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wosotales · 19 days ago

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Behind The Kit: Arsenal's Chosen Family - Flipcident

Kyra's brattiness reaches a new level and it ends with dire concequences when she messes with the wrong person. Big thank you to @batllethinker for her help with coming up with this one shot fic. There's plans for a part 2 of this as well.

“Gotcha, Lessi!” Kyra decided to take the opportunity to rugby tackle Alessia and catch her completely off guard in the gym.

Alessia couldn’t help but jump half a mile, “Ah jesus– Why’re you being so annoying today?”

“I’m always like this,” Kyra answered with a simple shrug of her shoulders.

“Yeah,” Alessia huffed and pushed the Australian away from her, “Okay, why are you being even more annoying than usual?” she asked.

“It’s not even that bad,” Kyra was quick to fire back, losing interest in winding Alessia up in favour of her new target - Steph.

“Boo!” Kyra launched herself on Steph and took the opportunity to latch onto her.

“What do you want, pest?” Steph questioned, resisting the urge to roll her eyes as the younger girl all but clung onto her.

“You can’t move now. Ha, you’re stuck! What are you gonna do about it?” Kyra peered up at Steph and grinned cheekily.

Steph sighed deeply, trying to keep her patience, “Ky, you can’t sit there. I need to use the weights.”

“Too bad. You’re trapped now!” Kyra said playfully, poking her tongue out at her.

“Urgh! You’re being such a pest,” Steph grumbled, while Kyra continued to sit on the floor and keep her arms wrapped around her in the gym to stop her from moving much to the older girl's annoyance.

In the time that Kyra had settled at Arsenal, it was certain that she was the definition of a brat. She had definitely been making herself more comfortable, and with that, she loved to push buttons.

The girl had been in a particularly bratty mood all week, she had a certain bold streak that made her a magnet for chaos.

Going from interrupting conversations, stealing water bottles, or making exaggerated imitations of the girls’ accents, she was on a roll to cause trouble.

“Kyra,” Lia sent the younger girl a firm look, but of course Kyra chose to ignore it and continue her mission to create havoc.

“What? I’m just having fun!” Kyra innocently replied, not making any attempt to move away from winding Steph up, “Stephy doesn’t mind!”

“Stephy does mind,” Steph grumbled in response.

Lia shook her head and gave Kyra another warning look, clearly unimpressed, “You’re already on thin ice. Reign it in.”

Kyra, of course, nodded with mock solemnity and then promptly did the opposite.

“Ky, you need to stop or you’re going to get yourself in trouble,” Leah even attempted to step and sway the Australian girl from continuing to seek out trouble, but that did little to nothing to help.

“Quit it, Ky,” Caitlin chimed in.

“I’m having fun. What’s the harm?” Kyra carelessly shrugged her shoulders in response before gazing around to find her next victim.

Kyra thrived off the reactions that she got, whether it was frustrated groans or exasperated eye-rolls. But Kyra, now emboldened by her newfound family, wasn’t paying attention to the way her antics were pushing boundaries, and the young Australian sought out to make Viv her number one target.

By the time that training had wrapped up, everyone was exhausted. The session had been tough, and tensions were running high.

Viv, who had been a little quieter than usual, slumped in her spot in the locker room, and Kyra took this as the perfect opportunity to wind her up.

“Whatcha got there, Vivi?” Kyra grinned, sliding up to her.

Clutched in Viv’s hand was her stuffie, otherwise known as Flip, her bear that was her anchor on tough days, a quiet reminder of safety and comfort, especially when her little headspace threatened to emerge in a chaotic environment, “Flip.” she answered quietly.

“Kyra, don’t you dare,” Kim could already see the cogs’ whirring around in Kyra’s head, and somehow predicted what was about to happen.

“I’m not going to do anything,” Kyra feigned her innocence as she held her hands up in mock surrender.

“I’m not so convinced,” The Scottish woman muttered in disagreement, trying to keep a close eye on Kyra since she was feeling somewhat bold to push buttons today.

“Vivi, can I hold Flip?” Kyra questioned.

