Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Chapter 1: Keira's Unveiling 

Lucy’s POV:

It was so good to have Keira with me in Barcelona. The few weeks that I had spent on my own in our new home had been exciting and busy, but lonely. Despite the fact that I was meeting plenty of new people, the fact that Keira wasn’t there with me dulled my enjoyment of it all. Now that Keira’s transfer had finally gone through and she was with me in Barcelona I felt like I would be able to begin to settle in to life in Catalonia.

One of the first things that Keira had to do after arriving in Barcelona was attend her unveiling at the Camp Nou. The club was keen to show off its’ new signing, a person that they were willing to break the transfer fee record for. I could tell that Keira was nervous about stepping onto the pitch all on her own in front of so many cameras, so as she was getting dressed that morning I offered “I’ve already been through my unveiling, so I know all what it’s like. How about I come with you to yours? I can’t walk out with you as you get announced, but I can be there in the front row of the stands to support you. If you get nervous you’ll be able to see me, and I’ll be right with you the whole time.”

Keira ran over and hugged me tightly, not saying a word. She released me a few seconds later, gave me a quick kiss on the cheek, and said “That would be perfect Luce, thanks. I’d love to have you with me!”

I was glad that Keira accepted my offer. I still wanted to take Keira’s mind off the big unveiling that was happening in a couple of hours, though, so I thought of a way to distract her. I remembered how Keira loved to style me and pick out my outfits, so I thought that would make a good activity for her to pass a bit of time before we’d have to head to the Camp Nou. “Well it’s settled then, I’ll be coming with you. You’ll be wearing your new kit, but we’ll have to sort out something for me to wear, yeah?”

Keira’s eyes lit up, and she said “Ooh, I’d love that. You don’t let me pick out your outfits enough, so I’ll have to show you just how good of a job I can do!”

I chuckled as Keira finished dressing herself and then bolted off to the closet to find some clothes for me.

It was the perfect distraction. Despite how excited she was, Keira took her time and made me try on a few different combinations of clothes. She eventually settled on a light pair of jeans, a slim cream-coloured shirt, and a light linen vest. I paired it all with one of my new pairs of trainers, and Keira clapped her hands together when she saw me fully dressed. “Wonderful, I’m gonna be so proud of showing you off today!” Keira exclaimed.

I shook my head and said “You’re the one meant to be getting shown off today Kei, it’s your big day.”

Keira let out a little smile and then made her way to the door because it was time for us to leave. I followed behind her, delighted to see that, on top of her nervousness, she was still excited to be presented and celebrated as a Barcelona player.

Keira’s POV:

Lucy drove us from our flat to the big stadium. We were both still adjusting to life in Spain, and one big change was the different rules when it came to driving. Lucy had already had some practise, though, and she was quite good at it already. Lucy rolled down the window of the driver’s seat when we arrived at the security check in gate to get through to the player’s area. I thought that we’d have to show some ID to prove that we were Barca players, but I was surprised to find that the security guard immediately recognized Lucy and waved us through after posing for a photo with us.

“I can’t believe that he just recognized us like that!” I said as Lucy drove us to our parking stall.

Lucy chuckled and sarcastically said “I know, it's almost like we’re famous footballers or something!”

I gave Lucy a playful push and she pretended like I had injured her arm as she cried out for the referee to give a penalty for such a blatant foul. Lucy was acting silly again, and I loved it. Not only was she funny, but she also helped me to smile and laugh instead of worrying in the lead up to my presentation in front of all the cameras.

One of the Barcelona staff members who spoke fluent English greeted us at the player’s entrance to the stadium and led us inside. He gave me a brief tour before leading me to the dressing room. It was empty apart from one locker. It had been set up with my new kit, and it was strange, but very exciting, to see ‘Walsh 24’ on the back of a Barcelona kit for the first time. The staff member left Lucy and I alone in the dressing room so that I could get changed for my presentation. I put the full kit on, including my lucky shinpads that Lucy had custom ordered for me. When I had finished, Lucy came over to my seat and sat beside me. I put my feet up on the space between us and she tied up my laces with a smile on her face. It was the first time that we had done this in Barcelona, and I was glad to see that we would be carrying on the tradition. It always helped me to relax before a big match, and it was also a little gesture of love that Lucy loved to do.

When I was fully dressed and ready to go, Lucy gave me a strong kiss on the forehead and said “You look beautiful Kei. If anyone should be a Barca player it’s you. Now go out and enjoy yourself, feel all the love that everyone here has for you. And if you start feeling nervous around the cameras just look for me in the front row of the stands and you’ll see that I’m right here with you.”

Lucy went to go take a seat to witness my unveiling, and I was led to the tunnel. I heard an announcer speaking excitedly into his microphone and his voice booming over the PA system of the Camp Nou, but I couldn’t understand anything that he was saying. The only thing I understood was his last two words. Practically shouting into the mic, he announced “Keira Walsh!” Happy sounding music began to play, and I heard applause as I was motioned to walk forwards out of the tunnel and onto the pitch.

I took a deep breath as I stepped out into the warm Barcelona sun. It was a warm, clear day, and the enormity of the stadium struck me as I took my first steps out onto the pitch. The grass was freshly mowed, and it was a beautiful playing surface. I turned around and saw a large crowd of fans, journalists, and club staff that had been gathered for my unveiling. I waved to them and was then given a ball to do a couple of tricks. I was worried that I’d mess up and make a fool of myself, but then I saw Lucy’s face beaming at me from the stands. She gave me a quick nod of support, and I launched into my little routine. I pulled off every trick that I tried, and to finish it off I booted the ball into the stands. A kid wearing a Barcelona jersey caught it and almost started crying because she was so happy. The announcer and a translator came out to join me on the pitch and they asked me a few questions about how I was feeling and just how excited I was to be joining Barcelona.

It was nice to get so much attention, but I felt like I wasn’t the only person who deserved it. I thought that Lucy deserved a shout out as well, so when the translator asked me “Were you always certain that you wanted to join Barca?” I replied “Yes I was. It’s such a massive club with a great history. My dad had made me fall in love with the club when I was a child, and I had a teammate join a few weeks before me and tell me just how wonderful it is here. She’s actually here with me today, and she deserves lots of the credit for me signing here.”

Everyone in the crowd immediately knew that I was talking about Lucy, and they all started chanting her name. It was strange to hear so many people singing “Lucy, Lucy” in Spanish accents, and I saw Lucy blush as she stood up from her seat and waved to everyone. I was glad that, in the middle of my big moment, I was still able to make Lucy feel welcomed and appreciated.

The final bit of my unveiling went well, and I forgot all of my nerves and just enjoyed the moment.

Lucy was waiting for me in the tunnel as I walked back in when my unveiling had finished, and she gave me a massive hug. “I’m so proud of you Kei! You were amazing out there, and you looked so good too. Red and blue really suits you.”

I changed back into my normal clothes, said goodbye to some of the staff members who had come to greet me, and got back into the car for Lucy to drive us home. “You really didn’t need to mention me, Kei. I don’t deserve any of the credit for your move. It’s all down to you, your talent, and your hard work.” Lucy said humbly.

“No Lucy, you do deserve a lot of credit. Apart from this move being your idea, a really good idea by the way, I would never be the player that I am without you. I really mean it Luce. It was nice to see all the fans welcoming me today, but I hope that you also saw how much you are loved by them. And when we get home I’m gonna show you how much you are loved by me!”

Lucy grinned and I noticed the car speed up a bit. After hearing my last sentence, Lucy was suddenly a lot more eager to get home, and I chuckled as I saw the effect that I could have on her.

Lucy’s POV:

We had unpacked all of our things and set up everything in our new flat a couple days after Keira’s arrival. It was nice to be fully settled in, and it was already beginning to feel like home. It wasn’t as nice as our house in Manchester, but it’d do very nicely for the time that we spent in Barcelona. Keira spent lots of time out on the balcony, trying to soak up some of the sun. I’d go out there to spend time with her, but she’d normally stay out for longer than I could. Keira was able to adjust more quickly to the humidity and heat of the city than I was. Narla was the one who disliked the heat the most, and Keira and I both decided that it was time for her to have a haircut.

I got out a pair of clippers that we had gotten specially for Narla, and Keira held Narla and kept her distracted as I got to work. Keira was really good with all dogs, but especially with Narla, so she did a great job of keeping Narla still as I trimmed her hair. By the time that we were finished, Narla was looking a lot tidier and cooler, and there was a sizeable amount of hair to sweep up.

“Narla looks really good, nice job Luce!” Keira said, admiring my handiwork.

I laughed as I saw Narla playfully trot across the living room and sit comfortably on her cushion by the window. “Thanks Kei, looks like all three of us are all settled in now.”

Keira smiled too and said “Yep, we’re gonna have a great year together here Luce.”

Chapter Text

Chapter 2: Back to England (Temporarily)

Lucy’s POV:

Our football got off to a good start. Barcelona had literally won every single league game last season, and we were expected to do the same thing again this season. It would be an incredible achievement, but I felt like we had the squad to do it. There were quality players in every position, and nobody was guaranteed a place in the starting eleven if they didn’t work for it. So far, we had managed to play well and win every league match that we played. The bigger challenge came in the form of the champions league.

I had won the champions league three years in a row when I was playing for Lyon, but City hadn’t managed to qualify when I was there last season. Playing champions league football was a big reason why Keira and I chose to make the move, and Barcelona was a club with ambitions of winning it this season. Our first test was the group stage, where the first match that we had was against Benfica. I was looking forward to it, and I could tell Keira was too. The easiest way to tell if Keira was excited was to see the way that she walked around our flat. On regular days she would walk around normally, but if she was excited she would practically be hopping back and forth, unable to keep still in any one place for long. On the morning of our first match in the champions league I saw that Keira was bouncing around, and it brought a smile to my face. She looked really cute, but as much as I liked to watch her like this, I knew that she’d tire herself out if she kept it up.

“Hey Kei! Why don’t you come sit down with me for a sec?” I asked, confident that Keira would never turn down such an offer.

As expected, with only a couple of strides Keira crossed the room and sat down beside me. She rested her head on top of my shoulder, but I could tell that she still wasn’t fully relaxed.

“Keira, you seem kinda tense, am I right?” I asked. 

Keira nodded and said “Yeah, just kinda nervous about playing in the champions league again after a few years. What if I’m not good enough for it?”

“Kei, you’re gonna be amazing. I have full confidence in you, and I know that you’ll smash it. In the meantime, how about I help you relax a bit?” I said as I shifted Keira so that she was sitting with her back to me.

Keira nodded, and I placed my hands on her shoulders, beginning to rub them in slow but strong movements. Her muscles were definitely tense and tight, but after a few minutes I had managed to rub out a lot of the tension. Keira had relaxed considerably, and her body seemed to slowly melt downwards until she had had enough and laid down on top of me. “Mmmh, Luce, that felt so good.” Keira whispered, sounding contented.

I smiled to myself as I thought of just how much a few minutes of my attention could relax Keira.

We were playing our first match in the champions league at our regular stadium, the Estadi Johan Cruyff. Later on, when we played against Bayern, we would get to play in the Camp Nou, something to really look forward to. But first I had to concentrate on beating Benfica. Their women’s team was still relatively new, and I was confident that we’d finish as strong winners.

Just like at City and England, Keira and I had lockers in the dressing room at Barca right beside each other. I was getting quite good at understanding the other girls when they were speaking in Spanish, so I was able to help Keira out because she was still at a very basic level of understanding of the language. Some of the other girls at Barca also spoke English, but Keira and I were the only two English girls. Theoretically, those other girls who spoke English should have been able to understand Keira, but it turned out that Keira’s particular Mancunian accent was very difficult for the others to understand. Keira tried speaking as clearly and slowly as possible, but her accent still made things difficult for the other girls, meaning that both Keira and the others relied on me to act as a sort of translator, even when they were speaking the same language. I had thought at first that it would make Keira frustrated, but she saw the humour in it, and she had already told me that she liked it because it meant that she got to speak with me more often.

In the dressing room before our game against Benfica it was Aitana who was trying to speak with Keira in her broken English. Before Keira and I had come to Barcelona, Aitana was a player that Keira looked up to. There was one time in the Euros that Keira and I played against Aitana, and Keira really wanted to swap shirts with her after the match but was too intimidated to approach her. Keira ended up asking me to do it for her, so I had gone up to Aitana and exchanged Keira’s jersey with her on behalf of Keira. Now though, having settled in at Barcelona, Aitana was one of Keira’s best mates on the team. Aitana was wanting to talk to Keira about some tactical plans they had in midfield, and I just repeated Keira’s answers to Aitana, my accent being easier for her to understand.

When they had finished their conversation and it had come time for me to tie up Keira’s laces, I heard Keira whisper to me “It’s so cool how I’m getting to be around so many star players!”

I smiled and said “Think about it this way Kei, they’re thinking the same thing about getting to be around you.”

“You really think so?” Keira asked, barely believing me.

“Yes I do Kei, you need to rate yourself more, everyone else here thinks that you’re a star. I know that you’re a world-beater, Kei, a European champion. Now let’s get out on the pitch and show Benfica just how good we all are, yeah?”

Keira was blushing at my compliments and got up, gave me a powerful hug, and said “Let’s do this. It’s about time we played in the champions league again.”

Keira was right, it was about time. We made up for lost time by getting off to a quick start. Patri had already scored before the first minute was even played. Geyse scored our final goal of the match in the 88^th minute, bringing the scoreline to 9-0! It was a rout, and a great way to kick off our champions league campaign. Keira and I celebrated with the rest of the team out on the pitch. I was so excited that I did a little dance before going to shake hands with the referees and the rest of the players. It seemed like Barcelona was really bringing out my silly side!

It had been great to have our side score nine goals, but I took just as much pleasure in keeping the clean sheet. Despite the fact that people mostly know me for my ability to attack with the ball, I also really like to defend, and so it always makes me happy when I manage to not concede any goals. I felt like my time with Barca was helping me to up my physicality and my technical ability in defence, and I couldn’t wait to bring that back to England when it was time for the next international break and show everyone how I was still growing into a better player.

Keira’s POV:

Winning in the fashion that we did against Benfica made me very happy that Lucy had helped me to decide to move to Barcelona. Lucy drove us back to our flat from the stadium after we had finished debriefing and showering after the match. It was dark, and Lucy was still learning her way around town, so she was quiet as she focused on getting us home safely. I didn’t want to distract her, so I pulled out my phone to check if I had gotten any messages during the match. I saw that Leah had texted me right after the match had finished.

‘Congrats on the big win Keira, looks like you’re playing in the right place!’ Leah had messaged.

I quickly replied back, saying ‘Thanks Leah! Yeah, it’s feeling pretty good. Missing you and al the other girls back in England though, see you soon!’

“Who you messaging with?” Lucy asked.

“Leah. She just sent her congratulations on the win.”

“Oh, that’s nice of her. It’ll be good to see her again during our next camp.” Lucy said, making the final turn on the way to our flat.

“That’s exactly what I said!” I replied. Lucy and I were frequently on the same wavelength, and it often made things a lot simpler for us.

The international break did come around quickly, but Leah had picked up a bad injury to her ankle while playing for Arsenal, so Lucy and I didn’t end up getting to see her around camp very much. I was sad that she’d have to miss out, but she had already told me that she’d be in the stands when we played against the USA at Wembley. It would be our first match at Wembley since that day back in July. The friendly fixture pitting the reigning world champions against the European champions had sold out long ago, and there was a lot of excitement from the media about how this showed that the Euros had created a legacy of increased interest in the women’s game in England.

Travelling to England for the international break was the first time that Lucy and I travelled back after we had moved to Spain. The flight from Barcelona to London was one that I had been dreading. I always get at least a little bit nervous and motion sick on planes, but for some reason I was really not looking forward to this flight. Lucy, perceptive as ever of how I was feeling, was able to tell right away that I was nervous, so she did everything she could to make me feel better before and during the flight. She had given me a tablet to take for my motion sickness, she kept me from looking out the window of the plane, and she held my attention, keeping me distracted from thinking about the fact that I was hurtling through the air, thousands of feet off the ground, by telling jokes and asking me about what music I had been listening to lately. The most helpful thing that Lucy did was to hold my hand throughout the entirety of the flight. The feeling of Lucy’s firm touch on my skin was soothing, and it helped me to feel grounded.

Lucy helped me to get through the flight without tiring myself out through worrying, and we landed in London safely, just like Lucy had promised. After we picked up our suitcases, we found the taxi that England had ordered for us, and it drove us to the team hotel in North London where we would be staying in the lead up to our match against the USA. It was nice to be back in England, but when it started raining only a few minutes after we had left the airport I remembered one of the reasons why I was really enjoying my life in Barcelona.

When we arrived at the hotel the first people that I saw were the girls who had stayed behind at City for the season. Lauren, Esme, Ellie, Chloe, and Alex had all travelled down to London together, and they had arrived only a minute earlier than Lucy and I had. My transfer from City to Barca had taken a while, so it hadn’t been very long since I had last seen them, but we all got very excited to be reunited again. After a round of hugs all around, the City girls bombarded us with questions about what life was like in Barcelona. We answered a couple of questions, but when Lucy noticed that there were plenty more coming she said “Ok girls, how about we all get checked in to the hotel and then you can interrogate us all you like afterwards, yeah?”

