#stormlit. ruby 01.

[allroundher]

@stormlit.

ㅤ“ Ruby, Ruby, Ruby, Ruby! ” Right, now she's established herself as the English twat making a nuisance of herself in public, Penny practically throws herself at McCrae. It's not like they haven't seen each other recently, of course, but it's the first time Penny's seen her after a belter of a match and it's not like she's not going to celebrate. Some woman who is innocently just trying to get her shopping done jumps slightly at the sudden activity, then rolls her eyes and continues on her way, evidently not a football fan. Penny kisses Ruby's face, all big grins, and is hanging off her shoulders with no intention to leave any time soon. “ You know you're a goalie, right? ” She says this every time. It doesn't get old. “ Nice to know Richmond in't special and you're just like this all t' time. ”

[sthrlnd1]

@stormlit. call.

ㅤ“ Hey, don't you be trying to get any insider information outta me, you hear? I know what you Richmond girls are like. Penny was trying it on earlier too. ”

[allroundher]

ㅤ“ Um, it's a British tradition to go to t' beach and freeze your tits off, actually. I've had ice creams in December. ” God, she'd love to winter in Australia. Especially with Ruby. Unfortunately, they're both footballers - in England, no less, so they get to miss what Penny can only assume is the amazing Australian summer and stick with the horrendous English winter. That's life, eh? Penny's just lucky that she loves her job. “ Anyway, I'm northern. If I let cold ruin me fun, I'd never do owt. Sounds you like you need to toughen up, to me. ”

❝ i know, pen, it'd be torture, but you'll come, yeah? get away from your miserable english winter and spend summer in 'straya. ❞ the thought makes ruby grin; there's limited free time to do anything, during the world fucking cup, and she'd like to show penny where she grew up. and to not be freezing cold in december for once. her laugh is easy and real. ❝ went down to brighton once, nearly got frostbite standing on the beach. dunno why you bother having them. ❞

[allroundher]

ㅤ“ Oh, nooooo - beaches? Oh, Ru, I can't be dealing with beaches! What are you, some kind of monster? ” Penny is wearing the biggest grin she could have on. The beaches aren't her favourite thing about Australia - it's a long list, she can't believe it took her so long to visit - but they're certainly up there. “ It's too pissing cold for t' beach in England. Next we're in Merseyside, I'll have to give you t' proper English beach experience. Colder the better, obviously. ”

❝ could be worse, i guess, ❞ ruby says, though she screws up her face as though it pains her to say it. she's not a die-hard football fan, not the way she is about soccer, but what kind of fremantle girl would she be if she didn't have strong loyalty to her team? ❝ i'll get you over to the right side, though. if not now, then you'll just have to come and visit me. we've got wicked beaches, my hometown, it'll be so difficult for you. ❞

[allroundher]

ㅤ“ I'm an Adelaide girl, I'll have you know. ” She says that with a big grin, as if it's a sure thing. It's a cricket thing, just about: Penny likes her Adelaide Strikers, so she figures she might as well stick around the same area for the football too. She isn't up on the footballing rivalries, though, doesn't know if Ruby's about to disown her or anything for daring to utter such words. “ But I'm open to being swayed by a mate, I guess. I'm an Adelaide girls girl. Owt else, I'm just in it for t' laugh, honestly, I'll go watch owt. ”

❝ i still do the tourist shit in london, mate. the fuckin' museums, i'm telling you. ❞ she doesn't feel like a foreigner in richmond, so much, but up in town? yeah, she just wants to look at everything. when the world cup is sending you to a whole load of cities, of course you're going to want to sightsee. ruby swears it's half the reason they all live on coffee. ❝ oh, she wants to see real football. the season's still going on, you know, might be able to catch a match on a day off. just don't go supporting west coast, or i'll never give you that tour. ❞

[allroundher]

ㅤ“ Brisbane, baby! ” She says that a bit too loud too, but who can blame her for being excited? The longer England are in this world cup, the more of a chance Penny has of actually getting to play. Even if it does feel a long way off with all the lasses who are playing currently. It's a long list of people who'd have to go out injured before she gets her chance to have a kick about, she's pretty sure, and it's not worth getting her hopes up. Tanya's on that list too, technically, and she's not about to even passively wish that on her best mate. She's still in Australia, anyway. Silver linings.

