Chapter Text
The air smelled of grass and sweat in the arena.
Chloé Charming, the left winger of Auradon’s prestigious football club “KNIGHTS”, was trying her hardest not to lose her patience with her teammates.
After their usual training, Hazel Hook, the troublemaker of their team, surprisingly suggested they test their skills, one of them as a goalkeeper and the other as a striker.
It worked for about…10 minutes, as her teammates started to goof around.
“Guys, come on!” She shouted at them, but they only laughed in response.
Currently, they were trying to...pass the ball to each other by bumping foreheads?
“Captain, they’re right,” A playful yet authoritative voice called out to her. “You’ve been pushing yourselves way too hard!”
“But, Coach Jay-“
“No, buts!” He clamped a hand over her shoulder. “Everyone! You are dismissed from practice until Friday!”
“What?!” She turned to him in horror while her teammates cheered. “This week we need to-“
“You are dismissed too, Captain.”
“Don’t tell me you’re actually upset about this.” Hazel bumped into her as they left the changing room.
“Well,” She started, “The World Cup is in a month; we need to be in our best shape,” she continued, even when Hazel rolled her eyes. “And I want this year to bring the cup home.”
“And if we train nonstop, we won’t be capable of doing that.” She felt the other girl’s hand rub comfortingly on her shoulder. “Trust us, we won’t disappoint you, Captain.” Whispering in her ear, she pressed a quick kiss to her cheek.
“Oh, just go away!” Chloe pushed her away with a laugh, heat pulling at her face.
Her and Luis’ apartment was a refuge she was used to being quiet and relaxing.
Their place was filled with trophies, awards, and diplomas that graced every shelf or wall. Besides their achievements, it was lively. Millions of pairs of shoes were fighting for their place in the cabinet, and both curl routines were taking up half of the bathroom.
It was the place where she could be as boring as she wanted without someone in her ear screaming that she wasn’t living her young years to the fullest. Luckily, Luis was the calmest of her teammates; that’s why they got an apartment together.
Dropping her bag next to the doorframe, she felt exhaustion weighing her down. With faltering steps, she collapsed on her bed, eyes closing without her consent. She would sleep until her alarm at 5 am blared to signal the start of a new day, then struggle to wake Luis up for their morning run, then-
“Wake up!”
She almost fell off her bed when her roommate shouted in her ear. “What?! What happened?!”
“Let’s go out!” Luis responded with a bright smile and excited eyes.
“…I’m a lesbian?” She rubbed her eyes, trying to get rid of the sleepiness.
He laughed heartily, a hand to his stomach, and Chloe just about wanted to punch him. “Not like that, go outside, enjoy the world.”
“If this is about-“
“Come on, Chloe! We are on rest, and you’re going to let those days go by you?”
He was right, and she knew that. She didn’t like it when he was right at all.
With a sigh, she nodded, and he exclaimed with a fist in the air.
“So, where are we going?” She asked as she pulled her letterman jacket over a light blue shirt and black jeans.
Beside her, Luis wore an orange polo with dark brown pants and a leather jacket over his shoulder. Surprisingly, he cut the little beard he was proud of. Well, she couldn’t say that any of them were overjoyed with it either.
“Surprise!” He cheerfully said, spinning his keys on his finger.
“I say, let’s pay Hazel a visit, yeah?” He suggested, clamping a hand over her shoulder before opening his phone to call an Uber.
But why would they need an Uber to get to Hazel’s apartment? She lived 15 minutes from there-
When the car pulled near a bar, she realized that they were visiting Hazel’s workplace.
To cope with the raging economy, their teammate had worked a part-time job at a local bar. She had never invited them directly, but she had complained every day when she had a shift, and that was subtle enough of an invite.
Now, when their salary had risen significantly since they first started in the club, Hazel covered shifts from time to time because she had come to miss her days as a bartender.
Luis, ever the gentleman, opened the door for her, and she nodded before taking it all in.
It was an old-school bar, worn-out red pedestal chairs lined up at the serving table. There was a tiny sign that said servings closed at eleven, and behind the counter was Hazel.
She was wearing a slightly wrinkled button-down, a dark vest hugging her waist, and black pants. Her hair was down, long auburn curls that fell around her shoulders and golden huffs in her hair that pulled anyone’s attention to her.
Chloe was one of those people, eyes soaking her in and trailing across her lips. There used to be some feelings there that never really went away.
“Hazel!” Luis’ shout over the loud music reminded her where she was. “Brought our captain; she’s yours from now on.”
“Charming?” She looked her up and down, surprised and a touch captivated. “Finally came out of your cave?”
Chloe fake-laughed, trying to shake the heat from practically being checked out. “Madrigal here insisted.”
“Good thing he did,” Hazel said in a low tone, a wink thrown her way before she resumed talking to another customer.
“So,” Luis started from next to her, and she almost jumped, “I know there’s some history there, and I also know that you’ve tried to make something out of it.”
“Why are you bringing this up?” she sighed, joining him on the red chairs.
“Because as fun as this is, you know how it ends.” He explained, “All I’m saying is-“
“Decided on what you’re ordering?” Hazel’s playful voice rang out, interrupting him.
“Garibaldi, starting easy,” Luis replied casually, pulling out his phone. “Then, maybe a whiskey?”
