Sunsets and footballers

Lucy Bronze x Reader (2)

Jordan nodded slowly. YFN could tell it was not a comfortable thing for her – to say she needed help. Not out of pride, but purely out of worry she'd burden others.

They spoke a little more, and Lucy eventually joined them on the couch. She sat on the opposite corner of the couch, with Jordan between the two women. She laid her long, bronze legs out and stretched her arms over the back of couches, partially resting one hand on Jordan's shoulder. Jordan reached up and placed her hand on Lucy's without looking at her. They were definitely close friends.

"So how long are you staying here?" Jordan asked YFN.

Lucy pushed her transparent glasses up the bridge of her nose and answered for her. "2 weeks here, wasn't it?"

YFN nodded, happy that Lucy had paid attention. "2 weeks in England, maybe, and then backpacking Europe. Any of those plans are subject to change though."

"And you don't know anyone here?"

"Nope. Never been here, and I do... I know you two." She gave a cheeky grin.

Jordan laughed. "Isn't that lonely?"

YFN got the impression that Jordan could sometimes be quite direct without realising or meaning it.

"Not at all! I'm old enough to enjoy my independence. No Contiki tours or raves or needing to worry about other people wanting to do things I don't want to. I get to just explore what I want, when I want. And look! I met two footballers." She gave a laugh and shook her head in disbelief.

Jordan turned to Lucy. "She's never heard of either of us before."

Lucy looked sceptical and then seemed to accept it. "You don't follow football?"

"Ah, I do, of course! But my football is called AFL or 'footy' in Australia, and it's an entirely different game, VERY brutal and fast paced."

"I've heard of that but I've never watched any..."

"Oh please.. pull up AFL on YouTube. You won't regret it."

Lucy leaned across Jordan and handed her phone to YFN, their fingers brushing briefly, sending a shiver down her spine. YFN played AFL greatest hits for the two to watch. Their expressions of amazement and pain were hilarious to her as the AFL players crashed into each other, sacrificing their bodies for the ball. She explained the rules to them, and they both seemed quite interested and into it. At their request, she pulled up the latest game and they watched the highlights.

Lucy watched with wide eyes, her mouth slightly open. Jordan laughed and nudged YFN. "You've got a new 'footy' fan in that one!"

"How is that legal?! Are there rules?!" Lucy asked as she leant backward, cringing as a player was knocked unconscious.

"There are rules but as long as you're going for the ball, it doesn't matter if players get injured." She laughed. "In a few states in Australia, they don't even have grass. They play on gravel."

They both turned to her with jaws hanging open. "WHAT."

She laughed again, and the sound made Lucy smile. "If you two ever come over to Australia, please let me know so I can take you to a game. You need to see the MCG! It's huge."

They trio spent the rest of the night laughing and bonding over a surprising amount they had in common. On multiple occasions where Jordan had her head back, laughing hard, Lucy and YFN shared a look and large smiles seeing Jordan so happy. She eventually tired herself out and fell asleep, her little body curled up between the two. They left her like that for a while, her head leaning on Lucy's thigh, and her legs draped across YFN, under a blanket the two shared. Lucy's arm was still over the back of the couch, and YFN was very aware of how close it was. They watched some more TV in silence before Jordan started softly snoring. Lucy and YFN caught each other's eye and both silently laughed. YFN tilted her head, a dimple appearing on one cheek and Lucy sharply inhaled at the sight. YFN gestured towards the door with a gentle expression. Lucy nodded and the two carefully extracted themselves from under Jordan. YFN's only escape path was to move backwards and hoist herself over the back of the couch. The couch tipped slightly and she slipped, her knees still over the couch, Lucy running to catch her before the couch tipped and her head hit the ground. With one hand on the back of her neck and the other under her back, the two were laughing so hard and silently that their bodies were shaking.