#mac mccabe

Alessia always made the joke that she’d sleep the entire night if she wasn’t hyper aware, even in her sleep, when your arms weren’t wrapped around her. You’d of course find it stupid when she made that argument, but in fairness, whenever she woke you in the middle of the night, you’d always have your back to her.

Most nights once she’d cuddle into you or you’d turn around and throw your arm over her, the girl would be asleep in seconds. It’s like she craved you being as close as possible to make her body fully switch off and relax. But there were other nights that you just couldn’t be close enough, and Alessia wouldn’t be able to settle. Like tonight.

Tonight, you could hear the TV faintly playing in the background and you could feel Alessia gently stroking the tattoos on your back with her nails. Alessia never liked to wake you, she’d let you sleep peacefully even when she couldn’t. You weren’t one who liked being woken up either, but if you had to pick a way, the most perfect girl in the world running her nails gently across your body would be the option you’d pick.

When you got the coaching job with the Lionesses, you got a little cap with Alessia’s legacy number, 215, on it tattooed on the back of your ribs. That seemed to be the one she went to constantly, before tracing over all your other ones, all the way up to your neck and then moving down your back again. There were plenty of tattoos to choose from, ranging in sizes.

When she’d get bored of that, she’d start moving around the bed, trying to get comfortable, until she would wake you up. She’d never purposely wake up but when you felt she was severely uncomfortable, you’d finally budge to help her.

“Less, please, baby. I’m beggin’ ye to please just-”

“It’s not my fault!” Alessia huffed. “I can’t get comfortable and you’re taking up three quarters of the bed” she added, forcing you to turn around with a groan.

You were in no way taking up more than your half of the bed, but the minute you looked at her tired face, you could tell she really needed you and was just grumpy at the lack of sleep.

“Just move me wherever ye need me, darlin’” you sighed, a little more empathetically. Alessia wiggled around for another few minutes, eventually settling her head on your chest and your fingers began gently running through her hair.

“Better?” You asked.

Alessia’s fingertips ran along the 23 tattoo you’d gotten for her very early into your relationship while she breathed out a silent hum.

“Better”.

You nestled your head back into your pillow, content in falling back asleep in this position, until Alessia spoke again.

“What’s your favourite tattoo?” She asked.

“Of mine? Or yours?” You mumbled, keeping in the groan that you wanted to let out at the fact that it was 2:15am.

She’d never questioned you much on them before, never getting into the detail of them apart from her 23 one and the cap on your back. Your body was covered in tattoos, you had way over 100 easily, and had started getting them from when you turned 15. Once you realised that you were cursed with middle child syndrome and your parents barely had time to bat an eyelid at you, you just started getting tattoos.

“Your own” Alessia clarified. “I know your favourite one on me already” she giggled.

She’d also gotten your jersey number tattooed on her ring finger, but when that got covered up by the massive rock you’d put there, she got a new one which was dedicated to you. She had a little shamrock leaf right behind her ear that she got a few days after you proposed.

“I like my 23” you mumbled. “But my favourite one is this one” you said, guiding her hand over the massive flower bouquet that covered your entire thigh.

“Why?” Alessia whispered, as you sensed by her hushed expression that she was getting a bit tired now.

“That was the bouquet I got ye for our first date, completely the same” you smiled, keeping your tone of voice soothing.

“Really?” Alessia yawned, too tired to comprehend that fully.

“Yeah, really” you nodded, feeling her hand slide from your leg up to your stomach and tracing over the multiple tattoos you had there.

“Tell me about this one” Alessia said, nestling into the crook of your neck and skimming her fingernail over the writing.

“The whole Irish squad got it when we qualified for the World Cup” you explained. “We all forgot to agree on a body part so we all ended up gettin’ them in random places” you chuckled, thinking about the fact yours was on your stomach and not your arm because you were struggling to find room.

“This one” she said, wrapping her hand around your neck. When you moved to Barcelona, you got a gigantic tattoo that started on your shoulder and worked its way up your neck.

“I got it done in Barcelona” you reminded her. “The third or fourth day after I’d moved, I was really missin’ ye and missin’ home, so I went and got it” you explained.

“But what’s the meaning? Or were you just bored?” Alessia giggled.

“It’s the inner part of a clock showin’ 1pm and 2pm” you mumbled, making Alessia sit up and look at you and how weird that sounded.

“You’re beyond ridiculous, how did you even think of that?” She chuckled out, stroking your face and your neck where the tattoo was.

“My 2pm was your 1pm” you mumbled, making Alessia realise you were referring to the 1 hour time difference between London and Barcelona.

The thought of time made her eyes heavy again, becoming more aware of how late it was. Maybe at some stage she’d not be tired enough to let it sink in how your body was practically a shrine to her.

“What about your new ones?” Alessia continued anyway, tracing up your arm despite her eyes being closed now.

“The one’s Georgia did?” You chuckled softly. “They’ve no meanin’, she just needed somewhere to practice” you sighed, looking down at the silly little tattoos Georgia had given you after you lost a bet with her at the last England camp.

“Keep going” Alessia squeezed your hip and swung her leg over your body. You swear sometimes Alessia acted like she’d only be content if she could cut you open and climb inside of you.

You harped on for another 15 minutes, going through the multiple tattoos across your body. Although Alessia had kept you up and she seemed to be the first one drifting off, you couldn’t help but feel so at ease at the way she perfectly traced the outline of some of your tattoos, without even having to look.

Eventually, your tattoo talk had lulled Alessia back to sleep, but now you were the one struggling, because there was only one thing on your mind.

The Arsenal team all loved your little doggie, and always sent you pictures of them with him, but you usually left them on the seen. You weren’t that pushed talking to people outside of your Barcelona teammates, Alessia and Leah much anymore. You replied to them sometimes, but with the obscene amount of selfies they sent you with him, it got a bit tiring.

-

You were packing to head home for a few days when your apartment buzzer went off.

“Hola?”

“Hola Mac, open the door” Alexia said, leaving you with no option but to buzz her in. She took the lift up to your apartment on the top floor, and proceeded to bang on your apartment door once she arrived outside.

“Buenas tardes. Lo siento, estoy ocupado-” Good afternoon. Sorry, I’m busy-

“English, por favor” Alexia cut across you. She had been trying to improve her English desperately now that you were fluent in Spanish and she had a good teacher.

“I’m busy with packin’ to go home” you explained, slowly.

“Sí, no- yes” Alexia nodded. “I’m coming too” she added, now noticing her suitcase that had been left at the door.

“Ye are comin’ where?” You frowned.

“London” she sighed, slapping your arm out of frustration that you weren’t keeping up with her. “I want to see Alban”

“Ye want to come to London to meet my dog?” You laughed.

“Sí, ugh, no- yes” she huffed, eventually getting her English right. “I stay in your house, I see the dog and Alessia. It’s good, no?”

“Nosotras solo tenemos dos dormitorios y-” We only have two bedrooms and-

“English, estúpida” idiot Alexia moaned. “I can sleep with Leah”

“If ye want to speak English, ye cannot phrase that sentence that way” you chuckled as Alexia rolled her eyes, not fully understanding why what she said sounded so bad.

“Have you eaten? I can cook” Alexia suggested as you shrugged in approval and the captain wandered off to your kitchen.

Y/n/n 💚

Alexia is coming home with me. That alright? x

Less 🤍

That’s okay 🥰 xx

Y/n/n 💚

She said she can sleep with Leah 😂

Less 🤍

That’ll freak Lee out so much. She called Ale hot awhile ago 😂

Can’t wait to see you. Miss you so much x

Y/n/n 💚

Miss you too baby, can’t wait to be home with you 😘 xx

And our lil man x

-

The next day you and Alexia boarded a flight to London and you were over the moon when Alessia was stood at arrivals, waiting for you.

“Less” you shouted to get her attention as her lips instantly curved into a smile. “Hi” you barely got out before she jumped into your arms, wrapping her legs around you and pressing kisses to your face.

“God I missed you so much” she giggled, eventually landing one of her kisses on your lips.

“Hello, I’m here too” Alexia inputted.

“Give it a minute” you mumbled, continuing to kiss Alessia until she jumped down and gave Alexia a warm hug.

“What convinced you to come?” Alessia asked your teammate who looked at her blankly.

“¿Por qué estás aquí?” Why are you here you translated.

“I meet Alban” Alexia explained. “Mac is always talking about Alban” she chuckled.

“Not about me?” Alessia scoffed playfully, pushing your arm. “I feel like he can sense you’re coming home, he’s been wired all morning” Alessia giggled.

“Oh yeah?” You smirked, letting her lead you both towards the car as you pulled you and Alexia’s suitcases along.

“He’s been such a nightmare since you left. He doesn’t listen to me or Leah at all” Alessia moaned.

“I can have a word with him” you winked, making the blonde laugh.

“Well please do. He seems to listen to you!” She sighed, opening the boot as you flung both suitcases into it.

“Can you drive?” Alessia asked, handing you the keys as you nodded and took them off her.

“Shot gun” Alexia shouted, attempting to jump into the front seat but you quickly locked the car again.

“Métete en la parte de atrás” Get in the back you frowned as the Spanish captain sighed and buckled into the back seat in a huff.

You drove the entire drive home with your hand on Alessia’s thigh, using the other to alternate between the steering wheel and the gear stick. When you got to the house, Alessia hopped out of the car to unlock the front door and you got the suitcases from the boot.

“Thank you” Alexia said when you put the suitcase in front of her. You quickly looked over the girl’s shoulder to make sure Alessia was out of sight before you spilled Alban’s secret.

“Did ye hear Less sayin’ that Alban doesn’t listen to her?” You asked.

“Yes” Alexia nodded, eyes scrunching into a frown, not really sure where you were going with this.

