

"I’m a little demanding about my partner"

"Not a problem"

You roll your eyes before taking a new sip of your drink, crossing Leah’s gaze. She seems lost in her thoughts, twirling her glass in her hand. Your eyes cross a split second and you hurry to report it to Katie when she speaks again.

"We should make you profil though. Like in a dating app"

"OMG yes, I going to take something to write!"

Alessia chuckles next to you and you can't help but smile too. You don’t really take this seriously, given everyone’s blood alcohol levels, you’re sure that half of this evening will be forgotten by tomorrow morning. So you decide to play the game with a smile.

"Ok, first question" Beth begin with a notepad and a pen. "What is your house in Hogwarts?"

"How is that even a question?" Katie answers with a disgusting face.

"It's not because you don't like Harry Potter than it's the same for everyone, McCabe"

************

You let the two girls ask you questions for twenty minutes, ignoring the departure of several of your teammates. Now it’s just you, Katie, Lotte, Beth, Leah and Alessia.

"Are you a good kisser?" Beth asked, looking over her sheet.

"How am I even supposed to know that?" you ask, giggling.

"I don't know, it's your kissing skills, not mine."

You roll your eyes before answering.

"I've never received any complaints"

"Does it count?" Katie asked while looking at Beth.

"Not really. Is there anyone in this room who can testify to that?"

"What? No!" you laugh softly.

You, in reality, only have two relationship in your life and both didn't end really well. Football keeping you very busy, you maybe weren't a great girlfriend. But that doesn’t mean your first girlfriend’s infidelity should be excused, in your opinion. Anyway, the next sentence coming from Beth's mouth take you back in the reality.

"Maybe we need a sincere testimony from someone we trust…" Katie said thoughtfully.

"Maybe we can make her kiss someone here, now?" Beth answers with the same tone.

"Excuse me?" you ask with a certain concern.

But the two women didn't seem to give it the slightest care, continuing in their dialogue which makes you slightly think of Dupont and Dupond in Tintin.

"Leah is definitely the most experienced of us, she has a hunt board longer than the number of goals scored by Alexia Putellas at FC Barcelona."

"What the fuck?"

This is the first time of the evening that you hear Leah's voice, who had been content until then to make cocktails and dance in the kitchen with Lia and Caitlin. Both of Beth and Katie laugh at her offended face, finally out of their common monologue.

"Come on Leah, you have to kiss Y/N to help her finding love"

"Don't I have any say in this?" you say softly.

Beth’s gaze makes you realize that you don’t really have much of a say, but it’s especially Leah’s piercing gaze that you feel on you that electrifies you. Leah is a very beautiful woman and you must admit that if you hadn't been teammates, maybe you would have thought of her differently. But there is also her assertive and confident personality that can sometimes confuse you, you who is rather quiet and discreet, you are a bit like fire and ice.

But tonight, your eyes meet a few seconds and for once you don't look away. It's even finally Leah who looks away to look at Beth.

"Ok" Leah answers before getting up "But I'm not doing it in front of everyone. Close all your damn pretty eyes"

They all agreed without saying any word, Alessia swaping place with Leah on the couches. The captain waits patiently for everyone to close their eyes, before looking at you.

"You know you don’t have to do this if you don’t want to, right? You're sure you want to?" she asks softly.

So softly that it surprises you at first. And you almost immediately feel overwhelmed by a wave of guilt, after all you are very well placed to know that Leah knows how to take care of the people around her. She showed it to you several times as captain of her team.

"I am" you simply answer, before adding "And you?"

"Hey don't worry about me. Go on" she gives you a smirk of her own and you smile back.

You feel particularly nervous though, becoming a little aware of the situation you’re in. Leah doesn’t seem particularly drunk, but you’re hoping she won’t be mad at you tomorrow when she realizes things. You wait a few more seconds, detailing her face and eyes looking for a trace of hesitation. But you find nothing and you finally decide to break the physical distance between you two.

Your eyes left hers and you look at her lips for a few moments, certainly looking at them for the first time. It doesn't last long however. Like a second after that, you close your eyes, your lips gently touching hers. At this distance, you can smell her perfume and shampoo. Her lips are soft and have the flavor of the cocktail she has prepared for you all evening.

But that’s not what’s calling you.

What's calling you is the way your whole body seems to react to a simple peck with Leah Williamson.

You feel like every part of your body is burning up and asking for more of Leah’s. And that's scared the shit out of you. That’s why you step back after a few seconds, wide-eyed, looking for an explanation on Leah’s face. But you can’t find anything and you can’t even determine the emotion in her eyes.

"Tell us when you're finished" Katie points.

Of course, you forgot about them. Everything that didn’t concern Leah directly had been completely zapped by your brain.

"Shut up. We haven’t even started"

Leah answers for both of you and you hardly swallow, not at all recovering from the emotions you felt. That you still feel. A second later, Leah grabs your face with both hands before kissing you. You don't lose a second before responding to her kiss, your lips moving together with an ease you have never felt before.

It's easy for you to get lost in this kiss, the sensations mixing so much that you completely lose the notion of things. Your hands slide over Leah’s hips and you find yourself sitting on her, your legs on either side of hers.

That doesn’t seem to bother her though, her tong easily finding access to yours. Your lips only separate for a few seconds, until you get enough air to start your dance again. And again.

You could have sincerely spent the rest of the evening - the night - kissing her, but one of them had to realize that you were going to get the attention of your teammates. It was Leah who put an end to the kiss first, snatching from your embrace as breathless as you. You don’t look away this time either when she looks at you, before gently pushing you away so that you find your original place on the couch.

You could have taken this as a gesture of reject, but the smile and wink she offers you when she gets up seems to be there only to reassure you that it’s not. You follow her with your eyes as she discreetly go behind the couch, leaning on her backrest, above where she was sitting until now.

"How is it possible that it lasts so long?" Alessia wines and you smile when you hear Leah's laugh.

The other girls open their eyes and the surprise appears on almost every face by discovering your positioning.

"Did you really think I was going to kiss someone to please you? Well everyone out now, I need my beauty sleep."

Rolling their eyes or grumbling, your teammates obeyed quickly. After exchanging greetings, you follow Alessia who promised to take you home. Still disturbed by these kisses, you can’t help but turn around while closing the front door hoping to meet Leah’s gaze.

You succeed, while she leaned against the central island of her kitchen. The same look as the one she used to look at you earlier appears on her face, but you can’t study it as long as you would like since you feel Alessia’s hand grab your arm, suddenly eager to find her bed.

#leah williamson x reader #leah williamson #woso x reader #woso imagine #leah williamson imagine

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alexiabae · 7 months

Text

SHOOTING STAR; fridolina rolfö x fem!reader

Summary: a new scandinavian player arrives at the fc barcelona femení. or frido developing a crush on y/n.

Warnings: questioning sexuality, frido(29 years old) crushing in a young player (22 years old), slow burn, very long, +18.

Note: English is not my first language.

not my gif.

FINNISH STRIKER SIGNED FOR FC BARCELONA FEMENÍ.

Y/N Y/L/N, the revolution of Finland came to reinforce the attack in the blaugrana club. The 22 years old player, born in Helsinki and formed in the youth academy of PK-35 Vantaa, came calling the attention from various and potentially big teams. Scoring in almost every match she played for PK-35 Vantaa did not guarantee them the title league. We saw too how in the last European cup she was bright with her National team, scoring to Spain in the first seconds of the match, sadly Finland didn't pass to the next round, but Y/N earned the attention with the minutes played in only three matches.

Finally, she decided to stay another year with the team to choose for her at an early age. But this year, Y/N wanted to explore her football in another club, allowing too to PK-35 Vantaa to earn a amount of money for her departure, a win-win for everyone.

Y/N opt for Barcelona to progress. After a lot of rumours that she would sign for Olympique Lyon, Wolfsburg and the potential one, Chelsea, she finally chose the Condal team.

The Finnish girl answered beaming when the journalist asked her why she opted for Barcelona:

"Well, I chose this team basically because I'm a big fan of this team. Maybe it's a cliché but when they offer me a contract, I don't want to know about other teams. I'm a culé." She finished giggling, shrugging.

We can wait for her next chapter in Barcelona. We know for sure it's a big signing and wishing her all the best in this club.

"We have another Scandinavian on the team." Patri hummed content when Mapi finished reading the article.

"I'm happy she came here. I have followed her for a long time and I can't wait to play with her." Ingrid commented, sipping from her coffee.

"Since when?" Mapi asked, frowning. She raised her head to look at her.

Patri and Claudia shared a knowing look, suppressing a smirk.

"Since she stands out with her numbers in a small league." Ingrid explained. "Also I follow Scandinavian leagues." She shrugged.

Mapi raised an eyebrow, making Ingrid scoff.

"I watched some videos of her and she is a good player." Claudia opined, scrolling on her phone.

"Jona informed us before she will join us tomorrow, just like Frido, Lucy and Keira." Mapi commented. The rest of the players who assisted the world cup joined them that day.

They are waiting for the next training session. The team finished the Mexican preseason a few days ago, the new signing was announced when they were in Mexico, but it was a good surprise to close the preseason.

"I can't wait for them to come back." Patri said, missing her friends.

At that moment, Alexia and Jana sat down on their table. "¿De qué estamos hablando?" Alexia asked, letting her phone on the table.

"About who Patri missing Keira and Ingrid following the Scandinavian league." Mapi teases a little, earning a roll of eyes from the mentioned and a laugh from Claudia.

"I follow that league too." Alexia murmured, letting the spoon on the plate, sipping from her coffee.

Mapi scoffed. "Of course you do, it didn't surprise us." Alexia slapped her arm playfully, her friends chuckling by the interaction.

Ingrid and Alexia started a conversation about the Scandinavian league, while the others began to talk about trivial things.

•••

"You know? You don't need to be here now." Jona joked, his arms crossed.

Alexia rolls her eyes, but remains on the spot. "I'm doing captains duty. That's all." She murmured.

"I'm not doubting that." He teased, smirking.

"You all are insufferable." Alexia muttered, leaning her back on the wall.

Jonatan laughed, patting her shoulder gently. At that moment, a new person approached the big doors, where Jonatan and Alexia were.

"Hello, Y/N! Nice to see you again." Jona greeted his new player, extending his hand and stretching it when the player accepted his hand. Y/N shyly greets him too. He patted her shoulder gently. "She is Alexia, she is here doing captains duty." He inevitably teases a little.

Y/N watched how her new captain blushed a little while trying to maintain a firm expression. "Hi. Nice to meet you." The Catalan copied her coach action and extended a hand.

The Finnish accept it, trying too to hide her excitement to see for the first time the Spanish player.

"Nice to meet you too." She cleared her throat, not liking how it sounded in another language, maybe because she isn't used to it.

Jona offered to enter the big building, one inside he started to explain some things, Alexia flying next to the new player, letting their coach give the necessary information.

"We are going to the meeting room. We will study our first opponent." He gave her a friendly smile, opening a door to his right. Jona entered where soft chats were heard.

"Come with me." Alexia gently said next to her. The Finnish follows her like a lost child, well it's how she feels now. Y/N looks to the ground, not wanting to meet the curious eyes from her new teammates. "Here." She said, sitting next to another person. Y/N looked at her and saw how the brunette patted the seat next to her left.

