Stargirl | Matildas X Original Character Fic [part Twenty Two]

for frida 🤍❤️

conti cup winners again 🥹🥹

Part two for my live reactions to the Arsenal v Chelsea match

london is red 🤍❤️

me zoning back in and seeing steph go down and hold her knee

me acting shocked when katie mccard gets a yellow

me watching caitlin getting carded seconds after katie… (i’m a mcfoord stan)

me when kim goes down with injury after just coming back

me watching manu actually do her job and not be a tree 🫶

me waiting to hear the word “penalty” vs me when it finally got given to lessi

LESSI RUSSO WITH THE PENALTY SHOT

me watching all the yellows being given in this second half

me going to sleep knowing that we demolished chelsea, lessi got player of the match and we weren't shit in the first half. well done ladies

hi,

i don’t usually come on here to say these things but it’s kind of very much crossed a line so please hear me out…

just wanted to say to the community that reads us writer’s fics, for free mind u, that telling writers to off themselves is not funny xx

you’re given something free to enjoy, that REAL people put their hard work and effort into, that can take hours or days or weeks to write, and you repay them by wishing them death and saying horrible things to them. all you’re achieving is making people wanna stop writing on this app.

if you fucking losers wanna say things so bad and be outright horrible to people, turn yourselves off anonymous u fucking pussies.

i’m lucky enough that i don’t get messages myself cos my asks are basically empty, but all your actions have is negative repercussions. you’ve driven away one of my favoutie mutual writers who is a lovely person, kindly helped people with their personal problems with the safety of anonymity, and wrote some of the most quality fics i’ve ever read. and now you’re doing it to other writers.

if you have something against the writer’s work or writer block them! it’s a simple click of a button, no need to get all outlandish and horrible about it…

it’s fucking childish behaviour and you need to fucking grow up. get a fucking life.

remember we aren’t slaves for your entertainment. we are real people, in the real world, with real lives. please treat us like it.

(excuse my language, but technically if you are on my blog you should all be adults and be able to deal with it, thanks!! if you’re not an adult, why are you here? please leave)

Stargirl | matildas x original character fic [part nineteen]

Words; 3.2k

Pairings; matildas team x astrid taylor (OC)

Warnings; mentions of death (parental), mentions of car accident, mention of drink driving, mention of panic attack, swearing

A/N; I wrote the idea for the second half of the chapter like 6 months ago and this is the timing I planned before writing the first half, so I' m sorry for the emotional whiplash this chapter is about to cause you. Please read with caution if you think any part of this may trigger you and be safe. Enjoy my loves 🫶

masterlist

Astrid had gotten into bed approximately two hours ago after finishing their team dinner, deciding to call it and all head up to bed. When she entered the room she was exhausted from the game and celebrating their win, but dragged herself into the bathroom for her night routine before finally flopping into bed.

But as soon as her head hit the pillow her eyes were wide open. She was so tired physically, but her mind was up and busy. No matter how hard she tried, after the first thirty minutes she gave in and decided to let it run. Thoughts began racing through her about tonight's game, seeing her family again, how she felt when Kyra hugged her after her goal and eventually she ended up back at New Years Eve.

Astrid might have been quite drunk that night, but there wasn’t a single second she couldn’t recall, especially their kiss. That kiss played in the back of her mind every time she looked at Kyra, no matter how hard she tried to push it back. Often lying awake at night after club training because of how many times they had caught one another staring before looking away as if they hadn’t been. 

She still wondered if Kyra remembered the kiss or not, never daring to ask her in the case of embarrassing herself because Kyra had no clue or didn’t want to remember it. Her feelings towards Kyra were so confusing for her brain; she was her best friend, just like Charli or Courtney. But she couldn’t deny the way her fingers tingle when Kyra laces them with her own, or the blush that begins to spread across her cheeks when Kyra compliments her. 

The thoughts continued to spiral as she laid there in the darkness. She couldn’t go on like this. So with a frustrated groan, she sat up and grabbed her phone, turning on the bedside lamp and opening Kyra’s messages. 

Starry ⭐

are you awake?

Ky ky 🪁

no 

Starry ⭐

fuck off

Ky Ky 🪁

whats up? u ok?

Starry ⭐

…

Astrid kept writing something but deleting it, unsure of what to actually say now that she had gotten Kyra’s attention. 

Kyra sat in her room a couple doors down, a similar positioning to Astrid but nervously watching as the dreaded three dots kept appearing then disappearing. So without hesitation she threw the covers off, slid on her shoes and quietly slipped from her room, making her way down the hall. 

Tap tap tap

Astrid’s head whipped up at the noise, not expecting someone to be at her door at 1:34am, dropping her phone with another half finished text and scurrying to the door. Two seconds of looking through the peephole and her door was swinging open and she had her grip on Kyra’s arm instantly. 

“The hell are you doing?” Astrid sighed as she dragged Kyra in, checking the empty hallway before shutting her door quietly. 

“Can’t sleep either?” Kyra asks as she sits down on the edge of the bed, Astrid now standing in front of her, walking softly back and forth.

“No. Thinking too much.” Astrid mumbles the end, avoiding eye contact with Kyra as she paces. 

“About what?” Kyra’s been thinking about that night just as much, wondering what it means or could mean. Astrid slows her pacing, stopping silently in front of Kyra, looking to the floor as she thinks of how to word it.

“Do you remember?” Asks timidly, looking up at the midfielder, trying to read her expression.

“Remember what?” Kyra tries to hide her smirk as she teases Astrid. 

“Don’t fuck with me okay.” Astrid is clearly stressed out of this, the biting of her nails increasing over the past two months, especially right now. Kyra is quiet for a moment.

“Every day.” It’s quick and quiet, Astrid barely hears the two words, eyes widening as she processes it. Kyra looks up with a small smile.

“Every day?” Astrid looks at Kyra with hope in her eyes, heart racing with anticipation.  

“I’ve thought about it every second since.” Kyra now mumbles, standing up to meet Astrid, stepping close to her. 

“Good.” Astrid smirked as she held Kyra’s hands in hers, both meeting each other's eyes. 

Time almost stopped as they stood there, almost slow motion as their heads moved closer together. Kyra finally took the reins and closed the gap, moving her hands to Astrid’s waist and pulling her closer. Astrid melted into the kiss, hands travelling up to hold Kyra’s face and keep the kiss going. 

It lasted longer than their first, but it was more meaningful as they stood in Astrid’s hotel room, holding onto each other as if they were afraid to let go. They broke apart when they needed air, pushing their foreheads together as they took time to breathe. It wasn’t long before Astrid’s brain began running again. 

“Kyra…” She paused, lifting her head to look at her. “What does this mean?” Worried about losing their friendship as if that could ever happen.

“I don’t know. Whatever we want?” Kyra suggests, causing them both to giggle. 