“Alban doesn’t understand English” you laughed. “He’s Spanish”

“¿Español?” Alexia chuckled, watching you nod.

“Can you two come inside? It’s bloody freezing” Leah shouted from the door.

“Ye can just say that ye missed me and want a hug, ye know?” You smirked, making your way to the door.

“I did miss you and I do want a hug” Leah admitted, squishing her body against you as hard as possible. You heard the little patter of paws coming towards you and you knew instantly it was Alban coming to get your attention.

“Mi pequeño niño” My little boy you whispered as he flopped onto his back and waited for you to rub his belly.

“Uh, I’ll take this for you” Leah said, grabbing Alexia’s suitcase and taking it upstairs.

“Thank you” Alexia shouted after the England captain, but not being too certain why Leah was stuttering.

“She’s just excited about ye sleepin’ together” you explained as Alexia groaned and went into the kitchen to where Alessia was.

“Siéntate. Buen chico” Sit. Good boy you smiled watching as Alban sat down. “Pata, por favor?” Paw, please? You asked, waiting as the dog placed his paw in your hand.

Leah and Alessia tried to be strict with Alban, but he just looked at them cluelessly when they shouted something at him. You found it hilarious and now Alexia knew too, she couldn’t help but be amused.

“The dog you got us is broken” Leah huffed. “I’ve never met a dog that you can say walk around and he doesn’t get excited”

“She’s right! Look” Alessia began. “Alban? Do you want to go for a walk? Walkies? Walk, walk, walk, walk, walk!” Alessia exclaimed to no avail.

“Maybe he doesn’t like walks” you shrugged.

“He loves them” Leah groaned. “So, I don’t understand him” she added, and you bit your tongue at wanting to tell her that it was actually him that didn’t understand her.

As the four of you relaxed in the living room, he got up off his little bed and jumped up onto your lap, squishing himself between the minimal space Alessia had left between you.

“Alban! Get down now. You know you’re not allowed up there” Leah grunted as he cocked his head at her. “Get. Down” Leah glared at him.

“Down, Alban, abajo” down. You mumbled as the dog immediately jumped down and went back to his bed.

“It’s not fair!” Leah huffed, sticking the finger up at the dog who’d just snuggled back down and went back to sleep, as you and Alexia burst out laughing.

“What’s so funny?” Leah frowned.

“Oh my god” Alessia shouted. “You” she pointed sternly at you.

“Me?” You smirked, pretending to be shocked.

“You can’t teach the dog everything in Spanish and then just leave him here with us” Alessia complained.

“Alban’s Spanish?” Leah asked.

“Alban, ven aquí” come here you shouted as the dog stood up and ran over to you. “He’s Spanish” you confirmed, nodding your head.

“Fuck you Mac, that’s actually shit. I hate you” Leah groaned, standing up to go to the kitchen as you and Alexia couldn’t contain your laughter.

Alessia and Leah stayed best friends and housemates for a long time, until Leah met her girlfriend, Elle. When she moved out of the home the three of you once shared, Alessia moved into a smaller, downsized place with Alban.

The break up with Alessia had broken you in ways you didn’t even think was possible. Your life was already falling apart as it was with your career ending, and she, understandably, just didn’t know how to cope with that or how to help you. You, being you, never made it easy for her either. You shut down when she tried to help or constantly trying to drink away your problems. It was a toxic cycle, and in fairness to Alessia, she put a stop to it for her own sake.

You respected it, but it left you brokenhearted. You wished you could have handled the entire situation better, because, who knows? Maybe Alessia was actually the one. Maybe you could have had a family, done something else in and around the football world and been happy. Instead of being this miserable, blank person you’d turned into in Barcelona.

You were pretty sure Alessia was the one, because it had been four years and you still hadn’t got over her.

-

“Hola Mac” Alexia called from your front door, letting herself in with her key.

“Hola” you mumbled back. “Is Olga with ye?”

“No, just me” she said, shutting the front door and heading to your kitchen.

She came into the room, seeing you sitting at the kitchen table with your head in your hands.

“¿Todo bien?” Alexia frowned, quickly taking a seat beside you.

“Not really” you shook your head, handing her the piece of paper.

“A wedding?” Alexia asked, scanning the paper until she landed on the name.

“Le- Leah is getting married?” She gasped.

“Yeah” you replied. “I don’t have a choice, do I? I have to go” you groaned.

“Sí, that’s right” she agreed.

“Ye need to come as my date” you began.

“No, no” she shook her head. “No way”

“Please, I can’t go on my own” you begged.

“Nosotras casi nos besamos” Alexia blurted out.

“Ye almost kissed who?” You frowned.

“Wait do ye mean Leah? Ye almost kissed Leah? When? What the fuck? Does Olga know?” You spilled out

“No” she said, squishing your lips together to get you to shut up.

“It was before we even were engaged and I didn’t really kiss her” she explained.

“Okay, so we can both be awkward together then” you suggested.

“Olga will say no, she will miss me too much” Alexia shrugged.

“She won’t say no to me” you smirked.

Olga loved you, anything she broke she would come over and bat her eyelids and you’d come and fix it for her in their apartment. She would thank you by cooking or baking for you. You liked Olga, her and Alexia made a lot of sense as a couple. You couldn’t ever imagine Alexia and Leah working out in any universe.

So, Olga agreed once you’d asked, of course. Despite Alexia thinking Olga would say no because she would miss her, Olga was delighted to get her out of the apartment and have a few days of peace. In return, you had to assemble a flat pack Olga had bought on a whim without Alexia knowing. So you put it together for the Spanish girl and had it ready and standing before Alexia even got home, so Olga could make it out that it had been there the entire time.

But you were just thankful that for the first time you were going to see Alessia in four years, your best friend was going to be with you.

-

Back in London, your ex girlfriend was going through a similar crisis. Of course she had a little bit more warning that the date for Leah’s wedding was coming. She was the maid of honour. She knew you were going to be there, but it hadn’t really hit her until Leah got your RSVP including a plus one.

“What does she mean by a plus one? Is she dating someone?” Alessia frowned.

It was impossible to know with you what was going on in your life. You had really enjoyed when you were with Alessia posting about your life together online because it was like you were documenting everything for your future. But that future didn’t exist now and you gave up with posting about your life.

“Not that I’m aware” Leah shrugged. “It’s probably Alexia”

“Why would it be Alexia?” Alessia moaned.

“Because she probably doesn’t want to come on her own and wants someone she’s comfortable with there” Leah explained.

“What if she brings a date? What do I do then?” Alessia huffed.

“There’s nothing stopping you bringing a date” Leah said.

“You know her better than anyone, she’s just awkward. I’m telling you it’s not a date” Leah reassured her, taking out her phone that had beeped

Leah was right. You were a very awkward individual and hated stepping outside your comfort zone. You would only ever step outside your comfort zone for one person, but she wasn’t in your life anymore.

Mac

Hey, thanks for the invite to the wedding and congrats to you and Elle. Just wanted to let you know that my +1 is Alexia. If that’s not alright it’s grand though.

“I’m sure this text wasn’t for me” Leah smirked, turning the phone around to show Alessia your message. “Better?”

“Yeah” she nodded. “It’s been four years, why am I still so hung up on someone that I broke up with?” Alessia sighed.

“You haven’t really put yourself back out there either” Leah mentioned.

“I’ve tried” Alessia groaned. “Say if something happened-”

“Please” Leah stopped her. “If you two got back together it would make my life so much easier” she laughed.

“So, you’d be fine?” Alessia asked.

“Yes, but you need to play a bit hard to get. You can’t just go for it straight away” Leah explained.

“Well, what do you think I should do?” Alessia asked.

-

You’d gotten to the hotel late last night, so you and Alexia had just made a brief plan of what time to be ready for before going to your rooms and curling up in bed.

You hadn’t been in London in 4 years.

You, as usual, were ready at the agreed time, banging on Alexia’s door who took a minute to open it.

“You look nice” Alexia smiled as she opened her hotel room door.

“Thanks” you nodded. “I’d say the same, but you’re still not ready. Vamos, por favor” you mumbled.

“Sí, come in” she giggled, throwing you a bag of mini cookies to distract you at the fact that she wasn’t ready.

“I just need to put my dress and shoes on and then we can go. Eat your cookies and shut up” she said, pointing to the bag of biscuits that you were munching on and scrolling on your phone.

The next time you looked up, Alexia was stood applying lipstick in the mirror, now fully ready to go.

“Ye look nice” you mumbled.

“I know” she smirked. “Come here” she said, tightening your tie and straightening your jacket.

“Vale, vamos” she smiled, squishing your cheeks and walking out of the room.

You sat down near the middle of the room, speaking Spanish with Alexia, a thing you two often did when you were in public spaces, until your voice caught in your throat.

“Mac?” Alexia frowned as she saw your eyes drop to the floor.

“Oh” she mumbled when she saw who was now stood at the top of the room. Alexia met you when you had been with Alessia for quite some time. She’d watched you struggle to put yourself back out there over the last four years. But she’d never seen you so anxious as you were right now.

“This was a mistake” you whispered. “I can’t be here” you added.

“Relax. It’s okay” Alexia threw her hand on your knee. “She can’t stop looking at you, should I wave?” Alexia asked, fully serious.

“Do not fuckin’ move that hand or I will break it, Reina” you huffed. “She looks so good, I can’t cope” you groaned.

“Just think of dinner” Alexia said, trying to distract you, which seemed to be working in helping to ease you as she noticed you looking at her like a puppy.

“Did that work? Vale, sí, dinner” she continued. “And whatever I don’t eat, you can have”

“Really?” You asked.

“Sí. What are you going to order?” She mumbled.

