Hi. So if anyone has watched The Artful Dodger on Disney+, this is inspired by the scene between Jack and Belle outside the hospital. Also thank you to @lyak12 for the help/inspo
(not so) Scary
Leah Williamson x Reader
Description: Leah can come across as rather terrifying.
You had known Leah for years, that balancing act of professional and personal. Of course you knew of her. The budding centre back at Arsenal and England’s soon-to-be captain had been popping up in your life since you were kids. The thorn in your side at tournaments that somehow always ended up marking you for a corner kick.
You knew she must have been lovely at some point. Lucy had told you all about her blonde friend when you were at Lyon together, Georgia following suit during your brief spell at Bayern.
You had met her a few times for awards or the occasional get-together.
You knew when you accepted the contract with Arsenal that you wouldn’t get much playing time. It was a stacked squad and you were my no means the superstar that some of the others were. But, you were dependable. Quietly ticking along in the background. Steady, like a beating drum.
You hadn’t expected Leah to be the one to greet you at the door on your first day. It was chucking it down, typical introduction to London really. But she had on one of those giant overcoats, arms folded over her chest, scowl etched on her face.
“Leah,” she nodded at you, not offering a hand.
“Hi, um, I’m Y/N”. She just nodded at you again.
She hated you. You had barely said 4 words to the woman.
It had continued like that for months, the entire first half of the season was instructional grunts and huffs. It was strange really, you knew she could be lovely. You had seen it. How her guard fell with Beth and Katie, how she smiled and chatty away amicably to Jordan or Jen.
And then there was you.
“Beth, I don’t get it.” You huffed, flopping down onto your bed. It was an away match, you were cramped into some random hotel room.
“What don’t you get, pet?”
“Leah.” You would be lying if you didn’t find her incredibly attractive. But there was something about the scowl that seemed a permanent feature whenever you were around.
You had just come back from dinner. She had been chatting along perfectly fine with Viv and Daan, laughing and joking around. And then you appeared, putting your plate down and she froze up like a snowman. The conversation screeching to an uncomfortable halt. You don’t know if it would be more awkward to leave and save face or just stick it out.
“What about Leah?”
Beth knew all about Leah. Her propensity to become mute whenever you were around. Her very obvious and incredibly funny crush on you was only confirmed to the striker after she had managed to get her drunk and confess a month earlier.
“She hates me.” You whacked the bed beneath you for emphasis.
“She doesn’t.”
“She does.” You lifted your head, making eye contact with the blonde.
“She most definitely doesn’t hate you.”
“Oh so she just ices me out and glares at me ‘cos she’s just likes me so much?” You rolled your eyes, flopping back down.
“Something like that.” Beth smiled. “Why?” You knew that Beth was a shit-stirrer when she wanted to be, loving to be in the middle of all the gossip in the changing rooms.
You swallowed. “N-no reason.”
“Mm-ok.” Beth let the situation drop with too much ease.
Training the next day felt like running through wet cement. You’d barely slept, thoughts of Leah’s frozen expression at dinner looping in your brain like an annoying highlight reel. Beth had snored happily beside you, blissfully unaware of your 3 a.m. staring contest with the ceiling.
Leah was already on the pitch when you arrived - of course she was. Hair still damp from a shower, sleeves shoved haphazardly up her arms, pacing in that way she did when she was already three steps ahead of everyone else. She glanced up when you walked out.
And promptly looked straight back down.
You clenched your jaw. Brilliant.You were back to being a shadow she pretended not to see.
Warm-up runs were uneventful until a wayward pass from Jill sent the ball bouncing toward you and Leah at the same time. You went for it. She went harder.
Your shoulders collided, hard enough that you stumbled but caught yourself.
Hard enough that Leah’s eyes snapped to yours, wide, startled.
“Sorry,” you muttered, even though she’d definitely hit you harder than necessary.
“No, I-“ she cut herself off. “It’s fine.”
But she kept staring.
You could feel it, a weight between your ribs, too heavy and too light at the same time.
