BABY - PAIGE BUECKERS X READER
I synopsis: during a casual late night tiktok live with kk and ice, you accidentally call paige βbabyβ while on a food run instantly blowing three years of keeping your relationship secret from the public.
I warnings: secret relationship, accidental exposure, tiktok live slip-up, mild panic, emotional tension, heated argument, raised voices, fluff and reconciliation, established relationship, public attention, chaotic teammates, light angst, cocky but soft paige, overthinking reader
I authorβs note: how yβall doin π
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THE LIGHTS IN Paigeβs dorm room were a soft lavender glow, the whole space dripping in her signature purple.
Her white walls covered in purple LED strips along the ceiling, and purple throw blankets scattered across the bed.
It was late, that comfortable pre-season summer haze where days felt endless and nights bled together. Music thumped low from the speaker, Trust Issues By Drake playing as KK kept turning it up every time the chorus hit.
The live had been running for almost forty minutes now. Pure chaos, as usual.
KK was stretched across Paigeβs bed in her blue UConn sweats and hoodie, holding her phone up as the livestream poured in. She waved at the camera dramatically.
βWhatβs good, girly pops?! Yβall said yβall wanted a late night live, so we delivered. We got Ice Spice in the buildingββ
βIce Spice?β Ice deadpanned from her spot on the floor, legs crossed in her big Essentials hoodie and black sweatpants. She was scrolling through the comments on her own phone with that signature mischievous smirk. She started reading one out loud,
βYo, Ice, donβt read that,β Paige cut in quickly, voice stern. βWe donβt read comments like that out loud. Chill.β
Ice just smirked harder, clearly entertained by being in the middle of the mess, and kept scrolling.
Paige was leaned back against her headboard in gray sweatpants and a white UConn shirt, her iPad in her lap with the Timberwolves vs Spurs game playing.
She occasionally glanced up from the screen to check the live, playing the calm mediator role perfectly.
Her leg brushed against yours where you sat off to the side on the bed. You were half in frame, half out; quieter, more observant, only chiming in when something actually caught your attention.
After three years together since freshman year, the team knew. The secret was only from the public although many already suspected.
Paigeβs hand still found your ankle under the blanket when the camera wasnβt directly on her. A secret touch that always grounded you.
βDo yall miss Nika and Aaliyah?,β KK read out loud, grinning wide. βOfc we miss them. Nika and Lili are our girls. But we holding it down though. P, you got anything to say to the people?β
Paige looked up from the iPad, where Anthony Edwards was cooking, and flashed that easy cocky smile.
βWe just out here chillin. Pre-season about to start, so yβall better be ready for us. No more passive Paige.β
You let out a small laugh. Paige caught it and gave you the tiniest wink when KK and Ice were distracted.
Ice leaned closer to KKβs phone, reading more. βOkay, somebody asked βIce, whoβs the funniest on the team?β Definitely not KK,β she said, smirking hard.
βShe never shuts up.β
KK gasped dramatically, sitting up straight. βGirl boo! You did not just say that. Ice be acting like I donβt make her day.β
Ice laughed, clearly enjoying herself. βYouβre loud, thatβs what you are.β
βAnyways,β KK continued, side-eyeing Ice, βsheβs lying. Donβt listen to her yβall.β
Ice kept scrolling, smirking like she was always in the middle of the crime scene. She read another comment silently, then elbowed Paige. βPβ¦ read that one.β
@pbucketsfan1: when is paige gonna admit her and y/n go together bad?? ππ
Paige leaned over, eyes scanning the comment. She shook her head with a laugh. βBro, yβall are crazy. Next question.β
βThey want a funny freshman year story,β Ice announced.
βOh, I got one. Remember when we locked KK out the facility because she left her phone in the car? Couldnβt get in with her ID, standing outside in the coldβ¦β
KK side-eyed her immediately. βNah. That was not funny! Yβall they recorded me banging on the door like a crazy person. I was out there freezing, calling everybody from the security phone. Paige was laughing the hardest.β
Paige chuckled, still half-watching the game. βIt was a little funny. You were out there doing the most.β
You chimed in softly, smiling. βI tried to tell them to let you inside. Yall wrong for leaving KK out there.β
βSee?β KK pointed at the camera triumphantly. βGirly pop over there gets it. She keeps everyone in check.
βWhoβs the best dancer?β Easy. Me. Paige tries, but she got no rhythm.β
Paige sat up straighter, defensive. βBro. Bro. Bro. Nah, I can move. I got rhythm! They swear I donβt got rhythm, but I do. Somebody back me up right now.β
Ice just laughed. βPaige can move around sometimesβ¦ when she wants to.β
You raised an eyebrow. βSometimes?β
Paige turned to you with a playful glare. βDonβt start. Youβve seen me dance.β
The room filled with laughter as the comments flooded in even faster.
KK read a few more, still grinning. βThey want to know what we eating tonight. Wellβ¦ somebodyβs about to go on a food run, so pray for us.β
Jana popped her head into the room a little while later, car keys jingling. βYou still down? We going for that run?β
You nodded, pushing up from the bed. βYeah, letβs go. Let me put on my shoes real quick.β
Paige glanced over, eyebrow raised. βWhere yβall going?β
The chat immediately sped up with comments about Paige always checking on you.
