#vicky lopez

---

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💗

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

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 argument had reached its third day of circulation, and the team was collectively two minutes away from staging an intervention. You and Alexia walked into the locker room mid-debate, both talking over each other like it was a sport.

“Alexia, that is stupid! You have stupid falling out of your mouth,” you exclaimed, slamming your water bottle onto the bench with finality.

Alexia scoffed, dramatically clutching her chest. “Excuse me? I’m trying to be practical! You’d rather waste money on a costume she’ll wear once?”

You spun around, incredulous. “You want our child to go out dressed as you. That’s not practical, that’s egotistical.”

“Egotistical?” Alexia repeated, clearly offended. “It’s sentimental! She can wear my old training kit—tiny socks, the captain’s armband, the ponytail—it’s adorable!”

The locker room collectively groaned. Aitana tossed her shin guards into her locker. “It’s been three weeks. Three. I can’t live like this anymore.”

“You both need therapy,” Keira said flatly, zipping up her hoodie. “Or separate dressing rooms.”

“Dressing your child up as you for Halloween is ridiculous and I need you to know that,” you said, yanking your training top over your head. “It’s important to me that you know that, Ale.”

Alexia raised her chin. “And it’s important to me that you stop being so dramatic. It’s not like I’m saying she should wear a fake jersey when she has authentic ones.”

“She’s a baby, Alexia!”

“She’s also my baby,” Alexia shot back.

“Oh my God,” Lucy piped up from the corner, clutching her head. “You two are like a horrible soap opera with lesbians who kick a ball around for a living.”

Jana leaned against the lockers, arms crossed. “Yeah, that’s kind of insane.”

The rest of the room murmured their agreement.

“A bit self absorbed,” Aitana added, pulling her hair into a ponytail.

“You can’t be that cheap,” Irene sighed, tying her boots. “Just buy the kid a pumpkin costume like normal parents.”

Alexia threw her hands up dramatically. “Fine! Since everyone’s against me, no dressing as me for Halloween.” She turned to you sharply, pointing an accusatory finger. “But that means no lion costume.”

You blinked, hand on your hip. “That’s her nickname, Ale. Because her hair looked like a lion’s mane before it really grew.”

“But it connects to football! The Lionesses! It’s unfair!” Alexia pouted like a scolded teenager.

“Oh my God,” Pina muttered. “Someone tranquilize her.”

You exhaled. “Fine. No lion. But now we’re back at square one!”

“Um, Mother, Father,” Vicky’s voice cut in, dripping with mischief. She slung an arm around each of your shoulders, standing on her toes to reach you both. “If I may—”

“You may not,” Alexia deadpanned without hesitation.

“—I think I should choose Sienna’s costume,” Vicky continued dramatically, ignoring her. “I’m a neutral third party who doesn’t listen to either of you, no matter what. Which makes me the perfect person for the job.”

“She’s not wrong,” Lucy murmured.

You raised an eyebrow. “We’re going to circle back to the ‘doesn’t listen’ part later, but… that’s actually a good idea, Vicky.”

Alexia blinked in disbelief. “It is?”

Vicky and Alexia said it at the same time, both confused for different reasons.

“Yes, it is,” you nodded firmly. You turned to Vicky, who was practically vibrating with excitement. “You have our card, so use it to buy whatever costumes you like, then we’ll decide together.”

Vicky gasped. “You—you’re giving me creative control?”

You smiled. “Don’t make me regret it.”

Vicky squealed so loudly that Caro flinched. “You won’t regret this! I already have a vision.”

“Already am,” Alexia muttered, earning herself a sharp nudge in the ribs from you.

Vicky was already halfway to the door, muttering to herself. “I’m thinking statement pieces. Textures. Themes. Maybe a full production—”

Lucy shouted after her, “If there’s glitter involved, I’m calling Eli!”

The door slammed behind Vicky as Alexia groaned, dragging a hand down her face. “We just made a terrible mistake, didn’t we?”