She sat down, letting her backpack on her feet. "Damn, you're tall." The girl next to Alexia murmured, gaining Y/N's attention. She saw how the girl next to her left smacked her arm.

"Sorry. But I'm afraid to say that you will get used to it. I'm Ingrid." Y/N let out a tiny chuckle by the other's comment.

"Hallo, I'm Y/N." The Finnish introduced herself, waving softly with her left hand to the two girls.

"María, but everyone calls me Mapi." The tattooed girl introduced herself with a cheeky smile, waving too. "By the way, this one is a big fan of you." She exposed the tall brunette, who started to blush, giving a death glare to the Spanish defender, who still has her cheeky smile.

Y/N matches Ingrid's and plays briefly with her hair, giggling awkwardly. "Thanks... You are an amazing player to play against." She awkwardly compliments, remembering the last encounter she played against Norway.

Ingrid flashed her a kind smile.

"Fan girl moment..." Mapi whispered, gasping when Ingrid smacked her again, this time hard.

Alexia gave her an apologetic smile.

Jona claps to gain their attention and once he has, the explanations start. Y/N felt lost, she barely caught anything and she felt relieved every time approach a video on the white board. Alexia notices it and resumes her in a low voice the best she can, mistaking sometimes making the brunette blush for it. Y/N appreciate her efforts, clearly she understood more now thanks to her.

"Don't worry, he will explain it again to you." Alexia shyly said to her after it finished.

Y/N sighed relief. After all, it is her first time in a team out of Finland.

"Thank you. You help me a lot." Her accent showed up, something that will occur for a while.

Alexia chuckled, finding her accent adorable, but she doesn't say anything, noticing that her new teammate is shy and she better knows how she feels.

"I'm glad. And if you need it, don't be afraid to ask." She kindly said, standing up. Y/N copied her.

Soon they are surrounded by a few of them. "Hi! I'm Aitana." A short brunette introduced herself, a gentle grin plastered on her face. And the rest followed her.

"We have another Nordic! We will soon complete the collection." The one who introduced herself with the name Patri said cheekily.

A warning by Alexia and a dissimulated laughter by their teammates, the Balear smiled to Y/N sheepishly.

Y/N chuckles. "I'm glad to contribute to the collection." She murmured, following Patri's joke.

"See Ale." Patri showed her tongue to the midfielder and passed an arm by Y/N's shoulder, surprising her, the cheerful brunette too distracted to notice it. But someone else notices.

"It's shocking at first." A strong but kind voice murmured to her side. Y/N turned to look at her, seeing one of her favourite players and not knowing if it was more shocking than Patri's affection. "I'm Caroline, but call me Caro."

Y/N saw for a few seconds the hand she extended towards her, blinking repeatedly when she awake from her brief fan state.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Y/N." Y/N slowly said, shaking her hand kindly and repeating once again the same sentences.

"I guess you are having your fan girl moment now..." Mapi whispered to her when Patri moved out. Y/N feels a warm creep to her cheeks and sees the same cheeky smile on Mapi's face.

"Ingrid, please! Take your tamagochi to another place." Alexia intervened quickly when she noticed Y/N's behaviour. A lot of laughter was heard by this comment, Mapi frowning for the name her friend called her. Y/N bit her lip, holding a smile.

Ingrid lets the conversation with two people and approaches them with a done look. "Let's go baby." The brunette wraps an arm around Mapi's shoulder and walks with her outside, ignoring her complaints.

Alexia turned around to Y/N again. "Are you okay?" She asked, her careless side showing up.

The tall girl nods. "I am okay." She verbalise.

"Training will start soon, do you know where it is?" Mariona announced, asking later to the new girl and laughed softly when saw the thinking face. "Let's go, I will accompany you." She offered.

Y/N follows the Balear to the exit. Footsteps were heard behind them, following too but taking another way. Mariona starts a conversation, asking if everything is going well since she is in the city, when Y/N was in the middle of the explanation, someone behind them approached.

"Sorry, I forget my shin pads." A new voice for Y/N spoke. The tall blonde was trying to pass them quickly when she noticed the new face alongside Mariona, stopping herself. "Hiii! You must be Y/N, nice to meet you. I'm Frido." Her blue eyes scanned the tall young woman in front of her. She heard and read great things about this player.

Y/N nods, giving her a lipped smile. "That's me! Nice to meet you too." She murmured, waving shyly.

Frido chuckles, waving too.

Mariona started walking again, resuming the way. "Here we are." She said, making her point with a move of her hand. She opened the door. "I doubt you knew your dorsal number..." Mariona asked doubtful, Y/N confirmed it with a move of her head. "Alright, you can sit down between me and Claudia." She proposed, signaling with her index finger.

The blonde walked behind them to her cubby, searching for her shin pads that are in her backpack. Hearing how Mariona explained a few things about how some things work there. She grabs it and watches the two girls, her gaze fixing on the tall one.

"Okay. I'll let you change, I'll be waiting outside." The Balear offers, patting Y/N's shoulder. "You coming?" She asked Frido.

Frido nods. "Yeah." She smiled at Y/N before she got outside, leaning her back on the wall. Mariona copying her.

•••

"Okay, in pairs now!" Jonatan ordered, whistling.

Y/N breath heavily, putting both hands on her knees. She looks at her surroundings, seeing how slowly they find their partner.

"¡Me voy con la nueva!" Y/N heard someone exclaim, of course not understanding anything. "Hey! Do you want to be my partner?" Her Spanish accent showed up.

"Yes." Y/N said, following the girl when she confirmed.

"By the way, I'm Ona." The freckled girl said, grinning.

For Y/N, it's a weird name, never heard it before, but she liked it. "I'm Y/N." She introduced too.

Ona indicates with her index finger to where they need to go and jogs to the other part, Y/N following behind. The rest of the training, Ona helps Y/N whatever their coach instructor them to do the next exercise.

"You are good." Ona compliments her, panting. Her hands searching support on her hips, giving her new teammate a smirk.

"Thanks. You are a difficult one to pass." The Finnish compliment her too, the warmth on her cheeks remaining from the heat.

The freckled girl chuckled, walking to grab a water bottle, grabbing another for Y/N. She throws it at her, who catches it easily.

"I want to do the next drills with you." Patri walked by their side, commenting with an amazement on her face. She gave a big sip to her water bottle.

"We need to discuss that." Another brunette comment behind Patri. She gave a warm smile to Y/N when she turned to look at her. "Claudia." She simply said, waving with a hand. Y/N reciprocates the greeting.

"Everyone here calls her Pina." Patri clarified. "I can give you some nicknames from some of us..." she thought to herself, making Y/N hold a smile.

"Leave her alone, annoying girl." A thick accent smugly said. Y/N saw Lucy Bronze pass an arm around Patri's shoulder. She can't believe she is a few centimeters from someone like her, but then she remembers that she met Alexia, Caro or Mapi.

"I'm not annoying!" Patri gasped, making Lucy laugh. "Well, we call her Lucia Roberta." The brunette said, teasing her friend. Soon, a hand flew to her head and smacked it, making the other laugh. Actually Y/N felt entertainment with them.

"She is known here by pepino." Lucy said back, laughing when saw Y/N's confused face. "It's a cucumber." She explained, seeing how she painted a smile when she understood it.

"Do you have a nickname?" Claudia asked, curious.

Before Y/N could answer, someone else did it for her. "Yeah. She is known by shooting star." Ingrid approached behind, commenting on it excitedly. When everyone turned to look at her, she blushed. "Sorry, I'm a big fan of Nordic's leagues..."

Y/N chuckles, calmly.

"That's truth?" Ona asks, curiosity written on her face.

The Finnish nodded. "It's a silly story..." she trailed off, scratching the back of her head.

"I like it!" Patri exclaimed, delighted by the nickname. Of course she notices Y/N wasn't shared, almost now, the meaning of the nickname, so the Balear brings attention to her.

"I agree with her. Actually I think it is the best nickname right now..." Claudia comments, smiling.

"Better than la reina? I doubt it..." Y/N joked lowly, making them laugh. She cleared her throat again when pronounced something in Spanish and she didn't like it.

They keep talking, making light conversation while they come back to the changing room. The little group always involves Y/N on it, even if only to say the answer with a yes or no, the tall girl felt grateful for their efforts.

Y/N trailed behind them alongside Lucy, the British keeping an eye on the new, knowing very well how she feels when you are in a new country and a different language.

"How are you feeling on your first day?" Lucy spoke, slowly. She tried to not speak fast to make the other understand her.

Y/N turned to look at her, seeing a smile on the brunette's face. "I'm feeling really good. Better than I thought..." she chuckled a little at the end.

"Why?" The defender imitates.

The Finnish bit her bottom lip, nervous. "Well... I'm afraid because I need to speak another language, learn the main one quickly and it scares me to make a mistake, even knowing that it will help me in the future... I'm around big names, players that I admired from a long time ago, I don't know... it's a lot of things. Sorry." Y/N said fast and lowly, her gaze looking everywhere but her teammate.

Lucy put a hand on her shoulder, stopping her and herself. She wears a worried look on her face. "Don't put yourself in so much pressure." She kindly said. After giving a sight, she continued speaking. "I know what you are talking about. But I don't know why, I feel you care what others think..." she said carefully, the blush on Y/N's cheeks confirm her theory. "Okay, you need to focus on yourself, they don't matter. Keep on your way without thoughts from other people getting to you." She advised the best she could, already taking the tall girl under her wing.

Y/N nods, walking again when the brunette pushes her softly towards the changing room entry.

•••

A nervous sigh escaped from her mouth.

She jumps on her spot a few times, stretching too.

Y/N is going to be sub on right now, her first time playing on this time and in front of a big crowd.

Jona reassured her after giving his tactics to her, promising that everything will be okay. It helps her more than he expects.

Her gaze saw how the fourth referee put on the black board and showed the numbers. 17 - 20.

Oshoala jogs when she notices she is the sub off this time. Claps from the people on the stands resound in the stadium.

The forward showed a pearly smile to Y/N raising her hands at her.

The tall girl raised her hands too and they high five, Oshoala giving her some encouragement words.

Y/N ran fastly to her position, shaking some hands from her teammates, who gave her support words too. She waited for the rival goalkeeper to move on the ball again.

The goalkeeper put the ball on with a long shot, sending it to the midfield. The ball stays on the rival team but is pressured by the barça players.

Ingrid stopped the attack, passing the ball to Mapi. They will build a new attack, starting from the defenders. The Aragonese sent the ball to Ona, who ran with it and passed to Mariona.

Y/N was near her and Salma too. So she ran to the area but stopped shortly when the opponent quit off the ball from Mariona's feet.

It does not take too long to have the ball again, this time thanks to Lucy, who saw Aitana slip and pass the ball to her. Y/N's mind ran a mile per hour, creating some possible tactics to bring up. Until she found one. A risk one.

Aitana saw Y/N has someone behind her and chose to pass the ball to Caro. In Y/N's mind is needed to be right now, so she raised her hand up, she still isn't into the area, but she can win the battle with her shadow, only if the blonde trusts her.

The blue eyes focus on her and not seeing other options that are her or herself, the probabilities they scored is by Y/N, so dribbles easily the central winger and centres the ball.