Everyone chuckled and agreed to meet up in an hour to hear more about how Lucy and I were getting on in Spain. I watched and enjoyed as Lucy got our room keys, took my suitcase as well as her own, and led me to our room.

“Wow Luce, what’s with all this nice treatment? You tryin’ to show off how well you treat me in front of all the other girls?” I teased as we got into the lift.

Lucy cocked her head and said “I don’t think I need to do any showing off. The only people whose opinions of me I care about are you and Sarina. Sarina only cares about my football, which is going well, and you’re head over heels for me, so I don’t think any showing off at all is required!”

Typical confident Lucy. To people that didn’t know her well, she might sometimes appear a bit arrogant, but I loved her confidence. The thing I loved the most, though, was how she felt comfortable being vulnerable around me too. Nobody’s free of self-doubt, and I was grateful that Lucy was willing to show that side of herself to me when that was how she was feeling. Lucy and I both needed support sometimes, and we were each other’s greatest supporters.

We unpacked our luggage that we had brought along for the camp into our hotel room, cuddled for a few minutes on the bed, and then saw that it would soon be time to head back downstairs and meet up with the rest of the Lionesses.

“Let’s head downstairs now Kei, I can’t wait to tell everyone all about Barcelona. There’s so much to tell!” Lucy said excitedly.

I had a feeling that it was going to be a really fun camp.

Chapter Text

Chapter 3: Keira's Plan to Celebrate

Lucy’s POV:

Keira and I probably spent an hour, gathered with lots of the other girls and sat on beanbag chairs in the player’s lounge, telling everyone all about how our move to Barcelona had gone. I had fun chatting and catching up with everyone, but one thing about our situation was a bit strange. At first I wasn’t able to lay my finger on what it was, but then I realized. Jill and Ellen had both retired after we had won the Euros, and that left me as the oldest player in the England squad. I was only 30, turning 31 later in the month, but lots of the other girls were quite a bit younger. Jill was no longer there to be teased by all the young players about her age, leaving me as the new target. It was all done in good fun though, and I knew it wouldn’t be too bad. Things very rarely got out of hand when everyone on the team was so professional.

Playing against the Americans is always a challenge. Doing it at Wembley, off the back of having just won the Euros a few months ago, made it a bit easier. This match was set to be my 99^th time representing England at the senior level, and I would get my hundredth if I played against the Czech Republic later in the week. Keira had made her 50^th appearance during our previous match against Luxembourg. I had teased her a bit about how she had a lot of catching up to do, and she had responded by saying that I was ahead because I was old, but I had made sure to let her know just how proud of her I was. I knew that Keira would go out of her way to make me feel special when I won my hundredth cap.

Anyways, back to the match. Lining up at Wembley and walking out again onto the pitch for the first time since the Euros was a fantastic moment. Joyful memories came flooding back, but I had to forget them for the next couple of hours and concentrate on the task at hand.

Lauren scored our first goal early on in the match, and Georgia dispatched a penalty to double our lead. It was great to have won the penalty, but there were other ways that I would rather have earned it. I had been the one who was the victim of a foul in the box, but it had taken the ref a trip to the VAR stand to notice what had happened. I had gone to head the ball, and one of the American players had flown in with her boot, missing the ball and catching me in the face. Thankfully I was caught right as she was at the furthest extent of her kick, but I still put my hands to my face and fell over. I was grateful to realize that it was more surprise than pain, but still, getting a boot to the head is never very fun.

The Americans then scored once, had another goal overturned because it was offside, and had a penalty given and then taken away when the referee confused Lauren’s backside with her hand. The other girls had been outraged when the ref had given a handball call when Lauren jumped and blocked the ball with her backside, but I calmed them down and told them that we could trust VAR to fix the decision, which it thankfully did. We ended up winning 2-1, replicating the scoreline of our previous game at Wembley. I shook hands with the Americans, celebrated a bit, and then went back to the dressing room to take a well-earned shower.

Keira’s POV:

The first thing that came to my mind after the match against the USA was what I could do to celebrate Lucy when she won her hundredth cap. Lucy’s milestone would be special not only because it marked such a consistently great career, but also because it showed the longevity of Lucy’s career. She had struggled with injuries, especially to her knee, for her whole career, and had even been told that she wouldn’t be able to play after she turned 27. Lucy had worked hard, done everything that she needed to and more, and proven everyone wrong. Lucy was more than just a naturally gifted footballer, she was a smart and dedicated professional, and that bled into her life outside of football as well. Lucy worked hard at everything that she did, never slacking or putting in less than full effort. It was one of the things that made her such a pleasure to be around, unless you were trying to be better than her at something.

Some people take their partners for granted, or they don’t go to any big efforts to make their partner feel special. Lucy was certainly not one of those people. I knew that she always kept me at the front of her mind, and that I was the centre of a lot of what she did. Lucy made me feel respected, valued, and loved. She was so good at anticipating whatever I might want or need, she took care of me in so many different ways. Just being near Lucy raised my spirits and my self-esteem, something which I needed every now and then. Lucy’s milestone which was coming up with our game against the Czech Republic would give me an opportunity to pay her back a bit and make her feel the way that she made me feel every day. I knew that whatever I did needed to be big, and I needed some help.

I went to Georgia, Leah, and Jordan for their advice and help. Georgia was always good with ideas for parties, Leah had a romantic streak to her that I hoped I could tap into for ideas of what I could do for Lucy, and Jordan was one of Lucy’s best mates and knew her really well. I figured that the four of us together would be able to come up with and execute the perfect celebration for Lucy.

The day after our match against the USA, after we had all finished our recovery session, Lucy had to go for a couple hours for some media duties. Lucy was always in demand. It was the perfect opportunity to gather and plan Lucy’s surprise party. I texted Leah, Jordan, and Georgia and told them all to come to my hotel room. Georgia was the first to arrive, obviously excited about planning the party. Leah and Jordan arrived together a couple of minutes later. They walked in, holding each other’s hands, and Leah pulled a chair out for Jordan to sit on before she took her own seat. They made such a cute couple.

I started off by reminding everyone of Lucy’s achievement that was coming up, and then I told them all how I wanted to make Lucy feel loved and appreciated.

Georgia clasped her hands over her heart and said “Aww, this is so sweet Keira! Lucy’s gonna love it no matter what you do. You could walk over to her and kick her in the shin and she’d still think it was romantic. That girl’s so in love with you, and this’ll just make it even better.”

I blushed at hearing just how obvious the way Lucy and I felt about each other was to everyone else, but I smiled, happy to hear that people thought that things were working out between Lucy and I. To be fair, I thought that they were working out too, but I still sometimes got insecure about myself and worried that Lucy would realize that she was too good for me and leave me. Hearing other people talk about me and Lucy like this helped me to convince myself that I was worrying over nothing.

After a minute of the other girls freaking out over how happy Lucy was going to be I brought us back to the topic of actually planning what it was that would make Lucy happy.

“Whatever you do, you should do it with just you and Lucy, nobody else around. Lucy was just telling me yesterday how she loved being alone with you, so she’d probably like to get you to herself.” Jordan said.

I was glad that Jordan had remembered that conversation with Lucy because it was a good idea. Jordan tended to forget things that other people had told to her, so it was good that she hadn’t forgotten about what Lucy had said.

“And you should make a night out of it. Take her out for supper and then do some fun activity.” Leah suggested.

“And then, when you’re done with that, you can take her home and do another kind of fun activity with her!” Georgia added, mischievously winking at me.

Georgia’s comment made me cover my face a bit to hide the smile that just thinking about Lucy in bed brought to me, and it earned Georgia a smack on the back of her head from Leah, who warned “Behave yourself G!”

Jordan chuckled and then said “It’s not a bad idea though. Lucy’s got a lot of stamina on the pitch so she’d probably be able to have a lot of fun.”

Leah seemed a bit shocked and then quietly said to Jordan “Jordan! We don’t talk about what Keira gets up to in private with Lucy in front of her.”

Georgia laughed out loud, pointed at my face, still unable to stop grinning at the images of Lucy that were popping up in my head, and then said “Well it doesn’t look like it’s bothering her that much!”

“Georgia Stanway! Not in front of Keira.” Leah said in a commanding tone.

“Yeah, you’re right, we only talk about it when Keira’s not around.” Georgia said naughtily, ever the troublemaker.

Leah huffed and stared Georgia down, saying “You’re such a brat.”

Georgia just tilted her head and smiled, replying “Yeah, but you all still love me though.”

I was still sat on my bed, helpless to stop all the references to Lucy and I’s love life, but a couple more seconds of Leah’s death stare finally brought Georgia back under control.

“Anyways… Back to the topic at hand.” I said, finally regaining my composure.

“Yes, let’s plan out all the details.” Leah said, looking determined to plan out the perfect night for me and Lucy.

We ended up so engrossed in planning out all the details of Lucy’s surprise that we lost track of time. I heard a key swipe at the hotel room door, and in walked Lucy.

Lucy’s POV:

I had actually had a bit of fun this afternoon. Normally I got bored pretty quickly when doing things for the media, but today was different. I got asked some silly questions, which made me laugh, and the time seemed to fly by. Even though I had enjoyed myself, I was glad when it was over because it meant that I could go back to being with Keira.

I unclipped a little microphone from my shirt, said goodbye to all the journalists, photographers, and producers, and left the media room which had been set up in the team hotel. I walked over to the player’s lounge to look for Keira, but she wasn’t there. Esme, busy playing pool with Lauren, waved me over. She asked how the interviews had gone, and then said “I bet that I know you so well that I can guess exactly what’s on your mind.”

“Go ahead.” I offered, sceptical that she’d guess correctly.

“Alright then: you walked into the room looking for Keira, and right now you’re wondering if Lauren or I know where she is.” Esme answered.

I shook my head at myself and said “Do I really make it that obvious?”

Esme and Lauren looked at each other and chuckled to themselves before Esme looked back at me and said “Sorry Luce, but yeah. I know that you two try to keep things to yourselves, but you should honestly see the way that you look at each other.”

“Yeah, if you’re not thinking about football, then chances are that you’re thinking about Keira.” Lauren added.

I blushed and said “Ok, well you guessed correctly. Now can you tell me the answer?”

“What answer?” Esme asked, looking confused.

“About where Keira is.” I clarified.

“Oh, yeah. I think she’s in her room with Georgia, Leah, Jordan. They’re probably up to no good.” Esme answered. 

“Thanks!” I said, already running off to my room.

When I opened the door I saw that all four of the girls that Esme had mentioned were still there. They all had naughty looks on their faces, like there was something that they were hiding from me. When I asked them what was up, Georgia stammered something about how they were just talking about the weather, and then she hastily said that she had to go. Leah and Jordan followed right after her. They must have been talking about me! And whatever they were saying about me, it mustn’t have been good.

I gave Keira a quick hug and then laid down in bed, not saying anything. My mind was too busy worrying about what they might have been saying about me. Probably it was Leah saying that I wasn’t good enough for Keira, and the other girls backing her up. I shook my head, knowing that my mind was spinning off in an irrational direction. I knew that I must be wrong. I was good enough for Keira, and Leah would never do anything to undermine my relationship with Keira. Still, I couldn’t stop myself from worrying. Keira started asking me some questions about how my afternoon with the media had went, but I was too busy worrying to listen properly, so I gave one-word answers. Suddenly I was brought back to the real world by the feeling of Keira’s lips pressing against my cheek. That was certainly one way to get my attention!

“What’s wrong Luce?” Keira asked gently.

“Nothing.” I mumbled.

“Lucy, I’m here for you. Please be honest with me.” Keira said, her hand gently caressing the top of my head.

I sat up and said “I’m just worried, and I know I’m wrong to be. It’s just that I could tell that you and Georgia and Leah and Jordan are hiding something from me, and I’m scared that it’s something bad.”

Keira wrapped her arms around me and pulled me in for a comforting hug. She kissed my neck a couple of times and then released me again.

“Oh Lucy. It isn’t anything bad, I promise. Not bad at all. There’s nothing wrong. We were talking about something good actually. Something really good. It’s got to be a surprise, but I can tell you that I think it’ll make you happy.” Keira said, looking straight into my eyes.

I could tell immediately that Keira was being honest, and I trusted her fully. Keira’s reassurances quickly put my mind at ease, and I let out a little sigh of relief before lying back down again. I wondered what the secret was, and when I’d find out, but I was quickly distracted when Keira laid down beside me and cuddled me for a little bit, just to make sure that I was okay. In that moment I was far better than okay. I was always on top of the world when Keira and I were alone together.

Chapter Text

Chapter 4: What's Mine is Yours

Lucy’s POV:

It felt like there wasn’t very much time between matches because Sarina kept us busy in training. We had just won the Euros. We had already qualified for the World Cup coming up at the end of the season. We had just beaten the USA, who were the reigning world champions. Yet still Sarina didn’t let us rest in our laurels. We all knew that we could score goals. We had scored plenty of them under Sarina, and even with Ellen having retired, we still had some fantastic players up front. The big thing that Sarina emphasized and drilled into us was the importance of keeping clean sheets. Being solid at the back was the foundation for everything else, and so there were some weighty expectations placed on me and the other defenders. The desire for clean sheets didn’t mean that we stopped doing what we were best at, I was still encouraged to go on the attack while playing as a fullback, it just meant that we had to be extra careful and attentive in defence.

Outside of training I spent time with the other girls around camp. The move to Barcelona, and the new physical separation from them that came with it, had sunk in by now, and I was consciously making an effort to spend more time with them than I normally would. Keira had put how I was feeling into words when, as we were falling asleep together in our room on the night before our match against the Czechs, she said “You know Luce, I’ve really enjoyed this camp. Sarina could have probably made it a bit easier for us all in training, but it’s been really nice to spend time with the English girls again. I miss them when we’re in Barcelona.”

“Yeah, we’ve definitely been making the most of our time. But still, when we are in Barcelona I’m happy cuz we’ve got friends there too, plus I’m always happy when I’m with you.” I said, Keira nodding in reply.

The room was silent for a few seconds. I listened carefully and heard the quiet sound of Keira’s peaceful breathing. The temperature in the hotel room was a bit warmer than either of us would have liked, but we couldn’t figure out how to change it and we were both too tired to call the hotel staff about it. The solution we came up with was certainly agreeable to me: to compensate for the extra heat we would wear fewer layers. That meant that we skipped the duvet and the pyjama tops. I could handle any heat if it meant that I got to see more of Keira’s beautiful body! The room was dark because it was nighttime, the curtains were closed, and the lights were off. Still, I was able to make out the rising and falling of Keira’s chest after I stared for long enough.

Keira must have been able to see me too, though, because she caught me staring. “Lucy, it’s time for you to sleep now. If seeing me like this is going to keep you up, then I will just have to cover myself up!” Keira teased.

I whined and begged her not to, and with a chuckle she turned over in bed to face me and said “Alright then, Luce, but let me get a better view of you too before I fall asleep!”

With that, Keira reached over and lifted the bedsheet off of me. I could see Keira’s eyes widen, and it felt good to be appreciated.

“It’s all yours, Kei. Well, it’s mine too. What’s mine is yours, but nobody else’s.” I said, trying to add some seduction to my voice.

I saw Keira’s hand drop the sheet, leaving me exposed, and I felt her hand slowly feel its way up and down my stomach. I tensed my abs and Keira’s hand jolted with surprise before settling down on them again and feeling around.

“Wow Luce, you get fitter every day!”

“That’s how I feel about you too Kei.” I replied softly.

After a couple more minutes of Keira appreciating my figure I did start to drift off to sleep. Keira must have noticed, because she withdrew her hand, tucked the sheet back on top of me, and kissed me gently on the forehead.

I woke up the next morning and realized that today was the day that I’d be making my hundredth appearance for England. I had been told that my injuries meant I’d never make it near this point, but something in me refused to accept that. I wanted to be the best at everything I put my hand, or rather my foot, to. Being the best meant being reliable over a long period of time, and hitting a hundred caps was a sign that I had achieved that.

Keira was extra sweet with me that morning, cuddling with me for a few extra minutes before telling me just how proud she was of me. As I put on my trainers, getting ready to head downstairs for breakfast, Keira said “Oh, I better tell you this now. I know you’ve probably been wondering about what I was talking about with Georgia, Leah, and Jordan that day. Well you’ll find out just as soon as we get back to Barcelona. It’s gonna be all about celebrating you and the big milestone you’re reaching today, but that’s all I’m gonna say.”

I smiled, excited to find out what Keira had in store for me, and said “That sounds wonderful, Kei. I’m sure that I’ll love it.”

When we were in the dressing room before our match, Sarina called for everyone’s attention. She gave a little speech about me, praising my contributions throughout the years and saying that she was confident that I had plenty more to give. I sat proudly as everyone clapped for me, and then Sarina presented me with a kit with ‘Bronze 100’ on the back. I knew that Keira would want it framed and hung up on the wall as soon as we got home, and she even took it from me and put it in her own bag.

