#vicky lopez

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Being 25 and dating Alexia Putellas was a constant adventure. From the beginning, you were both completely clear: no one on the team could find out.

Not because you were doing anything wrong. Not because you had doubts. But because you knew the younger ones far too well. If they found out, it wouldn’t last three days before the entire locker room knew.

Alexia, with all her experience and calmness, had been the one to suggest it.

“It’s not that I don’t trust them,” she had told you one night, sitting on the couch in her apartment, the lights low and the distant noise of the city coming through the window. “It’s just that if we tell Claudia or Cata, within an hour Vicky will be making absurd theories out loud and Mapi will be looking at us with that suspicious smile. And I don’t have the energy for that.”

“So… what are we? A secret operation?”

“Exactly,” Alexia had replied, leaning closer to press a soft kiss to your forehead. “Operation absolutely secret.”

And for months, it worked.

Long looks no one else noticed. Hands brushing only when you were sure no one was watching. Discreet messages before matches. Leaving the parking lot separately so it wouldn’t look suspicious.

The only problem was that Alexia, no matter how much of a captain she was, sometimes forgot she was in public when it came to you.

And there was also the small detail of the sweatshirt.

The famous gray sweatshirt.

Everything fell apart on an ordinary Saturday.

You arrived at the stadium with your headphones on, your hair tied back in a low ponytail, and the oversized sweatshirt covering almost your hands. It was comfortable, warm… and smelled like Alexia.

You didn’t think much of it. It was just clothing.

Until you walked into the locker room.

Mapi was the first to notice.

“Hey,” she said, frowning with exaggerated drama. “Since when do you wear that sweatshirt?”

You froze mid-step.

“What’s wrong with the sweatshirt?”

Claudia looked up from her phone.

“That’s Alexia’s sweatshirt.”

Silence.

A dangerously long silence.

You tried to keep your composure.

“Not every gray sweatshirt belongs to Alexia.”

At that moment, as if the universe had a sense of humor, Alexia walked into the locker room. She stopped for barely a second when she saw you. You. Wearing her sweatshirt.

And she smiled.

Mistake number one.

Because Mapi never forgave that kind of smile.

“Oh,” she said slowly, pointing at both of you as if she had just solved an international crime. “Ohhhhh.”

“Don’t start,” Alexia muttered, trying to sound firm.

“Start what?” Mapi replied, placing a hand on her chest dramatically. “I’m not starting anything. I’m just observing that our captain lost a sweatshirt… and magically it appeared on someone else.”

Vicky was already recording with her phone.

“This is premium content.”

“Don’t record,” Alexia warned, crossing her arms.

You felt your cheeks begin to burn.

“It’s just a sweatshirt, really.”

“Sure,” Claudia replied, holding back laughter. “Just like it’s ‘just’ a coincidence that after every training session you two disappear at exactly the same time.”

Chaos was served.

But the real confirmation came hours later.

Home match. Full stadium. Maximum intensity.

Alexia stayed impeccable, focused, serious. She celebrated your goal with the whole team, hugging everyone equally. Zero mistakes. Zero slips.

It seemed like you had survived the sweatshirt incident.

It seemed.

The problem came afterward.

In the tunnel, when the adrenaline was starting to fade and the stadium was still roaring outside, you began walking a few steps ahead, still smiling because of the goal. Alexia was behind you, talking to the staff.

And it was something minimal.

Tiny.

But definitive.

You stopped to adjust your shin guards, leaning against the wall. Alexia, without thinking too much, stepped closer from behind and placed a hand on your waist.

An automatic gesture.

Intimate.

Natural.

Too natural.

“Did you hurt yourself in the fall?” Alexia asked, lowering her voice, leaning slightly to speak near your ear. “Because if it was from that tackle, I already spoke to the referee and—”

You shook your head, smiling.

“I’m fine. I just got a little scared, but it’s okay now. You don’t have to go into angry captain mode every time someone touches me.”

Alexia didn’t remove her hand.

On the contrary.

Her fingers slid just a few centimeters, making sure you were really okay.

“It’s not captain mode,” she replied softly. “It’s… caring about you mode.”

Silence.

A small, charged silence.

And then, from the back of the tunnel:

“Are we interrupting something or should we keep watching?” Mapi’s voice echoed with unnecessary clarity.

You both turned at the same time.

There they were.

Claudia with her mouth open.

Vicky with a “I knew I wasn’t crazy” expression.

Patri with her arms crossed, enjoying the show.

And worst of all.

Alexia’s hand was still on your waist.

Alexia removed it slowly. Too late.

“It’s not what it looks like,” she tried to say.

“Oh, perfect,” Mapi replied with exaggerated seriousness. “Then explain to us what it looks like. Because from here it looks like our captain has very specific preferences when it comes to checking injuries.”

You covered your face with your hands.

Alexia, on the other hand, took a deep breath. She looked at the group. Then she looked at you.

And something changed.

The strategy was over.

The secret operation was over.

“Alright,” Alexia said, with that firm calm she used in press conferences. “We didn’t want to say anything yet. But yes. We’re together.”

The silence lasted exactly half a second.

Then the tunnel exploded.

“I KNEW IT!”

“I told you the sweatshirt wasn’t a coincidence!”

“How long have you been together?”

“I DEMAND DETAILS!”

You didn’t know whether to laugh or hide behind one of the columns. Your cheeks were burning and your heart was beating way too fast for someone who had just played a full ninety minutes.

Alexia, meanwhile, kept her characteristic calm. She wasn’t uncomfortable. Just… resigned.

She looked at the group with a mix of patience and warning.

“Breathe,” she said firmly but serenely. “We’re not holding a press conference right now.”

“But how long have you been together?” Claudia insisted, unable to contain her excitement.

You hesitated for a second, but Alexia answered first.

“Long enough to know it wasn’t something we wanted to make public yet,” she explained. “Not because we’re ashamed. We just wanted something that was only ours for a while.”

That softened the atmosphere a little.

The teasing didn’t disappear, but it lowered in intensity. It wasn’t an interrogation anymore, it was affectionate curiosity.

And while the group began to scatter, talking among themselves, Alexia looked at you again.

This time without hiding anything.

“I promised we’d last quite a while,” she murmured softly.

You let out a nervous laugh.

“Yes, but we didn’t count on them being so observant.”

“They’re a disaster,” Alexia replied, though there was tenderness in her tone. “And they don’t know how to keep secrets. You were right.”

There was a small silence. Calmer now.

No hidden glances. No hands pulling away at the sound of footsteps.

Alexia took a step closer.

It wasn’t impulsive. It was deliberate. Serene.

She placed a gentle hand on your cheek, her thumb barely brushing the skin still warm from the match.

“Are you okay?” she asked once more, but no longer about the fall.

You nodded, this time without nerves.

“I’m more than okay.”

And then, in front of the distant laughter and the murmurs of teammates pretending not to look, Alexia leaned in just enough.

It wasn’t a long kiss. It wasn’t scandalous.

It was small. Soft. Certain.

A warm brush of lips, calm, like confirming something that no longer needed to be hidden.

When you pulled apart, you were smiling without being able to stop.

“Now,” Alexia said, with that half-smile of hers, “official.”

If history is any proof, and they have a lot of that, today wasn't going to be any different. 

"I’m telling you, the meeting is on the fourth floor." Vicky insisted, pressing the button for the third floor for the third time.

"Vicky, we’ve been in this building for months. The media room is on the second floor. Why are we even going up?" You adjusted your bag, which felt ten times heavier because you’d stuffed it with snacks ‘just in case’ the meeting ran long.

"Because," Vicky said, with the confidence of someone who definitely didn't know where she was going, "I saw Mapi go this way."

“I bet 10 bucks that Mapi had no idea where she was going either.” There is a very good possibility that this was likely true. 

“You know I would bet on that, but knowing Mapi that is very much possible.” 

The elevator door shut, lifted just an inch before jerking, making them lose their balance a little and then…nothing. Just silence.

No movement, no sound of swish elevators usually have, no soft dings to indicate the floor. 

“What did you do?!” You panicked, looking at Vicky as if she planned this on purpose. 

“Nothing!” Her hand shot up in defence “I literally just pressed the button.”

“You sure?” You narrowed your eyes, the accusation palpable in them.

“No, I'm an evil witch who cast an ‘abracadabra’ spell to get stuck with you!” She replied with an eye roll.

“Well you being an evil witch does sound believable.” That was met with a smack on your arm by Vicky. 

You pressed the emergency button. Nothing. You kicked the door. Also nothing, except a sore toe. 

“Looks like we're stuck.” You glared at the door as if it would break it open.

“Oh really? Great detective skills.” Vicky smirked, seemingly calm and unbothered in a situation that highly called for panic. 

“What did I do to deserve being stuck with you?” you sighed, shaking your head.

“Definitely some good karma.” Vicky responded immediately, grinning.

——

Alexia entered the meeting room, ten minutes left for the briefing to begin and that still constituted late in her books.

