#ja9

you had managed to secure your dream job in barcelona fc and even though it was what you always wanted since you started your college path all those years ago, it also made you a bit sad that you were leaving england. chelsea has been your home for the past years, working with their male football club and making so many friends, including one enzo fernandez. he was probably your closest friend in the whole club since he was one of the very few that speak spanish so you both connected immediately. when you told him the news that you were moving he was incredibly proud of you and supportive, which made you feel grateful for having him as your friend.

“you know, we should celebrate that you got your dream job.” he said over lunch.

it was the first week of international break, where the guys would take a few weeks from playing in the european leagues and instead, they would be playing for their home countries.

“what do you suggest?” you asked. “hit a club with the guys?”

you and enzo were still in england since the argentina club was playing on chelsea for their first international match and you had to leave for barcelona in fifteen days.

“we could definitely do that.” he nodded with his signature smile. “i was also having some of the guys from the club over tonight, wanna come?”

“i thought most of them left already.” you frowned.

“from argentina.” he clarified. “most of them are here already so i was thinking of a chill reunion.” he smiled through his glass of water while you arch a brow.

“since when are your reunions chill?” you asked, skeptical. enzo just laughed. “is valentina gonna be there?” you smiled with anticipation. enzo’s girlfriend has lately become a very close friend of yours as well.

“yes, she’ll be there.” he rolled his eyes with a smile. he would joke saying that you were his friend first but it was valentina whom you had a stronger bond with.

“then of course i’ll go!” you said with enthusiasm, as if your mind wasn’t already set the moment he mentioned it.

if there was something about enzo, he knew how to party.

—

you knocked on enzo’s apartment door with a bottle of tequila on your hands that you knew for a fact was gonna be empty in an hour. he opened the door and greeted you with a smile, hugging you and inviting you to come in.

“everyone’s in the living room” the said while guiding you.

you arrived a bit later than he asked you to so you were convinced all of his friends were already there. you heard the noise of glasses clinking and voices laughing before you saw the group of people seated around the room. the apartment looked almost too small for the amount of people reunited at the same place. you recognized some of them from previous games, but you couldn’t place all of the guys. you assumed the women there were probably their girlfriends or wifes.

“y/n!” valentina jumped out of the couch were she was speaking to a gorgeous brunette to hug you.

“hey, you.” you smiled, hugging her back.

“guys this is y/n.” since everyone’s eyes were on you after valentina called your name, enzo introduced you. “she’s my friend.”

“hi.” you said, a slight shy smile on your face.

“come, sit down.” valentina guide you to the only place on the couch that was free, next to a guy about your age that you didn’t recognize. she sat down where she previously was and introduced you to the brunette girl and the guy next to her while everyone else went back to their conversations. “this is oriana and her boyfriend paulo.”

“nice to meet you.” you said, recognizing the guy from an italian club.

the three of them start making conversation with you, asking you questions about yourself and your job to get to know you a bit better. valentina told them about your friendship with her and enzo and your new job at barcelona.

“barcelona, that’s so cool!” oriana said with a spark on her eyes and she seemed genuinely happy for you.

“thank you!” you answered, equally excited. “it’s been my dream since forever.”

“when do you start?” paulo asked.

“oh i have to be there in two weeks.”

enzo interrupted your chat to ask you what you wanted to drink. you had to turn to your left to see him and finally locked eyes with the guy sitting at your side this whole time. he had chocolate eyes and was talking to the guy sitting next to him, but he was now looking at you. instead of answering enzo's question, you smiled at him.  

“what are you drinking?” he lifted his beer.

“heineken.” he answered somewhat shy and you nodded. your cheeks blushed a little at the sound of his voice.

“is it good?” you asked stupidly, wanting to hear his voice again. he smiled.

“yeah, it’s good.” you imitate him and looked at enzo.

“a heineken i guess.”

“i though you wanted some of the tequila you brought?” he asked instead.

“oh!” valentina interjected. “i make some killer margaritas.” she looked at you with big pleading eyes. you chuckled and instead of answering her, you turned to the guy on your left again.

“should we try them?”

