«You've given me more than I can return. Yet there's oh so much that you deserve.»
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His arms wrapped tightly around her waist. Alexandra didn't mind he smelled completely terrible and was covered in sweat from head to toes; she felt happy for him –and partially for her, she couldn't wait to get home and laugh to Antonio's face. His teammates chanted his name out loud in the locker room but Antoine was too comfortable hugging Alexandra as if his life depended on it to go to them. After a couple of minutes, both decided to take some distance, even though he was still holding her waist with his arms and she had her palms on his chest.
"You scored...twice" She said whit exhilaration. He slowly nodded as if what happened in the game were a dream.
"I scored twice" Antoine confirmed.
"When you scored the first one and Saúl kissed your forehead, because yes, I could see that from where I was standing, I wanted to run and hug you so badly; I don't know. Antonio texted me some insults in Spanish and when I texted him after the penalty, he never answered back. I don't think I've ever loved you more than today" She admitted.
"Do you think I should send today's ball to your apartment? I have the right to take it home but it sounds funny to tease him like that"
"Oh he would be so mad and that would be amazing. I definitely think you should do it" She was way too over-excited.
She wounded her arms back again around his neck and Antoine buried his face in her neck. She smelled fresh and sweet, exactly what he needed at the moment. Saúl and Fernando came out of the locker room screaming Antoine's name but stopped as soon as they saw the scene in front of them. Fernando loudly coughed, Antoine and Alexandra immediately separated. He ran a hand through his face and she adjusted her work shirt.
"That scene was worthy of a romantic movie" Fernando teased. Antoine's cheeks became even redder than they were before and she rolled her eyes. "You just scored two goals and gave Atlético another semifinal, and you're here hugging her" Alexandra sent him a death glare.
"I like hugging her" Antoine scratched the back of his neck and she grinned. Mostly giving a smug grin to Fernando.
"Believe me I know, but we would love to celebrate with you Antoine. Alexandra, can I borrow him from you?" Antoine looked at her, he wanted to spend more time having her just as closer as before but Fernando was right.
"Wait for me in my car when you're over" He said and she nodded. So we apparently have plans.
Antoine approached Fernando and the aforementioned put his arm around Antoine's shoulders, leading him inside the locker room. Saúl stayed outside and raised a brow to Alexandra, she immediately frowned. Here we go again.
"What?" She asked unaware of what Saúl was thinking.
"You promised you wouldn't ruin his life" He reminded and walked closer to her. "You even lifted your hand"
"I'm not ruining his life; he seems to be pretty happy when I'm around" She shrugged.
"Joder Alexandra, even someone visually impaired could notice he's really into you" She was about to fight that statement but he continued talking. "I don't really know if you're into him too, your face usually shows no emotion; that was a joke" He chuckled but went back to serious mood two seconds later. "If you're not into him, don't get his hopes up"
"We're just friends Saúl, he knows it" Alexandra pointed out. She already had this conversation with Antonio and she knew where her friendship with Antoine was.
Well, she had an idea.
"I want a friendship like that"
"You already have it and with Antoine too" She took out her phone and showed him the HQ picture of him kissing Antoine's forehead. That was probably going to end up being her phone's background. "I think I should print this picture and hang it in Antoine's house or yours, such a cute moment" She laughed loudly.
Her good moment was interrupted by an annoying and unwanted voice. She let out a hearable weary sigh.
"Alexandra, can you please stop wasting your time and help us with the press zone?" She heard Pablo's annoying voice behind her. Saúl looked over her shoulder and gave a death glare to Pablo, Alexandra wanted to laugh but it could cost her the job.
"I need to go" She turned her head and glanced to Pablo. The SOB patted his wristwatch desperately and her eyes rolled.
"Just think about what I said" Alexandra nodded.
Saúl jogged back to the locker room and she hurriedly approached Pablo, he shook his head with a disapproving look and rushed her to the press zone. When she arrived there, the press was interviewing Javier Mascherano so she stood up next to the wall with the sponsors' logos and waited for Atlético de Madrid's players to arrive.
If you're not into him, don't get his hopes up. Saúl's words resounded in her head.
The problem with Alexandra was that she wasn't one hundred percent sure that she didn't feel a single thing for Antoine Griezmann.
Where did the 'there's no room for emotions or friendship' go Alexandra? You can't allow yourself to go back to the basics for a sentimental reason, not right now.
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Alexandra stared attentively at him from the other side of the table. For a moment, the ice cream pot in front of her was the last important thing in the room. She hated Saúl for making her have an internal conflict about Antoine, one that shouldn't be happening because she was supposed to avoid any loving feeling towards him that surpassed friendship. It's so not in the protocol, what are you doing?
By the time, she had already forgotten what they were talking about, something about dogs and sports, she wasn't sure. Alexandra kept seeing his lips moving but she couldn't hear a word he was saying. Antoine looked up to her, his brows furrowed as he saw she was staring at him with eyes wide open, her chin rested on her palm and the only thing he could hear from her was her heavy breathing.
"Alexandra?" He called out.
Alexandra's body gave a little jump and she blinked several times. "Eh?"
