#sports rehab and wellness
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Sports Rehabilitation and Wellness Services St. Paul
Elevate your performance with expert rehabilitation and wellness services designed for athletes. From post-surgical care and sports injury recovery to running analysis and injury prevention, we provide customized treatment plans. Our services also include dry needling, soft tissue mobilization, and concussion rehabilitation. Get back to peak form with our comprehensive, athlete-focused care.
#sports rehab and wellness#sports rehabilitation#sports injury recovery#rehabilitation services St. Paul#post-surgical care#dry needling#soft tissue mobilization#concussion rehabilitation
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i know that a majority of the characters in aftg with visible scars and injuries don’t necessarily have permanent or chronic injuries but it’s a nice change of pace to see fan art depict injuries and scars across the board. comics really shy away from characters being visibly hurt for longer than the story “requires” or showing past physical trauma outside of one off moments and it’s especially wild that characters so reliant on physical fitness aren’t regularly depicted with tools to aid in the upkeep of that. both in canon and in fanon??? for something with a plot as outlandish as cape comics it’s so refreshing to see scars and kt tape and braces be a mainstay in aftg fanwork. love u recovery devices. love u body maintenance tools. love u sports medicine
#this whole post could just be ‘love u sports medicine’#but in just stating that that art of jean in the hinged brace#IM JUST STARING**#i did the same thing with serpaz art when i got my first knee brace#it was so clunky and not as well fitted as an everyday brace would be but STILL#i felt SEEN!!!#sports med is such a huge part of my existence i really froth at the mouth over the thought of s character in a brace#that handful of panels with steph in a compression/knee cap stabilizing brace in batgirls??????#i made a buTTON OUT OF IT#all this to say#i bought kt tape again#forgot how much i like it#putting kevin in my pocket that’s a permanent injury#hand injuries are so difficult#kevin’s is canon but neil and jean are high contenders#jean for his LCL and the overcompensation injuries that would inevitably come from a lack of proper rehab#on top of overexterion and the sheer amount of physical abuse#neil for#being neil#just look at him#he’s never once had access to pt and the nerve damage alone is staggering#kevin can mitigate overextertion with his insanity about sports med but neil left to his own devices doesn’t have that background#kevin buy him a freeze sleeve#or four#this could be its own post#i had an ortho appt this week so i’m usually sappy about art with injuries#flynn.txt#aftg
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Everyday I wake up and wonder why Lawrence 'if it's new, it's interesting/I'm easily bored' Kutner decided to go into sports medicine
#house md#lawrence kutner#look there's nothing wrong with it#I'm also in the medical field#taken a few kinesiology courses#focuses a lot on sports med#and it's not very exciting i must say#it's usually just pt and rehab#and diagnosing the injury itself based on the moi#plus i asked my sports med doctor what she does#like why she chose that bc I'm curious and talkative sometimes#and she said bc it's stable and predictable#and she likes helping people in that regard and it pays well#so tell me why kutner would ever choose stable and predictable#i can see him specializing in emergency med#always something new#fast paced#no two cases are ever the same#I'm sorry i just can't see this man being satisfied with sports med
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Introducing Rehabpy: Your gateway to a healthier tomorrow. Discover and connect with the best rehabilitation services in one place. Your wellness journey starts here! Read more: https://rehabpy.com/
Introducing Rehabpy
#rehabilitation#rehab#physiotherapy#physicaltherapy#physio#fitness#health#physiotherapist#recovery#physicaltherapist#exercise#fisioterapia#therapy#wellness#injury#backpain#mobility#pain#massage#sport#injuryprevention#sportsmedicine#healthcare#training#pt#pilates#gym#chiropractic#sportsinjury#occupationaltherapy
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Experience Comprehensive Physiotherapy at Al-Emadi Hospital: Leading Experts in Qatar
Al-Emadi offers the best physiotherapy in Qatar. We have a well-experienced team of physiotherapists specialized in different areas of physiotherapy including musculoskeletal physiotherapists, neurological physiotherapy, cardiorespiratory physiotherapy, pediatric physiotherapy, geriatric physiotherapy, and sports physiotherapy. Our physiotherapists are dedicated to helping patients in improving their body movements and quality of life. Our physiotherapy department handles various conditions from injury rehabilitation to chronic pain management. Our expert physiotherapists play major roles like identifying fractures or various ailments, preparing treatment plans, educating patients about their condition, monitoring progress, etc.
#physiotherapy#physio#physicaltherapy#physiotherapist#fisioterapia#rehab#fitness#rehabilitation#health#physicaltherapist#backpain#exercise#fisio#pain#wellness#injury#therapy#sport#healthylifestyle#neckpain#painrelief#osteopathy#kneepain#mobility#recovery
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Optimizing Movement, Restoring Vitality - Premier Physiotherapy Services
American Hospital Clinics offers the best physiotherapy services in Qatar. Our well-experienced and best physiotherapists have already proven their excellence in providing the most exceptional physiotherapy treatment to all age categories. Our physiotherapists stimulate movements of hands and legs with the help of slight exercises like walking, stretching, etc. At American Hospital Clinic, we are committed to delivering the best possible care that patients can trust. We provide the best rehabilitation facilities to everyone who is affected by traumas, sports injuries, or any sort of physical ailments.
American Hospital Clinics is the foremost medical center that offers premium quality dental services, cardiology treatments, dentistry, physiotherapy, dermatology, and many more. At American Hospital Clinics, we offer comprehensive solutions for all your physical illnesses. We are providing the most skilled and excellent doctors for each department. With our most exceptional services, we always strive to make your life better. We take leverage of the most modern equipment and technologies to provide the highest quality treatment to patients under the supervision of the world’s renowned doctors.
#physiotherapy#physio#physicaltherapy#physiotherapist#fisioterapia#rehab#fitness#rehabilitation#health#physicaltherapist#backpain#exercise#fisio#pain#wellness#fisioterapeuta#chiropractic#injury#massage#pilates#therapy#sport#healthylifestyle#chiropractor#neckpain#painrelief#osteopathy#kneepain#mobility#recovery
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The Critical Role of Physical Therapy in Workers' Compensation: A Guiding Light Through Recovery
For individuals navigating the challenging journey of a workplace injury, the prospect of restoring their health and returning to work can be daunting. Enter physical therapy – a crucial component of the workers’ compensation process, aimed at not only rehabilitating the injured but also helping to maintain productivity and economic stability. In the bustling township of Freehold, New Jersey, this vital service weaves a narrative of resilience, renewal, and the relentless pursuit of well-being. Join me on an exploration of the indispensable contributions of physical therapy to workers’ compensation and the transformative outcomes it brings for both employees and employers.
The Backbone of Workers’ Compensation: Physical Therapy's Significance
Understanding Workers’ Compensation
Workers’ compensation is a state-mandated insurance program that provides benefits to employees who suffer job-related injuries and illnesses. It serves as a financial safeguard, assuring that those injured in the line of duty receive necessary medical treatment and compensation while they recuperate.
How Physical Therapy Makes a Difference
Physical therapy workers comp freehold emerges as a beacon of hope within the larger context of workers’ compensation. By focusing on movement and function, it plays a central role in the multidisciplinary treatment approach, helping patients recover strength, mobility, and independence.
The Benefits of Early Intervention
Studies affirm that early and sustained access to physical therapy can dramatically improve patient outcomes, reduce the likelihood of surgery, and lessen long-term healthcare costs.
Training for Safe Return to Work
Physical therapists are adept at not only rehabilitating injuries but equally at re-educating patients on safe work practices and bespoke conditioning programs, designed to facilitate a smooth reintegration into the workplace.
An Ode to Freehold's Physical Therapists: Exemplars of Empowerment
The Human Touch in Healing
In Freehold, the physical therapy workforce stands out for the personalized care it delivers, treating each patient not as a case but as a person with unique needs and aspirations.
A Dynamic Approach to Rehabilitation
Therapists customize rehabilitation plans that evolve with the patient’s progress, employing a dynamic approach that harmonizes with the individual’s body and psyche.
Combating the Psychological Impact of Injuries
Injuries take a toll not only physically but also mentally. Through supportive environments and evidence-based modalities, Freehold’s physical therapists address the psychological hurdles patients face, promoting a holistic path to recovery.
Leveraging Cutting-Edge Technology
From state-of-the-art equipment to innovative telehealth solutions, Freehold’s therapists harness the power of technology to enhance the treatment process and patient experience.
From Injury to Independence: Personal Stories of Triumph
Amid the labyrinth of workers’ compensation, inspiring stories of triumph emerge where the synergy between patient and therapist brews miracles.
The Journey of Mark D.: An Athlete’s Return to the Game
Mark D., a warehouse employee and former athlete, suffered a serious back injury on the job. Through dedicated physical therapy, Mark reclaimed his strength, rediscovered the thrill of movement, and eventually returned to an active lifestyle.
Laura S.'s Quest for Normalcy After a Workplace Fall
Laura S., a retail worker, experienced a fall that left her with a fractured arm. Her journey with physical therapy not only mended her bones but also rejuvenated her spirit, culminating in a successful return to her sales floor.
The Symbiotic Relationship: Physical Therapy and Employers
Employers also reap the benefits of physical therapy, as it leads to faster recoveries, lower absenteeism rates, and ultimately, a more productive workforce.
Employers as Stakeholders in Recovery
Engaged employers understand the value of supporting their employees’ recovery through physical therapy, thereby investing in their most valuable asset – their workforce.
The Role of PT in Injury Prevention and Wellness Programs
Forward-thinking companies partner with physical therapists to develop injury prevention strategies and wellness programs that foster a safer work environment and a healthier workforce.
The Future of Physical Therapy in Workers' Compensation: Innovations & Outlook
As we gaze into the future, it's clear that physical therapy will continue to evolve and innovate, with Freehold standing at the precipice of change and growth.
Embracing Teletherapy for Convenience and Accessibility
Teletherapy is swiftly becoming a cornerstone of physical therapy services, providing a convenient option for patients and a tool for reaching rural or remote workers.