She pulled out her phone to show you the menu again as you were now fully distracted going over the wide selection of food. You subconsciously thanked Leah’s wife to be because you know there was no way Leah put this menu together. It distracted you right the way up to the music beginning to play and the ceremony beginning. You were delighted for Leah, really you were, but you could not keep your eyes off of Alessia.

She looked beautiful.

Thankfully you were sat separately for dinner, and you thought you were going to get away with not speaking to her for the whole night, until Alexia sent you to the bar to get her a drink.

“Uh, hey” you stuttered to the girl stood beside you.

“Hi, Mac” Alessia smiled as your heart dropped. Why was she calling you that?

“Can I, uh” you said, still a bit taken a back. “Do ye want a drink?” You asked.

“I’m good Mac, thank you” she nodded, taking her drink from the bar and walking away.

Mac? What the fuck?

“What’s up?” Leah smiled as she wrapped her arm around you.

“Nothin’” you shook your head. “Congratulations” you added, giving her a hug.

“Did I see you and Less talking?” She asked, nudging your shoulder.

“Yeah, she just called me Mac twice and went back to her mates” you explained.

“What?” Leah frowned.

“Here you are” the bartender said, sliding you two drinks.

“I’ll see ye in a bit” you faked a smile to the bride, not wanting to bother her with your issues on her wedding day. You got back to the table and slammed Alexia’s drink down in front of her.

“That bad?” Alexia said.

“Yeah” you groaned. “I don’t think tonight could get worse, actually”

“Think again” Alexia mumbled as your older sister sat down beside you.

“A text would have been nice to let me know ye were comin’” Katie huffed.

“Right” you nodded back and let your eyes fall to the ground.

“Alessia Russo” Leah whisper shouted. “I said play hard to get, not abandon all morals you had on that nickname”

“It slipped out” Alessia groaned. “I’ve completely fucked it, haven’t I?” She asked as Leah glanced over to your table.

She watched on as you practically squirmed in your seat as Katie chatted the ear off you. As per usual, your eyes were glued to the ground and Alexia also sat awkwardly, not really understanding the English with how quick your sister spoke.

“I’m sure she’d forgive you if you go save her from that” Leah said, flicking her eyes towards you as Alessia looked over.

You and Katie had spoken less in the last four years than you had with Alessia. And despite not really knowing you anymore, your ex girlfriend understood that you wanted to be swallowed whole by the ground right now.

She got to her feet, not yet thinking about what she was going to say until she was right at the edge of your table.

“Y/n?” Alessia said, interrupting Katie completely as you looked up.

“Can we talk?” She asked, as you very quickly nodded and got up off the seat, following her over towards the dance floor that was now jam packed.

Alexia also got up from the table, spotting Lia and Mariona and striking up a conversation with them.

“Did ye want to dance or somethin’?” You frowned as Alessia now realised she’d pulled you onto the dance floor.

“I was just trying to get you away, but I don’t know what option was worse for you” Alessia giggled.

“Definitely not you anyway” you shook your head with a smile as a slow song turned on.

“Do ye want to dance?” You asked again as the girl nodded and pressed against you rather quickly.

“I didn’t mean to call you Mac” the girl whispered against your chest as your fingers interlocked with hers, your other hand resting on her lower back and hers on your shoulder.

“I never thought I’d hear ye say that name” you chuckled as the girl found a weird comfort in the way your body vibrated against her.

“I was so nervous to see ye as it was, that’s why I brought Lex with me” you explained.

“You were nervous?” She asked.

“Terrified” you nodded as she pulled back a little bit to look up at you. “I know it’s been four years, but I still struggle not to think about ye” you admitted.

“I find it hard too” Alessia explained as you softened a little. “Have you-”

“Once” you answered her before she asked the question. “I met a girl in Barcelona and we went on one date, but it just wasn’t the same” you shrugged.

“You’re trying to tell me in four years you’ve slept with one person?” She asked, not really believing you.

“Yeah” you nodded. “Why? Have ye slept with more?” You frowned.

“Two” she answered honestly. “But yeah, it wasn’t the same” she repeated as the two of you stayed silently swaying to the next song. Why did it have to be this song?

“Ye know” you began. “I always thought if we were goin’ to get married some day, that this would be our weddin’ song” you hummed.

“Really?” Alessia said, fully backing away as if you’d said the complete wrong thing.

“I did too” she smiled, and that smile could have killed you, especially when her hand slid from your shoulder to the back of your neck.

“Less, I’ve spent four years tryin’ to get over ye” you mumbled.

“Well I can’t get over you” she whispered in your ear. “And I can’t keep pretending that I am” she said.

“I don’t know what I’m meant to do here” you sighed as you pulled back from her a little.

“Yes you do” she nodded, unlocking your hands and guiding your free one to her waist.

“You know exactly what to do” she groaned against your ear as you practically went weak.

You pushed your lips against hers and way too many memories came flooding back to you, good and bad. But you pushed them all to the back of your mind, because your focus had to be on one thing and one thing only. You were taking this girl back to your hotel room.

“Can we go somewhere more private?” You asked the girl who was already nodding and dragging you out of the room. She pulled you by the tie into the lift, trapping herself willingly between the wall and your body.

“Did you bring anything, baby?” She asked between kisses as you shook your head. “That’s okay, you’re more than enough” she smirked as you kissed down her neck, pulling her dress up slightly.

“Wait until we get into the room” she giggled and slapped your hand.

“Can’t help it” you smirked. “Ye don’t understand how badly I want ye”

“Trust me, I do. I want you just as badly” she confirmed as finally the lift doors opened on your floor.

You led her down the hall by her hand and when you stopped to get the key card out of your pocket, she bit your earlobe before whispering, “I want you to fuck me so good, like a good girl”

“Yes, boss” you nodded, pulling her inside as the door opened.

You actually kind of felt bad for Leah that two of her best friends had left her wedding for hours on end. Too busy fucking the life out of each other three floors up in the comfort of a hotel room. You explored Alessia’s body again like it was a new found religion.

It’d been so long since you both had slept with someone that you mutually agreed through a chuckle that the first time you both finished didn’t count, and you were determined to make up for lost time. And after about 10 rounds, you eventually both decided to take a break.

“I’ve missed ye so much” you said as the two of you laid back on the mattress, turned on your sides to face each other.

“I missed you too” she nodded, stroking the side of your face gently. “Is there any way we could start over?” She asked.

“What do ye mean? Like ye want to be together again?” You replied.

“I don’t know? Maybe?” She sighed. “It’s never going to be the same with anybody else and I’m still in love with you” she admitted as you gulped.

“I love ye too, Less” you smiled as she pulled you in to kiss you again.

“Come home” she pouted. “What are you doing in Barcelona?”

“I’m working as a contractor for this company” you mumbled.

“As in, you’re like-”

“Maintenance, basically” you cut across her.

“So do you wear those sexy trousers?” She smirked.

“Yeah, and then the company polo is like light grey” you explained, taking your phone off the counter to show her a photo.

“God, you’re so fit” she moaned. “Go back down” she mumbled, attempting to push your head as you laughed.

“Ye know, we should both probably go back down. Before Alexia or Leah kills us” you added.

“That’s true” she nodded with a giggle. “But on one condition” she said.

“Yeah?”

“You promise to take me back up here later to go asleep” she smiled.

“Mac, that was almost a fucking year ago” Leah shouted.

“I know” was all you could reply, shrugging as you pulled up to your apartment complex and getting out of the car.

“When are you going to tell her?” Leah frowned.

“I wanted to while she was here, but it was all just so nice and I didn’t want to ruin it” you sighed. “Then Alexia showed up”

“Does she know?” Leah asked.

“No, you’re the first one I’ve told” you replied honestly.

“Fuck Mac. I don’t even know what to say, man” Leah groaned at the thought of it and you let a groan also leave your lips. “So, what does this mean?” Leah asked as you shrugged.

-

“Oye, pasa. ¿Cómo estás?” Hey, come in. How are you? The doctor asked as you sat on the bed.

“Bien, gracias” Good, thanks you replied, though you had your eyes glued to the floor.

It had been a reoccurring problem for you during your career as a defender, it was natural you took knocks to the head. Whether it was head to head collisions, punches to the head from the keeper, kicks to the head, or even your head hitting the ground, you had taken them all. And plenty of them.

Obviously, your first major incident had been at the previous Euros tournament, where you were knocked unconscious by a punch to the head. You knew deep down you hadn’t been right since, but you pushed it to the back of your mind and you played it cool anytime you saw a doctor. If you didn’t, you knew they’d try to do further tests or scans. Then came Stina’s boot to the face, then came the knock in training that ruled you out of the game a few weeks ago and finally came the thump to the ground from Katie’s push. Every sudden movement now made you feel dizzy and you had constant headaches. But anytime a doctor or a medical professional would ask, you repeated the same line with a fake smile on your face and your thumbs firmly pointed up.

“me siento muy bien” I’m feeling great.

After your conversation with Leah, she frowned anytime she’d see your name on the Barcelona and Ireland team sheet. She’d call you, only for you to tell her you were fine and you were being dramatic on the phone before. Your go to line seemed to be that you were blaming the stress of Alessia leaving and you two being separated again. But it wasn’t the case, you were just afraid to give up football. You’d take hundreds more knocks to the head if it meant you could lace up your boots and continue to kick a ball around for a living.

So, you continued to play it cool and after each game your head was worse than the previous time. Alexia and Lucy started to notice it more when you were banging into things or falling over. You’d usually just pass out on the couch when they came over, never being able to keep your eyes open long enough for video games or TV anymore.

-

Obviously, Barcelona had won the league and were also heading to the Champions League final to play Chelsea. You had three weeks until the game, so the coaching staff gave you a week off to celebrate the league win. You all went drinking in a nightclub when someone came up with the wild idea you should all go to Ibiza for your time off.

