A Little Less Alone

Beth knew from the second she stepped onto the pitch that it wasn’t going to be a good session.

Her first few passes felt off, her touches sloppy, her decision-making just a fraction too slow. She was a step behind everything, and no matter how much she tried to shake it off, it kept getting worse.

Frustration built inside her, her movements becoming more erratic, forcing things instead of letting them come naturally. She could feel it—everyone could feel it.

When the final whistle blew, Beth ripped her bib off and barely resisted the urge to throw it to the ground.

She hated this.

Hated feeling like she was falling short.

Hated that it was happening now, so close to an important game, so close to the summer where everything mattered.

She stormed off the pitch, shoulders tense, jaw clenched, her boots kicking against the grass a little harder than necessary.

She wasn’t in the mood for small talk.

She wasn’t in the mood for anything.

And yet—Viv was waiting for her.

Beth almost wanted to be annoyed by that, but she wasn’t.

She knew Viv.

She knew that if she was waiting for her, it was because she had noticed.

Beth trudged toward the locker rooms, and Viv fell into step beside her.

Beth kept her head down, but Viv didn’t leave.

Instead, she tried.

“Hey,” Viv said softly.

Beth barely mumbled in response.

Viv glanced at her, hesitating, but then tried again.

“You looked good out there,” Viv said, her tone casual, an attempt to lighten the mood.

Beth stopped walking.

She turned toward Viv, her face set, her body tense.

"Don't," Beth muttered, shaking her head.

Viv faltered, caught off guard.

Beth exhaled sharply, rubbing her hands down her face before looking at Viv again. "I know I had a shit practice."

Viv’s posture stiffened slightly.

Beth had never liked being pushed after a bad session.

Viv knew that.

But she also knew Beth wouldn’t just let it go, either.

"You’ll still play tomorrow," Viv offered, trying to calm her down, trying to get her to move past it.

Beth let out a sharp, humorless laugh.

She turned fully toward Viv now, her frustration boiling over.

"You don’t get it," she said, voice lower now, edged with something raw.

Viv frowned slightly. "Beth—"

"I can’t afford this," Beth muttered, shaking her head. "I can’t make mistakes. If I do, I get benched. And if I get benched, I don’t play. And if I don’t play, then—"

She stopped herself, exhaling sharply.

Viv stayed quiet, but she was watching her carefully now.

Beth swallowed hard, her voice tighter when she spoke again.

"The Euros are this summer," Beth reminded her. "And unlike you, I don’t have a guaranteed spot."

Viv flinched slightly, her expression shifting.

"Beth—"

Beth let out a bitter exhale, shaking her head.

"You know you do," Beth said quietly, meeting Viv’s gaze, her eyes burning.

Viv opened her mouth, about to argue, but stopped herself.

Because Beth was right.

Viv couldn’t say she knew what it felt like.

Beth let out a slow breath, glancing toward the locker room.

She was done with this conversation.

So she turned, walking inside without another word.

Viv stood there for a moment, watching her go, her stomach twisting.

After a beat, she followed—a few steps behind this time.

By the time she entered the locker room, Beth was already at her locker, shoving her things into her bag without looking at anyone.

Everyone else was distracted, talking amongst themselves, unwinding from the session.

Beth didn’t say a word to any of them.

She just grabbed her bag, slung it over her shoulder, and left.

Beth had barely settled onto the couch, flipping through the channels, mindlessly scrolling for something decent to watch.

She wasn’t really paying attention—her mind was still stuck on training, on how bad she had been, on how she let her frustration bleed into everything.

She stopped when she saw Love Island was on.

She didn’t even like the show that much, but at least it was mindless. Something to distract herself.

She sighed, sinking further into the couch, her fingers hovering over her phone.

She knew she’d been a bit of an asshole to Viv today.

Not on purpose.

Viv had just been there when she was mad at herself, and Beth had pushed her away the way she always did when things weren’t going right.

