If there was one thing you loved most in the world, it was your girlfriend, or fiancée, to give her the proper title. You loved everything about her, everything. There was just one small, tiny, minuscule thing that made you loathe her existence and that was her sleeping habits.
Sometimes Alessia didn’t sleep, just opting to stay awake all night reading or watching TV. Other nights, she’d fall asleep, only to then wake up and make your life a living hell until she’d get comfortable again.
Alessia always made the joke that she’d sleep the entire night if she wasn’t hyper aware, even in her sleep, when your arms weren’t wrapped around her. You’d of course find it stupid when she made that argument, but in fairness, whenever she woke you in the middle of the night, you’d always have your back to her.
Most nights once she’d cuddle into you or you’d turn around and throw your arm over her, the girl would be asleep in seconds. It’s like she craved you being as close as possible to make her body fully switch off and relax. But there were other nights that you just couldn’t be close enough, and Alessia wouldn’t be able to settle. Like tonight.
Tonight, you could hear the TV faintly playing in the background and you could feel Alessia gently stroking the tattoos on your back with her nails. Alessia never liked to wake you, she’d let you sleep peacefully even when she couldn’t. You weren’t one who liked being woken up either, but if you had to pick a way, the most perfect girl in the world running her nails gently across your body would be the option you’d pick.
When you got the coaching job with the Lionesses, you got a little cap with Alessia’s legacy number, 215, on it tattooed on the back of your ribs. That seemed to be the one she went to constantly, before tracing over all your other ones, all the way up to your neck and then moving down your back again. There were plenty of tattoos to choose from, ranging in sizes.
When she’d get bored of that, she’d start moving around the bed, trying to get comfortable, until she would wake you up. She’d never purposely wake up but when you felt she was severely uncomfortable, you’d finally budge to help her.
“Less, please, baby. I’m beggin’ ye to please just-”
“It’s not my fault!” Alessia huffed. “I can’t get comfortable and you’re taking up three quarters of the bed” she added, forcing you to turn around with a groan.
You were in no way taking up more than your half of the bed, but the minute you looked at her tired face, you could tell she really needed you and was just grumpy at the lack of sleep.
“Just move me wherever ye need me, darlin’” you sighed, a little more empathetically. Alessia wiggled around for another few minutes, eventually settling her head on your chest and your fingers began gently running through her hair.
“Better?” You asked.
Alessia’s fingertips ran along the 23 tattoo you’d gotten for her very early into your relationship while she breathed out a silent hum.
“Better”.
You nestled your head back into your pillow, content in falling back asleep in this position, until Alessia spoke again.
“What’s your favourite tattoo?” She asked.
“Of mine? Or yours?” You mumbled, keeping in the groan that you wanted to let out at the fact that it was 2:15am.
She’d never questioned you much on them before, never getting into the detail of them apart from her 23 one and the cap on your back. Your body was covered in tattoos, you had way over 100 easily, and had started getting them from when you turned 15. Once you realised that you were cursed with middle child syndrome and your parents barely had time to bat an eyelid at you, you just started getting tattoos.
“Your own” Alessia clarified. “I know your favourite one on me already” she giggled.
She’d also gotten your jersey number tattooed on her ring finger, but when that got covered up by the massive rock you’d put there, she got a new one which was dedicated to you. She had a little shamrock leaf right behind her ear that she got a few days after you proposed.
“I like my 23” you mumbled. “But my favourite one is this one” you said, guiding her hand over the massive flower bouquet that covered your entire thigh.
“Why?” Alessia whispered, as you sensed by her hushed expression that she was getting a bit tired now.
“That was the bouquet I got ye for our first date, completely the same” you smiled, keeping your tone of voice soothing.
“Really?” Alessia yawned, too tired to comprehend that fully.
“Yeah, really” you nodded, feeling her hand slide from your leg up to your stomach and tracing over the multiple tattoos you had there.
“Tell me about this one” Alessia said, nestling into the crook of your neck and skimming her fingernail over the writing.
“The whole Irish squad got it when we qualified for the World Cup” you explained. “We all forgot to agree on a body part so we all ended up gettin’ them in random places” you chuckled, thinking about the fact yours was on your stomach and not your arm because you were struggling to find room.
“This one” she said, wrapping her hand around your neck. When you moved to Barcelona, you got a gigantic tattoo that started on your shoulder and worked its way up your neck.
“I got it done in Barcelona” you reminded her. “The third or fourth day after I’d moved, I was really missin’ ye and missin’ home, so I went and got it” you explained.
“But what’s the meaning? Or were you just bored?” Alessia giggled.
“It’s the inner part of a clock showin’ 1pm and 2pm” you mumbled, making Alessia sit up and look at you and how weird that sounded.
“You’re beyond ridiculous, how did you even think of that?” She chuckled out, stroking your face and your neck where the tattoo was.
“My 2pm was your 1pm” you mumbled, making Alessia realise you were referring to the 1 hour time difference between London and Barcelona.
The thought of time made her eyes heavy again, becoming more aware of how late it was. Maybe at some stage she’d not be tired enough to let it sink in how your body was practically a shrine to her.
“What about your new ones?” Alessia continued anyway, tracing up your arm despite her eyes being closed now.
“The one’s Georgia did?” You chuckled softly. “They’ve no meanin’, she just needed somewhere to practice” you sighed, looking down at the silly little tattoos Georgia had given you after you lost a bet with her at the last England camp.
“Keep going” Alessia squeezed your hip and swung her leg over your body. You swear sometimes Alessia acted like she’d only be content if she could cut you open and climb inside of you.
You harped on for another 15 minutes, going through the multiple tattoos across your body. Although Alessia had kept you up and she seemed to be the first one drifting off, you couldn’t help but feel so at ease at the way she perfectly traced the outline of some of your tattoos, without even having to look.
Eventually, your tattoo talk had lulled Alessia back to sleep, but now you were the one struggling, because there was only one thing on your mind.
What Happens in Vegas (Alessia Russo x Mac McCabe)
From The Pretender series
In this universe, Mac and Alessia broke up and after 4 years, reunite at Leah’s wedding
It had been four years since Alessia broke up with you and four years since you last saw her. After you were forced into an early retirement, you went a bit insane.
When you and Alessia broke up, you took a job outside of football, in Barcelona, just working as the lead Spanish and English speaking contractor for a big company there. It wasn’t too challenging, you loved fixing things, but it paid really well due to the two languages and the physical nature of the work.
You stayed close enough with Leah, but mostly it was Alexia that you relied on through the break up. You and Alexia lived in the same building, just in separate apartments. Alexia lived with her then girlfriend and now wife, Olga, and you could afford your own place, so you never wanted to intrude in their space full time. You enjoyed your own company.
Alessia and Leah stayed best friends and housemates for a long time, until Leah met her girlfriend, Elle. When she moved out of the home the three of you once shared, Alessia moved into a smaller, downsized place with Alban.
The break up with Alessia had broken you in ways you didn’t even think was possible. Your life was already falling apart as it was with your career ending, and she, understandably, just didn’t know how to cope with that or how to help you. You, being you, never made it easy for her either. You shut down when she tried to help or constantly trying to drink away your problems. It was a toxic cycle, and in fairness to Alessia, she put a stop to it for her own sake.
You respected it, but it left you brokenhearted. You wished you could have handled the entire situation better, because, who knows? Maybe Alessia was actually the one. Maybe you could have had a family, done something else in and around the football world and been happy. Instead of being this miserable, blank person you’d turned into in Barcelona.
You were pretty sure Alessia was the one, because it had been four years and you still hadn’t got over her.
-
“Hola Mac” Alexia called from your front door, letting herself in with her key.
“Hola” you mumbled back. “Is Olga with ye?”
“No, just me” she said, shutting the front door and heading to your kitchen.
She came into the room, seeing you sitting at the kitchen table with your head in your hands.
“¿Todo bien?” Alexia frowned, quickly taking a seat beside you.
“Not really” you shook your head, handing her the piece of paper.
“A wedding?” Alexia asked, scanning the paper until she landed on the name.
“Le- Leah is getting married?” She gasped.
“Yeah” you replied. “I don’t have a choice, do I? I have to go” you groaned.
“Sí, that’s right” she agreed.
“Ye need to come as my date” you began.
“No, no” she shook her head. “No way”
“Please, I can’t go on my own” you begged.
“Nosotras casi nos besamos” Alexia blurted out.
“Ye almost kissed who?” You frowned.
“Wait do ye mean Leah? Ye almost kissed Leah? When? What the fuck? Does Olga know?” You spilled out
“No” she said, squishing your lips together to get you to shut up.
“It was before we even were engaged and I didn’t really kiss her” she explained.
“Okay, so we can both be awkward together then” you suggested.
“Olga will say no, she will miss me too much” Alexia shrugged.
“She won’t say no to me” you smirked.
Olga loved you, anything she broke she would come over and bat her eyelids and you’d come and fix it for her in their apartment. She would thank you by cooking or baking for you. You liked Olga, her and Alexia made a lot of sense as a couple. You couldn’t ever imagine Alexia and Leah working out in any universe.
So, Olga agreed once you’d asked, of course. Despite Alexia thinking Olga would say no because she would miss her, Olga was delighted to get her out of the apartment and have a few days of peace. In return, you had to assemble a flat pack Olga had bought on a whim without Alexia knowing. So you put it together for the Spanish girl and had it ready and standing before Alexia even got home, so Olga could make it out that it had been there the entire time.
But you were just thankful that for the first time you were going to see Alessia in four years, your best friend was going to be with you.
-
Back in London, your ex girlfriend was going through a similar crisis. Of course she had a little bit more warning that the date for Leah’s wedding was coming. She was the maid of honour. She knew you were going to be there, but it hadn’t really hit her until Leah got your RSVP including a plus one.
“What does she mean by a plus one? Is she dating someone?” Alessia frowned.
It was impossible to know with you what was going on in your life. You had really enjoyed when you were with Alessia posting about your life together online because it was like you were documenting everything for your future. But that future didn’t exist now and you gave up with posting about your life.
“Not that I’m aware” Leah shrugged. “It’s probably Alexia”
“Why would it be Alexia?” Alessia moaned.
“Because she probably doesn’t want to come on her own and wants someone she’s comfortable with there” Leah explained.
“What if she brings a date? What do I do then?” Alessia huffed.
