The moment had arrived when F/N's teammates decided it was time to let them in on a little secret. that the Lionesses had a tendency to "baby" them from time to time. It had been a source of amusement among the team and they couldn't resist spilling the beans.
One evening, while the teams was gathered in their hotel room, Rice, Grealish, Foden and Pickford sat F/N down for a serious discussion, or so it seemed. They all wore exaggerated, stern expressions that F/N couldn't help but find suspicious.
"F/N" Declan Rice began, his voice grave, "there's something we need to talk to you about."
F/N raised an eyebrow, glancing around at their friends. "What's going on?"
Jack Grealish leaned forward, placing a hand on F/N's shoulder for dramatic effect. "You see, mate, we've noticed something... peculiar."
Phil Foden chimed in with an equally serious tone. "It's about the Lionesses, F/N. They seem to have a soft spot for you."
Jordan Pickford nodded gravely. "A very, very soft spot."
F/N's confusion deepened. "Soft spot? What are you guys talking about?"
Declan Rice cleared his throat and then began to recount some rather amusing incidents involving the Lionesses. "Remember that time Bronze tied your shoelaces during practice?"
*FLASHBACK*
"Oi, F/N," she called, her voice carrying across the field.
F/N looked up, Their brow furrowing in confusion. "Yeah, Lucy?"
Lucy, not one to beat around the bush, simply bent down and began to tie F/N's shoelaces, Much to F/N's confused face
"Lucy, I've got it," F/N protested, trying to pull their foot away, but Lucy's grip was firm.
"Nonsense," she replied playfully slapping their boot to signal stop moving. "We can't have you tripping over your own shoelaces, can we? Safety first, mate."
The male players couldn't help but watch the spectacle, their amusement growing with each passing moment. F/N's protests grew more and more comical as they tried to wriggle out of Lucy's grasp.
"Lucy, seriously, I can tie my own shoelaces," They insisted, but Lucy was having none of it.
"There you go," she declared triumphantly, having successfully tied a perfect knot. She gave Jack's boot a playful pat. "All done. You're welcome." Lucy said with a smile and ran back on the pitch
F/N sighed in disbelief , realizing that there was no arguing with Lucy's determined instincts.
*FLASHBACK END*
F/N's eyes widened in realization. "...........that was one time.......well she still does it" they looked down scratching the back of their head
Jack Grealish couldn't contain his laughter. "And what about when Millie Bright offered to carry your bags after training because they looked heavy?"
*FLASHBACK*
"Oi, F/N," she called out, her voice carrying across the hallway. "Need a hand with that?"
F/N, determined to prove that they could handle their bag on their own, shook their head vigorously. "Nah, I've got it Millie. Thanks though."
But Millie was having none of it. Ignoring F/N's protest, she strolled over to them, a confident grin on her face. she grabbed the heavy bag, hoisted it onto her shoulder and began to carry it up the stairs with ease.
F/N stood there, their mouth agape, watching in awe as Millie Bright effortlessly managed what they had struggled with just moments ago. Rachel Daly who was walking with Bright couldn't help but chuckle at the sight.
But Millie wasn't finished. Once she had deposited F/N's bag at the top of the stairs, she turned back to him with a mischievous glint in her eye.
"Alright, F/N, hop on!" she declared.
F/N, baffled and unsure of what she meant, "Hop on what?"
Without Warning, Rachel lightly pushed F/N into Millie who simply crouched down and pick them up onto her shoulders into a firemens carry
F/N's eyes widened in disbelief. "You've got to be joking!" They said turning red in the cheeks as Millie walked up the stars
As they reached the top of the stairs, Jack Grealish, who had been nursing a hangover in a nearby room and had wandered out to see what the commotion was about, stood there, wide-eyed and utterly baffled by the sight before him.
He rubbed his eyes, thinking he must be seeing things due to the remnants of his hangover. Without a word, he turned on his heel and quietly slipped away, leaving the scene behind.