Y/N knows who is behind her, so taking advantage of the stature, she catches the ball easily and dribbles it to the defender, another person shoots the ball to the goal, but of course they don't think that if they did it, the goalkeeper could catch it easily. So Y/N, who thinks about it, feint she will shoot but not, she passes the ball behind her, letting Alexia shoot it in the upper corner.

The people on the stands stood up, shouting happily. The Finnish saw how Alexia turned to look at her immediately, jogging towards her with an incredulous look.

"Why didn't you shoot?" She asked once she was near her, wrapping her left arm around her middle section, since Y/N is taller than her.

Y/N shrugged, giving her a sheepish smile.

A bunch of arms wrapped around them, jumping on their backs. A lot of compliments by them give Y/N more confidence.

Frido, is one of the few who can match Y/N's height, give her a cheeky smile, wrapping an arm on her neck and giving a strong hug, wrapping the other on Alexia's too.

"Det du har gjort gört inte alla." Frido muttered, still with the cheeky smile on her face. Clearly she said it to only Y/N, even if Alexia could hear her and don't understand her.

"I'm not like everybody." Y/N answer in English to let her captain have a concept about what their teammate said. The blonde to help Y/N get more comfortable speaks to her in her native language, since the Finnish can understand and speak to her in it too.

Frido shakes her head with her impeccable smile and jogs away, not without kissing Alexia's forehead and a pat on Y/N's shoulder.

"Next time you score, okay?" Alexia said firm, but gently.

"We are winning by three goals... but okay, barcelona mentality." Y/N murmured, going to her position and letting an amused Alexia go to hers.

•••

After that match, where Y/N gives an assist and a goal, the team walks to the bus, since they are playing like visiting another city.

Usually Y/N sits down at the end in a corner alone, not enjoying the multitude so much. So taking her routine, she did it. She lets out a tired but content sigh when she sits down.

Her gaze focuses on her teammates who steps up in the bus, light chat. She notices how the Spanish ones wear a tired expression but always with welcome words and kind smiles. She can't imagine what they are passing right now.

"Is this seat available?" A strong Spanish accent said, breaking her thoughts. Mapi stood up in front of her, her backpack on her back and her hands in either pocket while giving her an innocent smile.

Y/N can't explain how much Mapi's constant interest in her means. The defender always has an eye on her, usually to say a funny comment.

"Ok." She agreed, moving her backpack from the next seat to her. Mapi let out a grunt, stretching her arms when she sat down. "Väsynyt?" She asked, chuckling lowly when the Aragonese looked at her confused. "Tired?" She asked this time in English.

"Ahh, yes. But I'm happy with the first three points." She commented, putting both hands on her mouth and hiding a yawn.

Her eyes move apart when Mapi grabs her phone. She saw how Ingrid was sitting next to Frido, both of them giving their backs. Still, Y/N can see their profiles. She didn't know why, but seeing Frido's constant smile make her relax. She noticed the last couple days, how calm she felt around the tall blonde. She leaned her head, relaxing and while her mind was flying away from there, her gaze was still on the tall blonde.

"When do you have your fly?" Mapi interrupted the silence, making Y/N think about it.

"At 18:45. I landed tonight." Y/N murmured, in a sleepy tone.

"I don't know if someone explains the rules when it is a national camp, but when you are in the place or city, you write a text to the group chat." The defender says.

Y/N frowns. "Why?" She asks confused.

"Because we can sleep better. It's a simple emoji to let the others know." Mapi explains, shrugging.

"If I forget about it... I've been in trouble?" She asks, unsure.

Mapi chuckles. "At first not. Only it counts after a few months."

They keep talking a lot more, starting for a simple conversation to know each other better. That's it until Lucy and Claudia had another plan.

"Hola amigas." Lucy said, smiling. Her voice changed to pronounce it correctly. She sits down in the row before them, Claudia sitting next to Mapi.

"What do you want?" Mapi asks directly, giving her an inquisitive look.

Lucy rolls her eyes. "Can I be friendly?"

"No." Claudia and Mapi answered at the same time, making Y/N giggles and Lucy gaps.

"Well, for your interest, me and Claudia want to play cards, but anyone else wants to play. So... do you two want?" The British asked, leaning her chin on the back seat.

Y/N shrugged and looked at Mapi, letting her decide the final choice. The Spanish defender sighed and looked briefly at Y/N. "Bring your ass here, Bronze. I will kick your ass."

Lucy squeals excited, sitting in front of them and Claudia doing the same. "Also, please repeat the word ass once again." She teased, making Mapi throw something at her.

The four keep playing until they go to the airport, the two pairs winning a few of them and Lucy and Mapi with a constant challenge.

This time, Mapi sat down with Ingrid after she asked if it was okay to wander by herself, something Y/N reassured her until the defender went out with an unsure look, making the Finnish laugh by her behaviour.

"Seems we will be together on this fly." Someone comments behind her, when Y/N was putting her suitcase up. She recognised the voice.

"Weird not seeing you with Ingrid." Y/N teases a little, sitting near the window.

Frido chuckles, copying what Y/N did before with her suitcase. "She prefers another right now." She dramatically said, throwing herself in the seat next to Y/N giving a cheeky smile when this one let out a muffled laugh.

"Är jag ditt sista alternativ då?" She feigned being offended, doing emphasis putting a hand on her chest.

"Ei koskaan." Frido said in a thinking face, remembering some Finnish words.

Y/N opens her eyes surprised. She didn't think that Frido knew Finnish or remember some words. "You said that to everybody?" She whispers, leaning to her a little to pretend nobody could hear her.

The blonde giggles. "Only cute people like you." Her blue eyes scanned her expression, biting her contagious smile.

•••

"WHAT. A. GOAL!"

"SHE IS CRAZY! HOW CAN YOU SCORE FROM THAT LONG?!"

"THE FINLAND'S STAR DID IT AGAIN!"

"WE UNDERSTAND WHY EVERYONE CALL HER SHOOTING STAR!!!"

Frido looks stunned by the screen of her phone, not believing what she is watching.

She found herself alone in her bedroom and seeing she has some free time, decided to put herself the Finland's match. The Nordic country was losing but not for too much, only 0-1 giving the advantage to Canada.

And then, without waiting for it, Y/N scored from the midfielder in a hard shoot. Nobody could guess she will be doing that, apparently the Canadian players are in their position, but clearly she was wrong. Frido saw how all Finnish players throw themselves on Y/N, hugging and cheering her proudly.

The Swedish know how lucky her team club has to have someone like her. And Finland too, standing out.

A knock interrupted her thoughts, humming a coming to whatever it is. She saw how Magda and Stina walked inside, the forward sitting on her bed next to her and watching whatever Frido is seeing.

"A match? Who is it?" Stina asked curiously, trying to decipher the opponents.

"Finland and Canada" Frido mumbled. "You lost one of the best goals." Also she comments, a concentration face looking at the screen.

Magda sat down to her other side and looked briefly at the device. "Not for being disrespectful... but since are you interested in that match?"

It's that comment that makes her lose her concentration, not knowing very well but starting feeling nervous. She cleared her throat.

"Well... my new teammate is Finnish and Ingrid always praises her football. I saw her during training and in a match and I can say how good she is... I wanted to see how she plays with her national team and it's a wonderful player." Frido says with a hint of admiration, something Magda catches quickly.

The defender hummed and stayed looking at her for a few seconds, trying to read her features and she noticed it's been a long time since she looked like that. If Stina notices it too, she looks or acts distracted.

"Whoa! She scored that?!" Stina exclaimed when they put again the repetition from Y/N's goal. Magda looked again at the screen and got really impressed by that goal.

"Já! That's an amazing goal..." Magda whispered, hearing Frido giggles by their comments.

They stayed watching the game a little more before they went to training, they came back from Spain the same day they had the match. Then, they will be traveling to Italy in a few days.

Before Frido left her phone in her bedroom, she congratulated Y/N by her goal, feeling a little weird. Usually she is always congratulated when her teammates did an amazing match, but with the tall girl, it's a different feeling. She pushed it away in her mind and went outside where Stina started singing loudly in the form of protest by Frido's delay.

When she comes back to her bedroom and sees her phone, a lot of notifications appear on her screen. The majority of the group chat about her club, so she pressed it, taking her to the top when it started. Ingrid was the first, sending a video. Showing Y/N beautiful goal. The others comments were from the others complimenting her, laughing in a few of them by their antics.

Then, after she wrote an answer and exited from the group, saw Y/N text her back. She pressed her chat.

Another tall ^^

Hallo!

Thank you, it came naturally I guess.

By the way I watched the highlights and it was a great match, I'm sure Sweden will pass to the next round. 💪

Frido typed a few words back, the smile never leaving her face.

"Recently you are smiling a lot more... everything is going good, uhh?" Stina entered with Nathalie, who is Frido's roommate. The tall blonde raised her head and saw the teasing smirk on Stina's face.

"Perfect..." Frido muttered, rolling her eyes and giving a sarcastic smile, matching her words.

Stina doesn't wait for that answer at all. "What? Are you two still together, right?" She asks, confused.

"Yes, we are." Frido said in a low voice, type said person. Her eyes read what he said and her mind was very distracted.

Nathalie and Stina exchange a look. The forward decided to let that conversation in another moment and alone. So she kissed her head, since the barça player was sitting on the bed and walked away after saying goodbye to the other roommate.

"I'm going to talk with Aurora." Nathalie informed her, giving a sympathetic look, even if the tall blonde wasn't looking at her.

Frido hummed an affirmation and laid down and thinking how fucked she is right now.

•••

"BONDING TIME TONIGHT!" Patri shouted in the changing room after the last practice that day.

Cheering was heard, matching her enthusiasm. It's been a long time since they had one. Actually it's the first one in this season.

Y/N watch with a smile how they started to speak loudly, proposing some games and films to see. Her Spanish is better, she understood more than she speaks. Sure it helps when Mapi is basically speaking it all the time next to her, only switching to English when Y/N really struggled to understand.

"We are going to go for you and come with us, okay?" Mapi approached Y/N and leaned on the wall next to her, crossing her arms.

"Do I have a choice?" She inevitably joked, already loving the bond they created.

Mapi smiled sarcastically and shook her head. "And less if Ingrid is involved." Y/N chuckles, conscious about the admiration that the tall brunette felt about her, she can't believe someone like Ingrid feels like that towards her, but she feels grateful.

"I'm going with you two for Ingrid, you knew it right?" The Finnish said, standing up and looking down at Mapi.

"Of course." The defender muttered, patting her shoulder gently. "Be ready, I have enough with that one." She grumpily said, making Y/N laugh quietly.

When the forward starts to walk to the exit after saying goodbye to a few of them, Alexia stopped her.

"Are you going to be okay going with them?" She asks kindly, knowing very well how Mapi sometimes could be overwhelming.

Y/N nods, smiling. "Yeah."

Alexia smiled too and parted away, going to their respective apartments.

The time she has free time, the group chat can't stop sounding, a lot of texts coming from her teammates proposing things to do or simply texting about what they can bring tonight.

Y/N relaxed reading her book she started the first of that month until she needed to start to be ready. She decided on something comfortable and light, since still in Barcelona the weather is warm, something Y/N doesn't get used to.