“There’s nothing stopping you bringing a date” Leah said.
“You know her better than anyone, she’s just awkward. I’m telling you it’s not a date” Leah reassured her, taking out her phone that had beeped
Leah was right. You were a very awkward individual and hated stepping outside your comfort zone. You would only ever step outside your comfort zone for one person, but she wasn’t in your life anymore.
Mac
Hey, thanks for the invite to the wedding and congrats to you and Elle. Just wanted to let you know that my +1 is Alexia. If that’s not alright it’s grand though.
“I’m sure this text wasn’t for me” Leah smirked, turning the phone around to show Alessia your message. “Better?”
“Yeah” she nodded. “It’s been four years, why am I still so hung up on someone that I broke up with?” Alessia sighed.
“You haven’t really put yourself back out there either” Leah mentioned.
“I’ve tried” Alessia groaned. “Say if something happened-”
“Please” Leah stopped her. “If you two got back together it would make my life so much easier” she laughed.
“So, you’d be fine?” Alessia asked.
“Yes, but you need to play a bit hard to get. You can’t just go for it straight away” Leah explained.
“Well, what do you think I should do?” Alessia asked.
-
You’d gotten to the hotel late last night, so you and Alexia had just made a brief plan of what time to be ready for before going to your rooms and curling up in bed.
You hadn’t been in London in 4 years.
You, as usual, were ready at the agreed time, banging on Alexia’s door who took a minute to open it.
“You look nice” Alexia smiled as she opened her hotel room door.
“Thanks” you nodded. “I’d say the same, but you’re still not ready. Vamos, por favor” you mumbled.
“Sí, come in” she giggled, throwing you a bag of mini cookies to distract you at the fact that she wasn’t ready.
“I just need to put my dress and shoes on and then we can go. Eat your cookies and shut up” she said, pointing to the bag of biscuits that you were munching on and scrolling on your phone.
The next time you looked up, Alexia was stood applying lipstick in the mirror, now fully ready to go.
“Ye look nice” you mumbled.
“I know” she smirked. “Come here” she said, tightening your tie and straightening your jacket.
“Vale, vamos” she smiled, squishing your cheeks and walking out of the room.
You sat down near the middle of the room, speaking Spanish with Alexia, a thing you two often did when you were in public spaces, until your voice caught in your throat.
“Mac?” Alexia frowned as she saw your eyes drop to the floor.
“Oh” she mumbled when she saw who was now stood at the top of the room. Alexia met you when you had been with Alessia for quite some time. She’d watched you struggle to put yourself back out there over the last four years. But she’d never seen you so anxious as you were right now.
“This was a mistake” you whispered. “I can’t be here” you added.
“Relax. It’s okay” Alexia threw her hand on your knee. “She can’t stop looking at you, should I wave?” Alexia asked, fully serious.
“Do not fuckin’ move that hand or I will break it, Reina” you huffed. “She looks so good, I can’t cope” you groaned.
“Just think of dinner” Alexia said, trying to distract you, which seemed to be working in helping to ease you as she noticed you looking at her like a puppy.
“Did that work? Vale, sí, dinner” she continued. “And whatever I don’t eat, you can have”
“Really?” You asked.
“Sí. What are you going to order?” She mumbled.
She pulled out her phone to show you the menu again as you were now fully distracted going over the wide selection of food. You subconsciously thanked Leah’s wife to be because you know there was no way Leah put this menu together. It distracted you right the way up to the music beginning to play and the ceremony beginning. You were delighted for Leah, really you were, but you could not keep your eyes off of Alessia.
She looked beautiful.
Thankfully you were sat separately for dinner, and you thought you were going to get away with not speaking to her for the whole night, until Alexia sent you to the bar to get her a drink.
“Uh, hey” you stuttered to the girl stood beside you.
“Hi, Mac” Alessia smiled as your heart dropped. Why was she calling you that?
“Can I, uh” you said, still a bit taken a back. “Do ye want a drink?” You asked.
“I’m good Mac, thank you” she nodded, taking her drink from the bar and walking away.
Mac? What the fuck?
“What’s up?” Leah smiled as she wrapped her arm around you.
“Nothin’” you shook your head. “Congratulations” you added, giving her a hug.
“Did I see you and Less talking?” She asked, nudging your shoulder.
“Yeah, she just called me Mac twice and went back to her mates” you explained.
“What?” Leah frowned.
“Here you are” the bartender said, sliding you two drinks.
“I’ll see ye in a bit” you faked a smile to the bride, not wanting to bother her with your issues on her wedding day. You got back to the table and slammed Alexia’s drink down in front of her.
“That bad?” Alexia said.
“Yeah” you groaned. “I don’t think tonight could get worse, actually”
“Think again” Alexia mumbled as your older sister sat down beside you.
“A text would have been nice to let me know ye were comin’” Katie huffed.
“Right” you nodded back and let your eyes fall to the ground.
“Alessia Russo” Leah whisper shouted. “I said play hard to get, not abandon all morals you had on that nickname”
“It slipped out” Alessia groaned. “I’ve completely fucked it, haven’t I?” She asked as Leah glanced over to your table.
She watched on as you practically squirmed in your seat as Katie chatted the ear off you. As per usual, your eyes were glued to the ground and Alexia also sat awkwardly, not really understanding the English with how quick your sister spoke.
“I’m sure she’d forgive you if you go save her from that” Leah said, flicking her eyes towards you as Alessia looked over.
You and Katie had spoken less in the last four years than you had with Alessia. And despite not really knowing you anymore, your ex girlfriend understood that you wanted to be swallowed whole by the ground right now.
She got to her feet, not yet thinking about what she was going to say until she was right at the edge of your table.
“Y/n?” Alessia said, interrupting Katie completely as you looked up.
“Can we talk?” She asked, as you very quickly nodded and got up off the seat, following her over towards the dance floor that was now jam packed.
Alexia also got up from the table, spotting Lia and Mariona and striking up a conversation with them.
“Did ye want to dance or somethin’?” You frowned as Alessia now realised she’d pulled you onto the dance floor.
“I was just trying to get you away, but I don’t know what option was worse for you” Alessia giggled.
“Definitely not you anyway” you shook your head with a smile as a slow song turned on.
“Do ye want to dance?” You asked again as the girl nodded and pressed against you rather quickly.
“I didn’t mean to call you Mac” the girl whispered against your chest as your fingers interlocked with hers, your other hand resting on her lower back and hers on your shoulder.
“I never thought I’d hear ye say that name” you chuckled as the girl found a weird comfort in the way your body vibrated against her.
“I was so nervous to see ye as it was, that’s why I brought Lex with me” you explained.
“You were nervous?” She asked.
“Terrified” you nodded as she pulled back a little bit to look up at you. “I know it’s been four years, but I still struggle not to think about ye” you admitted.
“I find it hard too” Alessia explained as you softened a little. “Have you-”
“Once” you answered her before she asked the question. “I met a girl in Barcelona and we went on one date, but it just wasn’t the same” you shrugged.
“You’re trying to tell me in four years you’ve slept with one person?” She asked, not really believing you.
“Yeah” you nodded. “Why? Have ye slept with more?” You frowned.
“Two” she answered honestly. “But yeah, it wasn’t the same” she repeated as the two of you stayed silently swaying to the next song. Why did it have to be this song?
“Ye know” you began. “I always thought if we were goin’ to get married some day, that this would be our weddin’ song” you hummed.
“Really?” Alessia said, fully backing away as if you’d said the complete wrong thing.
“I did too” she smiled, and that smile could have killed you, especially when her hand slid from your shoulder to the back of your neck.
“Less, I’ve spent four years tryin’ to get over ye” you mumbled.
“Well I can’t get over you” she whispered in your ear. “And I can’t keep pretending that I am” she said.
“I don’t know what I’m meant to do here” you sighed as you pulled back from her a little.
“Yes you do” she nodded, unlocking your hands and guiding your free one to her waist.
“You know exactly what to do” she groaned against your ear as you practically went weak.
You pushed your lips against hers and way too many memories came flooding back to you, good and bad. But you pushed them all to the back of your mind, because your focus had to be on one thing and one thing only. You were taking this girl back to your hotel room.
“Can we go somewhere more private?” You asked the girl who was already nodding and dragging you out of the room. She pulled you by the tie into the lift, trapping herself willingly between the wall and your body.
“Did you bring anything, baby?” She asked between kisses as you shook your head. “That’s okay, you’re more than enough” she smirked as you kissed down her neck, pulling her dress up slightly.
“Wait until we get into the room” she giggled and slapped your hand.
“Can’t help it” you smirked. “Ye don’t understand how badly I want ye”
“Trust me, I do. I want you just as badly” she confirmed as finally the lift doors opened on your floor.
You led her down the hall by her hand and when you stopped to get the key card out of your pocket, she bit your earlobe before whispering, “I want you to fuck me so good, like a good girl”
“Yes, boss” you nodded, pulling her inside as the door opened.
You actually kind of felt bad for Leah that two of her best friends had left her wedding for hours on end. Too busy fucking the life out of each other three floors up in the comfort of a hotel room. You explored Alessia’s body again like it was a new found religion.
It’d been so long since you both had slept with someone that you mutually agreed through a chuckle that the first time you both finished didn’t count, and you were determined to make up for lost time. And after about 10 rounds, you eventually both decided to take a break.
“I’ve missed ye so much” you said as the two of you laid back on the mattress, turned on your sides to face each other.
“I missed you too” she nodded, stroking the side of your face gently. “Is there any way we could start over?” She asked.
“What do ye mean? Like ye want to be together again?” You replied.
“I don’t know? Maybe?” She sighed. “It’s never going to be the same with anybody else and I’m still in love with you” she admitted as you gulped.
“I love ye too, Less” you smiled as she pulled you in to kiss you again.
“Come home” she pouted. “What are you doing in Barcelona?”
“I’m working as a contractor for this company” you mumbled.
“As in, you’re like-”
“Maintenance, basically” you cut across her.
“So do you wear those sexy trousers?” She smirked.
“Yeah, and then the company polo is like light grey” you explained, taking your phone off the counter to show her a photo.
“God, you’re so fit” she moaned. “Go back down” she mumbled, attempting to push your head as you laughed.
“Ye know, we should both probably go back down. Before Alexia or Leah kills us” you added.