The Push for Preventative and Proactive Therapeutic Practices
There is a surging movement to shift the focus from reactionary therapy to preventative and proactive practices that aim to diminish injury risks before they manifest.
Educating Employers and Employees: A Collective Responsibility
Continuous education and awareness campaigns will be pivotal in fostering a culture that values and understands the importance of physical therapy in the context of workers’ compensation.
Embracing a Brighter Future through Physical Therapy
As we conclude our discourse, the profound impact of physical therapy on the journey of workers’ compensation becomes resoundingly clear. It is a narrative of collaborative healing, where patients, therapists, and employers unite to script tales of recovery and resilience. In Freehold, the heartbeat of physical therapy echoes with the promise of a brighter, more robust approach to work-related health challenges. As we look to the future, let us continue to champion the cause of physical therapy in workers’ compensation, celebrating its role in fostering a healthier and more productive workforce.
#health and wellness#acupuncturist for knee pain in freehold#acupuncturist in scotch plains#hf rehab nj#Neurologist in Woodbridge#physical therapy workers comp freehold#sports injury specialist plainfield#sports therapist plainfield#health and fitness#health problems
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#rehabilitation#rehab#physiotherapy#physicaltherapy#physio#fitness#health#physiotherapist#recovery#physicaltherapist#exercise#fisioterapia#therapy#wellness#injury#backpain#mobility#pain#massage#sport#injuryprevention#sportsmedicine#healthcare#training#pt#pilates#gym#chiropractic#sportsinjury#occupationaltherapy
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Schedule Your Appointment Now | Consult Dr. Vibha (Physiotherapist) | Doktors App
Dr. Vibha is a highly skilled and #experiencedphysiotherapist. She has a comprehensive understanding of human anatomy and the #physiology of the body. She is able to quickly assess and diagnose functional deficits, pain, and posture.
Dr. Vibha is also highly skilled in the assessment and treatment of flexibility, strength, balance, and endurance. Dr. Vibha will provide you with a comprehensive evaluation of your current condition and help you get started on the road to recovery.
Schedule your #appointment now & Consult Dr. Vibha using #Doktorsapp!
For more guidance about an appointment via contact us, +91 7669865196 or +91 9073374248, email us now, [email protected]
#physiotherapy#physio#physicaltherapy#physiotherapist#rehab#fitness#rehabilitation#health#physicaltherapist#backpain#exercise#pain#wellness#chiropractic#injury#massage#pilates#therapy#sport#healthylifestyle#chiropractor#neckpain#painrelief#osteopathy#kneepain#mobility#recovery#gym#sportsmedicine#massagetherapy
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paige bueckers x medic reader blurb
idk why this has been on my mind but here's something to feed you guys while i recover from whatever the fuck last semester was
here’s the thing about paige bueckers: she’s annoying.
not in the throw-your-clipboard, tear-your-hair-out kind of way, but in the she’s-too-charming-for-her-own-good kind of way. the kind that makes your pulse skitter and your cheeks burn, and—worst of all—she knows it.
you’re certain she figured it out the first time she winked at you during pre-season. she’d just finished a shooting drill, her braid swinging like a metronome as she jogged over to your side of the court, flashing that grin—the one that’s equal parts mischief and sunshine.
“think i’m pushing it too hard, doc?” she asked, her hand brushing yours when you handed her a water bottle. your stuttered response? a dead giveaway.
and now, it’s practically her sport. teasing you, that is. not basketball though she’s otherworldly at that too. but here she is, six months post-acl surgery, stuck in the monotony of rehab, and somehow still making you feel like the one who’s sweating under bright gym lights.
“you’re not gonna leave me hanging, are you?” her voice cuts through your focus as you jot down notes on her progress for the day. when you glance up, she’s watching you from the training table, her injured leg stretched out in front of her, an ice pack wrapped snug around her knee. her head tilts, blonde strands falling loose from her messy bun, and there it is—that look.
“i don’t even know what you mean by that,” you mutter, knowing full well she’s waiting for you to take the bait.
she leans back on her elbows, her lips curving into a slow smile. “i’m just saying, if you don’t stay close, how am i supposed to recover? pretty sure moral support is in your job description.”
you roll your eyes, even as your heart hammers against your ribs. “pretty sure my job description is making sure you don’t blow out your knee again, bueckers.”
“so you do care about me.” her voice lilts, sing-song and undeniably smug, and god, you’re starting to regret all the years you spent chasing a degree instead of learning how to mask a blush.
you try not to sigh too loudly, scribbling something on the clipboard even though it’s just a nervous scribble now. she’s watching you like she knows—because, of course, she does. she always knows. it’s like she has a sixth sense for your embarrassment, and worse, she’s figured out exactly how to weaponize it.
“i care about all my patients,” you say, finally looking up from your notes to meet her gaze. it’s meant to come off clinical, professional, but the way her eyes sparkle makes you feel like you’ve said something embarrassingly sweet instead.
“but do you care about me more?” she asks, tilting her head, her voice dripping with fake innocence.
you deadpan her. “paige.”
“what?” she grins wider now, the kind of grin that should probably come with a warning label. “i’m just trying to gauge my ranking on the medic hierarchy. am i at least in the top five?”
“you’re lucky you even have a ranking,” you mutter, setting the clipboard down and moving closer to check her ice pack. you’re trying—really trying—not to make a big deal about how close you are to her now. but then her hand shifts, casually brushing against yours as she adjusts the pack herself.
and just like that, your resolve? gone.
“aww, come on,” she says softly, her voice lower now, almost teasingly gentle. “you can admit it. i’m your favorite.”
your lips press into a thin line as you busy yourself with checking the straps on the ice pack. “you’re impossible.”
“you’re adorable when you’re flustered,” she counters, and it’s so smooth, so shameless, that you actually pause mid-motion.
you glance at her, half tempted to say something snarky, but she’s already watching you with this expression that’s somehow both playful and too much. like she’s trying to figure you out and enjoy herself at the same time. it’s unfair, really.
“is this what you spend your time thinking about?” you ask, attempting to sound exasperated. “ways to embarrass me?”
“not just ways to embarrass you,” she says, and the mock sincerity in her tone is criminal. “also ways to make you smile. you should smile more, you know.”
you bite the inside of your cheek, refusing to give her the satisfaction, even though—damn it—you’re already fighting the urge to crack a grin. she sees it, of course. she always sees it.
“you’re insufferable,” you mumble, stepping back to grab another piece of equipment you need for her session.
“but you like me anyway,” she calls after you, her voice sing-song.
you don’t respond this time, opting instead to take an extra moment to gather your thoughts while pretending to look for something in the cabinet. when you turn back around, she’s already back to lounging on the training table, her arms folded behind her head like she’s posing for a magazine spread.
“okay, let’s get serious,” you say, trying to steer the conversation back to anything resembling professionalism. “how’s the pain today? any stiffness?”
she shrugs, but there’s a flicker of something more serious in her expression. “a little. nothing crazy.”
“you need to let me know if it gets worse,” you remind her, stepping closer to start her mobility exercises. “overdoing it isn’t going to help your recovery.”
“yes, ma’am,” she says, her tone light, but you catch the way her eyes soften when she watches you. it’s different from her usual teasing—quieter, more thoughtful—and for a moment, you’re not sure what to do with it.
you busy yourself with guiding her through the exercises, focusing on the mechanics, the angles, the movements. but it’s hard to ignore the way she keeps glancing at you, her smile smaller now but no less present.
“you’re good at this,” she says suddenly, breaking the comfortable silence.
you blink, looking up at her. “at what?”
“this,” she gestures vaguely, her hand moving to encompass the room, the exercises, you. “taking care of people. making them feel like they’re gonna be okay, even when they’re not sure they will be.”
her words catch you off guard, and for a second, you don’t know how to respond. it’s so… earnest. too earnest for someone who’s usually throwing out flirty one-liners and over-the-top winks.
“that’s… my job,” you manage to say, your voice quieter now.
she shakes her head, her gaze never leaving yours. “nah. it’s more than that. you’re more than that.”
and just like that, the air feels heavier, charged with something you can’t quite name. she doesn’t say anything else, just watches you with those impossibly blue eyes, like she’s waiting for you to say something back.
but all you can do is focus on the way your heart is racing, the way her words linger, soft and unshakable, in the space between you.
it was hard to forget the day it happened. the sound of it—a sickening pop that cut through the air like a gunshot—still haunted you sometimes, echoing in your mind when the gym got too quiet. you’d been courtside, clipboard in hand, watching as paige went down. she didn’t get up right away. that was how you knew it was bad.
paige bueckers wasn’t the type to stay down. she played like she was invincible, like nothing could touch her. but that day, she just lay there, clutching her knee, her face twisted in pain. it wasn’t just the physical agony that got to her, though; it was something deeper. you could see it in her eyes when she finally looked at you as you rushed to her side—this raw, unfiltered fear. like she’d just watched her whole world shatter in an instant.
“is it bad?” she’d asked, her voice barely above a whisper as you carefully assessed her knee. there was a tremble in it that you weren’t used to hearing, and it made your chest ache in a way you hadn’t expected.
“we’re gonna take care of you,” you’d said, dodging the question because you couldn’t bring yourself to tell her the truth. not yet.
she’d nodded, but her jaw was clenched, her hands trembling as they gripped the edge of the bench where you’d helped her sit. and when the scans came back, confirming what you’d already suspected, the devastation in her face nearly broke you.
the weeks that followed were some of the hardest you’d ever seen her endure. paige wasn’t herself—not the confident, fiery leader everyone knew and loved. she was quieter, angrier, and you could tell she was struggling to keep it all together. rehab was slow and painful, and there were days when she’d show up to the training room with this blank look in her eyes, like she wasn’t sure she’d ever be the same again.
but then, there were the moments when you caught a glimpse of the paige you knew. the one who refused to stay down for long. like the time she’d walked in with her crutches slung over one shoulder, grinning like she’d just won a championship. “figured i should start carrying these instead of letting them carry me,” she’d joked, and for the first time in weeks, you’d seen a flicker of that unshakable determination in her.
those moments grew more frequent as time went on. she threw herself into her recovery with a single-minded focus that was equal parts inspiring and infuriating. there were times you had to physically stop her from pushing herself too hard, reminding her that she wasn’t invincible. but she’d just roll her eyes and flash you that grin, saying something like, “gotta keep you on your toes, doc.”
and now, watching her sit on the training table, her ice pack wrapped around her knee and her confidence radiating from every pore, it was hard to reconcile this version of her with the one you’d seen at her lowest. the injury hadn’t just changed her; it had shaped her, strengthened her in ways that even she probably didn’t fully understand.
