Meanwhile, in the main universe:
Tess heads to Britechester University to meet up with her wife Megan. She runs into her cousin Laurel in the commons, and chats with her for a bit, asking about Laurel's husband and kids. Then she heads to the small room that they hold lectures and debates in, and grins as she sees a familiar face. "De la Cruz, what the hell are you doing here?" She asks, going over to her college soccer rival/woohoo partner, Aidan De la Cruz.
Aidan grins at her and pats the seat next to him. "I'm here to talk with the UBrite soccer coach and I wanted to check out the tea and poetry event." He says as she sits down. At Tess’s surprised look, he grins. "What? I can't enjoy poetry?" He asks teasingly. "I just thought you'd be at the sports day event instead," Tess teases back and Aidan shakes his head. "Wow okay, Theresa. I have layers, you know." He says and Tess snorts. "Sure, Aidan." She says and he laughs.
Some background on Tess and Aidan:
They met when they were 20 during a match between the lagoon lobsters, Aidan's team and the Darby Dragons, Tess's team. They weren't enemies per se but they'd tease each other, and Aidan would flirt with Tess or take off his shirt to throw her off her game, which wouldn't really work but she'd get a bit flustered. He'd teasingly call her Theresa, and she'd call him De la Cruz or Aid.
After a game held at Foxbury, Aidan asked Tess out to dinner, and she accepted. They had fun talking about the match, which the lagoon lobsters lost to by just a bit. Aidan admitted to Tess that he liked her and she said she felt the same, and they didn't want anything serious so they went up to Aidan's room to woohoo. Tess was surprised by how sweet Aidan was despite the fact that they'd always compete and tease each other, and the next morning, she left and went back to her dorm.
The two would go on a few dates and hook up sometimes after the games. Once Tess started seriously dating another guy, Julian Zhao, she ended things with Aidan and it was pretty amicable. Now, Tess is married to Megan and Aidan is dating a guy named Noah Feldman, who is Tess’s cousin from her auntie Abby's side, so it's a bit awkward but they're on good terms. Tess did tease Aidan when she first found out, but she's happy for the two of them.
