Peach

[bapeach]

Masterlist

Started: 01/06/2025 Updated: 11/22/2025 A/N: Writer's block is killing me, so new stories might take a while. 💜= author's favorites

WBB:

Azzi Fudd x reader: We're just friends, right? Not an early bird Stuttering heart💜 I'll be your mirror 💜

Nika Mühl x reader: My nerd 💜 My nerd - part 2 💜 Stolen kisses Stolen kisses - part 2 Boombastic My best friend's sister Lovebug

Paige Bueckers x reader: KK's "twin" Accidental love 💜 Stolen kisses ~ Paige's version Stolen kisses - part 2 ~ Paige's version Valentine's Day Senior day Senior day - part 2 Fast break feelings My lucky charm

Pazzi x reader Party of three💜 Party of three - part 2 Picnics and paintings 💜

Caitlin Clark x reader: TBA

Kate Martin x reader: TBA

UConn x reader: The mom friend 💜 The mom friend - part 2 (New)

[bapeach]

The mom friend - part 2

Sorry it's been so long since my last post. Life has been...life. Hope you guys enjoy part 2! Constructive criticism is always welcome :D Find part one here! Find my masterlist here :)

Pairing(s): UConn x female!reader Word count: 3.5k+ Warnings: cursing, reader snapping at her team, headaches, nausea Summary: Reader finally snaps after a long week, making the team realize it's time for them to take care of her for once. ------------

You’re known as the calm and collected friend. The one you can always go to with your troubles and worries. You enjoy being that person. The world can be pretty shit sometimes, so you try your best to bring positivity to those you love and be a beacon of love in the chaos that is life. You don’t even remember the last time you’ve gotten pissed off at something dumb or snapped at someone who didn’t deserve it.

Life has a way of testing you sometimes, though. But again, you try to stay calm.

You don’t lash out when you see that some dumb kid at school keyed the side of your car. Sure, it was really annoying, but at the end of the day, no one was hurt, you could still drive your car, and you were sure the kid would get caught, seeing as you were parked in a spot with a camera.

You don’t freak out over the failed test you got back in your hardest subject. You’d tried your best and studied hard. It’s not your fault that that old hag of a professor gave you questions that you never even had to learn. And no, you weren’t salty. Not even in the slightest. You definitely didn’t hope the door would hit her on her way out of the lecture hall. Nope! Not you.

You just took a few deep breaths when your favorite sweater got caught on a random nail in the old school building that should definitely get torn down. It was fine. It was just a sweater. Just a clothing article you wore when you met one of your heroes for the first time. Just some soft fabric that calmed your nerves when the opposing basketball team looked too big and too scary for your kind-hearted Huskies. It doesn’t matter, you can just buy another sweater.

As much as you try to keep your head on straight, it gets hard to stay positive after the shit week you’ve had. At least two things have gone wrong every single day, so it’s no wonder your optimism has chipped down to practically nothing. 

Nonetheless, you stay quiet, not wanting the team to worry. It’s kind of ironic, really. You love taking care of people and taking up the mom friend role, but you hate when people have to take care of you. Maybe it’s because you grew up taking care of your siblings and didn’t really have anyone looking out for you. Maybe it’s because you don’t like being seen as weak, even though you’d hit a friend who thought showing emotions is weak upside the head. Who knows?

You try not to let your irritation show during practice on Friday as your head pounds the way it has been doing for 3 days now. You’re glad your headache isn’t a full-blown migraine that leaves you whimpering in a dark room, hoping you’ll just pass out so you won’t have to feel the agonizing pain. Still, it was the type of ache that wouldn’t go away, no matter the painkillers you took.

You just bite your tongue whenever Coach Geno blows his whistle, clench your fists a little tighter when your running sends shockwaves through your skull, and grind your teeth so hard you think they’ll fall out every time saliva floods your mouth as nausea hits.

When the coach blows his final whistle, your shoulders drop as you roll your neck, hoping to relieve some tension. You don’t pay any mind to the girls around you loudly talking about their plans for the day, or complaining about how hard practice was. You just want to take a shower, go back to your dorm and disappear under the covers.

“Yo Y/N! Come here, you just have to see this TikTok I saw earlier!” One of the girls yells from across the court. You grunt to yourself, barely looking over as you raise your hand and give her a thumbs up. 

You walk over to your bag, taking a big swig of your water when your watch beeps. A ripple of pain shoots through your head at the high pitch. You press your palms against your eyes, hoping the pressure will lessen the pain. After a few seconds, you drop your arms and start walking towards the noisy group of athletes, ignoring the black dots swimming in your vision.

“Y/N! Can you remind me to write that essay for Mr. Faraday later? It’s due Monday, and I just keep forgetting about it.” Jana groans as she remembers the homework she got a week ago. You grumble a yes, frowning as you do. You’d told her to start on that essay multiple times during the week. What else are you supposed to do? Write it for her?

You try to ease the scowl on your face as you approach your friends. Azzi is the first to notice you, giving you a soft smile. You barely react, giving her what you hope is a small smile but probably looks more like a grimace. Paige is standing with her back towards you, waving her arms around as she animatedly talks about… God, you don’t even know what she’s on about.

KK, however, knows exactly what she’s talking about and firmly disagrees, her voice rising as she tries to drown the blonde’s opinion out. You stand there for a moment, a frown on your face at the booming voices. Slowly your patience, which is usually never-ending, starts running out. You need to leave before you run against the wall in hopes of knocking yourself out or before you snap at one of your friends.

“HOW CAN YOU EVEN SAY THAT??” KK roars, holding her head in disbelief. You flinch as Paige screeches something back. The second neither of them says anything, you open your mouth.

“KK, you need to t-” you grunt. You can’t finish your sentence as KK continues her rant. Azzi gives you an apologetic look as you press your fingers against your temple. You know the one thing KK hates is getting interrupted, as it makes her feel like her opinion isn’t worth listening to, but you can’t do this for much longer. 

“KK, take your-” You try again as Paige shakes her head wildly. 

“No, no, no, you’re completely wrong!” The blonde booms, her arms swinging passionately through the air. Barely dodging a slap to the face, you clench your fists. You don’t even feel the pain in your hands as your nails dig into your skin.

“KK!” You say loudly, or at least as loudly as you can right now. Still, you don’t get a reaction. “FOR FUCK’S SAKE, CAN YOU TWO SHUT UP FOR ONCE!” You yell out, finally getting them to shut up. They look at you with wide eyes, not expecting that from you of all people. Your neck prickles with heat as you feel the rest of the team look over at what’s going on.

“KK, take your meds,” you mumble, getting ready to turn around and finally take an ice-cold shower that’ll numb the constant throbbing in your head.

“Yeah, yeah, in a minute,” she says, dismissing you with a wave of her hand. You know she doesn’t mean it in a disrespective way, but with the burden of your shit week on your shoulders, you can’t help but feel even more annoyed. If you were petty, you’d walk away and let her deal with her own stuff, but you know she’ll forget about it if you don’t remind her and make her do things right away.

“Take your damn meds, Kamorea,” you hiss between gritted teeth. She raises her hands defensively before bending down to grab her bag. Paige snorts. “Yeah, Kamorea, do what mom says,” she says mockingly, trying to get a rise out of the younger girl. Of course it works, seeing as those two are like siblings, either thick as thieves or at each other’s throats the whole time.

KK shoots back up with a glare. “Oké, you know what, Booger?” She starts, not noticing the heat rising from your body, the angrier you get. Even Paige, who’s standing a lot closer to you, doesn't feel the air becoming thicker the closer you get to exploding. 

Azzi takes a step closer to you as Nika and Caroline walk over from where they were standing, seeing the way you’re about to snap. They try to gesture at the two girls to calm down, but they don’t pay them any mind. 

“HEY! STOP ACTING LIKE FUCKING CHILDREN. ARE YOU FIVE?” You shout. “Kamorea, I’m telling you one more time, take your meds, and Paige, I swear to God if you open your mouth one more time, I’m making Coach bench you for the next game. Is that understood?” 

They both nod, the whole gym silent at what just happened. You turn around and start walking towards the changing room. A wave of nausea hits you, threatening to make you buckle over as you stomp away. 

For minutes the gym stays quiet after you leave, all girls looking at each other with concern in their eyes. KK looks down, fidgeting nervously with her water bottle while Paige chews her nails, her eyes a shade darker with guilt.

No one knows what to do right away. This has never happened before. Usually you’re the calm one, the shoulder to cry on, the light at the end of the tunnel. But now? Now it feels like a storm has blown through the room, leaving everyone cold. 

Everyone knew you were the sun of the team, but it took until now for them to really realize that. And to understand that you also have bad days but choose to carry them alone.

You rush into the showers, flinging your clothes off as you get under the freezing water. The cold is uncomfortable, but at least it shocks your brain enough to make you stop feeling anything for a moment. The icy drops hit your head as it slowly dawns on you what you just did. You sigh, regretting the way you handled the situation. 

Hearing the girls finally filter into the changing room and into the showers, you start washing yourself.  Once you’re done, you dry off and put on a pair of sweats and a hoodie two sizes too big. You keep your head down as you walk over to your locker, putting your stuff away. Your headache is still there, but it has thankfully eased into a dull throb. You know it’ll come back full force in a few minutes, but for now you enjoy being able to relax your body, not having to tense your muscles against the pain.

While you know you should wait for Paige and KK so you can apologize, your body is begging you to go home and sleep. You walk out of the room, thankful that no one else has made it out of the showers yet, so you don’t have to awkwardly explain what just happened. 

Your mood becomes even more sour than it even was, knowing that you’re not only in pain and have had a shit week, but you’re also an asshole now. On your way to your room, you try to think of ways to make it up to the girls, but it doesn’t take long for your headache to come back with a vengeance. So instead you try to make your head as empty as possible, knowing you can’t think about anything but the pain anyway. 

Since you haven’t had this bad of a headache in years, you weren’t exactly prepared for it. Sure, you had different types of painkillers (in case the team needed anything), but you didn’t have your trusty ice pack or the blindfold you used to use to block out the bright beams from the sun. Oh, how you wish you’d brought those to university with you. 

Your heart feels a bit heavier as you remember your old plushie, sitting in your bed at home, waiting for you to finally return. You got him when you were just a baby, so he was always there to bring you comfort when the worst of your migraines hit when you were a kid. 

You shake your head to get rid of the storm brewing in your mind but quickly stop when a piercing stab brings you back to reality. You groan as you drop your bag by the door, kicking off your shoes as you walk to the kitchen. Opening your tiny freezer with a squint, you grab an ice pop, cutting the plastic off before clamping it between your jaws. 

You shuffle into your bedroom, grabbing a random long-sleeved shirt from your closet before sliding under the covers. Grabbing the sleeves, you pull the shirt up to your head and tie it around your face. Your shoulders sag a little with relief at the sudden darkness and the tight feeling around your head.

You lie there, in dead silence and complete darkness. You don’t move from your fetal position. Time passes without you knowing how long exactly it’s been. It feels like hours have gone by, but you know it’s most likely not even been an hour yet. Moving your clenched fist to your mouth, you bite the fleshy part below your thumb, hoping that that pain will distract you from the excruciating ache in your skull. Tears threaten to stream down your face, but you hold them in, not wanting your head to hurt even more (if that’s even possible).

A soft knock on your door makes you sigh. You stay still, hoping whoever is at the door will take the hint. You hear a new knock. This one is different, it’s louder and has a different rhythm. Paige. That means the first knock must’ve been Azzi.

You untie the shirt, get up slowly, and stagger towards the front door. With squinted eyes, you pat down your hair and straighten out your clothes to look less chaotic. You leave the door to your bedroom open, not caring about the mess right now. 

You try to make your face neutral, not wanting to show the agony you’re in as you open the door. Nika and Azzi are the first people you see, standing there holding their backpacks. Behind them, Paige and KK barely make eye contact, a sheepish look on their faces. 

You pause for a moment, unsure if you should tell them to leave or not. After a few seconds, you move aside to let them in. Might as well apologize now and get it over with, rather than let the tension between you fester for the next few days.

Once everyone is inside, and the door is closed, you turn around to see a pair of bright blue and dark brown eyes standing very close to you. You open your mouth to apologize, one hand pressing against your temple as the other grips the bottom of your hoodie.

“I’m- I mean, we are so sorry, Y/N,” Paige says softly yet sincerely as she scratches her neck. KK nods her head vigorously. “We shouldn’t have been so loud, and we should’ve been more respectful,” she mutters, bouncing on the balls of her feet nervously.

“No, I’m the one that should apologize,” you say, making eye contact. “I was a total jerk, and you guys didn’t deserve that. I’ve just-” you sigh. You don’t want to burden them with your problems, but you figure they deserve the truth. “I’ve just been having a bad week, and I took it out on you guys. I’m sorry.”

Paige shakes her head with a smile. “Nah, you were right. We were being childish.” You open your mouth to disagree, but Azzi stops you.

“Yeah, you guys really were. And I think my ears are still ringing.” She says with a playful grin. Nika hums, looking over with a fake surprised face. “Is that what that sound is? I thought someone’s phone was just making a weird noise,” she teases with a glint in her eyes.

You huff out a tiny laugh as KK and Paige roll their eyes dramatically. You can tell they’re about to start an argument, but they stop when Azzi gives them a look. They blush as they realize they got caught.

“Anyway,” Azzi says, turning back towards you with a kind look. “We know you’re not one to complain about stuff, but you’re always there for us. Always taking care of us. We want to return the favor! The rest of the team would’ve been here too if we didn’t think it might overwhelm you a bit.”