“what are you thinking about?” she asks suddenly, breaking through your thoughts. her voice is lighter now, teasing as always, but there’s a softness in her gaze that catches you off guard.
you hesitate for a moment before shrugging, a small smile tugging at your lips. “just thinking about how far you’ve come.”
she raises an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. “yeah? and what’s the verdict?”
“the verdict,” you say, setting your clipboard down and meeting her gaze, “is that you’re still a pain in the ass.”
her laugh is loud and genuine, echoing through the room in a way that makes your chest feel a little lighter. “you love it, though,” she says, grinning like she knows a secret.
and maybe she does. because no matter how many times she teases you, or how much she flusters you, you can’t help but admire her resilience—the way she got back up when the world tried to keep her down.
↳ make sure to check out my navigation or masterlist if you enjoyed! any interaction is greatly appreciated !
↳ thank you for reading all the way through, as always ♡
#paige bueckers#paige bueckers x reader#paige buckets#ncaa wbb#wcbb#uconn huskies#paige bueckers x oc#paige bueckers smut#paige bueckers fic#paige bueckers uconn#uconn wbb x reader#uconn wbb#uconn women’s basketball#uconn x reader#womens basketball#wbb x reader#wbb fanfiction#wbb smut#wbb imagine#wcbb smut#uconn wcbb#uconnwbb#wcbb x reader
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Softie - Alexia Putellas
warnings - none?
words - 1.3k
Game day was your favourite, the build up of emotions, the performance anxiety mixed with the joy you felt every time you stepped onto the pitch. Nothing could ever beat the highs you felt when playing the sport you loved so much. Today was one of those days, well it was meant to be, yet the difference was that a very discoloured and swollen ankle caused by a dodgy tackle during international break meant you’d be missing out. The Barca medical team had decided it would be best to miss out on the upcoming away game, advising you to stay home and focus on rehab for the couple of days that your teammates would be away.
Alexia had always been overprotective, both as your captain and girlfriend, she always had your best interest at heart and wanting her squad at full fitness meant she was quick to agree with the medical advice, even if that meant a couple days of prolonged separation. At first she did try her best to figure out a way you could successfully rehab whilst traveling with your team, but given the amount of walking an away trip often endured and the crutches you were temporarily restricted to, she decided against it.
“Lo siento mi amor, we both know it’s for the best” Alexia hummed, her hand pressed against her cheek as you were saying your goodbyes at the front door of the shared apartment. Your body half limped against the wall as your crutches had been abandoned next to the sofa in your bid to say a proper goodbye to Alexia.
“Can you change your mind? It’s not too late for me to pack some things” You muttered, leaning into her soft hand as her thumb rubbed back and forth along your cheek.
“Cari, you know what my answer is” She whispered, planting a small kiss on your forehead, leaving you to mumble in defeat.
You said your goodbyes and Alexia was soon gone, leaving you alone with the lack of comfort from your favourite person.
The next few days were full of rehab at the training center, consistent check ins from your girlfriend and a couple of facetime calls when she didn’t believe that you were doing your at-home recovery, something that Alexia often had to bribe you into doing.
You were now more stable on your ankle, meaning you could get around without the reliance on your crutches, allowing you the extra freedom of moving as you pleased. Ale was due home in a couple of hours and you knew she’d be tired so you set about the task of tidying your apartment. It didn’t take too long but the slightly limp in your step did somewhat slow you down and drain extra energy.
After finishing you were quick to take a shower and put on a change of clothes, consisting of a pair of Alexia’s Spanish national team shorts and her hoodie. Stumbling back towards the sofa, you planted yourself on it comfortably, waiting for the door to open to embrace the person you’d had been missing.
It didn’t take long for you to adjust yourself into a comfier position whilst the time seemed to drag. You searched for a questionable English reality show, one that Ale would ridicule you for whenever you asked to watch it together, she never got the appeal of British humour yet it made you feel at home. Your phone pinged as you made another adjustment to your leg to seek some kind of peace from the discomfort of baring weight on it had caused.
Amor -
Get some sleep, the plane has been delayed slightly so i will be late home and i know you’re tired already
You furrowed your eyebrows at her suggestion of sleep, determined to greet her with wide eyes and a smile as soon as she entered the room.
You -
Ale i’m wide awake, i’ll be here when you’re up so you can tell me all about it
In reality you already knew all about it, you had watched the match with Ellie, who was also kept back from traveling due to recovery, you had been receiving updates from both Patri and Pina about the ‘cute’ things Ale had said in passing conversations about you. As well as a message from Kiera asking if your girlfriend would ever not make up excuses for the time when you both snuck away from a team celebration to cuddle. Her usual excuse was to blame it on you, but in reality she was tired after a big win and didn’t want to look too soft to the rest of the team.
*Incoming FaceTime call from Amor*
“Hola cari” Alexia smiled, as the phone lit up your face.
“Hi babe, everything okay?” You smiled back, stifling a yawn that tried to expose your tiredness to your girlfriend.
“Just thought I’d check in before the flight, make sure you’re as wide awake as you say you are” Her smile shifted into a smirk knowing exactly the type of person you were.
“No confias en mi, amor?” You questioned, tilting your head to the side, teasing her intentions.
“No cariño, confío en ti, pero siempre estás cansada y siempre te quejas." She responded, mocking your head tilt with similar teasing intentions.
“Ale who’s that?” Patri said, peering her head into the screen, a smile appearing on her face as she realised who it was, “It’s lover girl!” She added, using the nickname she had given you when you first let her know about your relationship. She was quick to take the phone from Alexia’s han for herself.
“Patri, give her the phone back” You laughed, knowing she had every intention of causing some kind of trouble.
“No, venga, say hello to everyone” She held the phone up, announcing your presence causing you to wave at your teammates that had now focused their attention on the phone.
“Are you staying up to give your girlfriend a goodnight kiss?” Pina laughed, as she began to blow kisses towards the phone.
“Oye, dámelo” Alexia said, standing as she grabbed the phone from Patri’s hand swiftly, “The flight is boarding now amor, go to sleep”. You mumbled in response before saying your goodbyes and hanging up.
Even though you were determined to stay awake, it didn’t take long for your eyes to grow heavy as the comfort from Alexia’s borrowed clothes took over your senses.
“Mi amor, wake up” Alexia cooed, her hand running through your hair to stir you through your sleep.
Your only response was a few very tired grumbles as your eyes opened to the sight you’d been waiting for. It took a couple of seconds for you to realise what was going on before a sleepy smile overtook your face.
“Ale, you’re home” You smiled, pushing yourself up off the sofa and wrapping your arms around her quickly.
“Si, I thought you weren’t tired huh?” She laughed, placing a kiss on the top of your head.
“It was an accidenttttt” You whined, “I got comfy in your clothes and they smelt like you so it made me tired”.
“Oh nena, vamos a la cama” She suggested, taking hold of my hand and leading me towards our bedroom.
“I’m not even tired amor” You announced, as if there was any use convincing her that you were telling the truth.
Within 5 minutes both you and Alexia were settled in bed, your head resting on her chest as her fingers made their way through your hair slowly. Your hands ran up and down her chest as you both sleepily talked through how you spent your days and the parts you missed each other the most.
“Patri and Pina didn’t stop teasing me about you staying awake for me to get home” Alexia laughed slightly, “They don’t think I’m tough anymore”.
You sleepily laughed in response, “You’re a massive softie, I think they already knew that”.
a/n - not sure how i feel about this one, so v sorry if its a lil shit x
#alexia putellas#alexia putellas fic#alexia x reader#alexia putellas x reader#woso#woso community#woso x reader#woso imagine#woso oneshot#barcelona femeni#barcelona femeni x reader#barca femeni#fcb femení
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Sports Physical Therapy Clinic Destination in St. Paul
Welcome to LAB Sports Therapy, St. Paul’s premier sports physical therapy clinic destination, where art and science converge for unparalleled rehabilitation.
#physical therapy#physical rehabilitation#physiotherapy#sports therapy#sports physical therapy clinic#physical wellness#post surgery rehab#Dry Needling
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Enemies to more than friends? 18+
Reader x Alexia Putellas
Warning: Smut, make up sex, unprotected sex, daddy kink, multiple Creampies, blowjob, throat pie, anal, cum shot, got job, spanking, hair pulling, dirty talk, leg trapping, reader doming Alexia, Alexia receiving, positions: Missionary, Doggy and on side
Word count: 2.8k
*Alexia's pov*
9 months ago
Barca vs Arsenal, the game was 1-1, I had scored our goal until Y/n scored the equalizer for Arsenal. I get the ball and run with it up field, I wind up my leg ready to take the shot for our next goal. I feel a boot go into my leg, I immediately scream in pain and drop to the ground. I grabbed my knee in pain, pain is never felt before.
"I'm so sorry, Alexia I slipped." I heard a voice, it was Y/n.
*Y/n's Pov*
Before I knew it I had slipped trying to get the ball from Alexia. My foot rolling through and making contact with her leg.
"I'm so sorry, Alexia I slipped." I said immediately.
I watched Alexia drop to the ground in pain and gripping her leg. The feeling I felt knowing I did that, I was the one who made Alexia feel the pain she was feeling. The feeling of guilt running through me.
*9 months later* Alexia's Pov*
I wrack my weights after I finish my rep. My phone pings letting me know I had a new text message, I was working out in my gym at home. I was working out in just my sports bra and shorts, I grab my phone and check it and see that I have a new text message from my best friend Aitana Bonmati.
Aitana: Hey did you hear that we are getting a new player?
Me: No who is it?