“That’s true” she nodded with a giggle. “But on one condition” she said.
“Yeah?”
“You promise to take me back up here later to go asleep” she smiled.
“Deal” you nodded. “I’m never goin’ anywhere again” you added, before pressing your lips to hers.
I’m Not Drunk, You’re Drunk (Alessia Russo x Mac McCabe)
From The Pretender series
A/n - The first time I posted this I did get some comments on the stereotype of Italians and links to the mafia. This post was written to be interpreted in a silly/funny way and does not mean to feed into a stereotype or label people. I’m sorry if this post causes any offence.
Since the beginning of your relationship, Alessia had always felt comfortable. There may have been a slight blip when she thought, after you moved to Barcelona, that you were getting with your captain, but once she realised it wasn’t the case, she fully understood you’d never do anything to hurt her.
But she couldn’t help it, despite trusting you with every ounce of her heart and fibre of her being, she still got jealous. Heaps of girls constantly flung themselves at you, and she understood why. You were a 6’2, tattooed footballer with a smile that would make a girl drop dead and eyes so dark someone could get lost in them like a forest.
So although you were hers, she wanted to make everyone aware of that, wherever the two of you were.
There was just one slight problem with you, which was that you never really understood when a girl was flirting with you. It wasn’t like it never got to a point in the conversation when you would realise, but you wouldn’t shoot a girl down for just striking up a conversation, only if she tried anything else. Alessia didn’t care if you spoke to people, or if people talked to you, as long as the conversation was PG.
You didn’t drink much anymore since your head injury, so you’d usually just nurse a singular bottle of beer for the entire night, or just had a 0% alcohol drink. It was a great system for Alessia, because she could have as many drinks as she wanted, while also knowing she’d get home safely thanks to you. It was your sole purpose on nights out to make sure she was okay, and the she was safe. You worshipped that girl, and you’d never do anything to hurt her, not even when her crazy, drunken, overprotective side came out.
-
You were out tonight with some of the Arsenal girls, it was coming close to Christmas and they wanted to celebrate the break in the season before they all headed off home. When you saw Katie, you felt like you could use a drink, so you bought one to keep you occupied while she talked to you. Your relationship with Katie was very distant, but it suited you. You didn’t not get on with her, you just preferred small doses.
“Ye gonna come home for Christmas?” Katie asked.
“Uh, we’re doin’ Christmas with Alessia’s family this year” you shrugged, taking a sip from your bottle.
“Just like last year” Katie mumbled. “Ye would swear ye were avoidin’ home” she challenged.
“It’s not that, we’re just doin’ Christmas there because her parents invited us” you sighed, not really wanting to have this conversation with Katie right now, or ever.
The girls had all had a few drinks in Beth’s house before heading out, so a lot of them were tipsy already, including Katie.
“I’m gonna go to the bar, do ye want a drink?” You asked, politely.
“Not from you” Katie shook her head and walked off back towards Caitlin.
You took a deep breath as she walked off, finding Alessia, and simultaneously, Leah’s eyes. You held your drink up, pointing to the glass to ask if they wanted another drink, which of course they did.
You headed to the bar to get some drinks, and this place was so packed that not even your tall figure could easily get to the front of the bar.
“Busy in here, isn’t it?” A girl beside you mumbled.
“Yeah” you nodded.
“If you can’t get in, I have no hope” she giggled, poking your arm.
“You’re small, ye could wiggle in there” you pointed out, nodding to a gap that was forming as the girl squeezed through it. She pulled you by the arm, leading you through the pack of people to get to the front.
You ordered your drinks separately, the girl not even asking if you wanted one, or waiting for you to ask. She clearly had places to be, you thought, but that place seemed to be right beside you.
“So, what do you do? And where is that accent from?” She shouted over the music.
“I’m from Dublin” you explained. “I work for the FA” you explained.
“What’s that?” She frowned. “Like the police?”
“Uh, no” you laughed. “Football” you clarified.
“I don’t really know anything about football” she giggled. “But I guess that explains, this” she mumbled, flicking her eyes up and down and letting them land on your arms, getting a better look at your tattoos.
“What do ye do?” You asked, not noticing the girl’s eyes checking you out as you turned to pay for the three drinks.
“I’m a chef” she explained, which caught your attention.
You loved food. You loved eating food, thinking about food, talking about food, so you happily stood with this girl, talking about her restaurant and her menu.
“You could always come around some time and I’d cook for you” she smirked.
“My mate’s a very picky eater” you chuckled, shaking your head at the thought of Leah’s eating habits.
“Oh no baby, I meant just you, at my place” she whispered, fingernails tracing over your tattoos.
“I’m sorry” you stepped so far backwards you knocked into someone and nearly spilled their drinks.
“I’m actually, uh, I have a girlfriend” you stuttered, not really understanding how this girl thought you’d been flirting with her when you thought you’d just been having a good conversation about food.
“I don’t see a girlfriend” she continued, stepping a little bit towards you.
“Uh, she’s over there” you pointed to where Leah was, but Alessia wasn’t there anymore.
“That blonde girl?” She frowned, pointing at Leah.
“This blonde girl, actually” Alessia clicked her tongue and pursed her lips at the girl, tucking into your side and placing her hand over your stomach.
“I’m her girlfriend” she hissed.
“I just presumed you were single when you kept talking to me” the girl shrugged.
“We were talking about food, she’s a chef” you whispered to Alessia, who felt your stomach rumbling under her touch.
“Not only did you try to flirt with my girlfriend, but you made her hungry!” Alessia slurred as you frowned at her, realising now she was very drunk.
“Listen, I don’t want your girlfriend, okay?” The girl replied, rolling her eyes at your very drunk girlfriend’s erratic hand gestures.
“Well, you invited me back to your house” you inputted, not helping the situation in any way.
“Do you know what my name is?” Alessia shouted.
“I don’t even know what her name is” the girl bit back.
“My name is Alessia Mia Teresa Russo! Do you know what that makes me?” She drunkenly shouted as you held back a laugh at how hilarious this situation was.
“Italian! My family basically run the mafia, we could have you-” she continued before you cut her off.
“Oh okay, that’s enough” you inputted, covering her mouth with your hand.
“Just to explain, she’s only half Italian, there’s no mafia. Ye are perfectly safe” you rambled, pulling your future wife away and apologising to the girl who was seconds away from begging you to sleep with her before Alessia interrupted.
“Why didn’t you let me finish?” Alessia snapped.
“Ye can’t threaten to murder someone with the mafia every time they talk to me” you groaned.
“Really Less? The mafia thing? Again?” Leah chuckled.
“Leah, you don’t understand, she was a chef and tried to seduce my baby with food” Alessia sobbed against your chest as you and Leah shot each other a look to remind each other not to laugh.
“It’s okay darlin’, look, I’m here with ye, amn’t I? I’d never leave ye” you reassured her as she drunkenly kissed you, pulling you roughly by the neck.
“Take me home” she whispered as you nodded at her.
“I don’t know why I’m agreeing to this, but I’m going too” Leah sighed, grabbing all three of your coats. You took yours from her hand and wrapped it around Alessia’s shoulders as you left the place.
“Are your headphones charged?” You smirked, watching Leah roll her eyes at you.
When the three of you got into a taxi, Alessia had practically passed out on your shoulder, her hand on your opposite shoulder and yours resting on her thigh
“Uh, Lee?” You whispered.
“Mmm?” The girl mumbled, wrapping her hands around your arm and tucking into you.
“Less throws around that mafia comment a lot. Ye don’t think-”
“No” Leah shook her head. “I don’t think Carol and Mario are high up in the mafia” she chuckled.
“Okay, Mac, Alessia, it’s really straight forward. We are going to call out some questions and we just want you to try and answer them” the media presenter said.
You and Alessia had been called in to do some type of promotional video. You usually rejected these offers, especially if it was with Alessia, but the board had given the okay for you to go ahead with today. You had said to Alessia before you went in to try and keep it professional, but once you sat down beside her, she slid her hand into yours with a giggle. Alessia was impossible to retain any professional boundaries with because she was just so happy that you were hers and she was yours.
“Are they football questions?” You asked, a bit fearful that they were going for general knowledge questions, of which you’d have no idea for any of them.
“Yes Mac” the presenter laughed. “They’re football questions”
“You best make them really difficult. I think she has detailed stats of every single person who has ever played football” Alessia giggled.
He headed back towards the camera man, grabbing his cards that the questions were on, and sat off camera. Usually presenters sat on camera, but this time it was just you and Alessia. You didn’t think too much of it, you hated interviews or any type of media so you wanted it to be over with as quickly as possible.
“Will we get started then?”
“Yeah, go on” you nodded.
“Can you name some players that have played for Arsenal and Barcelona?”
“Laia and Mariona have” Alessia began as you nodded. “Now wait, she’ll give you the full history of everyone who has ever played for both of them” Alessia playfully rolled her eyes while you cleared your throat.
“Lieke was probably the most famous one, wasn’t she?” You asked a nodding Alessia. “Then Asisat before she went to Bay FC and Vicky Losada who went to Brighton would have done both as well” you nodded. “That’s all I can think of though” you shrugged.
“Are you forgetting someone?” The presenter laughed.
“Am I?” You frowned, asking Alessia who couldn’t stop laughing.
“Tall, centre back, probably one of the best players that we unfortunately don’t get to see anymore”
“Retired players? Jesus, I don’t know. I’m really strugglin’ to- oh” you chuckled. “Are ye talkin’ about me?” You asked.
“I can’t believe you forgot about yourself” Alessia giggled, squeezing your cheek.
“Yeah, yeah, whatever. Give us the next question” you moaned to the media person.
“Can you name every team that made their World Cup debut in the 2023 World Cup?”
“Republic of Ireland” you answered quickly.
“Just had to get that one out first, didn’t you?” Alessia teased. “Um, Haiti?” Alessia guessed.
“Yes, that’s correct”
“They almost beat you” you snickered.
“Everyone beat you!” Alessia argued back as you got a bit insulted.
“Nigeria didn’t” you huffed. “Anyway, to answer the question. Morocco, Panama and Zambia were definitely three”
“That’s right. So you have 5 out of 8”
“Vietnam?” Alessia said, earning a thumbs up.
“Oh, uh, Portugal and the Philippines” you clicked your fingers with a smirk.
“There you go” the presenter chuckled.