She had been meaning to text her.

To apologize.

She just needed a little more time to cool off.

Then—the doorbell rang.

Beth frowned, glancing toward the door.

She wasn’t expecting anyone.

She got up, walking over and pulling it open—

And there was Viv, standing there with a grocery bag in her hands.

Beth blinked, caught completely off guard.

Viv shifted slightly, giving her a small, hesitant smile.

"Hey," Viv said softly.

Beth stared at her for a second too long.

"Hey," she echoed.

Viv lifted the grocery bag slightly, adjusting her grip.

"Can I come in?" she asked, voice calm but tentative, like she wasn’t sure if she was welcome.

Beth hesitated for half a second before stepping aside.

"Yeah, of course."

Viv walked in, moving toward the kitchen, and Beth shut the door behind her, still a little confused.

She followed Viv in, watching as she started unpacking the bag, setting ingredients on the counter like this was the most normal thing in the world.

Beth leaned against the counter, crossing her arms.

“Did we make plans?” she asked.

Viv glanced at her, shaking her head.

“No.”

Beth narrowed her eyes slightly. “Then…?”

Viv sighed, pulling out a package of pasta and setting it down before finally looking at Beth.

"I just…" She trailed off, then let out a small breath before finishing, "I just knew you were too upset to cook."

Beth stared at her.

Something inside her twisted.

It wasn’t even the words themselves—it was the way Viv had said them.

So certain. So unbothered by Beth’s moods, by Beth’s sharp edges, by the way Beth had pushed her away earlier.

She had just showed up.

Beth cleared her throat, shifting slightly.

"You think I’d starve?" she muttered.

Viv smirked, shaking her head.

"No," she said, pulling out more ingredients. "I think you’d have ordered something unhealthy and called it dinner."

Beth scoffed, but her lips twitched.

"Fair point."

Viv grabbed a cutting board, starting to chop vegetables with the kind of ease that made Beth suspect she actually knew what she was doing.

Beth watched her for a moment, something warm settling in her chest.

Then she sighed, rubbing a hand over her face.

"Look, Viv…" Beth hesitated, then exhaled.

Viv glanced up at her.

Beth swallowed. "I was actually about to text you."

Viv raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

Beth nodded.

"To say sorry," she admitted, voice softer now, more careful.

Viv’s hands paused, the knife hovering over the cutting board for a second.

She looked at Beth again, waiting.

Beth let out another breath, shifting on her feet. "I didn’t mean to be a dick earlier. I was just—"

"Frustrated," Viv finished for her.

Beth huffed out a small laugh, shaking her head.

"Yeah," she muttered.

Viv studied her for a second.

Then she just nodded, going back to chopping like Beth’s apology had been enough.

Beth blinked.

"That’s it?" she asked, eyebrows raised.

Viv smirked slightly, not looking up. "What else do you want? A punishment?"

Beth scoffed, rolling her eyes. "You could at least let me feel guilty for a little longer."

Viv finally looked at her, amusement flickering in her expression.

"You want me to tell you that you were awful and that I almost never wanted to speak to you again?"

Beth grinned despite herself.

"Wouldn’t hurt."

Viv chuckled, shaking her head. "Beth, I get it. I know how you are when you’re frustrated. And yeah, it was shitty to be on the receiving end of it, but I also know it wasn’t really about me."

Beth felt her stomach twist a little more.

She sighed, hopping up onto the counter, watching Viv work.

"Still," she muttered. "I was a dick."

Viv glanced up, meeting her eyes.

"Yeah," she said simply.

Beth let out a small, breathy laugh.

Viv smirked. "But you’re a dick I like."

Beth froze for half a second.

The words weren’t even that serious—they were playful, teasing, but something about the way Viv said them, the way her voice softened at the end, made Beth’s breath catch.

Beth held her gaze for just a second longer than necessary before looking down at the cutting board.

"What are we making, chef?" she asked, shifting the subject before she could think too much about it.