“Hey, that’s mine you know? It’s even got my name on it.” I teased her.

Keira playfully stuck out her tongue at me and said “Yeah, but what’s yours is mine, remember?”

I had no arguments with that, and, after I tied up Keira’s laces for her, I was soon occupied with the match at hand.

The 0-0 result against the Czech Republic was a disappointing one, but my individual performance had been quite good. I covered a lot of ground, and even when I slipped and fell over, I still managed to keep hold of the ball. It would have been nice to get the win, but it was a friendly and we could all live with the draw.

Keira’s POV:

Lucy dominated during the match, but the rest of us let her down and weren’t able to pull off the win. At least that’s how I felt about myself in the aftermath of the scoreless draw. Lucy deserved the world, so I was upset that I hadn’t been able to score to get us the win. My feelings changed, however, when I saw that Lucy wasn’t very disappointed, and I could tell that Lucy wasn’t mad at me at all because she clung to my side as I walked around the pitch after the match, thanking the fans for their support.

I might not have been able to score, but I knew that I would be able to give Lucy a special experience when we got back to Barcelona in a couple of days. The coach was mostly quiet on the ride back to the team hotel, but when we arrived all of the girls gathered together in the player’s lounge, unveiled a cake which was for Lucy’s milestone, and we had a little celebration.

After an hour, the cake had all been eaten, and people were getting tired. I motioned to Lucy that it was time for us to head up to our room, but Chloe, Georgia, and Ella followed us to the lift, still excited for Lucy and wondering aloud if they would someday reach a hundred caps. The lift doors opened, and all I wanted at that moment was to get to bed and be alone in Lucy’s arms.

“Right you lot, it’s been fun, but I’m tired and I’m sure Lucy is too.” I said.

Ella picked up on what I was asking immediately, and loudly said “Chloe, G, let’s clear off.” Ella always seemed like she was on the verge of yelling, no matter what situation she was in.

The three girls then ran back down the hall, giggling to themselves about something.

Lucy and I stepped into the lift, and as soon as the doors closed I kissed Lucy passionately on the lips. I drew it out until the lift doors opened again when we reached our floor.

“Wow Kei, you must’ve been saving that one up for a while!” Lucy said after catching her breath.

We made our way to our room, closed the door behind us, got undressed, and hopped into bed. All of the soreness and fatigue seemed to leave my body as soon as I saw Lucy lying down on the bed, her limbs spread out across the whole mattress.

We had our own little private celebration of Lucy’s milestone, and when we had finally finished I whispered “Thanks Luce. This was just a little mini celebration, so don’t think I’m done celebrating you yet. Just wait till we get back home.”

“That’s the problem, Kei.” Lucy said, grinning.

“What’s the problem?”

“I can’t wait.”

Chapter Text

Chapter 5: It's Meant to be a Surprise

Keira’s POV:

After a day for recovery and debriefing, we reached the end of the international break. Everyone packed up and got ready to rejoin their clubs, and we all met in the lobby of the hotel to say goodbye to each other. Leah and Georgia came up to me and Lucy, Georgia looking very excited, and Leah put her arm around my shoulder and said “Sorry Lucy, we’ve just gotta borrow Keira for a second.”

They both pulled me off to a corner of the room before Lucy even had a chance to reply.

“What’s going on?” I asked.

Georgia smiled and said “We’re the best friends you could ever wish for.”

Leah chuckled at Georgia’s comment and clarified, saying “We just finished booking the last of the things for your night out with Lucy tomorrow. It took some wrangling, and I even had to trot out the fact that you’re famous, but I got you a reservation for a fancy new restaurant, and then Georgia booked you in for a private, and apparently very romantic, little yacht tour of the coast around Barcelona.”

“Wow, that sounds amazing. I’m glad I came to you lot for advice on what to do! I just hope you didn’t try to make me seem like some sort of big deal, Leah, cuz if you did I’m sure the owners of the restaurant will be disappointed when I walk in.” I said. 

Leah shook her head and said “Don’t sell yourself short, Keira, you’re literally the most expensive female footballer in the world, that’s got to count for something, right?”

Georgia seemed to forget that we were meant to be having a private conversation that Lucy wouldn’t be able to hear, because her voice raised as she said “Yeah, don’t worry about it Keira, you’ll be too busy enjoying yourself with Lucy anyways.” Georgia’s personality was really energetic and extroverted, and that was reflected in the loudness of her voice too.

I saw Lucy’s head turn when she heard her name, and she walked over and asked “What am I gonna be enjoying then?”

Leah swatted Georgia’s head and answered “It’s meant to be a surprise. Keira will let you find out soon enough. Now it’s probably time for us to be heading off, so I’ll say goodbye.”

Lucy and I said goodbye to Georgia and Leah, as well as the rest of the Lionesses, and we got into the back of one of the cars which England had to drive players to the airport.

As much as I wanted to immediately celebrate Lucy, I knew that it would be better if we spent our first evening back in Barcelona settling back in and resting. It had been a tiring international break, and the flight from London to Barcelona played on my nerves a bit and tired me out even more. I knew that Lucy would be able to wait patiently until tomorrow evening, and I was very hopeful that she’d agree that the wait would be worth it.

The weather had been decent in London, but Barcelona seemed like a paradise of sun and warmth. It didn’t quite feel like home yet, but I was sure that it would soon. Besides, I was comfortable no matter where I was as long as I was with Lucy, and thankfully we were together.

We picked up Narla, who was thrilled to see us again, and then went back to our flat. Lucy took the job of unpacking all of our luggage and doing the laundry, while I cooked us some chicken, mushrooms, and rice for supper. Lucy and I were both hungry by the time that it was ready to eat, and I must’ve done a good job, because Lucy devoured everything that was on her plate, wiped her lips clean, and then leaned across the table to plant a kiss on my cheek.

“That was delicious Kei! You oughta teach me how to cook like that. Was this my surprise for getting a hundred caps?”

I laughed at Lucy’s question and shook my head. “No, of course not Luce! I’m glad you liked the food, but I’ve got something just a little bigger planned for you tomorrow. That’ll be the real celebration.”

“Ooh, I’m excited then. It must be good if it’s gonna top this! Whatever we end up doing, I’m sure that it’ll be perfect.” Lucy said, looking excited.

Either Lucy had low expectations, or she was trying to gas me up. Knowing her, and I did, it was very likely the latter option.

Lucy’s POV:

It was good to be back in Barcelona. I had a blast with the Lionesses, but I was eager to get back to club football. Keira and I had set ourselves up for a challenge by moving to a new club in a new country, and I was eager for us both to prove our worth. I had no doubts in my mind that Keira would fit in perfectly. Her playing style was exactly what Barca needed. It was me that I was more concerned about. I was fully confident in my abilities, and it was encouraging to hear people that I respected refer to me as the best rightback in the world, but I knew that I’d have to work hard and perform well to shine in Barcelona. With Keira by my side, though, I felt confident that I’d be able to do it.

It didn’t take long for me to adapt to being back in Barcelona. Keira cooked a delicious meal for supper the night that we returned, but she found it funny when I wondered if that was her gift to me for my recent accomplishment. Obviously she had something bigger planned.

The next day arrived, and I found myself alone in bed when I woke up. The sun was just beginning to rise, so I hadn’t expected Keira to be awake yet, let alone to have left the bedroom. I silently got up, and made my way to the kitchen. Keira didn’t notice me, and I saw that she was anxiously pacing up and down the room.

“Morning my lovely! You alright?” I called out.

Keira looked up and looked a bit startled, but then her face settled into a smile. She came over to kiss me good morning, and then said “Yeah, I’m alright. Just excited for the day, that’s all.”

“That’s great Kei! What’s got you so excited?” I said, hoping that I would catch her out and she’d reveal what her surprise was.

Keira just rolled her eyes and pretended to shout, saying “It’s meant to be a surprise, Luce!”

“Okay, okay, fine then. Keep your secrets.” I teased.

“I was thinking, since you liked my cooking so much last night, that I could cook you a special little breakfast while you take Narla out for a walk?” Keira suggested.

“That’d be great Kei. I’m starting to get the impression that I’m gonna really enjoy myself today.” I answered. 

Keira smiled, and then we were interrupted by Narla, who trotted into the room and started running in circles around me. She was definitely ready for a walk!

I liked going for walks with Narla, not only because I liked the exercise and because it was cute to watch Narla run around, excitedly exploring new places, but because I also like exploring new places. I stopped at a nearby café, and I ordered Keira’s favourite type of coffee. Holding Narla’s leash in one hand, I only had one hand free to carry the coffee, so I didn’t get anything for myself. I was in a good mood, though, and I decided that I’d like to get something more for Keira.

There was a small stall a few blocks away from our flat that sold freshly cut flowers, and I picked out a small bouquet of blue, purple, and red ones with large, rounded petals. I held the bouquet awkwardly, jammed between by arm and my side, and Narla and I walked back home. My hands were full so I couldn’t get out my key to open the door. I guess that I could have just put down the coffee and flowers on the floor for a second, but I preferred to knock and surprise Keira at the door.

Keira opened the door about twenty seconds after I had knocked, and she literally gasped when she saw me standing with my hands full. Narla ran between her legs into the flat, and Keira said “Lucy! Are these for me?”

I giggled a bit and said “Of course they are, Kei! I just wanted to get you a little something to say that I really appreciate you.”

“You shouldn’t have. Today’s meant to be the day that I celebrate and treat you, not the other way around! I –”

Before Keira could continue complaining about how I shouldn’t have got her anything I kissed lips, taking control of the situation. She relaxed into me, and when I reluctantly pulled away from her sweet lips Keira seemed much more contented.

“It might be your day to celebrate me, but that doesn’t mean I can’t do anything for you. I love you so much Kei, and I’ll let you do whatever you want with me tonight, but it’s only fair that I get to give some flowers to the best girlfriend ever.” I said earnestly.

Keira blushed, took the flowers and coffee, and let me inside. I put Narla’s breakfast into her bowl as Keira put the flowers in a vase, set them on the table, and then brought out the breakfast that she had prepared. Keira had set a high standard with the supper that she had cooked last night, and the breakfast was just as delicious.

I saw that Keira was looking for my reaction as soon as I ate the last bite, so I smiled and said “Mmh, Kei. That was amazing. When you retire you could probably make a fortune if you started your own restaurant!”

Keira thanked me for the compliment, and then said “Well it’s probably time for us to head off to training, yeah?”

I looked down at the watch which Keira had bought me as a gift during the holiday which we had had in Barcelona last season, and I saw that she was right. We both got dressed into our training outfits, set Narla up so that she’d be alright on her own for a few hours, and drove off to Barca’s training ground, our training ground.

I spent most of the drive trying to guess what Keira had in store for us tonight, but Keira refused to budge, insisting that it’d be a surprise. As we pulled into our parking stall at the training ground, my mind switched to thinking about football, but I was sure that the upcoming evening and night with Keira would be the most pleasurable that I’d had in a long time. Don’t get me wrong, every day with Keira was pleasurable, but Keira clearly had something extra special planned for later in the day.

Chapter Text

Chapter 6: Celebrating Lucy on Land

Lucy’s POV:

Training in Barcelona was a lot different than the training that we did when Keira and I played at City. Everything was done at a quicker pace, and, surprisingly, it was more physical. The coaching staff broke down the drills and exercises into activities which we did to improve or practice on very particular things. We knew exactly what we were meant to be doing, and we were expected to do it. Well, almost everyone knew what we were meant to be doing. Keira still needed to be given instructions in English, and I still had to repeat most of what Keira said because the others struggled to understand her accent. Acting as Keira’s interpreter took a little bit of getting used to, but it meant that I got to spend more time with her during training, so I had no complaints.

It was our first day back training with the club since the international break, so the training wasn’t the most intense that it could be. Still, I found myself sweating after running some sprints. My conditioning was fine, and I could keep running for a long time still, but my body was still adapting to playing and training regularly in a climate that was a lot different to Manchester.

When we took a short break during training and gathered together to rehydrate, Keira and I found ourselves standing beside each other. We had been doing different drills on different parts of the pitch, but whenever the opportunity arose, I noticed that we both naturally drifted together. I looked at Keira and had to stifle a laugh. I had thought that I was the one needing to adapt to the sun and the humidity! Keira’s face was red, and beads of sweat had gathered on her forehead. She still looked super cute though.

“You feeling alright Keira?” I asked, wanting to make sure that she hadn’t exhausted herself.

“Yeah, I’m feeling great Luce, despite how I might be looking.” Keira smiled back.

I bent down to pick something up from the trolley that one of the coaches had brought to hold all of the things which players might need during the breaks in training. I saw in the corner of my eye that Keira did the same thing. When I stood back up again I saw Keira was facing me, her arm outstretched towards me with a bottle of water with added electrolytes. We had obviously both been thinking about each other, because I immediately outstretched my arm too, offering her the towel that I had just picked up for her. Keira chuckled at how we were both looking out for each other, and we made the swap.

At the end of training all of the players were gathered together into a single group to do some passing and movement drills. When it came time for Keira to make a pass, she played a through ball through the legs of two of the other girls, straight to the feet of the Claudia Pina, who had made a run for it. The next couple of girls who were meant to restart the drill with a new ball didn’t move when they were supposed to. Very few people moved. Everyone was too busy staring at Keira, in awe of just how good she could be. It took Keira a moment to notice that she had attracted so much attention, but when she did notice she let out a shy little smile and then looked down at her feet. The coach blew his whistle and play restarted, but as Keira made her way to the back of the line, directly behind me, I turned, wrapped an arm around her shoulders, and pulled her in for a hug.

“That was amazing Kei, you’re amazing! Next time you feel out of place, just remember how all the other girls were just looking at you.” I whispered to her, desperate to build up her confidence.

As I withdrew from the hug because I would soon be the next player up in the drill, Keira’s eyes met mine. My heart drummed just a bit quicker as I noticed the bright glint in Keira’s eyes when she quietly said “Thanks Lucy.” Keira glanced around, looking to see if anybody else was watching us, before her lips moved, mouthing words but with no voice coming out. I didn’t have to hear Keira’s voice to read her lips, and what she had said was a very simple, but striking, message: “I love you.”

With Keira’s message bouncing around in my brain I sprinted off because it was my turn in the drill. I spent the last few minutes of training incredibly energized, and I could tell that the other girls were impressed at how I hadn’t tired out. I probably would have been more tired had it not been for Keira.

We all went back to the dressing room to shower and change after training, and I found myself alone, the last one to finish getting changed. It turned out that I was wrong, actually, and I was startled when I heard a voice with a Spanish accent say in English “Your girl is very good, no?”

I spun around and saw Aitana looking up at me with a grin on her face. I nodded my head, then tilted it slightly and said “You noticed that, eh? Yeah, Keira’s amazing.”

“How long have you two been together?” Aitana asked, interlocking her two index fingers to indicate that she was asking about Keira and I’s relationship.

“We got together during the first half of last season. It’ll actually be our one-year anniversary in about a month.”

“You better get her something very nice, you’re very lucky to have a girl like that. You should hear how she talks about you to me. If we aren’t talking about football or Barcelona, then she is always in my ear about how wonderful Lucy is.” Aitana said.

I blushed at the thought of Keira going around and bragging about me to everyone, and I said “Oh don’t worry about that, I’ve got something big planned for our anniversary. But before that, Keira’s apparently got something big planned for me tonight. I just made my hundredth appearance for England a few days ago, and she’s got some big surprise in store for me tonight to celebrate it.”

Aitana smiled knowingly and said “Ah yes, she told me about all these plans already.” Aitana winked at me, said “I’m sure you will have a very pleasurable time.” and then walked out the dressing room door, leaving me behind to continue to guess at just what Keira had planned.

Keira’s POV:

Lucy was the last one to leave the dressing room after training, and after waiting for her for about ten minutes I decided to go back in and investigate what was taking her so long. I found the dressing room empty, completely deserted. There were a couple pieces of clothing lying around, but not a person in sight. I looked over at Lucy’s locker and saw that, as ever, it was impeccably tidy. But there was no Lucy in sight.

I took a step into the dressing room, and then I heard Lucy’s voice playfully boom out from across the room “Ah, Miss Walsh. I’ve been expecting you.”

I still couldn’t figure out where Lucy was, and my head was on a swivel, pivoting around the room in an attempt to spot her. “Where are you hiding, Luce?” I called out.

I heard Lucy’s voice again echo throughout the room “That’s a secret. Just like your secret tonight. I’ll only reveal myself if you tell me what you’ve got planned!”

I smiled to myself. Lucy was clearly in a playful mood, and I loved it when she was like this. Thankfully my ears had been able to pinpoint where her voice was coming from in the room, but I pretended like I didn’t know that she was hiding behind a couple of ball bags in the far corner of the room. I slowly walked in her direction, but made it seem as though I had no clue that I knew where she was hiding.

“Well Lucy, you are a cheeky one. Trying to find out my plans before you’re meant to know them. I guess that I’ll have to tell you since there’s no chance of me finding you.” As I finished this last sentence, I suddenly grabbed the ball bags that Lucy was hiding behind and lifted them up, revealing a crouching Lucy. I hopped on top of her and shouted “Found you!”

