#Liga F

[fleming-o]

A little to much - BarcaFem X TeenReader

when school and being a footballer becomes to much, your teammates are there to help out

4k words

master list

---

You’d been hiding it for weeks now. Every missed assignment, every test returned with red marks, every moment in class where you felt like your brain was moving slower than everyone else’s. It started small—a late homework submission here, a careless mistake on a quiz there—but it piled up quickly.

The pressure grew heavier with each day, but you kept it to yourself. The girls on the team had so much going on, and you didn’t want to add your problems to their already full plates.

They were your family, though. Barça Femení wasn’t just a team. From the moment you joined, they’d taken you in like you belonged. You looked up to them, especially the older girls like Mapi, Alexia, and Ingrid.

They were always so strong, so put together. They didn’t let anything break them, at least not on the surface. You wanted to be like them—resilient, someone they could rely on. So you kept pretending everything was fine.

But lately, it wasn’t fine. At all.

You stared down at the test paper in front of you, the big red "D" at the top staring back at you like it was mocking you. Your heart pounded, and the edges of your vision blurred.

The classroom felt too loud, too bright, and your stomach twisted in knots. How were you going to fix this? How were you going to explain this to your teachers, your parents, your teammates?

You stuffed the paper deep into your bag, hoping no one would notice. But that didn’t make the problem go away.

---

That evening at practice, you couldn’t concentrate. Your passes were sloppy, your focus drifted, and your usual energy was nowhere to be found.

Mapi gave you a curious look at one point, raising an eyebrow in question, but you forced a smile and carried on. You could feel your mask cracking, though, and it was taking everything in you to keep it together.

“Everything okay?” Aitana asked as the team gathered to stretch at the end of training. You nodded quickly, not trusting yourself to say more. You could feel the lump forming in your throat, but you swallowed it down.

Once practice ended, the team started to disperse, heading to the locker rooms. You were the last to leave the field, hoping no one would notice how slow you were moving. You just needed a moment to collect yourself. Just a moment.

But Mapi was waiting for you at the entrance.

“Hey, you’ve been off all day,” she said, her voice casual but laced with concern. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing,” you muttered, avoiding her gaze. “I’m fine.”

She didn’t buy it. “You’re not fine. Talk to me.”

You wanted to, you really did. But the thought of burdening her with your problems made your chest tighten. You shook your head and started walking past her, hoping she’d drop it.

She didn’t.

“Hey, wait a second,” Mapi called after you, following closely behind. “What’s going on? You can tell me.”

“I said I’m fine!” you snapped, more harshly than you meant to. The second the words left your mouth, regret flooded through you. Mapi froze, her eyes widening in surprise, but she didn’t say anything.

You blinked back the tears that threatened to spill over. You couldn’t let her see you like this. “I… I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that,” you whispered, your voice shaky.

Mapi stepped closer, her expression softening. “It’s okay. But I know something’s wrong. You’re not yourself, and I’m worried about you.”

You bit your lip, debating whether to tell her. But before you could say anything, Mapi’s eyes flicked to your bag. The zipper was slightly open, and the corner of a crumpled piece of paper stuck out.

“What’s that?” she asked, reaching for the paper before you could stop her.

“No, wait—” you tried, but it was too late.

Mapi unfolded the test paper, her eyes scanning the red marks and the big “D” at the top. Her face fell, and she glanced back up at you, her expression unreadable.

“Is this what you’ve been hiding?” she asked softly.

You couldn’t hold it in anymore. The tears came fast, and you covered your face with your hands, trying to hide how embarrassed you felt. “I’m sorry,” you choked out. “I didn’t want you guys to know. I didn’t want to disappoint you.”

Mapi stepped forward, pulling you into a tight hug. “Disappoint us? Are you serious?”

You cried harder, unable to stop. “I’ve been messing up at school for weeks, and I’m trying, I swear, but I just can’t keep up. I thought I could fix it on my own, but it’s getting worse, and I’m so tired of pretending like I’m okay.”

Mapi didn’t let go, holding you close as you sobbed into her shoulder. She rubbed your back, her touch grounding you, reminding you that you weren’t alone.

“You don’t have to pretend with us,” she whispered. “You’re allowed to struggle, you’re allowed to ask for help. We love you no matter what.”

You stayed like that for a while, just letting yourself cry as Mapi held you. When your tears finally slowed, she pulled back and wiped your face with her sleeve.

“Come on, let’s get you cleaned up and talk to Ingrid and Alexia. We’ll figure this out together, okay?”

---

The walk to the locker room felt like forever, the weight of your shame still heavy on your shoulders. But when you walked in, it wasn’t judgment you were met with—it was concern and warmth.

Alexia was the first to notice. “What’s going on?” she asked, her eyes flicking between you and Mapi.

“She’s been having a hard time at school,” Mapi explained gently, not going into too much detail but saying enough for the others to understand.

Alexia frowned, crossing the room to stand beside you. “Why didn’t you tell us?”

You shrugged, still too embarrassed to meet her eyes. “I didn’t want to be a burden.”

“You could never be a burden,” Alexia said firmly, placing a hand on your shoulder. “We all go through hard times, and we help each other. That’s what family does.”

Ingrid, who had been listening quietly, came over and gave you a quick hug. “You’re not alone in this, okay? We’ve all struggled at some point. It doesn’t make you any less of a person.”

You felt a rush of gratitude towards them. You hadn’t realized just how much you’d needed to hear those words until now.

“Can you show us what you’re working on?” Ingrid asked gently. “Maybe we can help.”

The idea of letting them see your grades made your stomach twist, but you knew it would help to open up. Slowly, you pulled out your notebook and showed them the mess of notes, half-finished assignments, and crumpled test papers. It felt like exposing your vulnerabilities, and you braced yourself for their reactions.

“Wow, you’ve got a lot on your plate,” Mapi said, flipping through the pages. “This is more than just a few mistakes.”

“Yeah, it’s overwhelming,” you admitted, your voice small. “I thought I could handle it, but everything just feels… too much.”

Alexia nodded, her eyes filled with understanding. “It’s okay to feel overwhelmed. Sometimes, things pile up, and it can be hard to catch your breath. But that’s why we’re here. We can help you make a plan.”

“Let’s break it down together,” Ingrid suggested. “We’ll tackle one thing at a time. You don’t have to do this alone.”

As they started discussing strategies and ways to manage your workload, you felt a flicker of hope igniting within you. Maybe you could turn this around. With their support, it felt possible.

---

After a while, practice resumed, but this time, it was different. You felt lighter, bolstered by the knowledge that you weren’t alone. Mapi, Ingrid, and Alexia stayed close, offering encouragement and support as you practiced. Their presence was comforting, and it made the drills feel a little less daunting.

However, as the days went on, the school anxiety didn’t just disappear. It loomed over you, lurking in the corners of your mind. You began dreading going to class, fearing the possibility of more bad grades.