“N… No,” Viv’s voice was quiet but firm.

“Awh, don’t be like that,” Kyra pouted and before anyone could intervene, she reached out to snatch Flip out from Viv’s hands.

“Give him back!” Viv instantly wailed, alarmed at the loss of her stuffie in her hands before

The room fell silent for a brief as Viv froze, her bottom lip trembled and the silence was shattered when she let out a raw and heart-wrenching sob, and she curled in on herself, tears streaming down her face as she reached helplessly for her bear.

“Kyra!” Lia’s voice was sharp as a whip, “Give it back. Now.”

Kyra, still oblivious to the gravity of the situation, held Flip out of reach, “What? It’s just a dumb stuffie!”

“Would you like it if someone took your koala?” Caitlin chimed in, stepping closer to the younger girl.

“I was only messing around…” Kyra hesitated, guilt flickering across her face.

“What’s going on?” Lisa walked into the locker room, out of the corner of her eye she could see Kyra taunting Viv with Flip in her hand and instantly knew this wouldn’t be good when she could see how upset Viv was.

“Mama,” Viv’s broken voice cut through the tension as Lisa entered the room, “Ky… Kyra’s got Flip, and she won’t give him back!”

Lisa’s face hardened immediately as she took in the scene, “Kyra,” she said, her tone deadly calm, “Hand it over. Now.”

Under Lisa’s piercing gaze, Kyra reluctantly handed Flip back. Lisa crouched beside Viv, and tucked the bear into her trembling hands.

“Shh, liefje,” Lisa murmured softly in Dutch, pulling Viv into her arms and rubbing soothing circles on her back, “You’re okay now. Flip’s here. You’re safe.”

Seeing the sight of Viv looking so broken seemed to wake Kyra up to the gravity of what she had done, but before she could offer any apologies, Lisa stood up and turned to her with a look that made Kyra swallow hard.

“Kyra,” Lisa started, her voice low but filled with authority, and she didn’t hesitate to grab the young Australian by her bicep and drag her, she was going to deal with her once and for all.

Kyra’s playful mood quickly shifted as she was led over to the bench by Lisa. She could feel the weight of the situation sinking in, especially when Lisa’s hand grabbed her bicep tightly, firm and unyielding.

Kyra had been known to push boundaries, but the somber look on Lisa’s face made her stomach twist.

“You don’t take things that don’t belong to you,” Lisa’s voice was stern, and there was no mistaking the authority in it.

Kyra opened her mouth to protest, but Lisa was already moving into position and holding her firmly over her knee. The younger girl tensed up, her usual bravado faltering as she realised just how serious Lisa was.

She’d really crossed a line this time.

“Please, don’t–” Kyra started, her voice small, but Lisa didn’t relent.

“I want the paddle,” Lisa motioned to the team paddle that was hanging up on a hook in the locker room wall.

“Lisa, are you sure?” Lia’s voice was hesitant, the last thing she wanted was her own baby girl to be punished with that, but Kyra had really been pushing buttons, and this was the last straw.

“I’m sure. She needs to learn a lesson that we don’t take things that don’t belong to us,” Lisa didn’t give in, and held her hand out to receive the heavy, wood like surface that made a loud thud as it hit her hand, “I’m going to teach you a lesson once and for all!”

“She’s got a point, Lia,” Kim chimed in while sharing a knowing look with the Swiss woman.

Kyra’s eyes widened in surprise and her pulse quickened, "N... No, not that!"

“You deserve this, you little brat. You pushed limits, therefore now you’re going to learn.” Before Kyra could protest further, the first swat landed, “You’ll think twice about the next time you try and take something that doesn’t belong to you, won’t you?”

The sharp sting across her backside caused her to jump in shock, and her breath hitched, “Ow!” she gasped, her body instinctively shifting, but Lisa held her steady.

The pain was more intense than anything Kyra had anticipated. The sharp smack echoed around the otherwise silent locker room, and a lump formed in her throat. Lisa’s grip tightened as she delivered the second swat, harder than the first.

