Chapter Text
Hi, Leah, it's Alexia
Is the first text Leah gets from Alexia. Then in quick succession:
Putellas
I got your number from Keira, I hope that's alright
I have some news regarding Lucy, and I wanted it to come from me
captain to captain
Then she explains the nature of Lucy's current injury, and the expected time it will take her to recover, the England bootcamp she'll most likely miss because of it, and leaves Leah to forward the information to Sarina.
Leah can only watch the notifications popping up after one another, eyebrows furrowed, both taken by surprise and both feeling grateful to have someone look after Lucy like this.
She thanks Alexia profusely, saves her number, then calls Sarina. Spends the whole evening afterwards thinking about Alexia. It's not like they haven't talked before, they have faced off multiple times both in country and club tournaments, have shaken hands, have hugged each other - a quick tap on the back after a good game, no matter the result, always professional, always respectful.
Leah would have to be blind and stupid not to recognize Alexia's genius, the way she's able to bypass both the country's coach and Barcelona's coach, how she's able to command and shadowcoach and get results with her teams with useless coaches getting the salary and the praise for it. Not to say anything about the way she plays, the fluidity of her moves, her vision on the pitch. Maybe Leah admires her a bit. As someone who's whole life has been football since childhood, she's allowed a hero, she thinks, even if she'd never publicly call a rival (twice over at that) that publicly.
So maybe Alexia reaching out in person is a bit bigger a deal than anyone would think, but Leah is home alone, with no one to see her absentmindedly staring at the tv on her couch, mind somewhere else entirely. If there's a bit of a blush on her cheeks that's no one else's business either.
The next time they meet it's a friendly, England against Spain behind closed doors.
Leah seeks Alexia out during pitch inspection, jogging a little to catch up to her. Alexia sends her a small smile when she reaches her, and they fall into step, shoulders brushing. Leah bumps into Alexia's shoulder a bit, sending back a smile of her own.
"Hey, I wanted to thank you for what you did for Lucy a couple of weeks ago. It's good to know she has people looking after her."
Alexia smiles at that, sheepish, kicking the turf with the toe of her trainers. "Lucia is a part of the team, and we take the 'més que on club' slogan seriously, as silly as it sounds. She's family, so of course I look after her." She punctuates the sentence by looking Leah right in the eye, and that combined with the slight Spanish accent has Leah trying her damndest to look like an actual adult, and the captain of her team, instead of a blushing teenager.
"Thank you either way, you didn't have to reach out to me personally, and yet you did. So thank you." She keeps up the eyecontact, smiling a small, private smile, relishes in seeing Alexia do the same.
They draw a 1-1, but it's a good match, fast and exciting, lot's of chances, until before half time Aitana does a little magic, and finds the back of the net behind Mary.
In the second half, Leah tackles Alexia in a way that has her sliding right under her, with Alexia falling on top of her, the ball skipping away a good distance. The feel of Alexia's solid body on top of Leah's is probably going to come back to her later that night, but for now she settles for raised eyebrows, and a cocky "Hola, Capitana".
Alexia says hello right back, winks, and gets off of Leah, offering a hand to pull her up, and Leah accepts it, and if she takes off in the wrong direction after, who would blame her?
She catches the eye of Beth, whose eyebrows are raised, and she shakes her head, signature scowl on her face. Beth just raises her hands in defense and passes the ball forward. Leah knows she’ll catch shit about it later, but for now she settles on refraining from full body tackles. And looking at Alexia.
Lessi scores a few minutes before full time, an easy one right in front of the goal, and from then the match settles down until the final whistle.
They line up to shake hands, and when Leah gets to Alexia, she surprises her by tugging her shirt off. Leah freezes for a second before she does the same, tries not to let her eyes linger below Alessia’s face. She’s acutely aware she’s blushing when their fingers brush as they swap shirts, and quickly tugs Alexia’s over her head, grateful for the moment it grants her to recover. When she pulls it down from her face, she sees Alexia hasn’t done the same, she threw it over her shoulder instead - and her eyes wander down the killer set of abs of their own volition, before she can gather herself. Alexia moves for a quick pat on the back, and Leah automatically returns it, watches her walk away without a word, stands there too long in a slightly too-big Spanish kit. Thanks every deity in existence that the match wasn’t televised.
Later Beth slides up next to her on the coach as they are making their way back to St George’s park.
“You look great in red.” There’s a little smirk on her mouth, and Leah turns back towards the window. She will not stand for mocking. Beth pokes her in the rib, clearly not caring whether Leah stands for mocking or not.
“Leave it, Meado, I swear to god- ow, hey!” Beth pokes her again, and the giggle Leah lets out is embarrassing and completely out of her control. “Okay, stop, stop! What do you want?”
Beth thankfully stops poking her at that, settling in her seat. “Now. What was that earlier with Putellas?”
Leah flushes crimson, fights the urge to start sputtering, to defend herself. Beth takes her silence as a way to keep pushing. “Every one of us asked for her shirt, and she said no to each - I thought that Georgia snagged it at the front, but then she gave it to you.”
Leah wishes for the earth to swallow her as she stutters out a response “I hadn’t realized… I didn’t even ask for it.”
Beth looks at her jovially and pats her knee. “I think she has a thing for you.” She whispers, conspirational. It’s a bit condescending, but Leah doesn’t call her out on it, doesn’t feel like she has much leg to stand on. She settles for humming noncommittally, and Beth seems to have let up on bothering her thankfully, so she turns back towards the window. But it does make her think.
Ever since Alexia sent her those texts, she’s been in Leah’s mind, near constantly. Not in the forefront of it, just a silent nagging in the back. Not necessarily annoying, but decidedly more persistent than Leah would ever confess to anyone asking. But who’s to blame her, really? Alexia is kind, smart, gorgeous, unfairly good at her job, and gorgeous, and has a killer set of abs, and did she mention gorgeous? Leah might be in a bit of trouble. She keeps frowning at the country passing by outside until they arrive, then makes it to her room in silence. Lies on the bed in silence, staying awake longer than she should, types and retypes a ‘thank you’ message to Alexia.
[11:52] Leah Williamson: thank you for the shirt, heard it was in high demand
[11:53] Alexia Putellas: de nada
[11:53] Alexia Putellas: my collection has been missing yours, so it was selfish, really
Leah is glad that she’s got her own room, because the colour her cheeks are sporting could rival the red of her Arsenal kit. She has to refrain from giggling and kicking her feet, the speed of Alexia’s reply sends her mind reeling.
[11:54] Leah Williamson: next time let’s switch club jerseys?
[11:54] Leah Williamson: would love to have some blaugrana on my wall as well
[11:54] Alexia Putellas loved a message.