You grinned, leaning into her side. “Probably. But at least now we’ll have someone else to blame.”

Aitana snorted. “That’s parenting in a nutshell.”

Alexia turned to you again, still pouting slightly. “For the record, she would’ve looked cute as me.”

You smirked. “And I’m sure she’ll look just as cute when Vicky dresses her as a flying spaghetti monster.”

Alexia groaned, tossing her training bib at you. “Don’t give her ideas!”

The large living room had been completely transformed into a makeshift runway by none other than Vicky López—who, for the record, had taken her role very seriously.

Right after morning training, Vicky had sprinted straight to the store with the credit card you and Alexia gave her and enough determination to fund a small fashion empire. She texted Alexia to pick her up, but when Alexia told her to just order an Uber, Vicky immediately replied with “I’ll tell Eloa you refused to pick me up.”

Which was how Alexia ended up sitting in her car in the shopping center parking lot, regretting every life choice that had led to this moment.

By the time they got home, Vicky was in full production mode. She had rolled out a red tablecloth across the hardwood floor as a “runway,” stolen your ring light, and connected the house’s speakers to a microphone she found somewhere in a storage box.

“Vicky, where did you even get that mic?” you asked, carrying Sienna in your arms.

She smirked. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

Alexia crossed her arms. “If it disappears after this, I’m not helping you look for it.”

Vicky had also forced both you and Alexia to hold digital cameras to ‘capture the moment’ and set up one of your new camcorders at the end of the runway for ‘professional documentation.’ She even positioned her phone facing you two on the couch.

“I’m going to edit a reaction video later,” she said proudly. “Maybe submit it for an Oscar.”

Alexia groaned. “You’re so dramatic.”

Vicky clapped her hands. “Everyone quiet! The show’s about to begin.”

She tapped the mic, causing feedback that made you flinch. “Ladies and Alexia,” she began, pacing with flair, “welcome to the first annual Putellas-Santos Fashion Show! Today we have one and only model, the cutest model, the light of our lives—Sienna!”

You burst out laughing while Alexia buried her face in her hands.

“Thank you, thank you,” Vicky continued, ignoring the chaos. “Today she will be modeling six different looks. All styled by yours truly, the future of fashion, the visionary, Vicky López!”

You started clapping enthusiastically. Alexia immediately booed.

Vicky gasped and turned on her heel. “Security, remove the hater!”

You jabbed an elbow into Alexia’s side, whispering, “Clap or she’ll actually cry.”

Grudgingly, Alexia clapped once, deadpan. “Yay.”

“Thank you, Eloa,” Vicky said sweetly before sending Alexia a death glare. “Now, close your eyes! The show is about to start!”

Vicky hit a button and music started blasting, some dramatic orchestral number that was far too intense for what was about to happen. She ran off and returned with Sienna, her little feet wobbling down the red runway.

“First up, we’re starting strong! Can we get a so baaaing cute?!” Vicky yelled into the mic.

You opened your eyes and nearly melted. Sienna was dressed as Little Bo Peep with a pink bonnet, frilly dress, and all.

“Pictures, people!” Vicky snapped like a demanding director.

You both sent her matching warning looks, but she raised her eyebrows until you complied, both taking photos like obedient interns.

“Little Bo Sienna coming your way!” Vicky announced proudly.

Sienna, however, veered completely off course halfway through, dropped to her knees, and crawled straight toward you at full speed.

You scooped her up, laughing. “Hi, mi amor! You like your costume?”

Sienna babbled happily, grabbing at your cheeks. You kissed both of hers before turning her toward Alexia.

Alexia softened instantly. “Hola, mi vida,” she cooed, pressing gentle kisses to her forehead.

“Okay, okay,” Vicky interrupted, taking Sienna back. “Time for outfit number two! This one’s a wow factor.”

Alexia narrowed her eyes. “Why does that sound like a threat?”

