Five years together had made Paige and Azzi feel unshakable. Teammates, partners, and each other's biggest supporters, their lives had always revolved around basketball and the future they were building side by side. But at the very start of the season, everything changed. A devastating ACL and MCL tear sidelines Azzi for the rest of the year, forcing her to watch from the stands while Paige continues to lead the team on the court. Through surgery, painful rehab, and months of frustration, Paige never leaves her side-proving again and again that their relationship is stronger than any setback. Just as life finally starts to feel normal again, a few strange mornings turn their world upside down. What begins as nausea they blame on stress quickly turns into something neither of them expected. When Azzi misses her period and Paige rushes out to buy a test, the two of them find themselves sitting on the couch together, waiting through the longest three minutes of their lives. Because sometimes the biggest life changes don't happen during the game. Sometimes they happen in the quiet moments after. And when Paige finally looks down at the test and says the word "It's...", their future together is about to change forever.

Azzi Fudd has spent her life in control-careful, guarded, and always keeping her distance. Behind her composed exterior is a past marked by domestic violence, a history that left deeper scars than she lets anyone see, and a dream she once had to set aside: playing professional basketball. Now working as the Strategic Communications and PR Director for the Dallas Wings, Azzi finds herself unexpectedly close to the game that once defined her. When she meets Paige Bueckers, everything begins to shift. Confident, persistent, and impossible to ignore, Paige doesn't just notice Azzi-she pursues her, challenging the walls Azzi has spent years building. What begins as tension and restraint slowly turns into something deeper, something Azzi swore she would avoid at all costs.. But being around basketball again begins to stir something in her. The practices, the games, and the energy brings her dream back to life; forcing her to confront not only her growing feelings for Paige, but the version of herself she thought she had lost. Somewhere between healing, ambition, and unexpected connection, Azzi must decide if she's ready to risk the peace she has built, for a future she never allowed herself to imagine again. Triggers: mention of Domestic violence and explicit sexual content

Paige is a bartender living with her younger brother Josh since their parents passed away. When Josh one day brings home Azzi, his new girlfriend, Paige instantly feels uneasy and keeps her distance. Their clashing personalities ignite conflict, making the house feel more like a battleground than a home. But when Josh has to leave for a month-long trip to Europe, Azzi moves in with Paige unexpectedly. Forced to share the same space, the tension between them grows, bubbling under the surface with unspoken emotions and complicated feelings that neither of them fully understands or wants to accept.

Paige Bueckers never planned on falling for her best friend. Not when she's built her whole life on control-on pushing feelings down, on keeping her heart locked tight behind the same walls that protect her on the court. But then there's Azzi Fudd: soft-spoken, steady, brilliant Azzi, who sees straight through her defenses without even trying.

Where Azzi and Paige can't seem to tell there teammates about there relationship they tried to hide until..

Is there more to Paige and Azzi's friendship then everyone thinks? *I'm not assuming anything. This is all fictional. I will also not be writing any smut in respect to them, but there will be kissing and hickies and stuff* (Also any comments about them that go too far I will be removing. This is all for fun and fictional. I am not trying to force anything or speculate anything. So please leave respectful comments) Thanks @macdemarcoloverr for the idea

Who would have thought I'd end up being friends with the Paige Bueckers-basketball's golden child, admired by millions around the world? To everyone else, she's a superstar, but to me, she's always been just Paige. We met during Team USA camp, bonding over little jokes and quiet moments away from all the noise. Back then, neither of us cared about the hype; we were just two girls who loved basketball and understood the pressure that came with it. Over time, we became inseparable. Paige wasn't just insanely talented-she was hilarious, kind, and so genuine it almost didn't seem real. I admired her on the court, but it was off the court where I got to know the girl who loved messing around, eating way too many snacks, and singing badly to random songs. That was Paige to me-not some unattainable star, just a person I could be myself around. But lately, I've been feeling something different-something I never expected. Every time we're together, the air feels heavier, charged with something unspoken. I start noticing the way she smiles, the way her laugh makes me feel, and it's like the bond we share is shifting into something I can't quite name yet. And it scares me because this is Paige-my best friend, my teammate, my everything. What happens if I'm starting to feel more? What if... she is too?

Paige and Azzi met when they weren't younger but never got close. They have this instant chemistry once Azzi arrives at UConn and have to room with each other. Read to find out what happens

A realistic take on Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd - built around real moments, real teammates, and the emotional gray areas no one ever talks about. This fanfic follows them during Paige's senior year and Azzi's junior year at UConn, where the lines between best friends and something more have always been blurred. With old feelings resurfacing and new questions rising, Paige and Azzi find themselves in a quiet crisis - are they really just friends... or have they never been? This is my version of how I believe their story unfolded - rooted in truth, subtlety, and the moments in between. All characters are portrayed with how I perceive them in real life, and this story aims to stay grounded in who they are as athletes, teammates, and people. It's not overly dramatized - just my version of what might have been happening in the quiet moments no one else saw.

Sequel to stay by my side.