“Garibaldi, okay.” Then her deep brown eyes turned to her. “And what do you want, Princess?” She asked, her tone sarcastic as she knew Chloe didn’t drink.
She felt herself flush in embarrassment. “Your lowest alcohol drink, Haze.”
“Coming right up,” Hazel announced, but not before flicking a strand of Chloe’s curls.
“Coming back to my point,” He started. “It didn’t work out then; why would it now?” He reasoned, and in the background, the sound of microphone feedback was heard.
“I don’t know-“ She felt a bit of anger flare up inside her.
“Hey, you might meet someone tonight, yeah?” Luis said suggestively with a smirk, but when his eyes strayed behind her, he grew quiet. She didn’t pay it any mind, focusing more on the ice that slowly melted in her drink.
Suddenly, drums started playing from the karaoke stand, marking the start of a new song. Soon, the strings of a guitar accompanied it.
Then, a voice, a bit raspy but powerful, carried out the first words of the song.
Luis still looked behind her as if he was watching something devastating and beautiful all at once.
Determined, Chloe whipped her head around and, oh, was it beautiful.
On the crappy scene, a redhead dominated the whole bar as she sang “Ain’t it fun” by Paramore. A leather jacket sat boldly on her shoulders, red chunky boots adding to her intimidating height as scarlet waves swung around her with every move. Her long fingers gripped the microphone so intimately, as if it were the one holding her together, that Chloe felt a bit jealous of it.
Beside her, she heard Luis down his drink and quickly order another one. She turned to him, scanning him. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m good-“ his voice was drowned out as the singer hit a high note. He averted his gaze, and Chloe looked toward the girl again.
She was on her knees, mouth at a safe distance from the microphone as she sang, and golden eyes sweeping over the crowd.
Chloe could swear their eyes met once, and she straightened instinctively.
When the notes faded, the redhead smiled. “Want another one?” The woman asked, and her voice was so…
The crowd erupted into cheers, and she let out a low chuckle, then winked, clearly aware of her effect on others. And Chloe couldn’t complain.
She turned to Luis again, and he was conversing with Hazel, seemingly…disturbed? Before she could check on him, the hypnotizing voice spoke again
“I’m sure you know it. So, sing with me, Auradon, yeah?” She pressed a few buttons and the seductive beat of “Confidence” by Justin Bieber started playing.
During the whole song, a calmer and more relaxed atmosphere set in the club, no longer the aggressive drums of the previous song.
“She’s got my attention,” And this time, Chloe wasn’t crazy when she thought the girl was looking at her. The redhead was gazing right into her eyes, then smirked as she made a motion with her middle and ring fingers. “She’s confident.”
During the song, Chloe asked Hazel for another, less alcohol-free drink, and downed it rapidly. And when she almost threw up from the taste, the girl slid a sort of orange juice variation her way.
“Think this will do, Princess?” The bartender asked, a teasing tilt in her smile. “If you don’t like it, it’s on me.”
“What?” Chloe turned to her, narrowed eyes meeting amused ones. “I can pay for my own drinks-“ She was shushed by a finger to her mouth.
“Oh, I know.” She leaned closer. “Let me this one time.”
Chloe’s breath hitched at their proximity. “Anything…anything else I can repay you with?” Her voice trembled as the finger slowly traced her upper lip, then her chin.
“What do you think?” Hazel spoke, a low purr that made her heart race.
“Haze…” The girl hummed, eyes now downward and definitely focused on her lips. Her perfume clouded her senses, and she just about closed her eyes when the music slowly came to a close.
She backed away an inch. “Who was that on the stage?” She asked, and she saw Hazel’s expression change completely. A tinge of guilt settled in her bones, but Luis was right. She couldn’t go down this road again.
“Never seen her before.” The girl bit out and walked to another customer, a hurt look on her face.
Chloe groaned in frustration. She didn’t mean to blow Hazel off like that, but the last time it didn’t end well. It was messy and turned their whole team dynamic upside down; she couldn’t risk doing that a week before the Champions League finale. Luis was nowhere to be found, seemingly disappearing into thin air. Her two teammates left her alone in a club full of drunk people. She should’ve just stayed home and slept or gone to the gym-
“Hey, gorgeous,” said someone next to her. She turned her head lazily and-gods.
There she was.
The redhead was looking intensely at her, lips curled shyly and fingers fidgeting with her rings. It was…quite endearing to see she wasn’t as confident as she was on stage.
“Pretty girl,” Chloe greeted, taking a swing of her drink. The sweet nectar filled her throat, with only a touch of alcohol in its essence. “What brings you here?” Saying she was nervous would be the understatement of the world; she could feel her hands sweating.
“Well, you seemed to enjoy the show, so…” She trailed off, leaning closer. “I thought you might want a private experience.”
Chloe couldn’t help but let out a giggle. “Oh?” She tilted her head closer. “I don’t even know your name; would that be appropriate?”
“Red,” The redhead blurted out, seemingly a bit too eager. “My name is Red.” Then continued with a chuckle when she saw Chloe’s confused expression, “Yes, as in the color.”
“Well, Red as in the color.” She thrust her hand out for her to shake. “I’m Chloé.” Then, she kissed her palm, watching with curiosity how her cheeks tinted pink. Suddenly, the nervousness dissipated and turned into…confidence? Chloe couldn’t remember the last time she actually made a girl swoon.
