You never told me
Lize Kop x reader
Summary: Downloading the dating app started as a joke, but after matching with her and talking for a few weeks it has become very much not a joke anymore.
Word count: 3.5k (this got longer than I meant it to)
Warnings: None I don't think
Y/n had never been that interested in football, it wasn't that she didn't like it, she would watch it if it happened to be on the tv, she just didn't really go out of her way to look for it, that was until her younger sister watched one of England's Euro matches and was hooked on the sport. Just because she wasn't as invested as her sister in football, did not mean that Y/n did not enjoy sports all together, in fact Y/n has played tennis since she was around four and never really looked back.
When Y/n's best friend, Emma, said that she should download a dating app, Emma stating that Y/n has been single for too long and that she should get herself out more, Y/n agreed but only as a joke, not thinking it would come to anything anyway.
Emma helps her set up the profile, claiming to be an expert, but Y/n decides to leave out the fact that she plays tennis professionally, knowing from the past that people can treat you differently if they know something like that right from the start.
After a few days, Y/n hadn't really looked at the app, mainly because she had been busy organising her younger sisters birthday party, who was turning 10 next week. Y/n loves her sister more than anything which is why, although it was a massive change and a huge responsibility, she did not hesitate when she was asked to look after her when their mum got ill and couldn't manage it anymore.
"Y/n!!" Dotty shouts from the bottom of the stairs, "are you nearly done? You said you'd play with me when you were finished."
"Nearly done, I'm wrapping the last one now," Y/n responds, "don't come in here, I don't want you to see before next week,"
"Okayyy but be quick, I'm bored."
Y/n just laughs at how impatient her little sister can be when she is bored, before finishing wrapping the last present and putting them back in the bottom of her wardrobe so they are out of the way until next week. Y/n then goes downstairs, checking her phone on the way down to see that Emma said she was leaving and would be there in about 10 minutes.
"Finally!! Can you play with me now please Y/n/n?" Dotty asks.
"Of course I can, and Auntie Emma is coming round soon," Y/n says, sitting down next to Dotty on the floor, noticing that her baby sister had already got the lego out and it was all over the floor as it pretty much always was.
"Yay! Auntie Emma is funny," Dotty practically screams.
Emma doesn't knock when she arrives, never does anymore, Y/n gave her the spare key for emergencies, but Emma took it that it meant she could just let herself in whenever she felt like it.
"Hello my favourite people," Emma announces herself.
"Auntie Emma!" Dotty says, running to where Emma was now stood, arms out ready for a hug from the young child.
"Let yourself in why don't you," Y/n jokes.
"Well you gave me a key so I think that is a you problem," Emma says as she comes over to sit down next to her best mate.
Before Y/n can respond again, Emma is being dragged onto the floor by Dotty to play with her, which Emma happily does. After a while, however, Emma looks back from where she is sat on the floor, playing lego with her honorary niece like it is the most natural thing in the world.
"Soooo, what is going on with the dating app? Anyone interesting come up yet?" Emma asks, and although Y/n does not want to talk about it, but she also knows how persistent her best mate can be so she just sighs.
"I don't actually know, I've barely looked at it," Y/n admits.
"Why not? Come on at least give it a go," Emma protests.
"Not because I haven't wanted to, actually," Y/n starts, playfully rolling her eyes at Emma, "I have just been crazy busy organising everything for Dots birthday,"
"Well you aren't doing anything now, why don't you check it?" Emma responds, staying completely focused on what Dotty is making her build.
Y/n picks up her phone and goes onto the app to see that not much has happened on there, but there is a message from one person, but when Y/n sees that the hello message is from a few days ago, there is a part of her that thinks she may have lost her shot already.
After a quick look at the girls profile, it is clear that she is exactly Y/n's type and so although it probably seems like she has been ignoring this girl for the past few days, Y/n messages back.
Y/n: Hi, so sorry about not responding until now.
"There we go," Y/n says, turning her phone around to show Emma that she had actually messaged someone.
