#fcbfemeni

now alexia sits across from you on the purple velvet, with her legs tucked beneath her in an effortless way. as an heir, you've noticed how all socialites have mastered that sit down pose.

alexia's light brown hair sit loose and tumbling over one shoulder, catching the jasmine candlelight like she was on a portrait.

she wore a simple silk white blouse and tan trousers... nothing like the couture she usually wears thanks to her family's fortune, but her presence still filled the room, unlike yours, on very first evening you met at this same castle. when she had charmed you with a single raised eyebrow and a dry joke about how even princesses needed better champagne and delicacy.

alexia had a look in her eye during the first time you've talked to her. you had come to recognize that the look was uniquely hers.

“we cannot keep dancing around this,” you said quietly, voice steady despite the way your heart hammered against your ribs. you stood in a white satin nightdress, with a thicker pink open robe covering your arms, “the pressure from the palace is growing louder every week, especially from prime minster ingrid. everyone wants an engagement before someone leaks a photo or a servant talks.... but more than that, i want this, alexia. i want you as my wife, not just my secret, I think you deserve better than that.”

alexia exhaled a shaky laugh, setting the glass of wine down so her hands could find each other in her lap, “marriage is not a weekend in the south of france, cariño. it is not sneaking away to my mother’s atelier after hours or waking up in your arms before dawn and pretending the world does not exist.... once the ring is on, everything changes. my life does like my freedom, the parties, the late nights designing with mama, and the trips where no one knows who I am. i would have to set so much of it aside for royal duties and protocols with the press watching every single breath i take.... i am scared, yes, but not of loving you. i am scared of losing pieces of myself that make me… you know... me.”

you walked forward then, before sitting down facing her with your elbows on your knees, close enough that the faint scent of her perfume that is something warm and citrusy her mother had created just for her. it wrapped around your olfactory nerves like an embrace, “i know.... i have heard every word you have said about it these past months, and i have not pushed because i understand.... but hear me now. if we do this, if you say yes, i swear on every oath i have ever taken that i will protect you. as my wife, as my partner, you will never stand alone in front of the cameras or the courtiers. i will be your shield. when the advisors try to schedule your every hour, i will remind them whose name is on the marriage certificate... since you'd be in a rank higher than most people as the wife of an heir.... when the fashion world mourns the loss of your late nights at shows, i will make sure you still have a studio here, a space that is yours alone. you will not disappear into my title. i will not let that happen to you.”

alexia’s gaze dropped to her hands, with her dark lashes casting delicate shadows on her cheeks.

she was quiet for a long moment, with the ocean outside of your younger sister's castle rising and falling in rhythm with her breathing.

when she looked up again, minutes later, the woman's eyes glistened, “and when the day comes.... and it will come, no matter how much we pretend otherwise... when you become queen… will the crown sit heavier than i do? will i wake up one morning and realize i am second to a throne that has already taken so much from your family? your great-uncle’s abdication reshaped everything in this country. it placed your grandmother on the throne, then your mother, and someday you. i see how it weighs on you already, even from the sidelines of you not even being queen yet. i need to know, truly, if you would choose the crown over me when the moment demands it.”

you scoffed softly, with the sound gentle rather than dismissive, and reached across the small space to take ale's hands in yours.

the woman's fingers were cool, trembling just slightly, and you rubbed your thumbs across her knuckles the way you always did when words felt too big to describe the environment.

“my mother is in perfect health, alexia. you've met her once before, she is as stubborn as ever riding horses every morning, charming diplomats until they forget their own names. becoming queen is not on my horizon for maybe another twenty years, maybe more.... but even if the impossible happened tomorrow, even if i woke up wearing that weight… you would still come first. your comfort, your happiness, the way you laugh when we are alone and the world cannot touch us... that is my priority. the crown is an inheritance, a duty that my direct bloodline was never meant to carry but will if i must.... you are my choice. every single day, i choose you above the protocols and the expectations and the history books that want to write our story for us. i will fight the palace, the press, even my own blood if they try to make you feel lesser. you will be my wife, my equal, my home.... not some accessory to a monarchy.”

the words hung between you, and alexia takes a moment to process your words as she looks down at her mancured hands holding yours.

for the first time in weeks, you notice how her shoulders loosened and afterwards, she squeezed your hands back with a small smile breaking through the fear like sunlight after a storm.

“you really mean that, don’t you? all of it.”