The panic bubbled beneath the surface, and each time a teacher handed back a paper, your heart raced, worrying about what mark would greet you this time.

One afternoon, during a particularly tough math class, you felt that panic rise again. You stared at the equations on the board, but they swirled into a jumbled mess. It felt like the walls were closing in. You glanced around at your classmates, who all seemed to understand while you were drowning in confusion.

The bell rang, signaling the end of class, and you rushed out of the room, needing fresh air. You felt trapped, your mind racing. The anxiety became too much, and the tears began to fall as you stepped into the hallway.

You pulled out your phone, scrolling through your contacts until you landed on Mapi’s name. Your fingers hovered over the screen as you hesitated, but you couldn’t hold it in any longer.

You called her, your heart pounding in your chest. When she answered, her voice was warm and welcoming. “Hey! What’s up?”

“I need help,” you managed to say, your voice shaky.

“Where are you? I’ll come get you,” Mapi said immediately, her tone turning serious.

“In school. I just… I can’t,” you said, and you felt a wave of shame wash over you again.

“Okay, I’m on my way. Just breathe, okay? You’re not alone.”

A few moments later, Mapi texted saying she was out front.

You walked outside, the cool air hitting your face like a refreshing splash of water. It felt calming, grounding. You took a deep breath, trying to collect yourself as Mapi looked at you with gentle eyes from the car as you sat down.

“Talk to me. What’s going on?”

You hesitated for a moment before spilling everything—the stress of school, the panic attacks, the feeling of inadequacy. It all came tumbling out, and Mapi listened patiently, her gaze unwavering.

“I thought I could handle it,” you said, your voice breaking. “But I just keep messing up, and I feel like I’m letting everyone down.”

“Hey, listen to me,” Mapi said firmly. “You’re not letting anyone down. We’re here for you, no matter what. It’s okay to struggle, and asking for help doesn’t make you weak. It makes you strong.”

You nodded, feeling a mix of relief and sadness. Mapi wrapped her arms around you, holding you close. You let the tears fall freely now, finally allowing yourself to feel all the weight that had been pressing down on you.

---

When you finally calmed down, Mapi pulled back and looked you in the eyes. “You’re going to get through this. We’re going to figure it out together. I promise.”

As you stood there, a little breathless from the outpouring of emotions, you knew she was right. You still had a long way to go, but now you didn’t have to do it alone.

Later that night, you texted Alexia and Ingrid to meet up for a study session. When they arrived, you felt a little spark of determination. You didn’t have to be perfect.

You just had to keep trying, and with the support of your teammates, you felt ready to face whatever came next.

The following days were still tough, but you faced them with the knowledge that you had your family beside you. Mapi, Ingrid, and Alexia always checked in, offering encouragement and reminding you that it was okay to lean on them when things got overwhelming.

After a few weeks of hard work, you started to see progress. Your grades began to improve, and while the anxiety still lurked in the background, you felt a little more in control. With every small victory, you gained a bit more confidence, a little more strength to face your challenges.

---

One evening after practice, you sat in the locker room with Mapi and Ingrid, laughing over something silly.

The warmth of camaraderie surrounded you, and for the first time in a long time, you felt light. The worries of school were still there, but you had a plan now, and you had people who believed in you.

“See? You’re doing amazing,” Mapi said, nudging you playfully. “I told you we’d figure it out.”

You smiled back at her, feeling the gratitude swell in your chest. “Thank you for being there for me.”

Ingrid added, “That’s what family is for. We lift each other up.”

As you shared stories and laughter with your teammates, you realized that while the journey ahead might still be tough, you wouldn’t have to face it alone.

With the support of your teammates, you knew you could tackle anything that came your way.

And in that moment, surrounded by the girls who had become your family, you felt a sense of peace wash over you. No matter what challenges lay ahead, you were ready to face them, one step at a time.

---

[pernillecfcw]

They were both fed up after walking up them steps😂

[outsideratheart]

All smiles from the girls as they leave for the states💙❤️

[mccardswife]

three dreaded letters

ingrid engen x mapi leon x teen!reader

summary: reader plays for Barca, she gets injured in the match and her mother figures and the whole team support her. ingrid and mapi caring for her

(this is a request)

reader is 18, signed for Barca at 15, amazing I know right?

reader calls mapi mom and Ingrid mama

word count: 1589

warnings: angst, fluff, acl injury, protective team

enjoy!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

There was no secret that the common injuries for footballers, especially women footballers is the dreaded three letters.

Anterior cruciate ligament tear, also known as an acl tear...

Hearing about the experience of your teammates, both club and national team, you pretty much knew what the injury detailed.

You tracked back to defend, when you hit the ground. The fear that ran through your body when you heard the pop. The pop in your left knee felt like everyone described. 

The pain in your knee was something you've never experienced before, it was so horrible and painful. It literally felt like a hammer smashed both sides of my knee. 

The ball was still in play, but I was in so much pain I could not get up. I played limp on the ground, thinking about everything. How was recovery going to be? Is this the end of my career at 18? Will I ever be the same? Will people support me? 

I did not realise I was screaming in pain until Mom and Mama ran over to me, the couple is like you moms, you even live with the two of them in an apartment together.

Then Alexia walked over, she came back recently from an acl tear herself. And exchanged knowing looks, they knew by the look of you holding onto your knee.

"Where does it hurt?" Mom asked, crouching down to you.

"Knee, acl, it popped Mom, i tore it" you responded to her. Then Aitana came running over and Alexia motioned to the medics. 

"We don't know if it is the acl, but if it is, me and Mom. Also the whole team will be there with you kid. You are so strong and you will get through this y/nn" Mama said softly. 

You started sobbing, leaning into Mom crying. She held you comforting and then literally the whole team stood by your side.

The medics arrived and started to assess me, everyone looked at me, with concerned looks full of sympathy. But you can't focus on them, the only thing that going through your mind is the pain, how will rehab be, will I ever be the same?....

Then I was carried off on a stretcher. All you wanted was your moms, the pain in your knee increased with every second. It was unbearable

Frido already setting with the rest of the team on the sidelines, saw everything, she is like your older protective sister at the team. Her being out with a meniscus injury in her right knee immediately understood the serious situation and rushed to you when the stretcher went past her. Walking through the tunnel beside you holding your hand she felt heartbreak for the teenager, the medics told her what happened and secretly she knew right away what it was. 

She could not bear the thought of her little sister being injured. 

Walking into one of the medical rooms with Frido whispered supporting words in your ear, the medics sat you on a table.

"We need to take some scans of your knee before we know for sue but it unfortunately seems like your acl. Im really sorry kid" one of the medics said.

I broke down again in pain.

The game was over quickly after your being carried off. Since it was only 15 minutes left. They won the game but felt horribly pain for you, being in the starting line up at Barca as a 18 year old kid. Everyone felt their duty was to protect you.

The scans showed that you had tore your acl

It was the worst thing you've been told ever, the three dreaded letters was something you wouldn't wish on anyone. Not the star player on your rival team, or upon your worst enemy. It is pain through and through.