After recovering from the fit of laughter that we had both fallen into, I helped Lucy up to her feet and said “I may have found you, but I’ll still let you in on the first thing I have planned for us tonight.”

Lucy’s eyes lit up and she said “Go on, Kei, I’m all ears.”

“First you’re gonna drive us home, then we’re gonna dress up really nice, and then we’ll walk down to what I’ve been told is the best restaurant in town and have some food. What comes after that is still a secret for now.”

Lucy’s tongue licked part of her upper lip and she smiled as she said “Sounds amazing Kei! Let’s do it.”

Lucy must really have been excited because she drove us home quickly, tapping her fingers on the steering wheel every time that we had to stop. Lucy practically ran from the lift to the door of our flat, and when she got inside she looked at me eagerly and asked “So how nicely should we dress for this restaurant you’re taking me to, then?”

“Don’t worry about that, Luce, I’ve already got an outfit picked out for you.” I replied, hopeful that she wouldn’t mind me dressing her up.

Lucy just grinned and said “Of course you’ve chosen my clothes for me Kei.”

“Is that alright? You can always wear whatever you want if you don’t like me choosing for you.” I asked, a hint of nervousness in my voice.

Lucy pressed her lips up against mine, instantly relieving my worry. When she finally unlocked her lips from mine again she said “It’s more than alright, Kei. I love it when you dress me up. You’ve got a good eye for fashion, and I like walking around in outfits that my girlfriend picked out for me.”

Lucy’s POV:

Keira led me from the foyer of the flat to our bedroom. She sat me down on the bed and then walked into our shared closet. She returned a few moments later with a set of clothes that I had never seen before. "Is this what you’re gonna be wearing Kei? I don’t think I’ve ever seen these before.” I asked.

Keira chuckled and said “No, they’re for you Luce! You’ve never seen them before cuz they’re new, and they’re your first gift of the evening!”

Keira laid the clothes out on the bed, and I saw that she had obviously put a lot of thought into coordinating the outfit. The maroon blazer that she had gotten me looked especially expensive. I remembered back to the other outfits which Keira had chosen for me over the months, and one thing stood out to me. It seemed as though Kiera always wanted me in a blazer. She obviously liked the look. I liked it too, and I was only too happy to oblige.

I thanked Keira for the gift, put on my new outfit, and then twirled around so Keira could get a view from every angle. Keira’s teeth shone brightly as she smiled in delight with how I looked. It was then Keira’s turn to get dressed, and she told me to look away as she changed so that it would be a mini surprise. After a couple of minutes she told me that I could look, and I opened my eyes to reveal Keira standing in front of me in a slim deep blue dress.

“Well?” Keira asked nervously.

I got up off the bed, smiled brightly towards her, and purred “My gorgeous girl. So very pretty.”

Keira blushed and spun herself around, just like I had before. I clapped my hand together in appreciation, and she did a playful little curtsy when she had finished.

Keira and I helped each other to finish getting ready, doing our hair up nicely. I let Keira pick out which perfume she wanted me to wear, and she tried out about a dozen different scents before she chose which one she wanted on me. It felt good letting Keira choose what she wanted on me, and I knew that she loved it too.

The walk to the restaurant wasn’t very long at all. I’m quite sure that we both turned some heads as we walked down the street, and not only because we were footballers. Keira had picked the perfect restaurant for us because it was private, quiet, stylish, and served delicious food. I asked Keira how she had managed to get us into such a fancy place, and she explained that it had been Leah who had pulled the strings. Apparently there was a months-long waiting list for reservations, but Keira and Leah had managed to bypass it so that I could have a special night.

When we had finished eating the enjoyable meal and paid the bill, I asked Keira “What’s next?”

Keira didn’t respond, and I noticed her eyes looking up and down my body, obviously appreciating what they saw. I chuckled to myself, gave Keira a few more seconds to stare at me, and then said “Earth to Keira. You still here?”

Keira looked a bit startled and then noticed that she had been staring and had tuned out her surroundings. “Sorry, what had you said?” Keira asked.

“No need to apologize, I’m glad you like the way I’m looking right now. I asked what you had planned for us next?” I replied, taking Keira’s hand, pulling it towards me, and gently caressing her wrist.

“We’re leaving dry land for the next part of your celebration. Think I’ll be able to stay upright with these shoes?” Keira said.

I looked under the table and remembered that Keira was wearing a stylish pair of heels. “No need to waste time going back to our flat to change shoes if you don’t want to, Kei. You can always borrow my trainers and I can go barefoot if need be.” I offered. 

Keira giggled at the thought, and then took me by the hand and led outside of the restaurant, making our way down to the harbour. I was surprised that Keira planned for us to go off in a boat, and I had no clue what to expect.

Chapter Text

Chapter 7: Swapped Shoes and a Celebration at Sea

Keira’s POV:

When I had chosen my outfit for the night of Lucy’s celebration I had thought all about how I would look, and not enough about how functional it would be when it came time for us to head to sea. It wasn’t like we’d be on some little fishing boat, but I was still worried how I’d be able to handle heels when we boarded the yacht that Georgia had booked on my behalf. The walk from the restaurant to the harbour was only about ten minutes, but my feet were hurting by the time that we arrived.

We arrived a few minutes early, and Georgia had told me that the yacht would make an entrance to pick us up. I made sure we were at the right pier, and then I sat down on a little wooden bench overlooking the sea. I didn’t say anything about it, but Lucy was able to immediately identify that I was in some discomfort. Lucy sat down beside me, her brow furrowed in concern, and she asked “What’s the matter Kei? Do you need me to get you anything?”

I really didn’t want anything to spoil Lucy’s celebration at all. I wanted everything to be perfect, so I tried to smile and pretend like everything was fine as I said “No, nothing’s wrong Luce. My feet are just a tad sore after the walking in these shoes.”

Lucy looked down at my heels, and nodded in understanding. She looked back up at me with a gentle smile on her face and said “I know you don’t want to anything to go wrong for me during my celebration tonight, but seeing you in pain is the worst thing that I can see. Please let me swap shoes with you, Kei. We’re both the same size, so it won’t be any problem.”

I was about to protest, but Lucy was already unlacing her trainers, and I knew that once Lucy made her mind up there was no way to stop her from doing what she wanted. I chuckled and undid the straps on my heels, passing them to Lucy, who in turn passed me her trainers.

My feet felt the warmth of Lucy’s trainers as soon as I put them on. “Ooh, you’ve warmed them up for me. Extra comfy, thanks Luce!” I said, wanting to make Lucy feel good about helping me out.

It had exactly the effect I wanted, and Lucy smiled and said “You’re welcome. Anything for you Kei.”

Lucy bent down to strap up the heels, and just as she began, I noticed a boat pulling up to the pier we were seated at. I tapped Lucy’s shoulder, and she looked back up to see the elegant white boat glide up alongside where we were sat. It was covered in twinkly lights and looked super romantic. Just what I had hoped for. Lucy and I boarded, were shown to our place on two chairs at the bow, given some wine to drink, and we set off. The yacht took us up and down the coast. We got to watch the sun set across the waves, and then we gazed at the lights of the city illuminating the coast after darkness had fallen. The best view I had that night, though, was when I looked beside me and saw Lucy’s face, smiling and appreciating the moment. I wanted her to enjoy herself, and it was clear that the plan was working.

Lucy’s POV:

Our cruise in the yacht that Keira had planned for us was perfect. I saw some amazing views of Barcelona, and it was a unique experience. I had expected Keira to be seasick, but she was too busy paying attention to me to even think about the possibility, and she had none of the symptoms! Without even thinking about it I found my hand slowly slip into Keira’s, interlocking our fingers together and sharing a moment together. We spent a significant portion of the cruise in a shared but comfortable silence, content to communicate with looks and glances at each other and the occasional squeeze of the hand.

I unconsciously let out a sigh of relaxation and happiness, but Keira turned her head to make sure that I was ok.

“This is beautiful, Kei. I never would have thought of an idea like this, but it’s really nice.” I said gratefully.

“It wasn’t my idea, Georgia actually thought it up!” Keira replied.

“Oh really, well I guess that girl’s head isn’t completely filled with silliness and nonsense then!” I joked.

Keira laughed and then said “She had some other ideas for us to do as well…”

Keira’s voice trailed off, and I asked “What kind of ideas?”

Keira smirked slightly and said “Let’s just say that they’re not the kind of things that you talk about in public, unless you’re Georgia that is!”

I grinned knowingly and asked “So are you planning on following through with any of her other ideas then?”

Keira chuckled and said “It’s a surprise, but let’s just say that I don’t think I would ever think of disappointing you.”

So there was still something to look forward to when we got back home, then!

When the yacht pulled back into port after a couple of hours, a time that had seemed a lot longer than it actually had been, Keira took my hand and helped me down back to dry land as I slightly wobbled down the gangplank while wearing Keira’s heels. It might have been difficult for me, but I would far rather struggle with it myself than have to see Keira uncomfortable in any way. Keira had already paid for the cruise, so we made our way back into town, walking in the direction of our flat.

After a couple of minutes of walking, though, Keira unexpectedly changed directions, taking a turn which led us towards the centre of the city.

“Wait, where are we going Keira? Don’t tell me that you’ve got even more planned?!” I asked in surprise.

Keira grinned and said “Yes, just one more thing if you’re up for it.”

“I’m up for anything as long as I get to do it with you Kei.”

“I know, and I love that about you.” Keira said, gently leaning against me as we walked hand in hand beside each other.

My feet were thankful that the walk wasn’t very long. Keira had led us to a concert hall, bustling with activity as well-dressed couples made their way inside through the main entrance. I walked up the sandstone steps with Keira, and she pulled out a couple of tickets from her handbag and presented them at the door. The inside of the hall was spectacularly decorated with ornately carved wood, and Keira had gotten us tickets in our own little box.

When we had sat down and were waiting for the beginning of the performance, Keira said “I know how much you like this old-timey music, so I found a concert that seemed really good. At least it should be good considering how much I paid for it!”

“I’m sure it’ll be great, Kei. And it’s not called ‘old-timey’ music, it’s called classical music, and for your information plenty of people of all ages like it, just look around at everyone around us.” I replied, keen to make sure Keira didn’t think of me as being too old or out of touch.

My concern was quickly done away with when I caught sight of Keira’s smile as she said “I know, Luce, I was only teasing you.”

The lights went dim, and we were all quiet as the orchestra made their way onto the stage, prepared themselves, and then began to play.

The repertoire for the night was a selection of pieces by Ravel, who I wasn’t necessarily the biggest fan of. Still, Keira had clearly made a big effort to find a niche concert that she thought I’d like, and it was the effort that really made me enjoy the experience. As we walked outside again following the end of the performance I asked “So Kei, has the performance tonight changed your taste in music at all?”

Keira’s eyes met with mine as she said “You know, actually it did a bit. I don’t know very much about this type of music, but it’d be nice if you could maybe teach me a bit about it and give me some recommendations.”

“I’d love to do that!” I said excitedly, already imagining all of the music I wanted to expose Keira to. Keira grinned, obviously pleased with herself, and I had to admit that she had put on quite the celebration for me!

I definitely knew how Keira had been feeling when she had sat down on the bench by the harbour, because my feet and ankles began to ache as we walked from the concert hall back to our flat. I had to stop and sit down on a bench, and this time it was Keira’s turn to be concerned. I explained what the problem was before she could manage to ask what was wrong.

“Oh, I should have known that all this walking around wouldn’t really be compatible with this kind of footwear. Sorry Luce, it’s all my fault. Please let me swap again so we can get you back home comfortably.” Keira said, looking disappointed in herself.

Disappointment was the last thing that I wanted Keira to be feeling, so I put my hand on her forehead, brushed a couple of stray strands of hair behind her ear, and then moved my hand to her cheek. I slowly caressed it and whispered “Shh. Don’t worry about anything Kei, this night has been absolutely perfect. I’ve always wanted to walk barefoot through the streets at night, carefree and in the company of the most beautiful girl on the planet, and that’s exactly what I get to do now. You’ve put on a fantastic night Kei, thank you!”

Keira’s worried expression was wiped away, and she began to blush at my compliment. “Are you sure?” Keira asked.

“Absolutely!” I joyfully confirmed as I unstrapped the heels on my feet. I rubbed my feet for a second to restore some feeling into them, and then I stood back up again. The pavement in Barcelona was kept quite clean, so walking home barefoot wasn’t that much of a problem, especially considering the fact that we didn’t have to walk very far.

As we stood in the lift and made our way up to our flat Keira looked at me with a bit of concern in her eyes and said “I still feel kinda guilty about making you walk around barefoot. At least let me give you a nice long foot rub when we get back home.”

I shook my head to dismiss Keira’s guilt and said “You didn’t make me do anything Kei, and there’s nothing at all to worry about. But I’m never gonna say no when you offer to lay your hands on me in any way.”

Keira giggled and playfully scolded me, saying “Cheeky girl!”

Narla was sound asleep by the time that we arrived back at the flat, and by this time of night we would normally be tucking ourselves in as well. I flopped myself down on the couch after wiping my feet on the rug at the front entrance. Keira went to the kitchen, poured us a couple of glasses of water, and brought them over, lifting my legs up so that she could sit down and join me on the couch.

“I figured we’ve probably had enough wine for the night?” Keira suggested.

“Yeah, you’re right about that! Now where’s that massage you promised me then?” I teased back in reply.

Keira gave a playful roll of her eyes and then got to work.

Keira’s dexterous hands worked wonders, and within just a few minutes I was feeling far more relaxed. “Oh, Keira, you’re a lifesaver!” I moaned.

Keira smiled to herself and kept at it, checking in with me every couple minutes to see if what she was doing felt good. I sat back up again after about fifteen minutes, my feet feeling refreshed.

“Much better, your hands work wonders Kei. But maybe you could work your wonders on some other parts of my body like we had been talking about earlier?” I begged.

Keira smiled from ear to ear and said “I’d like nothing better. Let’s get you to bed!”

Keira did exactly as I had dreamed, working her wonders on me for a time that seemed to stretch on limitlessly. I did my best to repay Keira for all of her efforts during that day, and, by the time that we had both finished our intimate give and take, Keira and I lay beside each other in bed, breathless, tired, but thrilled. We had long since undressed, so I rolled over slightly, pulled the sheet and blanket fully over us, and closed my eyes.

“This day has been the best I’ve had in a long time, Keira. You’re the greatest girlfriend that anyone could ever be lucky enough to have. Thank you.” I whispered, shifting my hand until it met with Keira’s.

I intertwined my pinkie with Keira’s, and she let out a gentle sigh before saying “You’re welcome, Luce. Nobody deserves it more. And I’m the lucky one. I guess maybe we’re both the lucky ones, to be fair. Anyone that goes and earns herself a hundred caps for her country deserves a big celebration, and a girl as special as you deserves a celebration just as special as she is.”

“Well that’s that you’ve given me, Kei. That, and a lifetime of memories. I can’t wait to wake up tomorrow, with you by my side, and make even more.” I said, already dreaming about all of the things that I wanted to show to, and do with, Keira.

“Don’t be too impatient. Get some sleep. We’ve got all our lives to make memories.” Keira said gently.

I laid silently, unable to reply to what Keira had just said. She wanted to spend her whole life with me! It was the perfect thing to say to end the perfect night out, and I hoped that Keira really meant it. I had to make sure. “Do you really mean that, Keira?” I asked, my voice trying hard to get out all the words without failing.

Keira’s pinkie unlatched from mine, and she rolled onto her side to face me. I heard Keira’s voice speak softly and honestly as she said “Yes I do. My whole heart wants it, my whole mind wants it. Every part of my being wants it. And it’s not just the wine talking, I’ve felt like this for a while now. I don’t know what’ll happen between us in the future, but I know that I always want to be with you. If you’ll have me…”

“Yes, Keira, I’ll always want you. I don’t know what’ll happen between us either, but I want the same thing as you. Forever.” I said, meaning it as much as I could ever mean anything.

Both of us were too tired to do any more talking, and it was a subject that we both obviously needed to think more about. Still, it seemed a very promising subject in the future. I already knew that I wanted to propose to Keira at some point, and this night had solidified that decision in my mind. I didn’t know when, and I didn’t know how, but I knew that I’d make it happen one day. For tonight, though, I contended myself with the memories of the day we had spent together and the warm feeling of Keira’s body pressed up against my own, our legs tanged together as we both drifted off to sleep.

Chapter Text

Chapter 8: Coffee with Aitana

Lucy’s POV:

I woke up in the morning, my body feeling refreshed and my mind feeling up for the day at hand. It was still early, and Keira was sound asleep and likely would stay that way for at least a few more minutes. She looked so peaceful, and I had no desire to disturb her. Our legs were tangled together, just like they had been last night when I fell asleep. While we had both unconsciously shifted positions in the bed, we our bodies had still refused to disconnect from each other. The feeling of Keira’s skin up against mine, the temperature of the room, the gentle and warm light coming from the cracks between the curtains, the sound of Keira’s calm and regular breaths, everything seemed absolutely perfect, and I was happy to lay as I was, my head cradled in Keira’s arms, gazing at her restful face. I considered each of the small freckles on her face, and I decided that each was just where it should be. Everything was as it was meant to be. As the sun outside rose in the sky the light coming from the window slowly changed angles in the room, and I watched as the warm golden light moved to illuminate Keira’s face from the chin and slowly moving upwards. Eventually the beams of light made their way up to her eyes, and it was then that Keira stirred, her breathing pattern changing and her legs shifting on top of mine, sending little shivers shooting up my legs from the sweet feeling of Keira rubbing up against me so delicately.