Patri and Ona looked up upon her arrival and their eyes narrowed, as if something wasn't right. There was something different about Alexia, something lacking from the usual. 

And that was two teenagers trailing behind her, following her closely after being schooled for being mischievous.

It happened so often, that it had become Alexia’s personality now and what she was known for around the centre. A tired and unofficial mom of two hyperactive kids, in desperate need of more caffeine.

Alexia scanned the room as she usually does and her eyes flew wide when recognition dawned upon her, before her gaze met those of Patri and Ona, who were already on the same page.

“Where are they?” Alexia squeaked. It was barely eight in the morning and she was just on her second dose of coffee. She needed more before dealing with any of your shenanigans.

“We thought they were with you.” Ona replied, equally panicked. You and Vicky left alone was never good news. 

“I was on a call with my agent and I figured they were here already!” 

Pina chimed in from behind them, finding the entire situation incredibly entertaining. “So let me get this straight. Y/n and Vicky are missing. And there is no apparent adult supervision with them. And no one here has any idea where they are currently. Oh, this is going to be hilarious!” 

“I can't wait to see what they're up to now,” Mapi added, turning in her seat to face the group. 

Alexia rubbed a hand down her face, already dreading what was coming “This is not funny.” 

Mapi, Pina and Cata ignored her completely as they started their bidding. 

“10 dollars says they got lost in the hallway.” Pina bid confidently because that had been the case 9 out of 10 times. 

“Just like Mapi.” Cata snickered as Mapi smacked her.

“That is not true!” She defended “I was - just exploring.” 

“Sure, whatever you say, Maps.” Pina and Cata laughed while in the background the responsible adults collectively lost their minds. 

Meanwhile, if someone thought that being stuck in an elevator should be a good enough reason for panic, they clearly hadn't met ‘the trouble duo’ of Barcelona. 

Panic was a lost cause. Instead they found an opportunity for something….better.

After barely a few minutes of your attempts to use your elusive telekinesis and convince Vicky that this was the best scenario to use her witch power and bust the door open, you gave up.  

Instead you reached for your bag, unzipped the upper compartment and pulled out two hair brushes and two pairs of funky eyewear, which had no business being packed in the first place. 

You offered a pair of each to Vicky after discarding your bag to the side again.

“What are these for?” she asked confused but accepted it nonetheless, putting the glasses on as you did yourself. 

“You see,” You trailed off, now setting your phone on the handrail opposite to the pair of you, before stepping back and pulling Vicky with you to ensure both were in the frame.

“We can either lose our minds being caged,” you turned to face her, your signature menace grin making an appearance “Or we could give the performance we were born for. The world has waited long enough!” 

There was not a single second you thought you'd had to do some convincing to get Vicky on board because before you could even finish, a grin mirroring yours had already been plastered on her face and her eyes sparkled with the same intensity as yours. 

You two shared a single braincell and it clearly showed.

With a high five and the song already chosen with just a shared look, the two gremlins were set to deliver a performance in a 6x6 metal box that Barcelona would remember forever. 

——

In the room below, after the betting on how much trouble you'd both be in ended by a death stare from Alexia to all, the group had gathered around the large table pitching different ideas.

The tactical briefing was long forgotten and in its place was a ‘find and rescue’ mission that had engrossed them all. 

They divided themselves into small groups and decided to search different places you two could have possibly gone. 

“Anything?” Alexia asked as she, Ona and Patri met the other trio after checking the hallway. 

“Nothing, they weren't in their usual napping spots.” Mapi replied with a shake of the head. 

“Maybe we should check the second -” The brunette sighed, worry starting to creep up, suggesting other ideas before she paused mid-sentence, hearing some strange noises building up. 

It was faint at first but then heavy thudding could be heard, as if multiple pairs of boots were stomping real hard. Alexia swore she could see the floor above them tremble. 

Muffled sounds reached them next. Everyone tilted their head to the side in confusion, trying to make sense of what was happening. But it didn't take them long, as the pitch grew higher and they quickly clocked on what was going on. 

“HEARTBREAKERS GONNA BREAK, BREAK, BREAK, BREAK, BREAK 

AND THE FAKERS GONNA FAKE, FAKE, FAKE, FAKE, FAKE BABY, I’M JUST GONNA SHAKE, SHAKE, SHAKE, SHAKE, SHAKE I SHAKE IT OFF, I SHAKE IT OFF”

You were standing on top of the handrail, the only time grateful for your small height as you didn't bang your head against the elevator's ceiling while bouncing up and down. 0 on 10 for the balance, 10 on 10 for the commitment. 

“SHAKE IT OFF, I SHAKE IT OFF 

I, I, I SHAKE IT OFF, I SHAKE IT OFF 

I, I, I SHAKE IT OFF, I SHAKE IT OFF

I, I, I SHAKE IT OFF, I SHAKE IT OFF”

Vicky gave her all to this performance. If football ever fell through, she now knew what her backup option would be. On her knees, feeling the song within her soul.

“Lopez, give me the beats!” 

Vicky started beatboxing. It was mostly just spitting but the effort was there. 

“HEY, HEY, HEY

JUST THINK, WHILE YOU’VE BEEN GETTIN’ DOWN AND OUT ABOUT THE LIARS-”

You belted, off tune was one thing, your voice was another. It hit a note so high, it cracked a mirror back at the Madrid training centre.

“Are they-” Pina started, worried, amused, thoroughly entertained altogether. This day could not get better for her. “- having a concert while being stuck in an elevator?” 

“They sure are.” Alexia muttered under her breath, pinching the bridge of her nose. The absurdity of the situation left her wondering if she should laugh or start pulling her hair out. 

Her eyes wandered behind Patri, squinting as it landed on the elevator that had a very clear, very bright yellow signboard ‘DO NOT USE. UNDER SERVICE’ to its right. “What are the chances those crackheads used that particular elevator, ignoring the warning?” she pointed. 

“Given the way they are in the middle of their private show with no indication of stopping, I'd say 100 per cent.” Cata crackled, Pina and Patri dissolved in laughter too along with her. 

To think Alexia could have one normal day, with one normal meeting session when you two existed, was a far-fetched wish in itself.

——

“Y/n! Vicky!” A muffled sound came through the door.

“Is that -” Vicky jumped, clutching her chest “the ghost of the elevator appreciating our voices?” 

“It’s Alexia!” The brunette yelled so it could be heard by you two. “Stop singing. The technician will be here any moment to get you both out.” 

“Capí, don't interrupt us!” you yelled back, fully absorbed in whatever illusion you both were in. “We are in the middle of a very important duet!” 

There was some more yelling, some snickering, some laughter, some more shouting to drown that laughter but you two paid no mind to it after, which would have its own consequences later.

You were in the middle of, what you would classify as the holy performance that the world could only live once. 

“Turn around….” Eyes closed, taking in a deep breath, imagining yourself in front of thousands of people. Your hairbrush, now gracefully accepting its fate of guitar as you strummed its invisible strings.

“Every now and then I get a little bit lonely and you're never coming around…” Vicky’s hairbrush was now more stuck up to her nose than her actual mouth. 

“Turn around….”

“Every now and then I get a little bit tired of listening to the sound of my tears…”

“Turn around bright eyes…”

At this, both turned to face each other, knowing damn well they'll be belting the last segment together. 

“EVERY NOW AND THEN I FALL APART. AND I NEED YOU NOW TONIGHT AND I NEED YOU MORE THAN EVER..”

“Is this even a song?” was the comment heard from outside.

“ONCE UPON A TIME I WAS FALLING IN LOVE, NOW I’M ONLY FALLING APART….”

Your voices crossed a threshold it didn't realise it had as you both sang the last line on top of your lungs. 

“THERE’S NOTHING I CAN DO, IT'S THE TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE HEARTTTTT.”

——

20 minutes later, the technician had finally done its magic and what Alexia liked to call ‘an angelic favour’ to the poor metal box that had the cursed luck to be trapped with you two. God knows she would have given up on life if it had been her for even a minute. 

When the doors finally opened, the scene that greeted the team left them speechless. That was the duo’s speciality after all. 

Both of you, standing close. In the middle of delivering your Grammy acceptance speech, mustering your best emotional and grateful expression. 

The water bottle, your trophy, was held dearly between you and Vicky, like a prized possession.  

Blinking back the fake tears, you continued even though the door had opened long ago and the team could clearly make out there was something seriously wrong with the upper section of the skull of the two teens. Because once you commit to something, you see it to the end. 

You leaned into the imaginary microphone. “We would like to thank the elevators that gave us the platform when the world turned its back on us.” 

“And lastly our fans,” Vicky dabbed her eyes with her training bib, while the whole squad looked around to find the apparent ‘fans’ Vicky was referring to. 

Was this the sign of schizophrenia? Should they be worried?

“Thankyou for believing in us. We couldn’t have done it without you.” And with a final, dramatic bow, the show came to an end. 