“Go back to your room idiot.” Astrid gently pushed Kyra’s shoulder with a smile. “I might actually be able to sleep now.” She laughed and Kyra raised a brow. 

“Was it that boring huh?” Kyra snickered, folding her arms over her chest. 

“I mean… it wasn’t the worst kiss I’ve had.” Astrid smirked, stepping closer. “I guess you might just have to try again, see if it’s any better.” She cocked her head to the side, expecting Kyra to come closer again. 

“Sorry,” Kyra stepped back to the door, fake yawning with a stretch. “Too tired.” She blew Astrid a kiss as she shut the door quietly, leaving Astrid shaking her head with smile and a blush on her cheeks. Safe to say she had no trouble falling asleep when her head hit the pillow this time. 

Over the next few days at camp, Astrid and Kyra seemed back to how they were before the new years kiss, practically attached at the hip and annoying their other teammates. But even with all their playing around, their minds were focused on preparing for the Spain game that was now tomorrow.  

The bus pulled up to the CommBank Stadium for their final day of training and it was like Astrid had an instant mood change, switching into focus mode as she remembered the last time up against the Spanish side. 

Astrid was determined to not let what happened last time happen again, especially now they had their full team and she personally had more experience in the Matildas squad. 

All the other girls noticed her mood change that always appeared at their final training session before a match, minimising her laughter and childlike actions and replacing them with quiet, focused actions and determination. Even separating herself from Kyra, Charli or Courtney to pair up with a new partner, today that being Clare Hunt. 

Astrid was still quiet when working with Clare for those few minutes, focusing more on her footwork being precise rather than the topics of conversation floating around them. Clare tried a few times to loosen her up, but nothing could get through to her. Her mind was set on improving any more than she could and preventing what happened last year in Spain. 

It was in the practice matches that her determination and focus was evident to everyone watching, her feet were fast, her passes clean as ever and even slotted 5 goals past Macca from various positions.

“Nice work today, Chicken.” Steph had run up behind Astrid who was the last to leave the pitch, pulling an arm around her shoulder and walking in step with her. “Clearly ready to smash Spain huh?” Steph chuckled, rubbing her hand over Astrid’s arm.

“Thanks. Don’t want a repeat of last year.” Astrid mumbled the end and Steph could sense she was still in her head. 

“Well I think that’s out of the question considering how we looked today, as a team.” Steph emphasised the word team, knowing Astrid sometimes needed a reminder that not everything was up to her. 

“Yeah. Thanks Stephy.” Astrid pulled an arm around the older girl's waist as they continued walking back to the changeroom, letting go once she spotted Kyra, sitting next to her while untying her boots. 

“Sit with me on the bus?” Kyra asked as she bumped Astrid’s shoulder, causing her to look up from her boots. 

“Of course.” Astrid smiled back, Kyra nodded and continued to pack everything up, waiting for Astrid to finish up and walk out together. They were the last on the bus meaning the seats up the front but they didn’t mind. Normally they would be singing out and dancing in their seats, bothering everyone else. But today they sat in silence, sitting next to each other with separate playlists and enjoying one another's company. 

After a few minutes Astrid kept her gaze away, slowly moving her hand, inching it closer to the gap between them and where Kyra’s hand rested, the brunette distractedly looking out the window. Her attention was called back when she felt that familiar tingle as Astrid’s fingers began to slowly intertwine with her own. 

She felt blush rise to her freckled cheeks as their fingers meddled, discreetly readjusting to comfortably lock their hands together, all while keeping her gaze out the window and upon the landscape outside. 

After returning to the hotel, the girls took to their individual rooms and showered before preparing for their pre match ritual pasta night, changing into comfy clothes before heading down to the dining room. 

Astrid was finishing up her dinner when her phone rang. She didn’t recognise the number appearing on the screen, preparing to ignore it but a part of her knew to answer it. She quickly excused herself from the dining room, stepping into an empty hallway, Steph watching her closely as she left. 

“Hello?” She spoke as she answered it. 

“Is this Astrid Taylor?” The woman’s voice sounded serious in tone. 

“Yes it is. Who is this?” Astrid leant partially on the wall, awaiting her answer.  

“My name is Kate Smith from the New South Wales police force.” Kate spoke and Astrid immediately froze, standing up straighter from the wall. “I am calling to inform you that your parents, Mark and Joanna Taylor were involved in an accident.” Astrid's heart dropped to her stomach. 

“What?” Her voice was small and shaky. 

“A drunk driver collided with their car whilst driving tonight.” Kate paused. “They both sustained serious injuries in the collision and the paramedics were unable to save them by the time they reached the scene. I am very sorry for your loss-” 

The voice grew quiet as the phone fell from Astrid’s hand, Kate still talking but all noises faded into the background as Astrid froze. In a matter of seconds her life stopped. 

She was in shock, unable to move as a tear fell silently down her face. She stood in the empty hallway as the voice filtered through her phone but Astrid couldn’t hear a single thing. Eventually Kate hung up after not hearing any response from Astrid and she was left in the silence.

Steph began to grow worried at her younger teammates' disappearance, getting up from the table and walking out to where Astrid had gone minutes ago. Her brows furrowed as she couldn’t hear her speaking to someone on a phone. Her head went around the corner first, spotting Astrid very still, staring blankly down the hallway, tears falling down her face and phone flat on the floor. She immediately rushed over and as the older girl came closer, Astrid fell back into consciousness. 

“Hey, hey. What happened?!” Steph held Astrid’s face in her hands, searching her eyes with a worried look on her own face. Astrid took a shuddered breath in as she stared at Steph, more tears falling rapidly now. 

“M-my parents-” She whispered once she found her voice, pausing to let more air into her lungs.  

“What?” Steph softly urged for her to continue, worry and panic beginning to set in.

“There was an accident.” Her lip quivered as she spoke. “They’re gone.” Astrid finally spat it out, a loud sob escaping her chest as her knees buckled and she fell to the floor, Steph going down with her. Steph didn’t know what to say, only being able to bring Astrid closely into her chest as she finally broke down. Her chest heaved as she sobbed into Steph’s chest, gripping her shirt tightly. 

“Shhhh, shhhhh. I got you, I got you.” Steph smooths Astrid’s hair, holding her tightly as her own heart broke, silent tears falling down her face as she attempts to sooth the young girl. She just let her cry and cry and cry, staying silent as she held Astrid. 

She felt so much in the span of such little time. She was sad, heartbroken, angry and lost. Astrid didn’t know what to do, her parents were gone. She was with them celebrating at her home stadium just three days ago and now they were gone. She couldn’t even think, her mind was blank as she sat there in Steph’s arms.

Her breathing went back to normal and sobs subsided, easing her grip on Steph but staying pressed to her chest and listening to her heartbeat to calm her. 