“every syllable,” you answered, voice dropping lower which feels more charged with intimatcy than seconds before, “i have spent five years proving it in secret.... and now i want to spend the rest of my life proving it in the open. you do not have to give up who you are since we will reshape the role together and make it something that fits you, not the other way around. the fashion world can still have alexia putellas.. but with a new name... and the palace and me will simply learn to share.”

she studied your face for another endless beat, searching for any crack and any hesitation but she found none. there, she let out a breath that sounded like surrender and relief all at once.

“okay,” she whispered, the single word trembling but sure.

“yes. i will marry you. i am still terrified, but i trust you.... more than i have ever trusted anyone.”

the yes coming out of her mouth stole your breath for a second. you smiled, wide and unrestrained with the kind of smile that only appeared when the two of you were truly alone.

“thank god.... because i already spoke with my mother weeks ago. she gave her permission the night she first learned about us. she said she saw how you looked at me across that dinner table during her birthday dinner last year and knew this was never going to be just a small thing. so the only step left is the engagement announcement. we can do it gently, on our terms with a small statement with no grand press conference unless you want one.”

alexia laughed then, and it was so soft and melodic that it wrapped around your heart like the silk of her blouse. she rose from the settee in one graceful motion, pulling you up with her until you stood chest to chest, the candlelight painting gold across her features.

the woman's hands slid up your arms, over your shoulders, until her fingers threaded gently into the hair at the nape of your neck.

“so... what I am hearing is that you planned this whole conversation... and had the permission tucked away like some sort of secret weapon?”

“i hoped,” you admitted with your forehead resting against hers, “i hoped you would see that i am not asking you to choose between your life and mine. i am asking you to let me, with my power, build one that holds both.”

ale's eyes fluttered closed for a moment, then opened with a full of everything she had been holding back, “i see it now. clearly.” she tilted her head just slightly, lips brushing yours in the lightest tease before she closed the distance fully.

the kiss started slow, with her mouth soft yet certain against yours. then, once her mind fully processed the severity of the moment, it deepened with her fingers tightening on your body and pulling you closer as if the last remnants of fear were dissolving between you.

you tasted the faint salt of the sea air on her lips, and felt the way her body melted into yours with every curve familiar after five years.

alexia's free hand pressed flat against your back while your own arms wrapped around her waist, holding her like the treasure she had always been.

when you finally parted, breathless and smiling, alexia rested her forehead against yours once more, eyes shining.

“we are really doing this, we're going to get married!” she murmured, with a childlike happiness coming through her voice since the fear is gone.

“we are,” you answered, brushing a stray lock of hair from her cheek, “and it is going to be the most beautiful scandal the palace has ever seen.”

-----

Rushing through an airport with a toddler was no joke. Your daughter was propped up on your hip as you were trying to reach your gate in time. Her on your right hip, your suitcase in your left hand, and a backpack digging into your shoulders. You were running as fast as you were able to.

First you had forgotten your passport at home and had to turn the car around halfway to the airport. Then there was the massive line to get through security, and when it was finally your turn, your daughter became hysterical when the TSA agent had to take her stuffed animal from her for the scan.

As if airports weren’t stressful enough, you decided to do it the hardest way today apparently. Your phone buzzed in your pocket. You didn’t even have to check it to know what it was notifying you for. Final boarding call.

Of course, your gate had been on the opposite side of the airport. The odds of you making it all the way there on time were slim to none, but you weren’t giving up until someone physically told you that you would not be allowed to enter the plane.

You knew it wasn’t going to be in the cards after everything, but still seeing the boarding closed signs at your gate stung. You spoke with the staff still there, but to no avail, they had already closed the doors and were retracting the tunnel as you spoke.

With a sigh of defeat you sunk into one of the gate chairs, and put your daughter in the seat next to you. As you were catching your breath, a stranger's feet stepped in front of you, “I’m sorry you missed your flight, I thought you could use this.” She holds out a bottle of water for you. You take it gratefully and thank her, before opening it instantly and taking a few sips.

Your chatty little girl instantly sparks up a conversation with the stranger, Aitana, you find out instantly as she reaches out to shake your daughter’s held out hand. You tell her your name as well when she turns to you.

“Did you miss the flight too?” The three of you are now the only ones left in the further empty gate. “Double booking actually. The other person was part of a couple so I said I'll take the next one.”