“Yeah, we noticed you kept flinching at loud noises during practice and grabbing your head, so we got you some stuff,” Nika says as she rummages around in her bag. You move away from the door and closer to where she’s standing. She starts putting various items on your coffee table. 

“Here, take these,” Azzi mutters, holding out a bottle of painkillers. You shake your head before closing your eyes as a wave of nausea hits you. You clear your throat as you try to push through it. “I’ve tried painkillers. They don’t work.”

“Caroline said these painkillers always work for her when she’s having bad migraines,” Paige says, walking to the kitchen area to grab you some water. There’s a softness in the way she moves and speaks that you don’t see all that often when the team is around.

You give her an appreciative smile as you grab the glass and take the medicine. You don’t expect it to work but still make a mental note to thank Caroline. “Ice said that she read somewhere that lavender oil can help with the pain too, so she told us to give you this,” the youngest girl says, her voice quieter than you’ve ever heard it. You try and give her a smile too, but a sudden pain spike makes you grimace.

Nika clears her throat, having finished unpacking. “We stopped by the store to grab you some of your favorite snacks and that one tea you said always calms you down. And we got some ice packs from Paige that you can put on your head.”

You give the girls a soft pout, not being used to this treatment and not knowing how to react. “Guys…” you mutter, unsure of what to say. They just grin at your loss for words. 

“Oh!” Paige exclaims, suddenly remembering what’s in her backpack. “Nika saw this super soft sweater in your favorite color at the store and she said we just had to get it for you. She said it would make you feel 10 times better, but we all know she’s just planning on stealing it from you.”

Nika’s mouth drops open in outrage but closes again when everyone stares at her knowingly. She turns to you with a sweet smile but a devilish twinkle in her eyes and just shrugs. You let out a tiny laugh, giving her a look that lets her know you’re fine with it.

When a hand enters your vision, you look at Azzi. “Come on, let’s get you to bed,” she says, her voice motherly. You take her outstretched hand and let her lead you to your dark room. Once you’re in bed, the girls all find somewhere to sit down. Nika and Azzi lie down on either side of you, while Paige sits down on your desk chair. KK plops down onto your desk with a goofy yet relaxed smile. 

You can barely see anyone’s face in the dark room. But you can see how everyone is feeling by their posture. You sigh in relief and close your eyes when you feel Azzi put an ice pack wrapped in a towel on your forehead.

“Oh also, Aaliyah said your car was all fucked up when you arrived at practice this morning,” the blonde mutters as she pops a mint in her mouth. “Nika’s boy toy is gonna fix it for ya,” she continues, crunching down on the candy. 

“Really?” You mumble as you look over at the Croatian. She sends you a mischievous smile that lets you know not to ask too many questions. 

Paige snorts, “He wants to get in her pants so bad.” She slaps away KK’s hand as the young girl reaches over for a mint. After looking at her pout, the blonde rolls her eyes and hands the tin over.

Azzi shakes her head. “Don’t lead him on too much, he seems like a nice boy!” She says, giving Nika an amused yet slightly pointed look. 

“Hey!” Nika says with a rasp in her voice, acting offended. “Who says I’m leading him on? He’s cute and not a total idiot, which is pretty rare for a UConn student. Plus his muscles? God, he could easily lift me with one hand.” She gives you a grin and a wink before cuddling up closer to you. 

You don’t notice the tension leaving your body, nor do you notice the throbbing ache slowly ebbing away. You can only feel warmth. Warmth from the bodies of your friends close to you and the neverending kindness of your team. 

Before you know it, you fall asleep with a smile on your face as you listen to the playful teasing of your family around you.

[bapeach]

I absolutely adore the Mom friend one shot 🥺🥺❤️🥺

Do you think you’d possibly make a 2nd part?

Maybe after a hard day Y/n is super stressed and exhausted and the team keep needed her and she kinda snaps and the team realize how much y/n has done for them and do somthing to help her for once?

Hi! Thank you for the request and I'm sorry it has taken me this long!!

I'll be posting part 2 soon. I hope it's somewhat what you were hoping for :)

[bapeach]

I'll be your mirror

So sorry i haven't posted in a long time! I've kinda lost all my motivation to write, and my basketball obsession has faded, but I'm trying to come back! This is an old draft, but I hope you enjoy nonetheless!! Constructive criticism is always welcome :D Find my masterlist here :) Pairing(s): Azzi Fudd x female!reader Word count: 2.6k+ Summary: When Azzi, the sweet, sunshine girl, becomes a dark storm cloud, her girlfriend does her best to cheer her up.

------------

Everyone feels insecure sometimes. 

Some feel insecure about their looks, some about their intelligence, and some about their skills. It doesn’t matter who you are. It doesn’t matter how beautiful, smart, or great you are. We all have our off days.

Azzi was having a few of those off days. 

It all started when she woke up with a face full of stress zits and a body full of basketball bruises. No matter how much skin care she did or how many creams she used, her face stayed a mountain range, while her body stayed a canvas of bluish-green blotches.

Next were the exam grades that came online. Azzi had studied her ass off for weeks to ace her tests. When her team went out for drinks, she stayed in to revise her classes. When they held movie marathons, she was bent over her books with a pile of dried markers by her side. The young woman had given it her all, and yet it wasn’t enough. Sure, her grades weren’t bad, but for a perfectionist like Azzi, nothing below a 95% seemed good enough.

But even when she looked like shit (her words) and got bad grades, she at least still had basketball. Or, well… She did, until she walked into practice and none of her shots were falling. Usually a goddess at the three-point line, she now seemed to barely know how to hold a basketball. Even the team’s least good shooters were making points like it was as easy as breathing!

Azzi loved her friends more than anything. While her more mature friends were always there to lend a listening ear and good advice, her class clown friends always knew how to cheer her up with dumb jokes. Paige immediately clocked the younger girl’s foul mood and did her best to joke around with KK to make her laugh. While Azzi appreciates them for trying, it was only making her mood worse.

Azzi also isn’t the type of girl to ask for help when she needs it. That’s why, when you first noticed the thundercloud above her head, you didn’t immediately ask her what’s wrong and what you can do to help. You know the girl well enough to know that it would only make her feel claustrophobic and pathetic. 

So instead, you do the little things for her. You make sure to have a nice cup of coffee ready for her when she gets out of the shower in the morning, and you squeeze her a bit tighter when she leaves. You prepare her favorite foods and pretend to really want to watch her favorite movies, just to see her frown finally lessen a bit.

When you tell her she looks gorgeous one morning when she’s not feeling well, she shoots you a quick fake smile, shrugging off your arms around her waist. Because how could she look gorgeous when her stomach is bloated, when she has the Mount Everest on her forehead, and when the bags under her eyes look like black voids?

When she leaves for practice and gives you a quick kiss on the cheek before mumbling a detached goodbye, you realize it’s gone too far. Your girlfriend is slowly drowning, seemingly staring at the lifebuoys around her but not reaching out to grab them to stay afloat. 

The first thing you do is grab your phone to send a text to Paige. You look at your previous messages with the blonde for a moment, staring at the worried texts between you both as you talk about your shared favorite person. You shake your head before texting Paige your plan for cheering Azzi up. The blonde responds almost immediately, giving her two cents on what to do.

Once she lets you know Azzi has arrived at the training facility, you wish her luck at practice and ask her to take care of your girl. Then you grab your wallet and keys before heading down to a few stores. You stop by your favorite flower shop for a beautiful bouquet, you buy Azzi’s favorite snacks from the nearest gas station, and you take home the biggest stuffed animal you can find. 

After hauling everything to your shared apartment, you put everything away in your room, huffing and puffing at the effort. Your phone dings with a new message from Paige, and Azzi. “Operation Reignite Sunshine is a go! 😎” the first one reads, while the second is a bit less joyful. “P is dragging me to go shopping with her, KK, and Nika. Will be home late. Love you.”

You heart Paige’s message, and send your girlfriend a voice note telling her you love her. Exiting out of the text app, you open your contacts and call Azzi’s favorite restaurant. Having been there enough to know the owners pretty well, you ask them if it’d be possible to order food for at home instead of the restaurant itself. You smile and thank them profusely when they let you know it’s not a problem for their favorite customers and that they’d even have someone deliver the food so you won’t have to leave your apartment. You tell them you owe them one before ordering your favorite dishes and saying your goodbyes. 

Time for the final step of Operation Reignite Sunshine.

Walking over to your bed, you stop to grab your laptop, some paper and a pen, as well as your guitar. You sit down, cracking your neck before starting to pull some strings. You hum to yourself as you try different tunes, recording the parts you like and saving the ones that don’t fit the vibe for later. Once you have a few ideas of what you want your song to sound like, you put the guitar down and grab your notepad and pen. 

You pull up your notes app on your phone, writing down the lyrics you’d already thought of in the past few days before trying to get the text to fit with the guitar strumming. You continue humming for the parts where you don’t have lyrics, writing down any thought that comes to your mind. While it usually takes you a while to write a song all by yourself, you’ve learned that writing a song about Azzi makes it a lot easier. 

Before you know it, you’ve perfected the song. You sing it until you don’t mess up anymore, grinning when it flows out without any issues. You make yourself a hot cup of tea to ease your throat before checking up on how things are going at the mall. Paige lets you know that while Azzi is still a bit of a grump, she’s at least breathing a little easier. Though that doesn’t mean the younger girl is having an amazing time, seeing as she keeps looking at the time and huffing at every mention of going to another store. You tell Paige that everything is ready and that the food will be there soon so she can bring everyone home. 

You start grabbing the cutlery and plates, setting them down in front of the TV, and getting everyone a drink. Once Nika texts you to let you know they’re on their way up, you go grab your gifts, setting the big stuffed animal down in the living room, right in view when you open the door. You hold the bouquet in one hand, holding the snacks in the other, as you lean against the head of the ginormous teddy bear.

Azzi’s agitated scowl transforms into a tender, in-awe look as she opens the door and takes you in. The soft smirk on your face, the twinkle in your eyes, and the slight attitude in your posture. “Hey baby,” you say, your smirk becoming gentler as the athlete stays frozen in her spot. Azzi snaps out of her amazement when Paige lightly pushes her towards you. You hold out your hands to give her the gifts, but she ignores them, instead choosing to fall straight into your arms as she hugs you tightly.

Nika quickly walks over to take everything out of your hands, freeing them to hug your girl back. You snake your arms around her, exhaling softly as you feel her completely melt into you. You don’t say anything when you feel tear drops hit the crook of your neck, simply kissing her head and rubbing her back to comfort her. “God, I don’t deserve her,” Azzi thinks to herself as your fingers trace shapes on her back. As if hearing her thoughts, you pull back slightly, whispering how much you love her as a reassurance that she deserves everything and more. 

You don’t notice Nika putting the flowers back into their vase or the doorbell ringing as KK disappears downstairs to go grab the food. You don’t notice Paige capturing the sweet moment between you and the love of your life on her phone. The only thing you’re focused on is the sweet girl in your arms.

Once Azzi has calmed down, she lets you go, taking a proper look at the flowers, the snacks, and the bear. When the smell of her favorite restaurant food wafts into her nose, she looks back at you in complete disbelief and love. She opens her mouth a few times to talk, but whenever she does, words don’t seem to come out. You’ve left her completely speechless. 

You don’t mind, though. You just take her hand and lead her to the couch, grabbing her plate and adding all her favorite things to it. You don’t take her silence for ungratefulness. You don’t need her to speak to know what she’s thinking. 

Azzi clings to you all throughout dinner as you laugh with KK and tease Paige with Nika. You look at her lovingly when she joins in on the laughter and contributes to the conversation. You watch her as her shoulders grow less tense, her eyes regain their sparkle, and her real, beaming smile appears back onto her face.

Once everyone is stuffed and sprawled out across the room with the buttons of their pants open and a look that says, “I can never eat another bite,” you get up and start putting everything away. Azzi starts getting up to help you, but you just push her back down, kissing her lips softly as you whisper, “Let me take care of this, baby.” She goes to protest, but one look at your face makes her stop.

Once everything is put away, you walk to your room for your guitar. While Azzi is usually the type of person to enjoy her relationship in private and not care about having anyone see that side of her, you also know that everyone needs a bit of public love sometimes. Sweet moments in front of friends just to show, “Look, this is my person, and I want you to see how much they care about me.” Moments that show that you are loved, not just behind closed doors, but also in every space on this earth.

When you return, Azzi’s eyes immediately find you. Her eyes are big and innocent as she tilts her head a bit in confusion. Noticing the girl’s staring, Paige looks at you as well before slapping KK to sit up and pay attention. You glance at Nika, who gives you a knowing, comforting wink. You pat further into the living room, halting in front of your girl as you take a seat on the coffee table. 

“I wrote you a song, and I’d like to sing it for you, if that’s alright,” you ask her softly, giving her the chance to say no. “I- yeah,” she stutters, still a bit confused. Her cheeks turn a darker color at the loving look you’re giving her, mixed with the small grins from her friends. You grab her hand, giving it a sweet kiss before putting it back down in her lap and grabbing your guitar properly. You slowly start strumming, gazing into her eyes as you start singing.