“I’m so sorry.” Steph whispered, pressing a kiss to Astrid’s head who screwed her eyes shut and fresh tears fell down her face. “Come with me puddin’.” Steph spoke after another moment of silence, wanting to get them both to a quiet place away from the team next door. Astrid nodded once and let go of the older girl’s hoodie, slowly getting up from the floor with Steph’s help, still holding onto her close. 

“Kyra.” Astrid mumbled softly while sniffling, Steph leaning closer to hear her.

“Hey, chicken?” Steph asked softly, brushing the stray hairs from Astrid’s face. 

“Kyra, please.” She whispered again as she wiped her tears. 

“I’ll text her to come up okay?” Steph picked up Astrid’s forgotten phone from the ground and placed it in her pocket with her own, guiding Astrid towards the lifts and pressing the button for their team floor. Steph quickly shot Kyra a text, telling her to get up to Astrid’s room now. 

Steph walked them inside the room and sat against the headboard of Astrid’s bed, guiding the lost girl to lay her head across her lap. Astrid held onto Steph’s legs, the older girl ran her fingers softly through her loose hair as they waited for Kyra. 

A soft knock sounded, Steph slowly moving Astrid off her lap so she could open the door. Astrid laid frozen on the bed, falling back into shock as it began to process in her mind.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” Kyra panicked when she saw Steph’s tearful eyes, panting slightly from running to the room. The older girl didn’t speak before stepping out of the room, taking herself and Kyra into the hallway.

“Her parents were in an accident. Drunk driver.” The words left Steph’s lips and Kyra’s heart sunk.

“Are they okay? Did they get hurt?” Kyra hurriedly asked but as soon as she took in Steph’s expression she knew. “No.” Her voice was barely above whisper at the realisation. 

“She needs you.” Steph looked her in the eyes, Kyra nodding in understanding. She walked through the door and her heart broke even more seeing Astrid curled up on the bed facing away from her. Kyra silently slipped off her shoes before walking over to the bed, slowly laying down beside Astrid. 

Astrid felt the bed dip and a body behind her, arms wrapping around her and she could tell who it was, letting her body naturally fall back into the other. 

“I got you.” Kyra whispered, bringing her hand up to Astrid hair and running her fingers through it. Those three words brought all the feelings back to Astrid and she allowed herself to break down again, Kyra holding her tightly as she cried in her arms. 

Steph stood in the doorway watching the pair, noting how easily they slipped into the comfort of one another and how quickly Astrid could be calmed by the sounds of Kyra’s soft voice. In all honesty, Steph had never seen the pair so quiet when with one another; despite the current situation. 

They eventually rolled over and Astrid laid her head against Kyra’s chest, falling asleep to the sound of her heartbeat. Steph had left the room when Astrid was finally asleep, going to find Tony and let him know. Safe to say the man was heartbroken for his youngest player, but ready to support her however he could. 

Astrid woke up a bit later, still laying against Kyra’s chest as the soft strokes to her hair brought her back to reality. The room was silent bar their soft breaths. For the first few seconds she didn’t remember what had happened but it all quickly came rushing back.

“I should tell the girls.” Her words were soft and slightly startled Kyra who thought Astrid was still asleep. 

“You don’t have to do anything.” Kyra continued to brush her fingers through her hair, looking down at her best friend who was now staring blankly at the wall next to them.

“I want to. They’re as much my family as…” She trailed off, her eyes glossing over once again, finally looking up at Kyra. Kyra moved her hands to hold Astrid’s face, thumb swiping gently over the tears that began to fall. 

“I’m so sorry Star.” Kyra bit her lip as she met Astrid’s teary eyes, trying not to break in front of her. “What can I do for you?” Astrid shook her head. 

“I don’t even know what to do.” Astrid turned to look out the window, taking a breath in, closing her eyes and letting the breath go. Without another word Astrid got up off her bed, Kyra moving seconds behind her. 

No one expected to see Astrid after hearing news that something personal had happened, but neither Tony or Steph explained what, all thinking she would go home and have time with her family. So when they saw her walk into the common room with a blank expression on her red, tear stained face, it’s safe to say they were all shocked.

Astrid stood in the middle of the room, a large hoodie placed over her body despite the warm weather outside, holding the sleeves over her hands that played nervously with one another. Kyra stood behind her but slightly further back, giving her some space. 

“My parents… we’re in an accident.” She spoke softly into the quiet room, a few small gasps were heard, some girls were ready to ask questions but Astrid spoke again. “They couldn’t save them.” She let out a shaky breath and another tear fell as her heart shattered again by saying the words. 

They didn’t know whether to hug her or whether she needed time and space. But when they saw her eyes searching their faces, they knew. It was Cortnee who stood up first, walking over slowly in case that wasn’t what she wanted. But locking eyes with Cortnee and seeing more tears rising to her eyes again, they knew what she needed. 

One by one, the girls stood and found her in the middle of the room, piling in on top of one another and holding onto her, giving her all the love a family could provide in this time, because that’s what they were; family. 

to be continued...

i’m sorry but not alessia not having the update for the pink heart 💀

anyways…. praying for a stellar performance from the girlies today 🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️

Stargirl | matildas x original character fic [part eleven]

Words; 2.4k

Pairings; matildas team x astrid taylor (OC)

Warnings; swearing

masterlist

The camp ended and everyone headed back home to their clubs for their next matches, sad to be leaving each other but it was only a month until the next camp against South Africa and then Denmark. 

Kyra, Courtney and Astrid had returned to training at Hammarby, quickly preparing for their next match in only four days' time. It was going to be one of the quickest turnarounds for a match Astrid had ever had but she was ready to jump back into training and get onto that pitch. 

On their second day of training, before they had even begun their warm up, Astrid and Kyra had been approached by the club’s social media manager as they were walking through the halls together.

“God morgon tjejer." (Good morning girls) She waved to them as they got closer. 

“Hallå.” (Hello) Kyra smiled, slowing down her speed to meet her halfway. 

“God morgon.” Astrid spoke with a bright smile.

“Before you start training today, could we film a quick video with some questions? For the instagram page.” The woman spoke with a heavy accent. 

“Ja, of course.” Astrid nodded, looking over at Kyra who was nodding yes to her as well.

“Perfekt. Come with me please.” She gestured back down to where she came from, the two Australians following close behind. 

They were led to an empty pitch, not far from where the rest of their team were chatting before they began warming up. Two chairs were placed in front of a camera where the two girls had been led, sitting next to each other in their warm jackets, trying to block out the changing weather and cold breeze. 

After being told what they were doing and briefed what to say, they started rolling. 

“Hi! I’m Astrid Taylor.” Astrid waved to the camera. 

“I’m Kyra Cooney-Cross.” Kyra waved with a smile. 

“And today we’re going to…” Astrid looked at Kyra.