“Lessi baby” you slurred through the phone, in the nightclub.

“Hi you big drunk idiot” she laughed as you smirked.

“I booked ye on a flight to Ibiza in the mornin’ to come celebrate with me” you somehow managed to explain.

“Do you not have a champions league to prepare for?” She giggled as you chuckled.

“Yeah, but it’s only against Chelsea” you smirked making her laugh.

“What time is my flight?” She asked, running upstairs to start getting things together.

“8am” you huffed as you downed a shot. “I’ll send ye over the details now baby, but I’ll meet ye at the airport when ye land” you added before hanging up.

Leah was startled by a loud bang that made her and Alban trot upstairs to go to check on Alessia. She knocked at Alessia’s bedroom door before letting herself inside.

“All okay?” Leah asked as Alessia nodded.

“Y/n booked me on a flight to Ibiza, giving me-” Alessia checked her watch “7 hours notice that I need to be in the airport for a flight” Alessia scowled.

“Do you need help packing?” Leah asked as Alessia sat still on the bed.

“How long are we even going for? Is it just us? Where are we staying?” Alessia panicked as Leah sat down beside her.

“Hey relax, it’s okay. Mac was just trying to be nice” Leah reassured her as Alessia’s phone pinged. You’d sent her through all the details of the flight and she laughed. “What’s so funny?” Leah asked.

“She’s booked a flight for you too” Alessia giggled, showing her the phone. Only then did she see the two tickets, one for Alessia, one for herself.

“That’s 7 hours notice for a flight! I have to pack, get ready, bring Alban somewhere-” Leah began to scramble.

“Oh relax Leah, Y/n was only being nice” Alessia mocked Leah’s accent in the words that just slipped past her lips only moments ago.

It wasn’t long until they headed to the airport, leaving the dog with the only person they deemed to be suitable to mind him. Lia.

-

You’re pretty sure the whole Barcelona squad was still drunk when you arrived in Ibiza. Your flight didn’t take too long, and you met Leah and Alessia who arrived in shortly after. A few of the team were waiting for the friends and partners that they invited. Keira instantly gravitated towards Leah as you took yours and Alessia’s suitcases and rolled them towards the bus.

“When did we hire a bus?” Lucy asked you but you shrugged and laughed.

“Don’t question it” you said continuing to laugh as you put the suitcases at the bottom of the bus, and of course, hitting your head off the roof on the way back up.

“You okay baby?” Alessia asked, helping you out of the luggage storage and up the steps of the bus.

You just laughed, it probably would have hurt if you hadn’t been drinking for the past 13 and a half hours. The bus took about an hour to get to the accommodation. It may as well have been a party bus because those who were drunk were now severely drunk and those who were sober were now drunk too. Barca had booked a row of five villas for the whole team. In your villa was:

Bedroom 1: You and Alessia

Bedroom 2: Keira and Leah

Bedroom 3: Lucy and Ona

Bedroom 4: Alexia and Olga

You could barely stand when you got off the bus. Alessia couldn’t hold you up, so Lucy and Alexia did, while the others grabbed the bags. They put you on the bed in your bedroom and Alessia rolled in your suitcase, only to find you sitting at the side of the bed, attempting pathetically to scroll on your phone.

“Someone is drunk drunk” she giggled as she sat on your lap, while you smirked and shook your head.

It wasn’t long after you started getting into a heated kiss that Leah appeared at the door and cleared her throat. Both of you were too wrapped up in the kiss to notice her presence, so she did it a bit louder this time as you grabbed the bottom of Alessia’s shirt to tug it up. Alessia pulled away and looked towards Leah standing at the door.

“You do realise this door has been open, for all of us to see this little show?” Leah laughed as Alessia blushed. The kiss had sobered you up slightly and the pain in your head was starting to become evident.

“Amor, come for shots” Alexia shouted as she headed into the room, grabbing Alessia’s hand and taking her to the bar in the villa. The two had became good friends now.

“Did you bang your head again?” Leah whispered as she stepped in and closed the door.

“No” you shook your head, closing your eyes to stop dizziness kicking in straight away.

“Don’t lie to me, I saw it” Leah sighed.

“I’m fine. It didn’t even hurt” you laughed as you stood up, but quickly lost your footing due to the dizziness. Luckily, Leah was alert and she caught you before you hit the ground.

“Jesus Mac” Leah said as she pulled her arm around your waist.

“I’m fine” you said, brushing her off and heading to find the bar.

“¿Disparo?” Shot? Alexia asked as she practically shoved it down your throat. You helped yourself to another, and then another.

“Baby, slow down” Alessia pouted, putting her hand over yours.

“Esto es tranquilo para ti, ¿no?” This is calm for you, no? Alexia laughed as you smirked.

You had turned into a bit of a party animal since moving to Barcelona. At the beginning it was to get over the fact you weren’t in London anymore, but then it was mostly to have a reason as to why you felt shit all the time. You noticed Lucy whisper something to Leah and presumed she was probably translating what Alexia had said, which she was.

“Mac is wild” Ona laughed, as if it was something everyone was aware of.

“Mac? Wild?” Leah frowned.

“She’d put anybody under a table with how much she can drink” Keira said as she left the group and went to join the crew doing shots.

Leah noticed the worried look on Alessia’s face, and waited for Keira to follow Ona over to the in house bar.

“Luce, can I talk to you for a minute?” Leah asked, pulling her arm and away from the chaos unfolding infront of her.

-

“Alright, everyone outside in two minutes” you shouted, slurring your words as you stood on the kitchen table in the villa. Everyone was tumbling out of their room looking a little bit fresher as they headed out to party with the remainder of the Barcelona team.

“Is this holiday just going to be drinking and partying?” Alessia asked as she gripped your arm, walking towards the taxi rank and you just laughed at her.

You were so drunk, anything anybody said was hilarious to you. Lucy had to put her arm on your shoulder to try to keep you upright. She now knew as much as Leah did about your injury.

“Steady on Mac” Keira laughed as you stuck your finger up at her.

You spent the night getting rightly shitfaced with the team. Alexia and Olga had taken Alessia to dance while you were passed out on a couch somewhere in the corner of the nightclub.

“So, how bad is it really?” Lucy asked Leah as they sat on the couch beside you, eventually, after they’d been looking for you for the past ten minutes.

“She said since the Euros it hasn’t been the same” Leah sighed, putting her hands on your head and allowing her fingers to move through your hair.

“Why is she still playing? Why hasn’t she told a doctor?” Lucy snapped.

Leah just shook her head. She never thought you’d be so stupid that you’d risk yourself for football. But how could you not? Football was all you’d known. You didn’t go to university, all your friends and your girlfriend were footballers. What would they think of you if you weren’t?

“We should probably get her back” Lucy suggested as Leah nodded. “I can get her up if you want to get Alessia, Kei and Ona” Lucy said as Leah got up.

“I will help if you can call Olga too” Alexia said as she appeared beside the two.

The pair, the English and Spanish captain, made awkward eye contact before Leah eventually agreed. Lucy didn’t understand the tension between them. Leah’s hand leaving your head woke you, so it was easier for Alexia and Lucy to try to move you since you were awake and weren’t such a dead weight now. Lucy got you into a taxi where she put you in the corner seat and you hit your head off the window as it dropped, due to you having no control of your body.

“Fuck” Lucy grumbled. “Maybe don’t tell Leah about that one” Lucy smiled as you laughed and stuck your thumbs up.

The taxi filled up, with Alessia jumping in beside you and Leah sitting across from you. You were whispering into Alessia’s ear as she gripped your neck to pull you closer to hear you properly. You could have been speaking in the quietest of rooms, you still wouldn’t have been making any sense.

“This is a shared taxi” Leah smirked as she kicked your foot.

“Fuck off” you mumbled as you went back to talking to Alessia.

Your girlfriend turned her head around with an apologetic look to Leah.

“She’s just drunk” Alessia mouthed as Leah rolled her eyes. Leah hated that Alessia always took your side, even if you were in the wrong.

-

The next morning when you got up, Alessia wasn’t in bed beside you. You knew instantly where she was from the smell coming through the house. It took you a few attempts to get up but you eventually managed. You leaned against the door frame, watching her cook breakfast in your Barcelona Champions T-shirt and a pair of short shorts.

“Mia ragazza” my girl you mumbled from the door as she turned to face you.

“Well, look who hasn’t fully forgotten all the Italian she was taught” Alessia smiled as you pressed your lips against hers. You moved behind her to wrap your arms around her shoulders.

“Questa cucina ha un profumo così bello, tesoro” This cookin’ smells so beautiful, baby. You mumbled against her neck. She’d only heard you speak English and Spanish as of recent. All the hours she spent teaching you Italian she thought had went down the drain.

“How is your head?” Alessia asked as she stirred the food in the pot.

“What?” You replied and your body immediately tensed up.

“Your head? You’ve drank a lot the past two days” she spun around and put her hand to your cheek.

“Oh, yeah, no, yeah, it’s fine” you mumbled.

“Very convincing” she laughed as she popped up on the counter and you stood in between her legs. They wrapped themselves around your waist, pulling you in very close. You were deep in a kiss when Captain fantastic, once again, interrupted.

“Jesus Christ. It’s like torture when you two are together, man” Leah groaned, opening the fridge and starting to scan what was in it.

“Fuckin’ hell” you moaned, pulling away from your girlfriend and walking out of the room.

“Mac?” Leah called after you.

“Don’t worry, her heads just a bit sore” Alessia smiled softly.

“Oh, she told you then?” Leah asked.

“Told me what?” Alessia stopped, moving the food from the stove and turning to face Leah who looked very guilty.