Viv let the moment pass, shaking her head as she reached for the pasta.

"Pasta. Something actually good for you."

Beth smirked. "You’re really that worried about my nutrition?"

Viv didn’t even look up this time.

"No. I just like cooking, and you clearly need to eat something that’s not takeaway for once."

Beth hummed, swinging her legs lightly.

"You do know I was about to text you, right?" Beth asked.

Viv sighed dramatically. "Yes, Beth, you already said that."

Beth smiled, but something about this felt different now.

She felt lighter.

Like maybe she hadn’t messed things up too badly after all.

Like maybe Viv was exactly what she needed tonight.

The kitchen was quiet now, save for the soft clinking of plates and the faint hum of the TV in the background.

Beth wiped down the counter, moving in sync with Viv, who was drying the last of the dishes.

Neither of them spoke much, but the silence wasn’t uncomfortable.

It was just there, settling between them like something unspoken but understood.

Beth had relaxed a little—her shoulders weren’t as tense, her jaw wasn’t clenched anymore. The frustration from earlier hadn’t completely faded, but it wasn’t suffocating her now.

Viv leaned against the counter once she was done, arms crossing over her chest, watching Beth with something unreadable in her expression.

Beth caught it out of the corner of her eye and turned toward her. “What?”

Viv hesitated.

Then, after a beat, she exhaled slowly.

“Let me say something,” Viv murmured. “And please—don’t interrupt, and don’t get upset.”

Beth’s eyebrows raised slightly, but she stayed quiet, her curiosity winning over her usual instinct to argue.

She rested her hands against the counter, tilting her head slightly, waiting.

Viv held her gaze.

"I know it sucks to play bad," she started, voice gentle but firm, careful but steady. "I know it sucks when you have a shitty practice. And even though you’re right—I don’t know what it’s like to have my spot at risk—I do know one thing."

Beth didn’t look away.

Viv’s fingers curled slightly against her forearm, like she was bracing herself before she said it.

"You’re going to be at the Euros."

Beth’s breath hitched slightly, just enough for Viv to notice.

Viv swallowed, keeping her voice even.

"And for what I can influence, I will help you score. I’ll give you as many assists as I can, I’ll make sure you shine. So tomorrow, when you step onto that pitch, play with that. Play with the knowledge that you deserve to be there. And that if you step on that field with the mentality that you’re the best winger, then you can be the best winger."

Beth’s stomach twisted, but not in a bad way.

She just… stared at Viv.

Because Viv wasn’t just saying it to make her feel better.

She meant it.

Beth could see it in her eyes.

Viv shifted slightly under Beth’s gaze, misinterpreting the silence.

Her fingers tapped against the counter.

"Sorry," Viv muttered, voice quieter now. "If that was too much, I just—"

Before she could finish, Beth stepped forward and hugged her.

Viv went completely still.

For half a second, she didn’t react, didn’t even breathe.

Then—**slowly, carefully, like she wasn’t sure if she was allowed to—**she hugged Beth back.

Beth squeezed her tighter, pressing her face into Viv’s shoulder for a moment.

Viv wasn’t good at this.

Beth knew that.

Viv was awkward with physical affection, always hesitating, always second-guessing.

But right now?

Right now, she just held Beth like it was easy.

Like she had been waiting for Beth to let her.

They stayed like that for longer than either of them expected.

Beth finally pulled away, just slightly, just enough to meet Viv’s gaze.

"Thank you," she murmured.

Viv swallowed, nodding once, her throat working as she exhaled.

"Yeah," she whispered back.

Beth let out a small, almost breathless laugh, shaking her head slightly.

Then, still close, still not quite ready to step away, she smirked.

"And you better actually pass me the ball, Miedema."

Viv huffed out a quiet laugh, rolling her eyes. "Oh, shut up."

She glanced at the clock on the wall, rubbing the back of her neck. "Alright, I should get going. Need to rest."