 “Take a best friend quiz and see how well we know each other.” The older girl finished the sentence. The social media manager handed them each some cards and instructed Kyra to go first. 

“Okay, easy one. When is my birthday?” They were now facing each other and Kyra could see slight panic forming on Astrid’s face. “You better know this.” She raised a brow at her. 

“I do, I do. Uhhhhh.” She lifted her head to the sky, pretending to think even though she knew the answer. “February 15th, 2002.” Astrid looked back at the girl who was smiling. 

“That’s correct. One point to you.” Kyra nodded. 

“Yay. When’s mine?” Astrid’s eyes flicked down to the card then back up to Kyra’s.

“April 13th, 2004.” Kyra spoke confidently. 

“Well done.” Astrid nodded with a smile. 

“Okay, when did I make my Matilda’s debut?” Kyra read from the card before looking up. 

“Oh shit. Uhhhhhh.” Astrid had to actually think about this. “I know it was like mid 2021.” She looked at Kyra who was nodding. “And it was against Denmark?” She tapped her chin. “I wasn’t even on the team yet so it’s not like I was there to know, but I did watch it at home. Is that good enough?” Astrid pleaded with Kyra.

“Is it?” Kyra looked to the manager. 

“Half a point.” She responded. 

“Yes! I’ll take it.” Astrid smiled. “When was it though?”

“10th of June.” Kyra nodded at her. 

“Right. When was mine? This will be easy cause you were there and it wasn’t that long ago.” Astrid argued but waited for Kyra to respond. 

“9th of April, 2022. AND you scored your first goal too, which is just crazy.” Kyra complimented the girl across from her who blushed slightly but moved on quickly. 

“Another point to you. How many goals have I scored with the Matildas?” Astrid asked the next question with a smirk. 

“Uhhhh…” Kyra filtered through her brain for the answer. “I’m gonna say 5 or 6 maybe?” She looked hopefully at Astrid. 

“It was 5, so far.” Astrid smiled as she waited for Kyra to ask the next one. 

“Point for me. How many siblings do I have? And what are their names?” Kyra asked with a smile. 

“Easy. Three sisters.” She looked at Kyra who nodded. “Mia, Shani and Mali?” She raised her brow hopefully.

“Another point to you.” Kyra nodded.

“Final questions, because from the looks of it,” She paused and both girls looked over to where their team was beginning to warm up in the background. “We’re technically late to training.” Astrid laughed towards the camera. “Okay, what are your three favourite qualities of mine?”

“It does not say that!” Kyra laughed and leant forward to check Astrid’s card, finding the question was true. “Ugh, okay. I would say… you're very goofy, you have an incredible strike from both feet and… you’re always very positive. You have an ability to bring the energy up in everyone without even doing much.” Kyra spoke and Astrid felt it very hard to not blush at her, heart melting at her words. 

“Oh my god, you’re so sweet.” Astrid playfully pushed her shoulder. “Finish this off will you, please?” Astrid nodded to the final cue card in Kyra’s hands. 

“Alright, how would you describe me in five words?” Kyra confidently held up five fingers, ready for Astrid to begin. 

“Ooooo, okay. Hilarious, quick, silly, determined and….” She trailed off as she watched Kyra drop a finger at each word, only one finger remaining. “Bright.” 

“Bright?” Kyra smiled but was slightly lost.

“You just like, are never dull, or down. You’re always smiling and just, bright.” Astrid creates a gesture with her hands, making both girls laugh in their seats. Once they settled they looked up to see the manager telling them to wind things up.

“I think you won. But only by like half a point.” Astrid collected herself, looking at Kyra. 

“Still counts.” Kyra shrugged proudly. “Anyway, we better get going and get to training.” Kyra turned to the camera and then to Astrid. 

“Let’s go.” Astrid smiled before they both got up and pretended to run off to their team. 

“Cut. Thank you.” Their social media manager thanked them as they removed their mics before saying goodbye and finally heading off to their warm ups. 

After training hard for the past few days it was finally game day against Rosengård, Teagan’s current team and Charli’s previous one before going on loan to Vittsjö a few months ago. Although Rosengård were tough opponents already, Astrid knew it would be even tougher with Teagan in goal against her. She knew how Astrid played and where she liked to go for goals from being in training together, but this is what happens when you play for club and country, sometimes you have to go against your friends and alter playing styles to come out on top. 

None of the three girls had been selected for the Hammarby starting XL but they were at least on the substitute bench and they would likely get put on later, Astrid especially. She didn’t mind the ‘super-sub’ reputation she had earned, always being able to deliver towards the end of games, but she would also like to start in more games and gain more minutes with her club. 

The game started and within 17 minutes they had secured a goal and only a few minutes later a second in the 25th minute by the same player. Going into halftime they were buzzing, but still determined to keep going and secure the win because they knew Rosengård would come back fighting. And they did. 

Kyra had been subbed on at around 60 minutes, Astrid not far behind at 70 minutes, coming to the left forward position with Kyra behind her in the midfield; it was time for them to make some magic. The coaches knew how good Astrid and Kyra were together, and how effortlessly they could pass the ball,wordlessly connecting with each other, proving them very useful subs in the later half of the game. 

Kyra had battled the ball from the Rosengård midfielders, Astrid watching her and making a run closer to goal, trying to escape their tough defence. Once she had found enough empty space up near the corner, Kyra launched the ball to her, Astrid catching it with her chest and rolling it down to her feet. Immediately a defender found her again and she paused with the ball at her feet. She had two options here; be quick with her feet and dance around them with the ball. OR she could take inspiration from her national teammate, Caitlin Foord, and try for a nutmeg to get around her. Let’s just say Astrid was feeling adventurous today. 

She made quick eye contact with the defender, both paused before looking back down at the ball. She moved her left foot to resume her play, making it look like she was going around the Rosengård player, instead shooting it through her and darting around the frozen player, catching the ball with her foot and heading for the goal.

She kept running with it, too risky to pass it down to anyone and deciding to go alone as she inched closer to a ready Teagan, expecting Astrid to take her regular shot with her right foot but scoop it to hit the left side of the net. But Astrid knew she would be expecting that so instead she struck powerfully, still with her right boot, but let it go directly to the right side of the net, watching as Teagan jumped for the left and missed the ball completely.

And in the 87th minute, the net rippled and the home crowd cheered, Astrid running straight for Kyra as she always did, jumping onto her when they met. 

“SHE’S BACK!!!!” Kyra screamed in her ear as she caught her, holding her close as the rest of the team joined, patting Astrid on the head and cheering her on. “You fucking nutmeged her!” Kyra spoke into Astrid’s ear, shaking her shoulders slightly as the group of players parted, returning to their spots. 