Frido hugged me lovingly and said "I love you y/nn, we will be with you all the way".

I half smiled to her, appreciating the words.

The door to the medical room opened.

"Knock knock" Caroline said walking in with a supporting but sad smile and behind her was the rest of the team. You allowed them to come in for a few minutes. But really the ones you only wanted was your mums.

You tried to speak, but it got muffled out by tears. Frido seeing that saying.

"It is her acl unfortunately" Frido said, she never thought she would ever say that. The pain in her voice showed that.

The team already knew but the words coming out of Frido´s mouth was something none of the girls would ever want to hear.

"I am terribly sorry my love" Mama said to me reassuring walking over to me with Mom, mama giving me a hug while Mom held my hand softly.

Ona is one of my best friend on the team, she came over to me and gave me a hug. "We are all with you" she said caring.

"Thank you all so much, I really appreciate all of you but I want a moment with my moms, and then you can come in again afterwards".

"Of course bebita, we will pick up some things for you, if you'd like. Some warmer clothes or something to drink and eat?" Alexia asked me with the softest smile ever.

The captain of the team, also the La Reina. Not everyone knows this but she really is a big softie, but really a reassuring and stern captain.

"Yes please, If you don't mind I would love that, thank you so much" I answered.

"No problem babe, but I think you should call Leah and some of our others national teammates after, my phone has blown up with messages from Leah, Beth, Millie and pretty much everyone else", she said.

Yes, I am a lioness. And me growing up in London being an Arsenal fan through and through, I was at the arsenal academy when i got the Barca contract. I immediately accepted, it was my dream club to play for other than Arsenal. 

COYG

Some time in the future I want to play in London, not now tho.

"Yeah I know, I will call them after", i said.

I am very close with the national team, especially Leah, I have known her for almost my whole life, because of arsenal academy and because our families has always been friends. So she is like my protective but stern older sister, and I will say I am closest with her on the England squad. The whole squad is very protective so I know they're probably worried sick now.

I was lost in my thoughts when I heard the door open again and shut again. The rest of the team walked outside, me being alone with my mom.

I started crying again and they started sobbing too.

"elskling" mama said walking quickly over to me giving me the warmest hug ever. "I am so sorry love" she said to me wiping away my tears. 

"Mama and mom, I don't think I will get through this, what if rehab is not worth it, what if this is my career end, what if" a voice cut me off.

"stop, stop, stop my love, me and your mama will be there with you every step of the way. You are worth it, the rehab will be worth it. You will get through this" Mapi said sternly but soft.

"Your mom is right y/nn, you will get through this and we will be there with you every step of the way" Ingrid said holding my hand.

"Every step of the way"

"Every step of the way"

"Every step of the way"

Mom took my face in her hand, so that we stared right into each others eye. she kissed my forehead and gave me a hug saying "You are one of the strongest people me and your mama have met, we promise you. You will get through this and come back stronger than ever".

"I love you so much mama and mom, but I am so scared, is this my fault? what will everybody say?

"elskling" Mama said looking me right in the eye.

"It is not your fault, this can happen to anyone and nobody will think it is your fault. I promise you, you may think it is your fault but bless you love it is not"

"You've got this, we are with you every step of the way and we've got you", Mom said to me with the most heartwarming look ever that wanted me so sob again.

"We love you so much" mama said.

"Always, we will always be here with you" my moms said giving me a bone crushing hug.

We sat like that for a while, just hugging, you have no idea of grateful I am for my moms, my club and national team. They are like my family, blood or not.

My moms pulled away, still holding me softly saying

"We believe in you, this is obviously tough news but you are a thousand times tougher, it is hard but we and the other girls will help you, even if you need to lift a finger. Everyone is there with you, you can do this" they said to me, the tone in the words was familiar. It was voice of confidence and loving.

You smiled accepting them, only nodding.

You leaned into them again hugging, with a sad but meaningful smile on your face. Knowing that you have the best moms and family in the world.

[0nita22]

im fucking crying what the fuck was that match last night.

Anyways I'm so lesbian for ona, Lucy is so damn lucky

[six-eleven]

i present to you: the jumping quartet, mapi & her lil flag, alexia & keira hugging jana

[repulsiveliquidation]

I feel bad for Granada I’d literally wanna die past the first five at half time 😭😭

[samkerrworshipper]

Hi how have you been?💗 Would you maybe consider writing some angst for Alexia/Barcelona x reader where like maps and Ingrid start start to notice reader getting thinner and eating less but Alexia is so wrapped up in media and stuff that she doesn’t notice until reader faints at training. Then Mapi shouts at alexia and there’s some angst but it has a softer ending? ❤️

i remember everything.

alexia putellas x reader

warnings: eating disorders, pain n angst with a softer ending.

“Ale we’re losing her.”

Alexia hated a lot of things, winter, bad drivers, the colour orange, the Spanish federation, France, patchy makeup and cherry flavoured candy. The thing at the very top of her list though, was people telling her what to do. Alexia was the best player in the world, she was a force to be reckoned with, she did not need people telling her what to do with her life or relationships.

“Maria, she’s my fucking fiance, I would know if something was wrong with her, this is none of your business.”

Alexia was typing furiously at her phone, something that she seemed to always be doing lately. If you were lucky enough to catch her time for a few minutes, chances were her attention would end up being caught by replying to some email or text from her agent and manager. It was never ending, and anybody who had been a part of Alexia’s life before and after her had seen just how much her life had changed in the past two years. In this instance, Mapi and Alexia were out for drinks, trying to catch up but it was proving to be impossible with most of Alexia’s attention on whatever it was she was replying to this time.

“This is what I’m talking about, you don’t have enough time to talk face to face with your best friend, how does that prove to me that you have enough time to look out for your girlfriend?”

Alexia’s eyes rose from her phone, her fingers pausing.

“Maps, I know my fiance, I’d know if she had a eating disorder, I’d know if she was struggling, I lie in bed with her every night, I wake up with her every morning, I train with her everyday, I know her.”

Mapi’s eyebrow rose up at her forehead, it was weird for Alexia to meet her gaze, something she hadn’t experienced in a long time.

“When was the last time she was sick? When was the last time she burnt something in your kitchen? When was the last time your dog ran away? You wouldn’t know because every time those things have happened in the last few months she’s called me, because you’ve been out of town. You're busy, we all understand it, not everybody can be La Reina, not everyone is you, but not everybody is your fiance. Her smile that normally lights up the room, it’s not there anymore, nothing about her is the same anymore, and I’ll be damned if she dies on your watch because you are being too insolent to acknowledge it.”

Mapi stood up from her seat at the bar, downing the rest of her dirty martini and giving Alexia a final parting frown.

“Go home to your fiance and actually look at her, eye to eye, lover to lover, and try and tell yourself that she is fine.”