I'll be your mirror Reflect what you are, in case you don't know I'll be the wind, the rain, and the sunset The light on your door to show that you're home

When you think the night has seen your mind That inside you're twisted and unkind Let me stand to show that you are blind Please, put down your hands 'Cause I see you

I find it hard to believe you don't know The beauty you are But if you don't, let me be your eyes A hand to your darkness so you won't be afraid

When you think the night has seen your mind That inside you're twisted and unkind Let me stand to show that you are blind Please, put down your hands 'Cause I see you

I'll be your mirror (reflect what you are) I'll be your mirror (reflect what you are) I'll be your mirror (reflect what you are) I'll be your mirror (reflect what you are) I'll be your mirror (reflect what you are)

Once you finish singing, silent tears are streaming out of Azzi’s eyes. You don’t notice Nika wiping her eyes out of the corner of your eye. You don’t notice KK leaning her cheek against Paige’s shoulder as they look at you both with adoration in their eyes and a small pout on their lips. You only focus on the body language of your girl, the sparkle in her eyes, and the unforgettable smile on her face.

You put your guitar down before reaching out, softly wiping the tears from her cheeks. Cupping her face, you lean forward a bit and whisper, “I love you so much.” Azzi immediately pulls you towards her, kissing you hard yet gently at the same time. The kind of kiss that shows you just how much someone loves you. You chuckle against her lips, laughing at the suddenness and the way she’s not ashamed to kiss you in front of your friends.

When she lets go of your shirt, you lean back, grinning widely at her blush-filled cheeks. “Thank you. I love you so much, I don’t deserve you,” she says, her voice barely louder than a whisper. You shake your head before she has time to finish her sentence. “Nonsense, you deserve everything and more. You’re our sunshine, always being the light that guides us when we get lost in the dark. It’s only fair we help you when you need us, help you reignite your spark.”

You move back to the couch, sitting down next to Azzi as you swing an arm around her and pull her close. You finally take a look at the other girls around you, seeing them look at you both with affection in their eyes. “That was really beautiful, Y/N,” Nika says, her voice tender. You smile in appreciation. 

Paige can’t seem to find any words, too happy to know that her best friend found someone who cares so deeply about her. She’s too speechless to tease you about the fact that you wrote an entire song just for Azzi. KK doesn’t talk either, staring at you both with longing in her eyes. You give her a sisterly wink to say, “Don’t worry, you’ll find your person soon.”

It’s quiet for a moment as everyone takes in the comfortable feeling of love and safety. Paige is the first to start talking again, making a joke to make everyone laugh. KK is quick to join, following the blonde’s lead. Familiar chattering fills the room as you all enjoy your evening together, your chests warm and cheeks aching from smiling.

[bapeach]

Lovebug

Constructive criticism is always welcome :D Find my masterlist here :)

Pairing(s): Nika Mühl x female!reader  Word count: 1.6k+ Warnings: R has a cold, lot of pet names Summary: You caught a (love)bug and Nika takes care of you. ------------

The moment you wake up, you already know it’s not going to be a good day. Your throat aches, your skin feels clammy, breathing in through your nose feels impossible, and your head is pounding like a jackhammer working overtime. 

You groan in displeasure as your hand fumbles across the sheets to find comfort in your girlfriend. The cold bed makes you open your eyes. Squinting from the splitting pain in your head, you realize Nika has already left for her morning run. You whimper softly as you curl into a ball, your arms folding over your stomach. 

It’s your own fault, really. Nika had warned you about the cold weather and told you it would be silly to go on a walk when you two could enjoy the warmth of your cozy apartment instead. You’d just given her a big grin before running off to put your shoes on, knowing she’d come after you anyway. You’d been hopping around excitedly, waiting for her to put on her jacket and beanie and take your hand in hers as you took the elevator down and walked to the park. 

You’d had the time of your life, watching snowflakes fall from the sky, kissing Nika in the middle of an empty park, and drinking a hot chocolate at a cute little café. You’ve always loved snow, but the main reason you wanted to go for a walk was because you adore how cute your girlfriend looks in her old UConn beanie, a jacket that seems to swallow her whole, and a bright nose and cheeks from the cold.

Now, however, you’re regretting the romantic walk as you bundle up into your blankets, feeling as though you’re lying on a bed of snow. Shivers ripple through your body as your teeth chatter. You know you should get up and get some medication, take a cold shower to lower your fever, and drink some water, but your limbs feel like lead.

You feel tears well up in your eyes and mentally scold yourself for getting emotional over nothing, but you just feel so bad. You want nothing more than to curl up into Nika’s strong arms, your head on her chest as you listen to the comforting drum of her heart as she whispers sweet nothings into your ear, lulling you back to sleep. You wouldn’t even need medicine, just the soft touch of her skin, her sweet scent, and her faint Croatian accent would heal you right back up.

You’re too far in your head to hear the quiet jingle of keys at the front door or the soft creak of the hardwood floor leading to your bedroom. When the door opens, a stream of light enters the dark room, making you screw your eyes closed for a second before opening them again to look at your girl. Your lips unintentionally form a slight pout as you look up at her. 

“Oh Ljubavi,” Nika sighs with a small frown as she settles down next to you. Her hand brushes away the damp hair clinging to your forehead before leaning down and kissing it gently. You don’t notice the bag she has with her until she puts it on her lap and starts rummaging through it. “You were tossing and turning a lot last night,” the brunette says as she pulls out different kinds of medication, as well as teas and electrolyte drinks to keep you hydrated. “When I woke up this morning, you were already a bit hot and frowning in your sleep, so I went down to the store to get you some stuff.”

Your throat feels like it’s closing up as your lip trembles. You’ve never had anyone take care of you the way the Croatian does, and though your whole body feels cold, your chest feels warm. “I love you,” you rasp, your voice barely louder than a whisper. Nika sends you an affectionate smile. You’re sure that that smile alone cured a bit of your headache.

“I love you too, Draga. Now let’s get you all better, hm?” She hands you some water before opening a bottle of painkillers and passing you one. You swallow the pill with as few gulps of water as possible, each sip feeling like a burning fire in your throat. Nika gives you a sympathetic look, offering you a lozenge. You pop it in your mouth with a little huff.

The athlete starts getting up from the bed when you lurch forward and grab her arm. “Don’t go,” you plead, your lower lip jutting out. Nika grabs your hand, placing a kiss on your palm. “Shh, it’s alright. I’m just gonna go to the bathroom and run you a bath, okay? We need to bring your body temperature down. I’ll be right back, my love.” She squeezes your hand three times before placing it back down on the bed and walking away.

She’s only gone for a moment when you sit up and get out of bed. Your legs tremble as you shuffle towards the bathroom. You feel as though you might collapse at any given moment, but that doesn’t matter. You need to be near Nika. Normally, you’d have a bit more self-restraint and worry if you’re coming off a bit too strong, but when you’re sick, you just get so clingy.

At the sound of you stumbling against the door frame, the brunette looks up and lets out a little laugh. “You’re ridiculous, you know that?” You give her a sad pout as she walks over, taking your hand and leading you over to the closed toilet so you can sit down. When the bath is full, Nika turns off the tap and turns towards you. 

Seeing you frown at the bath, she grabs your face. “I know you feel cold, but we need to bring down your body temperature to get rid of the fever. And I know you don’t like being all sweaty and sticky, so let’s make this quick, and then we can go cuddle in bed, okay?”

Even though nothing sounds better than cuddling with the goddess in front of you, you shake your head. “You’ll get sick too.” “Oh nonsense, I’m Croatian, we don’t get sick.” Your lips twitch into a tiny smile at her words. “Didn’t you say you were dying last month when you got the sniffles?” Nika’s face drops before a playful, concerned look appears on her face. “Oh, it’s worse than I thought, you’re hallucinating, remembering things that never happened! Chop chop! Hop in the bath!”

You laugh at her silliness but stop fairly quickly as a coughing fit takes over your body. The brunette softens, rubbing your back as you cough. Once you’ve calmed down, she helps lift you into the bath, crouching down beside it as you splutter a few curses at the lukewarm water. Nika gives you a gentle smile as she rubs your cheek a few times before getting up. “I’ll be right back, okay, baby? I’m gonna go put on the kettle so you can have some tea for your throat.” 

You pout at her, wanting her to stay, but you nod your head anyway, not wanting to be too difficult. You quickly wash off the sweat clinging to your body so you can go back to bed as soon as possible. When your girlfriend returns, she’s carrying your favorite shirt of hers and your nicest pajama pants with her. After putting them down, she grabs a big, soft towel and holds it open. “C’mere,” she mumbles as you crawl into her arms. Once you’re dried off and clothed, Nika carries you back to bed. You notice she changed the sheets while she went to put on the kettle, making a gentle smile grow on your face.

The taller girl giggles when you refuse to let her go, clinging onto her like a koala. You let her go after a few seconds, knowing she’ll be back soon anyway. When the Croatian returns, she sets down a steaming cup of tea on your nightstand before crawling into bed next to you. You immediately slide into Nika’s open arms, sighing contently when she starts playing with your hair.

“Go back to sleep, Ljubavi. I’ll wake you up in a couple of hours when you need to take more medication.” She mutters. You feel her soft lips and warm breath against your head as she speaks, making you squeeze her even tighter. You really believe that this is the best place on earth, right in Nika’s arms.

“You should set ‘n alarm, y’don’t wanna miss practice,” you mumble sleepily against the hollow of her throat. “You think I’m going to leave you alone here? No, I’m skipping practice today.” She says, making you shift a little to look at her. “I love you, but no. You’re a big shot basketball player now, you can’t just miss practice.” 

She just hugs you tighter as she replies, “You’re right, I am a big shot, but that’s exactly why I can miss a practice. I’m not gonna play badly just because I skipped once. And what’re they gonna do? Fire me? Nahh.” You roll your eyes at her cockiness, but your lips curl into a tiny smile anyway.

“Now hush,” she mutters. You open your mouth to banter some more, but you don’t have the energy to argue. Nika seems to realize, as she starts murmuring sweet pet names in Croatian, lulling you back to sleep. “There we go baby, I’ve got you,” are the last words you hear as you tumble into a deep sleep.

[bapeach]

The mom friend

A platonic fic this time. Hope y'all enjoy! Constructive criticism is always welcome :D Find part two here! Find my masterlist here :)

Platonic pairing(s): UConn x female!reader Word count: 4k+ Summary: In which you takes care of your friends without needing anything in return. ------------

When you first arrived at UConn, people immediately had a prejudice against you. Dressed in all black, arms tatted, a resting bitch face and a quiet nature made people think one of three things. One, you thought you were way better than everyone else. Two, you were going to cause a lot of trouble, and not the good kind. Or three, you couldn’t care less about people.

Quite the opposite of that is true.

Though you don’t really look the part, you’re the mom friend of the group. Which the team found out quickly enough. Now when they need a shoulder to cry on, an unjudging ear to talk to, or something as simple as painkillers, they come to you. 

You’re calm, level-headed, and always prepared. You also give the best advice out of the whole team. Not because you’ve been through the most shit, but just because you know when to be quiet and let people ramble and when to speak up and give advice or solve their issues.

----

You’re currently sitting in the UConn bus on your way to an away game, headphones on as you stare out the window. You’re sitting in the front, where it’s a lot calmer than the back. The seat beside you is empty, just the way you like it. Of course, you love your team, but you like having an open seat in case anyone ever needs to talk about something a bit more private and wants to come over and chat.

You don’t pay attention to the screaming in the back of the bus or the objects soaring through the sky. You only focus on the slow strum of the guitar in the song you’re listening to and the cars flying by on the highway. Your mind is calm, not really thinking about the upcoming game or the exams that are fast approaching.

You sit up straight as your watch buzzes against your wrist. You rummage through your bag, grabbing the stuff you might need, before slowly making your way towards the back of the vehicle. Aaliyah, who’s seated not far behind you, already knows what’s happening, so she just sends you a quick thumbs-up. You nod at her with a small smile before continuing on.

The next person on your list of people to talk to is Azzi. The younger girl is sitting near the middle of the bus, noise-cancelling headphones on with a sleeping mask on her face. Her head is leaning against Paige’s shoulder, who’s trying not to be too loud or make too many movements. Which is pretty hard for the hyperactive athlete, so you give her a mental pat on the back.

Once you reach the couple, you give Paige a smile before crouching down between the rows of seats. You softly put your hand on the resting Azzi, gently rubbing her arm to check if she’s asleep or not. After a few seconds, she shifts, sleepily pulling off her mask before taking off one side of her headphones. 

“Hey,” you say softly. “Have you taken your meds?” It takes her a few seconds to register what you’re saying before she shakes her head. Paige bends down to grab her bag, handing her her medication and some water. You give Azzi’s arm a tiny squeeze before continuing further towards the back.

It gets pretty wild as you reach the end. KK is riling up some of the other girls, jumping around from seat to seat, loudly singing a song off-key. Once she sees you coming with a look that says “calm down”, she sits back down with a goofy smile. You might be one of the only people that can get her to chill out a bit without her feeling like she’s being too much or being a bother.

“Have you taken your meds and vitamins?” You ask her, leaning against the empty seat in front of her. “Oh shit!” She curses, looking around for her bag. She searches around for a few seconds before looking at you awkwardly. You roll your eyes fondly, lifting up the bag from next to you.

KK beams as she lunges forward to grab it. You wait for a few moments to make sure she’s taking her medicine and not just getting distracted again. Though she finds her pill box pretty fast, she looks up again with an “oops, I did it again” look. “I forgot my water bottle…” she says with an apologetic smile. 

You grin at her as you grab a bottle of water out of your cargo pants. You hand it to her, getting a loud “Thank youuuuu” in response. Once she’s taken her pills, you turn around and make your way back to the front. As you walk, your eyes scan over the seats, making sure that everyone is doing alright. 

Before you sit back down in your seat, you nod at coach Geno, who’s already looking at you to see how the rest are doing. Once you’re in your spot, you lean your head back against the window and close your eyes, trying to get some rest during the remainder of the trip.

