The game had been off from the start, the kind of match that made everyone tense, but for Alexia, it seemed to be especially brutal. She'd come out of the tunnel with her usual fierce focus, eyes narrowed, jaw clenched, but as the minutes ticked by, her frustration was starting to show. Every misstep, every pass that didn't connect, every missed opportunity seemed to pile up on her shoulders, weighing her down.
You were subbed off after the first thirty minutes, legs still fresh, but your heart heavy with worry. From the bench, you watched as Alexia struggled, her movements sharp and uncharacteristically sloppy. Normally so precise, she was just... off. Passes that usually glided perfectly were overshot, shots on goal sailed wide, and each time, you saw her muttering to herself, fists clenched as her frustration grew.
Then it happened. She was tackled, a clean but rough challenge, and she went down hard, hitting the ground with a wince. You saw the anger flash in her eyes, that simmering frustration that had been building all game suddenly igniting. She was on her feet in an instant, shoving the player who'd tackled her with every ounce of strength she had. The other player stumbled, caught off guard, and fell back.
Your heart dropped. This wasn't like Alexia. You'd seen her fired up before, but this—this was something different, something darker, a side of her rarely seen.
The other player, shocked at first, scrambled up and shoved Alexia back, just as hard. For a second, it looked like Alexia might explode. She yelled something in Spanish, the words sharp and angry, her accent thick with frustration. You couldn't make it out, but the look in her eyes was enough. She took a step forward, hands clenched, but before she could do anything else, Mapi rushed over, grabbing Alexia and pulling her back, her voice low and steady as she tried to calm her down.
The referee blew her whistle, striding over to the two players with a stern look, and within seconds, both Alexia and the other player were shown yellow cards. Alexia shook her head, muttering under her breath as she took a few deep breaths, trying to collect herself, but you could see that her hands were still shaking with anger.
The match continued, but Alexia was on edge, her movements sharper, more aggressive than usual. She was pushing herself harder, as if trying to make up for the earlier mistakes, but it only made things worse. When the eightieth minute rolled around, the coach finally decided to pull her off, subbing her out before things could spiral any further.
She stomped over to the bench, shoulders tense, face flushed with frustration. You shifted over to give her room, but the moment she sat down, you could feel the intensity radiating off her, a quiet storm of anger and self-disappointment.
You reached out, placing a gentle hand on her knee, hoping to offer some comfort, but she jerked away, shoving your hand off with a glare that cut deeper than she knew. Her eyes flashed, warning you not to push her right now, and you withdrew, giving her the space she seemed to need.
But you knew, in that moment, that she wasn't in any state to be alone tonight. Sometimes, Alexia just needed you to take control, to guide her through the frustration and self-doubt that lingered after a game like this. She'd never ask for it, never admit that she needed help, but you knew her well enough to see it.
She sat there, jaw clenched, staring at the pitch, lost in her own thoughts. Her fingers tapped against her knee in agitation, her breathing shallow, as if she were still caught up in the heat of the match. She wasn't just mad at the other player or the referee; she was mad at herself, at the way she'd lost control, at the mistakes she couldn't take back.
You watched her, heart aching with understanding. This was the Alexia only a few people knew, the one who carried the weight of her own expectations so heavily that it sometimes crushed her. You wanted to help her, to take that weight off her shoulders, if only for tonight.
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Woso imagines
FanfictionWoso imagines!! Leah Williamson Alessia Russo Alexia Putellas Mapi Leon Ingrid Engen Katie McCabe