Mapi exited the bar, disgruntled by her failed attempt at an intervention with Alexia, the slightly older woman simply didn’t want to listen to her and what was Mapi supposed to do about that? Alexia was stubborn and bullheaded, but she was like Mapi’s sister, she was Mapi’s blood, more than anybody else. Mapi had no idea where she’d be without Alexia, possibly dead in a ditch somewhere. Alexia had been the fristr person to haul her out of bed on a bad day, drag her out of clubs when she was so drunk she couldn’t see straight, Alexia was tough love, she forced Mapi to live until Mapi herself wanted to live. Mapi was more than grateful, but she also wasn’t going to let the love of Alexia’s life slowly kill herself because Alexia was too consumed with her own career to even realise.

The drive home for Alexia was slow and stressful in a way she’d never experienced. Alexia in her heart wanted to believe Mapi was wrong, because how could she be right? Alexia saw you everyday, she knew you better than anybody else, and she hadn’t noticed any of the things that Mapi had been talking about.

When Alexia does get home it’s to a silent house with no lights on, something thats fairly regular for her, considering the abnormal hours she normally egts home at. She leaves her keys and coat at the front door, reaches down to pet Nala who she must have woken up because the fluff ball has major bedhead. Alexia pours herself a glass of water from the tap before cautiously making her way into your bedroom. When she does finally make it to the door it’s hanging open, you sat on the bed, the lamp being the only source of lighting whilst you read from underneath it. You look so peaceful, so perfect, that Alexia considers leaving, sleeping on the couch. But she’s too angry, too consumed with her feelings, too emotional to take into account how much her actions affect you. She figures that in the last few months she’s probably drifted from you more than she's come close, which is probably concerning considering that the months leading up to a wedding you are supposed to be in premarital bliss.

“You didn’t have to wait up.”

Alexia’s voice is even, she moves into your shared wardrobe, pulling off her slacks and crop top and searching for a pair of her pyjamas.

“How was your day?”

You sound so hopeful, so curious. This is the only time of day msot weeks that you get to talk to Alexia and when it’s not too late you try your hardest to stay awake, hopeful tat maybe this time Alexia will return your eagerness.

“Fine.”

Alexia finally finds her pyjama shirt and shorts and changes into them quickly before moving back inot the bedroom.

“O-kay, how are you, how was Mapi?”

There’s so much hope in your voice, something that Alexia hates. She lets her eyes roam your body quickly, discreetly, not in a way that would make you think she was trying to start anything. She doesn’t see anything different. She doesn’t notice the fact that you no longer wear short sleeves or cropped shirts anymore. She doesn’t notice that your ribs now jut out from your skin, instead of being covered by a healthy amount of skin and fat, how could she? She doesn’t notice the patches across your scalp that are now missing hair, she doesn’t know that you no longer get your period, she doesn’t notice that your nails are now brittle and crusty, something that you’ve come to hate about yourself, just another dot point on the list of things that you detest about your body.

“Good.”

Alexia’s one word answer hurt your soul, more than Alexia ever had.

“If you don’t want to talk you can just say that.”

Alexia doesn’t slip under the covers like she’d planned to, instead her jaw clenches and hardens, a defence mechanism of hers that you’d never manage to crack.

“What are you talking about, we’re talking, I’m just tired.”

Your face falls at her snap, your eyes falling back to your book and marking your page before dropping it down on your bedside table, a little huff leaving your lips as your eyes drift upwards to meet Alexias.

“Alright, you must be absolutely exhausted every single time we talk then.”

It’s bold, especially considering that Alexia seems to be in a completely rotten mood, but you can’t find it in yourself to care, because this is all she does and your becoming sick of it.

“Oh my god, I don’t come home every night just for you to make it seem like I’m a shitty girlfriend.”

It’s so Alexia, so Alexia to always somehow make herself the victim, somehow make it you who is the one in the wrong.

“Are you joking? You didn’t agree to come home to our house?”

Alexia moves herself further away from the bed, to the very edge, her eyes and jaw just as stubborn as each other.

“What do you want me to say? I’m tired, I want to sleep, not listen to you whine about whatever your fucking whining about, I’ve been in interviews all day and all I wanted to do was come home and sleep.”

Alexia was always in interviews, always doing something that was your fault, it wasn’t your responsibility to sort out her calendar, or to make her less of a good football player, it just happened to be the way the cookie crumbled.

“Okay, I’m sorry, I just had a really fucking bad qweek and I wanted to talk to you about it, because your supposed to be the fucking person I can talk to, but it’s fine, we can talk tomorrow, or next week, or next year, whenever your not tired.”

Alexia exhales, Mapi’s voice plays through her head, this is her in, this is her opportunity to not be such a fucking jackass.

“No, tell me about it.”

Anything you wanted to say, you swallow, it’s a hard job, but your suddenly so scared of Alexia, so scared that she’ll see you the same way you do, she’s never around to reassure you that you’re enough for her, and you honestly don’t feel like you are anymore.

“It’s fine, honestly sleep.”

You peel back the covers beside you, but Alexia stays still on the other end of the bed, just looking at you.

“You obviously want me to ask about it or you never would have brought it up.”

Alexia knows that it’s a dickhead move, but she’s at her wits end, she’s tired and your beginning to piss her off.

“Why do you make it seem like talking to me is a chore?”

Alexia has a schedule, and she figures sometimes talking with you is a chore, because Alexia doesn’t have time, some days talking to you is just another box for her to tick.

“How many times do I have to say that I’m fucking tired before you udnerstand?”

Alexia’s tone is so harsh, so angry, a tone she long ago promised herself she’d never use with you, ever. But right now every single rule she has for herself is being broken and when tears spring to the corners of your eyes she can’t help but feel guilty.

“If you’re so tired, go to sleep, I’ve told you that already, you’re starting an argument for no reason.”

Alexia cocks her head, trying to absorb what you’ve just said to her.

“Yeah, okay, whatever, I don’t want you fucking talking to me for the rest of the night though.”

Alexia never used to swear around you, or at you, but the part of her that was once so sweet and gentle with you is now gone, long forgotten under the facade that has become La Reina.

“Okay, I love you.”

It’s Alexia’s last chance, her last opportunity for redemption. You give her a few seconds, and when you get nothing in return your heart shatters.

“Please say it back Ale.”

Alexia’s face is emotionless, absolutely devoid of anything that made Alexia, Alexia. It reminds you as to why you are so scared to let people in, because of the damage they can do and the damage they can find. Alexia no longer seems concerned about any of those things, only concerned about herself.

“Alexia.”

She slips under the covers beside you, but her body and face is stock still, so stubborn, so hurt, so fucked up. It’s the final straw for you.

You pull the sheets away from your body, wrenching yourself up and out of the covers, tears streaming down your face as you rush into your wardrobe, pulling out whatever clothes are within arms reach and stuffing them into a bag.

When you emerge Alexia is looking equal parts concerned and shocked.

“Where the fuck are you going?”

