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Near or Far

Part 7 (and finale) of:

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It all went downhill after the team had been told Alessia and Ona were going to be leaving at the end of the season. Alessia was off to Lyon and Ona to Barcelona.

United lost to Chelsea in the FA Cup Final and after consoling Alessia all night after it, she desperately wanted to walk away from United with some type of silverware to finish of a great season. They just came up short in the end when in the final week of the season, Chelsea regained the title.

But it was over, Alessia’s contract was finished in Manchester. Before her move to Lyon though came one important thing, the World Cup. You arranged with work that you would be flying to Australia to meet Australian Football teams and some rugby teams while you could nip off to watch Alessia’s games.

You were put up in a hotel by the company who kindly agreed to also assist Alessia’s family for their accommodation to go and watch your superstar in the World Cup.

Alessia’s heart was a bit broken when she was told the plans was not for her to start but Wiegman was strict and at least everyone knew their place with her. But just like the Euro’s, Alessia was dominant coming off the bench. Scoring 4 goals in the group stages and additional 3 in the knockout stages. You’d made it to every game, supporting her every step of the way. You knew next season would be different so you were so excited to just watch her play live while you could.

It was a USA v England final. It was 0-0 at the break and you knew in 15 minutes she would be on. But she wasn’t. She was coming on now, a full 45 minutes. Rachel did take a knock in that first half you thought. She was unstoppable, every pass was 100% accurate. Every challenge was hard yet fair. And every shot was on target. In the 84th minute, both managers were speaking to their staff planning for the forthcoming extra time when suddenly Alessia broke free in the box. Ella had the ball and the scream from your girlfriend was so common and loud you could hear it from your seat.

“TOONEY! FEET” she shouted at her friend. Ella whipped a ball in perfectly to her feet and Alessia smacked it top corner, leaving the keeper no chance. The stadium erupted. Alessia’s family and you screamed and hugged eachother so excited for the girl you all love. She looked up to the family stand and pumped her fist in the air before catching Ella who jumped on her.

The minutes ticked on and on until the referee blew her whistle and it was done, England were World Cup champions. Celebrations were had on the pitch but they were nothing like the celebrations you had back at the team hotel. Everyone’s family, partners, friends who had travelled were all there. And almost everyone was drunk. Including your goalscorer.

“Dance with me” she groaned pulling you away from talking to some of the staff members who laughed at her.

“Ohh Alessia” a few of them joked with her but she laughed at them and pulled you to the dance floor.

You danced for what felt like hours with Alessia, Ella, Mary and the English team. Alessia pulling you in for kisses now and then until a teammate would whistle at you both.

As the night was winding down you tugged her shirt and gestured your eyes to tell her you were going to head to bed. You didn’t want to take her away from her friends after such an amazing night but she insisted on going with you. Thank god her family had already headed back to their hotel as they would have been horrified when they heard the taunting you both got leaving the room.

“Don’t fuck on my bed again” Ella shouted after you.

“Again?” Lauren asked causing Ella to burst into laughter.

“Keep it down please we share a wall” Chloe shouted at Alessia who put her hand on your back walking you faster out of the room, away from the teasing.

“So last day for us in Oz tomorrow” you said in the lift heading to Alessia’s room.

She nodded with an eager look in her eyes.

“What’s got you distracted?” You asked brushing her hair off her face as she wrapped her arm around your waist.

“I just can’t believe it” Alessia said softly.

“I’m so proud of you Less” you planted a kiss on her cheek.

“I love that you were here” she pulled you closer.

“I love that I was here too” you melted into her hold.

“It’ll be different when I’m in Lyon, but we’ll make it work won’t we?” You could tell she was drunk so you nodded and smiled.

“You know we will. I’ll come when I can, and you’ll come back to me when you can” you pressed your lips against hers and she immediately reciprocated.

Let’s just say you didn’t do as Chloe had asked you both to do that night. Which was evident on Chloe’s face the next morning at breakfast.

“Good night?” She asked Alessia who smiled and nodded.

“Oh I know it was I heard every second of it” she smirked at Alessia who went bright red.

“It wasn’t that loud” Alessia smirked back.

“If I didn’t know you, I would have put in a noise complaint. Or left the hotel altogether” Chloe laughed and Alessia punched her arm.

They had one last team breakfast and some media shoots and then you and Less spent your last day in Australia being tourists. Seeing the opera house, walking up harbour bridge and heading to a nice restaurant for a meal.

“I’m pretty sure some guy who won Masterchef Australia owns this place” you said looking around the restaurant and spotting a Masterchef coat on the wall and pointing at it excitedly.

“Of course you’d know that” Alessia giggled at your useless information of which you had a lot of.