It doesn’t take long before you feel someone sitting down next to you. You open your eyes again, turning towards your teammate. Caroline gives you a soft smile, but it doesn’t quite reach her eyes. You pull your headphones down to your neck and look at her with a calm, knowing look. You don’t ask what’s wrong, knowing she’ll tell you when she’s ready.

Realizing you can tell something is wrong and there’s no point in hiding, Caroline drops her smile. “My head hurts,” she mumbles, clenching her jaw as another wave of pain pulses through her skull. “What kind of headache is it? A normal headache? A migraine? Is it from your neck?” you ask softly as to not hurt her head even more. You’re glad the back of the bus finally seems to have quieted down.

“My neck,” she replies with a sad frown. You rummage through your bag to find some painkillers, handing them to her without a word. You let her drink from your water bottle as you make eye contact with Aaliyah as she stands up to make sure Caroline is okay. You give her a look, letting her know you’ll take care of her, making her smile before she sits back down.

After putting your water bottle back, you lean back in your chair, letting Caroline lean against you. You rub her neck, trying to relieve some tension as she relaxes against you. It only takes her a few minutes to be fully knocked out against your shoulder.

The rest of the ride passes without any issues.

Once you arrive at the hotel, you wake up Caroline, who gives you a thankful smile as she loops her arm with Paige, who’s already waiting for her with a concerned look. You stay seated until everyone has made it out of the bus before making your way through the aisle to make sure that no one forgot anything.

You grab Nika’s lucky bracelet from the floor beneath her seat, putting it in your pocket before finally leaving the bus. The girls have already followed CD into the building, while Geno waits for you outside of the hotel. You smile at one another, making quiet conversation as you follow the team. You let him know Caroline was having issues with her neck and that everyone that needed to take medicine took it. When you join the group, Geno pats you on the back in appreciation.

CD explains that they’ve rented the whole top floor of the hotel for the team, but that that doesn’t mean everyone can cause chaos and mayhem. She gives KK and Paige a pointed look, making everyone stifle a laugh. She calls out the names of every girl, partnering them up with someone else to room with for the night. Two by two, the team starts dispersing into the elevator or up the stairs to go to their room. 

Since the team is at an odd number, you get assigned to a room by yourself. You don’t mind, though, knowing that at some point everyone ends up hanging out in your room anyway. CD hands you your key with a smile and a wink, while Geno hands you a copy of the schedule. The schedule is somewhat modified from the standard one the rest have.

Your program includes more information than is really needed, but you like being informed. Your sheet is also the only one (outside the coaching staff) with the correct times on it. Though they are brilliant players with a high IQ both on the court and off, most of the girls struggle with being on time. Since it’s not an issue for you, seeing as you’re usually early, you’re the only one to get the correct timetable.

You take your time going up to your room, enjoying the peace and quiet, while also relishing in the faint sound of laughter coming from the team as you pass their rooms. Once you reach your room, you immediately start unpacking everything that needs to be unpacked, like your toiletries as well as your pajamas. When you’re all set, you lie down on your bed with a satisfied sigh.

Seeing as the whole floor has been rented, most girls left their doors open to easily be able to talk to each other and walk to each other’s rooms. Your own door has been left ajar, the only light in the room coming from the hallway and the streetlights outside. You lie on the bed with a satisfied smile as you listen to the giggles from your friends. You grin as you hear KK screeching and Paige’s boisterous laugh, knowing you’ll have to go tell them to quiet down soon before Geno gets mad.

Knock knock

“Knock knock,” a voice says as they knock on your door frame and lean into your room. You open your eyes and give Ice a kind smile. “Black pouch, left side of my suitcase,” you tell her. “What? I didn’t even say anything,” she replies, a confused frown on her face.

You sit up a bit, leaning on your elbows as you smirk at her. “You’re right, my bad. What’s up?” You ask. Ice squints her eyes slightly before mumbling, “Do you have any extra tampons?” Your smirk widens as you flop back down onto the bed, putting your arms behind your head. “Black pouch, left side of my suitcase,” you repeat.

“How did you know what I was gonna say?” She asks in disbelief. You shrug nonchalantly. “It’s the 13th of the month,” you reply, slowly getting up to grab a drink. “So what? You know my whole cycle?” She says with an unsure laugh. You shrug again. “I know everyone’s cycle,” you say before taking a sip of water. 

“Azzi gets pretty bad cramps when she has her period, so she comes to me for painkillers. Nika gets bad headaches, so she often comes to me for some peace and quiet. KK becomes quieter and grumpier, Caroline becomes more emotional, and you always forget to bring stuff,” you finish with a smile.

Ice looks at you for a moment. “You’re pretty amazing, you know that?” She says, looking at you like it’s the first time she’s really seeing you. You give her a gentle smile, giving her shoulder a soft squeeze as you pass her. You leave her be as you start making your way down the hall, popping into every room to let them know it’s time for dinner soon and to get ready. 

Once you’ve let everyone know, you walk back to your room to change into more suitable clothing. You pass Ice on your way back, giving her a wink and a grin. In no time, you’re ready to leave. You grab a small bag, putting in some more medicine, pads/tampons, bandages, and other stuff the team might need before leaving. You make your way towards the elevator, straining your ears to make sure everyone is getting dressed.

Once inside, you press the button to the floor below you. You stroll over to Geno’s room, knocking on the door and smiling once CD opens it. She lets you in, letting you sit in the chair in the corner of the room. You let them know everyone is getting ready and that the bus should be able to leave within the next 15 or so minutes.

Before long, everyone is back in the bus on their way to a nice restaurant nearby. You stand behind Geno in the aisle as you both do a quick headcount to make sure everyone is there. Most people would think this is unnecessary. Even some of the team have said that before. Well, they did before KK got left behind at a restroom stop, and they only realized she was missing when they realized no one was causing a ruckus.

Once satisfied, the bus driver drives off. You sit closer to the rest of the team this time, seeing as it’s only a short drive. You tease some of the newer players with the older girls, giving them a wink to let them know you’re just joking. 

At the restaurant, you sit down at the end of the table, near Paige, Azzi, KK, and Nika. Your eyes scan the menu as you lean to the side to let Nika look at it as well. You listen to what everyone else is getting, shaking your head as Paige says her order. 

“You’re not gonna like that,” you mumble as you glance up at her. “What? No, I like this stuff,” she says, nodding her head to convince you. “Remember how you said that last time and then spent the whole dinner pouting cus you hated it?” You ask not unkindly. “Yeah, okay, but this is different,” she says determinedly. “Alright,” you say, giving her a smile. 

You order a spaghetti, knowing it’s a dish that Paige also likes, just in case you end up being right. Once everyone’s food and drinks arrive, you take a sip of your water, leaning back as you look at the blonde in front of you. Her face contorts the second she takes her first bite. When she catches your eye, she masks her expression, but it’s too late. You’ve already seen she doesn’t like it.

You give her an “I told you so” smirk before leaning over to switch your plates. “No, no! It’s fine, this is fine!” She stumbles. “Shut up, P,” you reply with a tender smile, swapping the dishes. You don’t notice the grins the rest of the team gives each other at the sweet moment. You share your dessert with KK, who claimed to be too full after dinner but seemed to suddenly have some more space after seeing the sweet treats on the table. 

Once back at the hotel, you make your way to your room, knowing that the rest of the girl will soon start filtering in after getting into their pajamas. You know you should tell them to go straight to bed, since you’ve got a game tomorrow, but you can’t. You’ve always had a soft spot for them and struggled to say no to them in moments like this.

------

The next morning, you have a quiet yet cozy breakfast with the team. Most of the girls are still too tired to feel the nerves of the upcoming game. You split your time between sitting with the players and the coaching staff, going over strategies and things you’ll have to pay attention to on the court.

At the gym, you do your usual game day ritual before checking up on the other girls. You give Aaliyah your extra arm sleeve when you see her rummaging through her bag with a frown. She doesn’t have to tell you what she’s searching for for you to know what’s wrong. When you see Nika nervously biting her nails, you walk over, handing her a strip of gum without a word. The tension leaves her body the second the minty flavor touches her tongue.

You play the game with your whole heart and soul. You shoot like your life depends on it, steal the ball like a thief in the night, and assist your team as much as you can. When a teammate goes down, you’re the first to reach them. To check that they’re okay or to simply lend a hand to help them up. Everyone plays amazingly. However, it’s not enough.

By the time coach Geno asks for the last time-out of the game, everyone is dead tired. The Huskies were good. Really good. But so was the other team. When you all huddle up, you see the exhausted faces of your teammates, hear their labored breaths, and feel the tension radiating off their skin. 

You barely hear Geno talking as you look at the shooters of the team. One of them will have to take the final shot. One of them will have to deal with the crushing disappointment of not being able to score the winning point if it goes wrong.

The coach pauses as he sees the look in your eyes. The moment you decide what you’re going to do, he knows too. You nod at him. “Give me the ball,” you say resolutely. Everyone’s head snaps your way as the words leave your mouth. “You might miss,” Paige says, not trying to make you feel bad, but not wanting you to have to deal with the weight of the final score. “I might,” you reply in a way that shows you’re not changing your mind. 

Everyone nods slowly before turning to Geno to listen to what he wants everyone to do. You clench your fists, jaw tight as you look at the floor. No matter what, you know every player did the best they could and that if you missed the shot, it would be okay in the end. However, that gave you little comfort at the moment.

When the final buzzer sounds, the Huskies’ shoulders sag as tears well up in the eyes of the younger players. 63-65 reads the final score. You weren’t able to make the basket. You try not to let the disappointment you feel show in your body language. You shake hands with the other team with a “good game”, you tell Jana her last layup was pure art, and you ruffle KK’s hair with a smile and a wink.

Most of the girls speed walk away when they see the media team appear. Nika doesn’t spot them soon enough before she’s asked to go to the pressroom. She sends you a desperate look that says “please don’t make me go alone”, which isn’t needed as you’re already walking over to join her. You’d rather sit in the locker room with the others than sit in a room with nosy jerks and flashy cameras, but you don’t want Nika to be alone.

The first questions are pretty civil and are aimed at your coach, so you spend your time keeping an eye on Nika and thinking of ways to make everyone feel better once you’re back home. When the first reporter to ask Nika a question starts talking, your head snaps up. The Croatian girl tries to answer to the best of her abilities, but halfway through her answer, her chin starts to wobble as her voice becomes shaky. 

The tears in her eyes barely have time to form before you take over. You reply to the question, your voice serious. Though UConn didn’t win, you speak proudly about the team’s playing. Noticing Nika picking her nails in the corner of your eye, you slide your hand into hers underneath the table without a word. Your speech doesn’t falter as she squeezes your hand tightly, like you’re the only thing keeping her tethered to earth. 

Once the press conference is over, you sling your arm around Nika and guide her to the locker room. The conversation inside is barely audible, only a few hushed voices being heard every once in a while. You head to the showers before getting changed into comfy clothes for the drive home. You then make your rounds.

You give some encouraging words to the crying players, hold an ice pack to Azzi’s knee, and give a hug to Paige, who looks like she’s holding the world on her shoulders. With every upset frown and sad pout that you’re able to turn into a smile, the weight on your chest lessens.

By the time you get into the bus, most girls have already somewhat recovered from the loss. Paige and Azzi are cuddled up near the back of the bus with lovesick smiles on their faces. Caroline is combing her fingers through the hair of one of the younger players, who’s smiling softly. Aaliyah is braiding Nika’s hair, and though both are silent, you can tell they’re okay.

The bus still feels uncomfortably silent, even with the soft chattering. Because it’s never this quiet. Not when KK is there. KK, the class clown, the prankster, the bright ray of sunshine. 

You make your way towards the back of the bus, where the young girl is lying down with a defeated frown. While the girl is usually the happiest one of the bunch, she also has days when she feels like she has failed everyone.

You tap her leg, telling her to move so you can sit. You don’t say anything at first, checking to see what she needs right now. You could give her a big speech on how everyone did their best and that next time, you’d win. You could offer her the stat sheet from the game, showing her that she played better than she’s ever done. Though you know none of that is what she needs right now.

“Hey,” you say softly as you knock your knee into hers. She looks over, barely being able to contain her tears. You can tell she wants to tell you not to bother. That nothing you say right now will make her feel better. So instead, you rummage through your bag and hand her a box. She frowns in confusion as she looks at it. 

“I’m thinking of getting a new tattoo,” you say, confusing her even more, since she was sure you’d try to make her feel better by giving a speech. “You wanna draw me one?” She lets her fingers trail over each marker as she shrugs. You give her your arm, telling her you were also thinking of getting your already existing tattoos colored in. Of course, you don’t really want them colored, but it’s a sure way to get KK’s mind off of the loss.

She starts drawing in silence at first. You just sit there, talking about small things that you saw throughout the week that reminded you of her and what video games you want to play with her. Before long, she’s quietly telling you about what happened in her favorite class and is making small jokes. You don’t expect her to become a ball of energy right away, but she doesn’t have to be. You just want her to be less sad.

Hearing KK’s voice and laugh makes the team look back towards the back of the bus. A soft smile is visible on everyone’s face as they see the interaction. The girl beside you doesn’t notice their looks, but you do. You send them a kind smile of your own, nodding as KK asks you something.

Coach Geno asked you if it was exhausting once. Being a good student, an amazing player (both on and off the court, when you help your team), and always taking care of your friends. You’d just shrugged. Of course, it was tiring. But so what? 

As you lean back in your seat, KK blabbering nonsense in your ear and the rest of the team scattered out in front of you with calm smiles on their faces, the only thing you can think about is how it’s all worth it. You wouldn’t trade this group for the world, just as they wouldn’t trade you for it. 