With shy smiles and excited hearts, they found themselves in the bar’s bathroom, in a stall.
Red gently pinned her to the wall, scarlet strands tickling her face as the redhead looked down on her. The piercing in her nose shone bright in the poorly lit room, drawing Chloe’s attention to the lower part of her face. Her eyes strayed from there and lingered on plump lips that were pulled into a small grin.
Her hand hooked under Red’s chin. “Can I-“
She didn’t even get to finish her sentence as bruising lips landed on hers. Sighing softly, her arms came to tug at her leather jacket, wanting her as close as possible. Not long after, her palms slipped under it, running over her shirt as she memorized every detail about her anatomy.
With a light shove, Red pushed her away so she could catch her breath and take off her jacket. It was thrown over the stall door, and Red drowned in her lips again with a newfound heat.
Chloe whimpered when she felt her lower lip get bitten, but didn’t stop her as she was more focused on the skin that had been hidden by the jacket. She let her fingers trace the hem of her red tank top, then rubbed at the softness.
When she heard the beautiful moan the other let out, Chloe switched their position, pushing flush against Red. Her mouth attached to her neck, marking and sucking any place she could reach. Her hand moved agonizingly slow along her torso, passing over a toned abdomen and reaching her chest. She hesitated, recognized by Red from how she stopped her attack and breathed across her collarbones.
Chloe was surprised when her hand was taken by the redhead and moved to cup her breast. With more confidence, she kissed right over her pulse point. She gently sucked on it, simultaneously palming Red’s breast and fondling it through her bra.
“Fuck, Chloe.” And the way Red moaned her name just made her head spin and want to hear it in 10 different tones and pitches. She was a skilled singer, right?
With a quick and unsatisfying kiss to her lips, Chloe faced her and just about gasped.
Red’s eyes were clouded with desire and lust, looking a second away from eating her out and whole. Her gaze held such an intensity that she had to avert her own. “Think there’s a, uh, hotel room available?
“Oh, I am sure there is.” Chloe felt her hands tremble when she heard the timbre lower in a husky register. “If not, we’ll manage right here.” Red proceeded to guide her hand again to lay on the seam of her pants. She breathed heavily when her fingers sensed slight dampness.
In the morning, Chloe clung to a pillow, the scent of cinnamon lingering in the air. She inhaled deeply, opening her eyes to dim sunlight peeking through the curtains. Shuffling was heard somewhere in the room, and she started to move.
A gentle hand pushed her back into the mattress. “Go back to sleep, baby.” The soft voice brought a dumb smile to her face, and who was she to deny it and the kisses that pressed to her temple and forehead.
A few days after…the incident, Chloe couldn’t stop thinking about it. Red’s shy smile as they stumbled into the room, her scarlet waves that were a mess by the end of the night, and how her eyes shone when they looked at her.
“You’re distracted,” Hazel commented. She was strapping her gloves and had an eyebrow arched. Her mascara was smudged a bit, as if she hadn’t cleaned it properly.
“I’m not.”
“Oh, so you like staring at walls for fun?” She retorted, and Chloe huffed in response. “Is it about bar girl?” She didn’t miss the bitter tone in her voice.
“No,” she answered too quickly, and the girl noticed. “Fine, yeah. It’s just…weird she disappeared like that.”
She remembered waking up, all alone in a hotel she didn’t even know the name of. The only thing left of her lover was a note with the words “Agent called, had to go :(“ scribbled onto it.
“That’s how one-night stands work, Chlo,” Her teammate bit out. “After getting what they want, they leave.”
“But it wasn’t just a one-night stand! I am sure of that!” She argued, desperation in her voice. “I could feel it…” Trailing off, she sat on one of the benches.
With a sigh, Hazel crouched in front of her and held her shoulders. “Chloe, the match on Friday and the following month is extremely important,” She said, and Chloe nodded. She knew that. “I need you to be focused at all times, no thinking about this girl anymore.”
“And I will be! I know all of this, Haze.” Chloe clarified, a bit frustrated.
“I won’t be there after this match.” Through previous furrowed brows, she softened. “I won’t be there for you, so I need you to take care of yourself.”
With her coming from Neverland, Hazel would be playing for them, while Chloe would be playing for Brillant. It was difficult to think that at some point their teams would clash.
“I’ll…help you find this girl, okay?” She heard her teammate say. “Just be careful. Don’t get your heart broken.”
For a moment, they just stared at each other, a breath away. “Hey, Haze.” She called out, the other girl tilting her head softly. “I’m sorry about-“
Hazel immediately stood up, her back turned to her. “No need to apologize; I misread a situation.”
“But-“ She choked on her own words. What was she even supposed to say?
“See you tomorrow, Princess.”
As she had promised, Chloe tried not to think about Red at all. Which wasn’t all that hard, as her mind had always been preoccupied with her career mostly. Recently, the pretty redhead had tried to take over, but she stood strong against her heart.
Her teammates still tried to goof around, but that break had done them well as they performed much better and were calmer.
And then came the match on Friday. They were against RoyalCard, a team from Wonderland known for their ruthlessness and powerful strikes. She was a bit scared for Robbie, as she didn’t want him to get hurt so close to the World Cup.