Beth sighed dramatically, leaning against the counter. "Look at you, being responsible."

Viv rolled her eyes, smirking. "One of us has to be."

Beth huffed out a small laugh, but there was something softer beneath it now, something she wasn’t used to feeling when she looked at Viv.

Viv grabbed her jacket from the back of the chair, sliding it on, then reached for her bag.

Before she stepped toward the door, she paused, glancing at Beth again.

"I mean it," Viv murmured, voice quieter now, more serious.

Beth tilted her head slightly. "Mean what?"

Viv held her gaze.

"I can’t wait to see you be the best winger tomorrow."

Beth felt something settle deep in her chest, something she wasn’t sure she was ready to name.

She swallowed, then let out a breathy chuckle, trying to play off how much those words actually meant to her.

"Well, if I’m not, that’s on you for not giving me the ball," Beth teased.

Viv rolled her eyes but smiled anyway.

"Goodnight, Beth," she said, stepping toward the door.

Beth watched her for a moment, then, just before Viv opened it, she called out—

"Viv."

Viv stopped, turning back. "Yeah?"

Beth hesitated for half a second.

Then, finally—"Thank you."

Viv’s lips parted slightly, like she wasn’t expecting that.

Then she gave Beth one last look, something unreadable flickering across her face before she nodded once.

And with that, she left.

Beth stood there for a moment after the door shut, staring at the empty space where Viv had been.

She sighed, running a hand through her hair before finally pushing off the counter and heading to her room.

Beth hadn’t felt like this in so long.

From the first whistle, everything had clicked—her movement, her decision-making, her confidence. The ball felt like an extension of herself, her runs were sharp, her touches clean, and for the first time in what felt like forever, she wasn’t thinking—she was just playing.

And she was playing damn well.

By the time the final whistle blew, Arsenal had secured a dominant win. The energy on the pitch was electric, teammates celebrating, hugs and high-fives exchanged. But Beth barely registered anything beyond the rush of adrenaline coursing through her.

This. This was what she had been missing.

She was radiating.

As they walked off the pitch, she could feel the energy pulsing through her veins, the pure joy of knowing she had played one of her best games in ages.

She had scored. She had assisted. She had felt unstoppable.

And she knew exactly who to thank for that.

The Arsenal locker room was buzzing with energy.

Laughter, music, the sound of boots being tossed into bags—everyone was in high spirits. They needed this win.

Beth had barely sat down when she turned toward Viv, who was sitting next to her, looking effortlessly relaxed as always.

Beth grinned, still glowing from the match, and let out a very happy, giddy—

"Hey."

Viv turned toward her, smirking slightly. "Hey."

Beth let out a breath, shaking her head. "You know who just talked to me?"

Viv tilted her head, amusement in her eyes. "No, you still haven’t told me."

Beth grinned even wider, barely able to contain her excitement.

"Sarina. She just told me she loved my game today."

Viv’s lips curled into a small, genuine smile. "Yeah? Well, she’s right."

Beth beamed.

Viv nudged her knee lightly. "It was nice to finally have a really good winger today."

Beth let out a breathy laugh, shaking her head. "Well, I can say the same about our striker."

Viv smirked, shrugging. "Well, you always have a good striker."

Beth snorted. "People who say you’re humble clearly don’t know you."

Viv chuckled, completely unbothered.

Beth leaned in slightly, still buzzing with energy.

"Alright, I have an invitation for you," she announced dramatically.

Viv sighed, already shaking her head. "Oh god, you and these invitations."

Beth grinned. "Me and the sushi crew are going out for dinner to celebrate, and I want to invite you."

Viv hesitated, shifting slightly.

Beth could see it—the split-second of uncertainty, the instinct to say no.

So she didn’t give her the chance.

She grabbed Viv’s arm, squeezing lightly. "Please, please, please. I really want you there."

Viv exhaled, giving her a half-hearted glare, but Beth could see the edges of a smile forming.