Mapi texted her like an hour before, warning her she needed to be ready for her sake, knowing very well that Ingrid could still be choosing the outfit. So the Finnish got ready in time and waited patiently in her balcony, seeing the sun get down and appreciating the sunset, taking some photos and sending it to her family.

"Wow, you look like another person." Mapi whistled when she saw her coming out from her building.

Y/N blushed and avoided their gazes, gaining the soft chuckle of Mapi when she entered.

"Quiero decir, que estás muy guapa con ese look." Mapi chose to say it in Spanish, her voice sounding more soft. Clearly Y/N doesn't understand her and Ingrid translates it.

The shade of the colour of her cheeks turns more crimson while she whispered a thank you and watched the city by the window. The striker heard how the couple kept a small conversation, or better say, Mapi whining and begging about next time Ingrid doesn't take too long to get prepared, to which the Norwegian didn't promise anything with a teasing smirk, for Mapi desperation.

After they parked the car, they got to the building, got to the elevator and the couple were begging Y/N to take a photo with them, the three approached Patri's door where they could hear some commotion.

"¿Cásate conmigo?" Patri says in a shocked face, looking up and down at Y/N, making this one continuing blushing, fortunately for the Balear, Y/N doesn't understand her, but the pair behind her were another case. They laughed and started making fun of the midfielder.

Mapi put a hand in Y/N back and pushed her softly into the apartment through Patri whining and cursing.

"This is going to be fun..." the defender muttered at Ingrid with a smirk.

Y/N saw how Claudia is walking towards them and asking Patri why she has that look on her face, in which Mapi gladly explained in detail what happened. The Finnish is still lost, but she is guessing that soon she will find out. So she walked guided by Mapi where a big group were sitting or standing up while they talked.

"Great! We are the last one, again!" The Aragonese let out a sarcastic comment and went towards Marta and Irene, joining the improvised defender squad.

Ingrid huffed and muttered something Y/N could understand because she had some knowledge in Norwegian and laughed quietly, sharing a look with the brunette.

"She is lucky that I love her..." Ingrid commented jokingly at Y/N.

"Next time Y/N is coming with me." Someone else comments behind them while putting a hand in her shoulder and squeezing it.

Lucy gave her a warm smile and hugged her. "Good luck with that one." Ingrid said pointing with her head to where Mapi is sharing the recent behaviour of her teammate with a smirk.

The British snorted. "I can deal with her. By the way, you look stunning, I'm regretting being taken now..." Y/N hit her arm softly, gaining Lucy's laugh. Ingrid rolled her eyes but a smile remained on her face.

"I heard you." Keira emerged from the kitchen and wore a teasing look that was directed to Lucy. She stood next to them with her arms crossed.

"Babe... look at her." Lucy whispered like if the other two weren't there. The defender after the hug remained an arm around her shoulder, so it can't be unnoticed by Y/N.

The midfielder did what Lucy said and moved her gaze towards the tall girl. Her jaw dropped to the floor and her eyes going up and down, like Patri did before.

Keira blushed, making her girlfriend laugh for her reaction. Y/N actually finds it funny and adorable for her part.

"Shut up." Keira muttered and pushed her.

"Everyone!" For Keira's luck, Patri calls to gain their attention. She put herself in front of the TV. "Okay, we will start now since we all are here. Please, go to sit down while me and some of you bring the snack." The Balear announces, walking to the kitchen with some of them going with her, Y/N excusing the three to help her, her nature of helping people wanting to show up.

But Lucy has another plan and with a smile grabbed her wrist, stopping her. "Nop. You are the new one. Keira here can go to help her favourite person." The defender gave a cheeky smile to the British midfielder, who rolled her eyes but didn't say anything and went to the kitchen, whispering some cursing to her girlfriend.

"You are so mean to her." Ingrid teases, starting to walk to an empty couch but getting distracted soon when she sees her tall blonde friend.

Lucy follows Ingrid still with the hold in Y/N wrist. The defender sat down, bringing Y/N to sit down next to her.

"Do you see how hot Y/N looked?" The thick accent from Lucy interrupted the conversation between the nordics.

Y/N rolls her eyes and blush when felt the blue eyes fix her eyes on her. The Finnish cleared her throat and punched softly to Lucy.

Frido noticed how she held her breath for a moment. Her gaze looks over her features, and she can't avoid how beautiful Y/N looks.

"Lucy's right. You look... beautiful." The Swedish decided to change the last word for that one, but internally agreeing with her friend that she looks hot.

The striker gave her a shy smile, seeing how her coloured eyes lost the battle with her pupils. Y/N read about the symptoms when someone likes the person they see, and that's one of them.

The visual contact finished when Ingrid sat down between Frido and Y/N, the last one moving her eyes awkwardly for the room, looking at Lucy when she heard how the other let out a soft laugh.

"What?" Y/N asked lowly.

Lucy shrugs and passes an arm around her shoulder while giving a sip to her cup. Before Y/N could ask again, Mapi threw herself at them, gaining the protest from Ingrid and Lucy.

"Do you think I didn't sit down here?" Mapi asks rhetorically.

"You need to learn to be away from her..." Lucy muttered, looking at the TV waiting for Patri to put the chosen film. But her smirk betrayed her.

Mapi frowned and sat down better between Ingrid and Y/N. "And let you win? Never, Y/N has better taste."

The laugh that let out Lucy make the attention brought to them and muffled the gasp Ingrid let out. Y/N hold her laugh, not thinking that the last comment was directed towards her and not her girlfriend, guessing too that Lucy had the same thought.

"It's amazing how she passed to tease me about my admiration for her to be the only one fighting by her attention." Ingrid muttered, crossing her arms and feigning being offended.

Mapi turned to look at her with a sheepish smile and threw her arms around her neck, kissing her head a few times. Y/N let out the laughter she held when Mapi didn't deny it, joining Lucy.

Frido's eyes brightened when she heard her laugh. The blonde was laughing too, but slowly it died to enjoy and contemplate her. The loud chat when the defender explains what happened was muffled by her melodic laugh.

But soon got interrupted when someone yelled to shut them up and pay attention to the film. Her blue eyes scanned a few more moments on her figure and then fixed it on the TV. The place where she was sitting was full, five of them sitting there, even if Mapi was more laying in Ingrid's lap, still she is on the sofa, putting more distance between her and Y/N.

The first film passed with all of them in silence, maybe some comments with the near person, but mostly they are paying attention. When it finishes, some of them take the opportunity to go to the bathroom, something Y/N did. She walked quickly to it when Aitana got out.

The blonde thought twice before she stood up and walked to the bathroom, waiting outside. She knew it was a riskier move, but Frido felt like a magnet when it comes to Y/N. She just wanted to have some little time alone with her.

When Y/N opened the door, she felt surprised to see her standing there, a shy look on her face. She stopped in the entry, her hand leaning on the frame.

"Hallo..." Frido lowly said, putting both hands on her pant's pocket.

Y/N felt goosebumps when she heard that simple word with her Swedish accent. "Hey." She greeted her too, crossing her arms. Frido could hear how some of them were getting near them and not wanting to go without exchanging some more words with her, in a bold move, she quit off her hands from her pockets and kindly pushed Y/N inside of the bathroom, again. She closes the door softly.

"Sorry about that..." Frido apologizes when notices what she did. She cleared her throat awkwardly. "Just wanted to pass some time with you." She confessed, a little embarrassed to say it loud.

The Finnish's heart softens up to see the blonde like that. Y/N didn't know what force made her do the next move, but she grabbed her face between her hands and smashed her lips on hers.

Frido's eyes opened, but relaxed considerably after processing what Y/N did. Her hands came back to her waist but this time it remained there. The kiss is short and awkward. Y/N was going to apologise once they separated, but Frido has another plan and decides to muffle the apologies with her mouth.

This time the blonde deepened it, kissing her with conviction. Her grip on her waist tightening and bringing her closer to her. Y/N's hands proceed to lose on her blonde hair, pushing softly towards her. Once again they separated, this time for air. With every kiss, their mind got more fuzzy and their lips more swollen. It's when Y/N let out a low moan that Frido got braver and kissed her vehemently, turned on only to hear her doing that. She pushed her a little too hard on the bathroom door, biting her bottom lip in the process and sneak in her tongue in her mouth.

Maybe they are in their world at this moment, but the others heard the noise provoked by Frido unintentionally and some of them went to investigate.

The girls separated abruptly when someone from outside knocked. They look at each other alarmed. "Hey! Everything okay?" Alexia asks.

Frido whispered something at Y/N in Swedish, this one nodded with her head slowly. They fully separate this time, even if neither of them wanted. The Finnish fix the blonde hair with a smile, seeing how her cheeks change of colour. She saw too how swollen her lips looked, she imagined her lips matched hers.

"Sorry! I'm helping Y/N to find her earrings." Frido lied, she opened the door and showing it to Alexia and Patri with a convincing smile. The blonde extended it to Y/N.

"Shit, for a moment we worried." Patri muttered.

The four walked back to the living room, going to where they previously sat down. Lucy was talking with the couple until Y/N removed her legs from the spot where she was sitting, a pout making her way on her face. It was before she started to protest that she noticed something. The British opened her mouth to speak, but nothing was saying. However she gave her a smirk and resumed the conversation with the other two.

•••

The days passed, Frido and Y/N started to share some kisses in the changing room behind their teammates back. Their bond is getting stronger by the time, sharing moments outside the pitch too. Frido always has a plan to spend more time with the Finnish girl, at the same time the nights for her turned a war in her head. She is enjoying her time with Y/N, but the reality is far away from the truth.

It showed after a month how the darkness down her crystal eyes deeper with every day passed. The first ones in notices of course were Y/N and Ingrid, but the blonde always replied with a cheeky smile and saying she is okay. Frido knew when she realised what happened, she was screwed up. Plus, it is her first time with a woman, going through a simple crush in the past to actually kiss one.

It's a lot right now.

A hand on her chin made her break the train of thought and raised her head to see the guilty or the saviour.

"Jag kan höra dina tankar på långt håll." Y/N said with a sad smile. She knows something happened and feels she has a big part in it.

Frido shakes her head and reassures her that it is okay. Not wanting to bring her to her intern problem. "I need to be quieter I guess." She joked, standing up and grabbing the hand resting in her chin with hers, walking to a quieter place, before she inspected the area to see if some of them were paying attention.

"You don't need to worry about me, kärlek." Frido whispered in her mouth once she closed the door, pressing Y/N's back on the wall, putting both hands on her sides.

Y/N smiled when she heard how the blonde called her, putting her hands behind her back and giving her an innocent gesture. "Then, don't give me a reason for it." She teased her a little, giggling when Frido started trickling briefly her sides.

Her lips ghosted Y/N's and was the Finnish who closed the gap when grabbed her collar with her hands and smashed their lips.

"Jag älskar att du alltid initierar kyssen." Frido muttered, to later kiss her fervently.

"You do it on purpose to be me who kisses you first." Y/N muttered too once they separated from the intense moment.

"My fault." Frido innocently said, pecking her nose. "By the way, I have a plan to spend this afternoon together... are you in?" She asks, hopefully the other confirms it.