In the moment, all you want is to be loved, feel loved, and it’s clear Alexia isn’t prepared to do any of those things.

“You need rest, I don't think either of us are going to get it whilst the other is in the house, I’m going to stay with Mapi for a few nights. When your ready to love me I’ll be there.”

With that you leave the bedroom, pick up your keys and drive into the darkness of the middle of the night, tears flowing freely down your face as the bleary night lights of Barcelona pass by.

It took every single bit of energy left in you to make it up the stairs of Mapi and Ingrid’s house, your knuckles pounding against their door until it swung open, to reveal Mapi and Ingrid, both looking like they’d just crawled out of bed and equally as shocked as each other.

It was then that you broke down, fat, big tears streaming down your face and sobs falling easily from your lips.

“I love her.”

There’s a silence so loud between the three of us as Mapi pulls you into a hug, Ingrid closing the door behind you and the two of them helping you into their house, pulling you into their bed and bringing you into a big hug. All you can do is focus on your breathing, in out, in out. Your hands tears at the broken skin and nails, you can’t manage to meet either of the womens eyes as you cry in their arms, they don’t seem to mind, they only tighten their grip on you.

“It’s okay hermosa, we’ve got you, we won't let go.”

You can’t do much more than cry, you're grieving your life, grieving your lover, grieving everything that you’d just lost in a matter of minutes. Your hearts torn to shreds, undecided about whether or not to let Alexia hold onto a breaking thread and risk the plummet. She’s given you absolutely nothing, no hope, no faith, no love and yet there she goes. She’s let you go. You're only feeling some of it, you know that there is going to be a day, not far away, where you're going to have to see her at training, laughing and smiling with your teammates, people who she’s loving through everything. You're losing her. You lost a version of her that was once so caring, who gave the warmest hugs. You’ve lost your 2 am conversations and your forever and always. You lost the person you’d promised you’d stay around till the very end with, if she hadn’t pushed you away, if she hadn't just loved you none of it would have happened. Alexia Putellas Segura was never yours to have though it seemed, she was for everyone else, the fans, the club, the country. Alexia Putellas was a thought, not a person.

There was a reason why you didn’t eat anymore, you’d become obsessed with trying to be perfect for Alexia, she hung out with models and super stars on the weekends, and yet you were just you. You were so unworthy of her love and attention that you couldn’t really blame her for falling out of love with you.

“She doesn’t love me, she never has.”

Maria hates it when those words leave your mouth, because it couldn’t be further from the truth, Alexia is just shit at showing you it. She knows that her bestfriend loves you more than anybody else in the world, that she would give up everything to be there for you, she just hasn’t noticed that you’ve needed that.

You sniffle into Ingrid’s chest, your fingers tapping against her thigh and your legs shaking from underneath you. You’ve never felt heartbroken before, Alexia has been your day one, and now it feels like you're just done, like everything the two of you have ever worked for together is just completely done.

“She loves you more than you know hermana, but she doesn’t deserve you if she’s going to continue to hurt you.”

Now that Mapi has you in her arms, she can feel just how much smaller you are, how much you’ve shrunken and how emaciated you are. She internally curses Alexia and her stubbornness, the world is so loud that Alexia Putellas has become deaf to your needs, to your happiness. Sometimes her best friend is one of the most impressive people she’s ever met and sometimes she’s just stupid, stupid for letting the love of her life feel so worthless and stupid for letting you walk out the door, something that could be the stupidest decision of her life.

You're positively exhausted, and it doesn’t take much of Ingrid’s back rubs and comforting Norwegian words that you don’t understand for you to be lulled into a painful sleep.

As soon as the two are certain your asleep the move you into the middle of the bed, Mapi looking over the top of you concernedly at Ingrid.

“She needs helps.”

Ingrid can’t find any part of her brain that disagrees with her other half.

“She needs Alexia to take her foot out of her ass and be present.”

Mapi nods her head, her eyes falling to your own face, even in your sleep you lok disturbed, your eyebrows knitted across your skin and a deep frown on your lips.

“Si, well if Alexia won’t then we have to, she needs to know she’s loved. She’s lost so much weight elksling, she hasn’t been eating or looking after herself.”

Ingrid nods, equally worried as her girlfriend about the health of their bestfriend.

“Get some sleep, we’ll figure it out in the morning.

When the two women wake to find you missing from their bed, it takes a search of their apartment to find you deep asleep in their spare room, neither of them question it. They make you breakfast, you don’t eat it, insisting that you're feeling nauseous. When they try to talk about Alexia you shut them down, you’ve created a mental fortress, one that Alexia and your health and emotions aren’t apart of. They invite you to stay with them for the foreseeable future, and you can’t find any reason to say no.

The following days leading up to the first pre-season training are all the same, you hardly sleep every night, sitting up late out on their porch and waking up at the crack of dawn. Mapi knows that your health is teetering dangerously, you hardly eat, you only leave the house to workout, you are a skeleton of a human being. Mapi doesn’t know what to do, you don’t care about anything anymore, or maybe you care so much that it’s all being numbed out.

It’s the first training session when everything turns to shit. She’d found you balling your eyes out in a change room cubicle beforehand, as soon as you’d spotted Mapi you’d pulled yourself together, terrified of being vulnerable in front of her. It only got worse though when you stepped out of the tunnel and onto the field, to be faced with Alexia, standing casually on the field, chatting with a few of your teammates. Your heart plummeted at the sight of her, the woman that you’d made so tired, so unhappy, laughing and messing about with your teammates. You pushed Mapi away when she tried to comfort you, walking straight to the sideline of the pitch to start your warm up. You made it through half of it, your body hurt though, in a way that it never had before. You only made it through one of your sprints before you were face planting into the turf, your whole body completely done. Your bones sunk into the grass, your body just giving up.

It was Mapi who made it to you first, flipping you over, her eyes searching your unconscious face. She knew this was going to happen, knew it was only so long before your body stopped letting you overwork it.

“Alexia.”

Mapi screamed at the top of her lungs, desperate to draw anyone's attention, specifically your fiance, or ex fiance. Everyone turned to face the two of you, Mapi knelt down on the turf, rocking your body back and forth as she tried her very hardest to awaken you, a task that was proving to be unsuccessful. The whole team rushed forward, Alexia at the front of the pack, collapsing beside Mapi on the ruf, taking your head in her hands and shaking it furiously.

“Someone get a medic, y/n, come on, wake up for me, get up.”

There was more emotion in Alexia’s voice than Mapi had heard in months. Mapi hated that it took you passing out for Alexia to care, and suddenly her protective older sister instinct kicked in, pushing Alexia away from you, taking her hands and distaching them from your unconscious body.

“Get the fuck away from her? She has to be unconscious for you to give a fuck? This is your fault, you let it get this bad, if you actually loved her you would have realised ages ago, but you don’t do you? You don’t love her like she deserves, you only love her when it’s convenient for you?”

