querencia ✧ diego lainez

cinco

after i finished greeting everyone, diego took me to their locker room. they all had their own individual place to store their jerseys and shoes. every space had their official shirt hanging from it.

"people would kill to be this close to the official jerseys." i mumbled under my breath, touring the room.

diego introduced me to his shirt, the number 11 plastered in bold white in the front and in the back.

i always knew diego would achieve his dreams and do whatever he would set his mind to but seeing it right in front of my face was a whole different thing.

i had been watching him play since the very first time he ever decided to kick a ball to the first time he debuted on live television. i was always proud of him for staying true to his words.

but it's like the realization was actually hitting me now.
it felt like it was the first time that i had genuinely taken into account that his name was on that jersey.

"y/n, i actually have something for you," diego could be heard rummaging through something.

immediately, i turned around and he was holding a limited edition mexico jersey. i was so sure that it was one i had never seen before. the mexican dads would faint if they got their hands on something like this.

"for me? diego, really. you don't have to get me anything. im sure something like that is worth so much. i dont even—"

"you don't even like football that much, i know. but it's the least i could do. you've kinda sort of been there since the beginning.. i think you should take it. it's rare, i managed to get my hands on it before they were officially released. only one hundred of its kind."

my eyes widened. i knew that no matter how much i denied his gift, he'd annoy me until id take it. plus, he probably went through hell and back just to obtain something as rare and priceless.

i reached over and took it from his hands in the gentlest way possible. i was treating it like it could rip in half just by touching it.

"thank you diego, i appreciate it. it's amazing, but you really didn't have to do that." my tone was mixed with deep gratitude but also a hint of sadness.

there's no way i could repay him, anything that id think of possibly gifting him would not come close to this at all.

"ya ve a ponértela," diego rushed out of the room, hearing kevin yelling his name from across the building.

it took me a good five minutes just to be able to find the women's restroom.

i went into the last stall, quickly slipping my shirt off and changing into the one that had just been gifted to me. it felt wrong wearing it because this was something that had to be framed.

i didn't notice the back of the shirt until i looked in the mirror.

"D. Lainez" with the number #11 in white letters.

it was usually normal to buy jerseys with your favorite player's name on it but i thought it was funny that he even had it custom-made. "typical lainez," i thought.

when i was done, i went back into the practice room and almost all heads turned when they realized what shirt i had on.

diego's point of view

after kevin was done talking to me about game plans, i sprinted back to the practice field. i was immediately met with teasing glares by my teammates. my eyes darted to y/n and the jersey that she was now wearing.