Keira’s eyes opened a couple of seconds later, and she met my gaze. She leaned over, kept my head cradled in her arms, and planted a gentle kiss on my lips. She pulled away a couple seconds later and teased “What a nice way to wake up, my girlfriend drooling over me!”

“Guilty as charged. I just can’t help myself when you’re as beautiful as you are.” I replied, untangling my legs from Keira’s and sitting up.

Keira kept the joke running as she sat up, put her hand on my back, slowly rubbing it in small circles, and said “Well you’ve pleaded guilty, so your punishment won’t be as harsh. I sentence you to go and cook breakfast for me and bring it back to bed.”

Serving Keira breakfast was no punishment for me, in fact, it was something I loved to do. Taking care of Keira and seeing her comfortable and relaxed was my favourite thing to do, except for playing football with her by my side. “Fair enough, sound like the punishment fits the crime!” I joked back, standing up, blowing a kiss to Keira who had settled back in bed under the blanket, and making my way to the kitchen.

Narla was awake and exploring around the kitchen when I arrived, and I said good morning to her, petted her for a minute, and gave her the breakfast that she told me she wanted with a cute tilt of the head and widened eyes. She ate as I cooked, and by the time that I had loaded up a tray with folding legs with two plates of eggs on toast and two glasses of orange juice, Narla had finished with her food and had gone off to lay down on the windowsill and gaze out at the passing traffic on the street below our flat.

Both my hands were full carrying the tray of food, so I used my foot to brush the door to my bedroom open, revealing just the image I had wanted to see: Keira looking comfortable.

Keira put down her phone and sat back up again, her back leaning against a stack of pillows she had built up. “Smells delicious Luce, thank you!”

I put down the tray of our food at the foot of the bed and took my place beside Keira. “You’re most welcome Kei. I hope you like it.”

We both ate and chatted about what we thought that we’d be doing in training later in the day. I was pleased to see Keira lick her lips when she had finished eating, a little non-verbal sign that she had appreciated the meal. She didn’t break eye contact with me as she did it, another little sign that she also appreciated me.

Without saying anything, Keira got up out of bed, picked up the tray with the dishes from the breakfast we had just eaten, and walked out of the room. I thought that she’d come straight back after depositing them in the sink, but instead I heard the sound of running water.

“Keira, no need to tidy up! Let me do it.” I called out.

There was no reply, so I followed Keira to the kitchen and saw her standing over the sink, beginning to wash off all of the dishes. “Keira, I said you don’t have to do them. Leave it to me.” I said. 

Keira smiled at me and said “Oh, I don’t mind. I’ve got to do something around the house.”

“But you just did so much for me last night, Kei. At least let me dry the dishes as you wash them!” I reasoned. 

“Alright then, let’s get to work!” Keira agreed cheerfully, tossing a dry kitchen towel in my direction.

It only took us a few minutes to tidy up the kitchen again, so efficient and coordinated was our teamwork. Narla began to pace up and down the living room, telling us that she was ready for her walk.

“Want to go out for a walk together?” Keira asked.

“I’d love to.” I replied honestly, already going to get dressed for the day.

Keira followed behind me, put on a well-fitted tracksuit, and said “I’ve learned my lesson from yesterday.”

“And what lesson is that?” I asked, not knowing what she was referencing.

“To wear proper shoes when I know that I’m gonna be walking around!” Keira answered, making us both laugh about the silly memory of last night.

Keira’s POV:

I held Narla’s leash as she walked in front of Lucy and I down the pavement, stopping every few minutes to investigate interesting smells or intriguing gaps in the pavement. My free hand didn’t stay free for very long, because Lucy took it in her own only a minute after we began walking. That was how we walked for just under an hour, walking up and down the streets surrounding our flat, observing the differences between how they looked in the morning compared to how they looked last night.

When we got back to our flat Narla had burned off her spare energy and sat down contentedly at the spot on the windowsill that she had made her own. Lucy and I both picked up our football bags that we took to training, and we were soon off again, Lucy driving us to the training grounds. It wasn’t very long of a drive, and we were soon out on the grass, training with the rest of the squad.

After all of the technical training sessions out on the pitch we were led into the gym and put to work on the machines, each of us doing a personalized routine. Lucy was, like with everything else she put her hand to, very professional and skilled, completing every exercise with perfect form. I tried my best to emulate Lucy, but I struggled with a couple of the machines. The distraction that came from constantly glancing across the room to watch Lucy’s impressive muscles at work didn’t help. Thankfully there were coaches all around to help me out and show me how to do things, but the experience made me appreciate Lucy’s talent and dedication just that bit more.

When we had finished in the gym all of the girls went downstairs to the dressing room, showered, and changed back into our day clothes. We then made our way to the canteen for lunch, and Lucy reserved our seats while I grabbed a plate of food for each of us. I had been with Lucy long enough now to know what types of food she liked and didn’t like. In fact, I had been so attentive that I was usually able to accurately predict, based on her mood and what she had been doing, just how much of each food Lucy would be hungry for. When I put her plate down in front of her Lucy’s smile told me that I had done a good job, and I took a good deal of internal satisfaction over that.

Lucy and I were soon joined at the table by Mapi and Aitana, both of whom were giggling about something. I used one of the few words in my Spanish vocabulary that I was comfortable with and asked “Qué?”

Both of the Spanish girls looked up at me, looked back at each other, and then Mapi said “We’re just laughing at you two, already like an old married couple, bringing each other food.”

“Not laughing in a bad way, though. It’s just cute.” Aitana added. I blushed slightly, but also felt good that the other girls were alright with Lucy and I showing a bit of affection towards each other.

“Thanks for saying so, I’m glad you’s are all alright with Keira and I’s situation.” Lucy said, showing me just how much we shared a brain.

“Oh there’s nothing to be worried about here. At Barcelona we are all open and comfortable with each tother, so it’s not a big deal, or even anything new, to be dating your teammate.” Mapi said, her eyes drifting across the room and resting on something, remaining glued as they were on a fixed position.

I looked over my shoulder, and immediately recognized that that position was Ingrid, who in turn was looking back at Mapi with heart eyes. I suddenly felt a lot less worried about how all the Barcelona girls felt about me and Lucy dating each other.

I looked back over at Mapi and asked “So you and Ingrid, huh? What’s going on there?”

Now it was Mapi’s turn to look a little flustered, but she soon recovered herself and confidently said “We’re good friends and seeing if maybe we can be a bit more. She’s very nice, no?”

Lucy and I both agreed that, yes, Ingrid was ‘nice,’ and Mapi went back to staring at her from across the canteen. Aitana, in the meantime, was busy eating, and she finished before the rest of us.

“So Lucy, would you be mad or not be mad if I stole your Keira for the afternoon?” Aitana asked.

Lucy chuckled and said “I’d be fine with it as long as you don’t mean that you want to steal her away from me permanently!”

Aitana laughed and said “No, I just want to take her to a café and show her some of the coffee that Barcelona has to offer. We are midfielders, so is good for us to know each other off the pitch too.”

“Fine by me, but maybe try asking Keira too, she’d not just my property.” Lucy teased.

Aitana laughed again and then turned to me, arched an eyebrow, and asked “So?”

“Yes, I’d love to go with you, Aitana, as long as you drive me home afterwards.” I said, wondering just what Aitana had in mind.

“Good, it’s a plan then. I’ll take you after our team meeting.” Aitana confirmed, looking excited already.

I sat beside Lucy after lunch in the auditorium at the training ground and listened to a presentation which the coaches had prepared on our next opposition. We went through the tactics for the next match, a couple of girls asked some questions about what we were all expected to do, and then we were dismissed for the day. I kissed Lucy goodbye and promised to hurry home as soon as I was done with Aitana, and then Aitana led me to her car.

Aitana had a particular place in mind for us to go, and she drove us straight there. She had lived in Barcelona for a lot longer than I had, and she drove like a native Catalan, which she was, knowing all of the conventions and the quickest route from the training ground to the café. I was a bit worried about how we’d be able to communicate given the fact that neither of us could speak the other’s language fluently, and there was no Lucy to translate for us. It turned out I was wrong to worry. We managed to speak to each other in a comprehensible manner, and we were both able to pick up on lots of what the other meant based on hand gestures and body language.

Aitana made for good company, and she had certainly picked a good café. The coffee I ordered came out tasting delicious, the best I had drank since I left Manchester. It wasn’t quite as good as the coffee at Jill’s shop, and I’m not just saying that cuz she’s my friend, but it was still fantastic.

Aitana watched for my reaction after my first sip, and I smiled, nodded, and said “You certainly know where to find a good cup of coffee! I’ll have to get you to show me around more of the city soon.”

“Yes, I’d be happy to show you around. There’s a lot to see here in Barcelona, not like in Manchester!” Aitana responded.

“Hey! That’s not fair. There’s plenty to see in Manchester!” I shot back, a loyal daughter of Rochdale.

“Are you sure about that?” Aitana replied sceptically.

“Of course I am. I’ve pretty much lived my whole life around Manchester, and I never ran out of things to do and see.”

“Well if you say so. You’ll have to give me a tour sometime.” Aitana said, still seeming not to fully believe me.

I was always happy to show people around my home town, and so I said “I’d love to. Make sure to tell me the next time you’re going to Manchester, if you ever do go, and I’ll see if I can meet up with you.”

We spent the rest of our time in the café enjoying getting to know each other better. It was strange to think that I had been too intimidated to approach Aitana only a few months ago, and now we were teammates and friends. Eventually our time came to an end, and Aitana drove me home. I insisted that she come inside for a few minutes, and Aitana relented, allowing me to lead her up to the flat. I showed her inside, and a surprised Lucy greeted her happily at the door before Narla came bounding up to see who the visitor was. Aitana loved dogs, and so was very happy to meet and befriend our Narla.

Lucy led Aitana around the flat briefly, but Aitana insisted that she had to get home in time for supper. As I had expected, and hoped for, Lucy offered “You could always stay for supper here. It wouldn’t be a problem at all, we’ve got enough food for three.”

Aitana smiled and said “Thank you, but I’ve got someone at home who’s expecting me to join her.”

“Oh.” Lucy said, nodding in understanding and not asking any further questions.

Aitana seemed glad that we didn’t press her on just who she was going to meet up with, and as we said goodbye to her at the door she hugged us and said “Thank you for joining me Keira. I’m going to leave and enjoy supper, and I hope you two do too!”

I returned her smile and waved her off as she was clearly eager to get going.

When Lucy closed the door she turned to me with a grin on her face and said “So, I wonder just who she’s keeping a secret? Did she tell you anything about it during your coffee?”

“Lucy, it’s not polite to pry into other people’s private lives. And no, she didn’t mention whoever it was.”

“I’m not prying, I didn’t ask her anything about it. Just wondering is all.” Lucy said defensively. 

“Well there’s only one girl you need to be concerned about, Luce, and she’s standing right in front of you!” I said, playfully crossing my arms.

“Ah yes, you’re right Keira!” Lucy said, laughing to herself and then picking Narla up off the ground and cradling her in her arms.

“Hey! That’s not who I meant!” I said, pouting.

Lucy put Narla back down, gave me a powerful kiss on the forehead, and said “I know, I know, only teasing. Now let’s get some food into us.”

We did just that, enjoying a meal together in private and then sitting out on our balcony to watch the sunset. It was a lovely end to an eventful day. Getting to know some of my teammates a bit better had been fun, and I knew there was still plenty more to learn.

Chapter Text

Chapter 9: Bubble Baths make Things Better

Lucy’s POV:

After a pretty straightforward match against Real Betis in the league, where we won 3-0, we prepared for our second match of the Champions League group stage. We would be travelling to Malmo, in Sweden, and then we would fly back to Barcelona on the day after the match. Keira had told me that she wasn’t looking forward to all of the travel in a short period of time, but I reminded her that I would be right there alongside her whenever she needed me, and that seemed to relax her a bit.

Having such a deep and talented squad, the manager at Barcelona, Jonatan Giráldez, liked to rotate the squad and make use of lots of substitutions during matches. It was different than how things had been at City, but switching it up and having the higher level of competition was a nice change and helped me to improve my game. I knew from talking with Keira that she felt the same way. One thing that I liked about Jonatan as a manager was that he was really open with his communication, always explaining his decisions, and it was the same for the match against Rosengard. He had called me into his office a few days before the match and explained that he was going to rest me for the majority of the match and then, as long as everything was going to plan, only bring me on towards the end. I was disappointed to not be starting every match, but I knew that it’d mean that I’d be at full fitness for the matches where I was really needed.

Travelling for only a little over a day, Keira and I didn’t need to pack very much luggage. One of the things I’d learned to look out for with Keira was the way that she didn’t tend to think much when she packed her bags. Even when she wrote down a list of things to pack, she still ended up forgetting at least one essential thing. This time round I looked through her bag after she finished packing and saw that she had forgotten to pack her face cream. It might not have been the most essential thing, but I knew how she liked it as part of her nighttime routine, so I threw the container into her bag so that she’d be fully comfortable for our overnight stay in Sweden.

I carried both of our bags to the front door and set them down on the floor so that they’d be ready to go in the morning, and I heard Keira call out to me from the living room “Did I miss anything Luce?”

I joined Keira in the living room, and she moved her legs to make space for me to sit with her on the couch. “Yeah, but not a biggie, just one of your creams.”

“Really? I’m impressed that you were able to notice that!” Keira replied.

I shrugged my shoulders and said “I guess I just pay really good attention to things when they have something to do with you.”

Keira smiled widely and pulled me in for a hug, planting a kiss on the top of my head. “You’re wonderful! It’s good to have a spare brain when mine doesn’t know how to pack my bags for even one night!” Keira said self-deprecatingly.

“Nah Kei, it’s not like that. Your brain works just fine. You’re one of the quickest and smartest I know! It’s just that you spend so much time trying to look out for me that you forget to pay enough attention to your own things.” I offered.

Keira smiled again and said “I like that explanation, much more flattering. Trust you to always put me in a positive light, thanks Luce.”

I just nodded to let her know she could count on me for that anytime, and I joined her in watching some football. Keira and I kept a running commentary throughout the match, and it was funny to listen to what she had to say about it. Her knowledge of the game was evident by the way that she analysed the passing and movement of individual players, and hearing the way that she spoke confirmed in my mind that she could definitely be a manager or a pundit if she ever decided to.

Our flight to Malmo left early in the morning, so Keira and I had set our alarm so that we would have enough time to eat and get dressed without being in a rush. The alarm went off just as I had set it to, and thankfully I was able to shake off my grogginess and get out of bed, helping Keira to wake up by pulling the blanket off of her. I ignored her protests and reminded her that if she just laid in bed she would miss out on playing in the Champions League. That got her up, and soon after we were well on track.

We placed our travel bags in the boot of the car, and I drove us to the club’s training grounds. I had kept us organized and forced us to stick to our plan, so we ended up being some of the first players to arrive. Keira and I sat down together in the foyer of the club’s main office, but Geyse and Claudia soon started begging us to join them outside to play a bit of football tennis.

Keira and I were paired into opposite teams, with Geyse joining me on my side of the net. Mapi served as the ref, to judge whether the ball had gone out of play or not, and we quickly got going. It was a fun way to pass the time while we waited for the last of the players to arrive, and it kept us all sharp without tiring us out too much. I could tell that the other girls were holding back a bit, not wanting to go all-out before a big match against Rosengard, but my competitive instincts kicked in. All I could think about was how to win, and how important it was to win.

My natural competitiveness was always, or at least almost always, good for me, but in Barcelona I found myself starting to feel something more than just competitiveness. A part of me felt like the only reason I got along with the Barcelona girls was because they knew I was an important player for the team. It made me feel like I would no longer be liked or appreciated the second that I stopped performing well in matches or in training. I didn’t like to feel that way, but that was how it was. I thought that it’d probably be a good thing to talk about with Keira. She was amazing at helping me to work through my feelings and feel better about myself, and she had told me before that she wanted me to come to her when I was having negative thoughts about myself. Still, for some reason, I found it hard, and I didn’t want to burden her at all. I knew that I wasn’t being consistent, I always wanted Keira to come to me with her doubts or problems, and I knew that it didn’t make her a burden, but I couldn’t apply that same standard to myself. Thinking through it all in my mind as I volleyed the ball back and forth over the net, I decided that I should talk to Keira, that I would tell her. I would wait until after the Rosengard match, and that way I wouldn’t be nervous about jeopardizing our result by putting Keira off of her game with my issues.