Speaking of her teammates, things with her and Hazel had been…weird, to say the least. They talked casually, but there always was that awkward silence after. It felt as if they had slept together and then broken up all over again, which they didn’t even do! She didn’t like it.
The sound of a whistle brought her back to the match.
The second half was just starting. They were leading with a goal scored by Luis in the first 20 minutes, now trying their hardest to stop their rivals from catching up to them.
Seeing as Aziz had the ball, she tried to be out in the open in case he wanted to pass it to her. Sweat dripped all over her skin, the jersey being rather uncomfortable on her, but it was something she could easily tune out with a bit of distraction-
“Ouff”
Her breath died in her throat as a strong body collided with hers, sending her plummeting to the ground. “What the hell, man!” She shouted at her rival.
A whistle sounded through the stadium, but Chloe couldn’t hear it over the sound of boots coming toward her.
“Hey, you okay?” Robbie’s concerned eyes came into her view first before his arm pulled her up.
With a nod, she looked around. Hazel was in her attacker’s face. “You come near her again, and I’ll break your ankles!” The girl grabbed his shirt, pure anger in her voice.
“Haze, leave him alone-“
Then Luis interrupted her, “Do you think hurting the best players will make you better?” He walked right behind the guy, furious like she’d never seen him before.
He smirked at the boy, “Soccer is a dirty and brutal game, not my fault your captain should change sports-“
Hazel grunted as she tightened her hold on his collar. “You little piece of-“
And somehow, the guy didn’t get even a yellow card.
They still won the match, however.
It was still frustrating, with all the referees saying she tripped or stepped wrong, and that’s why she fell.
It was whatever.
For her teammates though?
“I can’t believe his insecure ass! How dare he push you.” Hazel seemed to go on about the matter for the 100th time that day.
“I am fine, Haze.” She approached her in the locker room. She grabbed her hands and brought them to her face. “See? I’m okay.”
The other’s eyes softened as she cupped her cheeks. She rubbed circles on her wrists, leaning into the touch. Hazel’s mouth parted, and she watched her plump lips separate slowly.
Suddenly, the girl pulled away, grabbed her bag, and left.
Chloe fell on her bed, about to fall into slumber, when her phone vibrating pulled her out of it. Haze read the notification.
Before opening the message, she rubbed at her eyes and prepared mentally for what the girl wanted from her. She didn’t want to address what happened in the locker room, not even the fact that Hazel ignored her completely at the celebration they had earlier that night.
Haze
You kept your promise after all
And underneath it was a link to an Instagram reel. Curiosity getting the best of her, she clicked on it.
It was a close shot from a concert, judging by the sheer size of the crowd and the illuminated stage. The camera moved around, trying to focus on a figure as it spoke.
“This is for the people that make you feel it all in a few moments with them, those who can lift you in the clouds with one look, those who can make you drop dead with one kiss.”
The voice rang out through the screen, and Chloe felt her heart jump at the familiar tonality.
The camera finally panned on the figure, and there she was.
Red.
“This is a bit different from my usual stuff, so treat it kindly, yeah”
The redhead was tuning her guitar; perfectly red-painted lips tugged in a nervous smile as she stared into the crowd.
Slowly, the song started softly. Softer than anything she had heard Red sing. And it seemed that the fans agreed, if the gasps heard were anything to go by.
“I know that the bar closes at eleven,
And I hope you never finish your drink.”
Her voice was purely angelic, hopeful, and utterly magnetic. Chloe looked at the screen in awe, lips parted slightly.
“One night, I was bored in bed
And stalked you on the internet.”
“All pressed up in the bathroom light,
You’re looking like an angel on the walls of Versailles.”
“Scorpio and a Taurus,
But I think we might go really nice together.’
After the clip ended, Chloe watched the black screen for a few seconds before quickly looking through the tags. As she found the name she was looking for, she typed it into the search bar.
Red of Hearts. A new artist who was slowly stealing the world’s heart. She was the lead singer of the band Scarlett Menace, with 3 other boys as her bandmates.
Apparently, her band’s career skyrocketed after their song “Get Him Back!” scored at the top of the charts for solid weeks.
Excitement filled her as she finally found a source that led her to Red, so she stopped researching and did something that Chad, her brother and pr manager, would definitely not approve of.
Chlo
Sooo, you stalked me?
She typed and threw her phone on her bed, bouncing on the mattress as she waited impatiently. Her phone vibrated, and she quickly picked it up. It was Luis asking if she was up for takeout.
Groaning, she let it rest on her nightstand. She wasn’t even sure that Red had her DMs open for people she didn’t follow.
Another vibration. She paid it no mind, thinking it was Luis again. Another one.
She lifted her phone lazily. Red of Hearts.
Her heart was beating out of her chest as she fumbled to open Instagram.
Red of Hearts
Maybee
I don’t remember
Chlo
Your song said otherwise
Red of Hearts
Oh?
You listened to it?
With the biggest grin on her face, she texted Red back.
For the last week, she and Red had been messaging back and forth. Casual updates from their days, cheeky remarks, and hesitant confessions late at night. Due to this, that night kept replaying in her mind more than it did before. She couldn’t escape it as much as she tried.
“Doing great, Charming!” Jay had yelled supportively from across the field one time.