“Listen to me,” Lisa’s voice was still calm, but the authority was undeniable as she continued to reign down the paddle on Kyra, “You dare take anything that doesn’t belong to you again, and things will be a lot worse.”

Kyra’s bravado cracked as she whimpered, her face reddening with both the sting of the smacks and the humiliation of being put in this position, “Ow! Let me… Let me go!” The girl is near to hysterical sobs, thrashing around and trying to wriggle free, but Lisa’s grip on her keeps her there, “I’m… I’m sorry! I didn’t mean… I didn’t mean it. Let me go!”

“Do something,” Leah tried to get Lia to intervene, not liking the fact that her little sister was in this position, “This is too much. Mommy, help her!”

Lia looked at Lisa with a face full of concern, “Lisa, I think she’s learnt her lesson now. That’s enough.”

However, Lisa didn’t listen to Lia’s words and continued.

“You need to learn,” Lisa repeated as she continued to use the paddle on the young Australian girl that was now completely hysterical, “You might be new to this team, but you will show respect!”

“Kim,” Lia sent Kim a pleading look for her help.

“I think that’s enough now Lisa,” Kim intervened, seeing that Lisa wasn’t going to give in any time at all, “Kyra has learnt her lesson now. That’s enough .”

Lisa barely heard Kim’s words, her relentless need to protect her own baby girl outweighed her current actions, and therefore she didn’t realise how brash she was with the younger Australian girl.

“I said that’s enough, Lisa,” Kim repeated, stepping forward to reach out and take the paddle directly out of Lisa’s hands to stop her from using it any further, and tossed it aside out of the way, “Can’t you see how upset she is?”

“She’s not been punished enough, Kim. The little brat needs to learn her lesson,” Lisa responded with a bite in the tone of her voice.

“No, she’s been punished enough already,” Kim stated, firmly as she attempted to coax Kyra into her own arms, “Come here, sweetheart. You’re okay. You’re safe now.” Her soothing words did very little to calm down the sobbing girl.

Kyra was quick to flinch at the close contact, scrambling away from Lisa to a corner where she curled up in a small ball, “N… No, don’t hurt me,” she whimpered, fearful of being hurt again.

“I’m not going to hurt you, sweetheart,” Kim tried to reassure the younger girl, gently scooping Kyra up into her arms and carrying her while the younger girl tried to fight her way out of Kim’s grasp, “We’re just going to see your mommy, okay? You’re safe, you’re okay.”

“Come here, baby,” Lia cooed, hating to see her girl so upset and scared once again, just like when she first joined the team, “Come to mommy, angel.”

“Mommy,” Kyra whimpered, tearful as she was still a bit reluctant to be near Lia in case she was punished any further, “N… No more, I don’t want– I’ve learnt my lesson, I’m sorry, Mommy!” she pleaded as she was settled in Lia’s arms.

“Oh I know you are, baby girl,” Lia continued to coo as she held Kyra in her arms and rocked her, “Shh, you’re alright now, it’s over.”

“I… I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to take it,” Kyra’s sobs wracked her entire body, feeling completely terrified, “I… I didn’t. Don’t let her hurt me again!”

“I know, you’ve been punished and you’re forgiven now,” Lia smoothed a stray piece of Kyra’s hair out of her face, her voice soft and reassuring as she gently pressed a kiss to Kyra’s temple, “Mommy’s here now, baby. No one’s going to hurt you anymore, I promise, angel.”

Kyra clung to Lia tightly, burying her tear-streaked face into her chest. Her small hiccuping sobs echoed through the quiet locker room, each one tugging at Lia’s heart.

Meanwhile, Kim shot Lisa a disapproving glare, “You went too far, Lisa,” she muttered under her breath, “There was no need for that.”

Lisa’s shoulders sagged as the weight of her actions hit her, she looked over at Kyra, who was trembling in Lia’s arms, “I didn’t mean too, I just…” she started, but Kim cut her off.

“Intent doesn’t erase the damage,” Kim said firmly, “Just look at her, Lisa, she’s terrified. That’s not how we handle things on this team.”