Keira’s POV:

The football tennis was really fun, with lots of laughs coming whenever one of us attempted a bicycle kick and failed. There weren’t any laughs from Lucy, though. She was playing at full intensity, and she succeeded with almost every move that she tried. I could see that she was starting to get a little worked up, so I called the match to an end, claiming to not want to tire myself out too much, and took Lucy by the hand, leading her to a private area where we could talk for a couple minutes before we would have to board the coach to the airport.

I found a bench at the front of the club office, looking out at the road where the club coach was parked. Lucy sat beside me, still breathing heavily from her exertions. I had kept hold of her hand the whole time, and I felt her grip tighten slightly as I looked at her with concern in my eyes and opened my mouth to say “Lucy, I can tell that something’s off with you. You’re thinking something and it shows in just how hard you were playing there. Please can you tell me? I promise I won’t be upset, and I promise I’ll help you no matter what.”

Lucy’s grip relaxed again, let out a nervous sigh that she had been holding in, and said “Yeah, you’re right Kei. You can read me like a book, you’re such a smart one.”

“Don’t try and distract me with your compliments, Luce, what’s on your mind?” I questioned.

Lucy looked down at her shoes for a few moments, clearly thinking of what to say, and then looked back up again. “It’s nothing too bad, but I’ve just got some feelings bothering me right now. I’ve already done some thinking about it, and I know how I want to tell you about them. Don’t worry, I know a hundred percent that you’ll be able to help me. I just don’t want to tell you now, cuz it’d make me feel like I’m bothering you before a big match. I promise I’ll tell you everything afterwards, ok?”

Lucy was clearly set on telling me how and when she wanted, and it was heartening to hear that she did want to talk to me about her feelings. Lucy was such a supportive partner for me, always helping me to overcome my own doubts, and I wanted to be the same way for her. I was glad that she’d allow me to. In the meantime I put it out of my mind, trusting Lucy that she knew what was best and doing exactly what she wanted, focusing on playing well in the match later that evening.

The flight to Malmo wasn’t the most enjoyable, but Lucy pulled out all the stops to make me as comfortable as possible. In the end, when I felt like the only way I could make the motion sickness go away was by closing my eyes, Lucy told me to do just that.

“But I’m not gonna fall asleep, and my mind will just start wandering and worrying even more about flying.” I protested.

Lucy let out an understanding smile, gently circled her thumb on the inside of my wrist, calming my nerves, and said “You just close your eyes and listen to my voice as I read your book to you. That way you can relax and keep your mind busy on something pleasant, yeah?”

The idea of closing my eyes and focusing on the sound of Lucy’s beautiful voice reading to me sounded wonderful, so I eagerly nodded my head, reached into my bag and pulled out the novel that I was currently reading, handed it to Lucy, showing her where I had left off, and then closed my eyes and leaned back in my seat.

After only a few minutes of Lucy’s reading I was no longer feeling nervous or sick anymore. I don’t know how long Lucy read to me for, but it was a good while. When I felt completely calm again and wanted to spare Lucy’s voice from wearing itself out, I sat back up again and slowly opened my eyes.

Lucy stopped reading, stared at my face for a couple of seconds, and then remarked “Such beautiful eyes, Kei. I missed seeing them. Feeling any better?”

I blushed slightly and nodded, saying “Yeah, feeling all the way better. Thanks Luce, you’re the best girlfriend ever. I loved listening to your voice, I could do that all day.”

Lucy winked at me and said “I can think of other ways I’d like to spend a day with you, Kei, but I’m glad that I could help. We’re gonna land in about twenty minutes, anything else you want to do before that?”

“Nah, just be with you.” I replied. Then it was Lucy’s turn to blush as I checked to make sure nobody else was looking and then placed a short kiss just above her ear, lingering until Lucy gently pushed back again just as one of the coaches walked past us down the aisle of the plane.

The flight landed, we were driven to our hotel and allowed to unpack and relax for a couple hours before the entire squad and coaching staff gathered in the dining hall downstairs and ate a big team lunch together. We spent the afternoon stretching, doing some activation sessions, and doing what we could to pass the time ahead of the match. We ate supper early, making sure to eat enough that we would have the energy to run around but not so much that we’d feel weighted down.

The evening air in Malmo was crisp as I stepped out onto the pitch. Lucy was being rested, so she wasn’t behind me in the lineup as we walked out of the tunnel. I didn’t like playing without Lucy, because I felt like having her alongside me was what made me play well and look good. Without her, I didn’t have the same confidence in myself. Still, the occasion of a Champions League night helped to keep my mind occupied, and soon I was thinking and worrying about nothing else than the football that was being played.

We ended up winning 4-1, with Aitana scoring twice, and Mariona scoring a beautiful long-range goal from just past the halfway line. Playing in the Champions League was such a thrill, and I was glad that Lucy and I had made the move to Barcelona. It had been a good result, but with the match no longer there to keep my mind occupied I began again to think about Lucy and to wonder what was troubling her.

I didn’t want to push Lucy before she was ready, but as soon as we arrived in our hotel room and had closed the door behind us, Lucy asked “Is it okay for us to talk now? If you’re too tired that’s alright.”

“No, I’m happy to talk now Luce. Can I sit beside you, or do you want some space?” I asked in reply.

Lucy looked a bit nervous as she bit her lip and answered “Beside me, please.”

I sat down beside Lucy on our shared bed, taking her hands in my own to show that I was there for her. I felt the weight of her body slowly lean against me, and then her head turned to look at me. Lucy was ready, and I was hopeful that I’d be able to help.

Lucy’s POV:

I knew that Keira would support me. She was quite literally supporting me as I leaned against her! I had spent some time thinking of how to best articulate my feelings, and in the end I thought that I did myself justice. I told Keira how I loved my competitiveness, but felt like there was something more now, something that I didn’t like feeling. I felt worried that I didn’t really fit in. Sure, all the girls were nice to me and joked around with me, but that was only because they liked the way that I played. I told Keira how I was worried that, if I didn’t keep on improving and getting better and better every day, everyone would suddenly stop liking me. When I had first begun to speak, my heart had been racing. It got even worse when I started telling Keira about my insecurities that nobody really liked me for who I was, just for the footballer that I was. But then, as I continued to talk, and as Keira continued to listen attentively with a look of love on her face, I felt myself calm down again. My heart slowed to a more reasonable pace, my jaw unclenched, and I found myself relaxing muscles that I hadn’t noticed I had tightened.

When I finished speaking there was silence in the room for a couple of seconds. It wasn't the type of silence that would make me worry about Keira would say, though, more like a silence that Keira allowed so that I could recover a little bit before she started to speak.

Keira lifted one hand to my cheek, and carefully gave it a couple of delicate brushes. “Lucy, thank you so much for sharing this with me. You’ve been really brave. Now I’m gonna tell you what I think, and I should hope by now that you’ve learned the importance of listening to your girlfriend!”

I giggled at Keira’s last comment, and she seemed relieved to see me smiling again, even if it was just for a moment.

Then Keira continued “You’re a fantastic footballer, yes, but you’re also a wonderful person. That’s why people like you, that’s why everyone flocks to you and wants to be around you. That’s why I love you. Yes, I appreciate you as a footballer. It’s such a thrill to date the best in the world. But more than that, I’m in love with you not because of your footballing ability, but because of who you are as a person. Your brains, your humour, your laugh and your smile, your ability to care and love for others, your selflessness, those are just some of the reasons why I’m in love with you, why other people like you so much. Why you get so many people wanting to be with you. Well, the fact that you’re the fittest girl in town probably helps too! But seriously, I know for a fact that the girls here do truly like you for who you are, they tell me so. They remind me just how lucky I am to date a person as nice as you, and they’re right. No matter how well you play, even if you didn’t play at all, people would still find your personality magnetic. I know I’ve said a lot, but I mean it all, and I hope you believe me. I love you, Lucy, and so does everyone else. Nothing’s gonna change that.”

I felt my eyes water as I listened to Keira, and her words made all the difference. My tears were a mixture of relief and happiness, and Keira hugged me tight to her chest, slowly patting my back. When I had let it all out Keira let go of me again. In motions that seemed infinitely gentle and loving, her hands wiped away my tears. She passed me a tissue to blow my nose, and afterwards she peppered my head with delicate kisses. It felt so good to have talked to Keira, and she was right, things did feel better now. I believed her. Keira freed me of my worries, liberated me from my doubts and insecurities, and transported me to a happier and more loving world.

We talked for a few more minutes, and I told Keira how much better I was feeling. I felt back to my confident self, and it was good.

“Alright, now that that’s sorted, how about we get you cleaned up now?” Keira suggested.

I nodded, and Keira stood up and walked away. I heard the sound of the tap pouring water into the bathtub a couple seconds later. I walked over to investigate what Keira was up to after she was still gone after a few minutes. It turned out that she was just putting the final touches on a bubble bath that she had prepared for me. She helped me out of my clothes, and I held onto her hand as I lowered myself into the warm water.

After I had settled in, I looked back up at Keira, who was standing over me, and asked “Join me please?”

Keira chuckled and shook her head, saying “Sorry Luce, but this hotel’s tub is way too small for the both of us. I’d probably injure you somehow if I tried to get in. But I promise you that we can share we get home.”

“That’d be lovely Kei, thanks. What are you gonna do while I’m in here then?” I replied, still looking up at my ginger saviour.

“I’m gonna sit down here,” Keira said, patting the edge of the bathtub, “and I’m gonna help you to relax and wash off. You just sit back and I’ll get you nice and clean.”

Keira was true to her word, and she spent the next while washing me off, shampooing and rinsing my hair, and massaging my back and shoulders as I sat soaking in the warm soapy water.

“You certainly know how to make a girl feel better!” I remarked as I stepped out of the tub and into the towel that Keira was holding up for me.

“I’m glad you enjoyed Luce! I can’t say that I didn’t get any pleasure out of seeing you like that, feeling you like that. You’ll have to let me wash you more often.” Keira replied.

“Let you?! I thought I’d have to beg you! You’re so lovely, Kei, thank you. Yes, I’d like if we did this more often. But since we can both fit in at home, then you’ll have to let me return the favour, yeah?”

Keira closed her eyes in delight, obviously picturing the scene, and softly said “Yeah.”

After she had finished drying me off, Keira led me back to bed, tucked me under the covers, and cuddled me until I fell asleep, far more comfortable than I had been earlier in the day, insanely grateful to have a person like Keira in my life, and in my bed.

Chapter Text

Chapter 10: The Two Levantes

Lucy’s POV:

Keira woke me up in time for us to grab some breakfast that had been laid out for us in the dining room of the hotel. It was informal and pretty come and go, so we both ate quickly and then went back up to our room to pack our things. I double checked the hotel room when we had finished packing, and just as I had expected I found that Keira had forgotten something. Again, nothing too big, but she had left a sock lying under the bedsheets. I quietly popped it into her bag, and then carried both bags downstairs, Keira closing the door and following behind me.

As I walked down the hallway to the lift Keira said “I can carry my own bag, you don’t have to.”

I turned around to face her, started walking backwards, and said “It’s not a problem for me, in fact I like carrying your stuff around for you. If that’s alright with you?”

Keira smiled and said “Yeah, as long as it’s not a bother for you. But if you like carrying my things for me then I’m certainly not gonna complain!”

I was glad that Keira let me do these little things for her, and it made me happy inside to be able to lighten the load for Keira, in this case quite literally.

The flight back to Barcelona from Malmo went about the same way as the flight to Malmo had gone, but this time Keira didn’t get as nervous about flying as she had previously. Remembering what had worked last time, I told Keira to lay back and close her eyes again, and I picked up where I had left off, reading to her from her book. I spent a good hour reading, and by the time that Keira sat back up again there was only a single chapter left in the book. I had gotten invested by now, and Keira said that she’d read out the last chapter to me at bedtime when we got home. I couldn’t wait to lie down in bed and listen to Keira’s cute voice. I loved the way that she spoke, so it was definitely something for me to look forward to.

The coach ride from the airport in Barcelona to our training ground was fun, especially when Keira joined in with the karaoke singing, doing a little dance in her seat. I would never feel comfortable signing out loud and dancing like that, so I was really impressed to see Keira doing what she did so confidently and well. When we got back to the training ground we did a couple of recovery stretches led by some of the coaching staff, and then we said goodbye to the other girls and drove back home, picking up Narla on the way. Keira held her in her lap as I drove us, and Narla struggled between staring out the window to survey the passing surroundings and sniffing Keira and I, excited to see us again after just a single day away.

As she had promised, Keira read the last chapter of her book out loud to me as I lay in bed, my head cradled in her lap. While she had told me to keep my eyes closed so that I’d get the same experience that she had had on the plane, I did occasionally sneak quick glances up, peeking Keira’s face above my own, concentrating on the book that she was holding up. It was lovely, and when the book ended and Keira said that I could open my eyes again I saw her looking down at me and heard her ask “So how did you like that then?”

“I loved it, Kei, you’re such a good reader! The feeling of you sheltering me and the isolation of hearing only your voice is a beautiful experience.” I replied honestly.

Keira bent over, slightly awkwardly, and planted a kiss on my forehead. When she sat back up again she brushed a couple of strands of my hair that had come loose off of my forehead and said “That’s exactly the way I felt when you do it for me. I think we’ve just started a new tradition on that trip!”

“Actually, I think we’ve started two new traditions!” I said, winking at Keira.

“Oh, really? What’s the other one then, sorry I’m blanking.” Keira said, her face showing how she was straining to remember.

All I had to say was “Remember the bubbles?” and her face instantly showed that she did indeed remember.

A smile spread across her face and she slowly said “Mmh, of course I remember the bubbles, although I wish there hadn’t been quite so many since they obscured my vision of you!”

“So do you agree then on that being a new tradition as well?” I asked.

“Yes, definitely. How could I ever say no to you Luce? It’s a bit late for it tonight, but I promise I’ll soap you up real good again as long as you keep on tying up my laces.”

This time it was my turn to move, and I engaged my core to sit up, my head rising off of Keira’s lap and my lips meeting hers. I trained my core a lot, so it was fully able to hold my body up like that for a while. The massive rush of satisfaction that I got from the feeling of Keira’s lips up against mine, moving just as I liked them, meant that I probably could have held the position forever. Eventually, though, I had to break off for a breath, and I settled my head back down on Keira’s lap.

Our next match in the league was against Levante, a team that had been performing surprisingly well as of late. I still had full confidence in our own talent though, so I wasn’t at all worried. Ever since my talk with Keira that night in Malmo I had felt liberated from a fear-based drive to perform. It was replaced by a much more positive drive to win, and I found myself playing even better before, even though I was no longer so worried about not playing well. I could tell from the way that Keira was performing and laughing in training that she was up for the match as well, and the same went for most of the other Barcelona girls.

Playing at home was finally starting to feel a bit more like playing at home for me. I was beginning to get used to the surroundings, and I had learned my way around the place. It was a nice stadium, but not too large. I was really looking forward to our match in the Champions League against Bayern, a fixture that would be played at the Camp Nou. Our warmups were completed efficiently, and it seemed like everyone was ready to kick off and get a result.

All three goals were scored in the first half of the match, with Ingrid and Aitana scoring before Redondo scored for Levante just before the break. The second half was quieter, and we worked hard as a back line to keep a tight defense. Keira was subbed on later into the match, and she managed to impress despite the limited time she had on the pitch.

Keira’s POV:

Winning every game that we had played in so far this season was an amazing feeling. Confidence was high, but it didn’t make us arrogant. It seemed like the intensity in our training increased every time that we won a match. Still, it was important for us all to be on guard against complacency. Winning one match made me, and the rest of the girls, motivated to win the next one just that bit more. Another good thing that came with winning was making the fans happy, and that they were as I walked around the stadium at the end of our match against Levante, thanking the fans for their support and signing some of their things.

The day after the match I was sat in the canteen of the training ground, eating lunch with Lucy, Mapi, Geyse, and Aitana.

“So can someone explain this to me,” I asked between bites, “how come we just played against Levante in the league, and now we’re gonna play Levante in the league again? Don’t you space out the matches against the same teams in Spain?”

Aitana looked a bit confused about what I was asking, and Lucy repeated my words in her more neutral accent, helping her to understand.

“Oh, it’s not the same team, Keira. We played against Levante UD, from Valencia, and next we play against Levante Las Planas, from here in Barcelona.” Mapi explained.

“So why do you have two teams with similar names? It’s just confusing.” I said, trying to imitate Lucy’s accent to make my voice clearer.

I must have been very bad at replicating Lucy’s accent because the others, including Lucy, looked confused. Lucy chuckled at my impression and then she again repeated what I said.

Aitana considered my question for a second and then replied “It’s a normal thing to have teams with names that are kind of the same. You have it too in England, Manchester City and Manchester United both have the same word in their names, but everyone knows they are different. It’s the same over here.”

“Ah, that makes sense now, I hadn’t thought about it like that.” I said, nodding my head.

“So how good is this Levante team that we’re gonna play, then?” Lucy asked.

“You only have to look at their pitch to see how good they are. Honestly it’s not very good. Running around on that kind of surface is a pain in the knees.” Aitana said, pulling up a photo of a very artificial-looking turf on her phone and showing it to me and Lucy.

