"Tooney," Alessia says in disbelief," What's with the outfit? And the sunglasses? And...is that earphone meant to be an ear piece?"
This wasn't exactly what Alessia was expecting to find when she got the somewhat frantic message from Tooney to come to the rec room immediately. She hadn't at all expected her best friend to be peering around the doorway or for her to be dressed like she was some kind of low budget MI5 agent complete with a wired earphone in place of an ear piece.
"Less," Tooney says in a hushed voice," Shush!"
"Don't tell me to shush. Tooney, I was nearly ready for bed. What could possible be-"
"Look!"
So, Alessia does. She tries not to feel a bit like a creep as she pokes her head around the doorway and stares at whatever thing Tooney could label as urgent so late in the night.
The first thing or rather person, she sees is Grace.
Grace who dropped the bomb a few days ago and she and you were sisters. Grace who couldn't understand why it was so shocking. Grace who had just cuddled up next to you and gently squeezed you as tight at possible.
Grace is sitting on the sofa. She's talking, hands waving around wildly.
You're sat next to her, nodding along.
Alessia has known for a long time that you're not exactly the most engaged listener. You don't really do much when people talk to you outside of replying when you're meant to reply and agreeing when you're meant to agree.
But you're actively listening to Grace, nodding along like she's imparting some great wisdom on you and not just completely waffling about something Maya said weeks ago.
"That's so nice of her, Gracey-girl," You reply," And what happened next? Did it go well?"
And that's the other thing. Alessia has never, ever seen you use a follow up question on anyone.
Just for Grace it seems.
"Right?!" Tooney asks, seeing the look of complete shock on Alessia's face," It's not natural! She's smiling, Less! She's smiling! And talking! And-did you hear that?! That was a laugh! I didn't even know she knew how to do that!"
"She's a person, Tooney. Of course she knows how to laugh."
"But-"
"I can't believe you made me get out of bed for this."
"Wait...Less! Less, wait!"
You take a sip from your mug as you watch them leave. "Are you sure you want to be friends with Tooney, Gracey-girl? Like really sure?"
Your sister frowns in confusion. "Why wouldn't I be? She's really nice!"
"She's...a character, alright."
Toone has been watching you a lot this camp. She thinks she's being subtle but she's about as subtle as a bull in a china shop. No tact at all.
She's just busy staring.
You thought it was a little unnerving at first but then you realised it was just Toone being Toone and she was bound to stop at some point.
Only she didn't.
And now other people are staring too.
You ignore the prickling feeling of being watched as you kneel down and tie Grace's shoe again.
"You know you're meant to double knot them. I don't know how many times I have to tell you."
"I didn't mean to. You know it just slipped my mind."
"And yet I'm still the one that has ended up doing it?"
Grace grins. "Because you love me."
"Yeah," You sigh, completely defeated but still fond," I do, Gracey-girl."
You purposely ignore the coos and the vague slapping noise of your teammates behind you. You don't owe them a reaction to their stupidity, though you turn your head over your shoulder just slightly to see Alessia getting slapped in the shoulder by Toone in excitement and allow the faintest of smiles to appear on your face.
Alessia smiles back.
Toone slaps her harder on the shoulder.
Training is just like normal. You run through your drills with ease, reminding your fellow keepers just why you're number one. You hydrate. You have an energy shot. You go back to training.
It's lunch when things take a turn.
"Please?" Grace begs as you grab an apple for yourself and for her of the buffet style counter.
"No, Gracey-girl."
You grab a portion of mashed potatoes and a chicken breast and shuffle Grace over to the wings with the sauce you know she likes.
"But please! I won't ask you for anything else ever again!"
"We both know that's a lie."
"It's not!"
"It is."
"It's..."
"Grace."
She sighs. "Yeah, fine. I'll keep asking you for stuff but please come sit with me and my friends! You'll have so much fun!"
You pull a face. "They're...not really my style."
"But Less will be there! And I know you like Less!"
You choke on absolutely nothing and before you can even think, Grace is pulling you towards her table and practically forcing you to sit between her and Alessia.
You mumble a greeting and stare down at your plate, already shovelling food into your mouth in an attempt to escape this torture.
The table is blessedly silent but only for a moment, when Toone and Le Tissier finally snap out of their shock and start talking at a hundred miles an hour.
They're more talking at you than to you and you let their conversations wash over you as you continue to eat your food as quickly as you can.
Grace looks triumphant, like she's managed something amazing to get you and her friends all coexisting at the same table.
You don't want to spoil her fun but you don't exactly want to stay here for much longer either.
"Hey," The soft voice next to you gives you pause and you swallow your food to look to your left.
"Hey," You echo back.
Alessia smiles at you. "They can be kind of a lot, huh?"
"Yeah," You say, voice embarrassingly high pitched before you clear your throat," I mean, yeah, a little bit."
"None of us were expecting Grace to bring you over here."
You glance at your sister, watching as she gestures with a chicken bone as she talks.
"I...wasn't expecting it either."
"I'm surprised you agreed."
"Didn't want to disappoint her, I guess."
Alessia gets a soft look on her face. One that you've never quite seen her wear before. Her hand covers yours on the top of the table and you ignore the way your stomach flutters at the action.
"I don't think she can ever be disappointed in you."
grace clinton, "can i give you a hug", locker room/medical room
Hi my lovelies. Anon, I promise I wrote this fairly quickly but I have a lot of things queued up already but I don’t want you to think I ignored it. Thank you for the request, I hope you enjoy it.
Ouchie
Grace Clinton x Reader
Description: you’re a grumpy gal who really really just needs a hug
You were the quiet kind of girl. Not very loud. Not very noisy. You almost never spoke, and when you did, your voice was rough and deep, like it had been dragged across gravel before reaching anyone else’s ears. You weren’t mean, or rude, you just had your expectations, and you didn’t see the point in softening them for the sake of comfort. People learned quickly. People knew to be quieter with you, to lower their voices a notch when you walked into the room. The team knew you weren’t a massive fan of the squeals and shouting, the high-pitched bursts of energy that echoed down corridors and bounced off locker room walls. You tolerated them, barely, but everyone could feel the shift when you arrived.
You were often sought out if someone wanted a second to sit, to breathe, to have some calmness. A quiet presence beside them. A steady weight. You didn’t offer advice unless asked. You didn’t fill the silence. You just existed in it, and somehow that was enough. To the outside world, you probably looked intimidating. Littered in tattoos, black ink curling down your arms and disappearing beneath sleeves, an almost-permanent frown settled on your features. You were the stereotypical goalkeeper: broad shoulders, sharp eyes, a stance that looked ready even when you were relaxed. Coming in at well over six foot, you towered over everyone, your biceps bulging as you lifted more and more weights, adding plates without ceremony, without comment.
The club knew different though. Quiet? Yes. Prickly to look at? Absolutely. As soft as a teddy bear on the inside? Also, yes. You remembered birthdays. You kept spare hair ties in your bag. You were the first to notice when someone was off, the last to leave when someone needed company. You just didn’t make a show of it.
It was no wonder Grace had fallen head over heels for you.
Grace, loud and over the top in everything she did, had dived head first into her feelings the same way she dived into tackles - without hesitation, without fear. She loved the way you quietened everything around her, how the static in her head seemed to fade when she sat next to you. Her world had been blown apart when she made her international debut, even more so after moving back to United before switching to City. Every move, every headline, every expectation had piled on top of her until it felt like she was constantly buzzing, constantly vibrating.
You had been City’s backup keeper for a while, living in the shadows until Roebuck’s injury changed everything. The club you had called home practically since birth had let you play here and there, mostly against lower-league teams, appearances that felt like footnotes rather than chapters. It wasn’t until that breakout season that you began to make waves. You didn’t celebrate loudly. You didn’t soak it in. You just did your job, over and over again, until people had no choice but to notice.
You had won the Golden Glove for the past two seasons, solidifying yourself as the number one for a reason. You demanded nothing but excellence from your backline, barking orders with a force that was so unlike you off the pitch, but so natural all at the same time. On the field, you were commanding, relentless, unyielding. Off it, you were steady hands and quiet smiles reserved for the right moments.
Grace had known you for a while. With the way your birthdays fell, you had been in and out of the England setup together, familiar faces without ever quite crossing the threshold into friendship. You’d shared Derby days too, rivalry fuelling the banter between you whenever you crossed paths. It wasn’t until the senior England camps became more consistent for both of you that something shifted. Proximity bred comfort. Comfort bred trust. Friendship slipped into place so easily it was almost unnoticed.
Best friends. Something more than best friends.
You hadn’t officially crossed that line just yet. You were in that flirting, lingering hugs, stares-across-the-room phase. The phases were cuddles on the couch were definitely more than platonic but neither of you would make the first move. Grace would drive you to training, music too loud, windows down. You would make her mug of tea exactly how she liked it, without asking. She would brush your waist as she passed. You would lean into her touch, just enough to make it intentional.
It was a rough one. The rain was bad, even for Manchester. The kind that didn’t fall so much as it attacked, thick sheets of water slamming into the pitch and bouncing straight back up again. The ground was sodden and the game definitely should have been postponed, but no one ever wanted to be the one to call it. Players were slipping and sliding all over the place, boots failing to find any real grip, tackles turning into uncontrolled skids. You were covered in mud and soaked to the skin, your jersey clinging to you, gloves heavy with water.
No one could hear you, and you definitely couldn’t hear them either. The rain drowned everything out. Shouts, whistles, even the crowd blurred into one constant roar. You were relying on every instinct you had, muscle memory doing most of the work now, and trusting that your team would do the same. Eyes sharp. Body loose. Always ready.
It was a corner. The worst kind of moment in conditions like this. You were a master at defending set pieces, something Grace had watched you train over and over again until you didn’t get it wrong. Positioning. Timing. Hands strong, feet planted. You’d rehearsed this exact scenario a hundred times.
The ball came in fast, skidding through the air, heavier than it should have been. You took two steps forward, already committing.
It was a nasty collision. One that the crowd fell silent for, the sound of it somehow cutting through even the rain. The centre-back was massive, all momentum and muscle. Her shoulder clipped you as you went in to palm the ball away, just enough to knock you off balance. The force of it swiped your legs out from under you, your ankle twisting awkwardly as you collapsed into the mud.
You felt the pop. You heard the crack, even above the rain. Then the pain hit, sharp and blinding, icy and hot all at once, radiating up your leg as you lay there, staring at the grey sky, knowing immediately that something was very, very wrong.
Grace thought she was going to be sick. She was on the bench, having been subbed off not too long ago, still wrapped in her jacket, legs bouncing restlessly as she tried to stay warm. She saw the way you landed, the unnatural angle, the way your body folded in on itself instead of rolling with the impact. She could see your face twist in pain, the colour draining from it in a way that made her chest tighten. And if she listened hard enough, even through the rain and the roar of the crowd, she could hear the solitary grunt you let out as you slammed into the ground, a sound that made her stomach drop - not quite a sob, not a shout either, but something utterly heartbreaking to hear
The rest was a blur. You had fought with the medics almost every step of the way. You were insisting you were fine, begging them not to bring on the ugly orange stretcher, trying to sit up even as your body betrayed you. You bit your lip so hard you tasted blood, jaw clenched tight as they manoeuvred your ankle, hands gripping at wet grass for something to ground you. Every small movement sent sparks of pain shooting up your leg, but you swallowed it down, stubborn as ever, refusing to let anyone see just how badly it hurt.
“Hey,” Grace whispered as she slipped through the door, careful to close it quietly behind her. You didn’t respond, not with words anyway. You blinked a few times, slow and deliberate, like you were trying really hard not to show any kind of emotion, like if you stayed still enough it might all just pass. “Have they done scans yet? X-rays?” she asked, eyes flicking around the room, searching the walls for films, for answers, for anything that looked even vaguely reassuring.
You shook your head. The movement alone made your jaw tighten. You had seen the fall on the replay, though the doctors had tried to keep you from seeing it, had stood half in front of the screen like that might somehow shield you from your own body. You saw the angle your leg had ended up at, the way it had twisted in a way it never should have. You felt it now too, the burning ache that felt like live electricity crackling through your skin if you so much as breathed too deeply, pain pulsing in time with your heartbeat.
“Ok,” Grace nodded, more to herself than to you, clearly wracking her brains to say something that wasn’t incredibly stupid, something that didn’t involve worst-case scenarios or long recovery timelines. “Well…” She was closer now, hovering at the side of the bed, so close she could touch you if she was brave enough. You could feel her presence, warm and familiar, a sharp contrast to the sterile cold of the room.