“Because it probably is,” you muttered.

When Sienna came toddling back out, Alexia’s jaw dropped.

You howled with laughter. Sienna was wearing a tiny Gunnersaurus onesie.

“This masterpiece,” Vicky announced proudly, “is brought to you by Leah Williamson! The Arsenal Alexia!”

Alexia’s expression was murderous. “Take it. Off. My. Daughter.”

“Aw, Ale, she looks adorable!” you said, clutching your stomach from laughing. “Come here, amorcita!”

Sienna squealed as you pulled her in for cuddles, showering her in kisses.

Alexia was having none of it. “No. Absolutely not.” She plucked Sienna from your arms, unzipped the onesie right there, and announced in a falsely cheerful tone, “All fixed! No more bad Arsenal propaganda! No more evil influence from Tía Leah! No more ruining your blaugrana soul!”

Vicky rolled her eyes and turned her phone toward the camera. “Get a load of this dude, am I right?”

Moments later, she returned Sienna to her ‘dressing room’ which was just the kitchen. “Okay! The next one is a heart stopper!”

It was a heart stopper.

“Sorry for the delay, folks,” Vicky said dramatically. “She wanted a bottle before her grand reveal!”

Then came Sienna, proudly sporting a white Real Madrid jersey.

You blinked. “Vicky.”

Alexia froze. “Vicky.”

“She has to finish her walk!” Vicky said defensively.

Sienna stared at her for a solid five seconds before promptly spitting up all over the jersey.

“Oh god,” Vicky muttered.

Alexia pumped her fists. “That’s my girl! Good job, bebita! Let’s get you cleaned up.”

After an emergency cleanup and ceremonious disposal of the cursed jersey, the show resumed.

“Next, we have something truly spiritual,” Vicky announced, pressing play on the Avatar: The Last Airbender theme song.

Sienna waddled out dressed as Appa, the flying bison, complete with tiny horns and a fuzzy tail.

“Awwww,” you cooed.

Alexia blinked. “What is that? A cow?”

You gasped dramatically. “Blasphemy! That’s Appa!”

Then Vicky jumped out wearing a bald cap with a blue arrow painted on her head.

You nearly fell off the couch laughing. “Vicky, where did you even get that?”

She posed. “The Avatar never reveals their secrets.”

Alexia looked lost. “This is what happens when you people watch cartoons instead of game film.”

“She’s Appa, Ale. The flying bison!” you explained. “This is what happens when you spend your childhood focusing strictly on football and not being a kid.”

Alexia sighed. “Whatever. It’s cute. Next.”

“Dang, Ale,” Vicky said as she guided Sienna back to the kitchen. “Have some heart!”

For the next costume, a bass-heavy drill music shook the house.

Vicky grabbed the mic again, mimicking your Scouse accent horribly. “From the streets of Liverpool, we have Roadman Sienna!”

Sienna came out giggling, dressed in black sweats, a black puffer jacket, and a little ski mask with holes for her nose and mouth. In her tiny hands, a Nerf gun.

You blinked. “First of all, roadmen are from London. Second of all, absolutely not.”

Alexia pinched the bridge of her nose. “Where did you even get that Nerf gun?”

Vicky shrugged. “The people have their ways.”

“Take it off before I confiscate it forever,” Alexia warned.

“Yeah, yeah,” Vicky muttered. “Worth a shot.”

Finally, Vicky’s grin returned as she brought Sienna out one last time.

“Save the best for last,” she said into the mic. “Get your tissues ready, people. There will be tears.”

Sienna toddled out in a pink Piglet costume, her gummy smile on full display. Both you and Alexia audibly gasped.

“Now, there’s meaning behind this,” Vicky said, picking up Sienna. “Like Piglet, she’s tiny, adorable, loves pink, and is pure joy that everyone wants to protect.”