[bapeach]

Picnics and paintings

This is for the sweet people that asked for more Pazzi fics! Thank you guys for your support :)) Constructive criticism is always welcome :D Find my masterlist here :)

Pairing(s): Pazzi x female!reader Word count: 2.4k+ Summary: You and your girlfriends have a picnic in the park, where you all decide to paint something special. Your painting leaves everyone awestruck. ------------

You hear them walk in before you see them.

You catch Azzi’s light footsteps, followed by Paige’s tired shuffles. When the brunette spots you lying on the couch, your feet on the coffee table as you type away on your laptop, she smiles. Her eyes are tired, but her smile is bright.

You happily grin back as you put your laptop aside, asking how practice went. Paige immediately makes a beeline towards the couch, flopping down on top of you with a tired moan. You let out a laugh as you brush the baby hairs sticking to her face away. “Hey baby,” you giggle as she mutters something unintelligible into your hoodie.

The people’s princess walks over to you, leaning down to kiss your temple with a soft hi. You beam at her, grabbing her hand to give it a kiss. When she starts walking towards the kitchen to get herself a drink, you turn back to the blonde in your lap. “P, I love you… But you need to go shower, you reek,” you say, patting her head softly.

The older girl lifts her head up with a pout. “Why do you hate me?” she asks. You giggle again, “I don’t hate you, I just love you more when you’re not stinking up the place.” She groans but doesn’t move. 

You eye Azzi, silently asking her for help. She smirks as she shakes her head. After giving her your best puppy eyes, she rolls her eyes with a grin. “C’mon babe, you can cuddle with both of us after we shower.”

With a huff, the blonde gets up. “Okayyy,” she says, dramatically. Once she’s standing back up, an all too familiar glint flashes across her eyes. “Ya know, you could always join us?” She suggests with a coy smirk. Another laugh bubbles up in your chest. You shake your head. “Nuh uh.”

“C’mon, it’ll be quick,” she says, trying her best to persuade you. You raise an eyebrow in disbelief at Azzi in the doorway. “That’s what you said last time, and then we spent an hour in the shower and another few hours getting sweaty again.” Your cheeks turn red at the recollection.

Paige’s shoulders sag playfully. “Take her away, Az,” you say as you shoo them out of the living room. “Let’s go, P,” the brunette mumbles, taking the girl’s hand as she leads her to the bathroom. 

Knowing you’re not going to get a lot more work done while your girlfriends are around, you quickly finish up your essay before closing your laptop. Once you’re done, you walk over to the kitchen, pulling out some ingredients to make everyone a sandwich. 

Just as you’ve made everyone’s lunch just the way they like it, your girls walk out of the bathroom with stupid grins on their faces. You roll your eyes fondly, seeing the matching marks on each other's necks. “Seriously, Azzi? I thought you were better than this,” you quip playfully. “No one can resist me,” Paige smirks as she hugs you from behind, softly kissing your neck as well. “You wanna match?”

You push her away, slapping her arm softly. “You’re an idiot, you know that?” You reply, handing both girls their food. They don’t mention your red cheeks, but you can tell Paige is feeling smug.

Once everyone is done eating, you all migrate to the couch. Paige lies down in the middle as you and Azzi cuddle up to her. She draws lazy shapes on your backs as you inhale the pleasant scent of her vanilla soap.

“I was thinking…” you start. “Mmm, dangerous,” Paige jokes. You roll your eyes, pinching her side. She yelps, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” “Maybe we could go to the park later?” You continue as if nothing happened. “That sounds nice,” Azzi mutters, pushing a strand of hair behind your ear. “Yeah?” You say, looking up to see the other girl’s reaction. The blonde gives you that soft smile she reserves just for you and Azzi. She nods. “Sounds perfect.”

“Oh! Maybe we can have a little picnic! We can take strawberries, and chocolate, and juice, and…” You ramble on, not noticing the lovesick look in your girlfriends’ eyes. “Oh! Oh! Can we pleaseeee do one of those dates where we take painting supplies, and we paint each other?” You ask, sitting up with your eyes wide in excitement. “Dude! Yes!! Can we??” Paige says, equally enthusiastic.

Azzi straightens up with a stunned look. “First of all, ‘dude’? Really?” Paige gives her an awkward smile, mumbling an apology. “But yes, we can,” Azzi carries on. You jump up, clapping your hands ecstatically. “Okay, let me see what we still have around!” You shout, already running off to the kitchen to go rummage through the cupboards and cabinets. 

Paige follows you like a lost puppy as Azzi goes to look for art supplies in the bedroom. Not finding anything useful, she joins you both in the kitchen. “Did you guys find anything good?” She immediately walks over towards the taller girl, who’s already waiting for her with open arms. You show off your small haul before agreeing that you’ll need to stop by the store for more stuff. 

You quickly get ready, bouncing on your feet as you wait for your girlfriends by the door. You can barely contain your excitement when they stroll towards you. As you walk towards Paige’s car, you hold hands with them both. The blonde spins her keys around in her free hand as she walks, while Azzi uses hers to make gestures as she talks about a paper she read.

You plop down in the middle back seat of the car, leaning forward to be close to your girls. “Okay, art store first? That way we can go straight home after we get groceries to put stuff in the fridge.” Paige puts her thumbs up in agreement, starting the car and driving towards your first destination.

At the art store, you pick up a few different colors of paint, brushes, a few canvases, and some fun extras like glitter and stickers. You then pick up some fresh fruits, drinks, and snacks from the grocery store. As you head home, the sun starts shining brightly as the sky clears up. You can hardly hold back a squeal as you feel the blazing rays warm up your skin. 

Azzi goes ahead and puts away all the stuff you won’t need on the date, while you and Paige grab a basket and start adding everything you’ll need. You playfully slap the other girl’s hand as she steals a strawberry. She just grins, her mouth already a soft red from the juice. You can taste the sweet fruit on her lips as she pulls you in for a kiss. You don’t hear Azzi walk up behind you, too dazed by the blonde in front of you.

“Seriously, Y/N/N? I thought you were better than this,” she grins, repeating your earlier statement. Paige opens her mouth to say something cocky again, but she doesn’t get the chance to, as you and Azzi tell her to shut up. She gives you an offended look before continuing to put stuff in the basket.

Your eyes twinkle as you lean into Azzi, giving her a soft kiss as well. The older girl behind you scoffs, muttering a soft, “I always need to do all the work.” She raises her hands in apology (and to protect herself from getting slapped again), as you two give her a pointed look. “I’m kiddingggg, jeezzz,” she says, her eyes wide and her tone joking.

Once everything is packed, you all go get changed into more suitable clothes. You end up picking a cute pair of dungarees with your favorite shoes. Once again, you’re done before your girlfriends, so you sit down on the bed and watch them. You can’t wipe the enamored smile off your face as you stare at them.

Finally making it to the park, you skip ahead towards a nice, little spot, secluded from the view of most passersby, but still with beautiful scenery. Your girls follow a bit slower behind you, swinging their hands together as they walk. Paige whispers something in Azzi’s ear, making her cheeks become a rosy pink.

You set everything up, from the classic checkered picnic blanket to the matching wicker basket. You don’t immediately get into the paintings, instead choosing to talk about nothing in particular while sharing sweet treats. Once you start crafting, you tell both girls that they’re not allowed to look at your painting until it’s over.

Azzi agrees easily, while Paige pouts. “Fine, then you’re not allowed to look at mine either,” she says, sticking her tongue out playfully. Azzi laughs at both of your childishness as you do it back. The next few hours are spent in comfortable silence, with some soft mumbles here and there. You enjoy listening to the birds whistling in the trees and the little kids giggling in joy on the playset nearby. 

Your focus is fully on making the best piece of art you’ve ever made. You only get distracted once or twice, looking at one of your girlfriends and becoming awestruck. Azzi slightly frowns in concentration as she sketches away, while Paige’s tongue sticks out of her mouth, fully engrossed in what she’s doing. 

You think the blonde is doing pretty well, not looking at your painting, until you catch her trying to sneak a peek. “Hey!” You exclaim, throwing a paintbrush her way. She shrieks as she moves out of the way, only barely dodging it. “Children, children. Please, calm down,” Azzi says with a chuckle. You both mumble an apology before continuing with your painting.

When the sky becomes dusky, and the picnic basket is practically empty, you finally let out a satisfied exhale. “Okay, I’m done! Are you guys ready?” You say, looking up with a proud grin. Your lovers are already staring at you lovingly, having been long done but not wanting to hurry you up. “Ready when you are, love,” Azzi says softly, getting up from between Paige’s legs.

“Okay, you guys first!” You declare, bouncing in your seat as you impatiently wait for them. You and Paige immediately eye the brunette, who rolls her eyes playfully. She shows her painting wordlessly. “Oh,” you whisper, a small pout on your lips as you look at it. She drew this morning's scene. Both of you cuddled up to your older girlfriend. She didn’t give anyone faces, but you can still clearly tell who’s who.

You crawl over to her, grabbing her face and planting a soft kiss on her lips. “You’re amazing, you know that?” You mutter against her mouth. Her eyes twinkle when you pull back. You poke your finger against her dimple as you look at her. When you make your way back to your seat, your heart feels like it’s about to burst from happiness. 

Paige hesitates as it becomes her turn. “Ok, I know it’s not the best, but I think it’s pretty good,” she shrugs. You nod encouragingly as Azzi gives her a reassuring smile.

You gasp when you see the drawing. Holding your hand in front of your mouth in shock, you stare at it. You try to tell her how beautiful it is, but after one look at a barely-holding-it-together Azzi, you burst out laughing. 

Your sides hurt as you look at the blonde’s offended look. You try to tell her how nice it is between gasps, but it comes out incomprehensible. Every time you think you’re done laughing, the brunette beside you lets out a tiny snort, sending you over the edge again.

Once you finally calm down, you try to take the canvas, but Paige pulls it back with a frown. “No, you don’t get to see it anymore,” she grumbles. “No babe, please. I’m sorry. It really does look nice!” You defend yourself, but even you know it’s a losing battle. 

The painting isn’t bad per se. It’s a somewhat detailed drawing of you and Azzi, but she made the mistake of trying to add faces. Your smile is a squiggly line, while Azzi has one big eye and one small one. 

You glance at Azzi, communicating without words, before you both pounce on Paige. The brunette clings onto her like a koala, while you grab her face and place little kisses all over it. You don’t stop until the blonde pushes you both off with a beaming smile. She mumbles something about forgiving you both, but only with the promise of more cuddles.

You feel nervous jitters as it’s your turn at last. You tap the sides of the canvas anxiously, taking a deep breath before turning it around. This time, Azzi gasps, while Paige stops breathing. You bite your lip, giving them a tiny smile.

The painting shows the three of you walking in the park you’re currently in. You didn’t draw any of your faces, as you’re all moving towards the sunset. 

On the far left is Azzi, swinging hands with a young girl. The girl is maybe 5 years old and has her head tilted towards the brunette. Her eyes are closed as she grins widely. She has your smile. 

You’re walking next to her, a tiny girl resting on your hip. The kid is shyly looking at the viewer of the painting, most of her face hidden behind your shoulder. Her eyes are a bright blue, matching Paige’s. 

Finally, on the right, Paige is walking with a little girl of her own on her shoulders. You can’t see either of their faces, but the child has a head full of brown, curly hair, identical to Azzi’s. 

You give your partners a sweet pout as tears gather in their eyes. It takes a while before anyone finds their words. It’s Azzi who finally speaks first. “Y/N…” she mumbles, her voice slightly wobbly. You put the canvas down, crawling over to sit in between them.

They both scoot over, pulling you close. You give them both a soft kiss on the cheek, not bothered by their silence. You already know everything they want to say, without them having to say it. 

You stay in the park a little longer, watching the sky become a blaze of colors. Azzi is holding the canvas on her lap, gently tracing over everyone’s figure, while Paige stares ahead, daydreaming about the scene in the painting. When it starts getting colder, you wordlessly pack everything up, walking towards the car, slightly squinting at the sunset. 

You walk in the middle, Azzi on your left and Paige on your right.

[bapeach]

loved your pazzi fic girly do it again heheh :)

or a UConn team x reader

please 🙇🏼‍♀️

Thank you!!! :D

Your wish is my command 😌

I'll be posting a Pazzi x reader fic in a sec. I'm definitely also gonna post a UConn x reader fic in the next few weeks!!

[bapeach]

you should deff do more pazzi x readers especially ones where they are all in an established relationship already cuz the way you write it is so cute

Omg you're so sweet :( That genuinely means a lot ❤️

I'll be posting a Pazzi x reader fic in a couple of minutes :))

[bapeach]

Party of three - part 2

Part 2 of my last Pazzi fic! Didn't really know what to write but people wanted a part 2 so here we go! Hope it's alright :) Constructive criticism is always welcome :D Find part one here! Find my masterlist here :)

Pairing(s): Pazzi x female!reader Word count: 2.6k+ Summary: The morning after the legendary All-Star after party changes everything. Your unrequited feelings might not be so one-sided after all. ------------

Waking up, you don’t immediately open your eyes. You lie there for a moment, trying to figure out what’s going on. You feel warm and slightly sticky. Your mouth is dry, like you swallowed a few pounds of salt. The familiar drumming in your head lets you know you’ve had way too much to drink the night before.

You sigh softly, not wanting to get up yet. Not wanting to open your eyes and be blinded by the bright sunlight that’s no doubt streaming through the open gaps in the curtains. Though the air around feels a bit thick, you feel comfortable where you are.