Aitana: you're the captain and haven't been told that we are getting a new player.
Me: I'm the last person to find out about shit.
Aitana: It's a new player from Arsenal... her name is Y/n L/n.
My heart drops as she tells me this. Y/n and I have history, she injured me and fucked up my leg the last game we Played them so I've been in rehab and getting stronger and doing therapy. Finally after 9 months I was getting ready to get back on the field and now she wants to ruin it by joining the club.
Me: You serious? Aitana that's the girl that injured my leg the last time we played Arsenal.
Aitana: I know, I'm just as annoyed as you are. But there's nothing we can do about it, it's done and it's happened.
Aitana was right. The news had broken everywhere, Y/n was no part of Barca. I now had to face the person who caused the pain I've had to carry around everyday for the last 9 months.
*Next Day*
Arriving into camp, my only thought was avoiding Y/n that was until I spotted her making her way over to me from the corner of my eye.
"Alexia I just wanted to sa-"
I cut her off. "Save it Y/n. Just leave me alone." I spat out immediately walking away not wanting to hear anything else she had to say.
We get our assigned rooms, we grab our things and go up to our rooms. Thankfully we lucked out and didn't have roommates this camp so we had a whole room to ourselves for this camp.
It was around 10 pm, I didn't run into Y/n again after she tried to talk to me. I'm interrupted as there's a sudden knock on my door. I open the door to the last person I wanted to see.
"There's been a leak in some of the rooms. Mine had a leak as well. Coach told me that I'm bunking with you the rest of camp, the other rooms are full." Y/n says with her belongings and bag in her hands.
"No, I don't share my room. I only have one bed." I spat out.
"Mhm I'm more annoyed as you. But I've got no choice." Y/n says.
"Don't talk to me or look at me." I say as I move to the side and let her in.
"Trust me, I don't give a fuck. Keep it club related." Y/n says walking past me.
Y/n gets settled in, without another word Y/n lays on the ground on her make shift bed she created as I lay in bed and turn off the light.
*Y/n's Pov*
I lay on the floor, my back hurting not being able to get comfy. "Get in the bed." I hear Alexia say.
"Thought you said there's only one bed? I'm good on the floor." I say as I lay there staring at the ceiling.
"There is only one bed you idiot, get in the bed before you fuck up your back and before I change my mind." Alexia says.
I sigh and give in, I get up and join Alexia in the bed. I lay facing her looking at her body. I could feel myself getting hard as I check out her ass in her panties, her ass slightly swallowing her panties.
"What are you moving around for?" Alexia whispers.
"Sorry just struggling to get comfortable." I say.
Little did I know that Alexia could see the tent in my boxers. "Go to the bathroom." Alexia says.
"Yeah." I huff. "I'll sort it out." I get up and go to the bathroom. 10 minutes passed and nothing was working I was still hard and throbbing even more, I really needed to cum. 10 minutes of jerking off and still nothing.
I groan to myself. "Y/n come here." I hear Alexia say.
I come out of the bathroom and come back into the room. "I'll help you but after that don't talk to me." Alexia says.
"O-Okay." I stutter a bit as I get back in bed. "You know Alexia..." she cuts me off.
"Y/n I don't want to hear it, We're going to do this and then we're not gonna speak again, got it?" Alexia says.
I nod in response, as Alexia slowly pulled down my shorts and boxers. My massive boner springs out, Alexia bites her lip as she checks out my 11 inch boner.
"Shit baby you're huge." Alexia whispered in slight shock as she spits on my dick taking it in her mouth.
She begins to bob her head slowly looking into my eyes. I moan and place my hand on the back of her head as she kept sucking going a bit faster.
"Fuck Alexia your mouth feels so good." I moaned as I lean my head back onto the head board.
She swirls her tongue around my tip as she kept sucking, playing with my balls with her other hand.
"Alexia... baby I really am sorry." I moan as she sped up bobbing her head faster than before.
She let my dick pop out of her mouth as she kissed my inner tight thigh with a smile.
"I know." She whispered as she takes my dick back in her mouth immediately deep throating me, causing me to become a moaning mess.
She looked into my eyes as she hums against my dick seeing the reaction she was getting from me.
"I'm going to cum buckets if you keep doing that baby." I moan and close my eyes.
I gripped the sheets with one hand. The other hand on the back of Alexia's head as she was making me closer and closer to cumming. My balls tighten as my dick hits the back of her throat.
"Fuck Alexia I...."
Throatpie:
I moan gripping Alexia's hair pushing her head further down on my cock as I explode inside her mouth. Sweat dripping down my forehead' my legs buckle and begin to shake. Alexia lifts her head up, swallowing my load.
"I'll forgive you, only on one condition." Alexia says.
"What's that?" I ask.
"You fuck me right now." Alexia says.
"Yes Ma'am." I smile. "I don't have a condom." I added.
"I don't care, I'm on a pill." She says as she climbs on top of me removing her shirt, red bra and panties.
Without saying anything else Alexia lines her entrance up with my dick as she dripping wet. I place my hands on her hips as I guide her down bottoming out inside her. She begins to pick up the pace sliding up and down on my dick. I move my hands from her hips down to her ass, gripping it tightly as I spank it.
"Fuck Alexia, you're gonna make me cum." I moaned as she sped up her tits bouncing up and down.
"Cum inside me daddy." Alexia moans.
Alexia sped up even more, her ass rippling against my thighs. Sweat dripping down her forehead, I couldn't take it anymore.
Creampie #1:
"Fuck Alexia." I shouted as cum begins oozing out of my dick filling her up to the brim.
"I feel so full." She moaned, she climbs off me and Bends over licking up the cum that had dripped onto my stomach.
"Are you still hard?" Alexia whispers.
"Yes, Yes I am. It's getting worse." I huffed.
Alexia lays in her back and lays In missionary, I bite my lip and rub my tip through her folds. Alexia bites her lip and quietly moans as I do this.
"Mmm stop teasing and just put it in." Alexia moans. "Mm I wanna feel you deep inside me."
Fuck Alexia was super wet, I bite my lip and slowly slide my dick inside her. I moan as her walls immediately clench around me, Alexia moans as she takes my length deep inside her.
"Mmm fuck Y/n... Y-You're really deep in there." Alexia moans.
Alexia moans and takes a moment to adjust to my size. "M-Move." She moans in pleasure. "Mmm fuck I thought you were big in my mouth but you feel even bigger inside me."
I smirk, and look at her. Our noses touching, Alexia leans in and kisses me deeply, I'm shocked at first but kiss back. We both moan in the kiss as I thrust in and out of her a bit faster.
We break the kiss when air becomes a problem. I rest my head against hers and look deep into her eyes as I thrust in and out of her faster.
My dick was throbbing, fuck I really needed a release. I moan and bite my lip as my precum leaks inside her letting her know that I'm close.
Alexia giggles. "Close to cumming daddy?" She smirks. "Good cause I'm bet letting you pull out." She wraps her legs around me and leg traps me so I can't pull out.
Alexia moans and watch my dick slide in and out of her. I moan and bite my lip as I feel her walls clench around me letting me know that she was close to cumming.
"Mmm someone close?" I ask seductively.
"I'm close baby, I'm gonna cum." Alexia moans.
"Let go baby, cum for daddy." I say.
Alexia moans in pleasure as I kiss her neck. I moan as I feel myself getting close to cumming. “Mmm I’m gonna squirt.” Alexia moans.
Alexia Moan and squirts all over my abs, my thighs and all over my dick and on the sheets. I smirk and keep going, I go at an angle and start hitting her g spot.
“Mmm fuck so tight and wet.” I moan, fuck her pussy felt like heaven.
My breathing gets heavier letting Alexia know that I was close to cumming. Alexia moans, and bites her lip and locks eyes with me.
“Yes, yes cum in me. Cum in me.” Alexia moans.
Creampie #2:
“Mmm F-Fuck.” I moan in pleasure.
Cum oozes and spurts inside her filling her to the brim. Alexia moans as I unload my massive seed inside her and paint her walls white.
We both moan, I kiss her deeply and slowly pull out of her. Alexia moans and bites her lip as come cum oozes out and onto the sheets.
“Mmm please baby I need more.” Alexia cutely moans.
I giggle and kiss her again. “Get in doggy baby.”
Alexia does as I say, she moves the middle of the bed and gets on all fours. I bite my lip and admire her ass and pussy and smirk as my cum continue to ooze out of her pussy, and drips down her thigh and onto the sheets.
I bite my lip and check out her ass as she shakes it. I smirk, I get up and get behind her. I slap her ass, Alexia moans and jumps as I slap her ass.
I smirk, she moans as I spank her ass again. I rub my dick through her cum glazed folds. We both moan as I slide my dick back inside her.
I place my hand on her hip and pull her hair with my other hand, I slowly thrust in and out of her and pull her hair.
“Mmmm F-Fuck.” Alexia moans.
“Like that baby? Me balls deep inside you stretching you out?” I ask teasing her.
“Mmm I l-love it.” Alexia moans.
Alexia moans and throws her ass back against me as I continue to fuck her going faster. “S-Shit I don’t think I’ll last much longer… f-fuck you have amazing grip.” I moan.
Alexia giggles and moans as she throws her ass back against me sliding back and forth on my dick faster and faster.
I moan as I feel myself getting closer and closer to cumming. “Mmm I’m close.” I moan in pleasure.
“Mmm fuck…. Me too.” Alexia moans.
I moan loudly in pleasure, my balls slap against her skin as our moans fill the room. Alexia screams in pleasure and squirts again, she squirts all over my dick, abs, thighs and all over the sheets.
“ Alexia…Baby I’m really close.” I moan as my pre cum leaks inside her letting her know that I was about to explode and fill her up.
I moan in pleasure as I feel that familiar feeling in my balls.
Creampie #3:
I squeeze her ass and moan, we both moan as I slam my dick inside her, Alexia moans and cums all over my dick. We both moan as cum oozes and spurts inside her painting her walls white and filling her to the brim.
Alexia takes a moment to catch her breath. I smile and told her head back and smash my lips against hers. Once we catch our breaths I slowly pull out of her. Cum immediately oozes out of her and drips down her thighs and onto the sheets.