“I know, I just… She upset Viv, and I just didn’t think,” Lisa stuttered her words, realising the damage that had been caused now since Kyra clung to Lia with an iron-clad grip.

“Now’s not the time for this,” Lia spoke up as she continued to rock Kyra in her arms to calm her down from the hysterical sobs she was letting out, “We can talk about this later. Right now, I need to take care of Kyra, and that’s all that matters.”

Leah had taken the chance to retrieve Kyra’s own koala stuffie out of her back and tried to coax it into her hands, “Here Ky, here’s Bill,” she gestured to the small animal stuffie, “I thought you might like him right now?”

“Bill,” Kyra murmured quietly, not hesitating to take the stuffie from the blonde and hold it close in her arms, “Thanks, Le.”

“You’re welcome, Ky,” Leah gave her a soft and reassuring smile.

Kyra peeked up at Lia, her eyes red and swollen, “I didn’t… I didn’t mean to hurt Viv, Mommy.” she whimpered, her voice barely above a whisper.

“I know you didn’t mean too, baby,” Lia reassured her, still rocking her gently, “You just got a bit carried away now, didn’t you? How about you apologise to Viv when you feel ready?” she suggested softly, stroking her hair.

“N… No,” Kyra sniffled and shook her head frantically, her voice muffled against Lia’s chest. The thought of apologising to Viv, when Lisa was still there, was somewhat terrifying to her still, “I… I don’t want to do it.”

“Shh, baby,” Lia could see how worked up Kyra still felt and smoothed her hair down away from her face, “That’s alright, you don’t have too yet, not if you’re not ready. You can take your time.” she added.

Viv was now back sitting with Lisa, held in her arms with Flip clutched tightly in her arms. Her own tears had slowed, but she still looked visibly shaken.

Lisa took one glance between Viv and Kyra, guilt written over her face, “I don’t think it is a good idea right now,” she murmured, realising she had let her own emotions take control.

“For once, I agree with you there,” Lia’s voice held a certain sting to it still as she spoke to the Scottish woman, not happy with her at all.

The tension in the locker room was palpable as everyone tried to process what had just unfolded. The usual camaraderie felt fractured, replaced with a mix of guilt, protectiveness, and unease.

Lia continued to rock Kyra gently, her soothing murmurs softening the younger girl’s whimpers, “Shh, sweetheart. You’re okay. Mommy’s here, and it’s all over now.” she whispered, pressing a gentle kiss to Kyra’s forehead.

Kim, meanwhile, kept her gaze trained on Lisa, “We can’t let things escalate like that again, Lisa,” she said, her voice firm but quieter now, trying not to add to the stress of the moment, “This team is a family, and we don’t solve problems by breaking each other. You crossed the line here, Lisa.”

“I know,” Lisa exhaled heavily, running a hand through her hair and her voice tight with regret, before she peered down at Viv in her arms with Flip tucked into her, “I just got protective of her and I lost control, I guess I went about it the wrong way.” she admitted, rubbing the Dutch’s arm protectively in an effort to soothe her further.

“You think?” Leah muttered under her breath, feeling somewhat protective over Kyra as she resisted the urge to scowl at Lisa.

“Le,” Lia fixed the blonde with a pointed look, as for her to not get involved while she continued to sooth Kyra in her arms.

“I’m just saying what we’re all thinking,” Leah insisted, crossing her arms over her chest.

Lia continued to shake her head in disagreement, “That’s enough of that, alright?”

“Alright,” Leah exhaled a sigh, but still feeling somewhat protective over Kyra, she wanted to make it known that she was mad with Lisa for hurting Kyra in the way she did, “I’m still mad at her though.”

“I know, but I don’t want you to get yourself in trouble,” Lia spoke quiet words with Leah, she knew the blonde would be protective over Kyra but she needed to reign her in so she wouldn’t end up talking herself into trouble.

“Maybe I should step out of the room?” Lisa muttered, her voice low and regretful, “I don’t think it’s a good idea for me to be here right now.”

“I think that might be a good idea for now,” Kim agreed, casting a glance over to Kyra, who was still trembling in Lia’s embrace, “You can leave Vivi with me. I’ll take care of her.”

