Matilda's Imagines

Jacket

It was a chilly evening, the kind that made your breath fog up and left a biting chill in the air. Y/n, as usual, was in the thick of the action. At just 16, she was the youngest player on the Matildas squad, and her teammates had naturally taken to treating her like their collective little sister. While Y/n sometimes grumbled at being fussed over, deep down, she cherished the care they gave her—most of the time.

The game had been intense, and Y/n had played her heart out. But now she was on the bench, subbed off with only 15 minutes left in the match. Despite the cold, she sat stubbornly in her short sleeves and shorts, refusing to put on the warm coat and trackies Steph had brought over for her.

"Y/n, you're going to freeze," Steph said, standing over her with the warm clothes in her hands, her tone exasperated but affectionate.

"I'm fine!" Y/n shot back, shaking her head and keeping her arms crossed. "I want to stay ready. Kyra and I were going to kick around after."

Steph groaned. "You're done for the game, kid. No more running around, no more playing. Just put these on and stay warm."

Y/n turned to Kyra, who was standing a few feet away, laughing at the scene. "You're still up for a kick, right, Kyra?"

"Oh, I'm in," Kyra said with a smirk, always one to encourage Y/n's antics.

"Kyra, don't encourage her!" Steph snapped, glaring at her teammate. "Y/n needs to stay warm, not run around like a lunatic in the cold."

Caitlin joined the fray, shaking her head as she approached. "Alright, enough of this. Y/n, coat on. Now."

"No!" Y/n yelped, trying to dart away. But Steph and Caitlin were quicker. With some coordinated effort—and a lot of laughter—they wrestled her into the warm coat and trackies. Y/n protested the entire time, wiggling and whining, but her complaints were ignored.

"See? Not so bad," Caitlin teased, patting Y/n's shoulder once she was fully bundled up. "You'll thank us later when you're not shivering."

Y/n pouted, her arms crossed again. "This is so unfair."

Steph ruffled her hair with a grin. "It's tough being the baby, huh?"

After the game, word of the coat-and-trackies wrestling match reached Mini. She was waiting by the locker room, her arms crossed but her expression more amused than angry. She watched as Y/n hopped onto Kyra's back, giggling as Kyra carried her toward the team bus.

Mini stepped forward, blocking their path. "Alright, that's enough," she said with a smile that was far too knowing. "Y/n, off Kyra's back. You and I need to have a chat."

Kyra groaned dramatically, but Y/n slid off her back, looking up at Mini with a mix of curiosity and apprehension. "What's up?"

Mini put a hand on Y/n's shoulder, steering her toward a quiet corner. "I heard about the little wrestling match on the sideline," she said gently, crouching down to Y/n's level. "You want to tell me why you were so against putting on your coat?"

Y/n shifted her weight from foot to foot, avoiding Mini's eyes. "I just... I didn't want to sit around doing nothing. I wanted to play with Kyra."

Mini's expression softened, and she nodded. "I get it, kid. You've got a lot of energy, and you hate sitting still. But part of being an athlete is taking care of yourself. Staying warm isn't just about comfort—it's about making sure you're ready for the next game. Do you understand?"

Y/n nodded reluctantly. "Yeah, I guess."

Mini reached out, cupping Y/n's chin so their eyes met. "I'm not mad, sweetheart. I just want you to take care of yourself, okay? That's my job—to look after you. And sometimes, that means making you do things you don't want to do, like wearing a coat when it's freezing out."

Y/n cracked a small smile. "You're worse than Steph and Caitlin."

Mini chuckled, pulling Y/n into a hug. "You'll survive, I promise. And if you behave, I'll make sure Kyra doesn't get you into too much trouble next time."

Y/n laughed, hugging Mini back tightly. For all her stubbornness, she couldn't deny how much she appreciated having someone who cared enough to keep her in line.

"Deal," she said softly, her voice muffled against Mini's shoulder.

As they walked back to the team, Y/n felt a warmth that had nothing to do with the coat she was now wearing. This was her family, and no amount of protests or wrestling matches could change that.