There was a moment of silence before the team lost it entirely. Half of them were on the floor, howling and clutching their stomach, real tears in their eyes from how hard they were laughing. Half stunned from what they just witnessed. There were really no words to describe what had happened. 

“You two need serious help.” Mapi said in between trying to catch her breath. 

“Don’t we all, Mapi?” you shot back, sniffling and wiping away the airy tears. 

“We do. Just not as much as you two.” 

You stepped out and turned towards the technician who watched the entire scene unfold wide eyed “Take care of this, Carlos. It is irreplaceable.” You said as you handed him the bottle like a precious heirloom, staring at him seriously and nodding once.

The poor technician was confused beyond words. He didn't even know who Carlos was.

“Right, coffee isn't going to cut it anymore. I’m going to need something stronger.” Alexia muttered after staring at the two intensely, unsure where to even begin to address the situation. 

“We know you're just heartbroken you couldn't get front seats to our show capí.” You commented as you passed her on your way out, grinning widely.

“Don’t worry, we’ll get you exclusive tickets to our private concert next time.” Vicky assured, patting Alexia’s shoulder and sympathising as if she could understand their captain's pain on missing out their world class performance before joining you. 

Alexia’s jaw was left open, but you two had not one ounce of regret on that face, happily skipping ahead and perfectly content with the way your day had turned out. 

And just like that, the history persisted and the duo’s legacy thrived. 

——

Ps: - This is based on my real experience. I’m not really good with closed spaces. So a year ago, my friend and I were returning to my place for a sleepover when we got stuck in an elevator. And we had two options, either be miserable ourselves or pass on that misery to the world with our extremely off-tune singing and confident wrong lyrics. Guess which option we went with? Safe to say my parents were mortified to address me their blood after lol. (we moved a month after that and I believe my actions contributed greatly to that decision) anyways I hope you like it :)

Please let me know what you think! Your responses mean the world to me💗

Date nights were rare. Between Alexia’s footballing commitments and her foundation, plus your own work and the kids, you were too busy. 

Most the time you’d cuddle up in bed and watch a documentary with some health-ish snacks and debrief about the week. 

So when alexia announced that she was taking you to a new fancy tapas bar, that had a waitlist months long, you assumed the kids were coming too. But it wasn’t until Vicky walked through the door that you realised she meant alone. 

You were grateful for Vicky. For your perfect girlfriend for thinking of the quiet time you two deserved but more than that, you were grateful for the very expensive bottle of wine you were going to drink. 

The tapas bar was packed, but Alexia had arranged a quiet table at the back of the restaurant. Away from the prying eyes on the street. 

For two hours it was just the two of you. You drank the bottle of wine by yourself, Alexis was in season and very strict on her alcohol consumption. You didn’t mind, it was delicious. 

As much as you both tried not too, the conversation always turned back to the kids. It made you emotional thinking about how open Alexia had been with them. To her, they are hers, she loved them fully, embraced their craziness and their attitudes. 

For two hours it was peacefully. No fights to break up, no tantrums, no kids show in the background. Just you and Alexia. But then the piercing sound of Alexia’s ringtone cut through. 

Something about seeing her mamis name unsettled Alexia. You were talking happily about what happened with Miriam the day prior. 

“Mami is calling.” Alexia watched as your face dropped. Clearly the same feeling of unsettle washed over you too. 

“Alexia. You need to meet us at the hospital. Now.” 

“What hospital?” You were both up in a flash. You threw money on the table, only being able to hear Alexia’s half of the conversation. 

The drive to the hospital felt like torture. You only knew what Alexia told you. Vicky put Amelia to bed and then was playing with Oscar. Something happened and he fell, landing weirdly on his arm. Vicky called an ambulance and then called Eli. 

You barely registered Vicky in the corner of the room. Your eyes were solely on Oscar. 

“Mi amor.” 

“Mami!” Oscar happily sucking on the lollipop he was given from the nurses. The doctor gave you a quick break down. It was a clean break, cast for 6 weeks and then another X-ray to make sure it would heal properly then a half-cast for another 2 weeks. Oscar could leave after the cast was set. 

It was only another hour or so that you had to wait. Oscar has chosen a bright blue colour that he was excited to show all his friends. But first he wanted Vicky to sign it. 

Alexia turned around to where she last saw Vicky standing, but she was gone. She assumed maybe she went out to the waiting area but when the three of you walked out there, Vicky was no where to be seen. It wasn’t like her to just disappear. 

Vicky’s whereabouts wasn’t even on your mind, but Alexia filled it away for later. 

Sometime between the four of getting home and morning time, Vicky had collected her car. That’s when you thought it was odd. Usually after babysitting she’d stay the night and if for some reason her car was left overnight, she would always come in and say good morning. 

“Did you talk to Vicky this morning?” You asked Alexia after you came back inside. 

“No. Why?” 

“Her cars gone? Usually she comes in but she didn’t and I haven’t spoken to her since before we left for dinner.” 

Alexia took a minute to get her phone from the loungeroom, looking through the notifications for Vicky’s name. “She hasn’t messaged me.”

A worry set over the both of you. 

Meanwhile Vicky was spiralling. She had followed your instructions to a tee, just like every other time. Amelia had gone to bed at 6.45, Oscar had 45 minutes until his own bedtime. 

It was routine to her. Oscar gets 10 minutes of what you would call “crazy time”. He gets to run around, jump on the couch or whatever he needed to do to get the last bit of energy out. 

Expect it went wrong this time. So incredibly wrong and whenever Vicky thinks about the crack she heard, it makes her nauseous. 

Oscar had lost his footing, a simple childish mistake. He caught himself awkwardly and landed on the floor. His scream will haunt her. Oscar wasn’t the kind of child who got hurt easily, so she knew it was bad. 

You and Alexia were her first calls, but since you were out for dinner, the calls were missed. Eli was her next, begging her to come as fast as she could, and her final call was to the ambulance. 

Vicky was a smart girl. But in that moment and the ones that followed, she couldn’t help but feel like this was all her fault. You and Alexia would be mad, she wouldn’t be able to see Oscar or Amelia again and the team would exile her. 

Sydney, Aïcha and Clara grew increasingly worried about Vicky over the coming days. She refused to participate in their games, wouldn’t talk to anyone beside Pere, and stayed very far away from Alexia. 

alexia had tried herself but Vicky looked at her the ran away. The younger girls approached Alexia and Marta with their concerns. 

“Vicky is depressed.” Clara said. 

“She blames herself for Oscar.” Sydney spoke next. 

“What? That’s ridiculous. It’s not her fault? You don’t blame her right Ale?” Marta said. 

“No! No absolutely not.” Alexia looked over to where Vicky was sitting. Pina and Cata were being silly, trying to get her to join but she refused. “It was an accident. I don’t blame her, neither does y/n. Oscar has been asking for her all week.” 

Alexia knew she had to confront Vicky, but she knew it would be useless unless you were there too. 

Two hours later, you and Oscar arrived at the training ground. It was rare for you to attend, even rarer from Oscar but when Alexia said Vicky needed you, you got in the car. 

Oscar was excited to see the team, to show off his new cast but most importantly to get Vicky to sign it first. He had been very clear, no one was to come anywhere near him with a marker before Vicky. That boy acted as if Vicky hung the stars. 

Vicky saw you before the others did and she quickly turned around and headed to the lockeroom. She was convinced that you were there to yell at her, to completely cut contact. 

The girls lit up once they noticed you two. Patri swooped in first, picking Oscar up and taking away. 

“Hola amor.” Alexia kissed your forehead.

“Hi baby. Where’s vic?” You looked around with a frown on your face. 

“She was just here? I don’t know how she keeps vanishing!” 

“I’ll look for her but tell me what’s wrong?” 

Alexia explained everything. The concerns from the younger girls, Vicky’s behaviour and the way she would literally run away from alexia. It wasn’t that much of a concern to you, mainly because you knew exactly how to fix it. 

Since training was officially finished, you knew Vicky would be in the locker room getting ready to escape. 

When you walked in, she was still in the shower so you sat patiently for her to be done. It didn’t take long but as soon as Vicky saw you, panic set in for her. 

“Vicky..”

“No. No please don’t say anything. I know I fucked up massively and you don’t want me around anymore. I’ll keep my distance from your family.” You were stunned into silence. You knew Vicky blamed herself but not to this extent. 

“We don’t blame you!” You rushed out as Vicky headed to leave, “it was an accident. A pure accident that no one could control, if it didn’t happen with you, it would’ve happened with me or alexia. That little boy out there adores you Vic. He hasn’t let anyone sign his cast because he wants you to be the first. You, not me his mother or ale, you Vicky.” 

You got up and walked towards her, she was still facing away from you but you could tell she was crying. 

“I was so sure you’d hate me that I convinced myself you did. You, Ale, the kids, this team..” She waved her hands around, “are my family. I wouldn’t cope if I didn’t have you guys.” 

You held her as she cried and reassured her, again, that no one hated her and it was a freak accident. It took another half hour for her to calm down enough to go outside and face the team but as soon as she did, Oscar ran at her. 

