Chapter 1
“Oh my God, I told you that if you hadn’t put that ball away when I was back I would poke a hole in it!”
Tobin freezes, looking up at you in horror.
“You wouldn’t dare…” she whispers.
Suddenly a box crashes on the ground and the ball is kicked away from Tobin’s feet.
“BOOM! And the crowd goes wild for Kelley O’Hara and her amazing taaaaackleeeeeee!”
Kelley jumps on her feet, ready to run after the ball, but stops dead in her track at the sight of Tobin’s face.
“What’s wrong dude? It’s not the first time I’ve stolen the ball from you, don’t act so shocked.”
Tobin only points at you, a frightened look on her face. Kelley turns her head and her eyes widen.
“Oh shit she doesn’t look happy. Act normal, maybe she didn’t see,” Kelley murmurs “Alex! It was fast! I’m so glad to see you. As you can see we put everything in the boxes.”
Kelley’s smile fades a little when she sees the frown still on your face. Your eyes haven’t left Tobin’s for a second and after a moment Kelley waves her hand in front of them.
“Someone in there?” She asks but you ignore her.
“Tobin, give me the ball,” you sternly say.
“No, please Lex!” The tan woman pleads.
“Tobin, the ball.”
“Alex you can’t do that! I swear we won’t play anymore. Please?” She brings her hands together and sticks her bottom lip out in a pleading pout.
“Tobin…” you warn again and this time she drops her hands in defeat.
Her bare feet shuffle on the floor of her apartment and a few seconds later the ball is placed in your hands.
“Whipped,” Kelley coughs, and Tobin sends her a death glare before slapping her arm.
Kelley is about to hit her in return but your voice stops her.
“Stop it, both of you.”
The soccer players look at you before lowering their gazes to the floor, fidgeting with their fingers.
“Sorry Alex…”
If you weren’t so stressed by the move, you would have probably laughed at their way of acting like five years olds.
“Look at me,” you demand and they look up at you sheepishly. “I’m not going to throw it away, but I want it to be in one of those boxes.”
Two grins spread on their faces and Tobin goes to grab the ball again but you snap it away from her.
“If I see you play with it again today, it ends up in the trash. Got it?”
They quickly nod and you give the ball back to Tobin. You shake your head when you see her delicately kissing it before putting it carefully in a box and closing it.
“So, what did they say about the moving van?” Kelley asks, changing the subject.
“We can go get it in like an hour, they’ll text me. So we still have time to finish packing. You said you’ve put everything in the boxes?”
“Oh about that… Hum… I might have lied,” the defender clears her throat awkwardly.
“Al’ I swear I tried to do what you wanted us to, but this dumbass told me she was better than me at nutmegs… I had to prove her wrong…” Tobin quickly defends herself.
“Thanks for backing me up dude!” Kelley shots a thumb up in Tobin’s direction and Tobin playfully winks at her.
“I don’t want to get angry at you yet because we don’t have time for that,” you sigh. “But can we please get moving,” you breathe, pressing the heel of your hands on your eyes, to try to soothe the headache which is starting to form.
Everything which could have gone wrong did.
First Lindsey, Meghan and Allie had called you this morning, informing you that they couldn’t help you for their coach had planned a medical check-up for some players, including them.
That left you with Kelley and Tobin, who have been kicking the ball around the boxes since the morning, breaking a few plates and a chair.
Then it was the moving company, who informed you that the van you were supposed to rent broke down, leaving you waiting for one to be freed.
Two arms sneak around your waist and a kiss is placed on your forehead, snapping you out of your thoughts. You open your eyes to meet Tobin’s warm ones.
“It’s going to be fine Lex. Don’t be so stressed out.”
You sigh, your shoulders relaxing under your lover’s touch, and bury your face into her neck.
“I just want to snuggle with you at home,” you murmur against her skin and she chuckles.
“Soon babe. We’ll be home soon.”
Tobin lifts your chin, offering you her famous smile. When you return it she leans forwards and gently pecks your lips.
You lean in to deepen it but a voice cuts your momentum.
“Guys, I thought we were supposed to pack? Am I the only one working here or what?”