“Yeah, yeah, okay,” Lisa mumbled, though she was hesitant to leave Viv with the older Scottish woman but she knew she could trust her “Baby, Mama’s going to go out of the room for a bit, but you’re going to stay with Kim, okay?”

“Mama, no… Don’t go,” Viv whined, weary about Lisa leaving her.

“You’re alright, you’re going to be fine,” Lisa insisted as she passed Viv over to Kim, who accepted her with a quiet, reassuring smile, “I just need to leave the room, okay? Stay with Kim, liefje.” she told her, gently.

Kim settled Viv on her lap, her arm securely wrapping around the younger woman as she whispered soothing reassurances in her ear, “It’s alright, sweetheart,” she murmured, her tone calm and grounding, “I’ve got you. Your Mama will be back soon.”

Viv sniffled, burying her face against Kim’s shoulder while her grip on the older woman tightened, “Mama,” she trembled slightly, clearly struggling to process the sudden intensity of the situation.

“You’re safe, Vivi,” Kim said softly, gently stroking her back in a slow, rhythmic motion, her touch both firm and comforting, “Mama just needs a moment to breathe, and so do you. Let’s focus on calming down, okay?”

From across the room, Lia continued to hold Kyra close, her hand gently running through her hair in an attempt to soothe her. Kyra’s trembling was beginning to subside, though her face still remained buried in Lia’s chest.

The protective stance Lia had adopted was unyielding, her sharp gaze briefly flicking toward Lisa as she hesitated in the doorway.

Lisa faltered, glancing back at Viv and Kim before she finally stepped out of the room, though the hesitation in her movements spoke volume. Once the door clicked shut, a heavy silence settled over the room, only broken by Viv’s quiet hiccups and Kyra’s uneven breathing.

“How’s she doing?” Kim glanced up at Lia, her expression neutral but her tone firm.

“Getting there,” Lia replied, her voice clipped but gentle, “Kyra, baby, breathe with me, okay? In… and out. Mommy’s got you.”

Kyra nodded faintly and began mirroring Lia’s slow, exaggerated breaths, though her grip on the Swiss woman remained as tight as ever.

“That’s a good girl,” Lia murmured, smoothing Kyra’s hair out of her face, “Keep breathing like that for Mommy, alright? I’m here, I’m not going anywhere. I’m right here, baby.”

“M… Mommy,” Kyra mumbled, tearful but the trembling had stopped now, although her face still remained red from crying.

“I’m here, Ky,” Lia reassured her as she continued to rub soothing circles on her back, “Do you know what you need to do now?” Lia asked gently, her voice soft enough to avoid overwhelming her.

Kyra nodded slightly, her gaze fixed on the floor, “Yeah…” she murmured, though her voice was quiet and tentative.

“Good girl,” Lia said encouragingly, tucking a stray strand of the younger girl's hair behind her ear, “You go ahead when you’re ready then, okay?”

Kyra sighed and bit her bottom lip, she knew what Lia meant but she still felt a twinge of resistance, “Do I have to?” she whispered.

“It’s important baby,” Lia responded, in a tone of voice that was kind but still held firmness behind it, “I know you didn’t mean to take Flip from Vivi, but you did and now you need to apologise, please.”

After a moment of silence, Kyra nodded in agreement, “Okay…” she mumbled, her voice barely above a whisper.

Lia gave her a gentle and encouraging pat on the back, “Good girl, Ky. I’m right here, if you need me.”

With a deep breath, Kyra slowly stood up and made her way over towards Viv, who was nestled on Kim’s lap with Flip tucked in her arms.

“Vivi…” Kyra mumbled, trying to engage with Viv although the Dutch were apprehensive, proceeding to hide Flip so Kyra wouldn’t be able to take him again, “I… I’m sorry for Flip, I didn’t mean to do it, and I… I didn’t mean to make you sad either.”

Viv clung tightly to Flip, her gaze flickering between Kyra and Kim. She still looked cautious, but there was a hint of vulnerability in her eyes.