Throughout drills she was sharper with you than usual. Not unkind, just… keyed up. Touches too precise, challenges too firm, instructions rushed out like she was chasing something she didn’t know how to name.
At one point, when you moved past her in a possession game, her hand brushed your waist. A nothing touch. Barely there.
You felt it for minutes.
By the time training ended, your nerves were frayed.
You were tugging your jumper over your head in the changing room when Jordan called that tubs were open. Most players trickled out, chatter fading down the hallway. You lingered, fishing for your phone in your locker.
When you finally turned around, Leah was still there.
Alone.
Leaning against the far wall with her arms crossed, pretending to scroll her phone. Badly pretending. Her foot tapped the floor, too quick, too agitated.
You froze.
She looked up immediately.
Your breath caught in your throat.
You weren’t sure why.
“I, um,” she started, then stopped, lips pressing together like she’d lost the rest of the sentence on the way out.
You should’ve left. You should’ve given her an out, pretended you didn’t see the conflict on her face. But something in you tightened—some thread pulled taut from months of dodged glances and clipped words and that awful scowl she only ever reserved for you.
So you stayed.
“Did you… need something?” you asked carefully.
Leah sucked in a breath like she’d been caught doing something she shouldn’t. “No. Just … making sure everyone’s out.”
You raised a brow.
“I’m still here.”
“I know.” she said before she could stop herself.
Silence shook between you.
You could have sworn your own heartbeat echoed off the tiles.
She looked away first, staring at the floor. “I’m not—I don’t—” Her hand came up to pinch the bridge of her nose. “I don’t know how to talk to you.”
That startled something loose in your chest. “You talk to everyone else.”
“That’s the problem.”
You blinked. “How is that a problem?”
Her eyes met yours then, really met yours. And suddenly you understood why people called her captain before she’d ever worn the armband. There was an honesty in her gaze that stripped you down to the bone.
“Because when I talk to you,” she said quietly, “I forget how to be normal.”
Your breath hitched.
The room felt too small.
Too warm.
Too something.
“I don’t hate you,” she added, almost painfully. “I just … get weird. Around you. And then I make it worse. And then you think I hate you even more.”
You didn’t realise you’d stepped closer until her eyes flicked to your feet. She didn’t move away.
More silence.
Tighter this time.
Charged.
You swallowed. “You get weird around me?”
Her cheeks flushed a shade you’d never seen on her. “Apparently.”
A laugh bubbled up before you could stop it. “You’re telling me that I scare you?”
“…. Maybe.”
“I’m the scary one out of us two,” you giggled nervously. She was closer now, her hand almost touching yours.
Slowly, like she had all the time in the world, she lifted her hand, letting her fingers skin lightly over your cheek bone as she pushed some hair out of your face.
“Are you afraid of me?” Leah’s hands moved back, cradling the back of your head, her fingers twisting in your roots. She angled your head back, forcing you to look at her. You swallowed your eyes never leaving her lips.
“Yes.” you whispered back. Leah couldn’t help the slow smile that spread lazily across her face. “You are the most terrifying woman I have ever met.”
“Is that a good thing?” She was impossibly close, her smell flooding your senses.
You blinked. “Depends on how you define good,”
Leah tasted like honey. Like happiness. Her lips were rough yet perfectly soft as they slotted against yours.
Leah pulled back slowly, her hand still resting against the back of your head. For a moment, neither of you moved, the air thick with unspoken words. You could feel your pulse in your throat, in your fingertips, in the way your lungs seemed to hesitate to take in air. You had kissed her. And she had kissed you back.
She was the first to break the silence.
“Did that… was that…” Her voice was low, almost like she was trying to convince herself of something. “Did that feel weird?”
You chuckled softly, your breath still shaky. “Weird?”
“Yeah. Like… bad weird,” she said, her brow furrowing as if trying to piece together a puzzle that didn’t quite fit.
You shook your head, your hand coming up to touch your lips, feeling the residual warmth where she had just been. “No. No, it didn’t feel weird at all.”
Leah’s gaze softened, and she seemed to exhale for the first time since everything had shifted. She glanced down at her shoes, her fingers still gripping your hair just a little too tight, as if she wasn’t sure if she should let go.