“I know. Cait will be proud.” Astrid smiled proudly, before parting with Kyra to go back to her position for the last few minutes of the game. As soon as the whistle blew, the Hammarby bench cheered and the team began to shake hands with their opponents. 

“Good game.” The first player Astrid made her way to was Teagan in the goal, putting her hand out for a fist bump against her gloves. 

“Nice shot. Wasn’t expecting that.” Teagan laughed before they pulled each other into a hug. “I’ll catch up with you later.” Teagan pulled back, nodding towards where both teams had started their separate huddles, Astrid following her gaze and turning back to Teagan. 

“Of course! Bye.” They shared another fist bump before they jogged over to their huddles, Astrid slotting in between Kyra and Courtney, waiting for the coach and captain to speak about the game and their win. After the huddle was done, the team took their lap around the pitch to thank the fans for coming and supporting. The three Aussies were walking around the pitch, Kyra and Astrid now wearing jackets Courtney had given them, still not used to the cooler weather in Sweden. Astrid was chatting with the two girls when Kyra nudged her shoulder and pointed out a sign in the crowd. 

‘Astrid Taylor/No. 13 Can I please have your jersey? (You’re my favourite… shhhh)’

A little girl, no older than 8, had been holding the sign over the barricade, waiting for her to spot it, eyes lighting up when Astrid finally did. Her heart instantly melted and she walked closer to where she was standing. 

“Hello.” Astrid smiled sweetly to the young player. 

“Hi.” The girl spoke shyly with a Swedish accent. 

“Am I really your favourite?” She leant closer to the little girl who nodded with wide eyes. “Thank you! Well, I won’t tell the others then, but neither can you. If you promise to keep it between us… you can have my shirt. Deal?” Astrid grinned at her. 

“Deal.” The girl spoke with a big smile. Astrid stood up again, unzipping her jacket and holding it between her legs. She was glad to have her long sleeve on underneath, shielding her from the wind once she took off the jersey on top. She slipped her jacket back on before holding the shirt out, grabbing a pen from her mum and signing her name and Hammarby number on the front before giving it to her. 

“Tack!” (Thank you!) The girl squealed while looking at the shirt. Her mum held out her phone and passed it to Astrid with the camera open.

“Varsågod!” (You’re welcome!) Astrid spoke before snapping a selfie with the young girl and her family, passing the phone back, waving goodbye and walking back to Kyra and Courtney who were waiting by the tunnel for her. 

“That was the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.” Courtney remarked as they all walked towards the home side changerooms.

“That was the nicest I’ve ever seen you be.” Kyra spoke from the other side and Astrid’s jaw dropped, giving the older girl a light smack on the arm. “Jokes.”

“You are so annoying, Kyra Lillee Cooney-Cross.” Astrid scoffed at the aforementioned girl whose jaw had dropped; Courtney stifled a laugh at Kyra’s reaction and the full name drop.

“And you’re not? Astrid Mae Taylor.” Kyra fired back quickly, Astrid had the same reaction, eyes wide at Kyra. 

“How dare y-” Astrid moved forward to hit Kyra again but Courtney held her arms back and pulled her away from Kyra.

“Enough, you two! You’re acting like an old married couple or something, my god” Courtney mumbled the last sentence as she pushed Astrid into the changing room, Kyra stalking in close behind. The closer they got, the more playful they became with one another. And boy was it annoying Courtney. 

She was very glad that they didn’t in fact live with each other, even if the bickering didn’t last long, it would be a nightmare to live with the two of them under the same roof. She dealt with it enough at training, outside of training and even more at national camp, especially when you add Charli into the mix; the three of them were known to be annoying, playful and goofy off the pitch, often roping some of the other younger girls into their plans and tiktoks while they had time off. 

This was one of the main reasons Astrid loved Matildas camps. Not only did she get the honour of playing for her country and her family; she got to spend all of her time with the girls she quickly called family and make memories with her best friends at the same time. So it was safe to say the next camp couldn’t come soon enough for Astrid.

to be continued...

Stargirl | matildas x original character fic [part fifteen]

Words; 1.5k

Pairings; matildas team x astrid taylor (OC)

Warnings; mini panic attack

masterlist

After two days of training at the stadium, game day finally came and everyone was more than ready. Especially Astrid when it had been revealed during their pre match talk that she would be in the starting line up today. It was safe to say she did not expect that, gasping in shock when Tony revealed her name and the rest of the team cheered her on. But after her performance against South Africa and during training, the coaches were more than certain she deserved it. 

Astrid was very nervous once they headed to the changeroom after a warm up, feeling the pressure she was putting on herself start to bubble up. She hadn’t started for the national team since the game she got injured in, only coming on later in the games as fresh legs and she was very worried her performance wasn’t going to meet everyone's expectation. 

Her leg bounced up and down, hands shaking slightly as she sat on the bench, everyone around her finishing up getting ready for the game. Her heart was pounding and she tried to focus on taking deep breaths but it felt like she was suffocating in the room. 

Hastley, Astrid stood up and headed for the door, ignoring the calls of her teammates asking where she was going. She didn’t even know where she was going, just knew she needed to get away from everyone for a moment. An empty hallway away from the noise of the stadium was all she needed, stopping and leaning up against a wall finally being able to breathe properly. 

For a few minutes she basqued in the quiet, letting her thoughts go and emptying her mind of anything that would prevent her from having a good match. That was until she heard footsteps approaching and getting closer to her. She didn’t react, just kept her eyes closed and fell farther into the wall. 

“Hey.” A soft voice and instantly Astrid felt a wave of calm fall over her. Kyra. Astrid opened her eyes and met Kyra’s worried face. 

“Hi.” Astrid’s voice was barely a whisper. “Sorry.” She avoided Kyra’s eyes and looked down at their feet. 

“Don’t be. Just had us worried is all.” Kyra confessed and let out a soft smile. “You okay?” She asked softly, not pressuring her to respond fully. 

“Yeah. Just needed a second.” Astrid looked back up at Kyra and gave her a tight lipped smile. “Nervous.” She spoke again and Kyra just nodded. 

“You got this.” Kyra spoke into her eyes and Astrid nodded along with her, feeling her heart rate slow and more air coming back into her lungs. “Come on.” Kyra held her hand out for Astrid and waited for her. 

Astrid silently took her hand and they began walking back down the tunnels, the noise from the teams and the fans in the stands growing louder as they approached the line ups, slotting in behind Katrina. They dropped their hands quickly, Astrid sending a quick thumbs up to Charli further up the line who was looking at her with worry. 

Before she knew it, both teams were standing in position and ready to start the game, the anxiety from before now replaced with adrenaline. The whistle blew and immediately Astrid was focused on the game, running down to her position on the right side, sharing the front with Sam. 

Denmark took possession very quickly, leading the scoreline with a goal from Karen Holmgaard within 47 seconds. Astrid and Sam watched with disbelief from the other side of the pitch, knowing this would set them up for a long and hard game. 