-

You were chilling on Alexia’s bed. Your head was against her foot lying horizontally, scrolling on your phone. Olga was on the patio by the pool with Keira and Ona. Lucy was still asleep in her room. You and Alexia were crying laughing about something that someone did last night, that you had no recollection of and were hearing about for the first time.

“Y/n, can we talk?” Alessia asked from the door. You frowned at the usage of your name, which she never used.

“Two minutes” you said about to turn back to the conversation with Alexia.

“No, now” she huffed as she walked off to your room.

“Alguien esta en problemas” Somebody is in trouble Alexia laughed. You rolled your eyes as you stood up, getting a bit dizzy as you did and falling back to put your hand on the bed.

“Are you okay?” Alexia asked shooting up from her bed.

“Yeah, I’m fine, stop it” you mumbled as you pushed her off and headed back to your bedroom.

“Yeah, my love?” you asked, sitting down on the edge of the bed. She was sitting with a coffee, perched up on the armchair that was in your room, looking out the window.

“I’m going to give you one chance to tell me if Leah was lying. If you lie to me, we’re done” she said firmly. You were a bit taken a back by her abruptness. You’d never lie to her, you had just withheld the truth about the severity of your injury.

“About what?” You mumbled as she scoffed.

“Don’t you dare play stupid with me” she scowled as you put your head to the floor. “Tell me now, Y/n” you could hear the pain in her voice. You took a deep breath, figuring out how you would word this to her.

“Since I took the bang to my head-” you pointed where Courtney had punched you against Sweden, “My head hasn’t been great” you sighed.

“For some reason or another, I just keep bangin’ my head and it’s been gettin’ worse recently, like I feel dizzy a lot and I always have these headaches but uh-” you hesitated at this part. “I haven’t told the medical teams at Barca or Ireland because I’m afraid they’re goin’ to make me stop playin’” you leaned against the wall as she stood up.

“Grow up” Alessia nudged you.

“Sorry?” You asked.

“I’m so lenient with you all the time. Even when I want to kill you sometimes, I bite my tongue, because I know you would never, ever put yourself or me in danger. You’re willing to play through this just because you’re afraid they’ll make you stop playing football?” She snapped and you nodded.

“Baby, I love you, so so much, but I can’t watch you run yourself to the ground” she sighed as she pulled you into her.

“Look it’s one more game to finish the season. I will speak to the doctors straight after that” you reassured her. “I’m not missin’ the champions league final” you told her when she shot you an unimpressed look. She rolled her eyes as you said it, but there was no use arguing with you. This was the best she was going to get.

“You cannot keep stuff like this from me” she sighed against your chest.

“I’m sorry” you groaned pulling her into you.

“I deserve a girlfriend day. No friends, no teammates” she said as you smiled and nodded.

“Whatever ye want my love” you kissed her forehead before you turned and started to get ready.

Alessia has told the group you were heading out and refused their advances when they tried to invite themselves. You went for lunch, to the beach, shopping, and then back to the villa. Everyone else had gone out but the two of you stayed in, opting to watch a movie on the couch with a bottle of wine.

The rest of the holiday went like that, you were doing your own thing with Alessia while everyone else was partying. You did show up for the final night in the club but left after an hour. Your head was pounding from the music and the shouting.

-

You kissed Alessia goodbye at the airport and knew it wouldn’t be too long before you saw her again. Only the next time you would see her would be in Dublin, where the champions league final was. You were training as well as you could for the final. Nothing was ever going to stop you playing a champions league final, and in Dublin, your home of all places. Your whole family was coming, even Katie. Alessia and Leah were also going and bringing some of your Arsenal teammates.

-

It wasn’t long before you were on the plane to Ireland with the squad. All preparations had been done and you were ready. Your family, all apart from Katie, had stopped by with Alessia at the hotel to see you, and some of your siblings wanted to meet Alexia which made you laugh. But Alexia was more than happy to take pictures and sign stuff for them.

“Russo, you want a picture?” Alexia smirked as Alessia laughed.

“Oh yes please” Alessia teased, taking out her phone and taking a picture of them both.

You hugged your family and kissed Alessia goodbye, vowing to see them tomorrow after the game. You headed to your shared room with Alexia and went straight to sleep, to avoid the headache you had.

-

The game started lively for Barcelona. You’d never seen Keira hit a strike so good. But it was 1-0 at the break and you were feeling pretty okay, your body was running on pure adrenaline. Patri made it 2-0 before Alexia made it 3-0 in the 70th minute. The game was won, but of course Chelsea would keep pushing.

A corner was whipped in and you jumped to clear it. You knew the danger you were putting yourself in, but you were the big centre back who put her head to anything. The only problem was, Chelsea had one of those too, Millie Bright. As you headed the ball away, her head met yours as you both hit the ground with a thump.

“Lee, this can’t be happening” Alessia cried as Leah held her hand and just looked at the ground, covering her eyes from the pitch.

You were both checked by medical staff, Millie was to her feet pretty quickly and you tried to match pace but the medics held you down. They were shining a torch in your eye, you think, your vision was blurry.

“Ella necesita salir” she needs to come off the medic said into his ear-piece

“Puedo jugar” I can play you moaned as they both shook their heads. You wobbled to your feet as they grabbed hold of you to keep you upright.

“She’s up” Katie announced to the two girls that had been looking away. At Katie’s words, Alessia and Leah looked over to you being walked off the pitch.

“She’s done” Alessia stated out loud as she stood up from her seat, walking down the corridor in silence with your mam. They were being escorted into the medical room by a Barcelona staff member.

“¿Hace cuánto que te sientes así?” How long have you feel like this? The team doctor asked as you shrugged. “Necesito una respuesta” I need an answer they snapped.

You promised Alessia.

“Unos pocos meses” A few months you mumbled at them as they continued to poke around your head.

“Mac, las lesiones en la cabeza son demasiado graves para no tratarlas. Necesitará un escaneo de inmediato” Mac, head injuries are too serious to be left untreated. You will need a scan straight away the staff member explained.

You rolled your eyes at the statement. You had nobody to blame but yourself, but just as you went to argue back, you saw Alessia and your mam come through the door. Your mam rushed to your side to give you a hug as you quickly brushed her off. Alessia looked at you, arms folded, with a stern expression on her face.

“Please don’t start” you groaned as you readjusted your position on the physio table.

“I told you not to play. I told you” Alessia shouted.

You mam stood there awkwardly until you eventually gave her a knowing look, to give you a minute with Alessia privately. The doctors followed your mam and explained in the best English that they could about the situation.

“Less, calm down” you stood up and reached out for her hands, but she pulled them up to make hand gestures to really get her point across.

“You will never, and I mean never step foot on a pitch again, until you are cleared to by a doctor” she warned. “Are you listening to me?” She snapped as you looked at her.

“I’m listenin’” you replied as she lost her shit once again.

“I will never be led down a corridor with your mum crying because you’ve decided to play football with a head injury. I will never sit in a stand and watch you play ever again” you sat there and took the telling off from her, you deserved it.

“And another thing-” she added. Jesus Christ. “Why do you think it’s acceptable to keep this from me? You tell Leah, Lucy seemed to know, probably Alexia knew. Why am I the last one to find out?” Alessia said.

“I didn’t want to worry ye” you admitted.

“What the fuck do you think I am now?” She shouted as she turned away from you. She was so angry she couldn’t even look at you.

“Lessi baby, I’m-” you tried to apologise.

“Don’t Lessi baby me, Y/n” she snapped.

You’d rightly done it now. For once, you were actually delighted that Leah came through the door. Maybe she could calm Alessia down. But you were unimpressed when you saw Katie follow her in.

“Tenemos que irnos” We need to go the doctor shouted in as you pulled yourself up.

“Where are you going?” Alessia asked, now she had vented and said her piece, she was back to just being worried.

You fell into your mam’s arms as she carried you towards the ambulance that was parked outside. You easily had two feet on that woman, but she shooed away Katie and Leah’s offer to help.

“Hospital, love” she told Alessia when you didn’t answer.

Alessia felt guilt rip through her after she’d spent the last ten minutes tearing into you because she had presumed you’d come in and told the doctor everything was fine again, like you’d been doing for months.

“Which hospital?” Katie asked as your mam shrugged.

“I’ll call you when we get there” she shouted back to her other daughter as she stood hand on hips with Alessia and Leah.

“The fuck is goin’ on?” Katie demanded.

Sure, you’s hadn’t spoken in months but you were still her sister. Leah sighed before explaining the situation as the three of them headed to Katie’s car to get to the hospital.

You were at the hospital all night. Getting different scans done, waiting for specialists to view them, consult with your team doctors who then had to relay the news to other staff members. It was never ending.

“This is fuckin’ stupid. I’m fine” you groaned.

“Let them do their job, love” your mam replied, squeezing your hand. She didn’t leave your side all night.

It was 9am when the Barcelona doctors instructed you to get back to the team hotel so they could discuss further. You’d been there since 8pm.

“Do you want me to come?” Your mam asked as you shook your head.

“I’ll call ye a taxi” you pulled your phone out of your pocket but she stopped you just as quick.

“Don’t worry, your sister’s been here all night” she informed you as you frowned.

You put Katie on the bottom of the list of sisters to be the one that was there. You hadn’t expected her to be there after everything that happened with you both. As you walked out of the hospital, you saw Alessia, Katie and Leah asleep on chairs in the waiting room as your mam gently shook Katie awake. She just caught a glimpse of you being put into a blacked out car with sunglasses on, still in your Barcelona tracksuit.

“Sweetheart, she’s gone back to the hotel. Do you want to wake these pair and bring them back with us to the house?” She asked Katie who stretched and rubbed her eyes. She gave her mam the car keys and woke Alessia and Leah up.