You were surprised by the instant kindness she had shown both the stranger on the plane and you just now with the water. “That's so kind of you. Do you by chance know when the next flight is?” 

“In two hours.” Aitana answers. While you're taking in the new information, your daughter shows off her bear to Aitana. “That's a very pretty bear! Does it have a name?” She nods proudly, “Bear!” Aitana chuckles lightly, “Very fitting.”

Aitana notices how stressed you seem and decides to try and help you out in any way that she can. “So, where are you headed?”

“We are on our way to visit my sister. She moved away for work, but we try to visit as often as we can. This one loves time with her auntie.” You share, wondering why it felt so easy to tell that to a complete stranger.

Your daughter had enough of sitting still, so she slid down and started running around the rows of chairs. You chuckle with a shake of your head at her energy. “I swear she didn't get all this energy from me.” 

Aitana was interested in knowing more, so she subtly tried to pry. “Is it always just the two of you traveling?” You nod, “Yeah, it's just the two of us. What about you, where were you traveling too?” Aitana smiles, “My friends are opening a new restaurant, and they invited me to the grand opening.”

The two of you sit watching your daughter run circles around you while filling the open space with her giggles for a moment, before Aitana speaks again. “I know we've literally only just met, but it looks like you have your hands full with this little ball of energy. I know someone that works in ticketing here, and I already have to switch my ticket, can I switch yours for you?” 

You're taken back by the offer a little bit, but surely it would go better if Aitana had an insight connection, right? “Yeah, okay. If you don't mind.” Aitana smiles as she stands up, “Not at all. I will be right back.”

She got about three steps away from her seat when your daughter ran into her and hugged her legs. “Will you play with me Tana?” Aitana hugged her back before saying, “I will when I get back, okay? Just have to make sure we can all get onto the next plane.”

You watch your daughter run around, until she finally settles down a bit in front of the big window looking out over the airplanes coming and going. After sending your sister a quick message, you hear your daughter get excited. “Mami, I see Tana!” You turn your head in the direction where Aitana headed, but don’t see her, so stand up and walk towards your daughter to figure out what she saw.

“There Mami!” She says excitedly while pointing outside. Confusion is written all over your face, but still you take a look out of the window, and sure enough there she is. Aitana’s face on the body of a passing airplane. Your confusion doesn’t fade, so you grab your phone and search up “Vueling Aitana” on Google to see why her face would be on one of their planes.

“Our seats on the next plane are secured!” Aitana says proudly when she walks up to the gate again. “Tana on plane! Tana on plane!” Your girl chants as she runs up to Aitana to pull her up to the window. You watch her expression change, like all of a sudden she feels very self aware and embarrassed. 

You turn your phone towards her, “Your ‘I know someone’ is literally having a sponsorship deal with the airline? Both with your professional football team and your own deal?” Aitana looks a bit defeated, like she knew meeting a beautiful stranger would get ruined by her career, but had enough hope left for this to go well.

“Well, this seems silly now.” She says lowering the FC Barcelona ball. ”I got it at the shop in the hall for her to get her energy out. She can still have it of course.” She hands your daughter the ball, before turning around and walking towards her suitcase that she had left with you. “We can wait in the Vueling lounge. You don’t have to come of course, I just thought maybe it would be easier with her.” She gestures to your daughter who was trying to kick the ball around. “It’s big, we can sit far away from each other if that’s what you want.”

Your brow furrows with each word that she speaks. “Why are you acting like you committed a crime or are contagious all of a sudden?” You say with a chuckle, trying to lighten the moment. “What?” She asks nervously.

“You got our tickets switched, got her a toy, and gave me water when I felt like I was about to explode from stress. Why would I not want to sit near you?” Aitana’s shoulders loosen just slightly at your words, though she still looks uncertain. She lets out a small laugh, rubbing the back of her neck. “You’d be surprised how many people change when they figure out who I am.”

You close your phone, that had the news articles with her name written all over it still on the screen before you look back up at her. “While seeing your face on a plane was certainly an experience.” Aitana groans, still not believing how that could’ve happened to her. 

“To me you are still the kind person I just met who basically saved my entire day.” Your eyes land on your daughter for a moment as she hugs the football close to her chest. “So, if I end up being weird, it’s because you rescued me from a complete meltdown, not because apparently you are famous.”

Aitana chuckles, “Alright, let’s head to the lounge then.” You physically see the tension leaving her body as she turns to your daughter. “Ready to play?” She nodded enthusiastically, and takes Aitana’s held out hand.