“Mommy,” Kyra turned back round to face Lia, shuffling awkwardly on her feet, “I said I was sorry!”

“I know, baby. You did well,” Lia praised Kyra from where she sat.

“Vivi,” Kim gave Viv’s shoulder a gentle squeeze, “What do we say when someone apologises?” she prompted softly, her voice a quiet nudge rather than a push.

“I… I forgive you,” Viv whispered, glancing up at Kim before returning her gaze to Kyra, “But… Flip’s mine, not for you to take.”

Kyra nodded quickly, her hands fidgeting as she fought back the urge to reach out and make things better physically, “I know. I won’t touch him again,” she told her, “I promise.”

Viv looked at her, still continuing to clutch Flip close, but her expression softened just a little, “Okay…” she said quietly, although there was still a trace of wariness in her eyes, “Just don’t do it again.”

Kyra’s shoulders slumped in relief as she glanced over at Lia, who smiled gently at her, “Good job, baby.” The Swiss woman said, her voice warm and encouraging.

“Thanks, Mommy,” Kyra whispered, her shoulders relaxing as a faint but genuine smile appeared on her face, “Cuddles now?”

“You can have a cuddle now,” Lia said softly, as she reached out and gently pulled Kyra back into a tight hug, her arms wrapping around the younger girl in a comforting embrace, “I’m really proud of you for apologising to Vivi.”

Once Kyra was securely wrapped in Lia’s arms, feeling the warmth and comfort of her embrace, Viv suddenly began squirming in Kim’s lap, her eyes fixed on the door.

Kim noticed Viv’s shift immediately as her hand rested gently on her shoulder, “Vivi, where are you going, sweetheart?”

“I want Mama,” Viv mumbled, her gaze remaining fixed on the door as her small frame twitched with impatience, “I want to go and find her.”

Kim’s heart softened at the sight of Viv’s determination, but she also understood the fragility of the situation, “Your Mama isn’t far, Vivi. She’s just outside the room, I’m sure she’ll be happy to see you.”

The need to go to Lisa was almost palpable for Viv, as if that was the one thing that would make everything feel right again, “Mama,” she mumbled, wiggling out of Kim’s lap with determination, her small hands pushing against the floor as she stood up, her balance unsteady but resolute.

Viv’s legs wobbled slightly as she toddled toward the door, her determined expression set on reaching Lisa. The hallway felt almost too long to her, but she was soon able to catch a glimpse of Lisa, who had her back turned, leaning against the wall just outside the room.

Lisa’s shoulders were hunched, her head was lowered and she didn’t hear Viv’s soft footsteps approaching, too lost in her own emotions. Her hands were pressed against her face and her own sobs were muffled.

“Mama…” Viv whispered, her voice barely more than a breath as she stepped forward, reaching her hand out.

Lisa froze, her whole body tensed as she recognised the voice as she slowly lowered her hands from her face, her eyes swollen from crying as her expression was a mixture of sadness and guilt, “Oh, Vivi,” she whispered, turning towards Viv with a faint, shaky smile appearing on her face despite the tears that still clung to her cheeks, “Did you come out here to find me?”

Viv nodded, her hands reaching up to grasp at Lisa’s outstretched arms, “Don’t cry, Mama. I don’t like to see you sad.” she mumbled, her voice thick with her own emotion.

Lisa’s tears seemed to flow harder at that, her heart breaking all over again, “I’m sorry, Vivi,” she whispered, pulling the younger girl into her arms and hugging her tightly, the overwhelming emotions of the day pouring out in the safety of this moment, “Mama’s only upset with herself.”

“Why are you crying?” Viv questioned as she clung to her, the sound of her Mama’s voice calming the storm inside of her, though her voice still sounded small and uncertain, “I don’t like it when you cry.”

“I… I’m just sad, liefje,” Lisa explained, her fingers threading through Viv’s hair as she held her close, “I’m upset with myself, because I… I just made a complete mess of things. I got so protective over seeing you upset, and took it out on Kyra back there.”