You could feel the heat between you still, lingering, but now there was something else. It was as if the walls that had kept you apart for so long were finally crumbling, and neither of you knew exactly what came next.
Leah took a step back, but you didn’t let her go too far. Your hand reached out instinctively, brushing her arm, a silent plea for her to stay.
Her eyes flicked to yours, vulnerability evident in the way she held herself. "I’ve been… I’ve been wanting to do that for a while, you know?” she said quietly. "Or maybe I was hoping that maybe you would … figure it out, or whatever this is." She laughed awkwardly, clearly not entirely sure how to finish the sentence.
Your heart thudded in your chest. Hoping?
“Hoping for me?” You asked, your voice barely above a whisper.
“Yeah, I-” She stopped, exhaling a deep breath. “I’ve been acting like an idiot for months. Trying to keep you at arm’s length when I was really just…” Leah clenched her jaw, her hands fidgeting at her sides. “I was terrified.”
“Of me?” you whispered, incredulous. You couldn’t understand it. She was this intimidating, confident woman, a captain, a leader, someone who seemed to have everything under control. And yet, here she was, telling you she’d been scared.
She nodded, her gaze avoiding yours. “I’ve never been scared of anyone before. Not like this.”
Your heart gave a little lurch in your chest. You reached for her again, this time more gently, brushing your thumb over her knuckles.
“Leah, you don’t have to be scared,” you said softly. “I’m not going anywhere.”
Leah’s gaze lifted, meeting yours again, this time with a depth that made everything else feel distant. The noise of the world outside the locker room, the rush of people still in the building, the ticking of the clock on the wall, it all faded into the background.
She let out a small, relieved laugh, and this time it wasn’t nervous. It was real. “I guess we’re both pretty good at hiding what we really feel, huh?”
You smiled, your fingers curling around hers. “Seems that way.”
Leah moved closer, her hand coming up to rest cup your cheek, her touch steady, grounding. “I never wanted to hurt you,” she said, her voice thick with sincerity. “I didn’t know how to… how to do this without making everything weird. I thought if I kept pretending like I didn’t care, it would just be easier.”
“I get it,” you said quietly. “I get why you did it. But, Leah…” You paused, taking a breath. “You don’t have to pretend anymore.”
Her eyes searched yours, almost as if looking for reassurance. She finally nodded, her thumb tracing the line of your jaw. “I think… I think I’m done pretending.”
You couldn’t help but smile, your heart swelling with something you couldn’t quite name.
“You think?”
She leaned in, brushing her lips against yours once more, just a soft, lingering press, like a promise.
“I know.” When she pulled away, her eyes were still locked on yours, a mixture of awe and something deeper. Something more. “I don’t know what this is yet,” she murmured, “but I want to figure it out with you.”
You smiled again, pulling her back into a gentle embrace. “Me too.”
After a few seconds, Leah cleared her throat, suddenly sounding a little more like her old self. “So… what now? You wanna go grab a drink or…?”
You chuckled, shaking your head. “Are we really going to pretend like we’re not both exhausted from training?”
She raised an eyebrow, a mischievous smile tugging at her lips. “Well, I mean, we could always go for a takeaway?”
“Now that’s the Leah that I see with everyone else.” You grinned, feeling lighter than you had in weeks.
She winked at you. “You’re not getting out of it. Some chinese and a drink. My treat.”
“No ham sandwich? Or potato smiley?” you laughed. She just groaned, falling into you slightly, her frown returning.
“Hey,” you whined, reaching up to smooth out the crinkle. “No frowning. You’re not allowed to be scary anymore.”
——
“I don’t get it,” Katie said, her eyes tracking you and Leah from across the room, clearly intrigued by something she wasn’t understanding.
Leah had her signature frown plastered on her face, a look that made it seem like she was constantly deep in thought or ready to pounce on anyone who dared to interrupt her concentration. Her blonde hair was pulled up messily, a few strands falling out of place, but it only added to her tough-girl vibe. She was standing slightly in front of you, her posture rigid, but her focus was entirely on Steph, who was chatting away enthusiastically. Leah’s attention was unwavering, and you could tell she was listening closely, her jaw set in that familiar, slightly intense way that made everyone around her a little bit on edge.