Alexia lays down on her side. "Put it in my ass." She moaned.
"Are you sure?" I question making sure that she was really okay with this.
"Yes, do it Y/n." Alexia says.
Without another word I slowly lift her leg up and insert my dick inside of her. Letting her get used to it for a second, I slowly thrust in and out of her.
"Fuck your so tight baby." I moan as I start kissing her neck.
"You're so big." Alexia moaned in response.
I sped up my thrusts as I began to spank her ass, gripping it tightly with one hand and began to play with her tits with my other hand.
"You like that baby? My tight ass Around your dick." Alexia moaned as she turns her head kissing me deeply.
I moan in the kiss, we break the kiss when air becomes a problem. "Yes baby, you feel so tight. I'm going to cum soon, I'm close." I moan resting my head on her shoulder.
My thrusts begin to slow down as I felt my balls tighten, getting ready to cum.
"Where should I cum?" I ask.
"On my tits." Alexia moans.
I quickly got up off the bed, picking Alexia up as she gets onto her knees. She wraps her tits around my dick, she spits on my dick the help rub her tits up and down on my dick.
"Fuck this is amazing." I whispered looking into her eyes rubbing my thumb over her lips.
She takes my thumb in her mouth and strokes my dick a bit faster. I moan, after 5 mintues of an amazing tit job. The urge to cum gets stronger and stronger.
"Fuck baby I'm going to cum." I moan.
Cumshot:
I moan as ropes of thick sticky cum shoot all over her lips, face, mouth and tits.
"Fuck baby, you've covered me." Alexia moans as she licks up what she could.
"Painted my baby girl white." I moan looking at the sticky mess I had left all over Alexia's face and chest.
"Your personal coloring book." Alexia Cutely giggles.
Alexia gets off her knees and starts cleaning up, finally my problem was fixed.
"If you're really sorry for what you did." She trails off and smirks. "We're gonna carry on with this since you're here permanently." Alexia bites her lip.
Alexia straddles my knee and plants a long kiss on my lips. She breaks the kiss, I laugh.
"Deal." I smile and reciprocate the kiss.
#my writing#lesbiansmut#wlw smut#woso fanfics#woso smut#g!p reader#football#soccer#alexia putellas#alexia putellas smut
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I'D RATHER PRETEND
CHAPTER TWO
tags: @angryflowerwitch @avvwritesstufff @melpthatsme @rebecca-woso @bueckersg1rl @l0verl4ne @clouded-whispers @dolliest-thena @katemartinlvr @numberonepartyanth3m @glamourdaya | lmk if you want to be added! wc: 7.6k notes: check masterlist for content warnings! honestly a pretty lowkey chap but it's strictly business 🧐 thank you for the love on chapter 1 🫶 i fear this chap and the next couple of parts are slow-ish but i've reread this literally a million times and im sick of it so what do i actually know. no beta we die like brian thompson
'Bueckers and Kennedy, Two Dynasties, Both Alike in Dignity'
College basketball fans are excited for what appears to be the end of the "Tess Kennedy Destruction Tour." After a quiet few days, the South Carolinian guard took to social media where she shared a photo of her and a faceless individual meeting for coffee. The Instagram story was captioned "and a new day will bring about the dawn," a lyric from Frank Ocean's "Sierra Leone." Supporters interpreted this as Kennedy's recovery journey taking a positive turn, but the song lyric was not the star of the show.
Fans were quick to point out the identity of the individual was not as hidden as it seemed. Kennedy's companion was wearing two notable necklaces - one with a silver cross and one with a studded #5. The phone case in camera was also purple with a wallet attached to the back. One commenter pointed out there was a University of Connecticut student ID poking out, and after review, we believe that much is true.
Early speculation declared Kennedy's friend was none other than Paige Bueckers, the star point guard for the University of Connecticut Huskies. Then, roughly an hour after Kennedy's post, Bueckers herself took to her Instagram where she shared a photo of her holding an icepack to someone's left knee. Both Bueckers and the mystery individual are faceless; however, fans noted Bueckers's companion was wearing a silver bracelet with familiar charms and a #25, Kennedy's jersey number.
All of the signs point to Bueckers and Kennedy spending time together, although nothing has been confirmed officially. One fan noted that Bueckers tore her own ACL the year prior, believing that Bueckers flew out to South Carolina to lend a supportive hand to Kennedy amidst her own recovery and hardships. Whether or not this is simply two friends rehabbing together or the most obvious soft launch in basketball history, sports fans are united on two things: Tess Kennedy is beginning to take her recovery seriously, and Paige Bueckers might just be the guardian angel people were calling for.
-Penelope Lancaster, Bleacher Report
MAY 3, 2023
“So, lemme get this straight.”
Tess hums around a mouthful of Chipotle, feeling lighter than she has in weeks. Kamilla and Bree returned to their apartment roughly a half hour earlier and immediately put Tess on the hot seat. Once she made it through her countless apologies and explanations with minimal interruptions, she gave Kam and Bree the green light to ask their questions, and it seemed as though they had plenty.
Kam raises her fingers as she lists off the recent happenings of Tess’s life. “Because you went off a bender–” Tess frowns at the way it’s phrased, “–Amaya is forcing you into mandatory PT, therapy, and a shit ton of PR. Honestly, about fucking time.” Bree snorts, although some of the worry leaves her body. “If all it took was tough love, I woulda been meaner to your ass a month ago.”
“Don’t think it would have had the intended effect,” Tess concedes thoughtfully. She pushes around her rice and chicken, shoveling a pepper in her mouth. “I wasn’t really in a listening mood back then.”
Bree raises a brow. “And you were today?”
The injured guard shrugs a shoulder. “Well, when your manager tells you that your brand deals are about to cut their contracts, and you’re at risk for losing your basketball scholarship for behavior and academic reasons, and you’re slowly killing yourself…that kind of puts things into perspective.”
Kamilla nods solemnly. “And the Paige situation.”
Tess almost flushes under their scrutinizing gaze. She hasn’t forgotten. She has Paige’s receipt tucked into the pocket of her pants, unwilling to throw it away but also feeling weirdly vulnerable for wanting to keep it. It wasn’t a huge gesture by any means. Paige doing PT with her was objectively more intimate than buying her lunch, but the mere idea of Paige saying goodbye to her and sitting in an Uber trying to figure out what Tess likes in her Chipotle bowl is just fucking insane. “Guess I’m not single anymore…so, yay?”
“You’re taking this a lot better than I expected,” Kamilla admits hesitantly. Tess clocks the concern in her expression, like she’s thinking about her next step if she wakes up tomorrow and Tess is back to her old ways. That thought alone makes guilt squeeze at Tess’s heart.
Tess sighs. “It was like a wake up call,” she says after a moment. “Like those stupid ice baths Coach makes us do in recovery.” Kamilla and Bree crack a small smile at the joke. “To me, it was just easier to self-destruct than to let something else kill me. Basketball’s more than a sport to me – it’s my purpose, right? So after I heard I might not be able to play again, I just…let myself sink. And, Christ, people were so cruel online.” Tess huffs out something like a laugh, her throat tight with pain. “It’s funny ‘cause it never bothered me before, but… I just wanted to forget. I wanted them to hurt like I hurt. It was too easy to give into that.” The silence rings out in the living room as Tess searches for her next words. “I don’t think all hope is lost. Today helped me understand that a little better. So, I’m gonna try. I’m just fucking terrified it’s all going to be for nothing, that my knee’s never going to get better and I’m going to put myself through so much pain for a what if.”
“Okay, what if you never play again, but, God, Tess, what if you do?” Kamilla says slowly. “What if you do everything right and you get better and you can play with us again in March? I want that for you. We want that for you. Do you want that for you?”
“I mean, of course–”
“Then do it!” Kamilla exclaims, voice cracking. Tess blinks at her owlishly. She’s never seen Kamilla like this, ever, wide-eyed and desperate. It’s a near 180 shift from the girl she’s spent the last 30 minutes talking to, a complete and total shift from the girl who she’s shared an apartment with for two years. “Please, Tess. Do the PT, your therapy, get back on track; whatever it fucking takes, Tess, you need to do it. We miss you. On and off the court. I know it’s not about me, but watching you throw yourself away like that was the worst thing I’d ever witnessed, especially because no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get through to you. I thought I was going to lose my best friend!”
Tess’s jaw falls open as the sudden realization of how badly she’s fucked up dawns on her for the second time that day. “Kam,” she tries, her throat tightening with emotion. The taller woman wipes her eyes, taking in a shuddering breath. Kamilla was never one to be mean, no matter how upset she was – that was a trait of hers that made her such a good leader and role model on the court. She was big on accountability and ensuring that past mistakes would never happen again. Seeing all of the emotion she kept under tight lock and key because she knew she needed to be strong for Tess (even before Tess was aware that she needed someone to be strong for her) is unbelievably sobering.
When Tess and Kamilla first met, they almost instantly knew they would be each other’s best friend. They were alike in so many ways – they were fierce competitors and proud haters of The Office; they bonded over shared struggles of not quite knowing what home was and being just a little too different from everyone else. Tess isn’t sure where she would be without Kamilla. She always prayed she’d never have to find out, but the idea that she nearly subjected Kamilla to finding out where she’d be without Tess feels both arduous and damning.
“Kam,” Tess says again, her mind reeling. “I’m so sorry – I’m so fucking sorry. If I could do it all over again, I would. I’m trying. It’s so hard but I’m trying.”
“I know,” Kamilla says, nodding rapidly. Bree is unnaturally quiet, glancing between the two of them with a conflicted expression. Sure, the three of them shared an apartment, but the bond between Tess and Kamilla exceeded friendship; they were like sisters. Bree knew that and it never bothered her. Now it seems as though she’s unsure where to stand, but she understands that this is a much-needed conversation that Tess and Kamilla need to have. “I know, Tess, I’m just – I’m glad you understand it now. Just… please, please let us help you. Don’t shut us out.”
“I won’t,” Tess vows. “I can’t promise I’m going to be at 100%, but fuck, I’m going to try.”