Y/N did like she is thinking about it, pretending. "Depends... What place is it?"

"The beach. I never went with you. So I thought is a good idea." Frido revealed, shrugging with a hopeful smile. "Do you go since you are here?"

"I went once time with Lucy and Mapi. And both of them finished in the sea..." Y/N commented, her gaze fixed on the wall remembering the moment, making the blonde chuckles lowly. "So... I'm in, you are lucky."

Frido give her a beaming smile and didn't lose more time to kiss her, knowing very well if they are disappeared for a few more minutes, their teammates would suspect and get to find them.

"We need to come back..." The blue eyed girl comments, pecking a few more times her lips, bringing both hands to her cheeks this time, making Y/N to put her hands on her waist, caressing her sides.

With the promise to see the other later, they separated. Y/N going first to the, now, full room. The coincidence that her cubby is next to Frido made her very happy. But the constant reminder that Lucy is too, even if they are separate by say person.

"What?" Y/N asked when she passed in front of the defender and hear how she snorted, stopping on her tracks to look at her inquisitive and crossing her arms.

Lucy is sitting on her cubby, a smug smirk plastered on her face while she is saving her shoes in her training bag.

"Nothing..." She hummed, winking at her and her attention coming back to the previous thing.

"Olet outo..." She murmured and went to her seat, sighing.

"I don't know what you said, but it's rude." Lucy points with her index finger at her.

"Ja kysyminen ja vastaaminen välttelyillä on myös." Y/N laughed quietly when saw her confused face, returning to her task of removing her shoelaces.

"What that mean?" She asks, this time inquisitive and narrowing her eyes. "Frido please, can you translate for me what she said?" Lucy like a child say.

The Swedish acted normal and asked for Y/N to repeat it. "Sorry, Lu. I can't understand what she is saying. My level in Finnish is limited." She gave at her friend an apologetic smile.

Lucy huffed and turned to look at Y/N finding a smug expression. "It isn't over." She stood up and messing up with Y/N hair, she contentedly went away when Y/N whined.

•••

The kisses and the touches were more prominent. The wish for more than that increases. And it happening right now.

For their luck, they are roommates in this trip. It's a Champions League game. Frido was in top of Y/N, not surprising for the second one. She knew that the blonde loves be dominant, even if her aura didn't demit it.

Sloppy kisses, hands traveling by their bodies, the sound escaping from the mouths it's not enough anymore. With the little sanity Y/N feels in that moment, she pushed Frido's chest softly, opening her dilated eyes.

Frido frowned and opened them too, a confuse gesture crossing on her features. "Everything okay?" She whispers in a husky tone, her lips ghosting Y/N's.

"Yeah, yeah..." Y/N confirmed immediately. "But tomorrow we have a game and we can't do this..." She trailed off, reminding her the match.

Frido groaned, completely obvious at the fact, forgetting about it and pushed it behind her head the moment her lips found her comfort place.

"You are right..." She muttered, removing herself between her legs and laying down next to her, and letting out a frustrated sigh.

Y/N grabs her hand and caress her palm with her thumb, gaining her attention. "We can do it after it's over..." She suggests, a shy expression replacing the last one.

It's melt her heart every time Frido sees her shy side, that it's every day but with the trust she is gaining with their teammates, it less and less.

"Sorry, I don't want pressure you. It's the last thing I want to do. I just... I want feel you more." Frido confessed, her cheeks red, this time for a different reason. "Please, don't try to do it for me. We will do it when both of us feel ready." She said, caressing with her free hand her cheek, her eyes getting lost in hers.

•••

"I want the kiss you promise me." Frido whispered in her ear when they come back to the changing room after they finished the match.

Y/N turned to look at her, still sipping from her water bottle. "Here?" She jokes, laughing quietly by her reaction.

"I see the hat-trick you scored give you some confidence..." Frido muttered, slapping her butt and going to where Ingrid is, not without giving her a teasing smirk.

"Damn Frido, let something for us." Claudia jokingly said, making who hear her laugh. Y/N made a funny face, don't understanding the comment.

Exchange Frido got pallid, swallowing hard and praying no one say something else. Ingrid notices her change and before she could ask her, someone else spoke.

"Do you not have enough?" Patri follows her friend's game, oblivious about the current situation for the blonde.

Y/N get rigid. She isn't a fool to hear the implication in that comment, but enough for Frido to play with her. She turns to look at her and saw how the Swedish cowardly look at the floor, ashamed. While they laugh about an innocent situation, Y/N excuses herself, starting to feel dizzy and betrayed.

She soon is a sea of tears, closing carefully the door to protect herself from them, hiding the pain she is feeling. She slipped slowly to the floor, hugging herself and buried her face.

Soft knocks were heard, startling Y/N. "It's me." She relaxed when heard the voice. In a trembling voice give permission to enter. Lucy opened it and her heart shattered when saw her state. Immediately she got in and closed the door, bending down and hugged her, letting Y/N soak her freshly clothes. The brunette catches what happened in the first moment, noticing the looks and in a short period of time, their swollen red lips. She cursed herself to believe Y/N knew the blonde's status, clearly not.

Lucy let Y/N cry, her hand caressing her back up and down without the necessity to say something to comfort her, because the truth is however you say now, it still would hurt. So she chose the silence and be there for her.

Her phone vibrate, cursing once again while grab it with a hand, the nickname she typed at her girlfriend showing on her screen.

"Where are you? We can't find you or Y/N. Is she with you?" Keira's worried voice greet her.

"I'm with her." Lucy muttered, hearing how the midfielder let out a relief sigh, she proceed to add before the other could. "Give me some more minutes and we will be there." She begged her, knowing her voice sounding serious, something unusual on her, make Keira help her immediately.

"Okay. We have five minutes before we need to go. I can give you that." Keira informed her. Lucy replied a short answer and they hung up.

"How do you know?" Y/N asked in a hoarse voice, raising her head to look at her.

"Because I have eyes on my face." She simply answered, not liking how bloodshot her eyes seem.

"The others have too..." Y/N whispered, her gaze going to the floor while her mind fly to another part.

"Well, I'm more clever than the rest." She heard how Y/N let out a tiny laugh, making Lucy cheer mentally. Feigning been offended by her laugh, she added. "What? I feel insulted if you think someone else here is smarter than me." It made Y/N laugh more, Lucy painting a smile this time, gladly she made her forget momentarily about the situation.

"We need to go, right?" Y/N asked after her laugh died.

The British nodded with a sad smile while put a lock of her hair behind her ear. She extended her hands towards hers when she stood up, Y/N accepting it. While Y/N opened the door, for their luck no one is there, Lucy take advantage of it and sent a quick text to Ingrid:

Please, don't let Frido get near Y/N. I can't tell you the reason because it isn't my business, thank you x.

Lucy save her phone and grabbing her hand, lead the way outside, hearing more near their voices. Y/N hang down her head, embarrassed for her behaviour. The defender notices how Mapi walked to them with a worry expression, her eyes remaining on Y/N, but Lucy stopped her and when the Spanish looked at her questioning, Lucy shakes her head, muttering this isn't the moment.

Alexia notices immediately when she put a foot there something happened. Seeing how Frido sat down with her head low and Ingrid by her side caressing her back, indicating something it's off. But her worry intensifies when Y/N entered on her peripheral vision and saw her dry stained red cheeks. So when Lucy is shaking her head at Mapi, she grabbed her things and went towards the three.

"I'm going to the bus, come with me." Alexia protectively put an arm around Y/N's shoulder and walked with her outside, not letting room for the defenders to complain. The brunette, who is a little short alongside her new teammate, take her quickly to the bus, apologies escaping from her mouth when the people waiting for a photo or an autograph couldn't have it. The loud screams were muffled once they entered the bus, Alexia remembering the spot usually her new friend takes, she put her way to that direction. "Here, sit down." She offered with a kind smile.

"Gracias..." Y/N muttered, still not liking how her voice sounded in Spanish and it worsen with the voice she has now.

Alexia messed up Y/N's half wet hair and sit down next to her. "You played amazingly. I can't believe you don't come here before." She tried to put on a subject and since she isn't so good with the emotions, she chose to speak about she loves.

Y/N painted a sad smile. "I'm playing well because I have amazing people that help me play like that." She awkwardly said, seeing how Alexia gave her a sincere smile.

Soon, more screams were heard and slowly they climb up and started to sit down, giving a quick look to where they are and respecting their space, mostly Y/N's space.

When Frido get in, her eyes immediately went to the back seat bus and saw how distractedly Y/N looks at the window. She let out a sad sigh and feel ashamed when her eyes finds Alexia's one, seeing the hardness on them. She knows that look, but never been the one to receive it. She swallows and sit down to the front rows, grabbing immediately her headphones and blaming herself.

•••

The days passed and Frido tried to speak with Y/N, but this one always walk past her, making her heart shatter with every step she takes. After the success, the next day Frido spoke with her boyfriend and tell everything.

She blames herself even more when he didn't got angry with her, with pain he said that some day he would forget her, but right now he can't. He texted Ingrid when he walked out from the place he thought was his home, because he didn't talk about the place or city, is the person crying disconsolate who he is referring.

The Norwegian went fastly to her place, finding a broken mess who can't stop to blaming herself. That afternoon she found out what truly happened that last half month. She knew Frido did badly, but she is her friend and always will be there for the good or bad.

It's there too when Lucy or even her own girlfriend push away Frido when she tried to speak with the Finnish, something she didn't get surprised knowing their behaviour. Maybe the surprise came when Alexia joined them, a stoic face and simple cold word make Frido ran.

"Before you judge, try to know the other part too." Ingrid angrily said at them, mostly to her captain, before she follows her friend. Caro following her too.

Caro leaned on a table with her arms crossed while see how Ingrid consolate her friend. When her national teammate sat down with Frido while side hug her, the Norwegian decided to speak.

"We don't know what exactly happened," Caro started, gaining their attention. "but I personally don't judge you. They didn't know anything too, specially Mapi or Alexia, the rest try to comprehend what happened, but we didn't know." She tried her best to comfort Frido.

The Swedish wipes the tears from her eyes and let out a chuckle. "Consoling it's not your big virtue."

Caro chuckled too, shrugging. "I guess it isn't."

The next few days Frido decided to give some space at Y/N, try to the situation calm down. It's difficult for her, like the serious mistake she made and caused pain to one of the best people she met. So when she entered in the changing room where Y/N is there, starting to smile whatever Patri is saying at her, Frido didn't know what force make her to change her steps and directed towards her. Their eyes meeting a brief moment, until Y/N moves her gaze and tried to not pay attention at her. But Frido has enough, she needed to let out what has inside of her.

"I don't know what I have to do to explain everything." She started, not caring about the surprise on Patri's face. Y/N froze on her spot, her back facing the tall blonde. "I don't care if they found out what the reason is. I'm sorry Y/N, I made a big mistake. I played with you and I played with the person I shared my life and thought he was the only one," Frido wipes aggressively her wet cheeks, the only sound of the big room her broken voice. "I thought I have a good life with a wonderful guy by my side, sharing moments, complicity, vulnerability... Ups and downs. He always support me in every decision I took." She explained briefly, Y/N turning slowly towards her, not liking at all the state she is, but let her get her chest off from everything, so she stayed quiet. "Then, you approached. I heard things about you, watched some videos about how easily you scored, thanks at Ingrid of course. I can't believe how adorable you looked the first day. Lost and always with a shy smile. And it didn't surprise me when Alexia went to your rescue, she is who can understand you better in some ways." Frido gave a quick look at her captain, who has teary eyes and give her a nod.