"Wow she's fit, you've got lucky there," Emma responds.
"Nothing has even happened yet, don't get too ahead of yourself."
The rest of the day is pretty quiet, and although she doesn't admit it, Y/n spends the rest of the afternoon checking her phone occasionally, Emma stays after Dotty has been put to bed and Y/n knows that she is going to be interrogated more by her best mate when she comes back down after settling her younger sister.
"So I've seen you looking at your phone all afternoon, what's been going on?" Emma asks.
"Nothing I just don't want to miss a message and not respond for days like I did the first time," Y/n admits.
"You're amazing you know that," Emma laughs.
"What are you talking about?"
"Well most people would not care this much about responding to someone that they haven't even been talking to for a whole day yet,"
*skip a week*
"Y/n!!! Wake up," Is all Y/n hears before she feels Dotty jump onto her.
"Morning Dot, you're up early this morning," Y/n responds looking at the clock to see that it is only half six.
"Yes, because it is my birthday!!" Dotty screams.
"Woah okay, yes it is your birthday, if you let me wake up a little bit and then we can go downstairs okay?"
"Okay, but be quick, I want to open my presents," Dotty says as she jumps off the bed and runs downstairs.
Y/n sits up properly in bed and then checks her phone, not expecting anyone to have messaged her because it was still early, but when she does she sees there is a message from Lize, the girl from the dating app. Since the day Emma was round, Y/n and Lize had been talking a lot and you had already been on a date, luckily Emma is always happy to look after Dotty when Y/n needs help.
Lize: Morning, thought I would message before I left this morning, I have quite a busy day and didn't want you to think I was ignoring you x
Y/n: Morning, you're up early x
Lize: Could say the same to you x
Y/n: Well I have an excited 10 year old who's birthday is today so I was always going to be woken up far too early x
Lize: Oh yeah, I hope she has the best birthday x
Y/n: Thank you, I hope you have a good day too, I better go before she comes and shouts at me for taking too long, but I'll speak to you later? x
Lize: Yeah of course x
Y/n then goes downstairs to see Dotty sat on the floor ready to open her presents, but what she doesn't know is that Y/n has one extra present that she wants Dotty to open last. After Dotty has opened all the presents in front of her, which took a while because after opening each one she would jump up and give her older sister a hug and say thank you each time.
"Thank you so much Y/n/n, I love all of it," Dotty says, moving to sit next to Y/n on the sofa.
"That's ok kiddo, I do have one more surprise for you, do you want to open it now, or later when auntie Emma comes round?" Y/n asks.
"Now please!"
"Okay, let me go get it then," Y/n says going upstairs to get the last present.
Y/n comes back down with it and hands the present to Dotty but this time Y/n got her phone out, wanting to get Dotty's reaction to this one more than any other of the presents she got her younger sister.
"A spurs shirt, thank you, you're the best big sister ever!" Dotty screams.
"Thank you, but I don't think you've seen all of it, what's that piece of paper that fell out of it?" Y/n asks, smiling.
"A ticket?"
"That's right, tomorrow we are going to watch their game against Brighton,"
The rest of the day is pretty chaotic, Dotty insisted on putting her new spurs shirt on straight away, which she didn't at first notice also had her favourite players name and number on the back. And once Emma and a few of Dotty's friends got round later on in the day it was even louder, but Dotty was having a great time and that is all Y/n cared about. After a lot of encouraging and persuading, Y/n finally got Dotty to go to sleep, only half an hour later than the ideal bedtime. Once Y/n had tidied up a bit and finally sat down for what felt like the first time all day, finally getting to look at her phone, where she sees another message from Lize.