“That’s good enough for me,” Kamilla concedes.
The living room is quiet for a long while until Bree shifts uncomfortably. “So… PT and mental health counseling, those I understand,” she says. “I’m still a little lost on why fake dating Paige is good for your reputation. Rumors are rumors but…it’s giving new flavor of the week.”
“It’s not like that,” Tess argues, a little too defensively. Bree raises a brow and Tess immediately flushes. She’s not sure why that jab at Paige felt personal. She made a similar jab only a few hours ago. But it wasn’t her business to judge. People have their own reasons to do what they do, right? “Well, she said it wasn’t like that,” she amends, which sounds objectively worse. Tess frowns, wishing she’d just kept quiet.
“Hey, I’m just saying.” Bree raises her hand in surrender. “It’s her vice, right? Her free time is her own, but I mean, she’s Paige Bueckers. It’s easy to get caught up in her. I just don’t want you becoming another notch on her bedpost, even if you’re just fake dating her to make people forget you’re on Twitter restriction.”
Tess wrinkles her nose. “My account is unbanned now, thank you very much,” she deflects, but Kamilla’s knowing expression has her redirecting. “I understand what you guys mean, but you don’t have to worry about that. We’re strictly business.” Bree grins wryly, huffing out something akin to laughter that sounds vaguely like, ‘that’s what they all say.’
“Was the Chipotle strictly business?” Bree asks.
Tess’s face is a perfect picture of confusion, but her heart thrums a little faster at the insinuation. What could she possibly know about that? “What does Chipotle have to do with anything?” she asks casually.
Bree’s smirk widens. “You never order bowls. It’s always a burrito with you.”
“I’m trying something new!”
“Yeah, new like a six-foot blonde hooper–”
Kamilla and Bree break out into howling laughter as Tess buries her head in her hands, blushing again. “Oh, my God. You guys are the fucking worst.”
And, sure – the joke is at Tess’s expense, but she can’t help but feel like everything is aligning once more, that they’re returning to the way they once were pre-injury. She expected that it would have taken her a lot more groveling to earn back their favor. Tess was a huge jerk to them – the more she thinks about what she’d likely said to them under the haze of several shots of tequila, the more she wishes she could take it all back and do it over again. She tore her ACL, a season ending injury for many athletes, and for a smaller few, it changed the course of their careers drastically. Tess wants to find it within herself to have some grace, to understand why she behaved the way she did, but now that she sees it with a clearer mind, she can’t help but be disgusted by herself.
For Kamilla and Bree, it’s probably all water under the bridge. They’re kind people like that, perhaps too kind after the way Tess treated them. Maybe the real gotcha! moment is the idea that Tess didn’t need to earn back their favor, anyhow. Sometimes friendship just works like that – it’s confusing and a great risk, but most times that risk pays off. Sometimes friendship just is, accepting a mistake and trusting that it wouldn’t happen again.
Feeling lighter than she has in weeks, Tess retires to her room for some much needed rest after a long day. She lights a candle, settling against her headboard and adjusting the pillow cushioning her knee. Deciding to face the music sooner rather than later, she begins combing through her mountain of notifications and unread DMs. The apology from Caitlin is touching. Tess feels an odd mix of guilt and appreciation as she drafts out her overdue response: “thank you for checking in, been a rough couple weeks. the injury is not your fault but trust that SC will pick your pockets next year!!!” Caitlin’s own response is swift – a simple 'Bring it on' that Tess can’t help but smile at.
She sends similar responses to some of Caitlin’s teammates and the other college players who reached out. She even had a couple of pros expressing their condolences, which honestly shocked Tess. There was Napheesa Collier, Sabrina Ionescu, and A’ja Wilson – A’ja’s DM made Tess’s Gamecock heart beat just a little faster. She was basically South Carolina royalty. Having that kind of support in her corner fills her with an insurmountable confidence.
Her last post on Instagram was a collection of pictures following their Elite Eight win. The sight of herself from a month ago, healthy and glowing, nearly made her thumb falter as she flicked through the images. It was a simple dump – a couple of action shots, a fierce one of Tess celebrating, one of her setting up for a deep three. It was captioned “nowhere else i’d rather be.” That much was still true. She’s pushed it to the recesses of her mind, but instinctually, she can feel the deep ache and the yearn to get back on the court, even though her knee hardly lets her sleep through the night most of the time.
Her eyes fall to the comments. She knows she shouldn’t look at them. She’s practically memorized each and every single one of them. Her teammates’ comments live at the top, celebrating the win with her; under them, there are newer ones from South Carolina fans, offering prayers and support, confident in their belief that Tess will bounce back from this. She can’t help herself from reading the hate comments, either. Her eyes catch on one in particular. Their username isn’t particularly memorable, but it reads, ‘Upsetting to see how Tess has responded to a normal injury for athletes. It’s shameful that South Carolina has let this go on for so long. Grow up!’
Well, he’s not wrong. Tess’s response was a pretty terrible one and Amaya herself admitted that they made a mistake in handling the situation. Frankly, he should be proud that Tess has grown up! If she read that comment a week ago, she probably would have crashed out. The thought alone makes Tess crack the slightest of smiles. Before she can keep reading, a text message from an unknown number pops up at the top of her screen, inadvertently saving her from a doom scroll.
Yo How’d I do on lunch? It’s Paige btw
Tess fights the warmth she feels in her chest. Honestly, she would have guessed that it was Paige from the ego she can identify through the screen alone, but she saves her contact regardless.
i’m afraid to admit i prefer burritos but the bowl was a 9/10
Paige’s response is swift.
9 cause I’m the 1 you need?
Tess rolls her eyes.
9 bc there was too much pico and bc the girl who ordered it flirts like a 12 year old
That’s insane You KNOW I have better game than that
you have no rizz, just blue eyes and a bunch of nil money like joe burrow if he was a hey mamas lesbian
Gonna ignore that hey mamas comment just cause I fuck with Joe Burrow The Bengals don’t have nothing on my Vikings though
i think i just got the ick im not gonna lie
Are you a football hater???
i don’t watch men’s sports at all i try to protect my peace
Pause So no Lebron???
ok well obviously i’ve watched the NBA
You scared me Don’t say that shit again
why are you so high maintenance
Why are you so mean
someone has to keep you in check settling down, remember?
I think you could be a little nicer!
hmmm i’ll consider ok i decided no
Just plain evil
i need to get my kicks in early if im stuck with you again on friday
You invited me???
i don’t think that’s how that happened
Pretty sure that’s exactly how that happened Paige please come to PT with me 🥺 Please Paige
ok now you’re just being delusional i see how you’re forgetting the whole ‘tess let me buy your coffee 🥺please tess’
Chilllll Did your doctor check you for a concussion after the ACL?? There’s something wrong with your brain
be honest, are you a natural blonde or did you work really hard to be this stupid
Hard work always baby Also, wanted to ask if you wanna come to the airport with me on Saturday, be seen together I fly out at 11:30am so I think it would be good for us The story I mean
you gonna pay for my uber back?
Duh
paige i was kidding
I wasn’t No rizz, just blue eyes and a lot of NIL money, right?
you’re insufferable
So you’ll come?
don’t sound so excited but i will for the story
Of course See you Friday ma 🫶
Tess likes Paige’s message before shutting her phone off with a sigh. She needs a nap.
MAY 5, 2023
Friday arrives after a day and a half of binging 2 Broke Girls, independent physical therapy exercises, and lots of ice packs.
Tess slept like shit Thursday night, though she’s unsure if it’s because of the pain in her knee or because of how badly she wanted to haul her ass to the bar and order a couple of shots to numb the throb. She knew she couldn’t do it, no matter how much she thought she needed it – it was bad enough that she spent half of the night sweating through her shirt and chewing on ice cubes to distract herself from the slow downward spiral of her thoughts. Not addicted, she’d remind herself, nursing a cup with rapidly melting ice as she watched Max and Caroline put themselves in weird ass situations. Psychologically, no. Physically…who knows. Tess certainly doesn’t know what that means, but she’s not addicted, period.
Her first therapy appointment was scheduled for Monday afternoon. She just had to hold out until then. Tess hopes that she would glean something useful from her counselor, but she’s been self aware and independent enough for years that she’s usually good at identifying her problems, though slightly less efficient at figuring out what to do about them. Her typical coping methods included a casual mantra of, ‘Pitbull’s been there, done that,’ and running a couple of drills in the quiet of the gym. And, sure – it sounds weird, but the idea that she’s not the only person facing an issue is comforting enough that she wonders if it’s even that deep. It works most of the time and she’s able to shrug it off. She will admit there’s an eventual crash out one way or the other, but she prefers one big explosion over a series of small, ill-timed ones.
With nothing but time on Thursday night, her Google search history consisted of queries such as how long does it take to establish alcohol dependence and symptoms of alcohol withdrawals. Then, around 3am, she got distracted and switched over to TikTok where she scrolled through edits of herself, but that’s less important. She learned that establishing alcohol dependence usually varies from person to person (Tess hates when something ‘depends;’ why can’t there ever be a straight answer?). It’s less clear if she’s officially ‘addicted,’ but she will concede that after a month of heavy drinking, there’s a little something there. Which isn’t ideal, of course, but hopefully it’s mild at the least. It was only a month and people intervened early…ish – maybe if she sticks to recovery then she should be good and clear within a couple weeks at the most.
Google also informed her of the several symptoms of withdrawals, which usually set in anywhere from six to twenty-four hours after going cold-turkey on the drinks. The withdrawals explained, obviously, the need to ransack the liquor store, but also the restlessness, the slight headache she was nursing for the past twenty-four hours, and the perpetual stomach ache she couldn’t seem to get rid of.
She had some answers. So, things were looking up!
…At least they were until she got the call from Amaya at 9:30 as she was struggling to eat a bagel. Google also mentioned a loss of appetite, which Tess was less than happy about. Much like everything else about her recovery, she would have to force herself into doing a lot of things that her body didn’t want her to do. She’d get used to it. She lets her phone ring for a short moment before she sighs, accepting the call and putting it on speaker, greeting Amaya.