"After that day, we started talk, little conversations that turned long and deep ones. You don't know it, but you help me too. I was feeling homesick and speak with you in my language help me. I know I needed tell you about my relationship, but I was selfish and wanted you entirely for myself. I'm sorry." Frido finished to say, soft sobs escaping from her mouth while she hides her face between her hands, broken.

Ingrid was to step where she is and take her to a quiet place, but saw how Y/N anticipate and get towards the blonde.

The Finnish removed her hands gently from her face and wipe carefully her cheeks. She didn't know what to say, so she wraps her arms around her shoulders and hugged her. Instinctively Frido wraps her arms around her waist and leaned her head on hers, more tears escaping from her eyes.

"I-I'm s-sorry." The blonde lowly said, hiccuping.

•••

"WHAT A SEASON THIS PLAYER HAD MADE! IT'S UNBELIEVABLE THE AMOUNT OF GOALS SHE SCORED AND THE ASSIST SHE GAVE. IT'S SO FAR, ONE OF THE BEST SIGNING FROM THIS CLUB. THEY HAVE A GEM."

"BARCELONA WON THEIR THIRD CHAMPIONS!!! AND THE SECOND IN A ROW! WHAT A PLEASURE SEEING THIS PLAYERS PLAY, ESPECIALLY ALEXIA PUTELLAS AND Y/N Y/L/N, WHAT A CONNECTION THEY HAVE."

"THE TOP SCORER FROM THE LEAGUE ARE ALEXIA AND Y/N, LEICY SANTOS FOLLOWING BEHIND WITH ONE GOAL LESS. BUT WAIT TO KNOW THE CHAMPION'S LEAGUE TOP SCORERS. Y/N Y/L/N WITH 27 GOALS, ALEXIA PUTELLAS WITH 24 GOALS, AITANA BONMATÍ WITH 21 GOALS AND FRIDOLINA ROLFÖ TIED WITH CAROLINE GRAHAM HANSEN WITH 17 GOALS. FIVE PLAYERS FROM THIS CLUB ARE THE TOP SCORER. WHAT. A. TEAM!!"

Y/N raised the trophy in the air, gaining the screams from her teammates and the people who traveled to the stadium to support them. She can't describe the adrenaline she is feeling right now.

After they made a round to raise it, they walked around the stadium to thanks the people, letting them know is for them too. They took a lot of photos with the trophy too.

Before Y/N follows some teammates inside to translate the party there, she poses with the champions league cup and the award she received for being the MVP that match.

"Jag är väldigt stolt över dig." A whisper from behind make Y/N jump a little on her spot, turning to see a Frido laughing by her reaction. Y/N whined, smacking her arm playfully. "Before you go with Jonatan to give the press conference you deserve. Make me the favor to take some photos with me?" She asked hopefully, a cheeky grin on her face when Y/N nods.

"Of course, idiot." Y/N chuckles to grab the cup, extending it at her too. The blonde accepting it and both of them grabbing the cup, posed with it with happy smiles on their faces.

For Frido's surprise, Y/N kissed her cheek sweetly. It's only for the photo, but they knew what it means for them. When the forward separated, Frido can't hold not to look at her, a loving face showing the love she felt for her.

"You need change your expression or you would break the internet." Y/N teases, poking her cheek where a dimple is showing there.

Frido leaned more on her, their noses touching and their lips to centimeters, her eyes traveling from her mouth to her eyes. "I don't care." She whispered, licking her lips.

A throat behind the phone cleared. They pair look at her and saw her cheeks, making them laugh. Alexia rolled her eyes. "I suggest you two save it for another moment, where people can't see you." She warned, depositing the phone in Frido's hand. "By the way, we need to go." She said at Y/N.

When Y/N started to follow Alexia, Frido gives the cup at Marta and grabs Y/N's wrist gently, turning her body towards her. "Do you mind if I break the internet?" She knows that Y/N didn't care because they talk about it, if not, she never would that in public.

Y/N bit her lower lip, suppressing a smile. She brings her hands to Frido's cheeks and slowly brought her face to hers, but not closing the gap. "If you want break it, you need take the lead."

"Gladly." She muttered, before she smashed her lips on hers.

Alexia frowned when didn't hear steps coming behind her and turned to look to find the couple showing their love publicly. "Great, they can't hide it like everyone." She muttered, but a smirk approached in her face, seeing how her teammates ran to them and jump happily.

#woso x reader #woso #woso imagine #fridolina rolfö imagine #fridolina rolfö x reader #fridolina rolfö

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meazalykov · 18 days

Text

she was the golden girl

uswnt x (romantic) aitana bonmatí x (platonic) fridolina rolfo x uswnt!reader

what happened in a world where reader plays in the 2023 World Cup after winning the 2019 World Cup?

warnings: tiny bit of angst and sadness, google translated spanish.

part two (part one here)

I remembered when I stood on the french pitch, surrounded by the deafening cheers of the crowd, sometimes I can’t believe that it happened. Tears welled up in my eyes as I hugged my best friend Mallory, threatening to spill over as a whirlwind of emotions flooded my mind.

My hands trembled as I clutched the World Cup trophy tightly to my chest, feeling the weight of my team's triumph. The third goal in the world cup was scored by me, the youngest goalscorer in a Women’s World Cup final. The journey to this moment had been grueling, filled with sacrifices, sweat, and endless dedication. But looking back, all the pain and hardship were worth it.

Before the World Cup, the Champions League medal hung proudly around my neck, a testament to the skill and hard work I’ve displayed on the field. At the time, Lyon was the club of my life. I believed that I would’ve never left the french institution, extending my contract as much as I possibly could’ve. The memories of each game, each goal, each victory rushed back to me, overwhelming my senses.

And then there was the Ballon d'Or many months after both competitions, the ultimate recognition of my individual excellence. To be acknowledged as the best, only at the age of 19 years old, was a dream I had hardly dared to entertain. Yet there I was, being the second woman holding the prestigious award in my small hands, my name etched into football history forever as I stood beside Lionel Messi who received the men’s d’or.

Surrounded by my teammates, coaches, and supporters, I felt a surge of gratitude and humility. This moment wasn't just about me; it was about the collective effort of everyone who had believed in my skills along the way. I will never forget it.

Four years later, It's 2023. I am 23 years old and still impressing the fans around the World. However, the scars of my ACL injury were still fresh, a constant reminder of the hurdles I had overcome to be here after the harsh 2022 year.

Playing for Lyon had once been a dream come true. I’ll never forget that experience. When I signed to Lyon from Portland Thorns at the age of 18, I was overwhelmed in joy. I needed that new challenge, and that challenge earned me the best awards, collectively and individually. But, the fallout from my December 2021 injury had left a bitter taste in my mouth. The club I had once called home had felt more like a distant memory as I felt forced to make the difficult decision to part ways and start a new life in the sunny Spanish city.

Now, I wore the red and blue Barcelona jersey onto the pitch. The transfer left me heartbroken, at first, now I felt a renewed sense of purpose. The road to recovery after my ACL injury in France had been long and arduous, filled with doubts and setbacks. Sometimes, I believed that my prime occurred at the age of 19, instead of the predicted 24-30 years old. Yet here I am, defying the odds once again to represent my country on the world stage in two months.

Sometimes the memories of my victories with Lyon and the United States lingered in the back of my mind, serving as both motivation and a reminder of what was at stake. The Champions League trophy I had lifted with Lyon and the World Cup I had claimed with the United States were testaments to my talent and resilience. But now, I lifted the Champions League trophy with Barcelona.

After scoring the second goal of the final, with Patricia before me and Fridolina afterwards, the gold hung beautifully around my neck. It was my fourth time I've felt such a high amount of glory, but the happy tears still came as if it were the first.

A month later, I am on a fourteen hour flight from Los Angeles to Wellington, New Zealand. As The plane soared through the clouds and I sat in my business class seat, my hands gripping the armrests tightly and my heart pounded in my chest.

“Y/n?” I took out my airpods when I heard the faint sound of my name coming from outside of them. I turned to my right and saw my teammate and captain, Lindsey, looking at me with a confusing look.

“Hey.” I joked, pretending like my stress wasn’t visible for everyone to see.

“Are you okay?” Lindsey asked. In my head, I debated on if I wanted to lie and say yes, just so I didn’t have to burden her with my stress. However, she’s known me for many years, the woman would notice my lie from miles away.

“Not really. I’m just–a bit nervous.” I swallowed. The blonde girl nodded her head in understanding as she rested her arm beside mine.

“That's understandable. Is it the competition that's bothering you? I mean– we are defending champions so we have a lot to prove.” Lindsey asked. I took a deep breath as my mind shifted to a particular person from my Barcelona team.

“No– It's about–um.” I stopped speaking. I didn’t want her to cloud my head during the competition, as we both promised ourselves that we would play as rivals, not lovers.

“Aitana?” Lindsey questioned, but yet finished what I would’ve said. I noticed my head as my face was plastered with sadness.

“yeah.” I mumbled. The Lyon midfielder looked at me with a questionable look, wondering if there were problems between the Spanish girl and I.

“I mean– there's no problem between us. However we prioritize football first you know? we both agreed that during the competition, we wouldn’t talk much.. just so we can focus on this.” I ranted. I’m not stressed because of a possible match between Spain and the United States, I know that I’ll miss the shorter woman a lot. Also, what if we stop talking and a third factor might influence our relationship moving forward?

“That's good that you’re prioritizing us– You shouldn’t feel nervous about your relationship because this will give you time to miss each other– things will go back to normal once the world cup is over.” Lindsey patted my shoulder in sympathy, I smirked as my nervousness started to subside.

A month later, as I stepped up to the penalty spot, the weight of the world seemed to rest upon my shoulders. We finished the match against Sweden 0-0 and after extra time, we had to go into a penalty shootout. The stadium roared around me, a cacophony of cheers and chants from both sides echoing in my small ears. Nerves danced in my stomach, threatening to consume me with doubt and mistakes.

With a deep breath, My eyes focused on Zećira Mušović standing between me and the goal. She did great throughout the game and has the reflexes to stop my shot. Determination burned in my eyes, she saw it too.

As I approached the ball with speed, the tension in the air was palpable but I couldn’t care. Every step felt like an eternity as my foot sent the ball soaring towards the goal. Mušović dove in desperation, but my ball went directly to the middle as she dove left. The ball crashed into the back of the net, eliciting a deafening roar from the crowd and from my teammates.

My dimples on my cheeks showed as I am happy to make the penalty. Being substituted on the pitch after halftime, I tried my best to score but my shot on goal was overturned by VAR. Apparently, my body was offside.

Now, my arms wrapped the bodies of Sophia Smith and Megan Raphinoe as I looked ahead at Kelley O’hara. My heart raced as I stared at her white colored cleats. She needed to score this, or else Sweden had the opportunity to win the knockout.