Lize: Hey, how has your day been? Did Dotty have a good birthday? x
Y/n: Hiya, yes very busy but Dotty had the best time so that's what matters x
Lize: Ahh that's good, I'm glad she had a good day, did she get any nice presents? x
Y/n: Yeah, well I thought I spoiled her but then my best mate Emma came round and I swear she must have got her nearly double of what I did, pretty sure I still won for the best present though x
Lize: Very confident, and what was this amazing present you got her then? x
Y/n: Well I got her a football shirt with her favourite player on the back and then tickets for a game tomorrow. x
Lize: Oh you follow football? x
Y/n: Not really, Dot loves it though, absolutely obsessed, what about you, do you follow football? x
Lize: You could say that x
Y/n thought that was a bit of a weird response but she didn't really think anything of it and they just carried on talking for a while longer before Y/n says she should probably go to bed, expecting another early wake up the next morning because of how excited Dotty was going to be.
And Y/n was very right, because the next morning again at half six she feels her younger sister jump onto her bed again, but this time she climbs in next to Y/n and lays down.
"Morning little one," Y/n says, wrapping her arm round her little sister for a hug. "you not as excited today?"
"No I am, but I wanted a cuddle first,"
They lay there for a while before Y/n says that they need to get up and have some breakfast so that they can leave in time to get to the stadium before kick off. So after Y/n made pancakes and Dotty had used far too much chocolate sauce, they made their way upstairs and finished getting ready before leaving the house and getting into the car.
It wasn't an overly long drive to the stadium where spurs women played, but Y/n wanted to get there early so that she could give her sister the full experience, knowing that the younger girl has wanted to come watch a game live for ages.
It's when they get to their seats that Y/n first sees her, all the players are warming up but it is the goalkeeper she is drawn to, at first she puts it down as a mistake but this girl looks exactly like Lize. Putting it aside for now she turns to Dotty.
"Who's your favourite again Dot?" Y/n asks her younger sister.
"Lize Kop," it has to be a coincidence, surely Lize would have told Y/n that she was a professional footballer, especially after their conversation last night.
"Ahh I see, and which one is she?" Y/n continues, trying to seem as normal as possible, not wanting all the questions from her younger sister.
"The one in goal, she is soooo good, I want to be just like her when I grow up, can I start playing football Y/n? Not just in the garden, but like a proper team?"
"Of course you can, I can sort that out for you I'm sure," Y/n agrees, although she isn't fully focused on the conversation, still looking towards the goal, where she is almost certain is the girl she has been talking to for the past few weeks.
It's not long before all the players are finished warming up and start walking towards the tunnel, which is right near where Y/n and Dotty were sat, Dotty jumped up as Lize started to walk over and started shouting her name and waving. Without thinking, Lize looks up to above the tunnel where Dotty was shouting from, but when she looks up, she and Y/n lock eyes, Lize, not fully knowing what to do, waves back to Dotty and gives Y/n a smile before walking down the tunnel towards the changing room, planning to speak to Y/n and the end of the game.
"Y/n!!! She waved at me, did you see?" Dotty screams.
"I did, that is so cool isn't it?"
So it turns out that Lize is like incredible at football, well Y/n doesn't really know a thing about football but she thinks that Lize is great, and Y/n does know that the goalkeeper's main job is to stop the other team scoring any goals and she does that for the full game so she must be pretty good.
After the final whistle the players all go round shaking each others hands and talking to each other for a while before some players start to come towards the stands to meet some fans or see their family who are here, but Y/n notices that Lize starts to walk straight towards her and Dotty.
"Hey Y/n," She says as she finally gets over to them.
"Y/n how does Lize Kop know your name?" Dotty asks.
"And you must be Dotty," Lize says, crouching down to be at the young girls level, Dotty goes shy at this and clings to Y/n.
"Sooo... you never told me you were like an amazing footballer," Y/n comments playfully.
"Yeah, uhm I was going to but I didn't want to straight away because people can sometimes get funny when they know from the start, has it put you off?" the athlete asks, avoiding eye contact at the last bit.
"No," Y/n simply states, one of her arms still around Dotty who hadn't moved from right next to her.
"Wait really?"
"Of course not, I completely get why you did it, and although this means this one is going to like you more than I do," Y/n starts, gesturing towards Dotty, "but I guess that is kind of cute, so no I don't mind, but I wasn't lying last night when I said I know nothing about football." Y/n laughs.