The lounge is a lot quieter, well it was before you entered, but it was nice. No one else was around. The three of you sat down on the floor, as urged to by your daughter and formed a semi-triangle with your legs, sitting feet to feet to create a box for the game your daughter wanted to play. She rolled the ball to you first, and then told you to roll it to Aitana. The three of you sat there playing for a good fifteen minutes before she was off running around again.

You stood up and held out your hand to Aitana to help her up. “You truly are a lifesafer, I don’t know how I can ever thank you.” She takes your hand and stands up with you, “I know how you can.”

A chuckle leaves your lips at how fast she had that ready. “Oh, really?” You joke back as the two of you sit down. “Yeah, come to my friend’s restaurant's grand opening with me.” 

“Like as..” You don’t even finish the sentence, unsure if finishing it would ruin whatever relationship you were building with her. “As a date.” She finishes, “And if you’re not interested in that, which is also totally fine. Come anyways, bring your daughter, your sister, and her family if she has any there. All come, it’s just been really great meeting you, and I would love to continue spending time with you.”

Your smile grows as she speaks. It was funny now knowing that she was basically famous in Barcelona, and across the footballing world, but was also just a person that got nervous. “I am sure that my sister would like some auntie time, so yes, I would love to go with you as your date.”

When the next plane arrived, it didn’t feel like much time had passed. You had fallen into easy conversation with Aitana, while your daughter had found some plane toys to play with. Once on the plane, the three of you shared a row. Aitana gave you the window seat, and your daughter sat in the middle of the two of you.

Your daughter sat on your lap after take off, watching the clouds from the window, but was quickly done with seeing the same thing for more than two minutes. She was getting restless, and her bright red cheeks told you that she had finally used up all her energy and was going to fall asleep soon.

Not even five minutes later she had climbed back into her seat, and leaned into Aitana’s side when her eyes fell shut. It was the cutest thing ever seeing how comfortable the two of them were together. Aitana looked from your daughter to you with a loving smile. 

You smile back at her, thinking that this was probably the first time, and most likely the only time in your life that you were glad you missed your flight. Meeting Aitana so far seemed totally worth it, and you couldn’t wait to spend more time with her and get to know her better.

-----

Alexia spots the game before you do, a ridiculous carnival stand with stacked cans, neon signs, and a mountain of oversized stuffed animals practically screaming come humiliate yourself here. She stops dead in her tracks, eyes narrowing at the display like it just challenged her to a penalty shootout.

“You want one?” she asks, like you didn’t already slow down two booths ago to eye the line of plushies the size of a small car.

“They’re cute.” You shrug casually.

And that’s all it takes.

“I’ll win you one,” she says with conviction, handing her water bottle to you like she’s about to go to war.

You raise an eyebrow. “You don’t have to..”

But she’s already fishing out her wallet, sleeves pushed up and jaw set with determination. She hands over the cash to the booth guy and steps up like she’s about to take a penalty in Camp Nou.

You lean on the railing and smile. Alexia has many skills: balance, power, precision. Carnival games, however? Debatable.

At her first attempt, the ball bounces off the can tower without so much as nudging it and Alexia stares at the setup like it slapped her right across the face.

Second try: same result.

“Rigged,” she mutters.

You’re try not to laugh. “Amor, just walk away. You don’t have to prove anything.”

She ignores you obviously.

Third attempt. Then fourth. Then fifth. Her throw gets more intense each time, like if she just channels enough rage, the laws of physics will break for her.

People are starting to notice now. The booth guy looks mildly terrified. The kid behind you whispers, 

“Isn’t that Alexia Putellas?”

“Shh,” you whisper back, grinning.

By the seventh try, she’s visibly sweating and her wallet is lighter. Her ego? In shambles.

Finally, she turns to you with a sigh, running a hand through her hair. 

“Okay. I give up. These games are a scam.”

You step forward, kiss her cheek, and murmur, “Let me try?”

Alexia blinks. “You?”

“Just one shot.” You smile sweetly at her.

You hand over a single coin, take the ball, and with way less power and way more aim, manage to knock the tower over on your first try.

It clatters to the floor in slow motion. The booth guy actually claps.

Alexia’s jaw drops.

You turn to her, beaming. “So… which one do you want?”

She narrows her eyes. “I was trying to win you one.”