Vicky pointed at Alexia. “Ale is Eeyore, because she pretends to be grumpy but she’s actually loyal and sweet.”

Then she turned to you. “And you’re Pooh—because you’re gentle, grounded, and always taking care of everyone.”

“And you?” you asked softly, already sniffling.

Vicky grinned. “I’m Tigger, duh. Bouncy, chaotic, and adorable.”

That did it. You teared up immediately, wrapping an arm around her. “That was so good, cariño.”

Vicky squirmed. “Unhand me!”

“Never, nena,” Alexia teased, pulling both of you closer until all four of you, Sienna included, were wrapped up in one messy, laughing embrace.

“Fine,” Vicky mumbled into Alexia’s shoulder. “Maybe this was a good idea.”

“Of course it was,” you whispered.

Sienna squealed happily, smushing her face between yours and Alexia’s.

The house was pure chaos but the good kind. Eli was bustling around in her sunflower apron turned last minute costume, a sunflower crown on her head that she’d proudly made out of construction paper. Maite was wearing an old witch’s hat she claimed she’d had since the ‘90s, sipping wine with the smug satisfaction of someone who didn’t have to wrangle a toddler into a costume.

Alba, on the other hand, was perched dramatically on the arm of the couch, wearing a sleek, all black cat costume — complete with a deep neckline and eyeliner so sharp it could cut glass. “What?” she asked defensively as everyone stared. “I still have to be sexy! I have two parties to go to after this.”

Eli shook her head, muttering in Catalan, “No has canviat gens…” [You haven’t changed at all.]

Maite rolled her eyes. “Alba, it’s a family night, not Ibiza after dark.”

Alba dramatically placed a hand on her chest. “Excuse me for wanting to give Catwoman realness, madre.”

Alexia, leaning against the wall in her Eeyore costume, tail still attached, deadpanned, “Realness achieved. You’ve frightened at least three children already.”

“That’s just my charm,” Alba winked, earning another round of groans from the adults.

Meanwhile, a couple of teammates—Aitana, Ona, Lucy, Keira, Jana, and Bruna, had taken over one side of the living room, laughing as they adjusted parts of their costumes. Aitana was dressed as a vampire, full commitment with fake blood dripping down her chin. Ona was a fairy with glitter everywhere. Lucy was a werewolf and even glued fake hair to her chest. Keira was a pirate, eyepatch and all, though she’d lost her sword somewhere under the couch.

Jana and Bruna had gone with a matching theme of angels, though judging by the short dresses, Eli had muttered something about them being club angels and not biblical ones.

Sienna, the star of the show, sat in the middle of the living room in her Piglet costume, trying to chew on one of her plush ears. You sat beside her, trying to fix the way the pink fabric kept bunching up around her neck, while Alexia kept taking pictures like a paparazzo on caffeine.

“She’s going to hate us for this one day,” you muttered.

“She’s going to love it,” Alexia said without looking up from her phone. “Piglet is iconic. Also, I look great as Eeyore. You look great as Pooh. This is family branding.”

Vicky, dressed as Tigger, bounced dramatically into the frame. “Did someone say branding? I think we should make this a yearly tradition with merch, posters, limited edition prints—”

“Vicky,” you warned, “if you sell our child’s image again, I’m grounding you.”

“I didn’t sell her image,” Vicky argued, offended. “I just made a post a story that accidentally had her in the background. Not my fault it went viral. Besides it was only her side profile.”

Alexia groaned. “You’re grounded anyway.”

Eli stood up, clapping her hands once. “Okay, okay, are we ready to go? The neighborhood is already full of kids.”

That was the cue for the chaos to shift outside. Everyone grabbed their phones, jackets, and candy bags. You slipped your hand into Sienna’s, steadying her as she toddled toward the door, her little Piglet tail wagging with every determined step.

“Venga, mi amor,” you cooed. “We’re going to get candy, sí?”

