Lover II- ML

314. Tender Touches

Kaia stood with a wince in her step, not being able to take ibuprofen for her foot before she got a scan of her liver.

Thank you, Patri.

But others seemed to forget she was injured and jumped at her for a hug as the players out on the pitch all celebrated their victory.

Back to back European champions, what an accomplishment.

Mapi crouches down on the pitch with one hand on the grass in front of her, feeling her eyes fill with tears which she was desperately trying not to let form properly.

It hurt.

Not only because they were so close to winning, but because of her age. This was possibly her last Euros, a fear that had been in the back of her mind since the start and something she hadn't voiced to anyone.

Alexia had the same dread in her stomach, her face numb as she watched England players celebrate.

But Alexia's eyes regain focus when she realises Kaia was limping her way as the stage was getting set up. "Are you heading for her?" She asks, nodding behind her.

Kaia doesn't answer and instead pulls Alexia into a hug, kissing her neck briefly. "You were amazing, your whole campaign was incredible."

"These last few weeks have been incredible." Alexia agrees with a soft smile. "Look after her tonight, she's got a heavy heart."

It was something Kaia already knew, so when she crouched down in front of Mapi, she wasn't surprised to see the red in the whites of her eyes.

"Gorgeous, you were the best player on your team tonight." Kaia says as she places her hand on the back of Mapi's neck, adoring the feeling of the baby hairs tickling her fingers. "Just look at Lucy winning this competition at thirty three. You're going to have so many more opportunities."

"Not if you're in my way." Mapi jokes with a watery laugh, pinching the bridge of her nose to stop those tears. "God, I'm so happy for you but I just can't get rid of this sick feeling in my stomach."

"Are you happy?" Kaia asks.

It sounded like the most stupid question to ask someone who had just lost a final, but it was much deeper than a simple yes or no.

It was day to day, it was career success and personal happiness, it was the fact that money wasn't an issue for them, they had a beautiful house in a city they loved, families who cared, a son who was beyond perfect and then... there was the fact that they build and shared all of it together.

"I'm..." Mapi looks at the tanned hand she was mindlessly playing with, the tape over Kaia's ring finger and LEÓN tattooed on the back. "I'm happy." She states, knowing she was more than content with her life.

"Some people go their whole career without winning anything." Kaia states, smirking a little towards the end. "We're not those people."

Mapi sighs deeply, but she was relieved to feel the anxiety squeezing at her heart was lessening. "No, and you deserve this with how you fought tonight."

"Fabian's still awake." Kaia mentions, glad to see the tension in Mapi's shoulder lessening. "Do you want to bring him down?"

Mapi walked the stage first with her team, all of them accepting the silver medals hung over their neck and having to walk past the Euros trophy.

England gave them a respectable guard of honour, because they did respect the hell out of Spain and the fight they had to overcome tonight.

It was a rivalry like no other due to the fact that both teams didn't think themselves better than the other. It was a rivalry because of how gifted they both were, with individual and collective talent that when put against each other made an incredible clash.