Kelley sends you a devious smile and you roll your eyes.
“Come on, let’s finish this,” Tobin kisses your temple before joining Kelley and helping her pack the rest of her stuff.
**
“Dude, check this out!”
You lift your head at Tobin’s excited voice to see her handing a t-shirt to Kelley.
“Wow, ‘France 98’, you’ve kept that?” Kelley chuckles, showing you the t-shirt.
“Yep! I’d forgotten I took it here with me. I thought it was at my parents’ house,” Tobin laughs before taking the shirt back. “Do you think it still fits me?” She asks with excited eyes.
“I don’t know. If it doesn’t it should fit our little Kling,” Kelley jokes and you laugh though you nose.
However your laugh dies in your throat when Tobin takes off her shirt, exposing all her muscle glory.
You’ve seen the girl naked a thousand times, but the sight of her bare skin always kicks the air out of your lungs.
“You drooling a little Al’. Wait, here,” Kelley wipes the imaginary drool off the corner of your mouth with her thumb and you slap her hand away with a chuckle.
“Fuck off Kels,” you stick your tongue out and she blows a kiss at you with a wink.
“So how do I look?” Tobin’s laugh makes Kelley and you turn around.
The white t-shirt squeezes Tobin’s abs, her v line visible thanks to the smallness of the shirt, while her biceps look like they’re going to rip the fabric.
“Hot,” is the only word that leaves your mouth and Kelley snorts.
“Yeah right! Honest answer now: you look like a burrito.”
“Thank you Kelley, I really appreciate it,” Tobin winks and strikes a pose before bursting into laughter.
“Keep it for your children though,” Kelley pats Tobin’s shoulder.
Tobin takes of the white t-shirt and throw her previous one back on her shoulder. Her burning eyes meet yours when she replies.
“Oh I will.”
You blush at the intensity in her eyes and look down, busing yourself with your phone, to hide it.
A new text pops up when you unlock it.
“Guys the van is ready,” you inform the two friends.
“Cool. I’ll go get it,” Tobin says before leaving the bedroom.
You hear her grab her car key before she makes her way to the room again.
“See you later love,” she kisses you softly before walking towards the front door.
“LOVE YOU TOO TOBY!” Kelley calls after her.
The only responds she gets is a loud laugh and the sound of a closing door.
**
Be there in 5. Start to bring the boxes down. Xo
Tobin texted you a few minutes ago and both you and Kelley have started to pile boxes up on the sidewalk.
“Isn’t she supposed be a nomad or something. Only having what she needs in a duffel bag,” Kelley complains before dropping a heavy box on the ground.
“People change Kel. She doesn’t have that much though, it could’ve been worse,” you put down a box too before following Kelley back to Tobin’s apartment.
“Yeah, like your move! You have so much stuff; I thought it would take us five days to unpack everything.”
“You’re such a drama queen,” you shake your head at your friend’s exaggeration.
When you arrive on the sidewalk again Tobin is waiting for you, leaning against the moving van.
In big black letters is spelled ‘U-Haul’.
You quickly eye Kelley and mentally face-palm when you see her shit-eating grin, bracing yourself for the coming jokes.
The defender opens her mouth but Tobin raises her hand, cutting her.
“You make one joke and I tell Hope her favorite chicken didn’t die naturally but because you shot him with a soccer ball as you wanted to prove us that you’re, and I quote, ‘the best striker America’s ever known’. Have I made myself clear?” She calmly says, and this time you’re the one with a shit-eating grin on your face.
“What? I thought we said we would never talk about it again? It was an accident and you agreed to stay silent! You pinky promised!” Kelley’s jaw drops on the floor.
“Have I made myself clear?” Tobin repeats her face impassible.
Kelley’s jaw stays on a floor for a few seconds before she finally moves again, putting down the box she is carrying and walking back to the apartment while grumbling.
Tobin smiles in triumph before opening the back door of the moving van and starting to load it.
You quickly jog towards her and kiss her cheek.
“My girl’s so smart,” you state proudly.
“I’m so proud of myself, you don’t even know how much,” Tobin laughs while grabbing a box.