The words bring tears to Alexia’s eyes, Mapi’s words awaken something in her, a realisation that she’s right, Alexia has given a blind eye to you and now you were seriously hurt because of it. She scrambled away from your body, suddenly overly aware of just how much she’d hurt you. She pushed herself out from the group, running away from all of them, running away from you, running away from her problems, running away from her life that she’d fucked up so badly.

One of the girls had called 112, clawing Mapi away from your unresponsive body as the medics tended to you, plastering a oxygen mask on your face that was far too big, sitting wrongly on your bony face. They loaded you up onto a stretcher, your cold body attached to more cords than you had extremities.

Mapi managed to fit herself into the ambulance with you, clutching your hand the whole drive to the hospital, praying to herself to let you be okay, to let everything work itself out.

When you woke up it was painful. Your eyes blinked furiously as they tried to focus on anything besides the infuriating white light that was clouding your vision. It took a few seconds for your senses to kick in, but once they did it only hurt more. The sound of constant beeping, movement and noise pollution crowding you ears. It was then that you spotted Mapi and Ingrid at your bedside, your eyes darting furiously between the two as the blood rushed to your ears to protect you from the overstimulating noise that was crowding your brain.

Mapi stood up, her hand intertwining with yours. She was trying to speak to you, but you couldn’t hear anything, your ears making you practically deaf. Mapi held your hand and it seemed to be enough, enough to tell you that everything was okay, or as okay as it could be. Slowly your anxiety slipped out from under you, and your hearing came back, allowing you to focus on what Mapi was saying to you.

“Hey sweetheart, it’s all okay, your okay, take some deep breaths for me.”

Your eyes darted to the IV’s and cords that were connected to you, the feeding tube that went through your nose and down your throat, the oxygen cannula that also rested on your nose, the countless IV’s that were connected to your arm, making it far harder to move your arm at all.

“What happened?”

Your words were choken, your throat dry from lack of liquids. Mapi solved this problem, reaching to your bedside and lifting a glass of water to your lips, you took tentative sips, the water soothing your dry throat.

“You passed at training, malnutrition and dehydration. The doctors think that you’ve been struggling with anorexia for a little while, that you haven’t been eating properly.”

Suddenly everything stopped for you, the words leaving Maria’s mouth making you gulp on nothingness. It felt like you were being choked, big imaginary hands wrapping around your throat, preventing you from saying anything in your defence. It felt like your organs were all eating each other up in your stomach, a uneven discomfort spreading across your torso.

“Nobody is judging you, you’ve been through a really tough time, what matters most now is getting you back to being healthy and happy. Barca is in full support of what you want to do, you have lots of options, inpatient, out patient, moving in with Ingrid and I fully.”

You didn’t want any of those things, you wanted Alexia and it hurt for you to admit that.

“I want Ale.”

Maria frowned at your words, she was still furious with Alexia.

“I don’t think that's a good idea, you deserve better then her hermosa.”

It hurt you to hear Mapi regard Alexia so lowly, when a few weeks ago Alexia had been her best friend in the entire world.

“I want to see Alexia, I know she’s here, let me see her.”

Ingrid stood up, walking out the door of your room and out into the waiting room, retrieving a particularly heart broken blonde from the room and dragging her into your room.

The way your face lit up when you saw Alexia made Mapi feel sick, she wasn’t going to let Alexia hurt you again like she had.

Alexia’s cheeks were tearstained, her eyes distant as they met yours. It hurt her in ways she could never explain, seeing you looking so lifeless in a hospital bed, you were conscious, but all life had been drained from your body, you truly looked like a skeleton.

“Mapi, give me and Alexia a minute will you?”

Mapi looked like she was about to argue, but Ingrid’s hand on her wrist, tugging her out of the room was enough of a distraction, the Norwegian woman closing the door behind the two of them.

“I’m so sorry, I was such a bad girlfriend-.”

You stopped Alexia grovelling by lifting your hand.

“You fucked up, you hurt me more than I’ve ever been hurt before. It fucking sucked Alexia, never seeing you and when I did see you, you were always on the phone or tired or not in the mood. I understand that you are very busy, and that you can’t control your schedule, I’m not having a go at you for that, you are allowed to be tired. I’m pissed off because I was struggling, really fucking struggling and all you gave a shit about was yourself, you don’t understand how stressful it is to explain what’s going on in your head when you don’t even understand it yourself. You are supposed to be my person, the person I can ask and tell anything and you didn’t want to be that and I detested you for that. I can’t do it anymore, I can’t spend everyday hating you, because this is what it does to me. I can’t live without you, but I also can’t live beside a version of you that doesn’t love me like I deserve. I want to try us, I want to try again, because if I stand even a chance at keeping myself alive and being happy whilst doing it, it’s going to be in your arms, but I need you to understand that, I need you to understand that you need to be here for me, regardless of what’s going on in your life. You know I’m proud of you, I’m your biggest supporter, so right now I need you to be that for me.”

Alexia nodded like a goldfish at you, more tears flowing freely down her face.

“How bad is it?”

You bit down on your lip, everything that made Alexia, La Reina was gone, all of her barrier broken down, so that the only person standing in front of you was your Ale, the Ale you loved so very much.

“It’s not good, I haven’t been looking after myself in a long while, Anorexia they say. They want me to go into outpatient or inpatient, or move in with Mapi. I don’t want to do any of those things, I just want to be with you, happy with you, with you there to look out for me, I just need you to commit to that for me.”

Alexia nodded quickly, her head shaking furiously as her blonde hair swished back and forth beside her head.

“Please, if you’ll have me. I’ll take time off, whatever you need, I’m here for it all, I’ll spend everyday for the rest of our lives making it up to you, I promise, please just let me love you.”

You patted down on the space beside you on the bed and Alexia hesitantly sat down on the space, hovering on the bed, making sure she wasn’t touching you, not wanting to make you feel uncomfortable. You were starved though, starved of everything that you’d been missing the last few weeks, you reached out for her, pulling her to sit beside you on the bed, your head coming to rest against her stiff form. It took a few seconds to get her to relax, but when she did she lifted her hands up to your thin hair, carding her fingers gentle through it, trying her hardest not to notice the amount of hair that was falling out as a result of your health problems.

“I love you Ale.”

Alexia was so focused on you, that she didn’t even really hear the words.

“Ale, say it back.”

Your stern tone seemed to awaken her, she pointed her head down to yours, pressing a gentle kiss to your forehead and murmuring,

“I love you mi amor, more than you will ever know,”

It calmed your soul, a part of your heart that you didn’t know existed finally resting, enough to let you slowly drift off on Alexia’s chest, allowing you to sleep better than you had in months. Alexia found herself following you, the sight of you finally relaxed making her so much more content.

That was how Mapi and Ingrid found the two of you, sound asleep on your hospital bed. Mapi was a little bit annoyed at how easily you’d forgiven Alexia, but she couldn’t find it to be mad at the Catalan for very long, approving of how happy you looked at rest in her arms.