“How do you even remember that? I can barely remember the last World Cup and that was last year” Alessia laughed.
“I can remember a lot from it” you shrugged, the presenter doing nothing to stop you from straying completely off topic, instead only encouraging you to continue talking.
“What can you remember?”
“I remember watchin’ ye against Nigeria and thinkin’ ye were so good” you mumbled to Alessia who blushed.
“And I remember at that game some Irish man came up to me and said “this won’t be your last World Cup, ye played a blinder Mac” and I always think about that because it was my last one” you sighed.
“Well, it wasn’t your last one” Alessia whispered, placing her hand on your knee in a bit of a protective manner.
“No” you shook your head. “Sorry, the last World Cup I played in” you rephrased.
“Although I don’t think that Irish man would be best pleased with me now, winnin’ the World Cup with England” you chuckled.
“That moves us on to our next question. How many trophies have England won since 2026?”
“5” you stated confidently.
“Can you name them?”
“World Cup, Finalissima, Nation’s League and 2 Arnold Clark cups” you rattled off.
“I forgot about three of those” Alessia admitted as you playfully scoffed at her.
“Impressive” he smirked. “So, last question and we want Mac to answer this one”
“She’s basically answered them all anyway” Alessia sighed in a mocking tone.
“So, we’d probably argue this person is very early on in their career. But already to their name, they have over 50 caps for their country, have won the champions league, 2 league titles, an FA cup and the World Cup. Just to name a few”
“Am I suppose to guess who it is or somethin’?” You frowned.
“They are being inducted into the FA Hall of Fame, so this is their video” he explained.
“Would ye not have got someone actually decent to do the video?” You asked.
“We are decent people!” Alessia huffed, shoving you in the arm.
“Have ye any idea who it is?” You whispered to her. “Is it Katie Reid?” You asked, thinking of some names on your current squad who had won a decent bit already.
“No” Alessia shook her head. “Think about it” she encouraged. You sat for another minute or so until it clicked.
“Less, is this a set up?” You whispered.
“Why would you think that?” She smirked.
“Apparently it’s me” you groaned, putting your head in your hands, embarrassed that this was happening.
“You can pick it up now” he told Alessia as she picked up your accolade and handed it to you. “Congratulations, Mac”
You held the award in your hands, feeling Alessia’s lips gently press themselves against your cheek before her hands wrapped themselves around your arm. You were the youngest woman to ever be inducted into the Hall of Fame in the FA, and one of the only non-English people in there.
“Thanks a million” you nodded. “I just wanna say a massive thanks to the FA, because ye gave me a second chance at football when I thought I was finished” you explained.
“Thank you for doing the video, we know you hate it” he laughed as you and Alessia both nodded. “And congratulations again. Best of luck with the Euros you two”
“Congratulations baby, you deserve it all and more” Alessia whispered as the two of you walked out of the media room.
“I wouldn’t be anywhere without ye” you shook your head.
“I don’t know what you mean” she smirked, skipping off down the corridor back to the canteen.
Who knows what might have happened had Sarina not taken Alessia’s phone call all those years ago?
In this universe, Alessia and Mac broke up after the England v Ireland game in the Euros, and Katie stopped talking to Mac when they got knocked out in the quarter finals.
You were a little bit lost when you first moved to Barcelona. You’d just recently had a falling out with your sister after an unsuccessful Euro’s campaign. You’d also just split up with your girlfriend, Alessia, after an argument had occurred in your hotel room the day after your match against England. When you split up with Alessia and stopped talking to Katie, you didn’t realise you must have been such a shit person, because everyone you’d ever considered friends seemed to have sided with one of them.
So moving to Barcelona came at a good time for you. It was a fresh start that maybe had been forced on you a little bit and wasn’t something you thought much about needing again. Alessia was your fresh start, yet here you were starting again.
When you got to Barcelona, you decided not to do the whole making friends or getting a girlfriend thing again. The girlfriend thing would come eventually, but she wouldn’t be a footballer. Never again. You’d wasted time in your life, arguably your prime years, with someone that wouldn’t even look at you now. So why would you want to do that to yourself again?
But then she walked into your life. The glorious and beautiful La Reina, Alexia Putellas.
Alessia’s friends that played for Barcelona, Ona, Lucy and Keira, all wouldn’t speak to you either. So, you just stuck to yourself, not really caring what other people thought of you. As long as they couldn’t deny you were a good player, that’s all you really cared about.
You were practically on mute at Barcelona, but specifically at Ireland camp. You didn’t so much as utter a word when you were there, not even bothering to see your family before or after games when they’d come to visit Katie.
You trained ridiculously hard, way more intensely than anybody else on the Barcelona and Ireland team. You took on more training, outside of your paid commitments, just constantly wanting to improve and be the best.
She admired that about you, Alexia. You were different to anybody at Barcelona, but that difference meant that you didn’t fit into the family culture they had at the club. Alexia was a natural born leader, so she made it her business to try and cement the gap that you’d created between you and the rest of the team. And she was going to do that, starting from today.
“Hola” Alexia smiled as she stood over your empty table at lunch. “¿Puedo sentarme?” Can I sit down? She asked.
“Don’t understand” you shrugged.
“I can sit down, no?” She tried her best to phrase her question as you gave her a blank look, not confirming or denying if she could sit down or not. But Alexia was too stubborn to wait for you to make your mind up, so she sat down in anyway. “You don’t like Barcelona?” She cut to the chase.
“No” you shook your head. “The football and the money is good though, so it’s grand” you explained, as she tilted her head slightly, trying to figure you out. She didn’t understand your Irish slang, but she understood enough to know what you meant.
“You were dating Russo, yes?”
“Why do ye care?” You frowned, folding your arms with a huff.
“Me? No, I don’t care who you date” Alexia shrugged. er facial expression really did give you the indication that she didn’t care.
“She broke up with me” you sighed, letting your walls slowly down brick by brick. “I just feel quite alone here. Nobody talks to me and I don’t have any mates when I go home to call or text or anythin’” you admitted.
“Come to my apartment later” Alexia said as she stood up. “I will cook dinner and we can talk about whatever you need to, privately” she added.
“I don’t know where ye live” you mumbled.
“I will send it to you on the WhatsApp” she smiled, pulling out her phone and sending you her address as she strutted away. She had a nice body, one that was easy to stare at.
-
You hit the buzzer at Alexia’s apartment later that evening when you arrived over, waiting for her to buzz you in and head up to her apartment on the 9th floor of the complex. You were in a bit of a mood, having just found out through Instagram that Alessia was already seeing someone else, so you really didn’t want to be here. But Alexia was the first person since you moved here to make an effort with you and go to the bother of making you dinner, so you kept to your word and turned up.
“Can I use your bathroom?” You asked.
“Sí” Alexia nodded, a little bit short in her words when she noticed the box of chocolates in your hand and the multiple tattoos on your arms and neck that she’d never taken a proper look at before.
“Where is it?” You asked.
“Sorry, this one” she waved her wand towards the door on the right hand side of the apartment.
“Uh, here ye go” you nodded your head towards the box of chocolates and scooted by her to get to the bathroom.
You noticed when you shut the door that the bathroom was quite big, but there was a small cabinet sitting on the floor in the corner of the room that definitely didn’t belong there. It was collecting dust and looked like a failed DIY project that had been abandoned. You washed your hands and followed the smell of food to the kitchen where you found Alexia.
“You can sit” she said, pointing to a chair at the kitchen table.
“Do ye have a drill?” You asked, not yet taking a seat.
“A?” Alexia asked in a confused tone.
“Drill? Like buzz buzz buzz” you imitated and make a drill motion with your hands. “Or a screwdriver” you said, proceeding to make that motion too.
“Destornillador? Sí” Alexia nodded, pulling open her drawer and producing three different styles of screwdrivers that you took out of her hand. “Why?” She frowned, walking after you into the bathroom.
“Where?” You asked, picking up the heavy cabinet in one hand as Alexia gulped.
“I thought here” she pointed at the empty space on the wall.
“I can do it” you confirmed.
“You don’t need- por favor, dinner is almost done” Alexia waved her hand, indicating to you that it was fine.
“It’s the least I can do” you shrugged. “I like fixin’ things. It’s grand” you nodded.
Alexia didn’t really understand what you were saying. She misunderstood English more than she understood it and with your thick Dublin accent, she was very confused. She also got really easily distracted by how tall and tattooed you were, which did not help whatsoever when she was trying to concentrate in another language.
Alexia eventually agreed to let you fix it, and went off to the kitchen to finishing cooking dinner. You were actually finished before she was and startled her a bit when you’d came back in, t-shirt covered in dust from the wall.
“Do you want a new one?” Alexia asked, pointing at your t-shirt.
“Uh, yes please” you nodded, taking your top off while she was gone to her bedroom to get a new one for you. When she saw got back in and saw you stood in just sports bra and jeans, she stopped to admire your built, tattooed frame.
“Oh, thanks” you smiled when you noticed her, knocking her back to her senses as she handed you the shirt to put on and went back to the pot to dish out dinner.
“I hope you like it” Alexia smiled when you sat down and handed you a spoon.
“I like everythin’” you chuckled, proving yourself correct when you finished the entire meal in 3 minutes.
“Well you didn’t lie” Alexia laughed.
“I don’t do that” you shook your head.
“If you are so honest, tell me why you are sad all the time” Alexia hummed, her hand moving closer to yours but not giving into temptation to touch. She noticed a lot of tattoos on your arms seemed to be blacked out, or looked freshly done. She wondered what they were before, what significance they had that you’d wanted to get them off your body.
“I struggle with my head” you whispered. You explained to Alexia, very slowly, a lot of what had happened which made you the person that sat in front of her. Usually, she would let words go by when she didn’t understand, but while you were explaining, she stopped you each time she didn’t get it. She wanted to fully understand, so she could be fully supportive.
“Do you drink?” Alexia asked, waiting for you to nod before standing up. “We’re going to make a deal” Alexia mumbled, taking a bottle of wine out of the fridge and grabbing two glasses.
“Alright” you instantly agreed, now suddenly realising Alexia was extremely compassionate and really sexy.
“I am going to teach you Spanish, and you are going to talk to me whenever you feel sad” she told you, handing you the full wine glass.
“Okay” you nodded, as she took a swig of her own glass. “Now I have a deal for ye”
“Sí?”