You hand the giant purple dinosaur (the booth guy picked it with enthusiasm) to her with a wink. 

“Well, now we both win.”

Alexia takes it reluctantly, clutching the oversized thing like it just beat her at her own game

“This is embarrassing.”

You wrap your arm around her waist. 

“It's okay amor, you´re good at other things.”

She leans into you after a beat, a smile tugging at her lips. 

“Don’t tell the team.”

“Of course not baby.”

The next morning, you and Alexia walk into the training facilities side by side, coffees in one hand and the enormous purple dinosaur awkwardly cradled between you, each gripping one of its stubby arms like shared custody parents. Alexia had insisted on bringing it, said she was going to dump it in Vicky’s cubicle with no explanation, just wanted to get rid of the thing as soon as possible.

You’re both trying to act normal, walking in sync like this is a completely reasonable way to enter a professional training centre. Alexia wears her usual game face, cool and composed, as if yesterday’s public humiliation never happened. But her fingers are just a little too tight on the plushie's paw, and you're pretty sure she's pretending not to notice the way its giant head keeps bumping her hip.

You’re halfway through the back entrance when Mapi appears, phone already in hand, smile way too smug.

“Well, well, well,” she sing-songs. “Look what made it to Twitter.”

Alexia freezes. “No.”

Mapi hits play.

You hear your own voice first: Let me try? Then the glorious crash of the cans, the crowd´s noise, the triumphant booth guy. And finally Alexia’s face, stunned, confused, mildly betrayed.

“Oh my god,” you whisper. 

“They filmed it?”

“Multiple angles,” says Patri, appearing behind Mapi.

“Look, this one’s in slo-mo.” She laughs.

Alexia groans and shoves her face into the dinosaur’s neck like she can disappear inside it.

“You’re a meme now,” Mapi says, nearly vibrating. “Look, someone added, ‘me trying to impress my crush.’”

“Do not show me that,” Alexia grumbles.

Too late. Ingrid walks by and pats the dinosaur’s head.

“At least you got the prize.”

“She didn’t,” you say brightly. “I did.”

Mapi nearly falls over laughing.

Alexia glares at you. “I just wanted to do something romantic.”

“And it was!” you say, kissing her cheek. 

“Romantic and publicly humiliating.” You can´t help but tease.

By the time training ends, the dinosaur has made itself at home on the bench, propped up like it belongs there. Someone’s stuck a spare training bib on it, your sunglasses are perched on its nose, and it’s holding a water bottle like it’s ready for drills.

There’s even tape on one of its stubby legs, Ingrid insists it pulled a hamstring.

Alexia groans when she sees it.

“Oh my god. He’s still here?”

You grin. “He’s part of the team now.”

“Please don’t tell me they named it.”

Mapi winks. “Too late.”

Cata, stretching nearby, calls out proudly, “Say hello to Penaldo!”

You absolutely lose it.

Alexia drags a hand down her face. “I hate all of you.”

the clock on the nightstand showed 3:47 am.

alexia moved a little under the blanket, slowly waking up. the room was quiet, dark, and peaceful. outside, the world was still sleeping. nothing made a sound except the soft hum of the heater and a small creak in the walls.

she felt something warm and soft pressed against her side.

again.

she looked down and saw you there, holding her. your arms were wrapped around her waist, and your face was resting gently against her shoulder. you were asleep now, but she knew it hadn’t been easy. you always had trouble sleeping at night.

you never told alexia with words, but she could see it every time. the way you moved under the blanket, the long quiet moments when you were just staring at the ceiling, the deep sighs that came when sleep refused to arrive.

then, slowly and carefully, you would come even closer. you always tried not to wake her. you would quietly hold her, as if just being close could help you rest. as if her presence made you feel calm.

alexia smiled softly, her heart full of something warm. she moved her hand and gently touched your arm. you didn’t wake up. you were finally sleeping peacefully now. your body had relaxed, your breathing was slow. being close to her had helped, like it always did.

she wrapped her arm around you too, holding you in return. your head moved slightly and your nose touched her skin. she closed her eyes for a moment, just enjoying the feeling of you there.

then she whispered, her voice soft and full of love, “you’re so cute when you do this.”

you didn’t answer. you were already sleeping, safe in her arms, holding her like she was something important to you.

alexia leaned her head against yours and smiled again.

“i’ve got you,” she whispered. “sleep well mi amor.”