She Missed. My heart dropped to my stomach as I looked at the Swedish players with rising confidence and opportunity. Hurtig took the shot and Alyssa blocked it over the line. This caused a debate among the crowd. Deep down, I knew Sweden made it. They’ve won. However, VAR was the only hope which would have proved me wrong.

Unfortunately, I was right. Sweden emerged victorious in the penalty shootout, their celebration serving as a bitter reminder of the heartbreak that awaited my teammates and I.

No, No, NO! I thought to myself as I felt the moisture in my eyes start to take place. Immediately, my mind did a flashback to the 2019 World Cup Final. Being 19 years old and happy as my small, yet muscular, arms held the heavy World Cup trophy.

With a heavy heart, I broke away from my teammates and looked among the Americans in the stands. My shaky hands clapped to the fans in the stands, my facade of strength crumbling with each step she took. Cameras could capture my weak struggle to stay strong as the Swedish crowd rightfully celebrated.

Turning around, walking back towards the Americans who were on the team, my knees collapsed on the grassy pitch, tears streamed down my tired face. This was the worst that the United States had completed in a World Cup. What went wrong?

I wanted to stand up so badly, but I didn’t. Shame and Defeat took over my body which laid in the grass. What is my family in the crowd thinking? What are the USWNT fans thinking? What are my fans thinking?... my tears cried out more when I wondered what Aitana was thinking.

After ten minutes of darkness in my eyes, covered by my hands. A comforting presence enveloped my body. I recognized the floral smell mixed with a tint of sweat. I looked up from my hands and saw Fridolina, my teammate from Barcelona and now my opponent who won the Round of 16.

“You did so good, Don’t beat yourself up over this!” Fridolina spoke to me first as her thumbs wiped over my teary eyes. I felt comfort but a small amount of envy was inside of me, I wanted to win so badly.

“Congratulations Frido.” The Swedish girl took her hands and helped me stand up as she gave me a tight hug. Aitana, Frido, and I are a trio back in Barcelona. In fact, she helped Aitana and I confess our feelings to each other.

“Thank you! Just know that I am proud of you, she is proud of you too. Even if you aren’t proud of yourself.” The 29 year old said as my eyes stained her yellow covered shoulders. I knew she meant Aitana when she said “she”. However, I didn’t know where the Spanish woman was at the moment and what she was thinking.

“Just go be-beat Japan. Okay?” I said through a crack in my voice. I found solace in the embrace of my friend. I might’ve lost but I am not a bitter person, now I want to see my club teammates have a good World Cup like I’ve once experienced.

As we exchanged jerseys, the voice in my head kept reassuring myself that I'll come back stronger than ever in 2027.

Just a week later, most of my American teammates left Australia and went back home. However, my teammate Kristie and I decided to stay back. Kristies had a girlfriend who played on a different international team like I did, so we wanted to support them as they’re advancing to the semi-finals.

Witnessing my Barcelona teammates play each other in the Spain vs Sweden match was intense. Standing beside Aitana’s parents, I wore a basic dark green t-shirt with 501 mid-thigh levi shorts. This is the first time I've met them as her girlfriend and they’re sweet people. We celebrated Spain’s win against Sweden and my heart would have exploded in happiness. My girlfriend will experience a World Cup final!

On August 20th, after an intense match and a lovely goal from Olga Carmona, Spain won the World Cup! The feeling was bittersweet for me. I am happy for my girlfriend but subconsciously, I knew I wanted it to be me with the United States. However, I brushed that feeling aside since I needed to be happy for my lover.

“Aitana ¡Estoy tan feliz por ti!” We both ran towards each other and hugged. I feel her lightly kiss the side of my head as I inhale her scent. Being able to feel her embrace after a month apart filled the small void in my heart.

“¡Esto es tan irreal, ahora sé cómo te sentiste hace tantos años!” (This is so unreal, now I know how you felt all those years ago!) Aitana smiled. The smile on my face struggled to stay as a small frown, which I tried hard to conceal, plastered on my face for a quick second. I don’t think she noticed.

“Lo siento por lo que ocurrió. En el fondo esperaba que fuéramos nosotros dos quienes nos enfrentaríamos en la final.” (I'm sorry for what happened. Deep down I hoped that it would be the two of us who would face each other in the final.) Aitana said as she understood my defeat in the Round of 16.

“Aquí también. Sólo debes saber que todavía estoy muy feliz por ti, a pesar de mi derrota.” (Here too. Just know that I am still very happy for you, despite my defeat.) I said as I admired the goal medal that sat perfectly on Aitana's chest. She gave me a sympathetic smile before hugging me again.

“¡Te amo!” Aitana whispered into my ear.

“Te quiero más” I smiled back as I relaxed into her arms.

#fc barcelona #uswnt imagine #woso x reader #woso community #woso fanfics #aitana bonmati #salma paralluelo #uswnt x reader #sophia smith #lindsey horan #uswnt players #fridolina rolfö #sweden #wwc 2023 #barcelona femeni

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pers1st · 3 months

Text

consequences

pairing: lucy bronze x reader

notes: very angsty, also it's been a while since i've written this so pls don't mind this too much, just clearing my drafts

dirty tissues, trust issues - glasses on the sink, they didn't fix you

You felt Lucy slipping away from you with every day that passed. There was nothing soft, nothing loving about your interactions anymore. The two of you were barely able to converse during training sessions, your passes off and drink breaks spent as far away from each other as possible.

Going home together was even worse. The nights you'd spent at Keira's house because being with your girlfriend was simply unbearable were endless, and even now as you walked out of the shower after your evening run, wet hair on your neck and skin tainted with lavender, you considered taking a run for it as you found her on the couch, a bottle of wine on the coffee table.

You huffed, not finding the energy to start yet another fight, as you sat down in your living room's armchair, far away from Lucy. She was watching football, and as you drew your knees towards your chest, you felt her gaze on you.

"You want a glass of wine?", she asked, and you weren't exactly sure whether these were the first words she'd said to you today or not. You remembered the times you would talk for hours in bed, never hearing enough of her voice.

"No."

Your voice was sharper than you had intended for it to be, quite honestly, but you didn't have it in yourself to care, as Lucy didn't either, sipping away at her wine without another question.

The silence was unbearable all of a sudden.

"Why are you drinking again, anyways?"

Lucy huffed.

"Makes this a little less awkward, don't you think?"

And with that, you rose from your seat, the frustration making you restless.

"If you can't stand being around me sober, why don't you just leave?", you exclaimed, crossing your arms in front of your chest as you paced through the room, desperate for something to do, to focus on, before you blew up at her anymore.

"That's what I'm trying to do, don't you remember? Last I remembered, you didn't want me to go to Lyon!"

"Lucy, that's not what I said! I don't get why you're just throwing our relationship away without a second thought", you yelled through the room that had once been filled with your laughter.

You couldn't stand being here anymore, and instead walked towards the open kitchen, busying yourself with the dirty dishes in the sink from the dinner she'd eaten without you.

"I've told you before, that's not what I'm doing! I don't get why you won't let me have this! Lyon is like, the best club there is, and you're holding me back here because you're too scared I'll leave you?"

You scrubbed at the plate in your hands aggressively, the hot water burning at your skin, as you felt deja-vu overcome you. This conversation had played out between the two of you endless times, and you didn't know how much longer you could take it.

"That's not what this is about Lucy, and you know it!"

lonely pillows in a stranger's bed, little voices in my head

The conversation played over and over again in your mind as you found yourself in Keira's guest room yet another time. You had told Lucy, multiple times, that you understood why she wanted to move to Lyon. You weren't holding her back, were you? You wanted her to succeed, to go to the best clubs in the world, you wanted her to do everything she dreamed of, you simply didn't understand how she hadn't even taken a second to think about what this meant for your relationship.

Keira's pillow felt warm against your scalp and at once, you sat up against your bed frame, looking at the time on your phone exhaustedly. It was well past midnight, and you had a match tomorrow that you needed to be in form for.

Sleep didn't come to you easily though, not when you were left wondering what your girlfriend was doing now - whether she was laying awake just as you were, thinking and thinking about the arguments between the two of you, or whether she was snoring softly the way she always told you she didn't, her dreams filled with her in a Lyon kit, thousands of kilometers away from you.

Was it really that easy for her? To just up an leave you behind, without a second thought?

When she'd first told you about wanting to go away from Manchester, there had still been hesitation in her voice. By the time Lyon made an offer half a year before her contract ran out, she had jumped in excitement, telling you all about how she would go and win the Champions League and what a great opportunity this was for her. You didn't quite disagree with her, but you were left wondering where exactly, in her future plans, you were displayed.

When you'd asked her this, she hadn't had a clue. That's how this mess had even unfolded in the first place.

secret keeping, stop the bleeding - lost a little weight because i wasn't eating

Keeping the break up from the public proved to be one of the most difficult things you'd ever done. Although your relationship had never exactly been confirmed, it hadn't taken much for the fans to notice the way you had been attached at the hip for years, and when Lucy had interrupted your post match interview once, simply to stare at you lovingly in a playful way to stop you from concentrating on the questions asked - and when she had succeeded in it, there was no room for questions anymore.

Your feed was still scattered with pictures of the two of you. You could barely look at them as you scrolled your profile, finding pictures of your vacation together, pictures of you in Manchester together, pictures of you during the England camps and tournaments. Deleting them wasn't an option - Lucy and you had decided to stay friends after this break up, and although it was proving to be quite easy to remain friendly now that she was in Lyon and you hadn't had a single conversation with her since the night she'd left, you knew that deleting the pictures would

A) send the fans into a spiral down every one of your interactions

B) stir the rumors already spread all over the internet

C) make people think you hated each other.

None of those options were ideal, and the latest most definitely wasn't true. Your heart was still so full of love for Lucy that you often found yourself crying at the memories with her, crying at the fact that she'd left you, crying at the fact that you'd let her go.

She'd promised you that things would be okay, at the airport, with her life packed in bags and you left behind. She'd promised it would be okay. Now though, it didn't seem okay to you. The lack of a goodbye post was a starter - many of your teammates had shared past moments with Lucy, candid pictures or heartfelt messages, wishing her all the best in the world. And although it wasn't unusual for you to be inactive on the social media, it certainly raised questions among the fans. Your girlfriend was moving to another country. You seemingly didn't say goodbye.

However, some people had spotted you at the airport together, stating that you were definitely still dating and that you would manage the distance okay. Lucy's contract was only a year. She might just explore her options and come back to you. You might leave after another year in Manchester, and follow her to Lyon.

You wouldn't, but they didn't know that.

You decided, then and there, laying in your bed once more, crying over your girlfriend once more, that you had to delete TikTok.

The breakup was more than obvious to everyone who knew you personally, though. You were barely speaking at any social event, never staying long after training, preferring to be in your own home and rot away. Georgia and Keira tried their best to drag you outside, make you live a little, as they called it, but you barely let them. You had lost weight too, as the team doctor had pointed out, although you didn't believe him. Your heart felt too heavy, weighing your body down with every thought, every feeling of Lucy. She wasn't here though, you realized as you glanced at the empty side of your bed, another tear escaping your eye.

every siren that I was ignoring, I'm paying for it

The signs had been there early on. She'd promised things would be okay, and you had half-heartedly believed her. Now though, you realized you shouldn't have. The constant tone of your phone was grounding you slightly as you sat in your armchair, waiting for Lucy to pick up. You checked the time in an anxious matter, wondering whether or not you had maybe mixed something up. But no, you hadn't. You'd agreed to FaceTime on Monday, at eight. However, your face was the only one visible on your screen.