The Matildas almost get a chance to equalise soon after, Steph sending a ball for Sam who knocked just too high over the goal and missing their chance. But Astrid is really making her mark early on with early touches and creating amazing chances for Sam in the centre. But still, nothing managed to make its way past the Denmark defence and into the back of the net. 

The half time whistle blew and the only thing the Australian could take from it was Mini’s yellow card. That didn’t stop them becoming even more motivated to turn the rest of the game over to their side. After Tony’s speech, a water break and some refocusing, the team was ready to get back out and win this match. 

The second half, Astrid was fueled with more energy than she’s ever had even though this was the longest she’s ever played for the national squad. But there was a hunger for her to equalise and overtake the Denmark side early on and take the lead. 

Astrid watched the pass from Tegan to Mini to Hayley and kept her eye on the ball, running closer to the ball and trying to keep her distance from the defenders. Hayley came close to the goal but there wasn’t enough of a clear shot for her, eyeing where Astrid was positioned near the goal and going for it. Hayley shot the ball low through the middle of two defenders and it ended at Astrid’s left foot, taking less than a second to tap it in gently past the keeper's legs and against the back of the net in the 53rd minute. 

As soon as it made it past the white line Astrid beelined it for Hayley, the two players jumping into one another over excitement for their shared goal. The rest of the girls came over screaming, piling on top of the pair and giving well deserved head pats for their fantastic footwork. 

The girls began to disperse, Charli and Kyra hanging back to give the 18 year old striker another hug before returning to their places and just like that Astrid had helped them equalise early on. 

It took another 10 minutes before Caitlin scored one of the most chill, easiest goals ever. After being thrown back in by Charli, Caitlin bounced it off her chest and passed to Mini and Hayley before the ball was sent back to her. She easily dribbled it through the defenders, basically a 5v1 at that point, before nutmegging Sørensen and letting it roll into the goal, deflecting off the fingertips of Christensen and hitting the net. 

The game ended in their favour, 4-1 to the Matildas after Mini and Caitlin scored within a minute of another and a full international game under Astrid’s belt. After congratulating each other and consolidating the other team, it was time for the post-match huddle, Astrid slipping in between the other two goal scorers of this match. 

“Sam, Steph,” Tony began. “This is your team, your talk tonight.” He smiled at the two captains who were side by side. 

“Um, me and steph were just saying the second half is what we’re about. Like, we're a pressing team and we live and die by it.” Everyone was nodding in agreement at Sam’s words.. “So it was really fucking cool to see us all going for it. And I think we’re gonna concede chances. Maybe we concede one, but the way we pressed and covered for each other.” Sam looked around the circle. “That’s what this team’s about. So we need to bring that for 90, but that second half was incredible,” Sam looked over at the goalscorers that were holding onto each other. “So well done girls.” She looked over at Steph to continue. 

“Yeah, the end was a really mature performance, as well.” Steph was moving her eyes to reach everyone in the circle. “Having five at the back defending how we did, how we organised, that’s how we’ve got to be major tournaments, that’s what it’s about. Sometimes we’ve just got to get the win and I thought we did that really well, so, good performance.” Steph concluded and everyone turned to Tony for the final words. 

“Freaking solid performance, fantastic night. Good job everyone.” The captains had said everything that was needed to, so he was more than happy to show his excitement and happiness, finishing up the huddle and leading everyone into celebration. 

The excitement over their win continued into the changerooms and eventually on the bus on the way back to the hotel. But it was safe to say Astrid was exhausted after playing a full 90 minutes for the first time in a while, beginning to fall asleep against Alanna’s shoulder. So as they arrived at the hotel, the blonde defender had the pleasant job of attempting to wake the teenager who seemed very happy against her in the seat. 

“Hey, Asteroid.” Alanna nudged her gently, Astrid groaning as she began to wake up. “We’re back at the hotel.” Astrid began to open her eyes more, seeing Alanna and a few of the other girls look down at her. 

“Coming.” She spoke softly, waving them off. They nodded and began walking off the bus, but there was someone still lurking, waiting for her. 

“Need a hand?” Kyra asked her, Astrid looking up as she retrieved her small bag, sending Kyra a tired smile.

“Thanks.” Astrid reached for Kyra’s hand and pulled herself up, bag and phone in her other hand. They began walking off the bus, always last but somehow always together.

to be continued...

Stargirl | matildas x original character fic [part ten]

Words; 3.1k

Pairings; matildas team x astrid taylor (OC)

Warnings; none (that im aware of, if there is something lmk)

A/N; hope you are enjoying these xx

masterlist

The team headed straight to the media room after breakfast for their pre match chat. The team filed into the room, chatting or laughing amongst themselves before sitting down. Once everyone was settled Tony walked up to the projector. 

“Hi. It’s so great to see the team together again.” He smiled brightly at the group. “It’s been more than four months. It’s now putting the national team hat on, right? Remember what we are doing here.”  Everyone focused on what he was saying. “I want to thank you for the patience that you’ve had ‘cause we’ve played the toughest schedule in the history of this program in terms of top-ranked teams this year. And at the same time we introduced 17 debutants.” Kyra nudged Astrid’s shoulder at this, Astrid smiling at the girl beside her.

“So, sometimes the result on the scoreboard might not have been what we wanted it to be. But package everything that we learnt up until now and start getting more consistency, cohesion, chemistry, we got the foundation now.” Everyone dodded along to Tony’s words. 

“323 days. That’s the number of days left until the first game in the world cup.” Tony pointed at the screen which then revealed a ‘46’. “What’s that?” He smirked as the room stayed quiet. 

“Days we’re in camp together?” Astrid spoke softly in the room. Tony nodded while making eye contact with the young player. 

“Days we’re in camp together. About three days per camp goes to travel and recovery. That means 32 days of football together before we announce a roster and come here and prepare for the World Cup.” Tony looked around the room again. Astrid’s heart dropped at the mention of the World Cup, it seemed so far away but it was officially less than a year.  “That’s 11 games. That’s what we got. Before announcing the World Cup roster, 11 games. That means we can’t waste one single minute.” The room was silent with the heaviness of the conversation. 

The team made their way out to the bus to take them to the stadium. Everyone always sat by themselves for the ride to the stadium, playing their own music and getting in game mode. 

Astrid wanted to focus on the game ahead but her mind kept drifting to the earlier mention of next year's FIFA Women’s World Cup on home soil. She knew that if she wanted to be even considered for that 23 roster then she would have to work damn hard at both club level and national level before then, especially because so many senior and regular players were already a shoe in. 

They finally arrived and made their way to the changeroom, putting on their boots and making their way to the pitch for pre-match training. After everyone made their way out, Kyra, Astrid and Charli being the last like always, Jack Sharkley the head sports scientist clapped for everyone to join him. 