Viv didn’t understand the full extent of Lisa’s own guilt, but she could feel pain radiating off her and she wanted to make everything better, to try and fix Lisa’s sadness, “It’s okay, Mama,” she whispered, her voice small and full of innocence, “I still love you.”

Lisa squeezed her a little tighter, trying to steady her own breathing as she wiped the remaining tears from her face, “Thank you, Vivi,” she said softly, pressing a kiss to the top of her head, “I love you too. So much.”

The two of them continued to stand there for a moment, holding each other in the hallway as their quiet sobs mingled with the sound of distant conversation behind the door.

Lisa had no idea how she would make things right again, but with Viv in her arms, the weight of the world felt a little easier to bear.

“I’ll make it right, Vivi,” Lisa reassured the Dutch girl as she continued to thread her fingers through her hair, “I promise I’ll make it better.”

#the arsenal submissions #woso one shot #woso fanfics #woso series #behind the kit #player x player

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wosotales · 25 days ago

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Behind The Kit: Arsenal's Chosen Family - She Will Be Loved

Laia Codina accepts her long-awaited national team call up, but it comes at a devestating cost with the loss of a friendship. Struggling with heartbreak and guilt, her transfer to Arsenal finds her a shadow of her former self, consumed by the belief that she is unworthy of love and acceptance.

When Laia first got her call up to the national team, she didn’t feel joy - just a quiet, suffocating apprehension.

Was her call up deserved? Maybe, but it wasn’t because she had earned her place outright - it was a last resort.

Would her acceptance cost her friendships? Definitely, without a doubt.

A national call up is a dream come true though, this is one thing that as a pro athlete you work hard to achieve in a career but when it comes as a result of players refusing to play then there’s bound to be backlash from it.

It felt tainted, more of a burden than a blessing. The national team was fractured, divided by a storm of conflict, and Laia knew that her call up would paint her as a traitor to her friends who had chosen to stand against it.

Of course she knew not everybody would be in agreement of her acceptance, Laia thought she could weather the fallout. She knew it might sting, but in time, it would heal

What she never expected was her acceptance ended up with a loss of a friendship with Aitana as well.

During the time of the call up, Laia was out on a loan so the last thing she expected was to be shunned by her friend, her best friend especially.

The daily phone calls where they once chatted about anything and everything dwindled down to less and less before there were no phone calls exchanged at all.

That really hurt Laia more than she cared to admit.

Maybe it was just a rough patch? At least that’s what she told herself.

Then came the fight that blew up between her and Aitana, the fight that cost her, her entire friendship and with that, a change of clubs.

It happened a few weeks after the initial call up, when Laia returned to Barcelona from the loan spell from AC Milan. She expected somewhat of a cold shoulder, but it hurt a whole lot more.

Running into one another at the training grounds, Aintana looked at her like she was a strange - the girl’s gaze was ice cold, cutting through her like a knife. That was when Laia’s resolve broke, and she couldn’t stand the silent treatment anymore.

“What’s your problem, Tana?” Laia plucked up the courage to ask her best friend, her voice wavered as she forced her words out while her chest was tight with dread.

Aitana scoffed in response before she proceeded to talk, “My problem? You really want to go there?”

The tone of Aitana’s voice made Laia cower in fear but she wanted answers on why she was practically being ignored, “I do,” her voice trembled as she spoke, “Ever since I’ve been back, you’ve been giving me the cold shoulder and you’ve… you’ve barely uttered a single word to me at all! You’ve been avoiding me for weeks, ignoring my calls and messages, just like I don’t even exist. What did I do so badly?”

“You accepted the call up,” Aitana’s tone of voice was venomous.

Laia blinked in surprise, “I… I didn’t think about it–”

“No, you didn’t think, did you?” Aitana interrupted harshly, “You didn’t think about us. About me. You chose them, Laia. You took their side. You knew why we stood down, why we refused to play, and you still took their side!”

Laia could feel her chest constrict as Aitana continued her harsh words, not allowing her the chance to speak, “Tana–”

“No, you don’t get to call me that. Not anymore, only my friends are allowed to call me that!” Aitana’s tone of voice was still ice cold as she cut Laia off, “You don’t get it, do you? If you actually cared about any of us– If you cared about me then you could have said no. But you didn’t. You made your choice, so live with it.”