No one else mattered to him when Vicky was around. 

With Vicky promising to come straight over to decorate Oscar’s cast, the two of you headed home, Alexia would stop to pick Amelia and something up for dinner. 

Amelia was just as excited to come home to Vicky  in the loungeroom. The loud sounds of the kids laughing and the chaos of toys, paper and markers reminded you of a week earlier. 

The house had felt more quiet without vicky, even if it actually wasn’t. “Remind her that you love her yeah?” 

“Of course.” Alexia didn’t even hesitate. She loved her people loudly and that was something you appreciated. 

As the week went on, Vicky returned to her usual self. The younger players on the team were keeping you up to date and so was alexia. 

The slam of the front door echoed down the hall before either you or Alexia had a chance to react.

“¡FAMILIA DAYYYYYY!” Vicky’s voice tore through the house like a trumpet blast, followed by the thud of sneakers and the unmistakable sound of your daughter’s squeal. “HEY! HEY! HEY! HEY!”

You barely had time to lift your head before Vicky appeared in the living room, grinning from ear to ear, her hair sticking up like she’d sprinted the whole way. Sienna, sitting peacefully on her play mat with Leah the Lion clutched to her chest, suddenly found herself scooped up into the air.

“¡Princesa!” Vicky cried, spinning her around in a circle until both of them were laughing. “Today’s family day and you, my little reina, are stuck with me.”

Alexia pinched the bridge of her nose, muttering under her breath, “I’m going to add another lock that door.”

You laughed, shaking your head. “She’d just climb in the window instead.”

“Don’t worry, I made myself a key.” Vicky planted a dramatic kiss on Sienna’s cheek, loud enough to make the baby squeal again. “So, where are we going? Park? Zoo? Disneyland?”

“The park,” you said quickly, grabbing the diaper bag before she could escalate her ideas.

“Perfect,” Vicky replied without missing a beat, already bouncing Sienna on her hip. “I want to be one with nature.”

Alexia rolled her eyes, “Cállate y vámonos.” (Shut up and let’s go)

The ride to the park consisted of Vicky and Sienna’s giggled in the backseat while you and Alexia conversed in the front. The soft sounds of The Marías played as background music.

The late afternoon sun cast the park in a warm golden glow. The air smelled faintly of grass and sunscreen, and the swings squeaked rhythmically in the distance.

Alexia and you claimed a bench near the playground, your bags stacked neatly at your feet, while Vicky took off with Sienna like a human firework.

“Watch this!” she shouted, sliding down the slide with Sienna in her lap. Sienna shrieked with laughter, her curls bouncing wildly.

“She’s never going to nap again,” you muttered, though the sight brought a smile tugging at your lips.

Alexia chuckled, lacing her fingers through yours. “She’ll crash later,” she murmured, pressing a kiss to your temple. “Besides, look at them. She adores Vicky.”

Your chest warmed at the sight of your daughter’s tiny hands clapping against Vicky’s cheeks, demanding more. “It’s chaos,” you admitted softly, leaning against Alexia’s shoulder. “But good chaos.”

Alexia hummed in agreement, her eyes following the pair. “Speaking of chaos,” she said carefully, “we need to decide when to move. The house won’t pack itself.”

You groaned. “Don’t remind me. I started to pack some small things. Boxes, furniture, utilities—”

“It’s our house, though.” Her voice softened, almost reverent. “Our home.”

You turned to her, meeting her gaze, and for a moment the noise of the park faded. “Our home,” you echoed, and the weight of that promise filled your chest.

On the playground, Vicky had somehow commandeered the baby wrap. “Don’t freak out!” she yelled, Sienna now strapped securely to her chest as she dangled from the monkey bars.

Alexia shot up from the bench. “¡Victoria López!”

You grabbed her hand and pulled her back down, laughing. “She’s fine,” you said, though your heart stuttered at the sight. Vicky would let herself get hurt before Sienna. “Let her be.”

Dinner at the diner was tradition. After every game, whether it was a win, a crushing loss, or a nail biting draw, after science fairs, good test scores, bad days, birthdays, or simply just because, the Putellas and Santos families always found their way to Alícia & Elias’ Diner.

The neon sign buzzed faintly against the cool evening air, casting a warm pink glow onto the pavement outside. The bell above the door jingled as you pushed it open, and instantly the familiar scent hit you: grilled meats, fried potatoes, sweet citrus soda, cinnamon sugar lingering in the air from fresh churros. It wrapped around you like a blanket, the smell of your childhood and of every milestone since.

Inside, the place hadn’t changed in decades, red vinyl booths with faint cracks in the seats, checkered floor tiles worn smooth by years of footsteps, the faded Polaroids pinned along the wall of smiling families and teams celebrating something or another.

The owners’ daughter, Lucía, had inherited the place from her parents years ago, and she spotted you the second you walked in.

“¡Mis chicas!” she called, her grin wide, her towel slung over her shoulder as she hurried from behind the counter. “The usual booth?”

“Always,” Alexia answered with that familiar smile, her hand brushing the small of your back as she guided you forward.

Vicky was already halfway to the booth, dragging Sienna along with her. The infant allowed herself to be carried, babbling nonsense words as if she was part of the plan.

“Eeek,” she declared proudly, and Vicky beamed like she’d just been knighted.

“See? She knows I’m the fun one,” Vicky announced, sliding into the booth and immediately pulling Sienna up onto the seat beside her.

“She knows you’re the loud one,” Alexia muttered, though the corners of her lips twitched.

The food came quickly, as it always did, Lucía knew your order by heart. A spread of tapas to share, grilled chicken still sizzling from the flat-top, crispy patatas bravas with aioli, and glasses of their house-made citrus soda that fizzed with every sip. And, of course, more churros than anyone reasonably needed, stacked in a basket in the middle of the table, sugar dusting the air every time someone grabbed one.

Vicky attacked her plate like she hadn’t eaten in weeks. She dunked churros into her soda, then into the chocolate sauce, alternating bites between the two with zero shame.

“Vicky!” you scolded, half-laughing, half-appalled. “You’re going to make yourself sick.”

“She’s innovating,” Alexia deadpanned, spearing a piece of chicken with her fork. “Besides she needs to eat to grow strong.”

Sienna, in her imitation phase, copied Vicky’s every move. When Vicky smeared ketchup across her cheek by accident, Sienna squealed and tapped her own cheek with her messy little fingers. When Vicky dipped churros into two different sauces at once, Sienna tried too…though hers ended up entirely on her bib.

“Look at them,” you whispered, leaning into Alexia’s side.

Alexia was already watching intently, one arm stretched along the back of the booth behind you. She was half-smiling, half-hovering, ready to leap across the table if either of her “kids” even looked like they were about to choke. “Two disasters,” she murmured. “But cute ones.”

By the end, both Vicky and Sienna were covered in food. Ketchup smeared across their cheeks, chocolate sauce on their shirts, sugar clinging to their fingers. They were laughing—loud, unbothered belly laughs that made half the diner turn to smile.

“Don’t move,” you said quickly, reaching into your bag for your digicam. You lifted it just in time to catch the moment. Sienna mid-laugh with her tiny teeth that were growing peeking out, Vicky’s head thrown back, the two of them looking like they’d just won the lottery together. The click of the shutter sealed it.

“Frame that one,” Alexia said softly, her eyes still on the camera but her smile aimed at you. “Put it in the new house,” Alexia nodded.

“Right on the fridge,” You promised, lowering the camera and staring at the little screen, your heart swelling at the frozen moment in time.

“On the fridge?” Vicky gasped in mock horror. “That’s too low. We deserve the mantel.”

Alexia rolled her eyes and stole the last churro before Vicky could grab it. “The mantel is for family pictures.”

“I am family!” Vicky argued through a mouthful of churro she’d swiped off Sienna’s plate.

Sienna, sticky and sugared, clapped her hands in agreement, chanting her garbled version of a protest.

And just like that, in the middle of the buzzing diner, with neon lights outside and plates still half-full, you realized this was what home felt like. The food, the laughter, and the love smeared all over the table.

You should have known Vicky wouldn’t be satisfied with just the park and the diner. Her energy was still bubbling over as you wrestled Sienna’s tiny arms into her jacket.

“Take me to the new house,” Vicky begged, tugging insistently on your sleeve. Her big brown eyes widened in exaggerated desperation. “Please, I’ll die if I don’t see it tonight.”

“No one has seen it yet,” Alexia reminded her firmly, crossing her arms. Her tone was sharp, protective in that way she always got when it came to your shared space.

“Exactly!” Vicky shot back without missing a beat, bouncing on her toes like a restless puppy. “That makes me special. I’ll be the first.” She clasped her hands together dramatically. “Come onnn, family bonding. Don’t be selfish!”

You gave her a flat look, but her pleading grin was impossible to resist. “Fine,” you muttered, tugging Sienna’s zipper up. “But don’t touch anything. And no running in socks, the floors are still slick.”