With the water bottle at her lips, she almost choked on the liquid. She offered a thumbs-up in response.
Chloe could almost hear Red’s moan in her ears. “Just like that, you’re doing great.” While guiding her fingers deeper-
With a cough, she set the bottle down.
It didn’t help that Red sent her flirty and suggestive messages.
She would wake up randomly with a text from 2 a.m. going like “Wish you could see the mess I made because of you” or “I’ve never been this loud before.”
And she’s just…left heated the rest of the day. She didn’t even know how to respond to her.
A week had passed since the match with RoyalCard. Chloe returned to her childhood home to spend time with her parents and hopefully make connections with her teammates from Brillant. Her father was away for the day, but her mother was expecting a childhood best friend to come by.
Chloe was supposed to come by and make an acquaintance with that friend too, since she was the president of Wonderland, the country in which the World Cup will be hosted.
She wasn’t nervous, no. Her hands shaking were just a side effect of the coffee she had had earlier.
“Bridget!” Her mother’s excited shout echoed through their house, a squeal leaving her mouth. “It feels so good to see you again.”
“You, too, Ella,” a calmer voice with a slight accent responded. “Oh, I do hope it isn’t a bother that I brought my daughter with me.”
Chloe arrived at the scene, propped on the wall and happy to see her mother so ecstatic. It was rare for her to be seen without any worries and just purely joyful.
“Not at all!” She ushered her inside and took her bag. “I’ll take this for you, and- Oh, Bluebird!”
And there went her mission of being stealthy. “Hi! I’m Chloé Charming, a pleasure to meet you!” She reached out a hand and shook it with the older woman.
“My daughter,” She clarified. “My son is on holiday, but he is just as charming as she is.” They both laughed, while Chloe was trying her hardest to realize why the woman seemed so familiar.
Long red hair curled at the tips, and kind eyes greeted her. “Bridget Herz.” Her grip was firm, fit for the president of Wonderland, really.
“Nicknamed ‘The Queen of Hearts’ in high school,” Ella whispered playfully. “Because she used to play cupid for anyone but herself.”
“Sorry, where can I put these?” From behind the woman, someone asked while holding a pair of combat boots. The girl had-
Red.
Her face still had that rebellious edge to it, lips still painted a bright red, and her eyes- gods, her eyes- lingered on Chloe as if she knew exactly what she was doing. A black mesh shirt was underneath her bold crimson jacket; a few golden necklaces hung at her neck, matching the nose ring she wore that night.
Before Ella could respond, “I’ll take them!” She volunteered, “Mom, you go reminisce.” She smiled, and her mother nodded appreciatively in return.
The walk to the shoe closet was silent, save for the leather brushing against itself and Red’s occasional yawn.
Chloe wasn’t nervous, no. Why would she be? It’s just that the girl she'd had a one-night stand with two weeks ago and had been texting for a week was right next to her in her childhood home, following her to an isolated place. She wasn’t nervous. Oh, and she was the daughter of the President of Wonderland! Shewasn’tnervousno-
She opened the door and stepped inside, Red close behind. “Whenever you need to get them back, you know where to- “ She didn’t get to finish her sentence as she heard the door close. She turned to the girl and was met with an innocent grin. “Why did you- “
“So, you have a walk-in shoe closet. Do you store all your shoes in here?” Questioning, the redhead walked closer while looking around. “Because I saw a perfectly usable shoe rack at the door.” Her gaze landed right on her, filled with a type of hunger she had seen before.
“What are you implying?” She crossed her arms over her chest, subtly looking the girl up and down. She looked the same, perhaps more attractive from the way she carried herself- like someone who knew exactly what she wanted.
“What are you doing here?” Chloe asked right before she kissed her. She poured all the heat and longing she had felt over the weeks into it, fingers digging into her waist.
Red sighed, letting herself be backed into the door. “Heard Mom had a meeting with someone named Charming and decided to test my luck.”
Chloe whined, letting her forehead rest on her shoulder. “You should’ve told me; I would’ve dressed…better.” She looked down at her plain blue T-shirt and white pants paired with cat slippers.
Red laughed, a sharp nail coming up to lift her chin. “You’re cute, don’t worry.” She pressed a sweet kiss to her lips before pulling away with half-lidded eyes. “But how would you have dressed?”
Chloe’s hand slipped underneath her jacket, trailing up to her ribs. Her mouth lay on the shell of her ear, feeling Red shiver from the hot breath. “In something that made sure you’d be dripping.” She whispered before starting to nibble her way down to her neck. “And you would be satisfied with my touch only.”
“Is that so…” All attempts to sound in control were gone, her voice trembling as she fumbled to take off the leather clothing. Then she propped the button on her mesh turtleneck open. “That way no one will see-“
Chloe immediately attacked the newly shown skin, savoring its softness and sucking everywhere she landed. She felt hands cup her shoulders and biceps, groaning at the nails that marveled at her muscles.
“Oh, Princess,” The girl whimpered, head against the wood. “How I’ve missed you.”
“Really?” Chloe chuckled against her skin, a hand rubbing affectionately on her collarbone. “It didn’t seem like it at all,” She drawled, then was drawn into a bruising kiss.
This one held more feelings, ones that were dangerous to name because suddenly what they were doing would become more than hidden make-outs. Red’s arms intertwined at the back of her neck, forcing her to be as close as possible.