Laia’s mouth opened, but no words came out. She stood there, stunned, as Aitana turned and walked away without even a backwards glance at Laia, who was left there feeling small and in fear.

That was the last time they spoke before Laia made the move to Arsenal.

The weight of their fight consumed her, hollowing her out from the inside. She tried to focus on football, the world cup tournament, on training, on anything else, but the ache of that loss never left her.

The silence from the rest of the Barcelona girls only made it worse. Nobody stepped in to defend her or offer her comfort.

Nobody was there to tell her it would be okay.

To her, it felt like they’d all quietly agreed that she wasn’t worth the effort anymore.

The loss of her friendship with Aitana was like a wound that refused to heal, and the silence from the rest of her former teammates only deepened the ache.

By the time that Laia made the move to Arsenal, she was a shell of herself. Her confidence was shattered, her spirit dimmed. She walked into her new club with the shadow of rejection still hanging over her, her shoulders tense and her gaze wary.

It didn’t take all that long for her teammates to notice.

At first, they thought it was just the usual nerves of someone adjusting to a new country, a new team, but it became clear that Laia’s hesitance ran much deeper than that. She rarely spoke unless spoken to, and she hovered on the fringes of group conversations like she wasn’t sure if she belonged.

But the most heartbreaking part was how terrified she seemed - like a pup who had been scolded too harshly and was afraid to come near anyone.

If someone so much as placed a hand on her shoulder or moved too close, Laia would tense up like she was bracing for something.

“Nice, Codi!” Katie complimented, trying to pull her into a hug after a goal she had scored in training.

Meanwhile, Laia stiffened at the sudden touch before she muttered an apology.

It was incredibly heartbreaking for some of the girls to witness, especially those who had grown closer to Laia in the time she’d been part of the team.

Lia and Kim couldn’t help but exchange worried and concerned glances whenever they saw Laia standing on the outskirts, quiet and unsure whether to get involved.

“She’s terrified,” Lia murmured one day after another failed attempt to coax Laia into joining the group conversation, her tone was soft but laced with heartbreak, “I think she’s convinced she’s not worth the effort.”

“We’re not giving up on her,” Kim replied back, hopeful to get her out of her shell.

Then there were her newfound sisters, Laura, Vic and Kathrine, who had taken it upon themselves to make Laia feel at home with their personalities all blending together - Laura, with her bubbly personality, often tried to coax Laia into conversations during meals or training while Vic, sharp and witty, kept slipping little Dutch phrases into conversation just to make Laia crack a smile, and Kathrine, the youngest of the group, hovered close to Laia like a protective shadow, quick to defend her whenever anyone joked a little too harshly.

But no matter how much everyone tried, Laia seemed locked in her belief that she didn’t deserve any of it.

“She looks so scared,” Alessia was the first to broach the conversation with a weary look shared between a few of the other girls, watching Laia sit alone in the dining hall, eating in silence while the rest of the team chatted and laughed around her.

“Why won’t she talk to us?” Kyra furrowed her eyebrows in confusion.

Leah shrugged her shoulders slightly in response, “I think we just need to give her space, I guess.”

“Easier said than done,” Katie murmured.

“She’s scared to let anyone, isn’t she?” Lotte questioned, exchanging a glance with the two doms.

“I think so,” Lia responded quietly in agreement, “She’s been through something, but we just don’t know what yet.”

“It doesn’t matter what has happened,” Kim chimed in, sitting nearby, “We just need to show her that she’s safe here now. That she has a family here now.”

Lia nodded in agreement with Kim, “Agreed.”

It definitely was easier said than done, though. Every time someone got too close - emotionally or physically, Laia would pull away and leave her teammates feeling helpless.

But if there was one thing that this Arsenal team prided itself on, it was its family, and Laia Codina was family now, whether she believed it or not.

And family never gave up on their own.

#the arsenal submissions #woso one shot #woso fanfics #woso series #behind the kit #player x player

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