“Alrighty, let’s go for a jog shall we?” He looked particularly to Astrid who always had something to say about that first warm up, usually groaning and complaining every time. 

“Let’s go.” Astrid simply said and left everyone shocked. 

“You feeling alright there, kiddo? You didn’t groan or complain.” Sam remarked as she ran alongside Astrid who rolled her eyes at the captain. 

“Piss off.” Astrid laughed and shook her head.

After their warmups, drills and skills practise it came time for Astrid’s favourite part of training; scrimmages. Normally Sam and Steph would have separate teams but today they were on the same one, Astrid taking Caitlin’s usual position who was over on the bikes with Chloe. 

The game began and Sam’s side was taking good control, once again having both Kyra and Astrid together on that right side. 

“Kyra.” Astrid called for the ball, the midfielder sending it directly to Astrid in free space. Astrid kept the ball with her, dancing around the defenders to find Sam in the centre. 

“Good, kid, over here.” Sam yelled praise to the young player, catching the ball from her and heading for the goal. A little while later Steph walked off the field, hurting her hamstring after clearing a corner, very soon after Tameka had come off too.

“We’re a man down. Kyra, drop.” Sam called out after noticing Steph missing from her defender spot. “Astrid, move it back and I’ll come out here.” Astrid and Kyra followed her instructions and the game continued. 

The game wrapped up and everyone was tired and/or sore. 

“We’re dropping like flies here.” Astrid commented softly as she saw a few players with ice packs on muscles and the physios watching with caution. 

“Your ankle holding up?” Charli stood beside her, looking at Astrid who began rolling it around and testing it. 

“Yeah it’s good. Promise.” She looked up at the older girl who was still concerned it wasn’t 100% just yet, but it was feeling better than ever. 

A few short hours later and the game had kicked off at Suncorp Stadium against Canada. 11 minutes in and Canada secured a goal from distance after a free kick. The halftime whistle had blown and the score was 1-0 to Canada and Alanna had come off a few minutes prior with a hamstring injury, Aivi taking her place. 

Play restarted and after some substitutions in the midfield, Tameka and Cortnee coming on with fresh legs, it seemed a little more promising. Astrid was told to get ready to sub in for Emily Van Egmond, shuffling their previous 4-4-2 positioning to a 4-3-3 and have Astrid take that left position alongside Sam and Mary up the front, like they discussed at halftime.

A break in play and Astrid keeps her legs moving as she waits for Emily to come off, the players exchanging a double high five before running to her position at the 78th minute. Play resumed instantly and even with many good shots at goal from so many players, nothing seemed to be working for them. Official full time had ended and 4 minutes of extra time was added.

At 93 minutes the ball had been kept in possession by the Matildas, Gorry stealing it and shooting it over to Kyra on the left wing. Kyra darted with it between the Canadian defence, spotting both Sam and Astrid near the goal but the latter had a lot more free space, sending it over her way. She was at the edge of the box when she caught it, no room to run but could spot a narrow spot between her and the goal. 

She struck with her right foot, aiming for the top right corner and as the ball approached the keeper jumped high, but not high enough. It was close to hitting the bar and missing the shot but as it came in it curved ever so slightly, touching the net, rippling as it stayed in. 

The home crowd was up on their feet, all 25,000 fans erupting in cheers. Astrid took off running to Kyra in the midfield, jumping into her arms screaming, everyone else coming to pile on top. 

And in the 93rd minute Australia equalises with Canada. Number 31 Astrid Taylor in her return to the pitch after an ankle injury last time playing for the Matildas against the Philippines. 18 years old, recently joined the Swedish league and then scored that beautiful goal against Spain a few months ago in that tough friendly. What a return to the game. 

Astrid was beyond happy after the ball fell into that net, finally bringing them equal with Canada. Two minutes later and the final whistle blew, and a draw 1-1 with the Olympic Champions. 

The team was very happy they were able to leave the game with an equal scoreline and very grateful Astrid was able to score that last minute goal. Astrid had been beckoned over for a post-match interview, wiping the sweat from her face before appearing on camera. 

“How was it scoring that goal so close to the end of play?” The producer of their ‘Behind the Matildas’ youtube series asked.

“Yeah it was crazy. I mean I was very much expecting it to bounce off that post or for Sheridan to push it away, but it was a big relief when it did go in.” She laughed softly. “I think at that point a lot of people thought it would end in Canada’s favour, but I knew we had a few more minutes in us. And keeping our spirits up so late in the game can be hard but when you’ve only been on the pitch for like 15 minutes, there’s a little extra fight and determination to turn it around so late.” She smiled at the camera. 

“Thanks.” The filming stopped and the crew nodded at her, indicating she was done. She muttered a quick thanks and walked off to be with her team. 

“You owe me a coffee.” An arm fell onto her shoulder and the voice of Kyra got close to Astrid. 

“Yeah, yeah. I’ll get you one tomorrow.” Astrid rolled her eyes at the older girl, bringing her own arm to rest on Kyra's shoulder as they walked down the tunnel. “But you realise I was also right.” She turned to her with a smirk.

“About what?” Kyra asked, confused to what she was talking about. 

“I told you last night that you would start today. And I was right.” She crossed her arms over her chest. 

“I guess you were then.” Kyra smiled at the younger girl, pulling her into her side as they headed for the change room. 

Only two days later and the team had touched down last night in Sydney for match day-1, currently heading to the newly rebuilt Allianz Stadium for their training session. Astrid’s parents had secured tickets to come see her play in person for the first time since her final Sydney FC game and she could not be more excited to see them again, this now being the longest she’s been away from them.

The team piled into the changeroom and began to get ready for their warm up, all watching as Alanna set up a speaker in the middle of the room, confused as to what the defender may be putting on. 

The intro to ‘My Heart Will Go On’ begins to play and the room erupts in laughter at the song choice. Instantly everyone begins singing along, Alanna beginning a piece of interpretive dance to the song.  

“Once more, you open the door!” Their captain sings into a water bottle in front of the camera. 

“YOU’RE HERE! THERE’S NOTHING I FEAR.” The room sings, the loudest singing now coming from Astrid who was standing on her cubby bench, gesturing with passion to Kyra next to her who was laughing at her antics. 

“Get down child.” Macca yells at Astrid who pouts and jumps down, putting her cleats on as the song dies down and their regular playlist begins to play, Sam dragging the speaker with her as they leave the room to walk to the pitch. 

Training had concluded, Alanna was already ruled out from the last game and now Steph was a worry too, her hamstring issue from the other day still not 100%. 