Well, that is, until you wake up enough to take in your surroundings properly. The gentle breathing of a person behind you, mixed with the soft skin of someone’s arms around you, makes your eyes snap open. 

The bright sun rays flowing into the room make you close them again right away with a soft groan. You try not to panic too much as you mentally scold yourself for taking those extra shots with Nika, accepting that drink from Paige, and sipping from Azzi’s cocktail.

Wait.

A flurry of memories floods your head as you remember yesterday.

The way your body fit perfectly between the two taller players. The teasing words the blonde whispered in your ears as she gripped you tightly. The innocent, doe-eyed looks the brunette gave you while doing the least innocent things. The way they both took turns kissing you breathless once you got to your hotel room. The clothing items that left a trail from the front door to the king-sized bed. The way they set your skin fully ablaze until the early morning hours.

You can feel heat creep up your neck as you turn a bright red when the not-so-innocent moments linger in your brain. Opening your eyes, you take a look around, trying not to move so as not to wake the sleeping women beside you. A thin blanket covers your lower halves. You’re wearing a Dallas shirt that’s way too big for you. Azzi is wearing a see-through white dress shirt, and though you can’t see her behind you, you can feel Paige is wearing nothing but a sports bra and some boxers.

Your breath hitches as the blonde pulls you closer, mumbling something unintelligible into your neck. You wait a few moments, not wanting to wake her up, before you start wiggling your way free. Once you're almost out of her grip, Azzi cuddles up closer to you. You hold your breath, looking up at the ceiling with a deadpan look.

“Seriously?” You think to yourself.

It takes you another 10 minutes to finally get up. Once you've crawled off the bed, you pad over to the bathroom. You do your business before hopping into the shower to quickly rinse off the stickiness from your skin. Once you're done, you dry off, facepalming when you realize you forgot to grab clothes.

You brush your teeth in nothing but a big, fluffy towel. You also drink water from the tap like you haven't had water in days. Once you look somewhat presentable (minus the missing clothes, of course), you softly open the bathroom door and peek inside the bedroom.

Seeing both women still asleep, this time wrapped up in each other, you walk over to your suitcase to grab some comfy clothes. You walk back into the bathroom to get changed, even though the couple has clearly seen you naked the night before.

You try to do everything one step at a time in an attempt not to spiral. Yesterday was nothing but amazing. But what if they regretted it? What if this was something they just needed to get out of their system? What if you completely embarrassed yourself in your drunken haze? What if they couldn't even remember what happened and you have to explain why they're half naked in your bed? What if they hate you because they think you took advantage of them?

By the time you step back out of the bathroom, all the color has gone from your face. You kneel down in front of your suitcase, your back towards the athletes, as you rearrange some stuff to keep busy.

Maybe you should just sneak out? No. That wouldn't work. How would they have made it into your hotel room if they didn't come here with you? What if they thought your leaving meant you regretted it?

You're too far in your head to realize the couple has opened their eyes. Paige is leaning against the headboard, her arm slung around Azzi. She's drawing tiny shapes on the younger girl's arm as they both watch you. They both look at each other for a second, communicating with nothing but their eyes.

“You okay, Ma?” Paige's voice rings through the quiet room. Having not talked for a few hours and having shouted along to music a lot the previous day, her voice is raspy and low.

If you hadn't been so nervous, her voice alone would have reignited yesterday's heat in your body.

Your head snaps towards them, eyes wide as your brain goes blank. “Mhm,” you hum unconvincingly. You squint your eyes as you cringe at yourself. You stare at them both as they glance at each other once again. What you wouldn't do to know what they were thinking right now.

“We should talk,” Azzi says with a soft smile. You nod, scratching your arm nervously. “But first, why don't you order some room service while we hop in the shower? We can talk after,” Paige says, tilting her head as she looks at you. Heat pools in your stomach as her eyes stay locked on you.

“O-okay,” you stutter, nodding again. The sweet smiles they give you make you a little less nervous.

Azzi sits up a bit, rubbing her eyes. Paige stretches, groaning softly as her joints pop. The blonde is the first to get up and start walking towards a bag you hadn't noticed in the corner of the room. She takes out some clothes for herself and her girlfriend before casually disappearing into the bathroom.

Your eyes roam over her body, your throat going dry at the sight of her toned stomach and muscular thighs. She doesn't notice, but you look away like you were caught stealing nonetheless. That's when you make eye contact with Azzi. The older girl is smirking at you with a twinkle in her eyes.

You open your mouth to defend yourself, to apologize, to say something, anything. When the words don't form, you close it again with an awkward look. The brunette moving in front of you, makes you avert your eyes, staring at the floor like it's the most fascinating thing you've ever seen.

You don't notice Azzi walking towards you until her long, smooth legs halt in front of you. You still don't look up, not wanting her to see your bright red cheeks. A soft hand touches your face as she tilts it up.

She doesn't say anything, instead sweetly smiling at you as if to say it's okay. She puts a loose strand of hair behind your ear, letting her hand linger on your jaw for longer than necessary.

After another comforting look, she wordlessly disappears into the bathroom as well. You pause for a moment to calm your rapidly beating heart before getting up and walking over to the hotel phone. You order some breakfast for everyone, knowing perfectly well what they like after a long night of drinking from during your shared UConn days.

Once you hang up the phone, you flop back onto your bed with a loud exhale.

So. Yesterday wasn't a dream. You didn't die and go to heaven. This is all real. And from their reactions, they don't immediately regret it or hate you.

“Cool,” you think to yourself dumbly, still in disbelief.

You lie there for a while, staring at the ceiling as you think of what's going to happen next. You only sit back up when you hear the bathroom door creak, right as a knock sounds on the front door. You move to go get the food, but Paige stops you. “I've got it.”

You sit back down on the bed, crisscross applesauce, shuffling to lean against the headboard. Azzi perches down diagonally from you, leaving enough space for her girl to sit beside her. When the blonde returns, she places the food in the middle, sitting down so you're sitting in a triangle.

You don't talk much as you eat. You watch Paige and Azzi share some food with a small smile on your face. You grin widely as the brunette hands you some coffee with just the right amount of sugar and milk. You giggle as the Dallas rookie takes a sip from Azzi’s tea and scrunches her face up in disgust.

Once everyone has finished their breakfast, the mood becomes more serious. You nervously crack your knuckles as you wait for them to start talking. After another silent conversation between the two, Azzi starts talking.

“First of all, we want to say that we don’t regret what happened,” she starts. “And we hope you don’t either.” She leans forward, grabbing your hand with a soft squeeze. “It’s important that we’re all honest with how we feel,” Paige says, her hands twitching in her lap, like she’s trying not to touch you.

You nod in agreement. Your heart swells at the unbelievable sweetness of the women in front of you. “I don’t regret it,” you say softly, trying your best to hold eye contact. Your heart skips a beat as a beaming smile makes its way onto your crushes’ faces. Paige places a hand on your leg, gently rubbing your knee.

“Ever since we first saw you, we knew you were gonna be a big part of our lives,” Azzi says affectionately. “We didn’t know in which way at first, but we slowly started falling for you.” “It took us a while to admit it, to both ourselves and each other,” Paige continues. “We’d never really talked about what would happen if we fell for someone else, because we didn’t think it was possible.”

“But how could we not fall for you? When you were so sweet and adorable and funny…” The brunette takes over again. “Once we talked about it and agreed that we wanted to give us a shot, we started testing the waters. We loved seeing you get all flustered when we complimented you or when we would “accidentally” touch you.”

“We wanted to tell you, but we were also afraid. Afraid that this would ruin the good friendship we have. Afraid that maybe we completely misunderstood your affection for us.” Azzi nods as she looks at the talking blonde. “And then the end of my time at UConn neared, and we weren’t sure it was the right time to start something when I wouldn’t be anywhere near you both.” Azzi grabs Paige’s clenched fist, rubbing it comfortingly as the blonde looks down. 

“And then you pulled away from us,” the brunette says, her voice pained. “That’s when we really realized how much you cared for us. We wanted nothing more than to ask you to be ours that day you fell into our arms crying, but we also knew that wasn’t the time. So we waited some more, and we saw you start smiling more, start going on dates again, start enjoying university life again. And so we felt like we’d lost our chance.”

Paige starts smirking, a mischievous glint in her eyes. “But then we saw the way you were looking at us at the party. The way you couldn’t keep your eyes off of us. And then it was a no-brainer, really.”

Azzi’s smile returns to her face as she rolls her eyes at her cocky girlfriend. “The way you reacted to us, the way you accepted us, made us so happy… We really like you, Y/N. You perfectly fit in between us. It’s like we finally found a missing puzzle piece. So, if you want this too, we’d really like you to be our girlfriend.”

The All-Star player’s smirk eases into something softer. She subconsciously grips your leg a little tighter. Not in a way that hurts, but in a way that shows she’s hoping you’ll say yes. Hoping you’ll be theirs.

You don’t answer for a moment. Not because you’re hesitant or because you’re unsure. But because you’re struggling to believe this is really happening. How did you go from fangirling over them on the TV to having them ask you to be their girlfriend? To them asking to let them love you.

“You know, when we first met, I already knew who you guys were,” you start softly. “And I don’t mean in a way of ‘I looked up my future teammates”. I mean in a way where I’d already saved a bunch of TikTok edits about you guys. I’d seen every single one of your UConn games already, I’d seen the story about how you guys met, I’d even written about you guys in my diary,” you ramble, unable to stop yourself from embarrassing yourself.

You don’t look at them as you chatter away.

“At first, I didn’t know if I wanted to be you or be with you. But that quickly changed when butterflies filled my stomach every time you guys smiled at me or pulled me into a tight hug. I think I’ve liked you both since before we even met. I never thought I stood a chance. I mean, you guys are older and have a bond I’ve never seen before.”

You look up as they both give you a tiny squeeze. You shake your head to stop yourself from continuing your ramble. Taking a deep breath, you give them a smile. “I would love nothing more than to be your girlfriend.”

You’ve never wished you could freeze time as much as you do right now. The grin on the power couple’s faces is something you never want to forget. Paige can’t hold back a laugh bubbling in her chest. Azzi’s eyes are barely visible from the wide smile on her face.

You yelp in surprise as the blonde grabs you and pulls you into her, making her fall backwards on the bed with you on top of her. Her overwhelming excitement makes you and Azzi laugh as well. You’re too busy giggling with Paige to notice the brunette beside you take a picture of the two of you. You don’t learn about the picture until a few days later, when you see her phone light up, the picture glowing brightly on her lock screen.

You spend the rest of the morning/noon cuddling in bed, talking about everything and nothing. The dark blush on your face and the ache in your cheeks don’t bother you as your girlfriends tease you about how flustered you are around them. You slap Paige’s bicep as she makes a dirty joke about yesterday, making her send you into a fit of laughter as she tickles you. You beg Azzi for help, giving her your best puppy eyes. 

She smirks, letting you suffer for a moment before coming to your aid. The shocked howl the blonde lets out as Azzi starts tickling her makes you laugh harder than the tickling itself. Paige’s face turns a bright red, embarrassed at the noise she just let out.

You’re pretty sure you’ve gotten abs from all the laughter by the time Paige has to start getting ready for the game. You feel a pang of disappointment as you realize you have to say goodbye to the two until it’s time for the game, until Azzi gives you her signature smile. “You coming?” She asks as they get ready to leave.

You grab her outstretched hand with a grin. Of course, you’re coming with them. You’d follow them to the ends of the earth if you had to.

[bapeach]

Party of three

Inspired by the All-Star party and the Studbudz! Not my best work but I hope y'all enjoy nonetheless. Constructive criticism is always welcome :D Find part 2 here! Find my masterlist here :)

Pairing(s): Pazzi x female!reader Word count: 2.6k+ Summary: You join UConn to become someone and to play with the greatest basketball team of your time. You don't plan on falling for Paige and Azzi as hard as you do. ------------

You joined UConn two years after Azzi and Paige did.

You became a Husky for multiple reasons. One, UConn brings forth champions, and you want your name to be written in the stars. Two, coach Geno Auriemma is an absolute legend. And three, the team has amazing vibes.

Those are the reasons you give the media when they ask you why you committed here instead of another great school. You don’t tell them that you fell in love with Azzi and Paige the first time you saw them play on your TV. You don’t tell them that your favorite art is seeing the way the brunette shoots threes like it’s as easy as breathing. You don’t tell them that the kindness the blonde shows towards her team as well as opponents makes you want to break your chest open so you can hand her your heart.

When you first meet them in real life, your brain short-circuits. Azzi somehow looks even prettier than she does on TV. Paige appears taller and more intimidating, though you know she’s as sweet as honey. You introduce yourself with a stutter and a rapidly reddening face. They just give you a sweet smile, thinking you’re just nervous to be meeting your new teammates.

It takes you two weeks before you can talk to them without stumbling over your words or freezing up. They don’t mention it as they try to make you feel more comfortable in the team. You’re extremely grateful for that, but at the same time, you wish they’d be a little less… lovable.

How can you act normal around them when Paige softly explains the strategies you don’t understand with a kind smile? How can you act like your stomach isn’t swarming with butterflies when Azzi gently touches your waist as she corrects your form?

You've had your fair share of unattainable crushes in the past. A crush on a straight girl here, a crush on a woman too old for you there, but you've never been in this situation before.

You've never been this infatuated with anyone before, let alone two people. Two gorgeous women who are in a relationship with each other.

And you're happy for them both, really! If there was anyone that deserved each other, it was Azzi and Paige. The blonde is and always has been Azzi's biggest fan and greatest supporter, while the brunette has always been the one to be able to keep Paige grounded when she felt like she was floating away. 