Mapi, though, disagreed, shaking her head. “Yes, maybe their stadium is not very good, but we shouldn’t relax too much.” She pointed towards the front of her neck and, with a smile on her face, reminded us of her tattoo that, perfectly suited for this situation, read ‘looks can be deceiving.’ The usefulness and the silly expression on Mapi’s face made us all laugh, and some of the girls from the tables around us turned to see what was going on.

Even though it was an away game, the travel to Levante Las Planas took just a little over ten minutes as we drove from the Estadi Johan Cruyff to Levante’s stadium. Aitana had certainly been right to warn us about the pitch. It looked almost plastic, and I saw that, just like in England, there was still a lot of ground that needed to be made up to raise the overall quality of the women’s game. We spent extra time warming up, trying to get used to the different feel of the pitch and the way that the ball bounced differently on this type of artificial playing surface.

Mapi was correct about the importance of not underestimating any team that we played against just because of the state of their playing facilities, but in the end we won the match comfortably, the final score being 4-0. It was a good solid win, but we could have capitalised on more of our chances. Something to work on for our next match in the league then, a massive clash against Real Madrid. I was really looking forward to playing in a classico. I used to relish every derby that City played in, and this seemed to be the equivalent in Spain.

There was barely any time for celebrations on the ride back to our stadium. When we arrived back at our home ground we actually gathered in our own dressing room to debrief about the match that we had just played. The coaches had already prepared a little report for us, highlighting what we had done well and where improvement was needed, and I was impressed by the level of detail and insight that came out of the well-oiled Barcelona coaching machine.

I noticed that Lucy was looking a little tired, so as we walked out of the dressing room towards the parking lot after we had been dismissed for the rest of the day I offered “How about I drive us home today, Luce? I’m gonna need to get some more experience driving in Spain if I’m really gonna live here all year.”

Lucy smiled and said “That’d be great if you drove us, Kei, I’m actually kinda feeling a bit tired.” I chuckled to myself and was pleased that I had noticed without Lucy even needing to tell me and potentially feel bad about wanting my help.

The drive back home was largely silent, occasionally punctuated by Lucy’s yawns and compliments about my play. Lucy went to lie down on the couch when we got home, and I went to the kitchen to cook up a bit of supper for us.

When I arrived back in the living room, carrying two plates of food for Lucy and I to eat, I saw that Lucy was already replaying the match that we had won only that afternoon, watching it intently and reviewing her own play and what she could have done better. I passed Lucy her plate, and as Lucy thanked me and had both of her hands full I quickly stole the remote off of her lap and switched the channel on the TV so that it was now displaying a recent episode of Grey’s Anatomy.

“Hey, I was watching something!” Lucy protested.

“Yeah, yeah. You can critique your game tomorrow, but today you should just rest and be happy with the win. Besides, don’t you want to watch something that we can both enjoy?” I replied, sitting down beside Lucy but still shielding the remote from her grasp.

Lucy relaxed again, smiled, and said “I’ll never turn down the opportunity to enjoy myself with you, Kei!”

Chapter Text

Chapter 11: El Classico

Keira’s POV:

There were two big matches coming up on either side of the international break that England was going to be playing in Murcia. First we’d be playing away against Real Madrid, and then we’d play at home in the Camp Nou against Bayern. I had only been to the Camp Nou one time before – my unveiling when I had signed. It had been an intimidating moment for me, but Lucy had been there with me to help me through it, and in the end I had a lot of fun. I was feeling a similar way about the next couple of matches, both of which would be massive occasions. Whenever I felt doubts and worries creeping into my mind, though, I thought back to the fact that Lucy would be alongside me. A lot of the confidence that I had came from being with Lucy, and I worried how I’d turn out if I was ever separated from her.

We had a few days to prepare for our match against Real Madrid, and the coaching staff was careful to balance the training load of both Lucy and I so that we didn’t get over-tired after having just been on international break. I found myself enjoying the training sessions. Everyone was very motivated, but spirits were high and there was plenty of lighthearted banter going around. It was only when I found myself laughing at a joke that Patri had made during one of our little hydration breaks that I realised that my Spanish was improving. I was finally starting to understand some of the things the other girls were talking about! I was so excited and proud of myself that I finished the rest of the water in my bottle in a couple of big gulps and then ran across the pitch to Lucy. She was sat down, balancing her bottom on a ball in typical Lucy fashion, and she watched with a look of amusement on her face as I ran over to her.

“What’s the rush, Keira?” Lucy asked.

“Guess what? I just laughed at one of Patri’s jokes!” I said excitedly, catching my breath from the impromptu sprint I had just done.

Lucy looked confused and said “Yeah, and? Patri’s always cracking jokes, I don’t get what’s so special?”

“Yeah, but I laughed at it. I understood it, Luce! I’m finally starting to pick up some Spanish!” I explained, still proud of myself.

Lucy’s look of confusion was replaced by a broad smile, and she stood up off of the ball and gave me a quick hug. “That’s so great Kei, I’m really proud of you! You’re doing so well here, adapting to a new way of life.” Lucy leaned over to whisper into my ear and I heard her voice quietly, but with a definite note of arousal, say “This calls for a little reward when we get home if you’d like one.”

I gave Lucy a peck on the cheek, joyfully nodded my head and said “I’d love that, I think I can guess what you have in mind!”

Lucy chuckled and said “Yeah, I think we’ve established by now just how obvious I am when it comes to what I wanna do with you, what I wanna do to you.”

“Yeah Luce, you make things pretty obvious!” I teased, knowing how Lucy like it when we kept things between ourselves and didn’t let on too much about our relationship to teammates.

Lucy stuck out her tongue at me in response to my reference to how everyone around us knew how deeply we were in love with each other, and then she defended herself by saying “But to be fair I don’t think there’s a single person in this world that would be able to hide how they felt about you if they were lucky enough to be dating you, Kei!”

I blushed at the compliment, and certainly wasn’t going to say anything to argue with it. I just let Lucy know that the same thing applied to her too, and then I heard the coach’s whistle calling us back to training.  

When Lucy and I arrived back home again after training we did a couple of things that needed doing around the flat, and we played with Narla a bit before she ran off to do her own thing. After an hour or so, neither of us had yet taken a break following the intense training session. I walked over to the kitchen, where Lucy was washing the dishes in the sink, and I grabbed her wrist, wordlessly pulling her away from her chore. Lucy dropped the dish towel and followed my lead, eventually sitting down beside me on the couch.

“Time for a little break, I think?” I suggested.

Lucy smiled and said “Good idea Kei, we’ve both been on the go for a while now.”

After a couple of seconds of silence Lucy said “I know I told you I’d give you a little reward when we got home, but I’m in quite the state. All sweaty and gross after training. You probably don’t want me like this, sorry.”

Lucy looked a bit down on herself, and I lifted a finger to her chin, pushing it upwards until her eyes met mine. “Luce, I want you no matter what state you’re in. And you’re forgetting that I’ve done just as much running around as you have, but you still want me.”

“Yeah, but you’re gorgeous no matter what, Kei. You could run around all day and still look perfect, but I’m just not like that. My hair gets all wet and tangled, and I know that I could probably use a shower.” Lucy said insecurely. 

I wanted Lucy to know that that wasn’t how I saw her, I needed her to not think that it was possible in any moment for me not to fancy her. Yes, maybe Lucy was right and she did need a shower, but it didn’t detract from her beauty in any way in my eyes. I leaned in closer to Lucy, ran my hands through her smooth hair that she had let down since we had gotten home. After a few strokes of my hand to let her know that her hair didn’t bother me at all I closed my hands, grasping two handfuls of Lucy’s hair. I guided her slowly towards me, and Lucy silently moved just as I directed her, her lips finally making their way towards mine. I stopped Lucy just short of me and held her there as I looked into her enchanting green eyes.

“Lucy, I want you no matter how you are. No amount of running around could every take your beauty away from you. This hair,” I said as I let one of my fistfuls of Lucy’s hair free and gently petted it with my hand, “might be a bit sticky, but it’s just as lovely as ever. This skin,” I said as I moved my hand to slowly stroke the back of Lucy’s neck, “might be a bit sweaty, yeah, but it’s still glowing perfectly. This smile,” I said as I moved my hand to pinch at the corner of Lucy’s cheek and trace a finger along a dimple that formed at the corner of her mouth, “is the brightest thing in my world. I love you just as you are Luce, and I’ll always want you. Now please would you give me my reward?”

Lucy was silent and didn’t move for a second. But then her eyes lit up, and her smile broadened. “You’ve certainly got a way with your words, Kei. And with your hands! Mind if I take you to bed, then?” Lucy asked, her lips seeming to just barely brush against mine as she spoke, only a tiny gap between her eyes and my own.

I let go of the hair that I still held in my other hand and wrapped both of my arms around Lucy’s neck. “Yes please, Lucy, I always love it when you take me.” I replied.

Lucy and I both giggled at the double entendre that I hadn’t even intended to make, and then Lucy moved her arms so that they grabbed at my thighs, her fingers softly digging in to get a good grip and sending waves of pleasure shooting up towards my centre. Lucy pulled my legs around her own waist, and then she hoisted me up off the couch, barely seeming to make any effort as she took full control of my body and carried me off to bed. When we arrive, she delicately laid me down on my back, and with a mix of both the gentle care and the sheer physical power that she had just shown, Lucy spent the next hour rewarding me over and over.

Lucy’s POV:

Keira and I would soon be leaving Barcelona temporarily to join up with the England squad, but before that we had a big derby against Real Madrid to look forward to. I was excited to test myself against one of the better sides in the league, and I knew that Keira and I would appreciate our time together in Barcelona that little bit more when we knew that it would soon be interrupted. Not that either of us weren’t eagerly anticipating joining up again with the Lionesses, it was just that we had been settling in nicely in Barcelona, and it was finally starting to feel more natural that we lived there. I had been right to look forward to the Classico match and the days before it, because the leadup to the match was very enjoyable. Training went well, my body was feeling better and performing at the levels that I wanted it to. My body wasn’t only feeling better because of my recovery from illness, though, it was also feeling better because of all of the time that Keira and I were spending together. The move away from England and the life that we were used to had brought Keira and I closer together than ever before, and that included being closer together in a physical sense.

Our trip to Madrid went by easily and quickly, and it didn’t disturb Keira at all, which was made it easy for me. Time seemed to fly by when we were in the hotel, waiting to play against Real in a match that we had done a lot of preparing for. All of us players were taken on a small tour around part of the city to see some sights, but I barely remember any of them because the only sight that my eyes were glued to was the sight of Keira’s face, her ginger hair tied tightly behind her head, her sunglasses covering up her eyes that I loved to see and making me stare at her even more, and her bright smile revealing shiny white teeth that looked perfect to me. I focused on all kinds of details of Keira that others would miss, and I had a full appreciation for each detail of Keira’s perfection.

When it finally came time to play the match, the coach took us to Real’s stadium, a decently sized facility for their women’s team but not nearly as nice as our stadium back in Barcelona. The crowd was somewhat hostile towards us as we jogged out of the tunnel to warm up, and it stirred up the competitor inside of me. I wanted to show everyone just why they shouldn’t boo me, and I wanted to punish them for even daring to think about booing Keira. That motivation kept with me as the whistle blew to start the first half, and it stayed with me for the full match.

It was a great result. It being my first ever Classico, I had no idea what to expect from it. I knew that Real were a decent team, good enough to attract Caroline Weir, who it had been good to see again, but I didn’t know how much of a test they’d be for us.

In the end, we were by far the more dominant side. We were up by three only a few minutes after halftime, and Keira and I were both subbed off to rest so that we’d be fully fit for the match against Bayern that came after this match. Keira and I sat together on the bench, watching the match play out 4-0 for us. After a few minutes I noticed Keira’s hands looked a bit paler than normal, and when I rested a hand on top of hers I noticed that her skin felt icy.

“Keira! You’re frozen! How come you didn’t say anything? Here, let me warm up a bit.” I said rapidly, leaving Keira no time to reply as I took off my coat, put it over top of Keira like a blanket, and leaned over against her side, wrapping an arm around her shoulders so that she’d get the effects of my body heat as well.

By the time I had Keira all bundled up she just looked at me, smiled gratefully, and said “I love you, Lucy.”

“I love you too, Kei, but next time make sure to tell me you’re cold and I’ll make you comfortable immediately. I don’t want you sitting there all chilly just cuz you don’t want to bother me, okay?”

Keira nodded her head, and I patted the top of it, allowing her to relax and lean up against me, warming up and resting her body. Keira looked so innocent and small, all wrapped up in my coat, and I was so caught up in thinking about just how nice and cute my girlfriend looked that I missed the final whistle, only realising the match was over when Keira’s body became animated again as she sat up and went with me and the rest of the players on the bench to go out onto the grass and shake hands with our teammates and the Real Madrid players.

We flew back to Barcelona that same night, and although I was tired after the match, I mustered up the energy to read aloud to Keira as she rested her eyes during the flight. It helped Keira, and as long as I could make her life more comfortable I was pretty much willing to do anything. We had a day back in Barcelona to rest and recover following the match, and then it came time to leave for international duty.

Chapter Text

Chapter 12: Some of Lucy’s Uses

Lucy’s POV:

The drive back to Barcelona had been nice, and Keira and I quickly settled back into life in our new home, both of us happier than we had been in a long time. The change of environment, as well as the added time that we spent together, had been good for both of us. Looking back on Keira and I’s relationship, I realised that my life, and my base level of happiness, seemed to be continuously getting better the longer that I lived with Keira, the love of my life. I couldn’t help but hope that it would stay that way for life. I’d certainly be the happiest girl in the world if it did.

I was happy to be fully recovered from the illness I had gotten during the England camp because we had a massive match in the Champions League coming up. But before we could go and play Bayern, we first had to face Alaves in the league, a match that seemed pretty straightforward. We were playing at home, and it would be a good opportunity for us to rotate a bit and try out a couple of tactical changes in preparation for the Bayern match.

We ended up winning the match very comfortably. The 8-0 victory was very pleasing, not only because of all of the goals, but also because of the clean sheet. I didn’t play at all, because the coaching staff wanted me to be at full fitness for the Bayern match and to have some time to recover after returning from illness during the England camp that Keira and I had just returned from. Keira got a few minutes off the bench to keep her sharp, and I gave her a big hug when I walked onto the pitch after the final whistle had blown. Keira was looking really fit, not just in the footballing way, and I told her that I liked the way that the red and blue of Barca looked on her.

Narla was waiting for us when we got back to the flat after the Alaves match, and it seemed like she already knew about the victory because she was very excited and wanted to play with us. Keira and I were both a bit tired after the evening match, but Narla saw to it that we both got a second wind and played around with her in the living room for a few minutes before getting ready to head to bed.

The next few days were spent recovering and preparing for the match against Bayern. One talking point that the media had picked up on was that it would be a reunion of former Manchester City players, with Keira and I coming up against Georgia, who had left to join Bayern. She had been doing well in Munich, playing in the position that she wanted and creating plenty of chances. She also racked up yellow cards like it was going out of style, so not much had changed for her on that front. Georgia was never malicious in her tackles, she was just, as Keira described it, maybe a bit too enthusiastic! I was fine with Georgia’s enthusiasm so long as she never hurt anybody else, but I was a little concerned for Keira’s health, especially considering the fact that Keira would be dueling against Georgia in midfield. I figured that she’d probably know already, but I wanted to warn Keira to watch out for Georgia’s tackles.

I found the perfect opportunity to bring it up on the day before the match when Keira and I were eating supper and she mentioned that this would be the first ever competitive match that she played against Georgia.

“I know that she’s one of your best mates and all,” I said, “but I do think that you should watch out for her. We all know how Georgia doesn’t like to hold back, and I’m sure that she won’t even make an exception for you, Kei. And I don’t want you to feel like I’m telling you to be careful just cuz I’m afraid you’re fragile or anything. If anything, I’d be more afraid for Georgia’s health if she even laid a finger on you the wrong way. I’d probably see red and go right after her, and we don’t want that to happen, so please be careful out there Kei.”

Keira chuckled at the image of me chasing Georgia down and then smiled, saying “Thanks for thinking of me Luce. You’re definitely right about me probably needing to be a little extra careful when I’m on the ball. I promise that I’ll be careful, and it’s your job to make sure that I’ve always got an option to pass, yeah?”

I shook Keira’s outstretched hand, sealing our little deal, and said “Of course Kei, I’m always open for you!”

Keira’s POV:

I was awakened on the day of the big match against Bayern by Narla jumping onto the bed and nestling in between me and Lucy, obviously enjoying the warmth and coziness of the two of us. Lucy stirred momentarily, but I petted her arm and she quickly fell back asleep. Narla looked like she just wanted to cuddle, so I hugged her and found myself drifting off to sleep again. Narla was having none of it, though, and she began licking my nose, bringing me back to consciousness. Seeing that I was now fully awake, Narla twisted around and climbed on top of Lucy, causing Lucy to mumble something sleepily. Narla got to licking her face as well, and Lucy woke up in a peal of laughter, a nice enough way to wake up.