“We should,” The redhead started before she was interrupted by another kiss, slow and hard for her to deny. “We should get back.”
“Yeah,” She agreed, but stayed close. She brushed her nose against Red’s, and the other girl snorted softly.
Red’s hand dropped to the doorknob, but it was quickly taken into Chloe’s as she started to pepper kisses all over her face. “Princess!” She managed to get out in between giggles.
“You took your time,” Ella commented as they both sat at the table with the older women. They both had been drinking tea, if the almost untouched cups were anything to go by. Bridget was next to her, watching her daughter with an arched brow.
Chloe felt her mouth stay agape, turning to the other for help, “Red wanted to uh-“
“I’ve observed your beautiful garden, and Ms. Charming was kind enough to show me around.” She easily saved them. “Lovely peonies, by the way.”
“Mrs. Herz, how does it feel to host the World Cup this year?” Chloe asked after a while.
“Dear, drop the formalities,” She chuckled, sipping from her cup. “An opportunity that I hope to make the most of.” She looked her over. “You’re a professional player, aren’t you? Are you nervous?”
“A bit, yes.” Her fingers ran over her cup’s handle. “It’s my first World Cup, but I’m thinking of bringing the cup home.” A small smile curled up her lips. “And I know it’s a lot of pressure, but-“
“You will win it,” A voice from across the table interrupted her. It was Red, watching her with a soft smile. Then let out a nervous laugh when everyone’s attention turned to her. “I mean, I don’t know much about football, but I think you’re capable of winning it.”
“Thank you.”
And then came the end of their visit, which was spent mostly by Red and Chloe listening to their mothers talking and trying not to find the nearest surface to kiss on.
“Oh, your shoes, I’ll go take them-“Chloe hurriedly said,
“I’ll come with!”
When they were about to leave the walk-in closet, Red shut the lights off and closed the door.
“Hey,” She whispered, brushing a curl behind her ear.
“Hi?” Chloe giggled. “Why no light?”
“It’s more romantic, Princess.”
“Sure.” She brought her into a kiss, tangling her fingers in fiery waves. “Text me?”
Red hummed, brushing her lips against her temple.
Rebel💥
You didn’t need those clothes to impress me after all
“Hey, what’s that on your neck?” Luis had asked on Monday while they were eating breakfast. Her fork stilled in her omelet, mouth hanging in shock. She didn’t remember Red kissing her neck, let alone giving her a hickey.
“What are you talking about?” She coughed before shoving the piece of egg in her mouth.
“Chloe.” He smiled knowingly before taking a sip of orange juice. “I know I’m not Hazel, but you can tell me about the ladies you spend your nights with.” He nudged her before his cheery demeanor dropped. “Unless it’s Hazel you’re seeing.”
She almost choked, feeling her cheeks heat up. “Just eat your breakfast, Madrigal”
“Yes, Captain.” He saluted mockingly. She slapped his shoulder in response.
The drive from Wonderland’s airplane to their designated hotel was filled with chatter.
On Brillant’s team, she knew only Luis and Robbie, who had quickly clicked since they first met 2 years ago. Robbie had dark hair up to his chin, with the back part pulled into a bun. His eyes were brown, paired with thick eyebrows that hadn’t furrowed for a second. His smile was infectious, wide and bright. Also, Chloe reminded herself every day not to get on his bad side, as she could swear his back was twice Luis’ and she didn’t plan on getting crushed.
A person they had acquainted with there was KJ, also known as Kai Junior. His brown hair came in short curls on his forehead. A large smile lay on his lips most of the time. He was also really funny, cracking a joke at the right time for the whole bus to burst into laughter. Kai reminded her of Robbie and Luis, really. Their, uh, biological child, if you will.
There were two other girls on the team besides her. Jennie had dark red highlights going through her black hair and golden eyes. She knew how to read in coffee and palms. They had all gathered to have their futures read underneath her magnetic grin and sparkling gold rings. Also, there seemed to be something going on between her and Kai, but Chloe didn’t ponder too much.
The other was Ella. She was a tough cookie to crack, headphones on her head the whole flight, and she glared at Chloe when she asked her to pull open the blind. Her washed-out curly blue hair complemented nicely against her dark skin and doe eyes.
The moment they got through Ella was definitely at the start of the bus ride.
Robbie had leaned over her shoulder. “Ooo, who you textin'?” He asked giddily, only to recoil when she glared at him. “Personal space, got it…”He muttered, looking genuinely scared.
Across from them, Luis propped up his elbow on the back of a chair. “Texting a guy, I bet.” He quipped with a teasing smile. Her piercing eyes turned to him. He raised his hands. “Or girl! Chloe here is a lesbian.”
Chloe stirred from her attempt at slumber. “Why was I brought up?” she mumbled, looking around at the bus.
“To show that we are queer-friendly.”
Rubbing at her eyes, she squinted at him. “Luis…you’re literally bisexual, and Robbie is aroace, what are we-“
Suddenly, Ella burst into laughter at the whole interaction. Her giggles were soft and pleasant to the ear. Chloe quickly joined her, the others following.
“I was texting my girlfriend, yes.” Ella finally confessed, a sheepish grin on her lips.
Immediately, Chloe sat next to her. “Tell me about her!”