"Well that is relieving, anyway I have to go but are you guys rushing off?" Lize asks.
"We don't have to no, we were just going to go for dinner before going home,"
"Well if you can wait for about half an hour, I'd love to come with you both, as long as that isn't overstepping,"
"That sounds lovely, where should we wait for you?" Y/n asks.
"Just wait outside near where the bus is, there will probably be some fans out there already so it should be alright, I'll be as quick as I can," Lize says as she runs off down the tunnel to go get ready.
"Y/n?" Dotty says as they start to walk out of the stadium.
"Yes Dot, you okay? You went a bit shy there didn't you,"
"How do you know her?"
"Well you know I have been talking to someone a lot recently and Auntie Emma looked after you when I went out that night, well Lize is who I have been talking to,"
"That is so cool,"
After waiting a little while Y/n and Dotty see Lize, now with wet hair from a shower and in a team tracksuit instead of her kit.
"You both good to go?" She asks as she gets over to them.
"Yeah all good," Y/n responds. They all then start to walk off, Lize ignoring the teasing from her team mates as they do.
"Ignore them, they think they're funny, right where are we going?" Lize asks as they're walking away.
"We were thinking Italian, Dotty wanted a pizza didn't you Dot,"
"Ooh that is a great choice, I know a lovely place just around the corner from here, what do you like on your pizza Dotty?" Lize asks, clearly trying to bring the young girl out of her shell a bit.
"I usually just get ham," Dotty replies.
"That is a brilliant choice,"
They all have a lovely dinner and once Dotty had got over being shy it was much better and she definitely enjoyed meeting her idol just as much, if not more than the actual match. After they had all eaten, and after Y/n and Lize argue over who is paying for the dinner, which Lize wins, they make their way back out and start to walk back to the station, and once they get on the train Lize just smiles and opens her bag.
"So Dotty, did I hear you're sister say that I'm your favourite player?" Lize asks.
"Yeah, cause you're like the best goalkeeper ever," Dotty responds.
"And I also heard that it was your birthday yesterday, so I think I have something you might like," Lize says, pulling something out her bag, once she's got it out, Y/n can see that it is Lize's matchworn shirt from the game today. "Here you go kiddo,"
"Wow really? Can I keep it?" Dotty asks, very excited.
"Of course you can, it's all yours,"
"Thank you, thank you!" Dotty says as she jumps up and wraps her arms around Lize for a hug.
"You're welcome, and maybe next time you come to a match, how about I get some of the other girls to come over and meet you?"
"Really?"
"Don't feel like you have to do all of this Lize," Y/n says.
"I know, but I want to," Lize smiles.
Before long they get to Y/n and Dotty's stop and Lize says she is also getting off because she needs to change trains to get home, which makes the goodbye less rushed.
"Thank you again for giving her the shirt, that's made her year," Y/n says, going in for a hug with the athlete.
"You don't need to thank me, I'll have to give you one too for the next time you bring her to a game, you may not understand what's going on but you can at least look good whilst you're clueless," Lize smirks.
"Oi, I'm not completely clueless, thank you very much," Y/n argues.
"Yes you are," Dotty starts, "we were watching a game the other week and she asked why someone picked it up when they were taking a throw in," she laughs, directing the last bit towards Lize as they both laugh.
"Wow so you're just both going to gang up on me all the time aren't you?" Y/n moans, rolling her eyes but smiling at how happy her younger sister is with Lize. "And anyway it's called football of course I was confused,"
"You're so cute, look as much as I would love to carry on teasing you, if I miss this next train in a few minutes I'm going to have to wait half an hour, but how about next time we see each other, me and Dotty can teach you a bit, if you're going to be more involved in football you may as well know a bit about it," Lize smiles.
"Ok that sounds great, yes go get your train, text me when you get home safe please and I'll see you soon," Y/n replies.
"See you soon Y/n/n, bye Dotty, I'll see you later," Lize says as she walks off to the platform where her next train is, and Y/n and Dotty walking out of the station to make their way home.