*FLASHBACK END*
F/N covered thier face "She didnt put me down till we got to my hotel room door"
Phil Foden added with a grin, "Or when Hemp gave you THAT pep talk?"
*FLASHBACK*
"F/N" F/N who was sitting at a pub watching a game turned to see Lauren Hemp. her tone filled with the conviction of a big sister, "you've got this. You just need to walk up to them, look them in the eye and be confident."
F/N, slightly bewildered by Lauren's words, furrowed their brow. "Huh? What are you talking about, Lauren?"
Lauren leaned in closer, giving F/N an encouraging nod. "Don't be shy, F/N. Just go for it. We're all here to support you."
Y/N, still a bit perplexed, glanced back at the television screen and then back at Lauren. "Are you ok?, Lauren? I'm just watching the match."
Lauren, not one to back down, was convinced she had caught Y/n in the act of asking out a stranger. "Come on, Y/N! Life's too short. Ask them out!"
F/N's confusion deepened, but before they could explain that they was not interested in anyone at the bar, Lauren, with an encouraging pat on the back, said, "You've got this. Just be yourself."
With that, Lauren Hemp left the pub, leaving a bemused F/N and a chuckling Phil Foden in her wake.
F/N turned to Foden with an incredulous expression. "Did she just...?"
Foden burst into laughter, shaking his head. "I think she thought you were about to make a move on someone at the bar, mate."
*FLASHBACKEND *
Jordan Pickford chuckled. "And let's not forget Mary , who made you a cup of tea and said you needed to relax after a tough match."
*FLASHBACK*
"F/N, you look like you could use a pick me up. How about a nice cup of tea?"
F/N, always appreciative of a comforting cuppa, nodded gratefully. "That sounds perfect, Mary. Thanks."
Mary bustled about, preparing a cup of tea with precision and care. handed the steaming cup to F/N, but she leaned in with a whisper.
"F/N, I have to give you a piece of advice," she began, her tone serious.
F/N raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "What's that?"
Mary's expression grew solemn as she leaned in closer. "Promise me, you'll never, ever drink Lipton tea."
F/N blinked in surprise. Lipton tea? It wasn't their favourite brand anyway, but Mary's dramatic warning piqued his curiosity.
"Why not, Mary?" they asked, playing along.
"Because it's just not proper tea, F/N. You deserve better."
F/N couldn't help but burst into laughter at Mary's playful theatrics. "Don't worry, Mary, I'll steer clear of Lipton. I wouldn't want to offend the tea gods."
Mary grinned, satisfied with her mission accomplished. "That's the spirit, F/N. Stick to the good stuff."
*FLASHBACK END*
As the stories continued to flow, F/N's face shifted from confusion to a mix of embarrassment and amusement. They couldn't believe they had never noticed these "babying" moments from the Lionesses before.
"You guys are having a laugh, right? Has Jack been on a pub crawl with you guys again?" F/N said, realizing and trying to deny that they had been on the receiving end of some well-intentioned but sometimes humorous acts of care from their female counterparts.
The room erupted in laughter as their friends confirmed the truth of their stories. "Mate, you're like the Lionesses' little Sibling!" Grealish exclaimed, still chuckling.
F/N couldn't help but think of all the moments they didn't mention. "Well, I guess I never really noticed. They ain't that bad, are they?"
The next day, during the joint training session where both the men's and women's teams were on the field together, F/N couldn't help but notice the subtle instances of "babying" from the Lionesses. It seemed like their friends had opened their eyes to something they had been blissfully oblivious to.
As they stretched before practice, Lucy Bronze offered them a water bottle and reminded them to stay hydrated and double checked to see if F/N shoelaces were tied, earning F/N a playful jab from Harry Kane who basically said "see" with his facial expression. Millie Bright flashed them a knowing smile when she saw them tying his shoelaces and Lauren Hemp couldn't resist giving them a thumbs-up from across the field when he put on yellow bip on.