“If ye break somethin’ or ye need somethin’ put up, ye ring me, alright?” You raised your eyebrows at her.
“Deal” she smiled, tipping her glass off yours before you both took another sip.
-
You and Alexia grew closer, which was noticed by everyone on the team. She didn’t allow anybody to question her, and whenever someone would try to turn her off being friendly with you, she shot them down immediately. Nobody knew you properly on the team, but once you got the Alexia stamp of approval, everyone seemed to warm up to you a little bit.
Alexia grew fond of you, she enjoyed your company, and you liked hers. You found yourselves at each other’s apartments a few nights a week, cooking, speaking in broken Spanish or English, and just enjoying spending time with each other in general. You were becoming more comfortable with each other. Alexia was naturally flirty and touchy, but you liked it. Well, you did when it was you that she was acting like that with.
“¿Quieres ver una película?” Do you want to watch a movie? Alexia asked.
“Movie?” You mouthed to confirm you’d understood her and you knew by her smile that you had. “Sí” you nodded, handing her the TV remote as your hands brushed off each other quickly.
You made eye contact for a brief few seconds before she pulled away and looked back to the TV. Alexia was extremely attractive, but you couldn’t go there. You’d learned from your past mistakes, hadn’t you?
“Y/n?” Alexia eventually whispered out, while the TV played on a low volume.
“Yeah?” You asked, not daring to look her in the eye.
“Bésame” She whispered.
“I dunno what that means” you sighed, turning your head to look at her and feeling her hand slip behind your neck and pull you into her lips. Kiss me. She’d asked you to kiss her.
“I don’t want you to leave tonight” Alexia moaned, perching herself up to straddle your lap.
“I won’t” you shook your head before you kissed her again, moan escaping past your lips at the contact.
-
Within weeks you and Alexia had made it official, and the sporting world was at a standstill. How did someone who came across so standoffish and angry manage to not only pull Alessia Russo but also Alexia Putellas? Easy, you were actually a massive softie and just needed to be given a chance. People just needed to get to know you, because once they got to know you, nobody really had a bad word to say about you.
You and Alexia moved in together, a few months into the relationship. She’d forced you to speak to a doctor about dizzy spells you were having and they’d told you to take some time off, telling you that the treatment and the break you were getting was for certain stopping a career ending injury. But who’s to say they were actually right? Alexia was still going to and form training and match days, so she decided to get you a little friend to keep you company while she was gone.
“Bebé?” She called from the door. “Ven aquí por favor” Come here please
“Sí?” You shouted back, walking towards the door to see her stood there with a tiny puppy. “Alé” you gasped. “Él es perfecto” He is perfect you chuckled.
“He is for you” she smiled and kissed you gently. “¿Cómo quieres llamarlo?” What do you want to call him? She asked.
“Conall” you replied after a few seconds, bending down to rub his head. “Yeah, Conall” you nodded, not really understanding why that name felt so familiar to you.
You’re Killing Me (Leah Williamson x McCabe!Reader)
From The Pretender series
When you took the job at England, people assumed due to you being friends with a lot of the players, and dating Alessia, that you’d be a bit of a push over. But if you asked anybody who played for England, you were anything but a pushover.
You strived for excellence and greatness and you wanted the players and coaching staff to match your level of being the best.
You and Alessia put multiple rules in place, in order to maintain boundaries and make sure that nobody ever thought you were playing favourites. But sometimes, you just couldn’t help yourself, and neither could she. You knew Alessia did it purposely, just so you’d have an excuse to touch her or vice versa.
She constantly stood incorrectly in the gym, letting you run your hands up her thighs, along her hips, or down her back to help her to stand correctly when she was lifting weights. You knew Alessia did it on purpose, but you also were smart enough to understand she’d risk injuring herself just so you’d pay attention to her.
All of the girls didn’t really pay much attention when you and Alessia got a bit handsy with each other. They knew you were professional and it was never usually you that started it. You were just trying to do your job and you were excellent at your job.
The only person who really lost her patience with it was Leah, because she was in the unfortunate circumstance that she lived with both of you in and out of camp. And understandably, sometimes the relentless fuck me eyes you and Alessia would shoot one another just got a bit much, for her.
-
“Y/n? Is this right?” Alessia asked, in a tone of voice that she knew made you weak.
“Uh, your stance needs to be a bit wider” you explained. “Ye should spread your legs a little bit wider” you said innocently, but it was exactly what Alessia was hoping you’d say.
“Spread my legs?” Alessia smirked. “Like this?” She asked, moving her feet further apart and bending over as she reached for the weight.
“Yeah” you nodded, teeth sinking into your bottom lip and eyes falling straight to her ass.
“Can you two give it a fucking rest?” Leah groaned, shouldering you out of the way to get to the weights.
“Instead of trying to fuck your girlfriend over the weight rack, maybe go and help someone that actually doesn’t know what to do” she huffed, pointing you over towards a group of younger girls on the team who were trying to lift way over their capability.
“Hey, hey” you shouted, rushing over to the group and leaving Alessia and Leah alone together.
“Why are you always interrupting harmless fun?” Alessia wiggled her eyebrows at your house mate.
“Why are you always trying to fuck each other in public places? Specifically places that I’m in” she sighed.
“Y/n’s already told you, you can join in if you want” Alessia giggled in a teasing tone, before walking away to rejoin Ella.
“You know I don’t find that funny” Leah moaned, heading in the opposite direction to get to Keira and Georgia.
“What’s the story? Why are ye tryin’ to lift so heavy?” You frowned at the group, grabbing weights straight from their hands and putting them back on the rack.
“We’re stressed”
“I’m freaking out”
“Why did you guys agree to this?”
“I want to go back to the Under 23s”
“They’re going to kill us!”
“What’s the matter?” You asked, pulling the group of five of them in closer together.
They liked you, a few of them had played under you at the Arsenal academy and once you moved to England and they started getting senior call ups, they never left you alone. You didn’t mind it at all. After everything that happened to you with having to retire, it was nice that younger players looked up to you. It made you feel you’d accomplished being a role model when you believed that part of your life was over.
“Sarina told us that we were going to play a five a-side earlier”
“And the older ones all just kind of grouped together”
“So now the five of us are stuck together” they explained in perfect unison.
“Alright, well let’s not panic, yeah?” you smiled at them.
“The five of ye work really well together, ye have been playin’ with each other for years” you reminded them.
“But some of them are so big”
“Lucy could push me over with their pinky finger”
“But they’re also nice people, aren’t they?” You asked as they looked back at you with confused faces.
“I just mean, they take it easy on ye all most of the time, don’t they?” You added.
“Yeah” they all nodded back at you.
“Okay, well let’s use that to our advantage” you whispered.
“Our?”
“Are you going to play with us?”
“That could help because you’re the biggest person here”
“I’m not playin’” you chuckled. “But I’ll coach your team” you agreed as they all cheered and giggled.
“Did you manage to convince her?” Sarina asked the group who all shot her a thumbs up.
“They’ll all be happy when you are their manager someday” Sarina whispered, in a tone you would have presumed was joking, but seemed to be serious.
-
After lunch you headed to the pitches when the team all broke into their groups of five. Teams were drawn at random to play against each other and your group of five children, literal children, were down to play against Leah, Alessia, Keira, Lucy, and Georgia.
“We’re going to die”
“Ye are not goin’ to die” you rolled your eyes.
“Come on Mac, we’re all waiting over here” Leah smirked.
“Yeah, come on Mac” Alessia chirped.
You’d originally just wanted the youngsters to go out and play strong. But that done it.
“Okay, so the thing is-” you whispered to them. “I’ve never lost in anythin’ to either of them” you admitted, pointing at Alessia and Leah. “And I don’t want this to be the first thing”
“Okay, we won’t let you down” they shouted, pumped up and ready to go as you walked over to the other five girls.
“Did ye just Mac me?” You frowned at Alessia. Your girlfriend had made her thoughts on your nickname well known. She hated it and refused to ever call you Mac.
“For the next 25 minutes, that’s all you are to me” Alessia shrugged, a teasing smirk on her face.
“Care to make it interestin’?” You asked.
“What have you got in mind?” Georgia asked.
“The five of them win and all five of ye train with me for the rest of today” you began. “If ye lot win, they have to”
“Uh” Leah hesitated.
“What? I thought ye were all ready to go?” You challenged.
“We’re not goin’ to lose anyway” Lucy shrugged. “So, you’re on” she shook your hand and you headed back to the five younger girls.
“Remember what I said” you reminded them.
“That we’re not going to die”
“That’s not what I-” you sighed “Ye know what? Just try your best alright?”
The girls skipped off onto the pitch and within 2 minutes, Alessia had already scored to make it 1-0.
“We should have made another bet about tattoos” Georgia smirked as you rolled your eyes.
“We’re sorry, Mac” one of the kids pouted.
“C’mere for second” you called the five of them in. You explained something for about 30 seconds to them, shouting a “Shut the fuck up” to Leah when she made a taunting joke about you wasting time.
Whatever you’d said in that huddle, you’d made five mini Marta’s out of them. Their passing was flawless, they held their shape so well, and eventually their hard work paid off, when the ball slotted into the net.
“Mac! Did you see that? I scored!”
“Stay focused” you shouted back with a chuckle.
“You know, it’s so cute how they all trip over their own two feet just to impress you” Alessia whispered, standing close to the touchline you were standing on.
“Pity the five of ye also aren’t tryin’ to impress. Ye are bein’ outplayed by babies” you teased.
You don’t know how the kids managed to pull it off, but when 25 minutes had passed, they were winning 4-1. When you called time, Leah let out a loud groan, feeling a bit embarrassed they’d lost and also feeling sick at the thought of training with you later.
The younger group you’d just coached to victory all high fived you and thanked you before running off to the canteen as you pulled the five losers in for a chat.
“Alessia, ye can go” you nodded as the girl smirked and walked off.
“As if” Lucy huffed.
“Why does she get to go?” Keira frowned.
“She scored” you shrugged. You were being slightly biased because if any of the four of them would have scored you wouldn’t have let them leave.
“The rest of ye are with me all day. We’re doin’ a 5k to warm up so meet me at the trail front in 45 minutes” you explained, walking off after Alessia.
“Girlfriend privileges” Georgia shouted after the two of you as Alessia snickered.