[b14augrana]

➶ my masterlist

requests: open

guidelines and info

fc barcelona femení

mapi león ⊹

(N/A)

aitana bonmatí ⊹

(N/A)

alexia putellas ⊹

Portrait ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Kiss Of Strife ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Close By Me ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Ad Astra Per Aspera Masterlist ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ The End Of The World ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎Coastlines ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Open Arms ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Strobe Light

irene paredes ⊹

Nenita

ona batlle ⊹

Te Espero Spar

lucy bronze ⊹

Nervous → part 1, part 2

fridolina rolfö ⊹

Lacy

barça femení ⊹

Scrubber Masterlist ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ The Fool ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎The Death Of You

arsenal women

leah williamson ⊹

(N/A)

alessia russo ⊹

Little Ladybug

katie mccabe ⊹

(N/A)

others

chelsea fcw ⊹

Deadeye

[the-wanderer16]

Love them 😍🥹

Image credit: photxsbylina

[fleming-o]

Beneath the surface p2 - Alexia Putellas x Teen reader

Tw: parent neglect

4k words

request

master list

———

The adrenaline of the match thrummed in your veins, but not enough to distract you from the storm swirling in your mind. You knew something was off as soon as you stepped onto the pitch. Your hands had trembled a bit more than usual during warm-up, and even Alexia’s comforting smile before the match couldn’t fully shake the feeling that something was wrong.

But you pushed through, focusing on the ball, the movements of your teammates, and the strategy that had become second nature to you. The rhythmic sound of the crowd, their chants and cheers, usually helped to ground you, but today it only seemed to fade into the background. It was like trying to keep a lid on a boiling pot—no matter how much you focused on the game, that unsettling feeling kept creeping back in.

Halftime came too soon. The game was tied, and your muscles buzzed with the familiar tension that came from giving your all on the pitch. You made your way to the tunnel, wiping sweat from your brow, but then you saw her.

Your heart slammed into your chest as you froze, your cleats digging into the grass. A face you hadn’t seen in months—your mother’s. Her piercing gaze found yours, and in an instant, the walls you’d built around yourself over the years started to crumble. She hadn’t come to any of your matches in forever, so what was she doing here now?

The air around you felt thick, heavy with an old pain that you thought you’d buried. You stared at her, your body going cold despite the heat of the afternoon sun. You could already guess what this was about. It was never about you—never about your achievements or your success. It was always about what she could take from you.

A gentle hand on your back jolted you from the suffocating memory.

“Hey,” Alexia’s voice was like a lifeline, pulling you out of the past and back into the present. She stood close, eyes narrowing slightly as she followed your gaze toward the stands. “Everything okay?”

You swallowed the lump in your throat, barely managing to speak. “She’s here.”

Alexia didn’t need to ask who. She knew the stories, the weight your mom held over you, the scars she had left both inside and out. You’d never had to explain too much—Alexia had always just… understood.

Her hand moved from your back to your shoulder, squeezing gently. “Do you want me to handle it?”

You shook your head quickly, though the knot in your chest told you otherwise. “No. I don’t… I don’t want to make a scene.”

Alexia’s eyes darkened, but she didn’t press further. She guided you toward the tunnel, her protective presence never leaving your side, and for a moment, you felt a small sense of relief. Maybe this could wait. Maybe your mom would leave.

But as you reached the locker room, that gnawing feeling of dread stayed with you, clawing at the edges of your thoughts.

Alexia shot you a glance, her eyes soft with concern. She leaned in slightly as the rest of the team prepared to head back out onto the pitch. “You sure you’re okay to keep playing?”

“Yeah,” you lied, though the knot in your stomach twisted tighter with every word. “I’m fine. I just need to get through the second half.”

Alexia’s gaze lingered on you, as if she could see right through the façade you were trying so hard to maintain. But she nodded. “Alright. Just… I’m right here if you need me, okay?”

You gave a small nod, but the truth was, you weren’t sure you could handle it. Not with her still out there, lurking like a ghost in the stands.

As the second half started, your legs felt heavier, the usual fluidity in your movements replaced with an awkward stiffness. Every pass, every run, every decision felt more forced than it should’ve been. And whenever the ball was out of play, your eyes betrayed you, flicking up to the stands. She was still there, her gaze following your every move, and with each passing minute, it felt like she was slowly suffocating you.

Even when the final whistle blew, sealing a hard-fought 2-1 victory for Barcelona, the relief didn’t come. You should’ve felt the rush of victory, the thrill of celebration, but all you felt was dread. Dread, because now there was nothing left between you and her.

You lingered on the pitch as your teammates gathered in celebration. The roar of the crowd washed over you, but the sound felt distant, like it was happening to someone else. The fear, the shame, it all bubbled up inside you again, and you suddenly felt like that scared kid who was never good enough.

Alexia noticed you hadn’t moved and made her way over, her steps quick and deliberate. “Hey,” she said softly, standing beside you as she glanced around, clearly searching for what had you so shaken. “She’s still here, isn’t she?”

You nodded, unable to speak past the lump in your throat.

Alexia’s face hardened, and just as you feared, she spotted her. Your mother hadn’t left. She was standing closer now, at the edge of the stands, her arms crossed as she watched you with the same cold, calculating look you had grown up with.

“I’ll take care of it,” Alexia muttered, her voice low and filled with quiet anger. She started to move, but you grabbed her wrist.

“No, don’t. Please,” you begged, your voice barely above a whisper. “It’ll just make it worse.”

But Alexia’s expression was fierce, her protective instincts roaring to life. “I’m not letting her near you.”

Before you could stop her, your mother’s sharp voice cut through the air like a blade.

“There you are.”

Your stomach dropped. She was walking toward you, weaving through the crowd as if she belonged here. Her eyes landed on you, filled with the same mix of disdain and expectation that they always had. You could feel Alexia stiffen beside you, her muscles coiling with tension.

“I came all this way to see you,” your mother said, her voice laced with irritation. “And this is how you treat me? After everything I’ve done for you?”

You could barely breathe. It felt like the air had been sucked out of the stadium. You wanted to disappear, to run away, but your legs felt like they were glued to the ground.

Alexia stepped forward, her voice calm but deadly serious. “You need to leave.”

Your mom’s eyes flicked toward Alexia, narrowing as she appraised her. “And who are you to tell me that? This is between me and my daughter.”

Alexia didn’t budge. “She doesn’t owe you anything,” she said firmly, her voice steady as steel. “You don’t get to show up here and demand things from her.”

Your mom’s lips curled into a sneer, the venom in her gaze now directed fully at Alexia. “I’m her mother. I have every right to be here. You think you can just step in and control her life?”

Your heart was pounding in your chest, but it wasn’t fear anymore. It was anger. You’d spent your whole life trying to earn her approval, trying to be enough for her, but standing here now, with Alexia by your side, you realized something. You didn’t owe her anything.

“She’s right,” you said, your voice trembling but stronger than before. “You don’t get to do this anymore.”