“She’s gone back to the hotel. Ye can come to the house” Katie groaned as she walked out to the car with the pair trudging behind.

When you arrived back at the hotel, you were walked straight to a conference room. In it sat your manager, Alexia and a woman you’d never seen before. The doctors had now taken a seat with a few files in hand, gesturing for you to sit down. They were whispering to your manager as you sat beside Alexia.

“What’s goin’ on?” You asked her, you weren’t in the mood for Spanish.

“They asked me to come for you” she shrugged, not really having much understanding of the situation.

“Estas segura?” Are you sure? your manager asked the doctors, who nodded. He let out a deep sigh and gestured for them to start speaking.

“Lo sentimos mucho. No hay una manera fácil de decir esto-” We are very sorry. There is no easy way to say this- the doctor said before clearing their throat. Your knee bounced up and down until Alexia gripped it with her hand.

“Pensamos que usted ya no estaría en condiciones de jugar al fútbol. Sería demasiado arriesgado con el daño hecho a tu cabeza” We would be of the opinion that you cannot play football again. It would be too risky with the damage done to your head. You wanted to scream. How could this be happening? Alexia just squeezed your leg tighter as your body froze on the spot.

“Are you okay?” Alexia asked as you shook your head. “¿Somos libres de irnos?” Are we free to leave? Alexia asked as nods came from the staff.

“Discutiremos más pasos más adelante.” We will discuss further steps later your manager shouted but it fell on deaf ears.

Your playing career was over. You felt like your life was over. Alexia guided you back to the hotel room as she watched you go into the bathroom with spare clothes, turning on the shower. Knowing you’d be a while, she decided to call Alessia.

“Hey Lex” Alessia yawned from the couch in the house you’d grown up in.

“I think you need to come to the hotel” Alexia whispered, conscious you may hear.

“Is everything okay?” Alessia sat up, removing her head from Leah’s lap which startled the England captain awake.

“Maybe just come” Alexia hummed.

“Okay, we’ll come now” Alessia slapped Leah’s leg to signal her to get up.

“Maybe just you” Alexia winced.

You were known for taking long showers, and having music blasting from your portable speaker. You stayed in there until your fingers were more than just wrinkled up. You got out, giving your hair a quick dry with the towel and slicking it back into a bun. You got changed into Ireland shorts and a Barca training top that you’d had custom made into the style of a basketball jersey. Your only shock when you got to your bed was that Alexia was nowhere to be found, just Alessia dangling her feet off the very high bed waiting for you to come out.

“Nice magic trick, swappin’ around” you laughed as her head shot up with a smile.

She looked tired, as did you. She gazed along your arms, fully tattooed now with the left lower arm being filled with all things that Alessia liked. She forgot for a moment why she was there until you dropped beside her and put your head on her shoulder.

“You want to talk about it?” She asked as she held your hand, immediately your fingers found the rings she was wearing.

“They said-” you sighed, “It’s too risky for me to keep playin’” you managed to get out. She nodded in sympathy, like she knew already. She just put her hand to the back of your neck and pulled you closer to her.

“I’m so sorry baby” she sighed. “I was so harsh to you. I was just so worried and so angry you kept this from me, and I was so scared when you said you wanted to play. I should have done more I should have-” she cried but you stopped her.

“Less, this isn’t your fault. Whether I played yesterday or didn’t play, this would have happened anyway” you reassured her, switching positions with her now being the one crying on your shoulder.

“Is Millie alright?” You asked.

“What?” Alessia frowned and pulled away from you, wiping her tears.

“Is Millie alright? She’s the one I hit, isn’t she?” You asked as if you had gotten it all wrong. Alessia couldn’t grasp how your world was falling apart yet you still had so much care in you that you were concerned about someone else.

“She’s okay” she smiled before squeezing your cheeks. “I’ll still never get over that they called you intimidating. You’re such a softie” she giggled before kissing you.

“The blue in your eyes is almost cruel, Lessi” you whispered into her neck. “When ye’s did your magic trick, did she say how long she’d be gone?” You smirked and Alessia quickly caught your drift.

“She just said to come down to the lobby when we were finished” Alessia giggled as you pulled her close to you again.

-

A few days had passed before your agent called, to tell you the next steps of what Barcelona needed from you.

“I’m sorry?” You said, encouraging him to repeat himself.

“They’re letting you go from the contract, you are not obliged to stay with the club for any duration of time from now on” your agent told you.

“So, I can go back to London?” You replied.

“You can go wherever you like” he laughed. “You’re feeling okay?” He asked and you nodded.

You’d thought maybe Barca would want to keep you, to make you do some coaching. But you’d made it abundantly clear you wanted to go back to London, you just didn’t think anybody would listen.

You packed up your apartment, dropping off a PlayStation controller you had borrowed from Lucy when you broke yours during an intense game of FIFA. The goodbye with Alexia was hard, but it wasn’t forever. You weren’t contracted with anybody and with your use of Spanish, you would more than likely be pulled for punditry in Spain so you’d probably see her often. But none of it mattered when you arrived back at your house in London, where Alban was the first to greet you at the door, followed by Alessia and then Leah.

You were home. Finally. What a long, shit, draining year. Giving up football, while it wasn’t a choice, was tough. But it didn’t feel like that when Alessia was in your arms every single night.

You’d finished up your A license badge and were floating in and out of different football-related activities. You hadn’t really given much thought to the ‘what next?’ and found yourself lacking the ambition and drive you once prided yourself on. While the free time and rest were nice, as you started to come around again, you craved a new challenge, and you weren’t the only one who noticed.

-

It was around 10pm one evening when the three of you, and Alban, were sitting on the couch watching a movie. You were starting to doze off when your phone rang from a number you didn’t recognise and maybe it was the tiredness in you, but you answered it. Leah paused the movie with a huff. They were both heading to England camp tomorrow and you’d promised them you would get through this movie before they left.

“Hello, is this Y/n McCabe?” The familiar voice asked.

“Uh, yeah it is” you replied with a confused look on your face, standing up to leave the room.

“Hi Y/n, I hope you don’t mind me calling this late. This is Sarina Wiegman” she informed you as your eyebrows shot up.

“Oh, hi Sarina, how are ye?” You stumbled over your feet in shock as you headed to the kitchen.

“I would like to know if you would be available to join my coaching staff?” She asked nonchalantly. Back in the living room, all the pair had heard was Sarina leaving your lips.

“Sarina as in our Sarina?” Leah asked as Alessia nodded, scrolling on her phone. “You don’t seem shocked?” Leah said kicking Alessia’s hand.

“Oh Leah, who do you think gave Sarina her number?” Alessia laughed as Leah gasped.

“Great, great. I will see ye tomorrow then” you smiled hanging up the phone. “You’ll never believe who that was” you laughed as both girls looked at you with smirks.

“You’ll look so good in an England jacket” Alessia teased.

“A full England tracksuit and matching comfy England shoes” Leah joined in.

There was just one slight problem with you, which was that you never really understood when a girl was flirting with you. It wasn’t like it never got to a point in the conversation when you would realise, but you wouldn’t shoot a girl down for just striking up a conversation, only if she tried anything else. Alessia didn’t care if you spoke to people, or if people talked to you, as long as the conversation was PG.

You didn’t drink much anymore since your head injury, so you’d usually just nurse a singular bottle of beer for the entire night, or just had a 0% alcohol drink. It was a great system for Alessia, because she could have as many drinks as she wanted, while also knowing she’d get home safely thanks to you. It was your sole purpose on nights out to make sure she was okay, and the she was safe. You worshipped that girl, and you’d never do anything to hurt her, not even when her crazy, drunken, overprotective side came out.

-

You were out tonight with some of the Arsenal girls, it was coming close to Christmas and they wanted to celebrate the break in the season before they all headed off home. When you saw Katie, you felt like you could use a drink, so you bought one to keep you occupied while she talked to you. Your relationship with Katie was very distant, but it suited you. You didn’t not get on with her, you just preferred small doses.

“Ye gonna come home for Christmas?” Katie asked.

“Uh, we’re doin’ Christmas with Alessia’s family this year” you shrugged, taking a sip from your bottle.

“Just like last year” Katie mumbled. “Ye would swear ye were avoidin’ home” she challenged.

“It’s not that, we’re just doin’ Christmas there because her parents invited us” you sighed, not really wanting to have this conversation with Katie right now, or ever.

The girls had all had a few drinks in Beth’s house before heading out, so a lot of them were tipsy already, including Katie.

“I’m gonna go to the bar, do ye want a drink?” You asked, politely.

“Not from you” Katie shook her head and walked off back towards Caitlin.

You took a deep breath as she walked off, finding Alessia, and simultaneously, Leah’s eyes. You held your drink up, pointing to the glass to ask if they wanted another drink, which of course they did.

You headed to the bar to get some drinks, and this place was so packed that not even your tall figure could easily get to the front of the bar.

“Busy in here, isn’t it?” A girl beside you mumbled.

“Yeah” you nodded.

“If you can’t get in, I have no hope” she giggled, poking your arm.

“You’re small, ye could wiggle in there” you pointed out, nodding to a gap that was forming as the girl squeezed through it. She pulled you by the arm, leading you through the pack of people to get to the front.

You ordered your drinks separately, the girl not even asking if you wanted one, or waiting for you to ask. She clearly had places to be, you thought, but that place seemed to be right beside you.

“So, what do you do? And where is that accent from?” She shouted over the music.

“I’m from Dublin” you explained. “I work for the FA” you explained.

“What’s that?” She frowned. “Like the police?”

“Uh, no” you laughed. “Football” you clarified.

“I don’t really know anything about football” she giggled. “But I guess that explains, this” she mumbled, flicking her eyes up and down and letting them land on your arms, getting a better look at your tattoos.