"Is everything okay?" He asked with concern in his voice.
"Yeah, I'm still processing your incredible game tonight" She lied, because telling him the truth would probably get his hopes up. If you're not into him, don't get his hopes up. She took a spoonful of ice cream and shoved it in her mouth. "I still don't understand why you didn't go out with the guys to celebrate"
"Just wanted to spend more time with you and I knew you couldn't go out tonight because you have to work tomorrow" He sweetly said. His spoon plunged into the pot of ice cream. "Since you talked with Saúl after Fernando and I left you two alone, you're acting weird. Did he say anything to you that you would like to tell me?"
No, not at all actually.
"You know Saúl's a dickhead, he was just teasing me" Part of her words were true, like the ones that said Saúl was a dickhead. Alexandra glanced down at her phone screen; she was alarmed when she saw the time. "I think I should go, it's very late and Antonio might be worried"
He looked at the time as well and immediately had an idea.
"Why don't you spend the night here? I mean, I doubt there are still taxis and is kind of dangerous to drive at this hour" Why do you have to do things so complicated? "I can lend you some clothes to sleep and drive you tomorrow to the stadium, come on it'll be fun" He said as he saw how she had a doubtful face.
Alexandra thought deeply about his offer before answering.
"I guess you're right" She wanted to prove herself. "Oh you, my hero. Always saving my ass" She decided to put the tension down and at least pretend she felt as normal as always.
"That's what friends are for, aren't they?" She nodded with a smile in her face.
They finished the whole ice cream pot and went upstairs. Antoine searched for something she could wear. His pajamas were too baggy for her so she decided to ask him for a pair of boxers and one of his t-shirts. At the end Antoine lent her some SpongeBob boxers and a big Chicago Bulls jersey he had.
He waited for her in his bed while she changed in the bathroom of his room. His dog was resting on his lap as he whispered her to sleep. Alexandra rolled the doorknob opening the door. She stood under the door frame, waiting for him to look at her.
"Don't I look sexy?" She joked. Antoine's eyes passed from his dog to Alexandra.
You do.
The t-shirt ended exactly at the end of the boxers' fabric. Although the shirt was clearly big for her, it still looked extremely good. Alexandra walked over his bed and sat on it shrugging her legs one over the other; Alfa left Antoine's lap and approached Alexandra, she pursed her lips into a smug smirk to him.
"What a traitor" He complained, looking right to his dog. "Where do you want to sleep?" He asked her.
"Where do you want me to sleep?" One of her eyebrows rose.
"I have an idea" His hand slowly patted the spot next to him. A smirk appeared on his face.
"Do you want me to sleep with you?" Alexandra squinted her eyes.
"This bed has the best mattress in the house, it usually gets too cold at night, the guests' room has not been used in a long time and this will be like having a slumber party" He excitedly told her, Alexandra rolled her eyes. "If you don't like spooning I promise I won't spoon you" Antoine mocked. She actually thought about the idea.
"Okay, but do not try to take the entire blanket to yourself in the middle of the night. I hate when people does that" She pointed her finger to him in warning.
"I never do that!"
"I didn't say you did it, did I?" Antoine twirled his eyes. Alexandra looked down at Alfa. "Where is she sleeping?" She bent her head and kissed his dog's head.
"Alfa always sleeps with me, there's enough space for the three of us in this bed. Just don't crush her if you want to roll and hug me in the night, I usually cause those effects on women. It might be the face" He fooled her; Alexandra threw her head backwards in a fake laugh.
"You wish Griezmann. Now, go and change because I don't want to have eye bags tomorrow. Unlike you, I do have to work" She reminded him.
He sent a grimace to her before locking in the bathroom to change his clothes. Alexandra carefully moved Alfa to the center of the bed and laid in the right side of the bed, where Antoine patted before. She squeezed the pillow a couple of times before resting her head. Antoine came out of the bathroom wearing a plain white shirt and blue plaid pants. Alexandra bit the inside of her cheek to avoid the loud chuckle.
"You wear grandpa's pajamas" She said. Antoine looked down at his pants and funnily frowned.
Antoine turned the lights off; the room was still illuminated by the slight light passing through the blinds. He crawled under the blankets and turned towards her. She was already looking to his side of the bed so both were facing each other. One of the corners of his mouth lifted as he scanned her face.
"Your eyes are so green" He pointed out. Alexandra gave him a sleepy grin before yawning. "And so beautiful. Have I told you your eyes are amazing?" Antoine repeated the question she always asked about his hair.
"Yes, a couple of times" Her eyes were closing. "Your eyes are insanely azure, sometimes they look like grey-blue" She said with her eyes shut.
"You're not even looking at them" He protested.
"I remember your eyes pretty well Antoine, believe me" She said, her eyes still closed.
Antoine flashed her a smile, even though he knew she couldn't see him. "Good because I do the same with yours"
Alexandra opened her eyes to peek at him but now he was the one with his eyes closed. She grinned one last time before closing her eyes again and falling deeply asleep.
At some point in the middle of the night, he unconsciously ended up spooning her. That night was everything but cold.
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A/N: There you go, I think I'm in love with Alexandra Westorn hahahaha.