You looked at her, your eyes scanning over her body without really meaning to. Her hair was plastered to her forehead, curls still damp, her cheeks flushed red despite the fact she had shed her sodden clothes and changed into a big warm hoodie you were fairly sure was yours. It hung off her frame, sleeves too long, collar stretched slightly. Somehow that made your chest ache even more.
“Well, I can’t magically fix your ankle or anything, but…” she shuffled a little closer, rocking on her heels. “I can offer you a Grace Clinton Special…” She smiled sheepishly, that soft, crooked smile she always gave when she wasn’t sure if she was overstepping. “Can I give you a hug?” she asked, lifting her hands out towards you, hesitant, like she was waiting for you to pull away.
You blinked again, took a slow, careful breath and whispered faintly, “If you hug me, I’ll cry.”
“That’s ok.”
“I don’t want to cry though.”
“Why?”
You shrugged, the smallest movement you could manage. “Denial?” You hazarded a guess at your own feelings, voice barely above a whisper.
“Well,” Grace said again, this time not waiting for permission, her hand coming to rest gently on your forearm, thumb brushing over your skin. “I’m not going to give you a choice on this one.”
She smelled like honey and oranges.
It hit you immediately, the familiar scent wrapping around you before her arms even did. She leaned in slowly, carefully, like she was afraid of hurting you, like you were something fragile instead of someone who could deadlift half the gym. Her arms slid around your shoulders, one hand resting between your shoulder blades, the other curling lightly at your side, avoiding your leg completely. She held you like she’d done it a thousand times before, like it was instinct, like her body knew exactly how yours fit against it.
You stayed stiff for about three seconds. Long enough to pretend you were fine. Long enough to keep the wall up. And then your breath hitched, sharp and involuntary, your chest rising too quickly, too shallow. Grace felt it instantly. She always did.
“There it is,” she murmured softly, not teasing, not smug, just gentle. Her hand began to move in slow circles on your back, grounding, steady. “It’s alright. You don’t have to be brave with me.”
That was what did it. Not the pain, not the fear, not even the replay burned into your brain. Just that sentence. Your hands came up before you could stop them, gripping lightly at the back of her hoodie, fingers curling into the soft fabric like it was the only solid thing in the room. Your breath broke properly this time, a quiet, shaky sound you didn’t even recognise as your own.
You hated crying. Hated how it made you feel small, how it stole the control from your body. But it wasn’t loud. It wasn’t dramatic. It was just… quiet. Silent tears sliding down your cheeks, blurring the edges of everything. Grace didn’t pull away. If anything, she held you tighter, forehead resting lightly against the side of your head.
“I saw it,” she whispered after a moment. “The fall. From the bench.”
You swallowed. Your throat felt thick, tight. “Yeah?”
“Yeah,” she said. “I knew straight away. The way you landed. I don’t usually get that feeling. But I did then.”
You let out a weak breath, something between a laugh and a sob. “Good instincts.”
“Shut up,” she murmured fondly, pressing a soft kiss into your hair. “You’re not allowed to joke right now.”
There was a pause. A comfortable one, despite everything. The kind that only existed between the two of you. Outside, you could hear faint footsteps, distant voices, machines humming. In here, it was just her and the steady rhythm of her breathing.
“I’m scared,” you admitted finally. The words felt heavy, unfamiliar on your tongue. You weren’t someone who said things like that out loud.
Grace didn’t pretend otherwise. Her hand stilled for a second before resuming its slow movement. “I know.”
“What if it’s bad?”
“It might be.”
“What if I’m out for months?”
“You might be.”
You pulled back just enough to look at her, brows furrowing. “You’re supposed to lie to me.”
She gave you a small, sad smile. “I know. But you’d know if I was.”
You sighed, leaning your forehead against hers, careful not to move your leg. “I don’t know who I am if I can’t play.”
Grace’s expression softened completely at that. “You’re still you,” she said gently. “Just… you with a really annoying boot and a lot more physio.”
You huffed quietly. “That sounds worse, actually.”
“Yeah, it does,” she admitted. “But you’re not doing it alone.”
You closed your eyes again, letting her words settle. “You know what the worst part is?” you murmured.
“What?”
“I didn’t even save it. Alex cleared it instead.”
Grace laughed softly, the sound vibrating against your chest. “Of course that’s your biggest concern.”
“Well, yeah. If I’m going to destroy my ankle, I’d like to at least look heroic doing it.”
She pulled back properly this time, hands coming up to cradle your face, thumbs brushing away the tear tracks you hadn’t even realised were there. “You always look heroic. Even when you’re being an idiot.”
You met her eyes, really looked at her, at the worry sitting just beneath the surface, the way she was holding herself together for you. “You’re shaking,” you said quietly.
She blinked. “Am I?”
“Yeah.”
Grace exhaled slowly. “Guess I was in denial too.”
You managed a small smile at that, your hand sliding over hers, squeezing gently. “Looks good on you.”
She rolled her eyes, but her grip tightened. “Get your scans done first. Then you can compliment me.”
Summary: Reader is a kid from a bad home life. She gets neglected and abused. The team just noticed that she has trust issues and doesn't open up. Leah being the good cap she is, takes her under her wing.
Warnings: mentions of abuse, neglect and bad childhood. Anxiety and disassociation. Mentions of scars and bruises.
Masterlist
Part 2 is out: The ones who stay
You arrived at the last camp before the Euros late. What had made you late? Exam season… School was your biggest enemy as a young football player. At only 16 you were definitely a lot younger than most women that had been called up, especially so short before the 2025 Euros. The call up had confused you, your trainer and your social worker. But luckily she had signed papers and you had been allowed to go.
The coaches had asked if you could travel alone and you just said yes. So you had spent the last eight hours on trains and buses… the closest bus station was still 1.3 miles away from the hotel. So you had just quietly shouldered your backpack, grabbed your suitcase and walked 30 minutes alongside the road. The weather was shit, like always, it wasn't a really bad rain, more like a slight drizzle that was just hard enough to get you completely wet by the time you arrived at the entrance to the hotel.
The staff member at the door didn't want to let you in at first but after you quietly said your name he did… Now you stood near the entrance in the lobby. Wet, cold and utterly alone. This hotel was crazy luxurious. It was a Hilton after all, but still. You were used to shitty, small foster homes and crazy group homes this wasn't your scene.
The hotel staff had called someone from the team's staff members. And a young woman walks to you…”God you're all wet. How did that happen?”
You shrug a tiny bit and quietly mumble. "It's okay.” And the staff member shrugs unsure, not quite sure what to say to that. So she nods and hands you a room key with the number 218 on and tells you to go to your room. You just nod a tiny bit and grab the key tightly. The woman vanished again, leaving you alone and lost once more.
Quietly and unsure on how to act in such a big and luxurious building you walk around till you find stairs, you hadn't seen the elevator or at least didn't realize it was an option. So you carried your suitcase up two flights of stairs. You're still soaking wet but you don't make a sound as you push the door to the hallway open and walk down the long hallway quietly. As you walk down the hallway quietly it's empty. 217, 218… you fumbled with the key card till you finally opened the door and slipped inside. The room was nice. Beautiful, furnished well and clean. You put your suitcase down and touched the bed unsure. It almost seemed too nice. On the table was the schedule… in 30 minutes would be a meeting. You didn't really want to go but you knew you had to. So you changed.
23 minutes later you were in front of the meeting room. Now wearing a faded band tee, loose fitting jeans and old cherry red converse that already has a few signs of tear and were a size too small.
You didn't speak when you arrived at the meeting. Not really at least. Just a quiet hi when Sarina greeted you and introduced you to the team… you listened as Sarina discussed the plans for the camp and told everyone to welcome you warmly. Then she leaves so the team can get to know you.
The first to react to you in any way was Georgia Stanway, she offered you a fish bump. You didn't really react to it, confused by the action and didn't first bump her back but you nodded a tiny bit.
“Well you've got the deer in headlights look down to pat, don't you bambi?” Ella Toone joked, most of the team cracked a smile at that and even your lips twitched a tiny bit. Unwilling but it just happened. They start conversations about training and the schedule, trying to offer you a way into the conversations… they didn't actually name you out to speak up, but they did glance your way in hopes of you speaking.
But mostly? You stayed silent.
Everyone noticed. They just didn’t know what to do with it. So they left you alone for now… most of the older players hoped it was just first day jitters, especially since you're so much younger than the rest and the younger players were just confused about how quiet you were.
Dinner comes and some of them try again.
Grace for example she sits down beside you with all her energetic way. “Hey I'm Grace. It's nice to meet you.” You glance at her nodding a bit and then quietly go back to eating. She blinks for a second. “Well… uh… are you okay?” She asks unsure and you just nod again. So she ends up talking with other players… and the other few players who had tried to talk also gave up. Alessia Russo had lasted the longest. She had talked with (at) you for close to five minutes. Just telling you about herself, her experience at camp, who to go to when you needed help… but after getting no response she ends up just telling you to eat up and tell her if you need anything, before she goes back to chatting with her friends.
It was quiet again around you. You preferred it that way. At least that's what you told yourself. Silence was safer. People can’t hurt you if they can’t reach you. That's something you had learned over the years and years of foster homes, group homes and failed adoptions. Building bonds and trust is what breaks you, more than the hits, the screams and the touches did.
You didn't notice your new captain glancing at you as you ate. She just took you in. The slightly damp hair, the faded shirt, the loose fitting pants and the worn down shoes. Either you had a very grungy style or you just had very neglectful parents that didn't buy your properly fitting clothes. Leah watched as you didn't speak, just nodding or shaking your head.
The next few days you drew more into yourself. You didn't make any effort to bond with anyone or to speak up during training. So most of them just left you alone. They spoke to you during training, to give you corrections or call out for passes… but other than that you were left alone.
Everyone did that… everyone but Leah Williamson... she didn’t leave you alone. For some reason the blonde defender, your new captain, just stuck around. She didn't smother you like some grown ups did in your past. She didn't hover around or crowd you. She didn't ask any of those stupid questions every grown up always asks.
Not once did Leah ask. “Are you okay?” “Do you want to talk about it?” or “Why are you so quiet?”... Leah just was there. She showed up quietly, in simple ways. So simple that you barely noticed it at first.
It started with breakfast. To be honest the breakfast bar was overwhelming. There were pancakes, different types of eggs, an omelette bar, fruit, Joghurts, granola, breads, dozens of cheese, meats and spreads… it was too much for you. So you mostly stuck to toast, sometimes with cheese, sometimes even choosing the cheese was overwhelming. On your third morning in camp Leah walked past you and just quietly placed a banana next to your untouched toast. You go to look up at her but she's already walking past. She had just decided for you that you needed a banana… at lunch it was a second sandwich with some cheese and salad… and at dinner a bowl of fruit salad. It was subtle and confusing. She never said anything about it, just did it. And deep down you appreciated it. It saved you from making so many decisions and she chose yummy food so it was okay. At that point you didn't know that Leah herself was a really picky eater and just chose some of her safe foods.
It happens during recovery next. A water bottle gets pushed in your hand even when you didn't grab one. At first it's just the water bottle, then on the fourth day a granola bar. Once again she doesn't say anything. She doesn't touch you. She just hands it over quietly before going back to speaking with some of her friends. But she still watches. She notices that you don't eat the chocolate bar with peanuts but that you love the one with dried berries, so she stocks up on those. You always grab the red Gatorade, never the blue one…
And she still noticed that none of your clothes fit correctly. She was glad you had gotten a training kit from the staff so at least your clothes during training were good. But your clothes on your off time. They didn't fit and looked like they're holding by the last thread… even your cleats looked two sizes too small. But when Lucy had noticed and went to check by touching your leg you had flinched away. After that not one of them dared to bring it up or touch you again.
But Leah still stayed. At team meetings she always made you sit beside her, which apparently used to be Keira's chair, but one glare from Leah had just the redhead up and she moved to sit next to Georgia. She knew you didn't like to be touched or when someone moved too fast. So she didn't. Not once did her knees brush against yours. She just sat there, her back straight and leading the meeting. Like she was a steadfast presence nobody could away and nothing could shake. And admittedly you liked it. It felt like her presence wrapped itself around you like a warm blanket.
And not once did she try to touch you.
Not once.
Not until you let her.