“What do ye do?” You asked, not noticing the girl’s eyes checking you out as you turned to pay for the three drinks.

“I’m a chef” she explained, which caught your attention.

You loved food. You loved eating food, thinking about food, talking about food, so you happily stood with this girl, talking about her restaurant and her menu.

“You could always come around some time and I’d cook for you” she smirked.

“My mate’s a very picky eater” you chuckled, shaking your head at the thought of Leah’s eating habits.

“Oh no baby, I meant just you, at my place” she whispered, fingernails tracing over your tattoos.

“I’m sorry” you stepped so far backwards you knocked into someone and nearly spilled their drinks.

“I’m actually, uh, I have a girlfriend” you stuttered, not really understanding how this girl thought you’d been flirting with her when you thought you’d just been having a good conversation about food.

“I don’t see a girlfriend” she continued, stepping a little bit towards you.

“Uh, she’s over there” you pointed to where Leah was, but Alessia wasn’t there anymore.

“That blonde girl?” She frowned, pointing at Leah.

“This blonde girl, actually” Alessia clicked her tongue and pursed her lips at the girl, tucking into your side and placing her hand over your stomach.

“I’m her girlfriend” she hissed.

“I just presumed you were single when you kept talking to me” the girl shrugged.

“We were talking about food, she’s a chef” you whispered to Alessia, who felt your stomach rumbling under her touch.

“Not only did you try to flirt with my girlfriend, but you made her hungry!” Alessia slurred as you frowned at her, realising now she was very drunk.

“Listen, I don’t want your girlfriend, okay?” The girl replied, rolling her eyes at your very drunk girlfriend’s erratic hand gestures.

“Well, you invited me back to your house” you inputted, not helping the situation in any way.

“Do you know what my name is?” Alessia shouted.

“I don’t even know what her name is” the girl bit back.

“My name is Alessia Mia Teresa Russo! Do you know what that makes me?” She drunkenly shouted as you held back a laugh at how hilarious this situation was.

“Italian! My family basically run the mafia, we could have you-” she continued before you cut her off.

“Oh okay, that’s enough” you inputted, covering her mouth with your hand.

“Just to explain, she’s only half Italian, there’s no mafia. Ye are perfectly safe” you rambled, pulling your future wife away and apologising to the girl who was seconds away from begging you to sleep with her before Alessia interrupted.

“Why didn’t you let me finish?” Alessia snapped.

“Ye can’t threaten to murder someone with the mafia every time they talk to me” you groaned.

“Really Less? The mafia thing? Again?” Leah chuckled.

“Leah, you don’t understand, she was a chef and tried to seduce my baby with food” Alessia sobbed against your chest as you and Leah shot each other a look to remind each other not to laugh.

“It’s okay darlin’, look, I’m here with ye, amn’t I? I’d never leave ye” you reassured her as she drunkenly kissed you, pulling you roughly by the neck.

“Take me home” she whispered as you nodded at her.

“I don’t know why I’m agreeing to this, but I’m going too” Leah sighed, grabbing all three of your coats. You took yours from her hand and wrapped it around Alessia’s shoulders as you left the place.

“Are your headphones charged?” You smirked, watching Leah roll her eyes at you.

When the three of you got into a taxi, Alessia had practically passed out on your shoulder, her hand on your opposite shoulder and yours resting on her thigh

“Uh, Lee?” You whispered.

“Mmm?” The girl mumbled, wrapping her hands around your arm and tucking into you.

“Less throws around that mafia comment a lot. Ye don’t think-”

You and Alessia put multiple rules in place, in order to maintain boundaries and make sure that nobody ever thought you were playing favourites. But sometimes, you just couldn’t help yourself, and neither could she. You knew Alessia did it purposely, just so you’d have an excuse to touch her or vice versa.

She constantly stood incorrectly in the gym, letting you run your hands up her thighs, along her hips, or down her back to help her to stand correctly when she was lifting weights. You knew Alessia did it on purpose, but you also were smart enough to understand she’d risk injuring herself just so you’d pay attention to her.

All of the girls didn’t really pay much attention when you and Alessia got a bit handsy with each other. They knew you were professional and it was never usually you that started it. You were just trying to do your job and you were excellent at your job.

The only person who really lost her patience with it was Leah, because she was in the unfortunate circumstance that she lived with both of you in and out of camp. And understandably, sometimes the relentless fuck me eyes you and Alessia would shoot one another just got a bit much, for her.

-

“Y/n? Is this right?” Alessia asked, in a tone of voice that she knew made you weak.

“Uh, your stance needs to be a bit wider” you explained. “Ye should spread your legs a little bit wider” you said innocently, but it was exactly what Alessia was hoping you’d say.

“Spread my legs?” Alessia smirked. “Like this?” She asked, moving her feet further apart and bending over as she reached for the weight.

“Yeah” you nodded, teeth sinking into your bottom lip and eyes falling straight to her ass.

“Can you two give it a fucking rest?” Leah groaned, shouldering you out of the way to get to the weights.

“Instead of trying to fuck your girlfriend over the weight rack, maybe go and help someone that actually doesn’t know what to do” she huffed, pointing you over towards a group of younger girls on the team who were trying to lift way over their capability.

“Hey, hey” you shouted, rushing over to the group and leaving Alessia and Leah alone together.

“Why are you always interrupting harmless fun?” Alessia wiggled her eyebrows at your house mate.

“Why are you always trying to fuck each other in public places? Specifically places that I’m in” she sighed.

“Y/n’s already told you, you can join in if you want” Alessia giggled in a teasing tone, before walking away to rejoin Ella.

“You know I don’t find that funny” Leah moaned, heading in the opposite direction to get to Keira and Georgia.

“What’s the story? Why are ye tryin’ to lift so heavy?” You frowned at the group, grabbing weights straight from their hands and putting them back on the rack.

“We’re stressed”

“I’m freaking out”

“Why did you guys agree to this?”

“I want to go back to the Under 23s”

“They’re going to kill us!”

“What’s the matter?” You asked, pulling the group of five of them in closer together.

They liked you, a few of them had played under you at the Arsenal academy and once you moved to England and they started getting senior call ups, they never left you alone. You didn’t mind it at all. After everything that happened to you with having to retire, it was nice that younger players looked up to you. It made you feel you’d accomplished being a role model when you believed that part of your life was over.

“Sarina told us that we were going to play a five a-side earlier”

“And the older ones all just kind of grouped together”

“So now the five of us are stuck together” they explained in perfect unison.

“Alright, well let’s not panic, yeah?” you smiled at them.

“The five of ye work really well together, ye have been playin’ with each other for years” you reminded them.

“But some of them are so big”

“Lucy could push me over with their pinky finger”

“But they’re also nice people, aren’t they?” You asked as they looked back at you with confused faces.

“I just mean, they take it easy on ye all most of the time, don’t they?” You added.

“Yeah” they all nodded back at you.

“Okay, well let’s use that to our advantage” you whispered.

“Our?”

“Are you going to play with us?”

“That could help because you’re the biggest person here”

“I’m not playin’” you chuckled. “But I’ll coach your team” you agreed as they all cheered and giggled.

“Did you manage to convince her?” Sarina asked the group who all shot her a thumbs up.

“They’ll all be happy when you are their manager someday” Sarina whispered, in a tone you would have presumed was joking, but seemed to be serious.

-

After lunch you headed to the pitches when the team all broke into their groups of five. Teams were drawn at random to play against each other and your group of five children, literal children, were down to play against Leah, Alessia, Keira, Lucy, and Georgia.

“We’re going to die”

“Ye are not goin’ to die” you rolled your eyes.

“Come on Mac, we’re all waiting over here” Leah smirked.

“Yeah, come on Mac” Alessia chirped.

You’d originally just wanted the youngsters to go out and play strong. But that done it.

“Okay, so the thing is-” you whispered to them. “I’ve never lost in anythin’ to either of them” you admitted, pointing at Alessia and Leah. “And I don’t want this to be the first thing”

“Okay, we won’t let you down” they shouted, pumped up and ready to go as you walked over to the other five girls.

“Did ye just Mac me?” You frowned at Alessia. Your girlfriend had made her thoughts on your nickname well known. She hated it and refused to ever call you Mac.

“For the next 25 minutes, that’s all you are to me” Alessia shrugged, a teasing smirk on her face.

“Care to make it interestin’?” You asked.

“What have you got in mind?” Georgia asked.

“The five of them win and all five of ye train with me for the rest of today” you began. “If ye lot win, they have to”

“Uh” Leah hesitated.

“What? I thought ye were all ready to go?” You challenged.

“We’re not goin’ to lose anyway” Lucy shrugged. “So, you’re on” she shook your hand and you headed back to the five younger girls.

“Remember what I said” you reminded them.

“That we’re not going to die”

“That’s not what I-” you sighed “Ye know what? Just try your best alright?”

The girls skipped off onto the pitch and within 2 minutes, Alessia had already scored to make it 1-0.

“We should have made another bet about tattoos” Georgia smirked as you rolled your eyes.

“We’re sorry, Mac” one of the kids pouted.

“C’mere for second” you called the five of them in. You explained something for about 30 seconds to them, shouting a “Shut the fuck up” to Leah when she made a taunting joke about you wasting time.

Whatever you’d said in that huddle, you’d made five mini Marta’s out of them. Their passing was flawless, they held their shape so well, and eventually their hard work paid off, when the ball slotted into the net.

“Mac! Did you see that? I scored!”

“Stay focused” you shouted back with a chuckle.

“You know, it’s so cute how they all trip over their own two feet just to impress you” Alessia whispered, standing close to the touchline you were standing on.

“Pity the five of ye also aren’t tryin’ to impress. Ye are bein’ outplayed by babies” you teased.