Vicky threw both fists in the air in triumph. “YES! First guest rights!”

Minutes later, you regretted every word. Vicky was already sprinting down the hallway of the new house, her sneakers squeaking against the polished wood as Sienna bounced happily on her shoulders. The baby’s giggles rang through the empty rooms, high and pure, like music bouncing off fresh walls.

“This one’s mine!” Vicky announced proudly as she skidded into a bedroom. She set Sienna down carefully on the carpet, then spread her arms wide in the middle of the floor. “Look at the windows! So big! Perfect for posters. Messi, Rihanna, a couple of anime ones, maybe a life-sized cardboard cutout…”

Alexia appeared in the doorway, one eyebrow arched as she leaned against the frame. “Posters? In this house?”

“Culture, Alexia,” Vicky replied with mock seriousness, placing a hand over her chest. “Some of us are still in our teenage golden years.”

Sienna, plopped onto the carpet, smacked her hands against it like she was applauding Vicky’s declaration.

“See? Sienna agrees,” Vicky said, crouching down to boop her nose. “This is our room now, princesa.”

You groaned, pinching the bridge of your nose as Alexia tried to look annoyed but the corners of her mouth were betraying her, tugging upward.

“Just wait until you see the backyard,” you teased, knowing exactly how she’d react.

Her head snapped toward you, eyes wide. “Backyard?!” she gasped. “You didn’t tell me there was a backyard!”

“Because we knew you’d lose your mind,” Alexia muttered.

Sure enough, thirty seconds later, Vicky was tearing through the sliding glass doors, Sienna once again balanced on her shoulders, the baby squealing with delight as the night air rushed in. The two of them ran in wide circles under the faint glow of the garden lights, Vicky pointing out random patches of grass like she’d discovered buried treasure.

“This corner, trampoline!” Vicky shouted before immediately point to somewhere else. “A helipad over there—“

“Absolutely not,” Alexia called back from the doorway.

“Too late, already claimed!”

Sienna squealed louder, gripping Vicky’s hair like reins, her little body bouncing with each of Vicky’s exaggerated steps.

You laughed softly, leaning into Alexia’s side as she finally gave in to her smile. “You know we’ve lost her, right?”

“She’s like a tornado,” Alexia muttered, shaking her head. “A loud, stubborn tornado.”

“But a tornado Sienna loves,” you pointed out, watching your daughter’s face light up in pure joy.

Vicky slowed down eventually, carrying Sienna back inside on her shoulders, both of them flushed and breathless. She ducked dramatically as if she were a giant and the doorway was too small, making Sienna erupt into hiccupy giggles.

“Best. Family. Day. Ever.” Vicky declared, flopping onto the living room floor with Sienna still clinging to her like a koala. “This house is perfect. And so am I, for blessing it first.”

Alexia rolled her eyes, but when you glanced at her, you caught the softness there. The way she looked at you, at Sienna, at the little chaos Vicky had created in these new walls.

“Yeah,” you murmured, threading your fingers through hers. “It is perfect.”

The day ended at the lake, where the sky stretched out in watercolor streaks of pink, lavender, and molten orange. The water mirrored it all, shimmering like melted glass with each ripple. A soft breeze carried the scent of pine and fresh grass, ruffling the corners of the blanket you had spread out across the bank. The four of you had settled into an easy rhythm, the kind of comfort that made time feel slower.

Sienna sat perched in Vicky’s lap, tiny hands exploring her favorite’s cheeks like they were made of clay. Vicky, as dramatic as always, launched into a story with her arms flailing, her voice high and indignant.

“And then the teacher was like, ‘Victoria, this is not how fractions work,’” she huffed, rolling her eyes so hard you thought they might disappear into her head. “And I was like, ‘Well, maybe fractions are wrong!’”

Sienna let out a squeal of laughter, her little body bouncing with delight as her fists tugged at Vicky’s face.

You groaned, leaning back against Alexia’s chest, her warmth steady and grounding at your back. “Vicky, your grades—”

“Don’t ruin the moment!” Vicky shot back instantly, sticking her bottom lip out in the most exaggerated pout you had ever seen. She even added wide, pleading eyes for effect.

Sienna’s laugh was immediate, shrieking and clapping her hands, as though siding with Vicky against you. Her little palms smacked Vicky’s cheeks with pure glee, as if to console her.

“See?” Vicky declared, triumphant. “Even Sienna thinks you’re too harsh.”

You rolled your eyes, but you couldn’t help smiling at the way your daughter’s curls bounced with each giggle.

Then it happened, clear as a bell, as if she’d been practicing in secret.

“Vee-kee,” Sienna babbled, her chubby hands clapping together proudly.

The world seemed to stop. Alexia stiffened behind you, her hand gripping your arm tight. Vicky froze like a statue, her mouth falling open, eyes darting between you, Alexia, and the baby in her lap.

“She—she did not just—” Vicky gasped so dramatically you thought she might choke on air. “She said my name!”

Tears blurred your vision instantly, spilling hot down your cheeks as you turned in Alexia’s arms. Your daughter’s very first word, not “mama” or “mami” or even “mamãe,” but Vicky. The sound of it was music, a perfect melody wrapped in baby babble.

“Say it again, princesa,” Vicky whispered, her voice trembling with hope. She bounced Sienna gently, eyes shining. “Say Vicky.”

Sienna beamed, proud of the attention. She clapped again, curls bobbing, and declared, “Vee-kee!”

This time louder and ever so clear.

Vicky collapsed backward onto the blanket like she’d just won the lottery, holding Sienna above her like she was a trophy. “Best. Day. EVER.” She kicked her feet in the air, squealing, while Sienna shrieked in delight, her arms flapping like tiny wings.

Alexia finally let out a laugh, pressing a kiss into your hair as her shoulders shook. You swiped at your wet cheeks, overwhelmed, unable to look away from the sight of your daughter’s joy.

“She really loves her,” you whispered softly, half to Alexia, half to yourself.

“She does,” Alexia agreed, voice low and warm against your ear. “And you know what? I’m not even jealous.”

Vicky sat up again, clutching Sienna to her chest and rocking back and forth. “You hear that, baby girl? I’m officially the favorite. You and me, besties for the resties.”

Sienna answered by smacking her hand against Vicky’s chin and giggling so hard her whole body shook.

You leaned further into Alexia, heart swelling until it hurt. The sunset deepened over the lake, painting everything in hues of gold and rose, like even the universe wanted to frame this moment for you.

Your messy, chaotic, loud little family. A first word that belonged to all of you.

And as laughter rang across the water and Sienna babbled “Vee-kee” again and again like her new favorite song, you knew without a doubt, Vicky was right. It really was the best day ever.

It was late, the kind of late where the world felt hushed and tender. The apartment was bathed in silver light, the moon spilling through the window and painting soft streaks across the floor. Half-filled moving boxes were scattered around like little reminders of the life waiting to begin in the new house, but tonight, they didn’t matter.

Your attention was on Vicky, curled up in your arms on the couch. Her head rested against your chest, her curls tickling your chin. She smelled faintly of baby lotion and churros, thanks to Sienna’s sticky hands earlier at the diner. You lazily ran your manicured nails through her hair, scratching gently at her scalp, and you felt her melt further into you.

“Thank you for today,” she mumbled, her voice heavy with sleep.

“You are always welcome here, querida,” you murmured back, pressing a soft kiss to the top of her head.

Vicky shifted, her big brown eyes blinking up at you in the dim light. She looked suddenly smaller, younger than her usual loud, dramatic self. “No, seriously,” she whispered, her throat bobbing as she swallowed. “You and Alexia… you’ve made the transition so much easier. Especially since—” She hesitated, biting her lip. “Since my dad can’t really visit.”

Her voice cracked at the end, and your chest ached. She blinked quickly, her eyes glossing over with tears. “You two stepped up and did everything for me. Even when I didn’t make it easy. You guys mean everything to me. No matter how many stupid jokes I make, or how annoying I am, I just—thank you. I love you.”

The lump in your throat came fast, burning. You brushed her curls back with trembling fingers, gently cupping her head as you leaned down to press a long kiss to her crown. “I love you too, carinho. So, so much.”

She let out a shaky laugh as you began peppering her face with kisses. Her forehead, her cheeks, her nose, until she squirmed and giggled, trying to shield herself with her hands.

“Stoppp,” she whined through her laughter, her dimples flashing.

“Never,” you teased, catching her in your arms again and holding her close, rocking her gently like you did with Sienna. She snuggled right back in, sighing deeply as if the world had finally quieted around her.

For a moment, you just looked at her, the way her lashes fanned across her cheeks, how soft her breathing had become. Family wasn’t always easy, but this? This felt right.

You smoothed your hand down her back. “Now,” you started, shifting so you cradled her against you, “what color do you want your room?”

Her eyes fluttered open again, wide and thoughtful. “Wait… I get to pick?”

“Of course,” you said softly, smiling at her surprise. “It’s your space. It should feel like you.”