ㅤ“ I've had a bit. Brisbane, Sydney, Adelaide. Been decent. Mostly been doing tourist shite, though I'm still desperate to get to an AFL game. ” She's grinning at that, sport-hungry even when she's in the middle of the biggest tournament of them all. What can she say? It's in the blood. If the Big Bash were on, even, she'd be living in a damn near perfect world. “ I'm liking it here, though. You should've brought me over sooner, eh? Shown us 'round and stuff. I'd love a mate's tour of Perth. ”

❝ i fucking love you, penny power. ❞ yeah, sport's a big thing, and playing for your country's fucking huge. ruby can't put into words --- no matter how many times she's asked, either, never managing to find the right thing to say to journos unless she's got a mate to banter with --- what an honour it is, especially at a home tournament. but friendships, real ones, aren't going to just disappear, same as if a friend transfers to another club. some things are lasting. some things matter.

she laughs, half-jogging to catch up and looping her arm around penny's. ❝ shoot on sight from the semis, got it. 'til then, i'll graciously let you buy me a coffee. ❞ coffee sounds great actually; it's pretty tiring, this world cup thing. and amazing, yeah. she leads them in the direction of a coffee shop that isn't a starbucks. ❝ you had much chance to explore before you get shipped off to melbs or auckland or wherever it is you're playing next? ❞

[sthrlnd1]

ㅤ“ Uh, loads. We've this whole plan about - ” And he breaks off suddenly, as if she's almost just gotten his secrets out of him. Penny had tried sweet-talking him for fifteen minutes before she turned to bribery, and that didn't work either. He teases, of course: “ - none of your business. Tell your lads they'll have to quit being shit at footie to beat us again, eh? Instead of nicking intel. ”

❝ you wanker, i would never! ❞ not only would she, but ruby was indeed trying to sniff out any insider information she could glean. not that she'll ever admit it; she's the picture of fucking innocence, thank you. ❝ you know penny, she'd make friends with a cactus. anyway, you really think you've got info worth stealing? ❞

[allroundher]

ㅤ“ 'Course I fucking saw it. ” She doesn't miss her fellow Richmond lasses' matches if she can help it. Australia, the USA, Sweden - you name it, she'll watch them all if she isn't playing or training, and if she is then she'll watch the highlights. They're still a team, even if sometimes they're on opposing ones. But that only ever lasts for the match, and Penny loves her friends, so why shouldn't she act the same way she always does around Ruby? And if she will be scoring goals - at all, but especially like that...

ㅤ“ C'mon, anyway, I was promised coffee, ” she says, and she's off walking, half-dragging Ruby with her. “ Guess I should treat you, yeah? 'Cause you did such a good job today, and all. Though, I've been warned I should quit fraternising with t' enemy and everything. But I reckon we're only enemies when we get to t' semi-finals, like. ”

❝ fuck me, is that penny power, greatest member of the power family? ❞ ruby's always happy to see penny, and it's almost enough not to find the chant bestowed upon her annoying. almost. nah, she's kidding; it's an honour, terrible song and all. mostly she's glad that international rivalry isn't going to fuck up this friendship, 'cause it's nice to see her richmond mates on her home turf, for once. never stops being weird, england; she gets what lasso, the men's coach, talked about sometimes.

she laughs, half-heartedly shoving penny away only to hug her tightly. ❝ why yes, i have been a nightmare for opposing managers since juniors. ❞ she watched, then. ruby has to admit it makes her grin, thinking about it. some players get too psyched out to follow other matches, but ruby thinks it's nice to follow what your friends are doing. just not every match; not often she's home. ❝ oi. glad you saw it. ❞