It was on your eighth day in camp. It had rained the entire day, heavy pounding rain that sounded like footsteps against the windows. Just as heavy as the sound of the rain settled over the entire compound. A heavy feeling had settled over you. So you ran and hid like you always had done.
You weren't in your room for lights-out. Nobody noticed it since usually they didn't check every single room, because everyone here but you was grown ups… but even when no one else noticed you had vanished…
Leah Did.
She didn't alarm anyone and just quietly walked around. She checked the cafeteria, the game room, the diary room and the pitch. She just walked around quietly looking for you in all the hiding spaces she can find. The last room she cheeks is the physio room.
That's where she found you, curled up behind a stack of folded towels. Knees tucked to your
Chest, sleeves pulled over your hands, eyes wide and unfocussed. You were completely out of it, disassociated.
Leah didn't say anything. She didn't gasp, try to touch you or even try to coax you to get up and back to the hotel room. She just sat down beside you, back pressed to the cool cabinet, legs stretched out in front of her. “I’m just going to stay here.” She said quietly. Her voice was soft and gentle. “Until you feel safe.
And she did.
Minutes passed. Then maybe an hour. You didn’t know. You just knew that for the first time in forever, someone was there, and they weren’t *asking* for anything. Not answers. Not apologies. Not explanations. She just sat there in silence with you as you tried to come back to yourself. As you tried to feel real again.
She didn't offer words of comfort or touch. Or anything that you had ever been offered by any of the adults before. They usually just tried to throw a blanket at you or fix it with some words but it never fixed anything. But Leah didn't do that. She didn't offer any of those things.
Just presence.
And when your breath eventually evened out and the buzzing behind your eyes faded, she was still there. You moved your head a tiny bit to look at your captain. She was just sitting there quietly before suddenly.
“You don’t have to talk,” she said. “Not until you’re ready.”
You didn’t answer at that point, but you looked at her again and then you shifted, just a tiny bit. Till your shoulders touched.
Leah didn’t move away.
The next morning when she once again put down an apple next to your breakfast she also slipped you a note. You open it and quietly read it. “You were brave last night. I'm so proud of you. - L.”
A tiny smile tugs at your lips as you glance on her to where Leah sits with Keira Walsh and co. The note skipped into your pocket and you kept it there for the rest of the day before putting it into a book of yours that night.
The other players noticed what she was doing and slowly followed her lead. Slowly but surely one by one adjusted the way they acted around you. They didn't force you to adjust, they just adjusted the space.
Keira didn’t press when you shook your head at her card game invitation. She just nodded, slid the deck back into the box, and made sure there was always an empty seat at her table the next day.
Hemp left you notes on your water bottles, scrawled in smudged marker, always in capital letters like she was shouting kindness at you:
"YOU'RE A BALLER. JUST SAYING."
"DRINK THIS OR I’LL HUNT YOU DOWN (with love)."
You never caught her leaving them. But you always smiled when you found them and you are pretty sure she knew that…
Alessia offered you her hoodie after a rainy training session, wrapping it around your shoulders like muscle memory. It smelled like fabric softener and something sweet. She never asked for it back and when you offered it back after it had been washed she just shook her head and pulled it over your head. Saying quietly ‘It’ll keep you cozy and warm during the cold days. Better than that old jacket of yours.’ and so you kept her hoodie.
Tooney plopped a sticker book in your lap during downtime and said. “For emergencies.” You flipped through it hesitantly, unsure of the joke, until she peeled off a glittery giraffe and stuck it to your forearm with a grin wide enough to make your chest ache. You didn't remove it from your arm. Instead you wore it like a temporary tattoo for the rest of the day.
Lucy one afternoon sat down and quietly helped with your Spanish homework. She didn't make you read out loud, just let you point to the hard parts and she'd explain them. Same with Math… and after that she just spends an hour every single day helping you with your schoolwork.
No one asked you to speak.
No one asked where you came from or why your hands shook when the volume got too loud. No one demanded you explain the scars no one was allowed to see, and they all worked hard to ignore them. Yet they all worried. They just wanted you safe. You were their new team baby now. Their little lion cub.
And it worked. Impossibly slow and tentatively you found yourself reaching back. A shy nod at breakfast when someone greeted you. A small thank you when someone hands you something or tells you that you'd done good.
And stickers… those stickers Tooney gave you became your communication. At first they only found them on papers you left them, but then you also placed them on their water bottles, phone chargers and similar… it was like you wanted to share a tiny bit of you with them. But none of them minded. Even if their water bottles were now covered in glittery stickers and animals. There were a lot of Tiny things.
But in a life you had built on silence and loneliness, they meant everything.
You ended up being called up to the official Euros squad. It had been a big surprise for you and everyone else, but you were relieved. It meant weeks away from your shitty new foster home. Weeks away from an unstable and dangerous home… weeks with Leah and the other girls who seemed so safe and warm. You felt happy at the thought of going to the Euros with them.
The first few weeks went okay. Similar to how the last few weeks at the last camp went. You were quiet but at least reacted, sometimes you'd whisper an answer. Keira also finally convinced you to play a card game with her… It was fun, you didn't get the rules at first, but Lucy took a seat beside and quietly helped you. You glanced at the older defender and she just smiled encouragingly when you showed her a good card. So far you hadn't gotten any game time during the games tho, you hadn't expected anything else to be honest, after all you're 16.
When the quarterfinal against Sweden came it was a rough game. They were up by 2 in the first half, before luckily Lucy and Michelle were able to equalize in the second half… So you went into extended time. And suddenly Sarina called your name from the bench with only the second half of extended time left, your entire body locked. Your eyes went wide and you were still. Luckily it was the short 5 minute break for drinks.
You weren’t ready.
You weren’t.
Not for the crowd. The pressure. The weight of over 22.000 eyes on you
And Leah saw it, of course she did. She was already at your side before you stood. Gently guiding you to the touchline, just far enough that no one else could hear. You stare up at the older defender as she guides you through warm ups and pulls the jacket off of you.
“You’re safe,” she said, her hands hovering near your shoulders. “You’re not alone. Just play. We’ve got you.”
You looked at her. She looked so safe and sure of your abilities. You let her touch your face, just for a second, almost waiting for the panic to set in. But it didn't come.
There was no panic. No fear.
It was just warmth and attention.
And when she smiled encouragingly to tell you that you've got this, you nodded.
Then the game continued and you were subbed for Lucy who offered you a hug as you ran in, which surprisingly for everyone you took.
The game continued in a blur. You defended your goal like a brick wall. Stepping into the big shoes Lucy had left for you to fill when you were subbed for her. You locked down on your job and slid left and right to keep your goal safe. Sometimes you also sprinted more to the front passing Alessia, Chloe and Michelle balls in the hopes they'd score… they didn't so far. You didn't score again. So after the 15 minutes you played it went into a penalty shootout. You could feel the dread set in. So far you did play well. But this was your first cap for the England senior team and it would now go into a penalty shootout. In the knockout round of the Euros… and you were only 16.
The shootout started. One by one they stepped up. After 5 shoots it still was 2:2…. So it continued. Grace Clinton didn't manage to get one in, and the next Swede also didn't… you look around sure. Did you have to take the next one?
When nobody stepped up immediately you shuffled forward unsure before you forced yourself to take a deep breath. The Swedish keeper smirks a bit, like she thinks a kid your age can't get one past her and for some reason it makes you damn mad. You put the ball down and suddenly you are hyper focused. You get into position and just shoot. The ball flies incredibly fast and curls beautifully into the net. You put the team up 3:2… if the next Swedish player didn't get one in you'd be through. You stumble back to my team wide-eyed.
For the first time you let Grace hug you to her side, the older girl was a hugger, she always hugged everyone. And you were so shell shocked that you had managed to score on the Swedish keeper that you didn't even panic….
The Swedish girl Smilla Holmberg steps up. She's 18.. and she doesn't score on Hannah… she hits the post. Which leads to the Lionesses getting into the semifinals and then being knocked out of the game.
The game ended in a blur. You had scored. You did your job. And when the final whistle blew and the girls cheered, you stood off to the side, uncertain and still in shock. Sweet Caroline was playing and you saw your new friends celebrating. Grace was running around excitedly… while the Swedish players were crying.
You took a deep breath and walked up to one of the Swedish players that you had always admired, Magda Eriksson. “Pardon?” You say shyly and unsure. Was it rude to approach her now? But she turned around and her eyes softened a bit as she realized it was the new wonder kid from England and not some grown up. You continue your voice very shaky. “Can we switch shirts, maybe? If you want… I'd understand if you don't… I just really admire your way to play… it's the reason why I play in defense.” You whisper and even though she looked so upset and was still crying a bit from the loss the woman nodded and you exchanged shirts. She didn't say anything but you also didn't say anything more and just shyly left.
By this time Leah jogged over to you. She didn’t hug you, still knew better than that. Even if she had seen how Grace hugged you after your goal, she was pretty sure that you were in shock at that moment, so she wasn't gonna risk it. But she held her hand out, palm up, waiting. And then you took it. She quietly led you back into the locker room where the others were celebrating their victory in the quarter finals. In the quiet chaos of the locker room, after the laughter faded and your head stopped spinning, you turned to her, voice cracked and quiet.
“Leah?” You whispered and your captain looked at you. It was the first time you said her name and she smiled adoringly.
“Yes babygirl?” She asked gently with one of the many nicknames the team had dubbed you over the last few weeks. You'd probably never hear your real name again if these women had a word in it.
Leah saw something flash in your eyes. A whisper of hope… but also fear.
“You won't send me away again?” You whispered quietly. But Leah understood so did the other girls who had noticed something significant was going on and quieted down. Lauren James had even turned the music off so you didn't have to speak so loud.
Leah met your eyes. Her voice was steady and kind and real.
“Never, you're a lioness baby. A small one that still needs to grow into it but you're one of us.”
You didn't look around the room but you knew that all the women in this room were nodding or similar. Not one of them was ready to ever give you up. You had found your place. In between soccer balls, too small cleats and the crazy of 23 women living in 12 hotel rooms…. But this was safe and warm and it was yours.
grumpy masterlist | for love and country masterlist
by the time alessia and the rest of the team made it back to the team hotel the adrenaline had long faded. the 4-0 win should have felt like elation, hope restored back in the team, three assists for alessia, dominant performance and a team running high on momentum.
but for alessia, it had been tinged. the sting of your tearful goodbye after the final whistler still sat sharp behind her ribs as she lay in bed.
alessia had showered in silence, pulling her england hoodie. she'd stayed downstairs in the hotel, just long enough to eat with the team, listen to the usual chatter amongst leah and beth, smile at ella's usual nonsense and skits.
but inside, alessia was drifting. half in the moment with the team, half aching for the warm weight of her daughter on her chest.
alessia had come up to her room just after finishing her food, leaving most of the girls to decide what they were watching. as alessia laid back on her bed, the duvet still folded at her feet.
a knock came at the door, opening it and seeing leah with a warm smile and a cup of tea, "you alright?"
alessia nodded, lying, "just tired." as leah hummed holding out the cup of tea for alessia as she silently thanked her girlfriend.
"also.." leah began slipping her hand into her hoodie pocket, "slipped you these from the stand, don't tell sarina." leah winked as she held out some of alessia's favourite biscuits.
"thanks babe," alessia said softly as she sipped the tea, leah nodding slightly, leah could tell something was on alessia's mind - heck she could probably guess what it was.
but leah didn't press, she liked to think she knew when alessia just wanted her own space and time and right now was one of them.
leah leaned in, careful of the hot beverage, pressing a soft kiss to alessia's lips before leaving one on her cheek to and left with a whispered, "i'm just downstairs with the girls watching a film, if you need me message and i'll be straight up, okay?"
leah watched as alessia nodded, "get some rest, i love you."
and then alessia was along again. hearing the door click shut as she walked back over to her bed, putting some show she had been watching before the game as she sipped at her tea.
but it wasn't long until her phone buzzed, 'mum' splayed on the screen and without even a thought alessia answered. "hi"
carol's voice was soft, grounding, "you still up?"
"yeah, can't really sleep.."
carol hummed on the other line as alessia shifted slightly before her mum began to speak again, "i didn't want to bother you earlier as i knew you'd be getting food, but also didn't want to just message," carol spoke, alessia clinging to every word, "y/n settled, took a bit but your dad finally got her to sleep with a few stories"
alessia let out a shaky breath, her mind a little bit more at rest knowing you'd got sleep but the guilt still gnawed at her chest. "i wish i could've done it," alessia sighed.