Sienna squealed in response, her free hand waving excitedly. Alexia quickly crouched beside her, fixing the crooked ear on her hood. “Mi porquetita,” she said softly. “You ready?”

“Ree!” Sienna chirped, which everyone decided was Piglet-speak for “ready.”

As the group started walking down the street, laughter filled the air. The night was cool, the moon hanging low and bright, and the sound of kids shouting “Trick or treat!” echoed around the neighborhood. Sienna was absolutely dazzled by it all, the lights, the costumes, the sounds.

At every house, she would toddle forward with your help, one tiny hand in yours, the other clutching her pumpkin bucket. Everyone, Alexia, Vicky, and the entire team behind you, had their phones out, recording like proud aunties— which many of them were.

“Look at her go,” Aitana whispered, teary-eyed despite herself. “Our little Piglet is conquering the world.”

“She’s a tiny terror isn’t she?” Keira stated with a smile.

At the next house, an elderly woman in a witch costume opened the door with a smile. “Oh my goodness! What do we have here?”

Sienna beamed and bounced a little in your grip, clearly preparing for her big moment.

You crouched beside her, encouragingly whispering, “Go on, mi amor, say it.”

She took a deep breath, puffing out her tiny chest, and said, “Tuh… tuh… twickuh… teetuh!”

Everyone behind you lost it, laughter, cheers, clapping. Alexia looked seconds away from crying.

“She said it!” Vicky screamed. “She actually said it!”

The old woman melted on the spot. “Oh, you precious angel. Take as much candy as you want.”

Sienna proudly dropped one piece into her pumpkin bucket and then grabbed a second, handing it to Alexia. “Mami!”

Alexia froze, blinking rapidly, and then smiled so wide her dimples showed. “Gracias, bebita,” she whispered, kissing Sienna’s cheek. “Best candy ever.”

The group continued down the street, with Sienna waving at every person she saw, even dogs and mailboxes. Every few minutes, she’d stop to look up at the moon, pointing and babbling excitedly.

“She probably thinks it’s a balloon,” you whispered fondly, watching her try to catch it.

“She’s not wrong,” Alexia chuckled. “It’s the biggest balloon in the sky.”

By the end of the night, Sienna was fast asleep in your arms, her little bucket clutched to her chest, pink hood half off her head. Vicky had glitter in her hair, Aitana’s fake vampire teeth had fallen out, and Alba was already getting ready to leave for her party.

“Alright, sexy cat, don’t stay out too late,” Maite warned.

“No promises,” Alba called over her shoulder with a wink.

Eli sighed, smiling as she looked at Sienna’s sleeping form. “Next year, she’ll be running house to house.”

“Yeah,” you said softly, brushing a curl from Sienna’s forehead. “And next year, we’ll argue about her costume again.”

Alexia grinned tiredly, leaning her head against your shoulder. “As long as she’s happy, I don’t care who wins.”

From somewhere behind, Vicky piped up. “I’m winning next year. She’s going as a mini Tigger. It’s destiny.”

You laughed quietly. “We’ll see, cariño. We’ll see.”

The house was a quiet that was only achieved after hours of laughter, sugar highs, and too much chaos. Candy wrappers littered the coffee table, the faint smell of caramel still hung in the air, and a soft orange glow from the pumpkin lights flickered lazily against the walls.

Twitches was playing on the TV, the part where the twins finally realize they’re connected by magic, and the only sounds came from the movie and the gentle rhythm of soft breathing from the couch.

Vicky was curled up on one end, a blanket half draped over her, Sienna nestled securely in her arms like a little stuffed teddy bear. Both were completely out. Vicky’s head was tilted back against the cushion, mouth slightly open, and Sienna’s tiny hand was clutching the fabric of Vicky’s Tigger costume.

You were sitting close to Alexia, your legs touching under the shared blanket. The dim light softened her features so you see the exhaustion, the lingering eyeliner smudge near her lashes, the faint streak of glitter on her cheek from where Vicky hugged her too tight earlier.