But that doesn’t mean part of you didn’t wish they’d come knocking on your door one day to confess their undying love for you.

Sadly, life isn’t a fairy tale. Time goes on, and the couple thrives. It gets a bit easier to be around them. You’re able to push your romantic love for them aside and focus on being the best friend and teammate you can be to them. You push the angry bees in your stomach down whenever Paige playfully winks at you. You try to think of things that gross you out when Azzi’s cute giggles threatens to turn your cheeks a blazing red.

You’re too focused on trying to keep them from finding out about your crush to notice how they’re feeling. You wave off their lingering looks, their flirty comments, and their “accidental” touches because there’s no way they could like you back. Why would they want you when they already won the lottery with each other?

You spend your time at UConn as a single lady. You try to go on a few dates here and there, but no one manages to make your heart beat the same way the basketball couple does. After the fifth time Nika tries to set you up with someone, you start politely declining, saying you want to focus on basketball and your studies. You can tell she doesn’t believe you but lets it slide, seeing the uncomfortable look on your face.

Fast-forward a few years, and some of your closest teammates have left UConn. Nika is living her best life in Seattle, while Aaliyah is killing it in Washington. The 2025 draft has come and gone and taken away Paige from you as well. 

The day she left, you cried into her shoulder until you were a hiccuping mess. You could tell the blonde was barely holding it together herself, having to say goodbye to the family she’d been playing with for years. 

You remember her gently wiping away your tears with a soft look in her eyes that almost made you blurt out how you couldn’t stop thinking about her. How being near her made you feel invincible. How she’s the ray of sunshine on your darkest days.

You’re thankful Azzi showed up before you could confess. 

You didn’t talk to the blonde for days after she left. You avoided Azzi whenever you could. You did your best to stay away from them both because you almost ruined everything. It also felt wrong for you to be able to hang out with the brunette without her girlfriend there. You felt dirty for wanting to comfort Azzi as she cried because she missed her partner.

Not wanting to cause suspicion, you barely hung out with the rest of the team, too. With the basketball season being over, it was easy. You made up excuses as to why you couldn’t go out for lunch, had “headaches” during movie nights, and were “too sick” on days with hangouts at the mall.

The first time you spoke to them both again was when Paige returned to UConn after only being in Dallas for a couple of days. You didn’t know she was coming back, not having opened the Husky group chat, as you were too busy sulking. You only found out when there was a knock on your door and they both stood there with concerned, yet sweet, looks on their faces. You wanted to be strong. Pretend like you hadn’t been lying to everyone. Like you really had just been busy. 

Instead, you fell into their arms and cried.

Cried because you missed your favorite blonde, cried because looking at them both being happy together made your heart break, cried because you felt like you were betraying them by not being able to keep your feelings in check.

They just held you, rubbing small circles on your back as you sobbed. You were too busy feeling embarrassed to see the looks they were giving each other. You let them guide you to your bed, where they cuddled up close to you while you slept for what felt like the first time in days.

After Paige’s visit, you got better. You stopped feeling so sorry for yourself and instead focused on being the blonde’s biggest fan (besides Azzi) and the brunette’s most trusted shoulder to cry on. 

You go on more dates. A nice dinner with a boy from class. A sweet picnic with a girl on the hockey team. A pottery date with the funny barista at your favorite coffee shop. None of them make your heart skip a beat, but you don’t mind. You’re young, so you have plenty of time to find your person. 

You help Azzi surprise Paige by flying out to Dallas. You deliver flowers to Azzi from Paige. You smile when you walk into practice and see Azzi giggling on the phone. You send your favorite Pazzi edits to your shared group chat without feeling like you’re falling into a dark, endless pit. You even help the couple brainstorm silly ideas to come out to the public.

Your feelings for them don’t disappear, but they get more manageable. You can look at them both without fearing you’ll blurt out something you’ll regret. You can compliment them without getting scared you’ll get caught staring. You feel like you can finally be normal around them without gay panicking.

Well.

You did.

You could be chill until the WNBA All-Star after-party.

You’re laughing at something KK is saying, Nika’s arm slung around you as she chuckles at the younger girl. Hearing some commotion ahead of you, you look up and freeze. Paige and Azzi are standing there, wrapped up in each other's arms, as they talk to some other players. You can hear your heartbeat drum in your ears as your hands become sweaty. 

You can’t seem to look away from them, too entranced by how they look. Looking them both up and down, you swallow harshly. When you make eye contact with them, Paige sends you a wolfish grin, while Azzi gives you a knowing wink. You know you should look away as you’re getting into dangerous territory, but you can’t. You’re completely hypnotized by their beauty.

When they saunter over, you can tell they’ve already had a few drinks. Paige is leaning onto Azzi, being touchier than usual. The younger girl is slightly more composed, but you can tell by her blushy cheeks and wide eyes that she’s tipsy too.

“Hey,” they say in sync, their voices low and raspy from shouting along to the music. You don’t hear KK and Nika reply, too captivated by the gloss on Azzi’s lips and the dangly chain sparkling around Paige’s neck. You get pulled out of your daze when they walk closer to you.

“Come dance with us?” Paige asks, her voice husky. Though they both look at you questioningly, you can tell it’s not really a question. You nod, taking Azzi’s outstretched hand as they guide you to the dance floor. It feels like you’re dreaming. Like you’re just a floating speck of dust without a thought in your head.

You wonder if the intoxicated warmth you’re feeling is because of the alcohol you’ve had or because of how close you are to the older couple.

The music switches to a more sensual song, coloring your cheeks a dark red. You’re glad the red lights mask your blush, knowing you probably look like a tomato. Your breath hitches when Paige spins you around and pulls you close, her front against your back. Her breath tickles your ear as she speaks. “This okay, ma?” You nod, too shocked to speak. 

Her hands find your waist as she sways your body against hers. You follow her lead, checking Azzi’s reaction to make sure it’s okay. The brunette looks at you as she bites her lip. She sends you a seductive smile before turning around and leaning against you as she dances. Her hands come up, going behind your neck as she grinds against you. 

You’re pretty sure you’re dreaming. Or maybe you’ve died and landed in heaven?

You shake your head slightly. It doesn’t matter. You might wake up in your dark hotel room with a snoring KK beside you at any moment, but right now? Right now, you’re going to enjoy whatever this is.

At first your body is a bit stiff, but soon enough you relax into both girls as you dance with them. You can smell the dirty Shirley on Paige’s breath as you throw your head back and lean it against her shoulder. You can smell Azzi’s sweet perfume with a hint of sweat as she turns around and grabs your face, grinning like the Cheshire Cat. She mouths the lyrics to you, your eyes zeroed in on her lips.

The longer you dance, the freer you feel. You let yourself go completely, fueled by the warmth of their bodies, the sensuality of their movements, and the hungry look in their eyes. You have to hold yourself back from going completely insane as the Dallas rookie digs her fingers into your hips. “You don’t understand how long we’ve been waiting for this,” she growls into your ear. You gasp softly at her words.

After a few songs, some other players join you, making you calm down a bit. You look at Paige and Azzi, who are now sweetly holding hands like they didn’t just completely ruin your underwear. Seeing as they’re busy talking, you try to take your leave, but you don’t get the chance to. The second you turn around and take a step away, someone grabs your wrist and pulls you back. “Where’r you going, love?” Azzi purrs in your ear, quietly enough that only you can hear it.

“I’m gonna go get a drink,” you reply, as you bite your lip to stop yourself from smiling like a lovesick idiot. She hums lowly, her head leaning on your shoulder as she hugs you from behind. “Hmm, okay, but don’t stay away too long.”

You nod, not trusting your voice right now, as she lets you go. You walk over to the bar and order your favorite drink.  Softly tapping your fingers against the smooth surface, you try to calm your rapidly beating heart. You look to the side once you feel a body slide up next to you. You roll your eyes with a blush as you see the familiar smirk.

“I see why my date setups weren’t good enough for you,” Nika grins, her accent thick from the alcohol she’s had. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” you huff, hoping it’ll make her leave you alone. She bumps her shoulder into yours. “I think the building almost caught on fire because of the electricity between you three,” she mutters, thanking the bartender as he slides your drinks towards you. The Croatian bites the straw from her cocktail as she looks at you with a kind smile. “I’m happy for you guys, you know that, right? You guys are like sisters to me, and I just want you all to be happy.”

You roll your eyes in an attempt not to cry as you pull her into a hug. “I love you, Niks,” you mumble as you both rock back and forth. She lets you go with a soft laugh, “Okay, now let’s drink up before we cry away our makeup.” You grin, clinking your glass against hers as you lean back against the bar and look over at the crowd. 

Your lips curl into a wide smile as you see Paige joking around on the Studbudz livestream. You chuckle, knowing she’ll cringe at herself tomorrow when she sees the edits pouring in. The butterflies in your stomach have transformed into full-grown elephants stomping around, seeing the joy on her face as she sings along to the music.

You’re not quite sure where Azzi went, but you see her find her girlfriend again in the middle of their sing-along. Paige’s smile is bright enough to light up the whole room as she pulls Azzi into her arms. You’re pretty sure your chest is about to burst open at the sweet moment between the two. Seeing the love in their eyes as they sing the lyrics to each other is enough to make you a bit dizzy.

When their eyes find yours, you’re glad you’re leaning against the bar as your legs weaken. They continue singing, but this time, they sing to you. No matter the distance or the people passing between you three, their eyes stayed glued onto you. Paige points at you as she sings, swaying along to the music. They beckon you over without words.

Nika lets out a tiny laugh as she leans in closer. “Off you go, Romeo,” she teases, pushing you towards the couple. Once you join them, they pull you close once again, swaying your body against theirs, softly singing in your ears. They’re no singers by any means, but that doesn’t matter to you. This moment is perfect. They’re perfect.

None of you notice that the live stream is still pointed towards you, your face just hiding from sight. You don’t notice the thousands of comments streaming in, asking who the power couple is dancing with. You don’t realize that tomorrow, you’ll see thousands upon thousands of messages about Pazzi’s “mystery girl”. And even if you did, you don’t think you would’ve changed anything. Because you’re right where you belong. In between the women you love. In between the women that love you.

[bapeach]

My lucky charm

Enjoy! Constructive criticism is always welcome :D Find my masterlist here :) Pairing(s): Paige Bueckers x female!reader Word count: 1.7k+ Summary: When Paige doesn't get back up after hitting her head, you go into panic mode. ------------

You can feel your heart stop the moment she goes down and doesn’t get right back up.

You’re standing in the middle of your apartment, your hands cupping your mouth, the TV turned on to the Dallas Wings vs. Chicago Sky game. The camera is zoomed in on your favorite rookie, lying flat on her back, her hands gripping her head. You take a step closer to the screen, wishing you could step through it and be right beside the girl.

When you’d told Paige you wouldn’t be able to make it to her game but would definitely have it on at home, she’d playfully dropped to her knees. “Noooo, you have to be there, you’re my lucky charm!” She’d begged, giving you puppy eyes as she scooted closer on her knees, her hands clasped together like she was praying. You’d giggled, leaning down to kiss her, before pushing her over and walking away. “You’ll be fine for one game, just don’t go doing anything stupid like getting hurt.”

Now you were regretting not going, wanting nothing more than to hold the girl close and make sure she’s okay. 

You walk backwards, eyes glued to the blonde, as you bend down and blindly feel around for your phone. You quickly open it to Azzi’s contact, knowing the girl is at the game and will be able to give you a bit more information about what’s happening, but you don’t type anything. You can see Azzi’s worried face on TV as they carry your girlfriend off the court. You know she won’t look at her phone but instead be focusing on making sure her best friend is okay, so you put your phone back down as you bite your nails nervously. 

Once Paige disappears off screen, you sit back down with a long sigh as you rub your face in worry. You stop paying attention to the game, only keeping it on in hopes of hearing some news about your girl. When your phone dings, you immediately snatch it up. A small wave of disappointment goes through you as you see it’s a message from “Madam Secretary”. You open Nika’s text and smile a little as you read it.

Breathe babe. I’m sure she’s okay, she’s strong. Try not to think too negatively, it could just be a tiny bump on the head, but if not, you’re gonna have to be strong for her. You know how she gets when she can’t play. Is there anything I can do for you right now?

You take a few breaths as you try to do as she says. She’s right, there’s no point in imagining Paige with a concussion, or whiplash, or internal bleeding, or- No. You just have to believe she’s going to be fine. You type a quick reply before walking over to the kitchen and making yourself a cup of tea.

Thank you Niks, you always know what to say. I’ll be okay, just gotta wait and see what they say. I’ll text you when I know more. Love you!

As you wait for the water to heat up, you send Paige a quick “I love you, please be okay” before opening Google. You bite your lip as you look up all the different types of head injuries she could have. When you get to the more serious ones (that are highly unlikely but still freak you out), you slam your phone down. “Okay, stop, happy thoughts, happy thoughts.” 

You put a bag of chamomile tea in your mug and walk back over to the living room. You set your steaming cup down beside your laptop, your half-done essay long forgotten. Staring at the wall, you try not to imagine the worst-case scenarios until your phone dings again. The pit in your stomach slowly starts dissolving as you read Azzi’s message.

Paige is okay, she hit her head pretty hard, but she’s okay. She probably won’t be able to play the next few games, but she won’t miss much. She’s getting properly checked out now, once the game is over, I’ll drive her home. Try to relax a bit, yeah?

She’s okay.