“Wait” Leah sighed. “A 5k to warm up? What do you mean to warm up? Mac!”
Blondies (Alessia Russo x Mac McCabe x Leah Williamson)
From The Pretender series Part 3
“You don’t really have a choice” he sighed.
“Well, I do” you shrugged. “I could just not go” you added.
“That’s not an option” he huffed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Just pick one of them, or don’t take either of them”
“Ye are tryin’ to ask me to choose between my girlfriends when I should be able to take both” you grunted.
“Look, the ceremony is plus one, not a plus two. It’s out of my hands” your agent explained. “You should feel happy to be nominated, it’s not your fault neither of them were” he shrugged.
“Don’t” you stared at him so hard, he swore you were going to kill him right there on the spot.
“Don’t even dare speak about either of them, alright? Either they’re both with me or I’m not goin’ and that’s it” you warned and walked off before he got a chance to speak again.
You stomped back into the physio room, leaving him to see his way out of the complex and hoping he didn’t bump into Alessia or Leah on the way there.
The physio was checking your neck after you’d gotten a nasty whack to the head in your match two days ago. You were getting dizzy spells still, but you were fine really, just a bit uncomfortable.
“Hi” Leah said from the door, biting back a jealous scowl at how the new hot physio was running her hands along your tattooed neck and shoulders, while you sat there in a pair of small shorts and a sports bra.
“Hey” you moaned in a bit of discomfort.
“Is she okay to come in?” you asked, as Leah waited for the physio to nod before she stepped inside. The physio taped up your neck and excused herself for a minute to go and grab something in the next room.
“Do you want to tell me why I could hear you roaring at someone from the other side of the building?” Leah hummed, running her hands up your thighs, just skimming her fingertips lightly under your shorts.
“No” you shook your head, looking down at her hands against your legs.
Alessia and Leah had no idea that you were nominated, and wouldn’t until later on today when it came out publicly. Normal people would tell their significant others when they got told, but you definitely weren’t normal.
“Do you want to do it?” The physio asked Leah, handing her the muscle cream you needed rubbed into your neck and shoulder.
“Is it you or the other blondie I should talk to about what to do at home?” She smirked.
“The other one” you and Leah both said at the same time.
“Right” she giggled, going off to locate Alessia who you presumed was somewhere in the building, probably being pestered by Kyra and Vic.
“Is she good to go?” Leah shouted after her, hearing a muffled yes being roared back. “Ready then?” She smiled.
“Yeah” you nodded.
You’d driven separately today, Leah had driven you and her for your physio and doctor appointment, and Alessia had driven herself in a little later on as she just had media things to do today.
“Just gonna go say bye to Less before we leave” you mumbled.
“She’s in an interview for the next 40 minutes” Leah explained. “Do you want to wait?” She asked.
“No, it’s grand” you shook your head. “When we go home can we go for a nap?”
“Of course we can, Maccy” Leah smiled softly, cupping your face in her hand.
“Do you want to have a little snack and then we can go for a nap? And when Less is home, she’ll make dinner. Does that sound nice?” Leah said, moving her hands from your cheeks to the back of your neck.
“Yeah” you nodded. “That sounds nice” you grinned as you kissed her softly.
“Fuckin’ weird seein’ ye both kissin’” Katie gagged as she pushed by you into the changing room.
“I’ll meet ye in the car” you mumbled.
You grabbed your stuff and left before Leah could reply. Leah knew about your grievances with your older sister, she had done before you even were together. But now that she knew you more in depth, she knew you fully despised Katie.
“Could she not have just picked one of ye?” Katie chuckled.
“That’s actually a really rude thing to say” Leah explained, harshly.
“How?” Katie frowned. “How are the three of ye actin’ like it’s completely normal?”
“Because it is normal” Leah sighed.
“Yeah, right” Katie snickered, grabbing the last of her things and leaving the room to go back to media with your other girlfriend.
Leah and you were both silent in the car on the drive home, both annoyed at Katie’s comments but both not wanting to mention it to the other to rile them up more.
You were mindlessly scrolling on your phone as Leah drove, listening to her country music and tapping her finger on the steering wheel to the beat. Leah glanced over to you, anxiously swiping away messages that seemed to be continuing and continuing to come in.
“Everything okay, baby?” Leah asked, snaking her hand to hold your bare tattooed thigh that your shorts were too short to cover fully.
“Yeah, grand” you nodded, looking out the window and sliding your phone in your pocket.
“Something on your mind?” She pushed.
“Dunno” you shrugged. “Could just do with somethin’ to eat and a nap I think”
“Big bowl?” Leah smiled in a teasing way, as you chuckled.
“Yeah, I won’t push your cookin’ skills today” you added.
“Is the big bowl just a standard bowl to you, or do you also call it the big bowl?” Leah smirked.
“Well, ye always say I have real big hands” you added, taking her hand in yours and tracing the tips of your fingers around the palm of her hand. “Don’t ye?” You asked.
You, Alessia and Leah were totally fine doing things when one of you weren’t there. So, that’s why when you and Leah got into the house, you didn’t make it further than the couch. The big bowl was skipped, replaced by Leah’s body that you had over and over again, until eventually the two of you tired out and drifted off, having a spoon on the couch.
Leah sometimes found it cute that you would sleep through an atomic bomb. But now, with her phone out of reach and you squeezing her as if she was your own personal teddy bear, she was not finding it as cute. She could just about reach the TV remote so at least she could numb her brain until Alessia got home.
It was around an hour and a half later when the blonde got in, two pizza boxes in hand and shouting an “only me” as she kicked her shoes off.
“Hey” Leah smiled tiredly, still trapped in your hold as Alessia placed the boxes on the coffee table and the older girl made grabby hands for her phone.
“Been stuck long?” Alessia giggled handing Leah her phone, all too used to being stuck in that position with you.
“About 2 hours” she huffed, finally happy she had her phone back.
“Any reason why you’re not wearing a shirt?” Alessia smirked.
“Um” Leah playfully debated.
“I just picked up a pizza because neither of you were replying” she explained. “Think the Ballon D’or nominations start in the next 10 minutes” she added.
“Would you mind waking-”
“Bye” Alessia giggled, racing up the stairs and out of the room as Leah groaned.
“Maccy?” Leah said softly trying to wiggle in your arms. “Baby, please” Leah whined.
“Mmm?” You mumbled, squeezing her a little tighter.
“Come on, wakey wakey” Leah practically begged as you squirmed and removed your arm from around her to rub your eyes.
“Sorry” you mumbled.
“Don’t say sorry, Less just brought home food” she explained as you sat up instantly.
“Oh food” you smiled, grabbing a box of pizza.
“Really? That’s what gets you awake?” Leah said, shoving your arm.
“Well, I didn’t exactly get to eat earlier when we got home, did I?” You smirked.
“I’d say you ate plenty, actually” Leah giggled, pushing her lips up against yours.
“The dead has risen?” Alessia asked, coming in to the living room wearing your hoodie.
“Hi, baby” she smiled, kissing you gently before giving Leah a similar kiss.
“Thanks for the food” you mumbled, thankful your lips were now free to put your slice of pizza in your mouth.
“Do I get snuggles now?” Alessia asked, plonking herself down between you and Leah and tucking into Leah’s side while you ate a pizza and they split one.
“What ye puttin’ on?” You frowned, watching Leah connect YouTube to the TV.
“Ballon D’or nominations just about to start” Leah said.
“Uh, do we have to watch it?” You asked.
“Yes we have to watch it, what if one of us gets nominated and we didn’t even bother watching?” Leah groaned at how out of character you were being.
“Listen, let’s just watch this and then we can watch whatever you want baby, okay?” Alessia asked as you just went back to eating, not agreeing but also not disagreeing.
The ceremony ticked on and you could feel your heart thumping in your chest as it edged closer to the women’s senior player of the year.
“Best of luck” Leah said to the room.
She didn’t know that you didn’t need luck, and luck wasn’t going to help either of them either.
It trickled on through the usual suspects, Alexia Putellas, Lucy Bronze, Aitana Bonmati, and so on, until there was only one name left to call.
“This player has had a stellar season at Arsenal and for their country this year” the host explained as their two heads shot up, and yours shot down. “Showing consistent, perfect defensive performances”
“Unlucky Lessi” Leah sighed, rubbing your girlfriend’s arm gently.
“The Irish superstar has been a pillar of Arsenal and Ireland’s defence, while also netting 13 goals across all competitions last season, the most of any centre back in the world. Your final nomination, Ms Y/n McCabe”
“Oh my-” Leah began.
“God!” Alessia squealed, leaping onto your lap. “Ballon D’or baby? A Ballon D’or?”
“Will ye relax? It’s just a nomination. It’s no big deal” you shrugged, gently pushing her off you and standing up to go into the kitchen.
“Do you want to?” Alessia asked Leah who nodded and followed you into the kitchen.
“Maccy?” Leah said softly. “Did you already know?”
“Yeah” you nodded. “That’s what I was arguin’ about earlier” you explained.
“They don’t usually tell you unless-”
“Ye are in the top five, I know” you nodded, finishing her sentence. “He told me I can only invite one person, so I said I wasn’t goin’”
“That’s silly, you have to go” Leah sighed, coming closer to you and jumping on the kitchen counter, wrapping her arms around your neck as yours fell to her legs.
“Their rules are stupid” you huffed. “I want to bring both of ye” you mumbled.
“You’ve worked so hard to be nominated, I mean, what if you win?” She asked.
“And what? Only have one of ye there? No. It’s not happenin’” you grunted as you felt a pair of hands snake around your waist.
“Whether you go or not, I’m still really proud of you” Alessia whispered.
“Thanks Less” you smiled, melting into a kiss as you turned your body away from Leah, who found your neck with her lips.
“No” Alessia said, shoving Leah’s head away.
“I know what you two got up to when I was gone. You can clean up” she laughed at your girlfriend, pulling you by the strings of your hoodie towards the staircase.
“This isn’t fair!” Leah shouted, but it fell into thin air, only the sound of your bedroom door closing and Alessia giggling to be heard.
-
“See you later Maccy” Leah said, kissing you quickly as she wandered off, Alessia bidding you a farewell as she kissed you too and also left, following Leah down the corridor.
“I don’t get it” Katie stated, sitting opposite you in the changing room.
“Get what?” You asked.