You smiled at the sight, leaning your head against her shoulder. “They didn’t even make it halfway through the movie,” you murmured.

Alexia’s lips curved, the corner of her mouth brushing your hair. “No stamina,” she whispered, her voice low and warm. “It’s a rookie mistake. Classic Vicky behavior.”

You chuckled softly, tracing a lazy circle on the back of her hand. “You look tired too, Eeyore.”

“Mm,” she hummed, eyes half lidded. “I’m fine. I could go another hour.”

“You said that two hours ago,” you teased.

“Yeah, and I was right… two hours ago,” she said, turning her head to look at you, her sleepy grin softening into something fonder. “You look beautiful.”

You blinked, caught off guard. “I’m literally in a Pooh onesie.”

“I know,” she murmured, brushing her thumb against your chin. “Still beautiful.”

You laughed quietly, tilting your head up to kiss her. It was slow and unhurried, and didn’t need to say anything. It was rather a shared sigh and a reminder of all the warmth you’d built together. Her hand slipped to the back of your neck, your fingers resting over her heart.

When you finally pulled back, she whispered, “I love our little chaos.”

“Me too,” you said softly, glancing over to where Vicky and Sienna slept. “They’re pretty perfect.”

Alexia smiled, a sleepy, love heavy look. “Let’s get them upstairs before Vicky starts drooling on Sienna.”

You stifled a laugh. “You say that like it hasn’t already happened.”

You got up carefully, stepping over a stray candy wrapper and bending down to gently lift Sienna from Vicky’s arms. The moment you did, Vicky startled awake, blinking wildly, clutching at the air.

“I’m up! I’m awake!” she said in a panicked whisper, squinting. “Where’s my Piglet? Did I drop her?!”

“She’s right here, cariño,” you reassured her softly, bouncing Sienna slightly as the baby stirred in your arms but didn’t wake. “You fell asleep holding her.”

Vicky squinted again. “Oh. Yeah. I was protecting her.”

“Sure you were,” Alexia teased, already standing up. “Come on, protector. Time for bed.”

Vicky groaned, burrowing deeper into the blanket. “Nooo. Too far. Couch is fine. Couch is my home now.”

You smirked. “Do you want me to tell the academy girls you fell asleep in full Tigger costume with drool on your chin?”

That got her sitting up real fast. “I—okay, okay, I’m going.” She opened her arms dramatically. “Carry me, Ale.”

Alexia rolled her eyes. “You’re sixteen, not six.”

“But it’s Halloween, and I’m tired, and you love me,” Vicky said with her most angelic smile.

You covered your mouth to hide a laugh. “She’s got a point.”

Alexia glared playfully between you and Vicky, muttering under her breath in Catalan before finally bending down and scooping Vicky up bridal style.

Vicky squealed, throwing her arms around Alexia’s neck. “I knew you loved me, mamá número dos.”

“I regret everything,” Alexia deadpanned, but there was a soft smile tugging at her lips as she carried the giggling teen down the hall.

You followed behind with Sienna, who was fast asleep against your shoulder, her little fingers tangled in your hair.

By the time you made it to the bedroom, Vicky had already half dozed off again in Alexia’s arms. Alexia set her gently on one side of the bed, muttering, “You’re sleeping here. I’m not carrying you twice.”

“’Kay,” Vicky mumbled, already half asleep.

You laid Sienna in the middle of the bed between the three of you. She instinctively rolled toward Alexia, grabbing a fistful of her Eeyore onesie.

Alexia looked down at her daughter, at Vicky softly snoring beside her, then at you. “You realize we’re outnumbered, right? These two count as four kids,” she whispered.

“Can’t argue about that one,” you replied with a sleepy grin, slipping under the covers. “But I wouldn’t trade it.”

Alexia leaned over to press a kiss to your forehead, whispering, “Happy Halloween, amor.”

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...