You take a moment to let everything sink in, letting your stiff posture relax. You text Azzi back, thanking her for letting you know and being there for Paige, before sending Nika an update as well. Looking back at the TV, you see that the 3rd quarter has barely begun, so it’ll be a while before you get to hold your girl safely in your arms again. You bite the nail of your thumb as the gears in your brain start turning.

Quickly jumping up from the couch, you run over to grab your wallet and phone before running out of your apartment. Your steaming mug slowly grows cold, completely forgotten about as you leave. You stop a few doors down the hallway, rapidly knocking on the door as you wait for your neighbor, Benji, to open his door. Before he has the chance to say hello, you start rambling, “I need a ride, please. Paige got hurt, and I need to be home before she gets back here, but I wanna get her her favorite flowers from that cute shop we found.”

While you ramble, he’s already grabbing his jackets and car keys, steering you towards the stairs as he nods with a reassuring look. You let yourself be guided to the car as you explain what happened to your sweet girl. Once you arrive at the flower shop, you jump out of the car and run inside to grab the nicest bouquet you can find. You leave the store in record time, rushing to make another stop at Walmart for Paige’s favorite chocolate and the stuffed animal she always calls stupid, but can’t help lingering around when you both go shopping.

Checking your phone, you see that Paige texted a few minutes ago to say she’d be home soon, that she loves you too, and that she’s okay. You tell Benji to step on the gas, and he does as you say without hesitation. When you get back to your apartment, you give him a big hug, thanking him and telling him you’ll make it up to him. He tells you not to worry about it, ruffling your hair before walking back to his place.

You quickly put everything you bought on your coffee table, getting rid of your now freezing mug, before coming to a halt in the middle of the living room. You huff out a breath, taking a peek at the time, before pacing up and down the room, leaving a line of footprints on your carpet. You bite your nails nervously as you wait. Though Azzi reassured you Paige was fine, you still won’t fully relax until you can make sure she’s alright, yourself.

Too far into your head, you almost don’t hear the soft jingle of keys as the front door unlocks. Your head snaps to the door. Paige doesn’t get the chance to fully step into the room before you wrap your arms tightly around her. “God, you scared me so bad. Don’t ever do that again.” You mumble, your voice muffled against her hoodie. You breathe in the sweet smell of her shampoo lingering on her skin.

The blonde chuckles softly as she hugs you tightly. “I’m sorry, Ma, but I’m okay. I’m not allowed to play the next few games as a precaution, but I don’t have a full-blown concussion,” she replies before kissing your head and shuffling you backwards so she and Azzi can properly walk in.

You reluctantly let her go, but you don’t let her get far. Grabbing her face, you stare into her eyes to see if she’s speaking the truth. Her blue eyes shine in their usual mischievous way, making you finally relax. You lean up, giving her a soft kiss, before turning towards Azzi, who’s looking at you both with a soft smile. You quickly hug her too, thanking her for being there and taking care of your girl. “Of course,” she says, her velvety voice soothing you even more. She leaves not long after, knowing you and Paige have each other now.

Once the door closes behind her, you lead your girlfriend to the couch, showing her the things you bought her. Her eyes light up as she sees the chocolate, while a soft blush covers her cheeks at the flowers. When you hand her the stuffed animal, her mouth drops open before her lips curl into a small pout. “He’s so stupid,” she pouts, her eyes glistening a bit as she grabs its arms and rubs the soft fabric against her cheeks.

You grin at her, your eyes showing pure adoration. While she’s distracted, you take a quick picture of her, setting it as your new lock screen, before sending it to Nika to let her know Paige is home and okay. When you look up from your phone, the blonde is already looking at you with doe eyes. She motions you over, making you crawl into her lap as you rest your face in her neck. 

The taller girl rubs your back, making you sleepy after today’s scare. “I’m really sorry I wasn’t there,” you mumble as you draw shapes on her collarbones. “It’s okay, Ma, you’re here now, that’s all I need,” she rasps, her voice becoming husky at her sleepiness. “But… I told you so,” she says, a grin clear in her voice.

You lift your head up a bit to look at her. You tilt your head in confusion, making a strand of hair fall in front of your face. Paige carefully puts it back behind your ear. “Told you you’re my lucky charm, see what happened now that you weren’t there.” You roll your eyes as a smile forms on your lips. You lightly flick her forehead with a smile as you mutter, “Yeah, and I told you not to do anything stupid, idiot.”

You lean in to give her a kiss before settling back down against her chest. You continue drawing little shapes on Paige’s collarbones as she rubs your back. It doesn’t take either of you very long to fall into a comfortable nap, knowing that no matter what happens, you both have each other’s back.

[bapeach]

Guys, I went to my first pride parade today and it was so much fun!! I went with my friend, my dad, and my grandma and it was genuinely so nice. Even though it was really hot and I'm sunburned, I had a really good time.

It felt so freeing and kind of like being home. Seeing so many people be out and proud and unapologetically themselves was just so... I can't even find the words.

I saw some really cool people and wish I hadn't been too shy to compliment them. I would love to go again next year! It would be cool to meet some new people there too, but I fear my social anxiety will hold me back lmaoo.

[bapeach]

So, I got some ideas for future stories, but I wanna know which one you guys would be interested in reading first. I'm gonna try and post the first fic in the next few days.

Which one of these fics would you wanna read first?

Azzi isn't feeling good about herself, so reader tries to make her feel better

Paige gets a concussion during a game and reader worries about her

Nika takes care of sick reader

Voting ended onJul 14, 2025

[bapeach]

Absolutely disgusted with the Valkyries' management right now. Julie Vanloo, who just became a European Champion for the second time in a row, just got waived by her WNBA team.

She flew back to America right after the EuroBasket, missing out on celebrating with her team, her friends, and her family, as well as missing out on a beautiful celebration in Belgium, where they got to meet the king.

The fact that she got waived without warning is genuinely unacceptable. Instead of being able to celebrate this amazing win, she'll now have to deal with the fact that she got waived.

She deserves so much better!

[bapeach]

Fast break feelings

Sorry for not posting much lately, writing hasn't been easy. So here's a short and sweet story, hope y'all like it! Constructive criticism is always welcome :D Find my masterlist here :)

Pairing(s): Paige Bueckers x female!reader Word count: 1.5k+ Summary: Paige, the confident superstar on the court, gets shy when her crush is near.

------------

When you first met Paige in your human development class, you thought she was cute in a platonic way. She’d walked into class looking incredibly cozy in a lilac sweatsuit with her matching purple glasses, with a soft smile and sleepy eyes. Even though she was the most famous girl in school, she didn’t act like she was better than anyone. You never really cared for sports but still thought it was cool that the blonde was bringing a lot of attention to basketball. She seemed like she deserved the praise too.

Paige walked over to her assigned seat next to you, giving you a tiny nod, her lips relaxed into a small smile. You smiled sweetly at her before focusing your attention on the professor. While most classes started with lame icebreakers, this professor didn’t care about them and instead simply started teaching. Meaning Paige didn’t learn your first name until a few weeks into the school year, after many small nods and smiles and a few “Can I borrow a pen?” moments, when you were put into pairs of two for a project. 

“Hi, I’m Paige, by the way,” was the first thing she said as she turned towards you and held out her hand. “Oh, I know, Superstar,” you’d grinned with a playful twinkle in your eye. “I’m Y/N.” Though you didn’t realize it back then, that handshake marked the start of the slowly growing crush between you two.

Quiet study sessions in the library turned into movie nights in the comfort of your dorm, cuddled up together (in a friendly way) on your couch, your hearts starting to beat as one. 

---------

While Paige exudes confidence and charisma on the basketball court and in front of cameras, she’s pretty shy in person. Whereas she prefers peaceful nights in, you shine the brightest on a night out in the club. You don’t mind her shyness, though, you actually think it’s kind of sweet. You love seeing her cheeks turn a soft pink as she fumbles over her words when you give her a tight hug. Seeing her turn away with a flustered smile as you compliment her with a flirty wink always sends butterflies through your stomach. 

It didn’t take long for you to realize you have a big fat crush on her, and once you did, you quickly noticed the blonde’s crush as well. Now, you could’ve just asked her out on a date, but where’s the fun in that? Instead, you up the flirty comments, the lingering touches, and the doe-eyed “I’m so in love with you” looks. During binge marathons, you cuddle Paige a bit closer, at lunch, you plop into her lap without batting an eye, and the selfies with cheeky comments you send her get a bit riskier every time.

While the athlete usually runs her mouth and talks trash like her life depends on it, she can barely give a compliment without stuttering or doubting herself. She’s also one of the most clueless people you know. You flirt with her like there’s no tomorrow for 2 weeks before you grow impatient and pull out all the stops. 

You’re walking next to Paige as you make your way out of your class. You listen to her ramble about her latest practice before linking your pinky with hers. The blonde gets tongue-tied at the unexpected touch, looking at you with her eyes wide. You give her a sweet smile as you nod at what she’s saying. Heat creeps up her neck and turns her ears red as you tilt your head innocently.

You pull her to the side of the hallway, out of the stream of students, before pulling out a small mirror and reapplying your lip gloss. You take your time, watching Paige out of the corner of your eye as her eyes dart to the shine on your lips. She bites her lip for a moment before standing up a bit straighter.

“Gotcha,” you think as you try not to smirk.

“Hey, so, uh, I was thinking that, uh… Maybe, if you want, we could go to, like,… a restaurant or something?” Paige stammers as she scratches her neck. Her face turns an even brighter color as she realizes how stupid she sounds. You bite your lip as you try not to laugh at her struggling.

“You want to go get food right now?” You ask, batting your lashes at her, pretending you don’t know what she means. You know you shouldn’t tease her too much and just be glad she finally got the courage to ask you out, but you can’t help it. Seeing this nervous version of her is just too adorable to just let go.

“No, I mean, like… We should get dinner sometime… Just the two of us… together.” You watch her throat as she swallows nervously. “What, like a date?” You ask as you try to catch her eye. Paige pauses for a moment, her eyes trained on the floor, before she shakes her head with a frown.

“I-... You know what, never mind… I need to go,” she says before quickly stepping away from you. You reach out your hand to pull her closer again, but you don’t get the chance as she disappears into the crowd passing by. “Paige, hold up!” You say, but it’s too late. You facepalm softly before letting out a tiny laugh. How can she be such a big, tough basketball player, yet also such a sweet, shy girl? How can she be so brilliant on the court and in school, yet still be such an oblivious idiot when it comes to you?

When you text the blonde later that night to ask if she wants to come over for a movie night, she declines the invitation with the excuse of having a lot of homework. You shrug it off, knowing that the girl has a habit of leaving her work until the last minute. When Paige is “too busy” to hang out for the 5th day in a row, you’re done with her lies.

You plan on going straight to her dorm after class when you see her walking ahead of you in the hallways. You speed up a bit until you’re right next to her before bumping your shoulder against hers. The taller girl immediately turns towards you to apologize (even though you bumped into her) before realizing it’s you. The color immediately drains from her face as she looks around for an excuse to get away.

“There you are! I haven’t seen you in ages. You left mid-convo last time I saw you,” you say as you playfully roll your eyes, but you make sure to give her a big grin. “Yeah, sorry ‘bout that,” she mumbles as she quickens her step. You simply loop your arm around hers as you bring her back to your speed. “So… when and where?” You casually ask, leaning even more into her personal space as you move out of the way for another student. 

“I- What?” Paige asks, her breath hitching as the smell of your perfume enters her nose. “You wanted to get dinner, right? Or do you not want to anymore? I mean, that would be fine, but if you do, I’d really love to go,” you reply calmly, holding eye contact so she knows you mean it. “Wait, you really wanna go?” She asks, an excited but slightly unsure grin forming on her face as she looks down at the strings of her hoodie. “What, like a date?” You repeat the question you asked a few days ago. 

The blonde’s eyes snap towards you, a small huff leaving her lips once she sees your teasing smile. She rolls her eyes before bringing you both to a stop in an empty corner. “I can’t tell if you’re messing with me or not,” she mumbles, chewing nervously on one of her hoodie strings.

You lean up, pulling the string out of her mouth and straightening her hood. “You’re always so nervous around me…” you sigh softly, staring at the cords as you twirl one around your finger. 

“It’s just me,” you reassure her in a low voice. “Ask me again.” Once you look back into her bright blue eyes, Paige swallows once before speaking, “Y/N… Will you go on a date with me?”

You give her a loving smile as you reply, “I’d love nothing more, P.” You lean forward, getting on your tippy-toes, as you press a small kiss against the blonde’s rapidly reddening cheek. You don’t tease her this time, instead grabbing her hand and pulling her back into the hallway as you guide her towards your dorm. You don’t have to look at her to know her eyes are sparkling and her bottom lip is stuck between her teeth as she tries to hold back a big smile.

As your hands swing between your bodies, you ramble about a new show you found that you two just have to watch, making Paige realize she’d been so nervous for no reason. When you make eye contact with her, you simply wink at her like this is the most normal thing in the world.

[bapeach]

Gonna try to post another story soon, I promise! Writer's block has been kicking my ass. But anywho, have any of you guys been watching Eurobasket?

If so, who were/are y'all rooting for? I'm cheering for the defending champions (Belgium)!

Tomorrow is the final game, Spain vs Belgium. And I'm very excited to watch!

Who do y'all think will win?

The Belgian Cats will defend their crown!

Spain will dethrone Belgium and take the crown!

No clue, but I hope Belgium!

No clue, but I hope Spain!

No clue, and I don't really care.

Voting ended onJun 29, 2025

Also, which players do you think played amazing/were your favorites? Of course, I love every Belgian player, but I think Emma Meesseman especially has been doing an incredible job, as always!

[bapeach]

LET'S GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO BELGIUM!!!!