You don’t know how the kids managed to pull it off, but when 25 minutes had passed, they were winning 4-1. When you called time, Leah let out a loud groan, feeling a bit embarrassed they’d lost and also feeling sick at the thought of training with you later.

The younger group you’d just coached to victory all high fived you and thanked you before running off to the canteen as you pulled the five losers in for a chat.

“Alessia, ye can go” you nodded as the girl smirked and walked off.

“As if” Lucy huffed.

“Why does she get to go?” Keira frowned.

“She scored” you shrugged. You were being slightly biased because if any of the four of them would have scored you wouldn’t have let them leave.

“The rest of ye are with me all day. We’re doin’ a 5k to warm up so meet me at the trail front in 45 minutes” you explained, walking off after Alessia.

“Girlfriend privileges” Georgia shouted after the two of you as Alessia snickered.

Alessia’s friends that played for Barcelona, Ona, Lucy and Keira, all wouldn’t speak to you either. So, you just stuck to yourself, not really caring what other people thought of you. As long as they couldn’t deny you were a good player, that’s all you really cared about.

You were practically on mute at Barcelona, but specifically at Ireland camp. You didn’t so much as utter a word when you were there, not even bothering to see your family before or after games when they’d come to visit Katie.

You trained ridiculously hard, way more intensely than anybody else on the Barcelona and Ireland team. You took on more training, outside of your paid commitments, just constantly wanting to improve and be the best.

She admired that about you, Alexia. You were different to anybody at Barcelona, but that difference meant that you didn’t fit into the family culture they had at the club. Alexia was a natural born leader, so she made it her business to try and cement the gap that you’d created between you and the rest of the team. And she was going to do that, starting from today.

“Hola” Alexia smiled as she stood over your empty table at lunch. “¿Puedo sentarme?” Can I sit down? She asked.

“Don’t understand” you shrugged.

“I can sit down, no?” She tried her best to phrase her question as you gave her a blank look, not confirming or denying if she could sit down or not. But Alexia was too stubborn to wait for you to make your mind up, so she sat down in anyway. “You don’t like Barcelona?” She cut to the chase.

“No” you shook your head. “The football and the money is good though, so it’s grand” you explained, as she tilted her head slightly, trying to figure you out. She didn’t understand your Irish slang, but she understood enough to know what you meant.

“You were dating Russo, yes?”

“Why do ye care?” You frowned, folding your arms with a huff.

“Me? No, I don’t care who you date” Alexia shrugged. er facial expression really did give you the indication that she didn’t care.

“She broke up with me” you sighed, letting your walls slowly down brick by brick. “I just feel quite alone here. Nobody talks to me and I don’t have any mates when I go home to call or text or anythin’” you admitted.

“Come to my apartment later” Alexia said as she stood up. “I will cook dinner and we can talk about whatever you need to, privately” she added.

“I don’t know where ye live” you mumbled.

“I will send it to you on the WhatsApp” she smiled, pulling out her phone and sending you her address as she strutted away. She had a nice body, one that was easy to stare at.

-

You hit the buzzer at Alexia’s apartment later that evening when you arrived over, waiting for her to buzz you in and head up to her apartment on the 9th floor of the complex. You were in a bit of a mood, having just found out through Instagram that Alessia was already seeing someone else, so you really didn’t want to be here. But Alexia was the first person since you moved here to make an effort with you and go to the bother of making you dinner, so you kept to your word and turned up.

“Can I use your bathroom?” You asked.

“Sí” Alexia nodded, a little bit short in her words when she noticed the box of chocolates in your hand and the multiple tattoos on your arms and neck that she’d never taken a proper look at before.

“Where is it?” You asked.

“Sorry, this one” she waved her wand towards the door on the right hand side of the apartment.

“Uh, here ye go” you nodded your head towards the box of chocolates and scooted by her to get to the bathroom.

You noticed when you shut the door that the bathroom was quite big, but there was a small cabinet sitting on the floor in the corner of the room that definitely didn’t belong there. It was collecting dust and looked like a failed DIY project that had been abandoned. You washed your hands and followed the smell of food to the kitchen where you found Alexia.

“You can sit” she said, pointing to a chair at the kitchen table.

“Do ye have a drill?” You asked, not yet taking a seat.

“A?” Alexia asked in a confused tone.

“Drill? Like buzz buzz buzz” you imitated and make a drill motion with your hands. “Or a screwdriver” you said, proceeding to make that motion too.

“Destornillador? Sí” Alexia nodded, pulling open her drawer and producing three different styles of screwdrivers that you took out of her hand. “Why?” She frowned, walking after you into the bathroom.

“Where?” You asked, picking up the heavy cabinet in one hand as Alexia gulped.

“I thought here” she pointed at the empty space on the wall.

“I can do it” you confirmed.

“You don’t need- por favor, dinner is almost done” Alexia waved her hand, indicating to you that it was fine.

“It’s the least I can do” you shrugged. “I like fixin’ things. It’s grand” you nodded.

Alexia didn’t really understand what you were saying. She misunderstood English more than she understood it and with your thick Dublin accent, she was very confused. She also got really easily distracted by how tall and tattooed you were, which did not help whatsoever when she was trying to concentrate in another language.

Alexia eventually agreed to let you fix it, and went off to the kitchen to finishing cooking dinner. You were actually finished before she was and startled her a bit when you’d came back in, t-shirt covered in dust from the wall.

“Do you want a new one?” Alexia asked, pointing at your t-shirt.

“Uh, yes please” you nodded, taking your top off while she was gone to her bedroom to get a new one for you. When she saw got back in and saw you stood in just sports bra and jeans, she stopped to admire your built, tattooed frame.

“Oh, thanks” you smiled when you noticed her, knocking her back to her senses as she handed you the shirt to put on and went back to the pot to dish out dinner.

“I hope you like it” Alexia smiled when you sat down and handed you a spoon.

“I like everythin’” you chuckled, proving yourself correct when you finished the entire meal in 3 minutes.

“Well you didn’t lie” Alexia laughed.

“I don’t do that” you shook your head.

“If you are so honest, tell me why you are sad all the time” Alexia hummed, her hand moving closer to yours but not giving into temptation to touch. She noticed a lot of tattoos on your arms seemed to be blacked out, or looked freshly done. She wondered what they were before, what significance they had that you’d wanted to get them off your body.

“I struggle with my head” you whispered. You explained to Alexia, very slowly, a lot of what had happened which made you the person that sat in front of her. Usually, she would let words go by when she didn’t understand, but while you were explaining, she stopped you each time she didn’t get it. She wanted to fully understand, so she could be fully supportive.

“Do you drink?” Alexia asked, waiting for you to nod before standing up. “We’re going to make a deal” Alexia mumbled, taking a bottle of wine out of the fridge and grabbing two glasses.

“Alright” you instantly agreed, now suddenly realising Alexia was extremely compassionate and really sexy.

“I am going to teach you Spanish, and you are going to talk to me whenever you feel sad” she told you, handing you the full wine glass.

“Okay” you nodded, as she took a swig of her own glass. “Now I have a deal for ye”

“Sí?”

“If ye break somethin’ or ye need somethin’ put up, ye ring me, alright?” You raised your eyebrows at her.

“Deal” she smiled, tipping her glass off yours before you both took another sip.

-

You and Alexia grew closer, which was noticed by everyone on the team. She didn’t allow anybody to question her, and whenever someone would try to turn her off being friendly with you, she shot them down immediately. Nobody knew you properly on the team, but once you got the Alexia stamp of approval, everyone seemed to warm up to you a little bit.

Alexia grew fond of you, she enjoyed your company, and you liked hers. You found yourselves at each other’s apartments a few nights a week, cooking, speaking in broken Spanish or English, and just enjoying spending time with each other in general. You were becoming more comfortable with each other. Alexia was naturally flirty and touchy, but you liked it. Well, you did when it was you that she was acting like that with.

“¿Quieres ver una película?” Do you want to watch a movie? Alexia asked.

“Movie?” You mouthed to confirm you’d understood her and you knew by her smile that you had. “Sí” you nodded, handing her the TV remote as your hands brushed off each other quickly.

You made eye contact for a brief few seconds before she pulled away and looked back to the TV. Alexia was extremely attractive, but you couldn’t go there. You’d learned from your past mistakes, hadn’t you?

“Y/n?” Alexia eventually whispered out, while the TV played on a low volume.

“Yeah?” You asked, not daring to look her in the eye.

“Bésame” She whispered.

“I dunno what that means” you sighed, turning your head to look at her and feeling her hand slip behind your neck and pull you into her lips. Kiss me. She’d asked you to kiss her.

“I don’t want you to leave tonight” Alexia moaned, perching herself up to straddle your lap.

“I won’t” you shook your head before you kissed her again, moan escaping past your lips at the contact.

-

Within weeks you and Alexia had made it official, and the sporting world was at a standstill. How did someone who came across so standoffish and angry manage to not only pull Alessia Russo but also Alexia Putellas? Easy, you were actually a massive softie and just needed to be given a chance. People just needed to get to know you, because once they got to know you, nobody really had a bad word to say about you.

You and Alexia moved in together, a few months into the relationship. She’d forced you to speak to a doctor about dizzy spells you were having and they’d told you to take some time off, telling you that the treatment and the break you were getting was for certain stopping a career ending injury. But who’s to say they were actually right? Alexia was still going to and form training and match days, so she decided to get you a little friend to keep you company while she was gone.

“Bebé?” She called from the door. “Ven aquí por favor” Come here please

“Sí?” You shouted back, walking towards the door to see her stood there with a tiny puppy. “Alé” you gasped. “Él es perfecto” He is perfect you chuckled.

“He is for you” she smiled and kissed you gently. “¿Cómo quieres llamarlo?” What do you want to call him? She asked.