You stood beside her, equally focused, though your body language couldn’t have been more different. You leaned a bit toward Leah, your shoulders relaxed and your gaze soft. Your expression mirrored Leah’s concentration, but where Leah had an edge to her focus, you gave off more of a calm, grounded energy. You were the calm to her storm, and it was something that those who knew you both had learned to appreciate over time.
“What don’t you get?” Lotte asked, trying to figure out what Katie was thinking as her eyes shifted between Leah and you.
“Leah and Y/N,” Katie said, her voice curious, the confusion still lingering in her tone. “They’re together, right?”
The two of them watched in silence as Leah, without missing a beat, maneuvered behind you in the queue for food. She slipped her hands onto your hips, pulling you closer as she rested her chin lightly on your shoulder. You leaned back into her, your body relaxing into the familiar warmth, while your eyes drifted over the wide selection of food laid out before you.
“Yeah, have been for years,” Lotte said with a casual nod. “Since before I came back from the States, actually.”
Katie’s eyes widened slightly. “But Leah’s so… scary,” she said slowly, as if trying to reconcile the image of the fearsome Leah she knew with the softer version she was seeing now. “And Y/N… isn’t.z”
Michelle, who had been listening quietly, joined in, her voice dripping with amusement as she kept watching you both. “Right? Like, Leah looks like she could break someone in half just by looking at them. And then there’s Y/N, all calm and chill. It doesn’t add up.”
The older girls laughed collectively, a deep, knowing laugh that didn’t poke fun at Leah’s reputation but embraced it. They knew exactly what Michelle meant - Leah had built a name for herself in the locker room as someone who demanded respect, who played hard and expected the same from those around her.
“What’s so funny?” Leah’s voice cut through the conversation, sharp and direct, as her eyes narrowed, scanning the group like a hawk. She’d clearly caught wind of the laughter.
“You’re scary,” McCabe said, grinning widely as she took a swig of her drink. “And your missus is not.”
“Oi, no I’m not!” Leah said immediately, her eyes flashing in indignation as she turned to face the group. She folded her arms across her chest, clearly not pleased with the direction the conversation had taken. “Tell them I’m not scary.”
Kim chuckled, her hand reaching out to pat Leah gently on the shoulder in a way that was both affectionate and teasing. “Yes, you are, Leah,” she said with a laugh. “And Y/N? Definitely not.”
Leah turned back to you, searching your face with exaggerated intensity. “Bubs, tell them I’m not scary,” she said, her tone dropping to a near-whine, the tough exterior cracking just a little bit.
You sighed softly, a playful smirk tugging at the corner of your lips as you turned to face her. The affection in your eyes was undeniable as you met her gaze. “Baby,” you said with a soft shake of your head. “You’re terrifying.”
The group erupted into laughter again, the sound warm and familiar. Leah, though still wearing a scowl, couldn’t help but soften at your words. She knew it was true - knew that she had this intimidating presence that was hard to shake off, no matter how many times you told her she wasn’t as scary as she thought. The truth was, you loved that about her, even if it made the others wary.
Leah rolled her eyes but gave you a quick, tender squeeze around your waist. “I’m only terrifying if you’re on the wrong side of me,” she muttered, but there was a hint of a smile playing at her lips.
“Oh, we all know who wears the pants in this relationship,” Caitlin teased, leaning back in her chair, looking more than satisfied with the playful exchange. “Leah may be scary to the outside world, but Y/N’s the one who keeps her in check.”
You glanced at Leah, raising an eyebrow and shrugging.
Leah let out a dramatic sigh, clearly pretending to be exasperated. “Alright, alright,” she said, her voice carrying a of exasperation. “You all win. I’m terrifying. But don’t forget, I’m also the one who keeps Y/N from getting too wild.”
You smiled at her, leaning in for a quick kiss on the cheek. “Sure, baby. Whatever you say.”