“A U-Haul though?” You raise an amused eyebrow at your girlfriend. “You’re so gay.”
Her laugh resonates in the whole van.
**
“Krieger was right: we don’t need men! Look at that, we carried everything without the help of any men and their big arms,” Kelley states while watching the full van loaded with all Tobin’s belongings.
“Well, we have pretty big arms too,” Tobin responds.
You chuckle as both soccer players flex their arms.
“Look at those guns Al’.”
“Come on goof balls, there is still the mattress to take down and we need to give back Tobin’s key.”
The three of you climb the stairs and enter Tobin’s apartment one last time.
“Well… It has been good to live here. Au revoir yo,” Tobin pats her bedroom wall before grabbing the end of her mattress and bringing it outside with the help of Kelley.
“Lex, can you take wait and give back my keys please?” She asks you from the hallway.
“Yeah no problem.”
“Thanks babe.”
You patiently wait for the owner to arrive, and after a few minutes a tall man knocks on Tobin’s front door. You let him examine every room and every wall. After what seems to be an eternity of watching him, he finally comes to the conclusion that everything is spotless. You hand him the keys and he closes the door.
That’s it. Tobin is really moving out of here to come live with you.
The man has a puzzled look on his face as you shake his hand, probably wandering why a big grin is spread on your face. You waste no time in hurtling down the stairs, too excited to finally go to your place.
You reach the van and furrow your eyebrows when you don’t see the soccer players on the seats. Walking back on the sidewalk you notice that the back door of the van is open.
“Guys?” You ask as you climb in the van.
Only silence comes as an answer. You’re about to call for them again when you notice something in the back of the van.
Feet.
You make your way between all the boxes and furniture and finally reach the end of the van.
There, limbs spread on the mattress, mouths slightly open, peaceful expressions on their faces, are laying your lover and your best friend.
You chuckle at their capacities to fall asleep anywhere, and Tobin shifts at the sound.
One brown eye opens for just a second before she closes it again. Your lover scoots closer to the edge of the mattress and pats the space between her and Kelley.
“Come on, we deserve a little nap.”
Your heart melts at her voice, raspy because of her sleepy state, and you quickly walk to the van back door to close it.
A sigh of contentment escapes your lips as you lie down between the soccer players.
Tobin smirks and wraps an arm around you, bringing you closer and nuzzling your jaw.
“I love you.”
“I love you too.”
**
“Hoof!”
A weight on your stomach suddenly wakes you up. You reluctantly open your eyes to see that Kelley has taken your all body as a living pillow.
You try to push her away from you but Tobin’s head is lying on your arm, preventing you from moving.
You try to wiggle your way out, but your lover doesn’t seem to want to let you go.
“Stop squirming,” she mumbles against your neck.
“I’m suffocating! Help me push Kelley, just don’t wake her up.”
Tobin opens an eye and sigh loudly, obviously frustrated after being woken up.
“Don't move.”
Before you can say anything she kicks Kelley off of you and tangled her legs with yours.
The defender lands on the ground with a loud thud and you quickly close your eyes.
“What the f?”
You slightly open your eyes to see Kelley with wild hair on her face, looking lost.
You can’t contain a chuckle and soon Tobin is laughing with you.
“What happened guys?” She rasps, while climbing back on the mattress and rubbing her shoulder.
“You must have dreamed or something,” Tobin answers before plunging back into your neck.
Kelley looks at her before shrugging and nodding her head a few times, obviously buying the story.
“We should get moving, we still have to unload all of that,” you vaguely wave your hand toward the furniture.
“I don’t wanna…” Tobin grumbles against your skin.
“I wasn’t asking,” you poke her side and she jolts away from you with a squeal. “Good, you’re awake! Can you drive?” You ask with an innocent smile.
“I’m staying here guys. Just come and get me when you need me,” Kelley mumbles her face against the mattress.
“You know that it’s just a five minutes drive right?” You chuckle.
“That’s five more minutes of sleeping.”
“So lucky… Can I stay with her?” Tobin asks but you drag her out of the van.
“Actually you’re the lucky one.”
“And why that?”
