Woso Imagines

Was it worth it? - Alexia Putellas

Prompt - the national team situation puts a strain on Alexia's relationship

A/N: This is fictional, a story, please remember that, no matter how much my brain ran away with me...

*

It pained you to even admit it, but Alexia, La Reina herself, had changed for the worse.

First was the hair.

Now you weren't totally averse to the blonde, you actually quite liked it but the pink she'd promised to and eventually dyed it when Barca won the Champions League was the first step of many in the wrong direction because along with the hair came the barrage of photo shoots and interviews due to an unsolicited amount of sponsorships.

You had to admit she looked rather attractive in those pictures, she was still your girlfriend after all however that was more often than not the most you saw of her, on a screen or in a magazine, on a bus advertisement even, leaving you and Nala alone from the minute you woke up to the minute you tumbled into bed again.

Celebrating was completely understandable after the season and successes the team had, you couldn't deny that but soon the partying excessive and again left you going days without seeing so much as a whisper of the midfielder.

And then the pièce de résistance, the cherry on the cake, the crescendo to everything... the RFEF.

It was now well known how badly the Spanish players were treated by their own federation, their own manager and with the World Cup coming up, the players both sidelined and otherwise were relying on their captain to back them and stand up for what was right, to be the shining light in a conflict where it was imperative that change was implemented.

However your girlfriend was too lost in her own little world of photoshoots and parties to notice and you could only sit back and watch hopelessly as it completely slipped her mind.

None of this was the Alexia you knew and had grown to love more than anything on this planet.

You couldn't understand how this football obsessed woman, whose idea of relaxing was to watch the game she'd just played over and over again until she could predict every little movement with her eyes closed, the Barcelona loving captain everyone knew world over could flip a switch almost overnight and become a shadow of her former self.

Where the fiercely protective midfielder, who wouldn't stand for any hate or injustices against herself or her teammates had gone, you didn't quite know.

"Hola amor".

Alexia sounded chipper as ever as she closed and locked the door behind her despite the sunglasses covering her eyes, yesterday's clothes and the strong smell of vodka and tequila indicating that she had been out all night partying again.

You remained silent, Nala asleep in your lap, unfazed by the return of her former favourite.

The smell of alcohol only gets stronger as your girlfriend gets closer, leaning down to kiss you which you narrowly avoid by moving your head to the side so her lips hit your cheek instead. Alexia is too hungover to notice and so you choose to put some distance between you, Nala safely curled on the sofa as you head for the kitchen and fish out a bottle of water and some painkillers.

"Drink" you order, hoping to sober her up before you continue, folding your arms and leaning against the counter behind you.

Only once she has drunk a significant amount and taken said painkillers does the captain remove her sunglasses, squinting as her eyes adjust to the late morning sunshine, "bon dia" she smiles, "bona tarda" you correct her, watching as the oven clock ticks over.

"Where have you been?" you ask softly, because and you could curse yourself for it, even after everything, deep down you still loved her, "out" she replies.

You sigh, this wasn't going to be easy, it never was as every time Alexia came home like this, just to get one simple answer from her felt like pulling teeth, "where Alexia?" you ask again, pinching the bridge of your nose, "I was worried about you. Dios mío, I got a text from Alba saying she left you in Manuelas around three and that you showed no signs of slowing down. Can you explain that?".

Lifting your head, your eyes meet Alexia's, her chin resting on her hand and staring like she's never seen you before, "no puedo recordar" she frowns.

Great. Just great.

"Alexia, you can't go on like this. I don't know who you are any more!" you state and she recoils slightly at your raised voice, "yo soy tu novia" she replies.

Shaking your head, you point to the picture frames on the gallery wall, "no, that's my girlfriend! Alexia Putellas is my girlfriend, La Reina de Barcelona is my girlfriend. She lives, eats and breathes football!! She cannot go a day without watching a game or swatting up on her next opponents. Alexia Putellas thinks the endless hours she spends studying the game is, of all things, fun!!".

You pause, features softening when her eyes fill with tears and filling you with the overwhelming need to be closer to her, leaning over the island to cup her cheek, "my Alexia loved to spend nights in cuddled up on the sofa, she would beg me to sit with her while she watched a film and even crawl into my lap just because she missed me" both smiling at the recollection as the midfielder leans into your touch.

"My Alexia loves so fiercely. She loves with her whole heart and soul and she would do absolutely anything for the people she loves, no matter what" you pause again, thinking of how best to say it.

"People need their captain Alexia, perhaps more than ever and they're looking to you as their captain to provide that support and stability but instead you're coming home hungover every morning. I don't know how much longer I can take seeing you like this, et necessito... por favor" you plead, switching between your two mother tongues.

Resting your forehead against Alexia's, you hope that she can sense the gravity of the situation and the mess she is in, hoping that she can come her senses on her own, in her own time.

*