"i know, lessi. she just misses you, we all do." carol reassured as alessia nodded even though her mum couldn't see it.
there was a pause, "i just feel like i keep letting her down. first the stupid new rule. then only seeing her for a few minutes after the game. she was crying, mum. like proper - i haven't seen her cry like that since she was a baby." alessia whispered, "and i had to leave, i left her."
carols heart broke slightly listening to alessia's words, her thoughts of failure, when really she was doing the bravest thing ever, "less, no. don't do that to yourself. you're doing what you've always done, since the first moment, your giving her the very best version of yourself. it just looks different right now." her mum'a voice was steady, reassuring almost.
"b-but what if she thinks i've chosen football over her?"
carol was quiet for a moment, then: "she doesn't. she knows who her mum is. she knows the kind of love you give. and she's not keeping score darling. she's just learning how to be apart from you and that's tough. but it in no world means you've failed her."
alessia sniffled as tears slipped silently down her cheeks, "i just.. i miss her, so much." she admitted.
"i know you do less, but she is so proud of you. you should've saw her when you got that second assist. she jumped so high i though your dad was gonna drop his chips."
that made alessia laugh, watery and cracked as she wiped her eyes dry, "really?"
"really. 'that's my mummy,' she kept saying. 'my mummy did that.'" carol said and alessia could tell by the tone of her mums voice she was smiling at the memory. alessia but her lip her chest still heaving.
"get some sleep, less." carol added gently. "and i'll see you tomorrow and you have her for the entire day and she's been talking all about seeing the elephant so no good being tired, right?"
a faint smile crossed alessia's face as she imagine you little babbles about seeing the real elephants at the zoo, "right."
"goodnight, lessi."
"night mum."
when alessia hung up, she tucked herself beneath the covers, leah had messaged saying she'd be up in ten so alessia knew she could snuggle herself to her soon.
the room was quiet, still humming with the afterglow of victory but now steadied by the gentle words of her mum and the promise of tomorrow being better.
...
the next morning had begun with a hush as the team ate breakfast. the type that always lingered the day after a hard fought match. the type that filled muscles with ache and minds with reflection
the team where then onto some recovery before their downtime. alessia moved through her program with steady focus, rotating through stretches and resistance bands with the soft chatter of the others.
her body followed instructions but her heart was already ready to sprint out of the facility, up a hill and into the arms of you.
once recovery was finished, sarina had gathered the girls for a little post match review, giving them a few praises for their efforts in the game as well as some areas for them to focus on for the next game before wishing them a good afternoon and that they were free.
alessia tugged on her jumper and tied her boots quicker than usual, drawing a look from leah who was stood beside her, redoing her hair.
"you're practically bouncing" leah said, not unkindly, it bring a smile to the english captains face, seeing her girlfriend happy and excited for what felt like the first time in a few days.
alessia huffed out a breath, grabbing her water bottle as the two walked back towards their room to change before heading out, "i just.. need to see her. want to spend the entire day until the last second with her.. make it up to lovie for being here.
leah stepped in close and wrapped her hand gently around alessia's waist, "she's going to run at you like you hung the moon."
"on facetime the other day she packed her zoo bag," alessia whispered, a small awh drawing from leah's lips, "with a laminated list of the animals she wants to see. laminated le,"
leah laughed softly, of course you did. "the daughter of a lioness, go figure."
the two got back to the room, changed quickly, well alessia did. before she was groaning every five minutes more it took leah to pick with hoodie to pair with her outfit.
once leah had picked the two were on their way to the lobby to meet the other girls joining the zoo expedition, the girls all getting on the mini bus for the short trip to the zoo where alessia would finally, be reunited with her baby.
when they pulled up in the minibus just after midday, you didn't even wait for the door to slide open properly.
"MUMMY!"
alessia barely had a moment to register the small blur hurtling towards her before she caught you mid air, the force knocking her back a step or few.
"oh my goodness," alessia murmured, clutching you like she'd never let go, "hi bubba. hi my lovie girl."
you clung to her like a koala, nose smushed into your mummy's neck as your hair, which had been put into two pigtails tickled alessia's jaw.
"you came," you whispered as if you had been worried it was all gonna be a dream as the rest of the girls filed off the bus, taking in the sweet moment.
"i told you i would. i missed you so, so much" alessia whispered back, rubbing a hand up and down your back as she placed a kiss to your head.
you pulled back slightly, brows furrowed, "where my esme?"
alessia grinned, digging into her bag as the elephant stuffy's head poked out, as she took it out. a small sigh leaving your lips, "safe and sound, just like i promised"
your mummy handed over the slighty rumpled but well loved stuffed elephant and you squealed in relief as you snuggled up to it, "she smell like you!"
"she slept on my pillow every night" alessia reassured as you continued to snuggle up to your loved teddy, it having been missed dearly by you.
"you the best mummy," you whispered, cuddling both esme the elepahnt and alessia tight again, not noticed the figure which as walking towards you.
as from behind the little reunion, leah walked fondly towards you having been talking with alessia's parents before her voice chimed in gently, "room for one more?"
you let go immediately as you turned, "mama!"
alessia stepped aside just enough so that you could dive into leah's arms just like you had with her, mere seconds ago. leah lifting you and spinning you around earning a giggle with practised ease, holding you close.
"i miss you too, little miss"
you hugged leah, as she pressed a kiss to your cheek. the other girls watching on with fond smiles as they spoke amongst themselves. before you wriggled down from leah's arms and hugged each of them.
"my aunties!!" you called out as you flung yourself first into ella's legs with a tight hug, it knocking ella back slightly.
"hey tiny!" ella laughed, scooping you up and sitting you proudly on her hip as you waved at the other girls. "you been behaving for your nonna and nonno?" she asked as you nodded firmly.
as the group walked and caught up, the girls joking on with you as you got closer to the zoo gates. the tension has melted away completely. you were bouncing towards the big, colourful map as you tugged your mummy's hand so hard you almost dropped esme.
"mummy, elefants first, please! es will be sad if we don't!" you pointed to the elephant drawing on the board as your well loved elephant toy stayed tight in your arms as you held it up at little as if it would protest otherwise.
alessia smiled, nodding "of course, lovie, we'll see the elephants first. esme the elephant would never forgive me otherwise." you cheered as you ran a little further in front as alessia turned towards the group, "you heard the little boss, elephants first!"
the zoo was bursting with chatter and sunshine and the shrieks of children, alessia kept one hand near your shoulder most of the time, even when you darted between fences and peered into enclosures with awe.
it took a little longer to get to the elephants than expected, you stopping off at every enclosure you saw, watching the meerkats stands tall and the giraffes eat from the tallest trees as well as a stop off at one of the many souvenir shops where beth bought you an elephant hat with the same floppy ears before finally getting there as you excitedly pointed to the elephant enclosure.
"look mummy, mummy there a baby one too!" you squealed excitedly as alessia lifted you up so you could get a better view as the other girls took photo's and looked too.
"she's in her element," grace smiled as she stood with maya, snapping a photo of you and alessia as you pointed to the elephants while still wearing the hat beth had bought.
"beth's just jelous she didn't get the last hat," maya muttered, chewing on a staw as beth turned a the sound of her name.
"i got her the one she wanted," beth called out proudly, "her favourite animal for our favourite little russo."
"elefants have the longest eyelashes," you piped up, "there dis long" you said using your hands to show as the group hummed in, interest as they slowly turned to look at you.
"giving tooney a run for her money!" grace joked, earning a chorus of laughter from the group as ella turned to glare at the young midfielder.
"oi, i pay good money for them," ella muttered, "but who knew we had a little attenborough with us,"
"it just what it says on the sign" you pointed to the glass enclosure where there was a big poster on there filled with fun facts about elephants, as the group all nodded in unison, it now clear you weren't yet, a little genius.
you moved on from the elephants but not before demanding a photo from leah, with your stuffed elephant, esme and the real elephants behind you. next going to see the lions and the snakes as maya faked being scared of them, drawing more giggles from you as finally you saw the flamingos all stood proudly on one leg before the group decided it was time to stop for food.
you all were spread across two picnic benches under the trees, you in the middle of eating a packet of teddy shaped crisps and a carton of apple juice as the rest of the girls shared plates of food when a voice broke through the easy chatter.
"i hope i haven't missed all the fun"
alessia blinked. her head whipping up from her food. "giorgio?!"
your face lit up like fireworks, mid sip of your juice. "UNCLE GIO!" you launched yourseld into his arms, esme dangling from your elbow as your juice box when tumbling to the floor.
giorgio, fresh from the love island villa with sun-kissed skin and trainers that hadn't seen a day of real dirt in weeks, laughed as he spun you around. "you still remember me?"
"your supposed to be on telly!" you questioned, "mummy wouldn't let me watch as she said it was for grown up?"
the whole table burst into laughter as alessia pulled him into a hug, you wrapping your arm around you mummy's neck, "you came all the way here, luca said you'd be in london for at least a week before you could fly here?"
"well what can i say," he shrugged, "i missed my niece and there's more important things happening here than in london
leah stepped in beside them, slinging an arm around alessia's shoulders a wide smile on her face, "your a good brother and uncle"
"i know," gio smirked, smirked, before crouching down to your level. "now... tell me. what is left on the list to see?"
you immediately launched into a monologue about big cats and elephants and the penguins who were late for feeding time, pulling on gio's hand as you marched him forward like a miniature general - lunch was well and truly forgotten about after that
alessia watched them go, and leah laced their fingers together, gently swinging their hands as the rest of the girls followed, talking along side gio and you.
"she looks so happy," leah said quietly.
alessia nodded. "yeah... i feel like i'm breathing again."
they followed behind the group arms brushing, smiles soft. and when they reached the enclosure with all the colourful parrots in and you clambered onto alessia's lap to help hold the little cup of seeds, leah snapped a photo without even thinking.
it was just too perfect.a mother and daughter, cheeks pressed together, soft sunlight dancing across their faces.
...
the minibus rattled gently down the swiss hillside, late afternoon sun painting the lake gold in the distance. you had your head pressed against your mummy's shoulder, your fingers loosely holding onto the trunk of your esme the elephant.
most of the girls were chatting quietly among themselves, sun tired and content after a day filled with meerkats, icecream and you demanding to know why giraffes had such 'unfairly long necks'
"alright," beth sighed, stretching as the bus neared the camp entrance. "shower, nap and no one bother me for at least two hours."
"agreed!" maya murmured, half asleep beside beth.
grace was scrolling on her phone in her own little world as ella was sitting near the front, catching alessia's eyes and grinning before giving a little wave to you as you offered a sleepy smile in return.
but alessia didn't move when the doors of the mini bus opened. "you guys go ahead," she told beth quietly, "i'm gonna go to my parents place with lovie for the evening."
beth nodded in understanding, sparing a soft look at the you tucked into alessia's side, "give her a proper cuddle from us, all of us."
once the others had said there goodbyes and waved to you, gio climed into the front seat of the taxi they had arranged earlier while alessia and leah slid into the back with you inbetween the,
"did you have fun today, angel?" leah asked as the car began to wind through the narrow streets, you moving slightly to lift your head up from the side of your mummy's arm.
you nodded solemnly, rubbing your eyes. "the flamingo's were cool. but i liked the elefants best but the panda's were close."
alessia kissed the top of your head, "that's because they looked sleepy like you."
the chalet where alessia's parents, carol and mario were staying was nestled among tall trees with a red flower box hanging from the window and a warm yellow light glowing behind the gauzy curtains. it was just like alessia and leah imagined it to be from all the facetime calls from you running around it.
carol opened the door with a surprised but delighted smiel, "well, this is a lovely surprise."