For the first time, your mother looked truly shocked. You had never stood up to her like this before. Her eyes flicked between you and Alexia, and you could see the wheels turning in her head as she tried to figure out how to regain control.

But Alexia wasn’t going to give her the chance.

“If you don’t leave now,” Alexia said, her voice low and dangerous, “I’ll make sure security escorts you out.”

There was a tense pause, and for a moment, you thought your mother might push back. But then, with a huff, she turned on her heel and walked away, her posture stiff with indignation.

You watched her disappear into the crowd, your chest heaving with a mix of relief and lingering fear. The weight of her presence, the years of manipulation and guilt, all of it felt like it had been lifted, if only for a moment.

Alexia turned to you, her eyes softening. “You okay?”

You nodded, but the tears that stung your eyes told a different story. You blinked them back quickly, not wanting to cry here, not in front of everyone. “I think so.”

Before either of you could say more, Mapi and a few of your other teammates approached, clearly having seen at least part of the exchange.

“Everything alright?” Mapi asked, her voice laced with concern.

Alexia glanced at you, and when you didn’t immediately respond, she spoke for you. “Her mom was here. She was trying to pull the same manipulative crap as always.”

Mapi’s expression darkened, and the others exchanged knowing looks. They all knew about your complicated relationship with your mom—how it had shaped you, scarred you.

“I’m sorry,” Mapi said quietly, her hand resting on your shoulder in a gentle show of support. The rest of the team gathered around, offering soft words of comfort and reassurance.

“We’ve got your back,” Alexia whispered, pulling you into a side hug. “Always.”

For the first time in a long while, you believed her.

You took a shaky breath, letting the warmth of Alexia’s embrace seep into you, grounding you. The support from your teammates wrapped around you like a safety blanket, and slowly, the tears that had been threatening to spill began to fall.

“I thought I’d never get away from her,” you confessed, your voice muffled against Alexia’s shoulder. “I thought I’d just keep feeling this way forever.”

Alexia tightened her grip on you. “You don’t have to feel like that anymore. You’re not alone in this.”

Mapi nodded, her expression serious. “We’re a team, and we’re here for each other. You’re family, and family doesn’t let you fight these battles alone.”

Your heart swelled at her words. Family. That was a word you hadn’t felt you deserved for so long, but with them, it felt real. You looked around at their faces—each one filled with understanding and support.

The tension in your shoulders began to ease, and you felt a flicker of hope—a belief that maybe you could reclaim your life from the shadows of your past.

“Thank you,” you whispered, your voice barely above a breath. “I really appreciate all of this.”

“Don’t mention it,” Mapi replied, giving your shoulder a gentle squeeze. “We all go through our struggles. It’s how we come together that counts.”

Alexia stepped back slightly, her eyes searching yours. “Want to talk about it, or do you want to let it go for now? We can focus on the next game, or I can listen if you want to share.”

You felt a swell of gratitude for her understanding nature. “Maybe…just a bit. I want to talk about it, but not here. Can we go somewhere private?”

“Absolutely,” she said, her expression softening. “Let’s head to the locker room.”

As you made your way back, the locker room felt different. It was no longer just a space for changing and preparing; it was a sanctuary, a place where you could shed the burdens of the past. You settled onto a bench in the corner while your teammates chatted and celebrated around you, the laughter and shouts a comforting backdrop to your emotions.

Alexia settled beside you, her presence steady and calming. “You’re safe here. I promise.”

You took a deep breath, gathering your thoughts as you looked down at your hands. “I just…I thought I could handle it if I ignored her, you know? But seeing her here, it brought everything back. The way she always made me feel like I was never good enough, like I had to prove myself just to earn a scrap of her approval.”

“She’s wrong,” Alexia said firmly, her voice imbued with conviction. “You’ve worked hard to get where you are, and you’ve done it all on your own terms. You don’t owe her anything.”

You nodded, feeling the heat rise in your cheeks. “It’s just hard to shake off. Even now, after standing up to her, I still feel that guilt creeping in. Like I shouldn’t have said anything.”

“Let that guilt go,” Alexia encouraged softly, her hand finding yours and giving it a reassuring squeeze. “You deserve to prioritize yourself, your happiness, and your well-being. It’s okay to put yourself first, especially when it comes to toxic relationships.”

Your eyes met hers, and for a moment, the noise of the world around you faded away. In that quiet bubble, you felt a connection that ran deeper than words. It was an understanding forged through shared struggles, through pain and healing. “You really mean that?”

“Of course I do,” she replied, sincerity radiating from her. “You’re strong, and you’ve fought so hard. Don’t let her take that away from you. You’re part of this team now, and we’re all here to lift you up.”

With each word, you felt a warmth growing inside you, pushing back against the cold memories that had lingered for so long. “Thank you, Alexia. I don’t know what I would do without you.”

“You won’t have to find out,” she smiled, her eyes sparkling. “I’m not going anywhere.”

Time passed, and you shared more of your thoughts with Alexia, feeling the tension slowly unravel. Your teammates popped in and out, offering their own words of encouragement and support, reinforcing the bond you all shared. The laughter and camaraderie filled the space, enveloping you in a sense of belonging you hadn’t felt in so long.

As the celebrations continued, the atmosphere was filled with laughter and the camaraderie that defined your team. You exchanged playful banter with your teammates, feeling lighter with every joke shared. The warmth of their acceptance surrounded you, creating a safe space where you could finally breathe freely.

You and Alexia shared a moment, sitting side by side on the bench, watching the festivities unfold. Her knee bumped against yours, and she turned to you, her expression soft and genuine. “I’m really proud of you,” she said quietly, her eyes shining. “You handled that so well. It’s not easy to confront your past, especially in front of everyone.”

You smiled at her, feeling a warmth spread in your chest. “Thank you for being here. I don’t think I would’ve made it through without you.”

She shrugged playfully, but you could see the sincerity in her eyes. “We’re a team. That means we lift each other up. You’re part of this family now.”

Mapi approached, her arms wide open. “Come here, superstar!” she called, and you couldn’t help but laugh as she pulled you into a tight hug.

“Hey, hey! You’re going to squash me!” you exclaimed, feigning a struggle.

“Not until you’re ready to take on the world!” she replied with a grin. The playful energy in the room was contagious, and you found yourself laughing, genuinely enjoying the moment.

As the evening wore on, the jokes and stories continued to flow. You felt more at ease with every shared laugh, every teasing comment from your teammates. You caught snippets of their stories, of their own struggles, and realized that everyone had faced their own battles.

And with each step, you knew that this was just the beginning.

———

[pernillecfcw]

Mapi having the time of her life 😂🎉

[trulyhblue]

Cannot believe I have only one fic about her

Happy birthday Lee

[museszm]

I did it 🤏

[wosoandstuff]

La reina 👑

[alexiasleftoversalmon]

If this pic doesn’t scream millennial Alexia then idk what does

I love her so much tho 🥹❤️💙