“How you pulled both of them” she shook her head as Caitlin rolled her eyes and left, not wanting to get involved in the sibling drama.
“I didn’t pull either of them” you groaned, a little annoyed at how she’d phrased that.
“What’s your problem with me?” You mumbled
“Me? I don’t have a problem” she shrugged. “Isn’t the Ballon D’or only a plus one?” She smirked.
“Yeah, I already said I’m not goin’” you replied, slamming your locker door shut just as Lia walked in. Perfect.
“Hey” Katie said to her, but Lia completely ignored her.
“Hi” she said to you as you smiled at her. “Congratulations on the nomination” she said.
“Thanks” you nodded. “Mariona nominated too?” You said as she nodded in confirmation.
“We were in the middle of a conversation” Katie inputted.
“No, we weren’t” you frowned, turning your head back to Lia.
“Ye are the one complainin’ that I’ve a problem with ye, when you’re clearly the one with the issue” Katie said, shoving your shoulder as you fell back and knocked your head off the locker.
“Will ye fuck off?” You grunted, shoving her back twice as hard that sent her stumbling backwards.
“She’s not worth it” Lia whispered, standing in front of you.
“Oh am I not? Caitlin thought I was” Katie snickered as you stepped forward to literally kill her, but Lia, again, stopped you.
“You know what? I was so happy she left me for you. Because if she didn’t, I wouldn’t have slept with your sister” Lia said, staring at the girl as Katie was left dumbfounded, looking back at the two of you.
“Is that true?” Katie asked as you nodded. “Ye are a fuckin’ little prick” Katie grunted, leaving the room quickly as Lia looked back at you.
“You are as pale as a ghost” she gasped as your hand went to the back of your head and came back covered in blood.
“Yeah, I don’t actually feel that great” you trailed off before your eyes shut and Lia’s much smaller frame had to catch you. She took her phone out and sent a message into the groupchat
Lia
Can someone tall please come to changing rooms quickly
-
When you woke up you were lying on the bed in the medical room, your head all taped up and Leah sitting opposite you with an ice pack on her cheek.
“What happened ye?” You asked.
“Maccy” she sighed in relief as she stood up and you felt a hand squeeze yours, Alessia sat in the chair beside you.
“What happened?” You repeated, reaching up to touch Leah’s cheek.
“She punched Katie” Alessia explained. “And Katie hit her back”
“I’ve never seen your sister so angry” Leah shrugged.
“Yeah” you nodded. “Well, we got into it and then Lia told her, ye know”
“Oh great, so I got punched because my girlfriend slept with my best friend” Leah chuckled.
“Come on, he said it was okay to bring you home” Alessia said, wrapping her hand around your waist and letting you lean your body weight against her.
“Feel a bit lightheaded” you mumbled. “Will you drive?”
“Where’s your keys?” She asked.
“My pocket” you said as she put you in the back and took your car keys.
“Don’t take your eyes off her” Alessia warned your other girlfriend, who was throwing the bags in the boot.
“Hey” Leah said, gripping Alessia’s hand. “We haven’t really spoken properly since the nominations” she added.
“Yeah, I know. I’m sorry” Alessia nodded, squishing herself against Leah’s frame. “I know that she thinks it doesn’t matter because Katie’s been nominated before”
“Is that it?” Leah mumbled.
“And the stress of picking between us is killing her” Alessia added.
“I think I might have figured that out, actually” Leah smiled.
-
Alessia and Leah fought over the next few days about how to best look after your precious little head. You were off from training, and Leah was quote-on-quote “being given a breather”, as was Katie. So Leah looked after you during the day, and Alessia looked after you when she got home. You were groggy and down about the awards, but having two supermodel girlfriends willing to wait hand and foot on you was definitely a great distraction.
How could you ever choose between the two of them?
Well, not only was your girlfriends good at football, and really fit, the two of them were also super smart. As in super smart. Once Leah found out that Lia was going with Mariona to the awards, she slid in a suggestion that the two of them could present an award together, being captain of the country about to host the Euros and captain of the country who’d previously won it. And they actually bought it. They ate her idea up.
So, both your girls got to come, and some nice seat organiser had placed all three of you together, with Lia and Mariona sat next to you, and then some girls from the Barcelona team.
“You’re Y/n, sí?”
“Yeah, but my mates call me Mac” you nodded. “Alexia, isn’t it?” You asked.
“Sí” she smiled. “You are dating both of them are you not?” She said, pointing subtly to your two girlfriends who were both dressed in flowy dresses that took three hours to pick out.
“Yeah, I am” you replied.
“Nice” she chuckled, sticking her hand out to shake yours, like she was showing you she was impressed. “Not as pretty as my beautiful girl, this is Olga. And this is Mac” she introduced you to the girl sat next to her.
“Hola” you attempted.
“Hola” the girl smiled and giggled back.
The ceremony went on for a very long and boring time, until eventually it was your category. You looked over and all the girlfriend’s along the row started to fix something on their significant other’s outfit. Alessia was fixing your shirt’s collar and Leah fixing your jacket’s sleeve. You thought it was all for nothing, until the host read out your name.
You’d won.
You stood up and looked at Leah and Alessia who’d both stared crying in happiness, but now you were even more confused than before. Which one should you kiss first? You didn’t get much of an option as Alessia and Leah both pecked your cheeks at the same time.
“Now you don’t have to choose” Alessia giggled.
“Go on, up and get your award Maccy” Leah added, pushing you forward as they sat back down.
Lia gave your hand a quick squeeze as you left to go to the stage and Mariona shot you a gentle smile.
“Nice choice on the grey” Leah added as you stood on the stage, talking to the host.
“She’s currently got on grey everything, except for the shirt” Alessia smirked.
“Guess we can see that later” Leah whispered, taking her girlfriend’s hand as they both watched you awkwardly chat through the award acceptance process. God you were so big and awkward, and they both adored you for it
“Did you know?” Leah asked, pulling your eyes away from your phone as you looked at her. “I know you don’t really talk, but Jesus Mac, you could have at least told me” Leah moaned.
“What are ye talkin’ about?” You frowned at the English girl, who was stood over your table that you were the only one sitting at.
She nodded her head towards the window where Caitlin and Katie were sitting. Katie was talking about something which seemed to be hilarious and was running her fingertips along Caitlin’s thigh, who wasn’t making any effort to move her hand away.
“You could have told-”
“I didn’t know” you shook your head, eyes glued to the two of them as your thoughts went wild. “I didn’t even know her and Ruesha split up” you shrugged.
“Well, if it makes you feel any better, Lia didn’t know her and Caitlin had split up either” Leah whispered and you immediately understood what Leah was hinting at.
You couldn’t believe it. Lia and Caitlin always seemed so happy, yet here they were, not sitting together. Caitlin with your sister and Lia was sitting with- Wait.
“Where is Lia?” You asked.
“She’s put in for time off” Leah explained. “I suggested going back to Switzerland but she didn’t seem too pushed”
“Do ye want me to have a word?” You raised your eyebrow.
“With Lia? Have you two ever spoken before?” Leah chuckled.
“No” you frowned. “I mean with her” you nodded your head over towards your older sister.
“Don’t put yourself out” Leah shook her head. “Thank you though” she smiled.
“Can I join you?”
“Don’t push it” you mumbled, going back to your phone as she girl swung the chair out and sat down anyway.
Leah had always had a habit of forcing a friendship with you. If anything, this situation with Katie was great for her because whether you liked it or not, you were involved. And therefore, you had something to talk to her about.
You really had never spoken more than a “Hello” to Lia before. It wasn’t an unusual thing for you, because you barely spoke to anybody. If you had the choice, Leah would be included on that list. You were the quiet and intimidating person on the Arsenal team that girls went feral for. You were different than your sister, she loved being in a relationship, but you were much better on your own.
You got through the rest of the day, deciding it would be funny to put in a fairly hard shoulder on Katie that caused her to fall onto the ground as you ran a particular drill.
“What the fuck was that?” She grunted, standing straight back up and squaring up to you, although you were nearly a foot taller than her.
“Won the ball” you argued back, as multiple people rolled their eyes that Katie was starting yet another argument.
“Stop arguing” Caitlin inputted, pulling Katie back by the hand.
“Go on, your girlfriend’s callin’” you challenged, feeling your own hand being pulled backwards by Leah as Katie’s face dropped.
“I told you it wasn’t worth it” Leah mumbled.
“She’s a fool” you grunted, watching as Leah was slowly inhaling and exhaling and quickly realising she wanted you to copy her.
When she got you calm, the two of you went back beside each other and play continued. You and Katie continued at each other for the entire drill before Kim intervened and moved you away from each other to stop another fight breaking out.
You took a shower at the end of training before getting changed. You weren’t really ever one for goodbyes, so you quickly nipped out the front door and took off home in your car.
On the entire drive you couldn’t help but feel angry about the situation. How could you go from saying you love one person one day to the next day leaving them for someone else? You didn’t get it. And if you felt like this, you couldn’t even begin to imagine how Lia felt.
Most people didn’t really know you. They took you for what was on the cover, and knew very little about you personally. Your family and your teammates all included in that. You didn’t really mind though, you liked your own company and didn’t like wasting your social battery.
So, how you ended up outside Lia’s house on your drive home is a mystery, even to you. There had been a few occasions Lia had been in a taxi with you going home from wherever you had been, so you knew where the Swiss girl lived.
You’d stopped at a shop on the way there, and picked up something small to give to her, making it look like you had an excuse to come over.
You walked up to her front door and knocked on it, waiting for around a minute until she swung the door open. She was wearing a maroon matching tracksuit, hair tossed up in a messy bun. She had a real look about her that she’d just been lazing around the house all day. And you don’t really understand why, but you found her attractive as hell.
“What do you want?” Lia frowned, just as confused as you were as to why you were standing at her door.
“Uh”
“Did they send you to get her stuff?” She growled.
“No, no” you shook your head. “Sorry, I, uh, I just came to check on ye to see if ye were alright” you mumbled.
“Did they put you up to it?”
“No” you sighed, realising this was way too out of character and a massive mistake.
“Here, I got ye these” you said, handing her a box of mini Toblerone chocolates. “I’m real sorry about my sister” you added, before turning on your heels and walking off.
“Wait, Y/n” Lia shouted after you, forcing you to stop. “Do you want to come in?”
