Love On The Court

𝕊𝕚𝕩𝕥𝕖𝕖𝕟

📆: May 5th, 2022
📍: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY
⚠️: description of a panic attack

Cheryl wraps her arms around Toni as she breathes heavily. "Hey, baby, hey, you're okay." the redhead soothes softly.

Toni shakes her head in disagreement, her fingers tightening their grip on the redhead's Gucci blouse. Cheryl's voice sounds so faint to her and it's scaring her. She's losing touch of reality.

"Baby, I'm here. Hey, look at me." Cheryl pulls away. Panicky hazel eyes meet soft green ones and Cheryl swears she feels her heartache at the sight of it. "Can you tell me where we are right now?" the redhead's voice fades in and out.

"Uh-uhm..." Toni gasps. "T-The...my...my basketball game."

"Mhm. And what do you see right now?"

"You...the lockers....benches" the brunette's shaky eyes look to her left. "And C-Coach Pen."

Penelope sends her a small sympathetic smile. "Good job, TT. Now, what do you hear?"

Toni's breathing starts to calm down as she listens out for sounds. "The crowd's screams...your voice, the shower that Lo left running." she breathes out.

"Mhm...yes, and what do you feel?" Cheryl reaches up to cup her face. "Y-Your touch and the silk of your blouse." Toni's hands loosen the grip on the said blouse.

"There we go, baby." the model praises. The athlete takes another deep breath while closing her eyes. "Fuck." her voice wavers.

Cheryl only shushes her and softly caresses her cheekbones. "It was just a panic attack, TT. You're okay."

The brunette doesn't know what triggered her attack. She remembers playing on the court, as usual, and suddenly feeling like the walls were closing in. Thank god Cheryl took notice and rushed her off of the court.

It was nearly halftime. It only progressed worse once the game started.

"You're okay, T," Penelope speaks up, reassuring. 

Cheryl pulls the athlete into her once more, squeezing her gently to make her feel safe. She presses her lips to the brunette's chin softly.

"Do you need to sit out for the third quarter? Crystal will happily take your place." her coach asks softly.

Toni nods while swallowing thickly. The older pale woman pats the athlete's shoulder gently before leaving the two alone.

They stand in an embrace for a while longer, Cheryl swaying them from side to side. "Thank you, Cher." the brunette breathes out.

"I'm always going to be here for you, Ma beauté." the model whispers.

"You're the best." Toni sighs, closing her eyes as they embraced longer. Finally pulling away, Toni cups Cheryl's face before pecking her lips three times. Cheryl smiles at the actions, happy to see her baby feeling better.

"You want to stay in here for a bit?" the redhead squeezes her waist affectionately. Toni nods and Cheryl tells her to sit down while she gets her some water. The brunette rubs her sweaty palms over the fabric of her turquoise and white shorts as she waits patiently for her girlfriend.

She wishes her mother was here. The older woman agreed to chaperone for the overnight 5th-grade senior trip so she's away in Connecticut.

The model soon returns and the athlete sighs with relief, not wanting her thoughts to consume her. "Here, TT," Cheryl says softly, handing the cold bottle of water to her. Toni sends her a smile before downing the water.