You both had a lovely meal. Alessia barely broke eye contact with you the entire night. Soaped up in your admiration and love you shared for eachother. Chatting about the tournament and past encounters, both knowing you were consciously avoiding talking about what the future holds when you return home. What even is home anymore? Alessia isn’t going to be there anymore. But you couldn’t take it anymore when Alessia was rambling about tactics, something she done when the conversation fell flat to fill the air.

“Can we talk about our plans for back home?” You asked.

“Sure” she hesitated but smiled.

“What day are you due to Lyon?” You asked her softly playing with your hands.

“Um in about a week and a half” she said quietly.

You fell silent for a minute realising that’s all you had left with Alessia in Manchester.

“Okay. Well I will help you pack when we get back” you smiled knowing she had to go.

“Could you come and help me set up my apartment?” She asked swallowing hard knowing the answer wouldn’t be straightforward. You couldn’t follow her forever.

“I can ask my boss when we get back but you know, I’ve just spent 2 months on the other side of the world to be here with you” you added.

“I know” she said.

Silence again.

“I love you” she added holding your hand again.

“I love you too” you replied smiling again and seeing it reciprocated.

“Desserts?” A waitress asked suddenly appearing at the table.

“No no just the bill please” Alessia smiled warmly.

“All paid already. Thank you Ms Russo and Ms Y/L/N. Have a lovely night” the waitress walked away as the two of you looked puzzled.

“Damn I would have ordered dessert then” you joked as Alessia and you made your way to the exit and back to your hotel, where she would be staying tonight.

Tooney

Team night out Lessi come on where are you?

Alessia read the message as you were walking back to your hotel.

“Who is it baby?” You asked as she slid her phone back into her pocket shaking her head.

“Just Tooney asking me to come out with the team. I’ve already told her no, I wanted to spend tonight with you” she said as you linked her arm.

“Where are they?” You asked squeezing her bicep, her very toned bicep.

“No idea, why?” She replied turning her head towards you.

“We could stop in for like an hour? We do have to fly with them for hm.. 22 hours tomorrow so I think best not to have them pissed off” you said and she laughed.

“True” she said taking her phone out to call Tooney. It was a quick conversation as Ella couldn’t really be heard as the club was pounding.

Alessia hung up the phone when she eventually heard the name of the place which was screamed by Lucy who seemed to have took Ella’s phone. Alessia typed it into maps and luckily it was 5 minutes from where you were and only 10 minutes from your hotel so you knew you could make a quick escape.

The bouncers asked for your ID when you arrived and spotting Alessia’s name he quickly ushered the two of you towards the back of the club where, unsurprisingly, a very drunk pack of lionesses were partying. You quickly noticed none of the other girls family or friends were there and instantly felt out of place.

“Ohh look who brought her girlfriend” Lucy shouted giving Alessia a punch but you a hug, thankfully.

“Attached at the hip since the day they met” Ella piped up which made you laugh.

“No girlfriends allowed sorry, lionesses only” Millie and Rachel began waving their hands infront of you ushering you away. Only to realise they were joking and brought you back to Alessia who had been already handed a drink.

What was meant to be an hour turned into way more and before you knew it the club was closing and so were your eyes.

“Come on baby” Alessia grabbed your hand pulling you out onto the street with her teammates shouting and laughing.

Alessia was giving you a jockey back but you’d quickly fallen asleep on the way as she walked you to the hotel, into the lift and into bed.

You woke the next morning with a pounding headache and what made it worse was the 22 hours of travel you had ahead.

“Baby wake up we need to get ready” you reached for your girlfriend who was not beside you.

“Baby has been up and ready for an hour” she laughed as she pressed a kiss on your forehead.

You looked around the room which was as clean as you seen it when you first arrived. She’d packed everything apart from the clothes you were wear… oh no wait no never mind everything.

“You do not understand how much I love you right now” you hesitantly got out of bed and went to grab a shower grabbing the last of your toiletries as you finished with them. When you got out of the shower, Alessia handed you a bag which left you puzzled.

“Open it” she said thrusting the bag towards you again.

You did as she asked, you pulled out the T-shirt she’d given you the first night you stayed over as well as the joggers you always take on her. You couldn’t find them when you were packing your bags for Australia.

“I thought you’d want them for the plane” Alessia smiled.

“I’ve wanted them the last two months I can’t believe you kept them from me” you laughed causing her to laugh, which always seemed to happen.

You got dressed and headed to reception to check out and make your way to the airport.

You found some very hungover lionesses at the gate hoping they planned to sleep on the flight and not continue partying.

Thankfully they all slept at least until your stop over and then they continued partying knowing it was one stop from home.

One stop.

That was it.

You squeezed Alessia’s hand as the flight landed in London causing the girl to wake from her sleep.

“We’re home” you kissed her cheek.

“Home? No London” she said as she yawned

You were spending the night at Alessia’s family house before heading back to Manchester.

The airport was packed with fans looking for photos and autographs you managed to escape quickly making your way to the Alessia’s brother who was there to collect you.