Vicky sat up a little straighter, suddenly alert despite how tired she had looked moments ago. “Okay, okay, hear me out. One wall pink like, bold pink. Then another wall covered in posters. And maybe led lights everywhere. But not baby led lights like, big ones. Bright loud, kinda like me. We make it blaugrana colors so Ale likes them too.”

You laughed, shaking your head. “That sounds exactly like you.”

“Good,” she said proudly, nestling back down into your side. “Then it’ll feel like home.”

Before you could respond, footsteps padded in from the kitchen. Alexia appeared, bottle in one hand, rubbing sleep from her eyes with the other. She froze when she saw the two of you, her expression softening into something tender and unreadable.

“¿Qué pasa aquí?” she whispered, voice warm with amusement. (What’s going on here?)

“She’s mine now,” Vicky declared without opening her eyes, her words muffled as she buried her face in your shirt. “Go away, Ale.”

Alexia chuckled, setting the bottle down on the counter. She leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, just watching. “She’s lucky,” she murmured, more to herself than to either of you.

You caught her gaze over Vicky’s head, and the look she gave you, soft, unguarded, and filled with quiet love, made your chest ache all over again.

For now, though, you just held Vicky tighter, brushing another kiss into her hair. “Home,” you echoed, your voice a promise.

smiling, you respond to her and switch effortlessly from your english mindset to the flow of portuguese. the language is not one you speak often, since english is your default. especially playing at barcelona, where the coaches encourages you to speak english to some of the spanish girls (to help with their english education, even though you can speak spanish just fine).

it is like old times. you laugh at something cat says about the referee's calls, yet the hugs feel long as you're holding each other's kits. however, you notice how the erazilian-american's eyes linger a beat too long, but it was appreciative. the kind that comes from mutual respect on the field.

"but yo, we should grab coffee sometime," she suggests, still in portuguese, with her voice excited against the backdrop of dispersing players. you nod while smiling at the idea, "yeah, why not? we could invite niamh and lauren too next time we're in the same city."

however from the corner of your eye, you catch kika watching you. she's lingering near the tunnel entrance beside esmee and salma, who are laughing about something that had nothing to do with the game, clearly.

the portuguese's barcelona kit is clinging to her frame with her hair damp and tousled. you're surprised she did not switch kits with keira. kika's expression is neutral, but you know her well enough to spot the flicker of her jaw getting tight, with her eyes narrowed just a fraction.

once you stop talking to cat, kika turns away abruptly and disappears into the shadows, with pina following her cluelessly.

the idea of walking back into the locker room was exhausting, since the tie should've been a win. however, back in the locker room, there was laughs and jokes among the younger girls while the older ones showered.

you peel off your wet gear, tossing the chelsea jersey into your bag like a trophy. kika's locker is two down from yours, but she avoids your gaze and chats animatedly with salma instead. you try to catch her eye, and tried to talk to her once but she just hums noncommittally, and her laugh was a little too forced when vicky cracked a joke.

that night on the flight home, the jealousy was still unspoken about. kika sits across the aisle from your seat with her headphones in, but you notice her glancing your way when she thinks you're not looking. you scroll through your phone, replying to a message from a national teammate as kika's foot taps restlessly against the seat in front of her.

a week later, you've assumed that kika had gotten over it.

during training, kika's all smiles with everyone, including you. the two of you hung out with alexia, whose like an older sister who patches up your scrapes and calls you out on your bullshit, never anything more.

however, you noticed how kika leans into her a bit too much that day by laughing at alexia's dry humor, bumping shoulders during drills, and even asking her for extra passing tips after practice even though kika's passing is perfectly fine.

you watch from the sidelines with your water bottle in hand, wondering if the knot twisting in your gut was your own mind and nothing else. it's irrational since you know alexia's not interested, that this is just kika's way of poking at you.... but it works.

"kiki," you call out later, trying to sound casual as you jog over to her side, pretending like you didn't feel affected by her actions with alexia, "do want to grab dinner by the beach tonight? the weather is supposed to be warm i've heard from gemma!"

kika glances at alexia first, who's packing up her bag, then back at you with a smirk, "actually, ale and i were thinking of hitting that new tapas place. you know, team bonding." alexia's eyebrow quirks, but she doesn't contradict her and just shrugs before saying, "sure, why not? y/n you can come too."

you decline, mumbling something about fatigue. clearly, alexia had no idea about kika's supposed plans with her. that evening, you sit on your couch while replaying the scene in your head.

why alexia? it's not like kika's ever shown interest in her before.

then, that is when you remember the jersey exchange again, and the portuguese banter with catarina. there is when it clicks since kika's jealous and clearly has never gotten over it like you though. now she's turning the tables and making you feel how she felt, you guess.

the next month drags into a haze of petty escalations. you start it innocently enough, or so you tell yourself.

after a la liga match against atletico, you linger in the mixed zone and chat with a journalist who happens to be fluent in german, one of your other languages.

you switch to it mid-conversation, laughing at her questions while kika, waiting nearby while standing with clara, shoots you a glare that could've killed if you looks could.

in retaliation, of course, she amps it up with alexia.

during a team dinner, she sits next to the captain with their heads bent close as she discuss tactics with her. alexia's hand rests on kika's arm for a moment, emphasizing a point, and you nearly choke on your paella.

"everything okay?" patri asks, noticing your stare. you force a smile, "yeah, just… too hungry too chew."

later that night, as the team disperses, you corner kika in the parking lot by her car, pretending like you weren't upset.

"what's with you and alexia lately? you two seem… close."

she crosses her arms with that twinkle in her brown eyes, like she wanted to you snap, "close? we're teammates like you and that chelsea girl used to be. what's her name? catarina? the two of sounded real cozy in portuguese."

you scoff, since kika knows catarina quite well, so for her to be acting like that was very off.

"it was just talk. since when do you care what language i speak?"

"since you never use it with me," she snaps back, "you always stick to english, like it's some barrier knowing I can speak my native language. but with her it seemed sooooo effortless."

the admission hangs there andyou open your mouth to respond, but she turns on her heel, sliding into her car with a slammed door. she left you there in the parking lot, with the two of you unaware that some of the team witnessed that conversation.

the next morning in the gym, the clank of weights and the treadmills were used while esmee, clara, patri, caro, and sydney sprawled across the mats for a cooldown stretch that had long since turned into gossip hour.

clara was the first to crack, snorting so hard she nearly dropped her phone, “okay but besides that moment they had in the parking lot last nigh, did you see them at breakfast this morning? kika literally moved her chair three inches closer to y/n just to ‘accidentally’ brush elbows, and then y/n retaliated by stealing the last piece of toast from kika’s plate like it was a personal attack. they’re so obvious, it’s embarrassing.”

sydney, lying flat on her back with her legs up the wall, cackled and kicked her feet in delight, “it’s like watching two puppies fight over the same toy. its adorable and pathetic. i’m living for it.”

patri grinned, shaking her head as she rolled her shoulders, “they think they’re being subtle. meanwhile y/n's eyebrows look like they're about to snap off every time kika talks to ale!!! it’s almost cute how bad they are at hiding their jealousy for eachother.”

caro chuckled quietly beside her, wiping sweat from her brow, "their jealousy is a bit... odd though, patri? every time one of them storms off, the other one sulks for ten minutes straight. i’m waiting for the day they just kiss and get it over with, they act like two teammates have never dated before.”

esmee, however, was not laughing.

she sat cross-legged against the mirrored wall with her arms folded tight across her chest, with her usually soft expression somewhere between resignation and genuine irritation.

“it’s not hilarious at all, actually syd,,” she muttered, voice low enough that the others had to lean in to catch it, “it’s annoying. they’re my two best friends, and i’ve spent the last two months listening to both of them rant about each other like i’m some kind of free therapist. y/n crying in my room at midnight because kika was ‘too touchy’ with ale, kika texting me at 2 a.m. asking why y/n was speaking portuguese with that chelsea girl like it personally betrayed her. i’ve stuck in the crossfire and they don’t even notice, the conversation in the parking lot was only shocking to y'all because they've never heard about it.”

once she noticed the attention coming from the girls, esmee exhaled sharply while rubbing her temples, “maybe that’s why i haven’t dated anyone on the same team as me, since you know.... ughhhh they’re going to implode one of these days, and i’m going to be the one picking up the pieces, aren't I?”

clara reached over and patted the dutch woman's knee sympathetically, though the grin never left her face, “you’re too nice, es. just tell them to fuck already.”