"we though we would crash family dinner," leah said with a grin, stepping in behind alessia
the evening played out so gently, mario was in the kitchen with gio as the two caught up on gio's love island experiences. you had taken your shoes off carefully by the door, your esme tucked under one arm and made a beeline for the open plan living room where your colouring book was laid out from earlier this morning.
it was the kind of evening alessia hadn't realised how desperately she had actually needed. no cameras, no recovery, no plans or team meetings. just the six of them, seven if you counted esme the elephant, around the dining table laughing as mario told his day in usual joking fashion.
after dinner, alessia helped you into your pyjamas and guided you through brushing your teeth with the tiny purple toothbrush carol had bought from the local store on the first day and held your hand as the two of you after all the bedtime hugs were given climed the stairs to what had been your room for the past few days.
the room was warm and dimly lit by a your nightlight which went everywhere with you when you weren't staying at home, it being one of the first things alessia would pack when it was time for another camp.
alessia pulled back the covers and you crawled in, curling up immediately with esme tucked against your chest. "you read it, mummt?" you asked, holding up a book that had been at the end of your bed. the spine fraying on the book - elfie the elephant finds her way home.
alessia smiled and sat down beside her ontop of the duvet, flipping to the first page. her voice was quiet, steady, the rhythm familar and rehearsed as if she had done it a million times and truthfully she probably had.
by the time alessia reached the end, your eyes were heavy, your breathing evening out slightly. alessia leaned down and kissed your forehead, "love you more than all the stars, lovie"
"love you.. to the.. moon.." you mumbled, your voice fading. alessia stayed for a few minutes, tucking you in as your breathing evened, your thumb tucked near your mouth as your esme was nestled beside you before she finally tiptoed back downstairs.
leah was helping carol tody the kitchen, sleeves rolled up, soft domesticity radiating off her like sunlight. "is she down?" her dad asked as she entered the room, mario being stood near the coffee machine.
"out like a light," alessia whispered as her dad handed her a cup of tea.
they all sat together in the lounge, just talking, laughing, letting things slow down. it had been the most normal alessia had felt in weeks. here she wasn't a national athlete. she wasn't a striker. she was just a mum with her family.
but tomorrow would be back to football, to pressure, to all the noise.
grace has been trying to ask you (the cute chelsea defender) out for years at like, every game but you’re always busy… good thing a foul and an argument can help land a first date!
skysportsfootball
liked by user1, user2, user3, user4, user5, user6, user7 and others
skysportsfootball It all got heated at Kingsmeadow this afternoon! Tottenham’s Grace Clinton drawing a foul on Chelsea defender y/n y/ln in the box, resulting in a penalty converted by Guro Reiten. Y/ln reportedly told Clinton “leave me alone!”
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user8 LMAOOO Guro & Y/N’s celebration after that penalty
⮑ user9 i love them so much, your honour
user10 5-2 I KNOW THATS RIGHT
user11 omg i hope y/n is okay, that looked nasty af
user12 feel better soon, y/n!! 🩷
user13 this is so odd for grace, usually she’s super sweet
⮑ user14 no fr wtf is going on
⮑ user15 APPARENTLY grace always goes up to y/n after every game they play and they’ll chat but she always goes away disappointed
⮑ user16 WAIT REALLY
yourusername
liked by lucybronze, aggiebjones, johannakaneryd, graceclinton_x and others
yourusername i ❤️ being out for a week graceclinton_x watch your back xx
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graceclinton_x y/n please im so sorry
⮑ yourusername yeah yeah tell that to my ankle
⮑ graceclinton_x PLEASE I AM WE CAN GO
user17 okay grace & y/n what are u, own up!!
user18 get well soon y/n!
user19 can’t believe she’s injured AGAIN
johannakaneryd get well soon bby ily (liked by author)
⮑ yourusername thank you loml!!
user20 okay what are johanna and y/n?
⮑ user21 i think they’re just friends tbh (liked by graceclinton_x)
graceclinton_x
liked by keirawalsh, bethmead_ and others
tagged: yourusername
graceclinton_x GUYS I DID IT WE WENT ON A DATE
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user20 okay now i look like an idiot
lucybronze how much did you pay y/n for this?
⮑ yourusername cant i do things because i am a nice person? (liked by author)
⮑ graceclinton_x YEAH!! (liked by yourusername)
user22 omg new woso couple alert?
⮑ user23 i mean maybe they’re resolving the tensions on the pitch?
⮑ user24 girl look at y/n’s post. i highly doubt its just friends atp
user25 i swear this is the wildest plot twist EVER (liked by yourusername)
⮑ yourusername GIRL YOURE TELLING ME (liked by author)
yourusername
liked by ellatoone, lucybronze, leahwilliamsonn and others
tagged: graceclinton_x
yourusername grace sucks ass at bowling pass it on
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graceclinton_x I will not stand for this slander. (liked by author)
⮑ yourusername whatever you say, babe. (liked by graceclinton_x)
⮑ graceclinton_x BABE???? (liked by author)
user26 what the helly is going on???
⮑ user27 tf if I know, I think just let them hash it out.
lucybronze wow the things a sprained ankle can do for relationships... (liked by graceclinton_x) (liked by author)
Summary: Y/n can handle tough tackles and intense matches, but stitches? Absolutely not. After a head collision mid-match, the last person she expects to help her through it is Grace, her opponent.
Warnings: mentions of blood; hurt comfort; just a meet cute overall with a lot of found family and accidentally liking old pictures on ig hehe
Word count: 7k
MASTERLIST
..
The game was heated. 1-1 and both teams wanted to win.
Y/n didn’t see it coming.
She was close to the Manchester United goal, ready to assist either Alessia or Foxy. Leah had played a long ball to Y/n, who jumped as the ball got closer, ready to receive it.
As the ball came closer, Y/n felt the impact of a body against her, knocking her to the ground. She felt something sharp open her inner lip and hit her forehead.
She fell on the pitch, her back hitting the grass painfully. For a moment she couldn't breathe, her lungs aching from the impact.
“Fuck,” Y/n muttered.
The crowd fell silent.
Y/n could smell grass, blood and sweat. It was a mixture of smells that Y/n was used to, but at the moment it reeked.
Her whole body ached as if a knife were slicing through her lips and forehead. She tried to move her head, but that hurt too. She could not see who crushed her.
The Arsenal players came running as soon as Y/n’s hit the ground. A mix of familiar voices reached Y/n’s ear. They were all talking at the same time, but it was as if they made no sense, it was just a blend of words being thrown around.
The referee hadn’t blown the whistle yet. Maybe they should because Y/n was not going to get up anytime soon.
Y/n felt lightheaded like she was going to pass out any time soon. She wanted to stay there on the pitch, the grass hugging her, even though it irritated her skin.
Okay maybe her brain wasn’t getting all the oxygen it needed. She felt dazed.
“There’s been a head clash here! Where are the bloody medics?”
Someone said Y/n wasn’t sure if it was Kim or Katie, maybe it was Jen. Oh no, Jen had retired a couple of seasons ago, hadn’t she? Wow, they really needed to get someone to help her out.
Her teammates, whether retired or not, sounded worried. Was it bad, maybe her injury was worse than she thought it was.
Y/n felt like she was dying, but her teammates usually just called her dramatic when she was tackled in a game.
Was she being dramatic right now?
She wasn’t sure. But she was tired though. And it hurt.
She wanted to rest. Maybe she should do that.
“No, don’t. Keep your eyes open,” Y/n felt the warmth of a hand holding hers, “They’re going to take you to the infirmary, okay?”
“Damn, she’s out.”
Was the last thing Y/n heard before everything went black.
..
“Y/n?”
Y/n forced herself to breathe. The air went in and out of her lungs, and her back didn’t hurt anymore, just the slight discomfort of being tackled and lying down on a hard surface.
Was she in a hospital? The bed she was in felt like a hospital bed. It was uncomfortable.
“Y/n, you need to open your eyes, I know you are awake,” the voice said again. It wasn’t familiar to Y/n, but it seemed to belong to an older woman.
Y/n tried to do what the woman asked her. She carefully opened one eye and then the other, but the lights in the room were too bright. She decided to close them.
Y/n didn’t remember exactly what happened. She was on the field playing, then someone crashed into her, and then she was out. She had a faint memory of Leah’s voice saying something to her as she was being carried off the pitch on a stretcher.
The first shock of pain hit her.
Y/n whimpered, bringing her hand to her lip and then to her forehead. Both places were wet and tender. Two very fresh bruises.
Medicine. Why hadn’t they given her some painkillers? If she was in a hospital, it must have been a bad one because she was in pain, her mouth tasted like iron.
Y/n tried to open her eyes again, the light was not as intense as before. She removed her hands from her face and looked at them, they were red.
Blood, fresh blood. She had been hurt and it hadn’t been long ago.
Why did it feel like days?
“Don’t look at it,” the older woman said, taking Y/n’s hands and cleaning them with a tissue.
“What hospital am I in?,” Y/n asked the woman.
“We're in the infirmary, the stadium’s infirmary,” another voice said beside Y/n. The voice was calm, not as energetic as the other women’s, and it was younger.
It was probably the person who had bumped into Y/n.
She was so disoriented that she hadn’t even noticed that someone else had been hurt as well. But if the pain on her face was any indication of how hard they had bumped into each other, the other player was probably in bad shape too.
She tried to turn her head around, but it hurt too much, so she just kept staring at the person in front of her.
Nurse Mary, the badge said. She had a kind, round face.
“Are you all right?” The younger voice said again.
Y/n tried to remember who the voice belonged to. She was being marked by Gabby George and Millie. T seconds before she was hit, but they were in front of her and the collision was caused by someone running to her side. So Y/n didn't see who it was.
Y/n turned her head to the side, trying to catch a glimpse of the girl, but the movement was too fast and nausea hit her stomach.
“Mary, I'm gonna throw up,” Y/n warned the nurse.
A few seconds later there was a bucket right next to her.
Y/n emptied her stomach. The vomit was mixed with blood from her new injuries and she just wanted to go home, put an ice pack on her face and pretend this day never happened, especially after throwing up in front of two strangers.
Nurse Mary patted Y/n’s back maternally. “It's okay, honey. You’ve got a concussion, it's normal to feel nauseous. Miss Grace here also had a concussion.”
Grace? Grace Clinton?
Great, she had puked in front of Grace Clinton. Not embarrassing at all.
Y/n had the vaguest recollection of seeing Grace in the tunnel as they walked to the pitch. She had her hair in a low bun and her shirt looked a size too big for her.
Grace was a midfielder for Man United, she was very young but very skilled. Y/n had never had the chance to talk to her before, but Leah had told her once that Grace was very calm on the pitch and that she should mark her, but not be too aggressive about it, as Grace herself had a chill style of play.
“You bumped heads during the game,” Mary continued. “It wasn’t too bad, so there was no need for an ambulance.”
Y/n felt like she had been hit by a whole bus, not just bumped heads. Clinton was strong, so it made sense that she was in so much pain from the collision.
“–But you Y/n got the worst of it, Grace’s teeth bit your inner lip open when you both fell,” Mary added.
Grace's teeth?
That explained why she felt like her lips were split open.
When Y/n opened her mouth to ask Grace if she was all right, a wet, cold cloth was pressed into her face.
“Ouch! Fuck, it hurts,” Y/n said angrily, but regret quickly struck her. She shouldn't be yelling at Mary.
“I-'m sorry, it just…”
“Hurts?” Mary finished the sentence for her.
“Yeah,” Y/n mumbled, accepting the cloth to her face, the coldness of it helping with the burning sensation and easing her pain. She stayed with the cloth for a few seconds before Mary took it away from her.
“You two sit nice and still, okay?” Mary said. “I need to get some supplies in the other room, but I’ll be back.”
“I’ll talk to your teammates, too, Y/n,” she said, turning to Y/n now. “They were quite a bit worried about you, especially the skipper.”
Before Y/n could reply Mary left.
She and Grace were alone in the small room, the smell of antiseptic and disinfectant filling Y/n’s nose. She hated it.
Y/n slowly sat up on the bed and finally looked at Grace, who was sitting on the bed next to her.
Her back was propped up against two pillows, she was still wearing her Manchester kit, stained with dirt and blood. Her hair was down around her shoulders, a few leaves of grass lying in between the strings.
Should Y/n tell her about the grass? Well, given Y/n’s situation, she wasn’t really in a position to judge. She hadn’t looked in the mirror yet, but she knew she was a mess.
Grace had a very soft, baby-like face, with delicate features, but right now she looked like she had come back from war. Her bottom lip was swollen, with a deep cut on it. Y/n couldn't see it properly because Grace was holding an ice pack against it, but from what she could see it was obvious that the girl’s lip was just also bruised.
“Your mouth–” Y/n said, pointing at Grace.
“Yeah, yours doesn't look too different either,” Grace said, removing the ice from her face. “Sorry about that.”
“It’s okay. I don’t remember how it happened.” Y/n admitted.
“Tooney made a high pass, I tried to get it with my head and I didn’t see you were close,” Grace said with a sad smile. “They say we bump heads but I pretty much bit your lip off, too”
“it hurts,” Y/n said in a low voice.