Viv sighed. "Fine. Where is it?"

Beth celebrated her victory immediately, throwing her arms around Viv in a quick, excited hug.

"Downtown, the same restaurant the team went to last year," Beth said, pulling back, still grinning. "Eight o’clock. Be there."

Viv rolled her eyes, but nodded.

"I’ll be there."

Viv stood outside the restaurant, shifting her weight from one foot to the other, her fingers tapping idly against the strap of her bag.

She had debated showing up for a solid ten minutes before actually coming.

It wasn’t that she didn’t want to be here—she did. Beth had asked, and for some reason, when Beth asked, Viv found herself saying yes more than she usually would.

But now, standing outside the restaurant, staring at the door, she felt that familiar hesitation creeping in.

She wasn’t great at these things.

Socializing with just one or two people? That was fine.

But Beth, Jen, Steph, and Jordan all together? That was a lot.

Viv let out a small breath, telling herself she was being ridiculous.

She had spent years with these people—on the pitch, in the locker room, traveling, training—but somehow, this felt different.

And she wasn’t sure why.

She took a small step toward the door, steeling herself—

But before she could reach for the handle, a voice sounded behind her.

"So… are you just a fan of standing outside restaurants, or?"

Viv startled slightly, turning quickly—

Beth stood there, hands in the pockets of her jacket, a knowing smirk tugging at her lips.

Viv rolled her eyes, trying to play it off.

"Just taking in the view," she muttered.

Beth grinned. "Right. Totally normal thing to do before walking into a restaurant."

Viv shrugged, acting unbothered, though she knew Beth saw right through her.

Beth stepped beside her, nudging her arm lightly.

"Come on," Beth said, a softness in her voice that Viv noticed but didn’t acknowledge. "Let’s go in."

Viv exhaled, nodded once, and followed.

The moment they stepped inside, the sound of laughter and chatter filled the space, the warm lighting making the restaurant feel cozy, lively.

Beth easily found their table, leading Viv toward it.

As soon as they approached, Jen, Steph, and Jordan greeted them instantly.

"Viv! You made it!" Jen said with a grin, raising her drink slightly.

Viv nodded, giving a small smile. "Yeah, figured I should see what all the hype was about."

Beth smirked, pulling out a chair beside Jen before gesturing for Viv to sit next to her.

Viv hesitated for half a second, then sat down, her body relaxing slightly once she was seated.

The conversation at the table was already flowing easily.

Beth leaned forward slightly, joining in. "Alright, tell me this—who’s actually winning the Euros?"

Jordan scoffed. "We are, obviously."

Viv raised an eyebrow. "The last time I checked, we were the last ones to win it."

Beth let out a laugh. "Okay, that’s fair."

Viv smirked. "Thank you."

Steph rolled her eyes. "I’m just happy I don’t have to stress about any of it."

Beth grinned. "Yeah, must be nice, huh?"

Jen sighed dramatically, shaking her head. "For once, I agree with Steph. No stress, no pressure. Just watching from the couch with snacks."

Beth laughed. "So you’re both just gonna sit back and critique us?"

Steph smirked. "Absolutely."

Viv chuckled, shaking her head. "I think I’d rather be playing."

Beth leaned toward Viv slightly, smirking. "Guess we’ll just have to see who gets more goals then, huh?"

Viv tilted her head, playing along. "Are we making this a personal challenge now?"

Beth shrugged, sipping her drink. "Maybe."

As the conversation moved between topics, Steph and Jen exchanged glances across the table.

They had both noticed something.

Beth and Viv weren’t doing anything obvious—but there was a certain ease between them, a way they kept looking at each other, a way their body language leaned toward one another, unconsciously pulling them closer.

Beth would nudge Viv’s knee lightly under the table when she made a joke.

Viv would smirk in response, her fingers brushing against her glass, eyes lingering just a second longer than necessary.

Beth laughed at something Viv muttered under her breath, her head tilting toward her, completely focused on Viv even with all the noise around them.