Had she forgotten? Should you dial another time? Was she ignoring you?

Just as your finger hovered over the red button, her face came into view, and you didn't recognize her surroundings. You had facetimed many times by now, and you knew what her apartment in Lyon looked like. The slightly slurred words made it ever so clear to you.

"Hey baby", she huffed, holding her phone close to her face as she got up from a sofa that wasn't hers, strolling into a hallway that wasn't hers, pulling a door closed behind her that wasn't hers.

"Can I call you back later?", she asked, her tone slightly whiny. "Now is not a good time."

You didn't tell her that now was the time the two of you had agreed on three days ago, when you had begged her to answer the unscheduled calls, wanting nothing more than to hear her voice. You should've known - when the promised call later didn't come, that there was nothing left for you to pick up. Your relationship was shattered, a part of you realized then, but there was another part that held onto the pieces of glass tightly, so tightly that it drew blood. Her call only came a week later, and by then, all she had to say was how amazing Lyon was. She didn't once mention how you would like it there.

loving you was young, and wild, and free

You remembered the day you fell in love with Lucy like it was yesterday, the memories having permanently altered the chemistry of your brain to the point where you could never forget anymore. It had been the first day you'd met her - when Lucy, of all people, had been selected to show you around the Manchester training centre. She hadn't done a particularly well job, as the staff had assessed later, because she had shown you all her favorite nooks and crannies of the building, showing you where best to hide when you were supposed to be in the gym, where best to get food, the cheapest vending machines and the best coffee stations.

She had smiled at you shyly, and you had reciprocated. From that day on, the two of you had shared soft touches everywhere, a hand in the small of your back here, a tug on your shirt during a particularly competitive warm up game there, the intertwined hands as you finally showed her your furnished apartment, which you would later dismiss to move into hers. Your cheeks had blushed whenever the older defender found you among the crowd of teammates, whenever she had told you to turn your head off before a match, whenever she had celebrated your goals by letting you jump into her arms, burying her face in your stomach. The first time you kissed had been a mess of chuckles, teeth clashing in smiles and stolen touches of your hands here and there. Falling in love with Lucy had made your heart beat out of your chest, it had made your stomach warm and fuzzy, it had drawn a smile upon your face that was hard to get rid of, even though Keira and Georgia liked to tease you about it at every opportunity. The first time you and Lucy had shown up at practice together, you hadn't heard the end of it, but no matter how awful the teasing got, it had been worth it a hundred times. If not a million.

You remembered the time you'd sat on Keira's sofa, drinking wine shyly and telling your best friends all about the first official date between the two of you and how everything had just fallen into place afterwards. Despite the fact that they called the two of you annoying at every chance they got, arguing that you were disgustingly smitten, you knew in the back of your head that they were supportive of your relationship. They told you once, as you once more chugged wine on Keira's sofa, that they dreamt of a relationship like yours.

loving you was sunshine, safe and sound, a steady place to let down my defenses

"It's okay, honey", Lucy ran her hand through your hair as you sobbed into her chest. She had been a mess of her own after England's departure in the quarter final of the 2019 World Cup, but she knew that she would later pick up the broken pieces that were left of you. You'd caused a penalty in the first minutes of the match, setting England up for failure (at least, that was what you believed), and after the red card you were given in the eightieth minute, the floodgates had crashed down completely.

Your body wrecked in her arms, in the dimly lit hotel room, mere hours before the team would return back to England. Had Lucy not been around - God knew what would've happened. The both of you had stayed up throughout the night, because even though you had held the tears in on your way back from the stadium, and during the most silent team dinner you had yet to sit through, there was nothing holding back the tears once you had sat down on Lucy's bed. Neither one of you had slept yet, and while Lucy had hoped you would simply pass out from exhaustion, there was no end to your tears. She didn't once complain though, holding you all throughout the night, cooing soothing words at your shaking body, despite the fact that she knew you wouldn't hear any of them. It hurt her - to see the absolute mess that you were, especially because of how good of a player you knew she was, and how she knew that you had been one of the key players in England's tournament so far, especially given the fact that you were still young, compared to her.

She held your hand all throughout breakfast, when you had finally calmed down enough to walk, and when she sat with you on the plane home, but the worst part was yet to come.

Realistically, there was no stopping you from reading through the comments under your recent Instagram post, despite the fact that she had thought about snatching your phone in the few hours of sleep you got and simply turning them off.

"They're all saying it's my fault, Luce", you whined, teary-eyed, as you sat in your armchair, a blanket wrapped around your body, your phone shaking in your grip.

"Y/N, we've talked about this, it's not your fault", she cooed, frustrated with the fact that you still didn't believe her. This conversation had played out endless times in the past two weeks, and despite the fact that the season at Manchester City was about to start, you were still stuck on the events in Canada.

"But- if I had-"

"No", Lucy interrupted you harshly. "Y/N, you've had a great tournament. If it wasn't for your goals, we would've been out a round or two earlier. You did everything you could for your country-"

This time, it was you who interrupted her.

"I don't know if I can do this again", you started sobbing now. Lucy was up from the couch within seconds, her plate of dinner long forgotten as she crouched down in front of you, taking your phone out of your hands.

"Can do what, baby?"

"I don't know if I can play for England anymore- nobody wants me there- I can't-"

Your words came to a stop as Lucy wrapped her arms around you, your chin immediately tucked into her neck, sobbing softly.

"Don't let them get to you, Y/N. You are a brilliant player, and you're not gonna finish your career over some trolls on the internet", she ordered, and in the end, she had been right. Although, if it hadn't been for her, being with you every step of the way, holding you as you cried, being your biggest supporter on and off the field, you might've never returned in an England shirt.

loving you was sunshine,

but then it poured, and i lost so much more than my senses

but loving you had consequences

The second you had left the pitch after the Champions League match against Lyon, you should've expected the social media war that would come crumbling down on you mere hours later. Fans had found your lack of interaction after the match and the way you had shoved Lucy once and hadn't returned to help her back to her feet to be the proof to the rumored breakup. They had been suspecting it for a while, with rumors sparking up between Lucy and one of her teammates at Lyon, and the lack of your interactions online. It hadn't bothered you so far, the endless comments asking about what was going on, the tweets that people thought were funny. Now, however, it was an entirely different feeling. The shove of yours against Lucy was everywhere - on your Instagram feed, your Twitter feed, you couldn't escape it. In hindsight, it looked far more aggressive than it had been. Lucy and your speed had left your legs tangled and had sent her flying to the ground, and as you were too fast to stop so abruptly, you hadn't managed to get back to her before Ada had pulled her up already. It did look as though you had simply left her on the grass, although the both of you knew that the foul hadn't been intentional. You had only huffed angrily at the ref's decision, not at Lucy's presence.

You didn't know whether it was a good or a bad thing that people had missed your short conversation in the hallway of the Etihad. She had caught you there - after having conversed with Keira and Georgia, she had sent her hand out behind her and grabbed a hold of your shirt before you had even seen her, with your head still lingering on the goal you'd scored.

"Hey, you", she smiled, and Keira and Georgia had vanished at the very second that Lucy let them go, smiling at you softly.

Your conversation had been that as well - soft. Lucy had asked how you were, and you had told her that things were okay again. She'd asked how things were at City, but she hadn't pushed you to talk to her, squeezing your shoulders and saying her goodbyes when she had felt the tiniest ounce of discomfort in your shift.

All of that was shielded from the public though, and people quickly made you out to be the villain after your "foul". Some jumped to your defense, claiming Lucy must've really hurt you, for you to tackle her the way you apparently had. Others were sure that you were jealous of Lucy's career, and taking your frustration out on the defender.

They couldn't have been further from the truth. You had been hurt at first - about the fact that Lucy had dropped you like a hot potato at the thought of moving to a better club, but you realized now that her motive hadn't been to discard you, it was simply how her brain worked sometimes. Lucy was a big kid, she didn't think things through before becoming excited at them. You had never been jealous of her career, and you didn't think you ever could. You wanted her to do all the great things she dreamed of, you wanted to win the Olympics and the Euros and the next World Cup alongside her, you wanted her to win the Champions League, the French league, the cup, anything.

You sniffed slightly as you realized just how bad of a person people made you out to be. Suddenly, you were reminded of the World Cup again, seeing the clear visual of the night you'd spent in Lucy's arms, reading every hateful message, every comment, every post about your failure and how you were a disgrace for your country. She'd been there for you through it all. Now, however, you were sitting alone in your flat, the flat that Lucy had once lived in, and you knew that it was the smartest thing to call Keira, or Georgia, or Alex, but you also knew that Lucy was close - closer than she had been to you in months, and so you couldn't exactly stop yourself from dialing her number. She'd texted you before she'd changed it. You had it memorized, just in case you ever needed her. She'd promised you to be there for you despite it all, and although you had sworn to yourself to never ever take her up on the offer, you knew that Lucy was the only person who could pull you out of this.

"Hello?", her voice came from the other side, quickly, sleepily. "Y/N?"

"I'm sorry", you sobbed, suppressing your tears as well as you could. It wasn't easy. Your Instagram comments were still open on your iPad, laying on your knees.

"Don't be, Y/N. Is it the comments?", she asked, and you allowed yourself to smile at the fact that she knew you so well, that she had noticed what was going on without you having to tell her.

"Yeah", you hiccuped, wiping your tears away with your sleeves, sniffling quietly.

"I'm sorry, they shouldn't comment these kinds of things", Lucy said, and you felt your heart swell at the emotion in her voice.

"Yeah", you replied again, suddenly not knowing what to say.

"Hey, how about we swap shirts at the next match? Let people know that they're spinning stories", she suggested, and you nodded quickly, although she couldn't see you.

"Sure, that sounds good", you smiled slightly at the thought, at how determined Lucy seemed to fix this issue.

You spoke for longer on the phone than you expected, with Lucy staying silent shortly to find a less occupied spot in the hotel, away from her roommate, and catching up over what happened over the last few months. She offered to post a story of the shove alongside a joke of sorts if you needed relief immediately, but you declined, knowing that even just the conversation with her had calmed you enough to not look at the comments anymore. Lucy told you to switch them off as well, but you didn't- knowing that she didn't hate you was enough.

It felt like the closure the both of you needed - and when you finally came to Lyon to verse her again, the two of you had switched shirts after the match and you had finally gotten to see her family again, showing Lucy's nephew around the pitch shortly. There were people out there still hopeful that the two of you were together, but most people accepted the breakup then and there, and were relieved to see the two of you still friendly with each other. You had spent years together, after all, but you were the most relieved. Knowing that you still had Lucy on your side if you desperately needed her, if everything fell down on top of you - knowing that Lucy was going to be on your side forever, it was possibly the best consequence that could've come out of your relationship.

#woso community #woso imagine #woso #woso one shot #woso fanfics #barca femeni #lucy bronze #lucy bronze x reader #barca femeni x reader #barca x reader #olympique lyonnais #lionesses #Spotify

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