“Yeah, okay” you nodded, turning back to her door and stepping into the house.
You allowed Lia to talk for hours, never once showing any sign of boredom or disinterest on your face. Lia was a bit shocked at how easy you were to open up to. She felt a bit guilty that she’d never made a proper effort with you before, kind of falling into the group that seemed to have this prejudgment of you. Which to be fair, everyone but Leah seemed to have.
“Sorry, I’ve kept you for way too long, you should probably go” Lia sighed, realising it was just after 10pm and you’d gotten here at around 4pm.
“Yeah, sure” you nodded, standing up and heading to the hall to get your shoes. “If ye need anythin’ or just want someone to talk to, I’m here, alright?”.
Lia’s not really sure what came over her, maybe because you were being nice, or possibly because you were the perfect person to piss Caitlin and Katie off, but she swung her arm around your neck and pulled you in for a kiss.
“Lia, come on. Ye don’t want to kiss me” you shook your head as you pulled back.
“Yes I do” she nodded. “Please, just kiss me” she whispered as you let her tug you forward back into her lips. You’d always found Lia hot, but Lia had always been your sister’s best friend’s girlfriend.
The tracksuit Lia had been wearing that you admired when she came into view at the door, was now lying on the floor, along with your own bottoms and t-shirt.
“Was that alright?” You asked as Lia giggled.
“Just what I needed” she nodded. She’d made a mess of your neck, which was now completely covered in dark marks.
“I should probably go home” you said, hours after Lia had originally told you that.
“Would you want to make this a casual thing?” Lia blurted out, tugging your arm back towards her as you attempted to push back out of bed.
“Is it because it was good or because of who my sister is with?” You hummed quietly.
“It did cross my mind” Lia admitted, not wanting to start whatever this was off by lying to you.
“But that isn’t why I would want to do it again” she added, interlocking your fingers with hers.
“I’m happy to keep it casual” you confirmed, letting her squeeze your hand before you pulled back, got changed and left.
-
That’s how it began with Lia. Meaningless, casual sex almost every day. You’d drive to her after work or she’d swing by your place. It slowly became more intimate, and the two of you started connecting on a way deeper level than either of you would have ever anticipated.
Which is why when Lia came back to work, you tried your best to make her feel as comfortable as possible.
Due to Jen leaving a few months ago, the locker beside yours was free, so you suggested Lia move her stuff in beside you. The Swiss girl took you up on the offer, and you’d spent all morning helping her transfer everything from her old locker to the one beside yours, before everyone else even got to the training ground. Lia was a bit taken aback that you were actually quite a chatty person, but in front of one particular individual, you were almost completely silent.
“Comin’ to the gym?” Katie asked, interrupting your conversation with Lia, almost like she didn’t even care that Lia was there . You nodded, letting her head out before you as you changed into your shorts and runners.
“I’ll see ye later on?” You said quietly, looking around to make sure no one was around before pressing your lips to Lia’s.
“See you later, you want to come back to mine?” She smiled.
“Yeah. We get dinner?” You suggested as Lia squeezed your hand to let you know that was a good idea.
“Mac, Katie’s looking for you” Caitlin said, as you pulled your hand quickly back from Lia.
“Yeah, I’m goin’” you huffed, walking out of the changing room doors and bumping into Leah who burned your ears off on the walk to the gym.
“How are you?” Caitlin asked.
“Let’s not do this” Lia sighed.
“You can’t stay mad forever. I thought you took time off to get over it” Caitlin shrugged.
“I’m happy for you, so let’s just agree to not speak” Lia sighed, standing up from the bench and brushing past her and trying to head out the changing room door.
“I just thought when you moved on, you’d go further afield than Mac.” Caitlin chuckled.
“At least I was single when I moved on” Lia shouted.
“My new girlfriend’s sister is really stooping the bottom of the barrel” Caitlin scoffed.
“Lia, are ye ready?” You asked, coming back in the door and sticking your hand out for Lia to take.
You had forgot your phone, but that was less important now than getting Lia out of there.
“Can I help ye with somethin’?” You asked Caitlin, standing directly in front of her and looking down at her.
“No” she shook her head, gulping slightly at how you towered over her.
“Don’t speak to her like that ever again” you grunted as Caitlin stuttered before you turned off away from her.
Lia stepped out of the changing rooms ahead of you, so you followed her down the corridor until you caught up to her.
“I’m- I’m sorry if I overstepped. I just-” you were cut off when Lia pressed a kiss to your lips.
“You didn’t overstep” Lia shook her head.
“I just don’t think it’s fair for her to be at ye” you shrugged.
“Well thank you for coming to my rescue” Lia giggled, and continued to walk towards the gym.
“Lia?” You shouted as she stopped again. “Can I take ye out? Properly? I know we said we are casual so if ye don’t want to it’s grand. But I just really would like to take ye out and we could just do dinner or go see a movie or somethin’. It’s just-”
“Yes” Lia nodded, cutting off your nervous rambling you had been doing with her a lot more lately. “I’d love that” she kissed your cheek quickly as the two of you headed off to the gym.
Leah quickly picked up where she left off and ignored the fact you were putting headphones on. You noticed Katie’s jaw drop when Caitlin came in and whispered something to her, and you knew exactly what the Aussie had said, because Katie’s eyes kept flicking between you and Lia.
You didn’t really care though. It wasn’t as if you liked your older sister that much in the first place.
-
Date one with Lia was dinner at a nice, swanky London restaurant that had been recommended by Leah, despite not knowing who Lia’s dinner date was. Date two, you caught a movie. One Lia had picked out that almost put the both of you to sleep, but gave you something to laugh about on the drive home. Date three, you spent the entire day in Lia’s sheets, getting a bit caught up in her kisses. Yet, by the time the season had came to a close, you still hadn’t made it properly officially that you two were dating.
On the team night out, celebrating the end of the season, before you were all heading to the World Cup, you were sat alone on a couch, sipping a drink with a stoic look on your face as Lia was being chatted up.
“Why does Mac look all angry?” Leah teased, as she squeezed your chin between her pointer finger and thumb, sitting down beside you.
“I’m not” you huffed, throwing your eyes away from Lia and the girl she was talking to.
“Is there a girl you’re interested in here?” Leah asked, looking over in the direction you’d just had your eyes glued to.
“Yeah” you nodded. “But she’s talkin’ to someone else, so doesn’t matter” you said, taking an aggressive gulp from your drink.
Leah’s eyes scanned that corner of the room, and she could only find one girl that was chatting to someone in a flirty looking way.
“Are you talking about Lia?” Leah frowned, darting her eyes between you and her. Your silence was enough for her to realise that Lia was exactly who you were talking about. “Holy shit”
“It started just casual, and then we went on a few dates. Clearly she’s not interested or I did somethin’” you moaned.
“I’m goin’ to go home. Best of luck in Australia” you said, finishing your drink quickly and getting up to leave. Leah tried to call you back, but it was no use. You had always been severely stubborn when someone upset you because you had no idea how to handle your emotions properly.
You knew the situation was always going to be messy, but you never thought Lia would mess you around. You really had tried with Lia, so much so, you’d sacrificed your relationship with Katie just to try and make things work with the Swiss girl.
And for what? Nothing.
You and Katie’s relationship has never been strong, but now, it was barely existent. You’d only recently started talking to her because you realised you were about to be spending a lot of downtime together while you were at the World Cup.
The night before you were set to fly back to Ireland to head into camp for the World Cup, you were interrupted by a knock on your door. You thought it might have been Katie, who had found it more funny than Caitlin had about you sleeping with Lia and then you ghosting her. Instead, it was the Swiss girl herself who was stood outside.
“Can I come in?” She asked, as you stood backwards and she stepped inside.
“I’m just packin’” you informed her, trying to hurry this situation up and make it short and sweet.
“I talked to Leah” she began. “I just wanted you to know, that I was not flirting with that girl on the night we went out. She was someone I did a photoshoot with a while ago, and we were just talking. She’s married, to a man” Lia explained.
“Oh” you sighed, feeling a bit embarrassed.
“If you got that jealous, you could have just came over. I thought you would had realised by now that I’m yours” Lia said.
“Mine?” You frowned.
“I thought we were dating?” Lia shouted, a little bit frustrated at the fact you’d been ignoring her for the last few days and not even given her so much as an explanation.
“Well, so did I” you shrugged, your voiced also raised slightly.
“Well, maybe we should be” Lia stated.
“Fine” you shrugged.
“Fine” Lia repeated, before jumping into your arms and kissing you so hard that you almost toppled over. When you found the rhythm of the kiss, your hands went under her thighs to keep her comfortably up in your arms.
“Take me upstairs” Lia whispered.
-
Throughout the World Cup, you and Lia spoke every single day. Due to you being in Australia and her being in New Zealand, you couldn’t spend any of your downtime physically together, so most of it was spent on the phone.
So, you both couldn’t wait to see each other again. You’d looked into staying after you got knocked out, but you were obliged to fly home with the team while she was staying a little longer at the tournament. When she did eventually arrive back in London, you were there to pick her up from the airport.
You pulled out all the stops. Flowers, balloons, wearing her Switzerland jersey and also buying her a cake, her favourite one, to congratulate her on the World Cup. She’d also returned the favour once she’d gotten over her jet lag and had a chance to head to the shops to buy decorations and do up her own house to surprise you.
You’d finally found a girl who put all your worries at ease and was interested in you for you. Which is something you never thought you’d find, let alone someone who had been right infront of your eyes for years.
-
When you started back at Arsenal, Jonas called a team meeting to introduce the new group of girls to the squad. He always assigned a mentor to the new squad members, to help them settle in. Leah was assigned the new England striker, Alessia, who the England captain obviously knew extremely well.
“This is Lia’s girlfriend, Mac. And this is Alessia” Leah smiled, while Lia was off talking to another one of the new girls and a group of other players. You knew Alessia from playing against her. She was a decent player. That’s all you thought of her.
“Hi” you said as you shook Alessia’s hand.
“Hi Mac, nice to meet you properly” Alessia shook your hand quickly, before Leah brought her off to the next person.
“Hi, baby” Lia giggled. “You want to come meet some of the new girls?” Lia asked.
“Yeah, sure darlin’” you nodded, taking her hand and heading over to the group she’d been just talking to and rejoining them, only now with her arms wrapped around you as you soothed your way into the conversation.