“I’m sorry.”
“It's okay. Are you okay?” Y/n asked.
“Yeah, I'm fine, but we’re gonna have to get stitches though,” Gracie said casually as she leaned back on her bed.
Stitches.
Great.
“I don’t think I’ll need stitches,” Y/n said, trying to sound stoic. She couldn’t freak out in front of Grace Clinton.
She was terrified of needles and anything that had to go into her skin. She didn’t even have any tattoos for that reason. Y/n was most definitely not going to get stitches, nonetheless here in the Man United infirmary. If it was in Arsenal’s infirmary might be cool about it.
“Well, I can barely understand what you’re saying because of how much your lip is so busted, so I think you are going to need stitches,” Grace said with an amused smile on her face. “She’ll put a numbing cream on it, you won’t feel a thing, don’t worry.”
“I’m not worried.” Y/n lied, her trembling hands betraying her. She quickly tried to hide them by sitting on her hands, but then her feet began to move anxiously.
Grace looked Y/n up and down, an understanding smile on her face. “You don’t have to act tough, it’s okay.”
Y/n felt a rush of blood to her cheeks. “I’m not acting tough,” she muttered, looking down.
She was a grown woman with a fear of needles. She felt silly.
Mary came in, a box written with suture materials on her hand.
Y/n went pale. Maybe she was going to throw up again.
“Okay sweeties,” Mary said enthusiastically, as if she enjoyed sewing people up. “Good news first: I found the anaesthetic cream,” she held up the small tube up as a prize.
“And bad news: we’ve got to be quickly because Y/n’s bus is waiting for her to leave, so let’s get going!” Mary continued.
Good to know that Y/n hadn’t been completely abandoned by her teammates in the middle of Manchester.
“Y/n, let’s get you stitched up first, yeah?”
Y/n gulped and opened her mouth, but she froze and couldn’t say anything. She looked frightened at Mary terrified and then at Grace.
“I can go first, Mary,” Grace said, holding up her hand. “I don’t mind.”
“Okay, then,” Mary said.
The nurse took the suture kit and walked in Grace’s direction. Y/n couldn’t see what Mary was doing because her body was directly in front of Y/n. The girl could only hear the nurse open the cream, and then it was quiet.
Mary started stitching Grace up. Grace didn’t make a sound or move. Y/n was in awe, she just couldn’t believe that she was being switched up and not shaking all over.
In less than 10 minutes Grace’s stitches were done. They were just on her lips, in the same place where Y/n would get hers.
The stitches were small, they looked raw and swollen, but the scar would be tiny.
“Okay, you’re good to go, honey, just make sure you don’t carry any heavyweight until your bruise is completely healed.” Mary patted Grace on the back as the girl got up from the bed.
Mary turned to Y/n and pointed at her. “Now it’s your turn, lie down on the bed for me please.”
Y/n’s heart skipped a beat again.
Okay, she could do it. All she had to do was breathe in and out.
Y/n tried to breathe, but the air didn’t reach her lungs. Her hands started to tremble. She shook her head and put her hands in front of her body, not letting Mary get any closer.
“I don’t want to,” Y/n said, trying to get away from Mary. “I’ll get stitches when I get back to Arsenal.” She was most definitely not going to do that.
Mary looked at her like she was a child.
“And are you planning to sit on a 4-hour drive to London with blood dripping from your forehead and mouth?” Mary asked patronisingly. “Don’t be silly, there’s no way a player like you is afraid of a few stitches, now lie down, I haven’t got all the time in the world and neither have you.
Okay, Mary wasn’t so nice anymore.
If Y/n hadn’t just had a concussion, she’d swear she’d seen the slightest frown on Grace’s face.
Y/n was embarrassed. She was a professional player and she was afraid of stitches, blood and needles. Y/n’s worst nightmare wasn’t to tear her ACL, but to suffer some kind of laceration during the game. And right now her nightmare had come true.
Her brain was already planning an escape route. There was nothing in her contract that said she had to go through with medical procedures if she didn’t agree with them.
And yes, her teammates would not enjoy spending 4 hours on a bus with someone bleeding, but what could they do? Put her on a train and send her off to London on her own.
If she could just get Mary to look away for a second, maybe she could reach the door and…
Y/n felt a dip in the mattress by her side.
“You guys won, did you know it?” Grace said, smiling at Y/n. “Cooney-Cross scored, 2-1 to Arsenal.”
Y/n narrowed her eyes. “You’re trying to distract me, I know it.”
“I just want to talk, really,” Grace said relaxed as if the infirmary was her favourite place to make small talk. “
Mary put the numbing cream first on her forehead and then on her lips. It stung at first, but then she couldn’t feel her skin anymore, as if it was anaesthetized.
Y/n breathed in and out again, trying not to panic. She would get stitches and she would be fine.
She closed her eyes.
“Who-who assisted Kyra?” Y/n questioned. If Grace was being kind enough to help her, Y/n would cooperate as well.
Mary’s cold hand found her skin. She didn't know if she was getting the stitches yet. Maybe not feeling them was worse than feeling the pain, at least she could understand what was happening.
“That Fox girl, I think her name is Emily, right?” Grace said. “Is she American?”
“Uhum,” Y/n said.
Breathe in and out. She just had to pretend there weren’t any kind of needles near her face.
“Now I’m going to do your lips, just keep them closed, Y/n,” Mary said.
If she was working on Y/n’s lips then maybe she was done with her forehead? She didn’t feel any pain, so it was probably good.
“I’ve always wanted to visit America,” Grace said, more to herself since Y/n couldn’t answer her. “I saw that Arsenal played in Washington last season, I hope Man United can play there too, it would be fun to travel with the girls.”
Y/n smiled, thinking about the trip. It was really a nice change of scenery to play in America. The crowd was different, the weather was warmer. It was a good memory.
“Try not to smile now, honey,” Mary said. “I’m almost finished here.”
“We’ve got a game in France next week, it’s just a friendly against Lyon, but it’ll be nice to get away from England’s winter,” Grace continued. “Not that the weather in France is any better at this time of the year. But still, I would rather be cold and eat a good croissant.”
Y/n wanted to smile at Grace again but remembered Mary’s scolding.
“And we’re all done here!” Mary said, clapping her hands. “Now you’re both free to go, I’ll email each of your clubs what we’ve done so they can include it in your medical report.”
Y/n opened her eyes and was met with Grace’s face. She looked pretty, even with the stitches on.
“Thank you, Mary,” Y/n and Grace said in unison as they left the infirmary. They were met with a silent and empty corridor.
Manchester United Stadium was pretty and clean, but it was way too dark to see anything. The hallways were gloomy and Y/n wasn’t a fan of the dark.
“Thank you for what you did there,” Y/n said, looking up at Grace, she couldn't really see her face, but Y/n knew she was there by the subtle touch of their hands as they walked. “You didn't have to, you’re probably late now and–”
“I know I didn’t have to,” Grace said as they walked through the corridors. “I just wanted to do it.”
Y/n honestly didn’t know where she was, she was just following Grace, hoping that the girl knew her own team’s stadium better she did.
“But you were scared and it was my fault that you had to get stitches at the end of the day,” Grace continued. “Besides, it was nice talking to you.”
Y/n blushed slightly. “You still think that even after I threw up in front of you and almost had a panic attack because of some stitches?” Y/n said half-jokingly, feeling a small shiver as their hands touched again
“Well, I did cut your lip open with my teeth, so I’d say we’re even,” Grace joked, turning left into a hallway that was less dark than before.
“It’s a very physical game, it’s bound to happen,” Y/n said smiling. “You don’t have to apologise.”
They walked on until Y/n finally realised where she was. She was near the changing rooms for the away and home teams. Next to the changing room was the media room, where the players, but mainly the technical staff, answered questions from sports journalists.
There were a lot of voices coming from the media room, it looked busy.
Y/n took a quick look inside the room and saw both Arsenal and Man United managers answering questions.
She wasn’t as sneaky as she thought she was, though, because in a matter of seconds a girl with a badge that said ‘Media’ was standing in front of her and Grace, mobile phone in hand.
“Hi girls, I’m Tara, I work for the Barclays Women's Super League’s Instagram and I was wondering if I could get a picture of you two together?” The woman asked nicely. “The fans are worried about your injury, so it would be nice to give a little update.”
“Would it just be a picture? Or an interview? We can’t talk much because of our lips,” Grace said, pointing at Y/n’s mouth and then at herself. “We just got stitches.”
“Just a picture to put on the Instagram feed,” Tara explained professionally. “If that’s all right with you, guys?”
Grace and Y/n exchanged a look and then nodded to Tara, who smiled and asked them to stand in front of one of the lights in the hallway.
Grace took a step closer to Y/n and gently placed her hand on Y/n’s hip. They smiled as Grace made the peace sign with her hand.
Y/n missed Grace’s hand after she had taken it from her body. It was warm, she liked it.
“Okay, that’s great! Thanks, girls,” Tara said after looking at the picture on her phone. “I hope you make a full recovery”
Tara left, leaving Y/n and Grace alone.
“We should probably go before more journalists come, I don’t really feel like talking to them,” Grace said.
“Well, we actually can’t talk much, anyway.”
They walked until they reached a door with the words “Player’s car park” on it. Grace opened the door for Y/n and they were greeted by the Manchester night.
Y/n quickly spotted the Arsenal bus. She even forgot that her teammates were waiting for her, they must be tired of waiting. It was already late.
Y/n turned to Grace “Thanks again, for staying with me…and being so nice,”
Grace smiled, “You don’t have to thank me, it’s alright, I’m the one who should thank you, if it was any other player they’d be mad at me for the injury, it was reckless.”
“I don't think anyone could be mad at you,” Y/n said, looking into Grace’s green eyes
“Oh they could,” Grace joked, looking around the car park. “Sorry again for hurting you, I hope it heals soon”
“It will, I’ll take good care of it,” Y/n said.
“Good. I’ll see you around, yeah?” Grace said.
“Yeah, of course,” Y/n said, feeling warmth in her cheeks. Grace was pretty, very pretty.
“Bye them, have a safe trip,” Grace waved before walking to a car parked on the other side of the parking lot, Y/n assumed it was hers.
Y/n made her way to the Arsenal team bus, but when she opened the door all she could hear was her teammates yapping.
“I think I should go check on her,” Kim said worriedly. “She’s been there for an hour!”
“I already talked to the nurse, she said it would take some time to stitch her up, mate, be patient,” Leah said.
“And that’s why somebody should go with her, Y/n is scared of needles, how is she going to get stitched up alone?” Kim stated.
“Kim, mate, relax! You always fuss over us, Y/n's fine, I just spoke with the nurse.”
“Of course, I fuss over you guys, I’m the captain! And you, Leah,” Kim said pointing at the blonde, “should do the same, since you’re co-captain.”
Leah rolled her eyes. “Okay, okay, I’ll go! You’re talking as if I didn't stand by the infirmary door like a dog until the nurse kicked me out,” Leah muttered as she walked down the steps of the bus.
As she walked down she came face to face with Y/n.
“Oh look who’s here,” Leah said smiling, stopping in her tracks, she turned around and shouted, “Guys, she’s here!”
Leah took Y/n’s hand and the two girls walked into the bus. It was mostly dark, with an annoying smell of the peanuts Katie was always snacking on.
When the girl saw Y/n they all smiled at him.r
“Hey girl, how are you?” Alessia said, getting up from her seat to give Y/n a hug. “I was so scared when you fell there was so much blood on Grace's face! And the referee took forever to stop the game.”
Leah put a comforting hand on Y/n’s back. “You fainted, I thought they were going to call an ambulance. Don’t do that again, please”
“Do that again? You’re saying it like I wanted to get my forehead and lips cut open,” Y/n mumbled, waving and smiling at Kim.
“Leah and Kim were so angry,” Katie said from one of the last seats, “I think the only reason Leah didn’t scream at Grace was because she was hurt.”
“Of course, I wanted to scream! What was she thinking, jumping on you like that?” Leah said, her protective side showing as she squeezed Y/n’s shoulder a little harder. “She knows better than that. If it had happened at Camp, Sarina would’ve benched her on the spot.
“Come on Leah, you’d never forgive yourself if you shouted at Gracie girl,” Beth said, “she’s a sweetheart when we play for England.”