“Hey y/n” Luca shouted and waved as you made your way to him.

“Hey Luca” you said giving him a hug.

The Russo’s were a very hug central family.

“Alessia’s stuck in that pile” you laughed as you chatted about other things until she eventually got out.

The night went by quickly. Still suffering from jet lag.

Before you knew it, you were back at your Manchester home when you collapsed on the sofa, not before greeting your car which Alessia roller her eyes out and you swear you saw her give the finger to the car.

Life returned to normal, somewhat normal anyway. The impending girlfriend moving to France in a week was still at play but life goes on.

You just absorbed eachother for the few days you had left living together.

2 days before Alessia was leaving, your house had looked like a pigsty. There was stuff everywhere to go into bags. All belonging to her.

You were in your office just finishing up an online meeting when your boss knocked.

“Hey” she said smirking at the door.

“Hey long time no see” you smiled.

“How was down under?” She asked stepping into your office and closing the door. Taking a seat at the opposite side of your desk.

“Incredible obviously. I had a meeting with Melbourne FC while I was there and..” you thought that was the answer she was looking for. She waved her hands in the air and shook her head.

“No y/n how was being in Australia and your girlfriend winning the World Cup?” She rephrased her previous question.

“Way better than what Melbourne had to say” you laughed as did she.

“Obviously Alessia is moving to Lyon so it was nice to spend time with her and see her play” you said as she offered you a smile. It wasn’t her sympathetic smile like usual which confused you.

“When is she leaving?” She asked.

“2 days. Our house is a mess currently” you said making her laugh.

“Listen y/n” she said placing her hands on the rests of her chair.

“Yeah?” You asked furrowing your eyebrows.

“You’ve been really great in the position since you’ve started. A lot of people have mentioned to me they think you are exceptionally easy and professional to deal with” she began.

“Am I in.. trouble?” You asked swallowing hard.

“The opposite” she smiled.

You didn’t know what to say so you remained silent until she continued.

“We’re expanding the branch. We want to promote you” she began.

“But promoting me would mean, are you leaving?” You asked as she shook her head.

“As I mentioned, we’re expanding. We want you to do my job just..” she said gesturing at you.

“Elsewhere?” You asked puzzled as to where it was going.

“Bingo” she said clicking her fingers.

“So you’d be relocating which is obviously a huge ask but we believe you may be intrigued by the offer” she was smirking now.

“Where would I be moving to?” You spoke softly now with a concerned tone of voice.

She smirked as she uttered the words

“Lyon”

“Fuck off” you replied as you sat mouth open in shock.

“It was a long meeting about where to open the new branch. They brought your name up to run it and I jokingly brought up if they wanted to entice you to move obviously more money. But I told them you’d only take France or close to it. When we whittled it down, shockingly Lyon came out as HQ” she said as you were now standing up to hug her unable to control your excitement.

“So I take it you want the job?” She asked.

“Fuck yes I want the job” you replied hugging her again.

You raced home thinking about how you were going to tell Alessia the news. She was out for a run when you got in so you took a shower, changed and began cooking dinner. It was just ready as she arrived in.

“Smells beautiful baby 2 minutes just showering and then I’ll be with you” she said poking her head in and out of the kitchen quickly.

You barely noticed her too caught up in how you would tell her. And then you figured it out.

She arrived down for dinner and you plated up and kissed her before you sat down.

“Very domesticated wife tonight?” Alessia chuckled.

“Mmm” you nodded tucking into your food.

“So baby” you said as she nodded her head gesturing you to continue as she had a mouth full of food.

“I got the time off to come with you to Lyon to help you settle” you said toying with the food on your plate with the fork. Her eyes beamed at the news.

“Amazing! Did they say how long you can stay for?” She asked.

“Yeah they did” you replied trying to hide the smirk. If she got excited at you just going for the first few days, think about the next thing about to come out of your mouth.

“And?” She asked about to shove more food into her mouth.

“Well em, indefinitely?” You said softly.

She turned to look at you dropping her fork.

“What?” She asked.

“I’m being promoted and they’ve offered me the position in.. Lyon” you replied as she jumped from her seat pulling you up to her and kissing you hard.

“Holy fuck” she said astonished.

“How can this be happening?” She asked

“My boss seemed to be very involved in the decision” you replied tightening your grip around her head.

“I would marry that woman right now” she replied before quickly adding

“If it wasn’t for you” you laughed at here placing your head on hers.

“Just one thing though Less” you said as she placed you back to your feet and nodded.

“We are definitely taking my car” you said as she rolled her eyes and kissed you again.

“Let’s pack then?” She asked holding her hand out for you to grab it.

“Our new home can’t wait forever” you said taking her hand and heading upstairs.

Lyon was your new home now and you couldn’t wait

Y/n_y/l/n