And specially when Beth leaned in slightly.

"So… what do you think?" Beth asked, voice just a little lower now. "Good choice of restaurant?"

Viv exhaled softly, her lips twitching.

"Yeah," she murmured. "Good choice."

Beth smiled.

And Steph, Jen, and Jordan?

They absolutely noticed.

Beth had just settled onto her couch, a satisfied sigh leaving her lips as she stretched out.

It had been a good day.

A damn good day.

One of her best games in ages. A glowing review from Sarina. A celebratory dinner with her friends.

Everything about the day had left her feeling lighter, happier, at ease in a way she hadn’t felt in a long time.

She grabbed her phone, absently scrolling through social media, seeing all the match reactions, the team’s posts, the fans buzzing.

And then—her phone started vibrating relentlessly.

A flood of notifications, one after the other.

She frowned, unlocking her phone, only to see a very active group chat flashing at the top of her screen.

📲 "Steph & Jen & Beth 👀"

Beth exhaled sharply through her nose.

She already had a bad feeling about this.

She opened the chat.

Steph: Sooooo… 👀👀👀

Jen: Are you gonna tell us or do we have to guess?

Beth: What are you on about?

Steph: Oh please.

Jen: Don’t act innocent.

Beth: Genuinely no idea what you’re talking about.

Steph: Unbelievable. Truly.

Jen: Alright, fine. We’ll make it easy for you.

Steph: BETH. WHAT’S GOING ON WITH YOU AND VIV?

Beth stared at her screen, fingers hovering over the keyboard, her mind suddenly too blank and too full all at once.

Was it really that obvious?

Had she really been that obvious?

She knew she had felt… the other day.

That shift—that small moment where she caught herself looking at Viv a little differently, where the usual teasing felt like it meant something more, but it was just a moment everyone has those moments.

But was it that obvious?

Did Viv also notice?

Beth ran a hand down her face, letting out a slow breath.

She couldn’t let herself spiral over this.

This was Steph and Jen.

They thrived on teasing.

That’s all this was.

She shook her head, finally typing out a reply.

Beth: You two are actually insane.

Steph: And you’re actually avoiding the question.

Jen: Classic deflection, really.

Beth: There’s literally nothing going on.

Steph: Sure.

Jen: Beth.

Beth: WHAT?

Jen: Look, all I’m saying is… just be careful, okay?

Beth frowned at her phone, her stomach twisting slightly.

Jen: Viv literally just ended things with Lisa.

Steph: Yeah, she might just be figuring stuff out.

Jen: And maybe she just needs a friend right now. Not… whatever it is you’re feeling.

Beth stared at her screen for a long time.

Beth stared at the screen, her grip on her phone loose, her thoughts spiraling faster than she wanted them to.

Jen’s words shouldn’t have gotten to her like this.

But they had.

And now, she couldn’t stop thinking about it.

About the way she had felt tonight—a little too aware of Viv, a little too drawn in.

About the way it felt good to have her there, to hear her teasing voice, to see her smirk aimed just at her.

But that didn’t mean anything.

It didn’t.

She was just… excited about a new friendship.

That was all.

Right?

Beth exhaled, shaking her head to herself.

Viv probably didn’t feel anything different.

She had just broken up with Lisa.

She was probably just leaning on Beth as a friend, someone safe, someone easy to be around.

And Beth?

Beth was just being stupid.

It was just a small crush.

Nothing more.

Nothing serious.

Just a moment of… whatever this was.

It would pass.

Beth nodded to herself, as if that settled it.

Then she grabbed her phone, sending one last text before locking it and tossing it onto the couch.

Beth: You guys are reading into things too much. It’s just Viv.

Steph: Riiiight.

Jen: Whatever you say, Beth.

Beth: I hate both of you.

Beth sighed, shaking her head.

She wasn’t going to overthink this.

Viv was just her friend.

And that was all it would ever be.

Right?