βChick-fil-A,β you answered casually, stepping just out of frame to grab your hoodie. βYou want anything P? Ice? KK?β
βI want a spicy chicken sandwich and some fries,β KK said quickly.
βIβll take a grilled chicken sandwich and a lemonade,β Ice added.
βNah, Iβm good on food,β Paige said, waving you off with a soft smile. βJust bring me back a lemonade or something if they still got it.β
You and Jana headed out, the door clicking shut behind you. The live kept rolling.
Twenty minutes later, you were sitting in Janaβs car in the Chick-fil-A parking lot, windows cracked, night air cool. You pulled out your phone without thinking and hit Paigeβs contact, putting it on speaker.
βHey baby,β you said easily, the word slipping out from pure habit. βYou sure you donβt want anything from Chick-fil-A? They got the cookies again. I was gonna grab you oneββ
The live audio went dead quiet for a split second.
Meanwhile back on the live the chat exploded.
You heard Paigeβs sharp inhale. βShitββ
βBro mute the liveβ¦β she muttered, voice tight. Then louder, trying to recover, βYou still there?β
Your stomach dropped. βYeah. Um never mind, Iβll justβIβll talk to you later.β
You hung up fast, heart hammering. Jana stared at you, eyes wide. βGirlβ¦ you did not.β
βI forgot,β you groaned, already spiraling hard. βI completely forgot they were still live. Oh my God.β
Jana let out a nervous laugh. βThe live is probably going stupid right now. Paigeβs faceβ¦ whew.β
You buried your face in your hands the entire ride back, overthinking every possible scenario.
When you and Jana finally returned to the apartments with the bags of food, the energy in Paigeβs room had shifted completely.
KK and Ice were still there, but the live was off. Paige was pacing slowly, phone in hand, jaw clenched tight.
The second you walked in, her eyes locked on you, frustrated and panicked.
KK tried to lighten it. βDamn. Iβm sure nobody heard you for real. I almost dropped the phone when I heard it tho.β
Ice smirked from the floor, clearly entertained. βComments said otherwise.β
Paige ran a hand down her face. βYβall can head out. Weβll see yall tomorrow.β
KK and Ice grabbed their food and left, the door closing with a soft click and leaving you and Paige in heavy silence.
You set her Chick-fil-A bag on her desk. βPaigeβ¦ I didnβt mean to. I completely forgot.β
She let out a sharp breath, still pacing. βI know you didnβt mean to. But fuckβ¦ weβve been careful for three years. Three whole years of keeping this shit locked down from the public, and one phone call and itβs everywhere now.β
βI said one word,β you shot back, defensive. βItβs not like I told them weβve been together since freshman year.β
Paige stopped pacing and turned to you, eyes flashing. βYou donβt get it! The clips are already circulating. People are gonna dig. Weβre gonna have to do damage control. All because we got too comfortable.β
βSo itβs my fault now?β Your voice got louder to match hers. βYouβre the one whoβs never been that lowkey! You touch me on live, you wink at me, you ask where Iβm going like itβs obvious. Donβt put this all on me like I did it on purpose!β
Paigeβs voice rose even more. βIβm not saying you did it on purpose! But now we have to deal with the fallout. The TikTok videos, the edits, everybody in our business. We werenβt ready for that yet!β
The tension crackled between you.
βMaybe if you werenβt always pushing the line in public, this wouldnβt feel like such a big deal!β you snapped.
Paige stared at you, chest heaving. βI need some air.β She grabbed her keys and walked out, the door shutting firmly behind her.
You sat on her bed, food cold, anxiety eating you alive while you replayed the argument. Twenty five minutes later the door opened again.
Paige stepped back in, calmer but still carrying tension. She closed the door and leaned against it for a second before crossing the room. She sat on the edge of the bed, not touching you yet.
βIβm not mad at you,β she said quietly, though her voice was still edged. βI know it was an accident.β She rubbed her hands over her face.
βI justβ¦ panicked. We built this safe little world where only the team knew. And now it feels like itβs about to blow up. I was just stressed about what comes next not about being with you. Iβm sorry.β
You swallowed hard. βI hate that I made it harder for us.β
Paige reached over and pulled you firmly into her lap, arms wrapping around you with that quiet dominance. One hand rubbed slow circles on your back while the other tilted your chin so youβd meet her eyes.
βWeβve been through worse,β she said, voice lower now. βFreshman year sneaking around, all the close callsβ¦ this is just another thing we figure out together.β
Her thumb brushed your cheek gently. βIβm sorry I raised my voice and walked out. I shouldnβt have done that.β
You leaned into her chest, the fight draining out of both of you. βIβm sorry I slipped up.β
Paige held you tighter, pressing a kiss to your temple. βWeβll be okay. Even if the world knows nowβ¦ youβre still my girl. That doesnβt change.β
The two of you stayed tangled together in the glow of her room; food long forgotten, music still playing softly, and her arms steady around you while the chaos of the night slowly settled into something warmer and safer.
Outside, the clip was already going viral.
But in here, it was still just the two of you.