Seeing that we were both awake, Narla leaped off of the bed and ran to the door, showing us that she wanted to go for a walk. I looked to Lucy, silently asking her if she wanted to go for a walk together, and Lucy knew exactly what I was asking without actually asking, nodding her head and heading to the closet to get dressed. I loved how we were both able to communicate without actually needing to say anything. It showed me just how close the two of us were, our minds on the same wavelength. I had thought, at the end of our time at City, that Lucy and I were as close as two people could be. Moving to Barcelona had showed me just how wrong I was, because every day felt like a day that I grew closer to Lucy in one way or another.

While Lucy and I were walking down the pavement with Narla half an hour after we had woken up I felt my phone buzz in my pocket. I pulled it out and saw that Georgia had messaged me ‘Hey Keira, hope I’m not waking you up.’

I messaged back ‘No, Narla had already done that job! What’s up G?’

‘Well, we’re gonna be staying overnight in Barcelona after the match, and I was wondering if you could spare a few hours tomorrow to hang out?’ Georgia answered.

I asked Lucy if she’d like to hang out with Georgia, and she said that she’d definitely be up for it if I was. I texted Georgia to let her know that Lucy and I would both love to meet up with her, and she let us know which hotel to pick her up from. We both wished each other luck for the match tonight, and then I got back to concentrating on the walk.

I could tell that Narla was starting to feel more at home in Barcelona because she no longer stopped every few meters to sniff at something. She was still quite curious and excited, but it was a bit more reasonable now. One habit that Narla certainly hadn’t lost during the move over from England was the way that she’d pick out a stone and carry it along with her in her mouth during walks, always trying to bring it back home with her. Neither Lucy nor I knew the reason why she did it, but it was just one of her little quirks. We already had a little collection of stones outside the main entrance to our building, and Narla added to it every day.

When Lucy and I got home we both took turns in the shower. I definitely would have preferred to share with Lucy, but her mind was too preoccupied, thinking about the upcoming match, so I didn’t bring up the idea. I went first, and when I finished and handed the shower off to Lucy I went and cooked a light breakfast for the two of us so that it’d be ready as soon as Lucy was out of the shower. Lucy must have smelled the cooking while she was still in the shower, because she came out into the kitchen earlier than I had expected and still only half dry.

“Looks like someone’s hungry!” I teased.

Lucy nodded her head eagerly and said “I can’t believe you’ve cooked already. You’re an angel Kei!”

I handed Lucy her plate of food, but instead of taking it to the table she stood where she was and then planted a soft kiss on my forehead.

“I mean it Kei,” Lucy said gently, “you’re an angel. I love you so much, and not just cuz you’re such a good cook!”

I giggled and blushed at Lucy’s compliment, feeling my ears get a little warmer as Lucy planted another kiss, this time on my cheek. I took Lucy’s plate from her hand, set it down on the table, and turned to the slightly confused Lucy, saying “Quit being such a tease and kiss me properly.”

Lucy complied immediately with my request, putting her hands on my hips, pulling me in, and quickly leaning her head in towards mine, meeting my lips with her own and drawing me further into her embrace with every subtle movement her tongue made. Lucy may have been busy anticipating the big match coming up, but that didn’t mean that she lost her ability to kiss me and transport my mind to a blissful plane in which the only thing in the world was Lucy and the taste of her lips, the feeling of her one hand steadily holding onto my hip while her other hand snuck up the front of my shirt, caressing my stomach and tracing patterns across my skin that sent little shivers shooting throughout my body.

The beautiful moment seemed to stretch on endlessly, but it still felt like it was cut short too early when Lucy pulled away and said “Sorry Kei, you know I’d like more, but we’ve got to conserve some of our energy for later. I promise that I’ll do whatever you ask of me when we get home after the match, though.”

I accepted that Lucy was right, and took my own breakfast plate to the table to eat, saying “Yeah, you’re right Luce. I will hold you to that promise though!”

“Good, I’d hate it if you didn’t!” Lucy said, winking.

After we had finished breakfast, Lucy cleaned up in the kitchen while I went back to our bedroom and packed my matchday bag, making sure that I brought along everything that I’d need. Lucy looked through my bag a few minutes after I had finished, and, as was almost always the case, she found that I had forgotten to pack something that I’d probably need. Lucy may have been a fantastic kisser, but she also had some more practical uses as a girlfriend. Lucy had so many different uses, and I loved how she was so willing to offer them to me whenever I needed. Lucy seemed to me the perfect person, my person. She wasn’t perfect in every way, but she was just as I wanted her, and I wanted her a great deal.

Lucy and I both settled down in the living room and worked through some of the work that we had for a coaching course that we wee taking together. We ate a brief lunch, and a couple hours later it was time to head to the Camp Nou for our big game. I felt my heartrate rise as I entered the car to begin our drive, and Lucy somehow seemed to be able to tell as soon as my nerves began because she took one hand off the steering wheel and put it on top of my own hand. Lucy’s calmness and confidence exuded from her, seemingly leaping from her hand to my own and injecting some much-needed calmness into my body and mind. It would be a big occasion, and there was a good reason to feel nervous, but with Lucy by my side I felt fully capable of facing whatever might arise.

Chapter Text

Chapter 13: The Drive

Lucy’s POV:

The drive from our flat to the Camp Nou took a little longer than it would have taken us if we were going to play at our regular stadium. The experience of getting to play on such a massive stage in front of so many people more than made up for the minor inconvenience though. As we drove I noticed Keira’s breathing start to quicken, and when I glanced over at her I saw that she had tightened her chest and slightly clenched her jaw. Keira was a girl with a tendency to worry much more than she needed to. Her talent, and the effort that she put into her game, meant that she should never need to worry about football, but that was still what she did. Keira was staring off into the distance, and I could tell that her mind had wandered into a place of worry. I was good enough at driving that I could do pretty much all of it with one hand by now, so I slipped a hand off of the steering wheel and placed it on Keira’s hand. Keira’s cold fingers jumped slightly at the unexpected sensation, and then relaxed again.

After a couple more minutes of driving in silence Keira quietly said “Thanks Luce.”

“For what?” I asked, not wanting to make her feel like I was put out in any way.

“You know for what. I’m always the one to need calming down, and you’re always the one to do it. I’m sorry. Sorry that I’m like this and sorry that I’m always needing you to hold my hand and keep me calm.” Keira explained.

Keira’s worried look had disappeared by now, which was something that I wanted, but it was replaced by a look of apology and sadness, something I definitely didn’t want! I slowed the speed at which I was driving so that Keira and I would have some more time to talk before we made it to the stadium. We had left early so it wouldn’t be a problem. I shifted my hand slightly, intertwining my fingers with Keira’s until we were fully connected, apart from my thumb, which I rubbed in delicate circles in Keira’s palm.

I thought for a second about how to reply to Keira’s apology. I quickly knew just what I wanted to say. “Keira, please don’t apologise. I don’t see comforting you as any kind of hardship. Settling your nerves is never a chore for me, Kei. I wish I didn’t have to do it, but not for my own sake. I wish that I didn’t have to do it because you never got nervous. But nobody in the world is like that. Maybe you thought that I was before we started dating. I know that I seem really self-assured on the outside, and people are always telling me they wished they had my confidence. But you know what I’m really like, Kei, how I also have my doubts and worries. Being nervous or worrying isn’t something that people completely get rid of, it’s something that they work through with the help of the people that they’re closest to. So when I get to be with you and help you to relax it lets me know that you trust me with your feelings. It means so much to me that you do trust me, so please don’t ever apologise for worrying or for asking for my help.”

Keira’s look of sadness somewhat dissipated as she reflected on what I had said. I felt her grip tighten and then relax again. Keira let out a sigh of tension that she probably hadn’t realised she’d been holding in, and then asked, with a delicate voice that made my heart melt, “Really Luce? You never get mad at me for being like this?”

I shook my head and said, as confidently as I could in order to reassure her, “I’m absolutely sure, Kei. Never. Not once have I ever been mad at you or how you have been feeling. I never will be. You’re never a burden for me Kei, anything I can do to help you is my privilege. Every time you need me to hold your hand is fine by me, every time I take you through a deep breathing exercise is a moment that I’m grateful that I’m with you. You’re a special girl, Kei, and just because you get nervous doesn’t take away from any of the delight and joy that you bring to my life.”

By the time that I had finished speaking Keira’s sad look was gone, kicked out by a smile which had spread wider across her face as I explained my feelings about her.

Keira’s POV:

The worries which I had when I first got into the car had risen as we drove nearer and nearer to the Camp Nou. Lucy’s hand on mine had felt momentarily good, but then I had felt a sense of guilt that I was always so needy, so emotionally demanding on Lucy. Lucy’s words to the contrary were a big reassurance, then. To have a partner who was able to calm me down whenever I needed, and who was so perfectly lovely about it, was the best thing to have happened to me.

When Lucy looked away from the road for a second to check on my reaction to her words and saw the smile which I was wearing with relief her thumb stopped circling in my palm. She looked back at the road, still having a few minutes left to drive, and I wondered why she had stopped her little caressing. Lucy then withdrew her full hand from mine, but I was glad when I realised it wasn’t because she was withdrawing from me. She raised her hand up to my cheek. I was impressed by how Lucy was able to know exactly where each part of me was even when she wasn’t looking at me, but I guessed that the amount of time we had spent together in bed had taught her something. It had certainly taught me some things!

Lucy’s thumb then began slowly tracing its way down my jawline, distracting my mind with her sensitive touch. When she finally arrived at my chin I saw that we had pulled to a stop at a traffic light. Lucy turned to me again, saw with pleasure the effect that her touch was having on me, and delicately pulled my chin towards her. The gentle kiss was all too short, but it told me everything that I needed to hear in that moment. That Lucy still loved me, that she wanted me, that I hadn’t put her off with my worrying, that she wanted me to be comfortable.

When Lucy broke off the kiss and got back to driving she asked me to explain the feelings I was having about the match. I told her how I was worried about messing up in front of so many people and how I was nervous about the Barca fans deciding they didn’t want me at the club. Lucy spent the next few minutes building my confidence back up, systematically working through my thoughts with me and helping me to feel better. By the time that we arrived at the security check in outside the Camp Nou I was feeling far more confident, more ready to go out and put in a good performance.

It had not been a very long drive, but Lucy had resolved my nerves and put me back in a good mood. She’d also done something even more important, though. She had taught me a lesson. Lucy loved me for who I was, and she didn’t expect a perfect partner in exchange for her love. All Lucy expected was for me to be myself, and I certainly knew how to do that! Sometimes it was hard to be my authentic self around other people, but Lucy made it easy for me. Lucy pulled us to a stop in the parking stall designated for us, and she hurriedly hopped out of her seat and ran around the front of the car, pulling open the door for me.

As I stepped out of the car, ready to compliment her on her manners, she cut me off by wrapping her arms around my shoulders and giving me a tight hug. I had needed that hug more than I had known, and Lucy let me go feeling a lot better than I had been before. Lucy looked to me and asked “You ready for this, Kei?”

I nodded my head and said “Yep. With your help I am. You ready?”

Lucy smiled, took her bag from the boot of the car and passed me mine, and replied “Of course I’m ready. Now let’s go, get our minds focused on the game, win it, and then head home for a big celebration. Then tomorrow we’ll get to chill with Georgia. Lots to look forward to!”

Lucy was right about that, there was a lot to look forward to. As long as I got to do them with Lucy, almost any plans we had were things that I looked forward to.

Chapter Text

Chapter 14: Beating Bayern in the Camp Nou

Lucy’s POV:

The time between us arriving at the Camp Nou and the first whistle to kick off the match seemed to fly by. It was really cool to see my name and number over a locker in the dressing room of such an iconic ground, and the pitch seemed immaculate as I went out with the rest of the girls for the pitch inspection. Keira and I had both been here before, both for our unveilings after we had signed and as spectators for a couple of the men’s matches, but coming as a player before a big match in the Champions League was something else entirely, something quite special.

Even more special to me, though, was the look that I saw on Keira’s face as we walked out of the tunnel to begin our warmup. The fans who had taken their seats early clapped for us, and Keira’s smile seemed to light up the stadium as she looked around and took it all in. Keira deserved to be playing at this level, on this kind of a stage, and I was so happy for her. She was looking sharp in the warmup drills, and I was pleased to see that the nerves she had been feeling in the drive from our flat to the stadium had been settled during our talk.

When the Bayern players joined us on the pitch for their warmups I tried to focus on my own routine. That didn’t last for long, though, because as I was standing still, waiting to receive a pass, I felt someone unexpectedly jump up on my back, holding onto my shoulders.

“Lucy! How come you didn’t come say hi to me?!” I heard Georgia’s distinctive voice almost shout from behind me.

Georgia let go of me and I turned around to see her, smiling and looking excited. The move to Munich seemed to definitely be suiting her.

“I didn’t see you, G. I’m glad you came to say hello to me though. But you could have done it in a bit of a calmer fashion! I know what you’ve been like on the pitch this season, but you don’t need to be tackling me before the match has even started!” I replied, teasing Georgia about just how many yellow cards she had been picking up.

Georgia and I caught up for a minute before Georgia had to return to her teammates. It was weird not playing on the same side anymore, but I would have to forget my friendship with her for the ninety minutes and try my best to see that she played poorly.

The first half of the match went how I had expected it to. Both sides clearly had a lot of quality, but we were the better team. We didn’t manage to capitalise on any of our opportunities, though, and I knew that we’d need to be more clinical in the second half.

The fans really got behind us in the second half, and it made a world of difference. Goals from Geyse, Aitana, and Claudia meant that we ran out 3-0 winners, bringing a smile to tens of thousands of faces in the stands. We had needed to take advantage of our play, and the fact that we were at home, and we had done just that.

The celebrations out on the pitch afterwards were very entertaining, and as we walked over as a team to applaud the fans I was pleased to see just how much our win meant to everyone. Keira was right in the middle of the celebrations, forgetting all of her worries and enjoying the moment. It was hilarious to see her showing off and doing a little dance that I knew she had been practising. She got all of the moves right, but she did it quite slowly, still a bit unsure of herself, making the whole thing a bit comical and very endearing. I felt energised after the victory, despite having run around a lot, and I found myself doing a somersault for no real reason other than the fin of it. All the other girls laughed and clapped for my little gymnastic display and begged for an encore, which I gladly provided. All in all it was a fun way to cap off a successful performance.

Keira’s POV:

It was a great win, and my own performance had been pretty decent, reinforcing the confidence that Lucy had planted in me. After our celebrations with the fans I grabbed Lucy’s hand and walked us over to go talk with Georgia, who thankfully didn’t seem too upset. I don’t think that many of the Bayern players had been expecting to beat us on our home soil.

“Congrats Keira, it isn’t very fun having to play against you!” Georgia said, giving me a hug.

“Thanks G, you were actually really good yourself. Yeah, it just kinda feels wrong playing on separate sides. We’ll have to tolerate it for one more match, in your new home city this time, and then it shouldn’t happen again for some time, considering that we play in different countries now!” I said, returning the hug.

“So have you got any plans for how you’re gonna entertain me tomorrow and make me feel better again?” Georgia asked.

“Yeah, I’ve got a couple ideas. Not for you to know yet, though, it’ll be a surprise.” Lucy answered, making Georgia’s face look disappointed for a second before it quickly changed to a look of excitement, she was clearly already picturing what we might do tomorrow.

After chatting with Georgia for a few more minutes it was time to head back to the dressing room to get showered and changed, and quickly after that and a debriefing with the coaches, Lucy was driving me home.

Narla was waiting for us, and after some cuddles and attention she was quickly off to bed. Lucy and I were still too excited following the occasion to fall asleep, so we sat on the couch and checked on the results from the other matches that had been played that day.

“You were so good today, Kei, I knew you would be. That time you dribbled past those three Bayern players was especially fun to watch!” Lucy complimented.

“Thanks Luce, you were really good too. You always are, though, so not much of a surprise there. So, you told Georgia that our plans for her were a surprise, but you haven’t told me what you’ve got planned either. What are we gonna be doing with her, then?” I asked.

Lucy let out a cute little smile and said “I was thinking we could take her down to the beach for a bit, have lunch in a little café nearby that I spotted on a walk I took with Narla, and then we can show her our flat here. By the time that’s all finished we’ll probably have to return her to her hotel again.”

“Sounds great, Luce. I’m sure she’ll enjoy the beach. I don’t think they have too many of them in Munich!” I joked.

Lucy and I talked for a while longer, expending our energy and finally feeling ready for bed after some cuddling on the couch. We went back to our room, got dressed into our pyjamas, and slipped underneath the covers of our bed. It was a pretty large bed, with plenty of space for both of us, but we always found ourselves sleeping right beside each other, leaving plenty of empty space at the edges of the bed. I liked it, though, because the warmth that Lucy’s body gave off was comforting, as was the feeling of her skin up against my own. I laid my head on Lucy’s shoulder and she stroked her fingers gently through my hair as she whispered little compliments and declarations of love into my ear. It was the perfect way to fall asleep, and I tried my hardest to keep awake for as long as possible so that I could enjoy the moment. Ultimately it was just too comfortable though, and I eventually fell asleep in Lucy’s embrace.