“Plus, I don’t think she saw Y/n, she wasn’t even looking at her side,” Kim said, “But let’s forget about Grace, how are those stitches? Did you panic?”
“Yeah I kind of did, but Grace talked me through it,” Y/n said, sitting down in her usual spot next to Alessia, the blonde wrapping her arms around her.
“That seems like grace, she is like the nicest person ever,” Alessia said. “And she gives great hugs too.”
“Okay, now you’re all making me feel bad for getting mad at her,” Leah said, rolling her eyes and sitting down in her seat a few rows away from Y/n.
“So y/n, tell me, do you think the game was mind-blowing or what?” Kyra said teasingly, sitting in the row right behind Y/n and Alessia, Steph by her side.”
“Too soon to be making puns about her bruise, you menace,” Steph said, playfully smacking Kyra on the head. “At least wait until it heals.”
..
The Arsenal team have been on the road to London for two hours. Everyone was asleep, some girls had their sleep masks on, and others were wrapped in blankets.
Everyone except Y/n.
The pain in her lip and forehead was bothering her and she didn’t have any painkillers she could take, she’d have to wait until she got home to take some ibuprofen. The pain was the main reason why Y/n was awake and playing games on her phone next to a very sleeping Alessia.
Y/n had set the screen brightness to the lowest possible, the bus was completely dark, which made her feel furtive in some sort of way.
She was halfway through with her Sudoku when she got a notification on her Instagram.
Barclays Women’s Super League tagged you on their post.
Y/n quickly clicked on it and in a matter of seconds, the picture of her and Grace appeared on her screen.
“A tough game, but both players are on the mend! ⚽” read the caption. There were an awful lot of comments on the post already. Maybe people were really worried about them.
The picture was cute.
Well, Grace looked cute. Y/n looked awful, her kit was completely dirty with grass, blood and mud, her hair was in a messy bun, and you could literally see the sweat on her neck. Gross.
Y/n’s stitches looked awful as well, they were very red, swollen and just raw.
Of course, Grace didn't look much different from Y/n, neither of them had had a chance to shower before the photo, but still, for some reason, Grace still looked pretty in her Manchester United kit.
Y/n stared at the picture, then the picture stared at her back.
She clicked on the post and saw Grace’s Instagram handle. She clicked on it and started scrolling through Grace’s profile, but not in I'm-obsessed-with-you way, more like a you-were-so-nice-i-want-to-get-to-know-you-better way.
Her Instagram was like any other player's. Lots of pictures of her on the pitch, in training, and at camp, but not much about her private life, unfortunately.
Y/n didn't know why she felt so creepy while scrolling through Grace’s Instagram, It wasn’t like it was wrong or weird, they just met and y/n wanted to know more about her… see if there were any hobbies she was interested in in in, what places had Grace had been, and stuff like that.
Grace seemed like a very nice person through the lens of Instagram. She seemed very dedicated to football, loyal to a few of her friends, and funny but also private.
Y/n wasn’t much different, she also didn’t like to post much about her life outside of football on social media. She and Grace had this in common.
Y/n went back to the picture of them together.
Maybe she should comment on it. Something casual, something funny, but not bold.
Stitch up buddies! she wrote, but then deleted.
God, that was so lame.
Matching tattoos are overrated, so we got matching stitches instead.
That was good. It was casual, it didn’t sound like she was flirting.
She hit send.
Then she dramatically put her hands in her face. “Bloody hell why did I do that?” she whispered to herself, but not loud enough for anyone to hear.
Would Grace think she was weird? She didn’t tag Grace on the comment, maybe the girl wouldn’t even see it and they’d just get on with their lives. Maybe she could delete it.
Y/n waited a few seconds before unlocking her phone again. She decided to finish her Sudoku, maybe it would help her fall asleep.
When she was almost done with a square her phone buzzed. She read the notification.
Grace Clinton replied to your comment.
Y/n’s heart dropped. She hesitated before opening the notification.
No one I’d rather get stitches with❤️
Y/n smiled as she read it, feeling like a giggling teenager with a secret crush.
Grace saw her comment and replied to it, and put a heart emoji next to it and it was a red heart emoji. Y/n stared at the comment for a few seconds before deciding she needed big help.
“Hey Less,” Y/n nudged Alessia, who was sleeping, face against the window, wrapped in an Arsenal hoodie. “I need your help.”
“Mm?”
Y/n place the phone on Alessia's barely awake face, she squinted her eyes because of the sudden light and pushed it away slightly, confused.
“What does a heart emoji mean?” Y/n asked,
“Huh?” Alessia said again, still sleepy.“What are you talking about?” She rubbed her eyes.
“A media girl took a picture of me and Grace after we got the stitches and they posted it, see here” Y/n showed Alessia the picture, but the girl still looked barely awake.
“Okay–?”
“So I commented on it, and Gracie replied to my comment!” Y/n did the same thing, showing Alessia the screen, but this time Alessia took the phone to read it herself.
“Oh,”
“Oh? What does "oh" mean?” Y/n said worriedly.
Alessia smiled at Y/n, a little grin on her face, something you didn’t normally see from Alessia. “Oh as in she used a red heart! That's good, oh.”?”
“Yes! That's what I thought, she could choose a blue one, right or even a yellow one?” Y/n said enthusiastically. “But do you feel like she picked it in a friendly way or…”
“What are you guys on about?” Kyra chimed in from the seat behind Y/n, just her face sticking out of the side of Y/n’s seat. “
“Y/n has a crush on Grace,” Alessia said in a low voice.
“I-What?! It’s not a crush, stop it,” Y/n denied, frowning. “It’s–I just think she’s cute, that’s all.”
“Oh wow, a crush, huh?” Kyra said, wiggling her eyebrows. “Are you star-crossed lovers? She bit a part of your lip and now she has a piece of your heart?”
Y/n rolled her eyes and pushed Kyra's face back into her row. “You’re so annoying, go back to your seat.”
“What are you going to do about that comment?” Alessia asked, ignoring the usual bickering between Kyra and Y/n.
“I don’t know. What do you think I should do, Less?” Y/n asked.
Alessia and Kyra were Y/n’s go-to girls for every problem she had, although she always leaned more towards Alessia when her problems involved other people.
“You should reply to it,” Kyra said, sticking her head back to Y/n’s row. “Drop a heart too, I dunno, but you can’t just leave it at that.”
“How do you even know what we are talking about? I haven’t even told you what she commented” Y/n turned to Kyra.
“I was eavesdropping,” Kyra admitted, “You guys were whisper-yelling.”
“No, we were not,” Y/n argued.
“Yes you were, you should be grateful that Kim sleeps with earplugs. Do you remember the last time we woke her up during a trip? She made Less cry.”
“She scares me sometimes,” Alessia said, looking into the void.
“Guys back to the real problem!” Y/n said, pointing at her phone. “Should I just like the comment and say anything? Or maybe I don't like it at all?”
“Can I take a look at it?” Kyra asked a pout on her face. “Please?”
“Yeah, of course, babe,” Y/n said, giving the phone to Kyra.
She was so bad at socialising and interacting with people in general, especially the ones she found attractive, like Grace.
She wasn’t even sure if Grace was into girls. Then again, she was a football player, so there was at least a 75 per cent chance—but still. Y/n bit her lip out of anxiety, but a sharp pain came, she forgot she had just got those damn stitches.
“Oh no,” Kyra whispered.
“What?” Y/n and Alessia turned their heads at the same time, not so much as whisper-yelling anymore.
“I liked one of her pictures,” Kyra admitted, talking fast “I’m so so sorry Y/n, I just disliked it back, but she’ll get the notification anyway.”
Y/n went pale. Fuck no.
“Kyra!” Y/n said, taking the phone out of her hands.
“Was it an old picture?” Alessia asked, biting her nails and looking from Kyra to Y/n. “Y/n don’t freak out, it’s okay.” She put a hand on Y/n's back and patted it.
“I think it was from 3 years ago,” Kyra said. “I just wanted to see her profile! I’m really sorry!”
“I’m gonna eat broken glass,” Y/n said. No expression on her face.
Alessia put her arm around Y/n. “It’s okay, maybe she won’t even notice, she must get a lot of notifications all the time, she probably won’t see yours.”
“Yeah! Especially after a game, people go crazy when we play,” Kyra said guiltily. “I’m really sorry, I didn't mean to.”
“It’s okay, Ky,” Y/n said, leaning into Alessia's shoulder as Kyra’s hand patted her arm.
“I guess I’ll just never play against Man United ever again,” Y/n continued, biting her nails. “It’s not like football is my only talent, I can quiet it. That’s a good option.
“When’s our next game against United anyway?” Alessia asked, ignoring Y/n ramblings.
“In two months,” Kyra replied. “But it’s just a friendly.”
“Just so you know I’ll have a serious case of period cramps by then. Y/n said. “Renée will have to bench me.”
Y/n was in distress. Now Grace was going to think she was some kind of weird stalker going through old pictures of her. She wanted to hide away in her bed and never come out into the world ever again.
Y/n’s phone buzzed again, unexpectedly.
The three girls held their breath.
“I can’t look at it,” Y/n said, giving her phone to Alessia and burying her face in her shirt. “You look at it.”
Alessia took the phone as Kyra moved her head to see the screen.
“Oh she definitely noticed you,” Alessia said teasingly. “She just followed you! Yay! ”
“What!?” Y/n said, taking her face out of her shirt. “She followed me?!”
“And liked your last post about helping stray animals,” Kyra said, holding the phone to her face.
Y/n felt disappointed. “Really?
“No, I'm kidding, she liked a selfie, and an old one too, from 2021,” Kyra smiled as she jabbed from Y/n playful punch. “Congrats, she likes you back,”
“Now Y/n, you have to say ‘Kyra thank you so much, your mistake was a blessing in disguise, I’m so lucky to have you as a frie–”
“Who likes you back?”
The three girls turned their heads.
Leah was staring at them, arms crossed, frown on her face, her pillow tucked under her arm. She looked tired.
“W-what?” the girls said in unison.
“Did we wake you up? Kyra said, trying to give Leah one of her sweet smiles, but the frown on Leah’s face continued.”We’re sorry,”
“Yes you did, you’re out here giggling like schoolgirls,” she muttered. “But it doesn’t matter, at least Kim is still asleep. If she woke up we’d have a problem.”
They all looked to their left where Kim was in a deep sleep.
“Last time she woke up–”
“Yeah, we remember,” The girls answered Leah again in unison.
“But back to the point,” Leah said. “Who likes you back?”
The bus was silent.
“Oh come on, it’s the least you can do after waking me up,” Leah said, crossing her arms. “You know I never pry on your life, just tell me this once.”
Y/n looked at Alessia, then at Kyra, waiting for them to come in and elaborate a straight-up lie so she wouldn’t have to admit to Leah that she had a crush on the girl who sent her to the infirmary just three hours ago.
“I think Grace Clinton is cute.” Y/n quickly and defensively, crossing her arm and imitating Leah.
Leah grinned. “Grace Clinton, huh? Okay, I wasn’t expecting that. Do you have something for a girl who draws you a little blood? “
“Stop it, Leah, don’t say it like that!” Y/n blushed. “I think she’s cute and kind…and I’m not embarrassed about it.”
“I mean… yeah? Why would you be embarrassed about it? ” Leah said with the i-don’t-really-care-that-much usual tone in her voice, " She is a nice girl.”
“Yeah, she is,” Y/n stated, a little defensive.
Ok, maybe she should let her guard down, neither Alessia nor Kyranorr Leah were judging her for her little crush.
“She just helped me calm down with the stitches,” Y/n explained. “And she’s pretty.
“You should just ask her out whenever we have a game around Manchester or London,” Leah said casually. “You could take her out to dinner, or to some coffee shop you like.”
“You say that as if it’s easy to just ask someone on a date,” Y/n said, rolling her eyes.
Leah looked at her confused. “Well, it is easy. You just have to ask them. If they say yes you go on the date and if they say no you just say ok and move on.”
“Things just work that way because you are Leah,” Y/n said, defeated. “I'm not like you, I'm not naturally charismatic or good with other people”
“I think you’re quite charming if that’s any consolation,” Kyra said, winking at her.
“It absolutely does not, Ky, but I appreciate you throwing me a pity bone,” Y/n said desolated.
Leah held out her hand, palm open. “Give me your phone–I’ll fix it in like ten seconds.”
“What, no!” Y/n said, holding her phone close to her chest, and protecting it.