During drills, The team had some free time to do a game and F/N swapped places with Ramsdale letting F/N go in goal. Mary Earps called out encouragement to them as they made a save, her words carrying across the field. The rest of the women's team were equally supportive, offering F/N high-fives and words of encouragement that were just a tad more enthusiastic than usual.
After a gruelling training session, as the players gathered to cool down and chat, F/N found himself surrounded by the Lionesses, each offering their own version of friendly advice and care.
"F/N, don't forget to ice that ankle!" Lauren Hemp said with a grin.
Lucy Bronze patted them on the back and said, "You were amazing out there today, young one."
Millie Bright chimed in, "Make sure you eat a good meal, F/N. We don't want you getting too tired."
Mary Earps gave them a wink. "And get a good night's sleep, alright? No late-night gaming sessions."
F/N couldn't help but laugh at the attention they were receiving. "Alright, alright, I get it! I'll take care of myself."
Sterling: "This is mad"
F/N male friends, who had been observing the interactions, couldn't resist but watch the lionesses surround F/N.
Sancho: "Yeah its like F/N is their child"
The group watched as F/N made eye contact with them and made a face saying help me. To which the group of Sterling, Sancho, Jack, Foden and Saka turned thier backs leaving a betrayed look on F/N's face
Saka: "You guys are never gonna let them hear the end of this are you?"
Grealish: "You are correct, The young cub needs to learn" Jack said in a playful voice as Foden gasped
Foden: "Oh my days. F/N is the lionesses's cub" The group laughed at the new nickname and the accuracy of the name
Throughout the day, the nickname "the Lionesses cub" stuck and spread to all the male footballers and staff even Serena Wiegman was told by Southgate. The men couldn't wait to announce the name to F/N
Later a team meeting was held in a spacious conference room and it was a special occasion where both the men's and women's teams were gathered together. Gareth Southgate and Serena Wiegman, the respective managers were present.
As the meeting progressed, the topic of team dynamics and bonding was discussed. Serena Wiegman, with a twinkle in her eye took a moment to address the combined group.
"Before we continue," Serena began, "I think it's important to recognize the strong bonds that have formed between our teams. We've become more than just teammates; we're like a family."
Gareth Southgate nodded in agreement, acknowledging the sentiment. "Absolutely. Our collective spirit and support for each other are what make us stronger on and off the field."
Serena then turned her attention to F/N, who was sitting among their male teammates. "Speaking of which, I believe there's a certain matter we need to address."
All eyes turned to F/N, who looked genuinely terrified as both teams starred at them but slightly curious. They had a sinking feeling that they were about to be the center of attention once again.
Serena smiled warmly at F/N. "L/N, it has come to our attention that you have a new nickname within the team, one that reflects the unique care and camaraderie we share."
Y/N: "this can't be good"
Gareth Southgate, who couldn't hide a grin, decided to spill the beans. "Y/N, from this day forward, you shall be known as 'the Lionesses' cub.'"
The room burst into laughter, and even Serena couldn't help but chuckle at the playful reaction. F/N, their face turning red and became frozen.
They hadn't expected the managers to join in on the teasing. The room erupted in laughter, both from the men and women players.
Alessia Russio and Toone exchanged a mischievous glance, clearly enjoying the moment. Lucy Bronze couldn't help but grin, and Millie Bright covered her mouth to stifle a giggle. Mary Earps laughing as she thinks how this can be turned into a TikTok.
Later that night Alessia Russio and Toone sat together on the training field, "I mean, I could tie my own shoelaces, but Lucy was so adamant about it."
Russio nodded, laughing at Toone's comment. "I remember Lauren Hemp giving me a whole speech about confidence and pick up lines"
They both turned to see a rather unamused F/N in the distance. What caught their attention even more was the sight of Fran Kirby, standing on her tiptoes, holding a handheld fan to F/N's face, trying to cool him down.
THE END
Wanted to try something new and thought why not do something with both the lions and lionesses. i hope you guys enjoyed and if you want more let me know. feedback is always accpeted too
Sorry for spelling mistakes and bad grammer