“You get to be alone with me for five minutes.”
“And that’s better than sleeping for five more minutes?” Tobin wonders teasingly while seating behind the wheel.
“If I were you I’d be careful about what I’m saying. You don’t have my apartment key yet… I’m sure you don’t want to sleep outside," you shot back with a smile dancing on your lips.
Tobin starts the moving van with a laugh.
“You wouldn’t dare. You’re too happy to have me in your bed.”
“You’re so lucky Kelley’s back there because she would have teased you on that one,” you laugh.
“I know, I realized that while saying it,” Tobin chuckles, stopping at a red light.
“I can still hear you guys…”
You shot a panicked look at Tobin, waiting for a dirty joke to echo from behind you, but Tobin reassuringly winks at you before starting to talk.
“Remember Hope’s chicken?”
You burst into laughter as the voice behind you stays quiet.
“That’s what I thought,” Tobin continues, her white teeth blinding you.
You lean over the handbrake and whisper in her ear.
“I don’t know how long this blackmail is going to work, but you’re a genius babe.”
“I don’t know either, but let’s enjoy it while it lasts,” she chuckles before turning the wheel, making the van enter your street.
“We’re home.”
**
You carefully close the guest room door on a sleeping Kelley and join Tobin on your couch.
“She’s out. Good thing we’ve moved my bed into the guest room or she would have had to sleep on the couch,” you whisper before lying beside your girlfriend.
Tobin only hums and wraps one arm around your waist.
“I like how your bed looks in my room. I immediately fell in love with the wooden style when you bought it.”
Once again Tobin hums but this time she gently grabs you earlobe between her teeth before kissing your neck.
“Our room,” she corrects you and you can feel her smile against your skin.
Your lips stretch into a smirk and you turn on your side to face Tobin.
“I really like the sound of that,” you scrunch your nose and she chuckles before pecking your lips.
“I really like it too.”
“And I really like you,” you continue, a smirk back on your face.
“Like?” Tobin gasps while sitting up and clutching her shirt over her heart. “Do you hear that?” She asks, a finger pointed in the air.
“Uh, no?” You giggle at her false offended face.
“It’s the sound of my feelings being crashed down. I can't let that happen.”
Tobin suddenly straddles you, a devious glint in her eyes. You raise an eyebrow, silently asking what she’s doing, and she wiggles her ten fingers in front of your face. Your eyes widen.
“No Tobin. Don’t do that. I swear I’ll throw away your ba-“
Her fingers start to tickle your sides and the end of your phrase dies in your throat, replaced by laughter.
“You’ll throw away what? I didn’t understand," she chuckles.
“T-Tobs st-stoooop!” You plead between two laughters.
“Only if you take back that you like me.”
“I can-can’t!”
“Say you love me Lex!”
You clench your jaw, trying to contain yourself, but of course she now knows your body by heart. Her forefinger finds your most ticklish spot on your stomach and you lose it.
“Fine fine! I love you!” You whimper.
Her movements stop and she leans forward.
“What was that?”
You take advantage of the situation to change your positions with the help of your legs.
Tobin lands on her back with your body on top of hers and you smile down at her in triumph. Letting out a soft sight she shakes her head, unimpressed by your competitive side.
Your blue eyes stare at her small smile which grows wider as she realizes what you’re looking at.
“Eyes up there babe.”
You find your favorite brownness filled with amusement.
“I love you.”
Her grin blinds you and her laugh weakens your knees.
“Didn’t even have to force this one out of you,” Tobin sticks her tongue out before kissing the tip of your nose and sitting up. “Come on, let’s go make diner in our kitchen,” she playfully winks.
“You’re a dork.”
Tobin offers you her hand, pulling you up on your feet, and circles your waist with both arms before kissing your temple.
“Just for the record; I love you too.”
You let her warm words engulfs you as you watch her walk to the kitchen. Suddenly you remember something.
“Hey Tobs?”
“Yeah?” She wonders, turning around.
“I have something for you,” you reach for something in your back pocket. “Here.”
She walks toward you and closes her fingers around the cold key with shining eyes.
“Welcome home Tobin.”