“Why not? If you’re too scared I can ask her for you,” Leah rolled her eyes.
“I think you should do it,” Alessia said. “Or else you’ll regret not doing something about it,”
“Yeah, and you’ll whine about it every girl's night,” Kyra said. “Do it, come on.”
“What if she says no?” Y/n whined.
“Then you’ll get over it,” Leah said bluntly. “Haven’t you ever been rejected before?”
“No!” Y/n said. “I’m never the one who initiates anything.”
“Bloody hell, you’re hopeless.” Leah pinched the bridge of her nose.
“Leah!” Alessia said in a more stern voice. “Don’t say that, you have to encourage her.”
Leah held Y/n’s shoulder and leaned forward so they were the same height.
“You can’t be a coward forever,” Leah said, using her authoritative voice. “You need to woman up, are you a chicken or are you a girl?”
Y/n was silent for a few seconds.
“A girl,” she mumbled.
“Exactly, a girl, so let’s do it!”
Y/n thought about it and hesitantly handed her phone to Leah. “Don’t be too bold or too flirty or too Leah about it,”
Leah rolled her eyes but took the phone.
“Hey, Grace. Coffee next time we’re in Manchester or London?” Leah said aloud as she typed.
“No, that's too direct!” Y/n said
“Oh fine,” Leah huffed. “Hi, let me know if you’re ever around London, we could grab something to eat, xoxo.”
“I don't use xoxo.”
Leah looked at Y/n impatiently and clicked on the screen with more force than necessary, deleting the last part. “ok, no xoxo.” she huffed again.
Leah finished typing but didn’t hit send right away. She picked up the phone, teasing Y/n: “Are you going to do it, or should I?”
Y/n takes a deep breath, grabs the phone, and hits send herself—a small victory for her confidence.
“She’s gonna say yes, I can feel it,” Kyra says dramatically as Alessia hugged Y/n.
Y/n stared at her phone, her heart hammering against her ribs. She couldn’t take it back now. Well, she could, but that would be humiliating. The message was out there, sitting in Grace Clinton’s DMs, waiting to be read.
“See?” Leah smirked. “That wasn’t so hard.”
Y/n groaned and buried her face in her hoodie. “I’m never doing that again.”
“Oh, babe,” Kyra cooed, patting her head. “You’re gonna have to survive until she answers first.”
Y/n peeked at her phone screen one last time before locking it. Maybe getting stitches had been less painful than this.
..
Notes: Please like, share and let me know what you think! Feedback is important and makes me want to write even more. :D
Summary: Y/n Y/l/n didn't think she would ever get back to the standard
Word Count: 2.2k
Warnings: Grace didn't leave spurs in this and signed a permanent contract at the end of her loan spell.
Being a skier, the Winter Olympics were the highest honour, the ultimate chance to represent your country, and Y/n never thought she would have that opportunity again after what had happened four years ago.
*Flashback to four years ago*
Y/n had been skiing for as long as she could walk, and for as long as she could remember, she had wanted to compete at an Olympic Games. Getting the opportunity to do so at only 16 years old was something she had never even dreamt of or thought would be possible.
"Have I got to babysit you now we're all the way in China?" Kirsty jokes.
"Kirsty, you are literally only a year older than me. By that logic, we both need babysitting," Y/n responds, rolling her eyes as she sits down on the bed nearest the window.
"Well, either way, we have a big few weeks ahead of us, and as much as I love you, when we get up that mountain, we are not friends and I am absolutely going to beat you," Kirsty laughs.
"Sure you are. I'll believe that when it actually happens, because from where I'm standing that has never happened," Y/n jokes back.
"Bring it on, Y/l/n."
A few days later, it was time for Y/n and Kirsty’s first event: the big air. This was something Kirsty had actually been doing and competing in for a few years longer than Y/n in junior competitions, but it definitely was not her strongest event.
The first jump was almost perfect and, because of the running order, Y/n was one of the last to go. That meant she was in first place going into the second run - until it happened.
Y/n went into the second run knowing her routine exactly. She had practised it enough to know it like the back of her hand, and because of the success of the first run, she knew she didn’t have to push too far. As long as she landed, she would be in a good position for the final qualifying run. But as many know, one wrong move in any ski event (or many winter sports altogether) can change everything for the worse.
She didn’t even know how it really happened. Her entry was fine, but once she was in the air there must have been too much rotation. Before she knew it, she had lost control of her skis and, before she could try to regain it, she came crashing down. She’d seen bad crashes and had heard others talk about what it felt like - injuries were part of sport - but nothing could have prepared her for the pain that hit instantly on impact with the snow. Y/n tried to get up despite the pain shooting up her leg and arm, but as soon as she tried to move, she realised there was no chance she was walking away from this.
Before Y/n could really think anything else, she was surrounded by medics and people from her team crowding around her, trying to help and move her so they could get her off the slope and get her the help she clearly needed.
"Y/n, can you hear me? Try and relax so they can help you. It's going to be okay," her coach reassures her.
"Where are my sisters? Did Dotty see it?" Y/n asks, realising that both her older and younger sisters are in the crowd, not wanting her little sister to see her like this.
"It's okay, Kirsty’s with them because she was down here already. You need to stop trying to move, Y/n/n. We need to get you to the hospital to get you properly checked out."
After what felt like a lifetime, but was really only a few hours, it was determined that Y/n had a very bad broken leg and a fractured arm. It could have been so much more serious - or so Y/n thought - until she heard that her leg was so badly broken there was a chance that, even with the surgeries she needed, she might never be able to compete at this level again.
*Back to present day*
"I'm so proud of you, Y/n/n," Beth, Y/n's older sister, says as she starts to get her things together to pack her bag. "You've worked so hard to get back to this level. You're going to do great," Beth reassures her, clearly able to tell that her younger sister is nervous about getting injured again.
"Y/n/n?" comes the little voice of Dotty, who was now nearly ten years old.
"Yes, Dot, what's up, kiddo?" Y/n responds.
"Two things," Dotty starts. "One, where’s Gracie? And two, when you are finished being the best skier ever, can we go away like we used to?" she asks.
"Grace is at the shop, she'll be back soon. And yeah, that’s the plan, Dot, we’re all going to go on holiday together," Y/n replies, and, almost on cue, the front door opens, and Grace walks into the kitchen where all three sisters are now sitting. She walks over to Y/n and gives her a quick kiss on the temple. "Hiya, babe, how were the shops?" Y/n asks.
"Busy, but I think I managed to get everything, so we're all set," Grace responds.
"Gracieeee!" Dotty announces.
"Yes, Dot, what's up, darling?" Grace asks, turning all her attention to the youngest sister - something that always made Y/n smile.
"Will you come and play with me? Beth and Y/n/n are boring," Dotty declares.
"Of course I can come and play. They are very boring, aren’t they?" Grace laughs as she is dragged off by Dotty to go and play.
"Your girlfriend is actually going to get stolen by your younger sister," Beth jokes.
"Going to? It’s already happened. We all know it’s Dotty’s world; we’re just living in it," Y/n laughs.
A few days later, Y/n lands in Milan, ready for the Games to begin later that week. Beth, Dotty, and Grace are all coming out in a few days, with both Y/n's older sisters’ and her girlfriend’s football schedules somehow lining up with the Games, which means they were able to go and watch Y/n.
"Y/n/n, so the rumours are true—you’re back," she hears from behind her as she is settling into the room she'll be staying in for the next few weeks, only to be greeted by her old roommate from when they were both kids.
"Kirst, I know, right. It’s been a while. You need to get better at responding to messages."
*skip another couple of days*
Today was the day that Y/n never thought she would get to experience again, she was back competing at Olympic standard, with the first event being the slalom. This event had always been Y/n strongest but that didn't stop how nervous she was for her first run, although she had been back in training and competing for nearly two years now, it was still always in the back of her head that something similar to the injury could happen again, but Y/n knew better than anyone that when it actually came to her run that she had to put that to the back of her mind and fully concentrate on her run, otherwise that is where injuries happened.
The first run went by pretty uneventfully for Y/n, it went to plan, but nothing special, placing her comfortably in 5th place going into the second and final run later in the day. Y/n knew that she had a lot of work to do if she wanted to move up the rankings in the final standings but if she was completely honest 5th place was very impressive for her first big competition back. Of course though, being happy and content with where she was sat, still wouldn't be enough for Y/n and she would love to push further, and in a dream world push for a medal position finish.
Standing at the gate waiting for her second run felt like a lifetime, there was only 4 skiers to go after her and there had been a lot of people falling and so Y/n was currently sat in 7th place. Whilst she is making her way through the run, Y/n thinks it is going to plan, she doesn't want to get too confident but she thinks that it is going very well. Getting to the bottom of the run felt both a relieve and terrifying at the same time, now came the agonising wait to see where she would be on the standings.
After what felt like forever, it was time, Y/n looked up to the board, ready for it to come up, Y/n knew she had done all she could and that was something she could be proud of, and whatever place it turned out to be, Y/n could feel that this was only the beginning and without other injuries, there was big times ahead of her. When she finally saw the results come up, Y/n didn't quite believe it, she was currently sat in first place, with only 4 skiers left to go.
"Oh my God, Y/n/n!" Kirsty practically screams as she runs over to Y/n.
"Calm down Kirst, it's not done yet, there's still people to go," Y/n says, trying to stay calm.
"I don't care that was absolutely amazing, give yourself some credit,"
"I'll give myself the credit when we know for sure,"
Kirsty just rolls her eyes, keeping an arm around Y/n's shoulders as they stand there, watching the next few runs. Now Y/n would never ever wish for anyone to fall and not finish a run, but when the next two skiers fall, confirming Y/n a medal finish, she can't deny that there is a part of her which got rather excited.
"Two more to go, you nervous?" Kirsty asks.
"Shitting it, I can't believe this is happening," Y/n replies.
"I am so proud of you, this is absolutely amazing,"
"Even after a big injury, I'm still beating you," Y/n teases.
"Okay okay no need to rub it in,"
Kirsty just laughs and then they both go back to watching the screen, the person currently sat in third place seemed to be having a good run, she did not fall and Y/n was convinced that it was a better run that hers, but when it came up on the screens, the time was only good enough for second.
One more skier to go.
At least a silver medal secured.
On her first proper attempt.
Y/n couldn't look, she couldn't believe this was happening and right in that moment she couldn't be more grateful for all the people who helped her through her injury and helped her to get back to where she was today.
"It's done, you can look now, I think you've done it Y/n/n," Kirsty says as the last athlete gets to the bottom of the piste.
When it is confirmed on the board, Y/n didn't celebrate straight away, instead she went over to the other two athlete's who have finished in the medal places to congratulate them on their achievements.
"Well done, you were both brilliant," Y/n says as she gets to where they were both stood.
"I think we should be saying that to you, you were brilliant, well done on coming back from the injury,"
"Thank you so much, I can't believe this is happening to be honest," Y/n admits.
"Well enjoy it, well done again," She says as she begins to walk off.
Y/n turns back to the crowd where she knows Dotty, Beth and Grace will be, finding them at the front straight away and running over to them, finally letting herself celebrate what she has actually just done.
"Y/n/n!!" Dotty shouts before her older sister gets over, and when she does she picks her baby sister up and gives her a cuddle.
"You were amazing babe, well done I'm so proud," Grace practically shouts as Y/n gives her half a hug, only having one hand because of still holding Dotty.
"We are all so proud of you, so proud," Beth adds.
"You were sooooo fast Y/n/n," Dotty says, elongating the words in her typical toddler way.
After the medal ceremony Y/n goes back over to her sisters and girlfriend and they all go to spend some time together, getting dinner and then just celebrating Y/n's achievement. Although Y/n loves that her sisters are out in Italy, she is quite excited when Beth takes Dotty off to bed and that leaves Y/n and Grace alone for a little while for the first time all day.
"So I finally get my olympian gold medal winning girlfriend to myself," Grace smirks.
"I suppose you do, although I technically need to be heading back in a little while, my coach may shout at me if I stay out partying all night," Y/n responds.
"What if we aren't out, what if just us are very much inside all night?"
"Gracie, no, when I'm finished after the next event and we are on holiday, we can spend as much time alone together as you want, well apart from when Dotty inevitably interrupts, but at the moment I do need to go back,"
"Fine, but only because you're amazing," Grace admits.
also as someone who has been in kyra’s position, having someone fly out to support you and sit in that space with you is honestly irreplaceable. as my dad said, true love