When they arrived at the hotel, everyone was exhausted from the drive and flight. All Chloe wanted was to crash into bed and rest for the following day.
One problem came upon her at the hotel’s reception.
“I’m sorry, ma’am. Your driver is waiting outside to take you to your designated apartment. You can ask them for further information.”
With a scoff, she turned to whisper to Luis. “If I get in the car and it doesn’t leave in 5 minutes, come get me.” He nodded.
And just as the woman at the reception said, on the other side of the road there was a man in a black suit, sunglasses covering his eyes. He made a ‘Come here’ motion with his hand.
“Who decided I needed to have a place separate from my team?” She asked, angry and tired. He didn’t even flinch; he just opened the door behind the driver for her.
Hesitantly, she stepped in.
“Hey, Princess.” A voice greeted her. Chloe’s heart just about stopped.
Beside her, a figure with scarlet waves and bright painted lips grinned. “Red?”
The girl took off her hat and sunglasses, revealing the golden eyes she slowly came to adore. “I know you must be confused, but-“
Chloe cut her off with a fierce kiss. Red’s gasp was swallowed by her eager mouth. “So, that’s why you didn’t text me all day.” She muttered.
“Missed me?” Red asked cheekily, tilting her head. Then, she pressed a few kisses on her collarbones.
She rolled her eyes, but a smile tugged at her lips. “So, what is this about?”
The redhead suddenly seemed ten times more nervous. “Okay, I talked with Mother, and she said it would be okay if you stayed with me, if you want to, that is.” Red brought both lips into her mouth, anxious and waiting.
Chloe didn’t really know what to say. She could play it safe and return to her team, forget all about Red’s proposition. Or, she could have Red all to herself for an entire month, no interruptions, no more teasing texts that left heat in her body.
“I have rented a room in the hotel for you to stay in for the month in case you aren’t interested-“
“I’m coming.”
“Awh, this early?”
“Coming with you, get your head out of the gutter, rebel.”
Suddenly, a knock on the window interrupted their moment. “Chloe?” came muffled from the other side.
“That would be Luis-“ Chloe barely had time to warn Red before the door swung open.
“Are you okay- oh.” He let out a laugh. “Really?” Pointing to her neck, teasing and amused.
“I’m okay, Luis.” She tried to wipe off the lipstick mark from her neck, embarrassment clouding her.
“All right,” He patted her on the shoulder. “Remember to visit us too, besides the matches, yeah? I understand you gotta treat your girl right but-“
“Luis!”
Back in the car, Red turned her whole face to the window to hide her face and pulled the disguise back on. Weird.
The drive to Red’s place felt like the longest drive of her life. She tried hard to ignore the hand on her thigh, or how low the girl’s voice was when she instructed the driver which turn to take. They didn’t exchange any words, not really. The tension kept building, with nowhere to go.
Once they entered Red’s apartment, Chloe found herself immediately pressed against the door. The backpack dug into her back, but she didn’t make any move to get Red off her. “Are you going to let me put my stuff down or-“
“No.” Came the cheeky reply from the redhead as she played with one of her curls.
“Okay,” Chloe huffed in laughter, leaning up to join their lips softly.
Before she could steal another kiss, Red put a hand on her mouth. “House tour first, then this.”
Red showed her all around, each corner a piece of her. Be it the band tee that was thrown on the couch or the scarlet hair dye scattered in the bathroom.
“And here is my bedroom.” Red opened the door before turning to her. “Whenever you need me, you know where to find me.” She winked, while Chloe rolled her eyes.
The walls were maroon, posters everywhere, and a desk cluttered with notebooks and spray cans. Under the bed, some combat boots were scattered, and an acoustic guitar peeked from the same place.
“I thought you were only the vocalist?” She asked, eyeing the electric guitar that hung from a wall.
“I play the guitar from time to time,” Red responded, a hint of pride in her voice. She picked up the instrument from under the bed. “This one I had on stage during ‘Drop Dead’; her name’s Eurydice.”
“Ah, I remember.” Chloe leaned against the doorframe. “I learned guitar at some point; my brother dreamt of having his own band, so he taught me.”
With a smirk, Red approached her after setting the instrument down. “So, you’re good with your fingers?” She cornered her into the frame.
“I think you know that better than me.” Chloe tilted her head playfully, hands finding home on the other’s hips as she pushed their bodies flush. That elicited a soft gasp out of the girl, and Chloe felt her stomach flip at the sound.
“Do I?” Was the last thing Red got to say before her words were cut off by determined lips.
One of her hands migrated to her jacket, tugging on it. Red didn’t get the chance to take it off before a phone started to go off.
“That would be mine.” With an apologetic look, she answered it. “Jennie, hi!”
Chloe could see that Red seemed to be annoyed but didn’t pay it any mind. She felt the buttons on her shirt being undone, but she was getting warm anyway, so it was a good thing.
“Chloe! We’re thinking of going to a restaurant around here. You coming?”
Suddenly, Red’s mouth attached behind her ear, tracing fire down to her collarbone. She bit a whimper. “If I can go out tonight?” She wouldn’t want to leave the redhead alone- “Oh, fuck.” She muttered as the girl sucked on her skin. Red sucked fervently, tongue darting out to soothe the spot. “I-uh, am not sure-“ She sank her teeth into her tongue to muffle a moan when one of her hands went down to her core, lying flat to give her something to grind on. “I’ll call you back, okay?”