"language, clare." caro mumbles as esmee shot her a withering look, “if i have to hear one more jealous monologue, i might just do it myself.”

outside the glass doors, you and kika were visible on the pitch to the five girls inside of the gym, laughing at something alexia said while gemma, aitana, and marta pretended not to notice the way your shoulders kept brushing like there was no room on the large pitch.

the gym group watched in silence for a beat before sydney whispered, “ten euros says they don’t make it to the end of the month without confessing.” patri smirked, “i’ll take that bet, but only because i want to see esmee finally lose it on someone for the first time.”

the games intensify only two days later when you flirt harmlessly with a photographer after a signing event, exchanging numbers under the guise of "language practice" in german.

kika sees a photo of you on the photographer's social media account (you were tagged, and you reposted it on your ig story, which made kika go on a stalking rampage) and she responds by posting a story of her and alexia at a cafe, captioning it "best company💜" which made you roll your eyes once you saw it hours later.

alexia, oblivious at first, starts to notice the undercurrents when during a recovery session, she pulls you aside.

"hey, kid. everything good with you and kika? I cannot lie, she's been… extra attentive lately."

you shrug while feigning innocence, "I have no idea what you mean.... I think we're fine."

alexia's not buying it since she's seen too many locker room dramas in her career going on with teammates and their romantic antics, "if you say so... just don't let it affect your game, ok?!"

it does, though.

in training, your passes to kika are sharper and way more aggressive like you're trying to prove a point. she returns the favor, tackling you a bit harder than necessary during scrimmages. for two forwards, the side tackles were a bit unnecessary.

soon, the two of you start to call out at eachother like two enemies, rather than two girls who are down horrendously for eachother, "watch your feet, ms. l/n, or is that how you dance with catarina?" she'd laughed after a foul. you retorted, "at least i don't need alexia to hold my hand through drills, francisca!"

the coach blew the whistle after that, while some of the team looked on in shock. salma, sydney, and cata had to cover their mouths with their hands to not laugh audibly.

however, that was not the last of it, of course not.

there was a nike photoshoot that week, something that was scheduled for you and alexia. however, kika had to come along as 'moral support' which meant to spy on you.

the set was bright with lights and assistants were darting around. you were dressed in all black, and kika helped you with putting on the black windbreak jacket. however, alexia stepped onto the white backdrop in an ivory and pink look.

kika had been mid-sentence, leaning against a lighting rig, explaining some inside joke to the two of you when an assistant came up, explaining the concept of the photoshoot.

once the assistant mentioned duo shots, kika blinked with her mouth half-open before you started walking over to the backdrop.

you saw the look on her face, amused since she knows you.

kika crossed her arms as glanced back over your shoulder, shrugging with exaggerated nonchalance as you looked into her eyes, “don’t worry kiki, i’ll keep her warm for you.”

alexia laughed, oblivious, letting you guide her while kika stood there with her arms crossed while watching the two of you pose under the softboxes like you’d rehearsed it.

by the time the photographer called for a five-minute break, kika had migrated closer while hovering near the craft services table with a bottle of water she wasn’t drinking.

you sauntered over, wiping nonexistent sweat from your brow, and leaned in just enough to make her tense.

“hey, i was thinking... after this, i might take ale out for matcha. she’s been talking about needing something calm.”

kika’s scoff came instant, “matcha? does alexia even like matcha?” you nodded, slowly while quoting something that ewa told you the other week, “yeah. ale likes hers with lavender and two pumps of honey. it keeps keeps her content.”

kika’s eyes narrowed with her water bottle creaking in her grip, “now why the hell do you know that?” you let the smirk spread, leaning one hip against the table so you were right in her space.

“jealous much?”

the midfielder rolled her eyes so hard it looked painful, “you wish.” you tilted your head, voice dropping to that teasing lilt she hated loving. “relax, i still remember your order too. coconut iced latte, extra ice, no whip. so don’t worry... if that’s what this is about, your spot’s safe.”

kika huffed another scoff, yet her cheeks were faintly red now, and she muttered something under her breath like “arrogant little—” before turning away, but not before you caught the tiniest twitch of her lips fighting a smile.

the next evening, after a particularly tough practice alexia invites the two of you over to her place for a chill night with wine, movies, and no pressure.

you arrive late, finding kika already there and lounging on the couch next to alexia, with their legs touching casually as they share a blanket. your stomach flips, even though kika was obvious doing it to affect you.

"room for one more?" you ask, voice tighter than intended.

kika pats the spot on her other side, "sure, if you can behave."

you sit as the movie plays about a mindless rom-com that no one's really watching. kika's hand brushes alexia's knee, while laughing at a joke. you tense, grabbing a pillow to fidget with.

to clarify, kika had no romantic feelings for alexia. she explained it to esmee. your mind was like a pressure cooker, and she knew that you'd explode after some time, and after the wrong thing. its petty, but the portuguese wanted you to admit your feelings first.

"cold?" kika asks innocently, but her eyes gleam with mischief as she looks over at you.

"nope," you reply while shifting closer to alexia, with your thigh pressing against hers now, "I am just getting comfortable."

alexia, sandwiched in the middle now, sighs dramatically. esmee told her everything that was happening between the two of you after practice tonight. it was shocking, how far you and kika would've gone before something intense would've occurred.

"okay, enough with this crap! what's this? am i the rope in your tug-of-war?"

you both freeze, not knowing that she'd figure it out.

kika pulls back, creating a space as her cheeks start flushing, "what? no, ale, it's nothing—"

"nothing?" alexia interrupts, pausing the movie with the remote that was resting in her lap.

she turns to face you both, and her captain's gaze was so steady that it scared you, "you two have been acting like idiots for weeks. like why are you two flirting with me to make each other jealous? i'm flattered, but i'm not your pawn. i'm old enough to be your cool aunt, or something, not your love rival."

the silence stretches, and it was so uncomfortable you wanted to run out of the room. you stare at your hands, with some heat creeping up your neck.

kika mumbles something about it being a joke, but alexia shakes her head.

"no, talk. now.... or i'm locking you in a room until you do."

kika glances at you, her bravado cracking, "fine.... my problem it started after the chelsea game with you and the chelsea girl… speaking portuguese like old friends. you never do that with me. it's always english, and you know how much my native tongue means to me.. it felt intimate seeing you speak it with her... you know?"

you blink, almost surprised, "that's what bothered you? kika, i speak english with everyone because it's neutral but with catarina, it just… happened since she spoke it to me first. it wasn't special. honestly, I think it would've been rude if I just didn't speak it back to her."

"well, it felt special," she mutters, crossing her arms slowly like she was holding up a failing defense, "and then you exchanged jersey with all smiles. i thought… maybe you liked her."

"i don't," you say quickly with your heart pounding, "i like you, and i have since you joined the team... but you never made a move to suggest that you liked me back, so i thought… whatever."

kika's eyes widen, "huh? you like me? then why didn't you say anything?"

"why didn't you?" you counter, frustration bubbling over, "instead, you start hanging all over alexia like that would make me jealous."

"it did," she admits, a small smile tugging at her lips despite the tension.

"mission accomplished."

alexia groans, standing up realizing that the teasing would not stop no matter how serious the situation, "god, you two are hopeless. i'm going to bed.... sort this shit out."

she leaves the room, door clicking shut behind her.

alone now, the air feels hotter. you turn to kika fully since alexia is not in-between anymore, searching her face to see a mix of love, hurt, and amusement.

"i'm sorry for the games. i was stupid."

she nods while biting her lip, "me too. i started it because i was scared. seeing you with her… it hurt. but using ale? that was low, im sorry. she's like family, I don't like her like that."

"yeah," you agree, scooting closer.

your hands find each other, with you fingers intertwining her fingers with yours tentatively, "we're fucking idiots."

kika laughs softly with the sound warming the space between you, it sounds like harmony in your ears, "we are total idiots. but… maybe we can stop now?"

you meet her gaze, with the vulnerability there mirroring your own, "we can. so... kika, will you go on a date with me? like a real one, with no games."

kika smile blooms, and it is so genuine and bright that her cheeks are pink, "yeah. i'd like that."

you lean in with your foreheads touching, with the world narrowing to just this moment in alexia's living room.

"can I kiss you?" kika asked suddenly, and it makes your heart race.

"you can kiss me as much as you'd like, kika." you smirked, speaking in portuguese which gets a big laugh out of the woman.

"deal.." kika says, biting her lip as she places her hand on your upper thigh before leaning in, with her lips gliding over yours smoothly right away, and forgetting about the childish behavior the two of you had over the last month.

masterlist

They loved being around each other, and they had fun. Y/n would laugh at any joke Vicky would say, and Vicky would always be the guinea pig whenever Y/n would try to create a new baking recipe. 

And after all of that, they would go to Y/n’s room and make out for hours. It was a very good, very happy relationship. 

It was the kind of relationship that they wanted to share with the world and their friends/teammates.

But their teammates’ constant teasing about their ‘friendship’ made them nervous. The team, especially Patri and Pina, weren’t blind to Y/n and Vicky. 

They knew they had something going on, but whenever they would ask, Vicky would try to change the subject while Y/n would get straight up red and turn around.

Still, the team wasn’t a hundred per cent sure about what they were. When Pina would start teasing them in the locker room, Alexia was already there, smacking her playfully in the head, murmuring “Deja a las niñas en paz’ [Leave the girls alone.]”