“Good morning, Tess!” Amaya chirps, unusually chipper. The basketball player immediately frowns, brows furrowing.
“You get laid?” she asks, unsure of what else Amaya could be happy about in her life.
She can almost hear Amaya’s eye roll from across the line. “No, not that it’s any of your business, though.”
“Boo.”
“Anyways, back to business.” Amaya clears her throat. Tess can hear the slight shuffle of papers. “So, I really liked what you and Paige did, soft-launch wise. The press is eating it up and so far, both of your brand deals are seeing a slight surge in activity. I’m guessing people are flocking to your accounts for raunchy details and seeing you advertise, um, really cool make up products and homework help.” Tess huffs out a laugh at that. “Good job. Also, Craig let me know you showed up to PT as scheduled on Wednesday and did really well. He said you and Paige worked really well together–”
“Stop,” Tess says, listening to the sound of Amaya’s smug laugh. “Don’t insinuate anything.”
“I’m not insinuating anything!” Amaya says defensively and Tess cracks a smile. “So, we just need you and Paige to keep up what you’re doing. Do the small things for a couple of weeks, then hard-launch. We’re going to give you guys most of the control over that. We want it to seem more authentic and less like two PR agencies trying to salvage their clients’ images.”
“Of course,” Tess says innocently. “She’s coming to PT today. Then I’m going with her to the airport tomorrow.”
Amaya sighs dreamily. “You’re such a wonder to work with when you’re being cooperative.”
“Don’t get used to it,” Tess grumbles, giving up on the bagel and tossing it in the trash.
“Alright, one more thing,” Amaya continues, “then I’ll let you go.” Tess hums. “I need you to draft an apology to post on your socials – and I know, it sounds corny, but–”
“You don’t need to explain why,” Tess interrupts softly. “I got it. I fucked up and I made a huge mess. I’ll email that to you Saturday night.”
Amaya is quiet for a moment, contemplative. “Thank you, Tess. And, hey, how are you feeling?”
Tess doesn’t answer for a beat, considering keeping her thoughts to herself, but she reminds her promise to Kamilla to not shut anyone out, so she sighs. “Um, not gonna lie, I didn’t sleep at all last night,” she admits. “My knee hurt and I really wanted to drink – but I didn’t! I binge watched TV and ate ice cubes. Probably not the best thing I could have done but it was all I had to work with.”
“Don’t be so hard on yourself,” Amaya says gently. “It’s gonna be hard for a while, especially when your injury is still new and fresh and you’re all over the place mentally. I’m proud of how you handled it, even if you think you could have done better. Don’t forget you can call that counselor, okay? She’s available at all hours for you.”
“I don’t wanna be a bother–”
“It’s her job,” Amaya states, before adding in a more mother-hen tone, “but she also requested to work with you specifically because this issue is close to her and she really wants to help you. So if you need help, call her. Got it?”
Tess blinks back the impending tears. “Yeah. Got it.”
“Listen, I’m proud of you, I mean it,” Amaya reiterates. “Thank you for being patient and doing this. I’ll talk to you soon, okay?”
“Yeah,” Tess says again. “Talk to you soon.”
Amaya hangs up with one final goodbye. Tess presses her head to the cool counter tile and takes a deep breath. She hardly has the time to think before a knock sounds at the apartment door. Already knowing it was Paige, Tess wipes her eyes and slips her crutches under her arms as she slinks towards the door and opens it.
“Mornin!’” Paige greets, far too cheery for barely ten in the morning. She’s holding two cups of coffee in her hands. When Tess glances down, she easily recognizes her coffee order. Then, a frown covers Paige’s face as she walks in and shuts the door behind her. “You good, ma?”
“Just a tough conversation with Amaya,” Tess says as Paige hands her the drink. She takes a long sip, feeling a little more regulated. “Too many feelings.”
Paige smirks at her. “I’m guessin’ she said the same shit my manager called for? ‘Keep up the good work and keep doing couple-y stuff?’”
Tess hums. “More or less. Oh, I also get to publicly apologize, so there’s that.”
The blonde raises a brow as Tess hands back the coffee cup so she can slip into her shoes. “You? Apologize?”
Tess swats her with her crutch, drawing laughter from Paige. “You’re such a jerk. I apologized to you on Wednesday!”
“Yeah, ‘cause you called me a whore,” Paige says with a dramatic pout. “Really hurt my women-respecting feelings.”
“Please walk me to PT and stop talking.”
And Paige does just that. She holds onto both of their coffees as they walk as Tess’s hands are otherwise preoccupied with her crutches. The silence doesn’t last too long before Paige is rambling about all of the questioning she’s getting from her teammates, and Tess can’t help but listen – correction, she has no other choice but to. Paige admits that she doesn’t like keeping secrets from her team, and Tess feels sympathetic enough that she gives Paige the go-ahead to confess their little ruse. Paige’s denial, however, is shockingly mature. “I trust them not to say sum’ maliciously, right? But you never know who’s listening.”
Tess shrugs a shoulder. “If you change your mind, go for it, okay?” she says. “This is our punishment. Don’t wanna fuck up your friendships.”
“S’all good,” Paige says. “Actually, they’re pretty happy about it. Aubrey thinks I’ll play better next season since I ‘got a girl.’”
Tess snorts. “Yeah, you’ll play better until March, then I’ll get cleared to be back on the court and I’ll drop 25 on you.”
Paige wrinkles her nose. “No way, ma. Try 2-point-5. As in 2.5 turnovers every time I guard you.”
Their banter continues until they reach the PT’s office. Craig greets them with an infectious grin and Tess immediately brightens. He helps her take the brace off of her leg and rolls up her pant leg, poking and prodding at her injury. After just a day and a half of actual care, much of the inflammation has reduced.
Craig walks her through some guided exercises, and much to Tess’s silent appreciation, Paige joins them, too. She has a charming smile on her face the entire time, tacking on ridiculous jokes at the absolute worst moments when Tess is out of breath from the stretch and when laughing feels like gasping for air. Paige is strangely helpful. She boosts both Tess’s morale, comforting her in the fact she’s not doing this alone, but she also has a plethora of tips on how to manage the pain and get a better stretch on the exercises. Her hands are warm on Tess’s knee when she adjusts her leg and the way it bends. Craig looks on with an approving nod, though he jokes that Paige is coming for his job, to which Paige huffs, “Tess don’t listen to me.” Tess can only roll her eyes at that, pretending like she doesn’t care about the way Paige’s hands massage the tension out of her leg.
When Craig steps out to grab his wrapping supplies, Paige stretches out her legs and reaches for her phone. “For the gram?” she asks easily, glancing at Tess for permission.
“Don’t call it that,” she grumbles, but nods anyway and pulls out her own phone. “You sound like an old person.”
“You sound like an old person,” Paige mocks, effectively lowering her age by a solid ten years, and Tess rolls her eyes in amusement. She slides a little closer to Tess, reaching for her left leg and draping it over her right one gently, locking their ankles together. “Good?” Tess hums, looking over Paige’s shoulder and throwing a thumbs up into view of the camera. “You’re so unoriginal,” Paige says, but she sticks her free hand in frame and presses her middle and ring fingers to her thumb, raising her index and pinky in the Husky salute.
“That’s basically a hard launch,” Tess says, though she doesn’t really care.
“Everything we do is a hard launch,” Paige retorts. “We got Instagram detectives, remember?”
Tess mulls it over for a second before turning to Paige with a mischievous grin. “You wanna break the internet?”
“Oh, now we’re talking.”
Paige posts her picture to her story, forgoing any sort of caption, and silences her phone. She gives Tess her undivided attention as she plots. Tess pulls Paige closer into her space, hooking her chin over her right shoulder and leaning against her. Setting up her phone at the right angle, she says, “Look to your left,” and Paige does so until her piercings, half of her low bun, and the slight curve of her jaw are the only things in frame. The lights glint off of the diamond studs in her ears – Tess has to resist a smirk at how obvious the picture is, but she quickly controls her expression, her lips drawing into a natural pout as she takes the photo.
“Got it?” Paige asks, tilting her head to look at the photo. A smile covers her face as she takes it in. “Tess, you’re evil. Everyone is gonna flip.”
“My notifications are going to explode,” she says forlornly. “This is the price I pay to be mysterious and sexy.”
“Mysterious, nah,” Paige says. Her eyes linger on Tess’s face for a moment before she breaks out into a grin. “Sexy…? Hell nah.”
Indignant, Tess pushes her away, sending Paige sprawling to the floor dramatically. “Asshole! What happened to those ‘women-respecting feelings?’”
“You just pushed me to the ground!” Paige cries. “Where are your women-respecting feelings?”
Craig walks in just then, his face morphing into amused confusion as he looks between the two of them, wrapping supplies in hand. “Am I interrupting something?” he jokes.
Tess tries to keep the blush off of her cheeks. “Paige is just being mean to me,” she declares. “Poor Tess Kennedy whose left knee doesn’t even work.”
“Bro!” Paige’s tone is exasperated, and it brings a smile to Tess’s face. “You’re full of sh–” Paige cuts herself off with a cough. “...Sharks. Full of sharks.”
Craig chuckles as he examines Tess’s knee one last time before nodding and beginning to wrap it. “Same stuff, okay? Ice it when you do independent exercise, keep using your crutches, absolutely nothing strenuous.”
Tess nods, thanking Craig and heading out with Paige at her side. Even though the PT combined with her lack of sleep the night before has left her exhausted, Tess is in a significantly better mood than she started the day with. It’s likely too early into her recovery to feel any sort of earth-shattering hope, but she can’t help but feel like she’s doing it. She has yet to attend her first therapy appointment and the light at the end of the tunnel is still ten months away, but it feels like she’s making it out alive. And for now, that’s good enough for her.