“Fuck, Red.” Chloe threw her head back, fingers tangling in scarlet waves. “What’s gotten into you?”
“Who is Jennie?” She asked in response, undoing another button.
“You’re jealous?” Amusement and arousal laced her voice.
Noncommittal to answer, Red only bit her harder.
They didn’t do anything beyond that, Chloe’s exhaustion catching up to her. With a movie on the screen, she tried to stay awake; she really did. But Red was right there…
“You okay?” The girl asked when Chloe practically fell on her shoulder with no warning.
“Uh huh, yeah.” She mumbled, eyes closing without her consent.
Red just laughed, “Okay, Princess.” And wrapped an arm around her.
The next morning, Chloe woke up to her phone full of notifications from her teammates and a few from Hazel. She also woke up to her alarm and the sound of food cooking in the kitchen.
“Red?” Muttering, she looked up to find the girl at the stove, bobbing her head up and down with headphones at the highest volume. Besides the sizzling of the oil, she could hear faint humming.
She shook her head with a smile, tossed the blanket aside, and approached her. Chloe watched Red, the way her lips moved with whispers of a song she could faintly hear, the sigh she let out when an egg turned dark in a corner, and how she moved to fix her shirt whenever it fell off one shoulder.
In a few minutes, Red turned to put the eggs on the plate next to Chloe’s elbow. She jumped, eyes wide and surprised. They softened quickly, and rosy lips curled into a smile. “Hey,” Red greeted as she slid the headphones off her ears, resting against her collarbones.
“Hi,” She said back, a bit too shy for her liking, gaze averting to the plate. The other’s eyes intimidated her, and she couldn’t bring herself to look back. It was…a bit awkward. To look at this…relationship through a different lens, other than the heated make-outs and flirty remarks, was hard and exciting at the same time. She wanted to see where this would go; she wanted to try what this was.
With a smile, she lifted her head. “Great work on these eggs, by the way.” A giggle made its way up her throat when Red groaned dramatically.
“You make your own eggs, then!” A spatula aimed at her shoulder. “I was very inspired making these, but you don’t seem to appreciate the art.”
Chloe rolled her eyes, snaking an arm around her waist and pulling her close. “I can appreciate the artist…” Her eyes trailed to her lips.
Red raised her eyebrows in amusement, pushing a hand to Chloe’s chest to untangle their bodies. “Wash your teeth before you do that.”
Heat rushed to her cheeks, and it was Red’s turn to laugh in her face.
After eating the eggs and making fun of Red’s breakfast that consisted of cereal without milk, Chloe readied for practice while responding to all the messages that were waiting impatiently for her answers.
“Got to go.” She wrapped her arms around Red’s shoulders over the couch, pressing a kiss to her temple quickly. “Bye, rebel.”
“Bye, Princess.” The girl replied, turning her head so their lips would meet instead.
A week into their living arrangement, Chloe could surely say that she didn’t regret a thing. She was the happiest she’d ever been. Red would text her during practice while she was out with her bandmates, and they’d see each other at the end of the day to watch a movie or just learn to live next to each other in the little bubble they created.
One night, Red suddenly jumped from the couch as they were watching a horror movie. “NO WAY!” She shouted, and Chloe put a hand over her heart that was racing.
“Oh, my gods, you scared me so bad.” She turned to look at her…friend? They hadn’t really established what they were, really. “What happened, baby?”
She only received an excited squeal in response that was so unlike Red; she almost called her out on it. A smile spread across her lips as the girl called the band group chat. Chloe paused the movie and waited patiently for the news.
The thing that happened that night was a huge positive change for Red and the band, but it also made them busier. The two didn’t see each other that often, but it was enough for them.
“Here.” Red pushed an object into her hand. A key. “I don’t think we’ll get home at the same time anymore. I wouldn’t like to leave you on the streets.” She laughed.
Chloe held it gently, looking up in disbelief. “Are you sure?” It was a big step for people who weren’t exactly in a relationship. Tears threatened at the corners of her eyes from the act of trust.
“Yeah,” She assured, closing the player’s fingers over the key. “You can tell Hazel about this place and- what was his name-“
“Luis.”
“Luis.” It seemed as if the name did something to Red, the glint in her eye dimming.
Three weeks in, three matches won easily, perhaps too easily.
“Only 5 matches to go to get the cup.” Luis declared after practice. “How you feeling, Chlo?” He patted her back.
“Great!” She lied, the pit in her stomach growing. “Are we still meeting with Hazel today?” Hope made its way into her voice. With their respective matches being a few days apart, they didn’t see each other that much.
“Hm, I don’t know.” He looked behind her, acting clueless.
Before she could ask, strong arms wrapped around her waist. “Boo!” A voice whispered in her ear.
“Haze!” She turned around to hug her, albeit still a bit shaken from the scare, even if she didn’t have a reaction.
“Hey, enemy.” Hazel winked as she released her, turning to Luis to embrace him.
Chloe laughed, shaking her head. “Hello to you too, enemy.”
Chloe could feel herself lighter, no longer worrying about the competition’s difficulty. They were going to win the cup. No doubt.
…right?
Get it together, Charming!