Knowing that they weren’t as subtle as they would like to be, both girls were very careful around each other. They still sat next to each other on the bus or the plane when they had an away game, but they never shared a room in a hotel, although they did sneak out in the middle of the night sometimes. 

For any outsider of Barcelona, they were just very good friends. For their teammates, they were friends who were still trying to figure out if they were something more. For themselves, they were the best girlfriends in the whole world.

And it was good for now, at least.

But as the time passed, and their three months of dating turned into six, it was becoming harder and harder to ignore the ache in their chest whenever they had to stop themselves from holding hands.

It was getting frustrating, really.

They just wanted to be themselves, just wanted to share what they had with their close friends.

One day, after a hard training session, the two of them are walking back to the locker rooms, laughing over something silly that happened during training. Jana had been hit in the head by a ball Aitana kicked, and it became the joke of the day.

But then, in the hallway, right outside of the locker room, Vicky accidentally bumped into Y/n’s side, which caused Y/n to trip. Vicky was faster, though; she held her quickly.

They froze as their eyes met, and then, Vicky very carefully pulled Y/n closer to her body and pecked her lips.

Y/n’s eyes widened. 

They had never kissed inside the training grounds. Well, except for when they sneaked out to the closest bathroom stall. 

Vicky’s touch was warm against Y/n’s skin. The hallway to the locker room was empty; most girls were already changing to go home, but still they glanced around nervously to see if anyone noticed.

“Vicky!” Y/n said exasperatedly, still looking around. “We can’t do that…they’ll see!”

Vicky rolled her eyes playfully and let go of Y/n’s arm when the girls looked steady enough. 

“No one saw anything, sí?” 

And then, as if nothing had happened, she opened the door to the locker room and held it open for Y/n.

As they walked into the locker room, they found the team already gathered there. Unfortunately, some of the girls had grown accustomed to poking fun at Vicky and Y/n whenever they showed up together somewhere.

Kika asked why Y/n looked flushed, which made Y/n even more embarrassed. Vicky ignored them. 

“Vayan a ocuparse de sus vidas,” [Mind your own business], Vicky said as she opened her cubby to get her change of clothes. 

..

Vicky was good at dealing with the teasing, Y/n, on the other hand, was not.

The next week, when Vicky and Y/n showed up at the morning training session together, because Y/n had spent the night at Vicky’s house and didn’t have a car, the teasing began once again, obviously.

Y/n tried to play it cool, just like Vicky always did, and made a quick excuse to get away.

“I’m just going to grab some water, be right back.” But as soon as she walked off, the teasing continued, this time the focus was on Vicky.

“Oh, so you came here together,” Esmee said, looking at her phone as if she didn’t really care.

“sí,” Vicky said, “I stopped at her house on my way here.” Vicky was impressed by how easy it was to lie.

“Are you sure?” Pina said, lifting only one eyebrow.

“Yes, of course I’m sure,” Vicky rolled her eyes. “Why wouldn’t I?”

Ingrid, who had been very silent so far, finally spoke. “It just looks like she was wearing the exact same clothing from yesterday.”

Vicky shot Ingrid a look of betrayal. “Ingrid! Even you?”

Ingrid held both her hands up. “Sorry, but it’s the truth!”

While Vicky was putting her training kit on, she heard the girl singing:

“Vicky and Y/n sitting in a tree–”

She knew it was going to be a long day.

..

Later, when training was done, Y/n got into Vicky’s care without anyone noticing, and she felt like she could finally let out a breath she was holding.

“Are we really doing this?” Y/n asked, glancing at Vicky as she drove around Barcelona. “Hiding, sneaking around, pretending we’re not together when we…pretty much are?”

Vicky placed a warm hand on Y/n’s thigh.

“At this point, I would say we’re not hiding anything; the team knows something’s going on, but they think we just have a crush on each other.”

“I just want to be able to talk to you like I do with everyone else, without worrying about who’s around, or if someone sees we’re holding hands...I just don’t want everyone to tease us for it, if we do end up coming out as a couple, you know?”

Vicky grinned, “Well, the ‘no-teasing’ part will be the hardest one to achieve. We’re the babies of the team, remember? The teasing is almost mandatory.”

Y/n smiled, just a little, before hiding her face in her hands. “But it’s so embarrassing!”

“They like embarrassing,” Vicky explained, “That’s why they keep doing it, especially with you, you turn into a tomato, if or when we tell them we’re dating, it’s only gonna get worse… but we’ll figure it out, okay?”

Their relationship was still a secret, but they knew they would have to come clean soon, because being in love was a big thing to hide forever.

..

Vicky tapped her fingers nervously against the steering wheel as they pulled into the parking lot at the training ground a week later. 

Y/n was sitting beside her, staring out the window with a distant look in her eyes.

“Are you sure about this?” Y/n asked, her voice barely audible over the hum of the car’s engine.

Vicky stopped the engine and turned to face her girlfriend. 

“I’m tired of hiding, aren’t you? Every time Kika or Pina makes a joke, I just want to say, ’yes, we’re together, what about it?”

Y/n smiled softly. “I  know. It’s just... they’re going to be insufferable.”

“Yeah, but for like a week, maybe. Then they’l find something else to tease us about.” Vicky reached over and squeezed Y/n’s hand. 

“Remember what Alexia told us when we first joined the team? We’re family here, they won’t…judge us or anything, it’s going to be pure ‘big sister teasing’ energy, nothing more.”

“Okay, okay,” Y/n said. “Let’s go and tell them.”

Vicky leaned over and pressed a quick kiss to Y/n’s cheek. “Great, no more hiding.”

Y/n took a deep breath and nodded. “No more hiding.”

They walked into the building together, not bothering to keep the usual careful distance between them. 

It was their third training session in a row, arriving together, and they both knew what was coming.

As they approached the locker room door, Y/n could feel her heart pounding against her ribs. Vicky gave her a reassuring smile when she sensed how nervous she was.

“Just…be casual,” Vicky whispered. “Follow my lead.”

The moment they walked in, all eyes turned to them. Kika, already changed into her training kit, was the first to speak.

“Well, well, well... look who’s arriving together…again,” she said with a teasing grin. “Did you stop by Y/n’s house on your way here again, Vicky?”

A few of the girls laughed. 

Pina and Esmee exchanged knowing glances. In the corner, Alexia was watching the scene unfold with a small smile on her face.

Y/n felt her cheeks heating up, but she kept her eyes forward as she headed to her cubby. Vicky, however, stopped in the middle of the room and shrugged casually.

“Yeah, she spent the night at my house,” Vicky said, her voice loud enough for everyone to hear. “Yesterday too... oh! And the day before that, as well,”

The locker room fell silent. Y/n froze, her training shirt halfway over her head.

Kika’s mouth dropped open. “Wait, what?”

Vicky started changing into her training kit as if she hadn’t just dropped a bombshell. 

“Did I stutter?”

“Oh… so you two are…” Esmee gestured between them, eyes wide. 

“Dating,”  Y/n finished, finding her voice at last. She pulled the rest of her shirt down and faced the team. “For six months now.”

There was silence.

“Por fin!” [Finally!] Alexia exclaimed, throwing her hands up. “I thought you would never admit it!”

The team erupted in responses. 

Pina was demanding to know all the details, Jana was complaining that she owed money to someone now, and Kika was standing there looking completely stunned.

“Six months?” Patri asked, collecting what appeared to be betting money from several teammates. “And none of us knew for sure? We honestly thought you guys were too scared to admit your feelings to each other, not that you were already dating.”

“Well, Alexia had her suspicions,” Y/n admitted, glancing at their captain, who just winked in response.

“Is that why you were always defending them from the teasing?” Esmee asked Alexia. 

Alexia shrugged. “Someone had to look out for our babies while they figured things out.”

Vicky walked over to Y/n’s side and casually put an arm over her shoulders. 

The gesture was so natural, so comfortable, that Y/n wondered why they had even bothered hiding it.

“So…” Vicky said, looking around at their teammates. “That’s it? No more teasing?”

Kika finally snapped out of her shock and burst into laughter. 

“Are you kidding? This is just the beginning!”

But there was no malice in her words, just the familiar warmth of the team’s banter. 

One by one, their teammates came over to congratulate them, some offering genuine words of support, others making jokes about how obvious they had been all along.

As they headed out to the training field, Y/n felt lighter than she had in months.

Vicky’s hand found hers as they walked, and for the first time, Y/n didn’t pull away.

See?” Vicky whispered. “That wasn’t so bad.”

Y/n smiled. 

“No, it wasn’t.” She squeezed Vicky’s hand. “Though I think Patri just made a lot of money betting on us.”

“Good for her,” Vicky laughed. “At least someone benefited from our...secrecy.”

As they joined the rest of the team on the field, Y/n couldn’t help but think that maybe the teasing really wasn’t so bad after all. 

Not when it meant she could finally be herself, with the girl she loved, surrounded by a team that had become her second family.

..

a/n: ok so i re-read this and I think it's honestly so sweet oh god...