“oh for sure.” he said convinced. “i’ve tried them before, they’re great.”

“margaritas then.” you smiled at valentina and she went straight to the kitchen with enzo. you looked back at him, finding his eyes on you already. “what is your name?”

“julian.” he said, drinking the last bit of his beer. “you’re y/n, no?” you nodded. “how do you know enzo?”

you went on to explain the story of how you meet and then julian told you his. the conversation with him flowed easily, he was a bit shy at first but once he let loose he was really funny, you found yourself laughing at all of his jokes and fixing your hair more times than usual. and you really, really liked the sound of his voice. is this what having a crush feels like? you haven’t had one in so long you actually might’ve forgotten.

“margaritas for two.” the sound of valentina’s voice interrupted your talk as she handed you your drink.

“thank you.” you said taking a sip. it was rather strong, but just as good as both valentina and julian had promised. “this is very good.” you complimented and your friend smiled, satisfied.

in no time, the one margarita became two and then three and julian and you were definitely tipsy. not drunk enough to be embarrassing but definitely enough to lose all shame.

“you have a beautiful smile.” he said suddenly. you smiled unconsciously. “sorry if it’s too straightforward, i’ve wanted to say that since i saw you.” you shook your head.

“no, it’s fine, thank you.” you felt your cheeks blush a little and thanked enzo internally for keeping the lights dim on the apartment.

“can i confess something else now that i’m a little drunk?” you were a bit surprised to see what a couple of margaritas could do to get rid of his shyness, but you couldn’t complain.

“please.” you encouraged him.

“i hate that i just met you and now you’re leaving to spain.” he said. “i wish i met you sooner.” he took a sip from his third margarita and you did the same.

“you know, i still have two weeks here.” you gave him a knowing look and he returned it. “when are you free?”

“tomorrow.” he answered a bit too fast and you smiled the way he liked. he composed himself and clear his throat. “i mean, yeah, any time until the game, which is in four days.” you nodded while drinking again. “which you should come to, but the way.”

“enzo invited me to the game.“ you said because you forgot to tell him sooner.

“oh, then i guess i can see you the whole week.” this time you laughed and he smiled a little.

the feeling was a bit strange because you’ve know julian for about three hours now, but you felt like you’ve know him for years and you wanted to hang out with him as much as he wanted to hang out with you. he was interesting and smart and funny and, fortunately for you, incredibly handsome.

It had been a long time since the last time you went out. Your ex-boyfriend was never a fan of partying, and you had preferred spending time with him over being alone. But that was over now, and you were more than okay with it. At last, you could enjoy the spontaneity of Madrid’s nightlife again—just you and your group of friends singing at the top of your lungs and dancing to the music alongside hundreds of strangers.

Although, not everyone in the club was a stranger.

Why is it that, on the very first night you decide to embrace your single life, you end up running into all the players from your favorite team?

And why is it that, on the exact same night Julian decides to go out with his new teammates for the first time after a particularly tough win, he feels like he’s falling in love at first sight as he watches you dance?

With short steps and some encouraging words from his teammate, he started walking toward you, slowly, with a certain air of confidence. Your slightly alcohol-fuzzy brain took a moment to recognize him.

“Wait,” you said when he asked you to dance. “I know you.”

The brunette raised an eyebrow, a small cocky smile appearing on his face.

“I mean, I don’t know you, but I know who you are,” you clarified.

“Tell me your name so we’re even,” he smiled.

If your cheeks weren’t already flushed from the alcohol, dancing, and the heat of the room, they surely were now. You told him your name, and he led you to the dance floor. You thought he’d leave after one song, but he danced with you through one, two, three, four more.

“Congratulations on your goal today,” you said mid-dance, and he smiled.

“You watched the match?” he asked, surprised. It wasn’t exactly a secret that Atletico wasn’t Madrid’s star team. Finding fans, even in the city, wasn’t very common for him.

You nodded in response.

“That’s why I went out tonight,” you replied. “Well, among other reasons, but the match result played a part.”

Julian pulled your hips impossibly closer to his.

“Then it’s my lucky day.”