MAY 6, 2023
Sleep comes easier to her Friday night. The cravings returned in full force as she was getting ready for bed, but Tess was exhausted – she took a melatonin gummy and passed out, although her knee woke her up a time or two. She felt well-rested for the first time in a couple of days. The drinking numbed her enough that she was able to sleep, but the abrupt cut-off has her body in disarray. It’s a double-edged sword. Her body craves it, but every time she thinks about a drink, she’s so disgusted at the thought that she can nearly taste the bile in her mouth. While it makes the cravings subside for a moment, they always return. She takes Tylenol in the morning to ward off the impeding headache and chugs a cup and a half of water, feeling as though she needs to flush all the bullshit out of her body.
Kamilla and Bree are up early and the three of them mill about the kitchen as they prepare a light breakfast. It was a Saturday morning tradition for them, usually consisting of pancakes, bacon, and eggs and a lengthy conversation about their weeks or anything in general. They’ve missed out on it for the past month for…obvious reasons that Tess already nurses a lot of guilt over, but she’s keen on making up for lost time. Kam and Bree put her on bacon duty as it’s the least strenuous. She portions the meat in the pan and slides it into the oven as Kam and Bree bicker over their shared stovetop space.
It’s grounding. Tess contributes where she can, enjoying the peace of the moment and laughing along with her teammates when they say something stupid. It nearly makes her forget about her knee, about the guilt she’s working through as she continues to make amends. Part of her wonders why she’d ever resorted to shutting everyone out and losing herself when all she really needed was to just let them in. She watches Kam shout in indignation as Bree jokingly flicks a bit of pepper into her pancake batter, and all Tess can think about is how could she ever hurt those girls. She remembers her promise. Tess has let too many terrible things become a habit, but she refuses to let mistreating her friends be a continued one.
They all sit to eat and the chatter only stops long enough to pass around their bottle of maple syrup and the butter. Kam and Bree ask how PT’s been going, and Tess is honest when she answers. She’s only two days into it and more often than not, it hurts – but she knows it’s for the better. She doesn’t voice the worry that she might stop taking it as seriously once Paige is back in Connecticut. Tess was only partially joking when she told Craig she had an enforcer. Paige holds her accountable in a way she’s been trying to force herself into doing, but her mind is still such a mess that it’s difficult and all she wants to do is mope in bed all day. She knows Kam and Bree wouldn’t let her live that down and she doesn’t want them to feel like she still needs a babysitter.
They tell her that they're proud of her, and Tess feels the tears well up as she tells them to shut up.
“She’s so back,” Kamilla cheers, high-fiving Bree. “Our little ball of sunshine.” Tess can only roll her eyes.
Breakfast ends and Kam and Bree ensure that they’ve got the dishes. The clock on the stove reads 10:30. Tess knows that Paige is likely on her way. She hugs them both, promising to be back once she’s seen her off, and slips into her shoes just as a knock rings out at the door.
Paige’s brows draw into a dramatic furrow once they come face to face. “Damn, you opened this door mad quick,” she says. “Tryna get rid of me that fast?”
Tess cracks a smile, shutting the door behind them with the leg of her crutch. “The sooner you’re out of South Carolina, the better.” They walk down the hallway.
Paige sighs as she punches the elevator button for the lobby. “You’ll miss me,” she says, assured. “You’re gonna miss me bringin’ you coffee, DoorDashing you Chipotle, and making sure you don’t re-tear your ACL.”
“On the contrary…I’ll enjoy the peace and quiet.” Paige shoots her a dirty look and Tess can’t help but laugh.
Paige escorts her to the Uber she has waiting for them. She holds onto Tess’s crutches as she helps her into the passenger side backseat, laying her leg flat against the leather. Her foot nearly brushes the door. Confused and wondering what Paige is doing, the blonde shuts the door and rounds the side. As she settles in, she drapes Tess’s leg over her lap. “You good?”
Mouth dry, all Tess can do is nod, and Paige leans forward enough to instruct their Uber driver to head to the airport. Her palm falls flat on Tess’s shin, her thumb brushing against her leg, and with the way Paige stares out of the window, it’s almost like she doesn’t even register what she’s doing. Their ride is quiet, save for the driver's soft R&B that Paige bobs her head to. Tess slips her phone out of her pocket and snags a quick photo, flipping her phone screen to show her. Paige smiles at her wordlessly, knowing they shouldn’t verbally scheme in front of the driver, and Tess posts the photo to her story.
She refreshes her feed, combing through all of the shit she’s been tagged in from various college basketball update accounts and Instagram sleuths. She and Paige are the face of a new account named taigeupdates – which Tess is assuming is supposed to be their ship name? Given that the alternative is Pess – not that Tess has given it any thought, because she hasn’t! – she could live with it. The admin already has Tess’s story reposted and the comments are flooding in with many begging for an official hard launch since it’s already obvious.
Their driver parks in the designated drop off lane and Paige helps Tess out of the backseat, ensuring she’s stable on her crutches before she’s looping around to the trunk and pulling her carry-on and suitcase out. Tess can already feel the eyes on them, the hushed whispers of, “Is that Paige Bueckers and Tess Kennedy?” And despite years in the spotlight, she can’t help the anxious flush that creeps up on her neck. Having so many eyes on her makes her feel vulnerable enough, but combined with the fact she has a huge brace on her leg and she’s walking around with crutches? She feels uncomfortable, like she’s a pacing animal behind bars in the zoo.
“Ready?” Paige murmurs, stepping up behind her, pressing her free hand to the palm of Tess’s back. The touch comforts her slightly, but only because she’s accustomed to Paige right now and because they’re in this together. Tess gives her a solid nod, tightening her hands around the bars of her crutches. The blonde moves her hand down to her hip to give her a reassuring squeeze before placing it at the center of her back. Paige leads them into the airport, though she leans down, her mouth close to Tess’s ear as she whispers. “We shoulda talked about this earlier, but…what’s on and off limits right now?”
Tess swallows, trying to ignore the nerves. “Just do whatever feels right,” she answers honestly. “The media knows we just spent three days together, right? Don’t overthink it. I’m your girlfriend sending you off at the airport. Make it look like that and not two strangers trying to look the part.”
Paige grins insufferably at her. “Aw, I think that’s the first time you claimed me,” she says. Tess rolls her eyes, tempted to swat her with her crutch, but decides against it. The last thing she needs is Paige tripping and fucking up her knee even more. “So…nothing's off limits?”
“You wanna kiss me so bad you look stupid,” Tess says, nudging Paige with her elbow. From the corner of her eye, she can see the phone camera pointed at them, so she swallows her pride and looks up to Paige with a grin. “I think we should hug for sure. Anything else is too soon...like I said, we've spent three days together. I don't U-Haul.”
“Fine by me,” Paige says, looking far too comfortable as she walks through the airport. “Don't wanna do nothing you're uncomfortable with. Even if it would break the Internet. I know you like that shit.” Tess shrugs, but she was pleased with the media’s reaction so far. Between the two of them, Paige was definitely the menace and chaos-monger, although Tess enjoyed setting a fire once in a while. They finally reach Paige’s terminal and she leaves Tess’s side long enough to check in at the counter.
While she’s gone, a teenage girl approaches Tess with a shy expression, phone clutched in hand. “Excuse me, are you Tess Kennedy?” she asks.
“Guilty,” Tess jokes, leaning on her healthy leg.
“Do you mind if I get a picture?”
Tess shakes her head, saying, “Not at all,” as she moves to stand next to the girl. She angles the phone and Tess throws up a peace sign, grinning, and she snaps the photo. Before either of them can say anything else, Paige is walking back from the check in counter and the girl looks like she’s about to start doing cartwheels.
“Is that–”
“Unfortunately,” Tess sighs, which makes the girl laugh and Paige narrows her eyes. Remembering where they are, Tess smiles innocently.
“Can I get another picture with the both of you?”
Paige and Tess can’t resist. Paige rarely turns down her supporters in the first place, and all Tess can think about when she’s in these situations is all the times she’s ever met her idols and how it changed her life. Being in a situation to give back to the youth like that is one of the best parts about playing basketball. They pose on either side of the teenager as she takes the photo, and after quick hugs and a lot of gratitude, Paige and Tess are left alone.
Tess checks the time, realizing that Paige is boarding soon. The overhead PA confirms as much and Paige glances at Tess once more, hiking her carry-on bag higher on her shoulder. “You gonna miss me?” she asks teasingly, and Tess taps her chin, thinking.
“Hmm,” she ponders. “Not one bit.”
“You will,” Paige says confidently. “I got motion like that.” Tess rolls her eyes, unable to curb the warm fondness in her chest. She just pretends like it doesn’t exist. “Make sure you eat, alright? And go to PT. And be real with your therapist. Lemme hear you’re bein’ irresponsible and I’ll fly back down to set you straight.”
“Yes, Paige. Anything else?”
Paige shrugs, an easy smile on her face. “I know you pretend like you’ont like me, but I had fun with you. Even when you were mean.”
“Not mean,” Tess argues weakly. She can’t hide how touched she is by Paige’s words. “Just trying to keep your ego at a reasonable level.”
“Whatever you say, ma,” the blonde concedes. She opens her arms and Tess forgets all about the media, their story, whatever it is they’re supposed to be pretending to do as she wraps her arms around Paige’s waist. She could care less about the cameras, about the social media explosion they’re undoubtedly causing. Paige’s hands are warm on her back and her perfume makes Tess’s head spin. “Gimme a call if you need anything, I mean it. Don’t try to do this by yourself. Promise me.”
“Promise,” Tess vows. Paige pulls back ever so slightly, her eyes studying Tess’s face as her hands slide down her back, resting on her hips. Paige smiles at her and gives her a gentle squeeze before pulling away completely. She and Paige are both flushed, though the red creeping up Tess’s neck feels strangely like embarrassment.
“Call you when I land?” she asks quietly. Tess nods, forcing a smile, and they share their final goodbyes before Paige walks away.
Tess watches as she goes, suddenly hyper aware of the cameras and the crowd, and she holds back a sigh. She needs to get it together. None of that was real. She’s just a mess emotionally, touch-starved after a month-long crash out, and she’s letting it get to her head. She’ll feel more regulated after a nap and some stretches.
Hopefully.
#paige bueckers#paige bueckers x reader#paige x reader#paige bueckers x oc#uconn#uconn wbb#wbb x reader#ncaa wbb
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