“Let’s bring it in everyone, staff as well.” Tony called and the team had now assembled into a small circle at the edge of the pitch, some sitting and stretching, others having a drink break after a scrimmage. “Er, have to say, I love what I saw out there today. How you took ownership for your performance, how you communicated. I loved what I saw.” He smiled at the girls. “Let’s show what we’re about tomorrow in that game. And to make sure we have memory from that, let’s get together really quick so Ann can grab a photo of us all in the sun on the pitch. Just a quick picture.” Everyone began standing up and moving to open space on the pitch. 

“Viney, help me please.” Astrid looked up at Cortnee with her arms out. 

“Fine.” The older girl grabbed her hands and pulled her up fast. 

“Thanks.” She put her arm over the forward’s shoulder, walking with her to where the group had gathered, both plopping down to the ground where there was a gap between Lydia and Kyra. “Ooo I get to be next to Kyra!” She placed her head on Kyra’s shoulder with a smile. 

“Alright, everyone in.” Ann shouted to catch everyone's attention. The shutter of cameras going off. “Thankyou.”

“Ann, get in on one.” Tony called out. 

“Run!” Astrid yelled and everyone laughed, cheering Ann on as she ran over to the group quickly. 

“Yes, Ann!” Sam clapped as she slotted in. More photos were taken and as soon as the photographer gave them a thumbs up they all jumped up. 

The next day rolled around quickly and before they knew it, the starting line ups were making their way onto the pitch. The energy in the stadium was crazy, so many people were there to watch the Matildas and you could feel their passion radiating down to the players. 

The game kicked off with Emily Van Egmond and although Canada took possession pretty easily, it didn’t take long until it was back to the Matildas. A magical passing sequence between Cortnee, Sam and Mary and within two and a half minutes Mary had opened the scoring with a magnificent goal. The girls on the pitch and the bench cheered, the crowd was maybe the loudest it’s ever been. 

They went into halftime, up 1-0 and spirits a lot higher than the last game, having a stronger defence and the forwards plenty of shots on target but just falling short or being stopped by Canada’s goalkeeper. 

“Astrid.” Tony called her over as the players made their way to the changerooms for the break, she ran over to him. “Come with me, I’m putting you on for Vine, we need fresh legs.” She simply nodded and followed him to a small room, immediately hopping on a bike to warm up while he spoke about the next half. 

The second half began and Astrid was already on the pitch in the right wing position, ready for the next 45 minutes. It’s not a position she normally plays in but she had to take every chance to be on that pitch and making her mark, especially with World Cup talk looming over their heads.

The whistle blew and they were on. Although the Australian defence was strong it didn’t seem strong enough in those first 10 minutes, Leon scoring two goals within minutes of each other and taking the lead 2-1. Astrid fought hard on that right side, connecting with Charli, Gorry and Mary for shots at goal but again nothing wanted to go in or slot past Sheridan. 

It’s finished here at Allianz Stadium. Matildas 1, Canada 2.

Everyone stood still on the pitch, looking around at the crowd before them, seas of green and gold filling the stands. Astrid was exhausted, that was the longest game she’s played for the Matildas and she could feel it, but she made her rounds and congratulated the opposition and found Kyra, Courtney and Charli. 

“Hey.” Courtney’s voice was soft as she saw Astrid approach them.  

“Hey star.” Charli still managed to smile at her, pulling her into her side with one arm. 

“Hi.” Kyra did the same on the other side, Astrid wrapping her arms around their waists, Courtney tagging on beside Charli. 

“Wanna go find my parents with me?” She looked between them, all silently nodding and beginning to walk together to where friends and family were at the barricades. Her eyes searched for them and they finally landed on 2 of the only people wearing her jersey number. “Mum, dad!” She let go of the girls when she spotted them, waving as she ran to them. 

“Hi my darling.” Her mum, Joanna, looked like she was about to start crying as they hugged over the barrier. “I’m so proud of you.” She whispered into her ear, squeezing her tighter. They let go so she could move and hug her dad.

“Hey sweetie, I’ve missed you.” Her dad, Mark, pulled his daughter close. 

"I've missed you too." She nodded into his shoulder, trying not to cry from both happiness and sadness at being with her parents again. They pulled apart and she turned to the three people standing behind her, waving them to come closer.

"Guys, this is Charli, Courtney and Kyra. The rest of the Sweden Squad." She smiled.

“Thank you for taking care of my girl over there and when you guys are on camp, it means alot to know she’s not alone.” Her mum smiled at the girls whose hearts had swelled up. 

“Of course, she’s our stargirl.” Charli donned her signature smile, pulling Astrid into her side and holding Courtney close to her other side. 

“She’s in completely safe hands.” Kyra added herself onto the other girls, squeezing all of them together. 

“Totally.” Courtney put on her best smile, nodding along.

“I don’t know about that.” Astrid laughed with Charli, Kyra and Courtney’s jaws dropping. 

“We are perfectly responsible adults and we’ve kept you alive so far. Making sure you're fed and watered. So…” Kyra pointed out, Courtney nodding along in agreement.

“I’m not a plant.” Astrid emphasised. 

“I didn’t say you were. But we did take care of you while you were injured.” Kyra argued back, the people surrounding laughed at her and Kyra’s interaction. 

“Alright you two. We better get going before you rip each other's heads off or Tony does for taking too long.” Charli intervened finally, pushing some distance between the pair. 

“It was lovely meeting you ladies, and well done on the game today, you all played wonderfully.” Joanna smiled at the older girls who surrounded her daughter. 

“Love you, mum.” Astrid hugged her again, squeezing her tight. “I’ll talk to you soon okay?” She pulled away and moved over to her dad. 

“You make me so proud. I love you.” Mark reached over the barrier, placing a kiss on her head before they parted. “Go on.” He nodded to where the team was beginning to disappear down the tunnel. 

“Bye.” They all spoke in unison, waving goodbye to the couple, Charli wrapping her arm around Astrid who donned a sad look on her face. 

Astrid was beyond grateful these girls had come into her life, especially while living so far away from her family, they became her family. The rest of the team had become her family too but the Sweden squad was something else, something special. 

to be continued...

Love you to the moon and saturn | Emily Prentiss x gn!reader

Summary; Emily Prentiss and Y/N have been dating for a long time and Y/N decides it’s finally time to tie the knot. 

Parings; Emily Prentiss x gn!reader

Warnings; none, pure fluff with kissing

Words; 1.6k

No one is permitted to steal, copy, or reblog my work as their own!!

Not my gif. @pagetbrewsterfansite​ 

It was no secret that Emily and Y/N were deeply in love with each other. When they started dating 3 years ago they were able to keep it a secret for a good few months. That was until Garcia caught them sneaking off together during a team get together at Rossi’s, outing them to the whole team. No one had a problem with it, if anything they were obsessed with their relationship and the love they had for each other. The two agents were obsessed with each other, with one another more than not. 

Y/N knew they would like Emily as soon as she walked into the BAU on her first day, capturing the attention of Y/N almost instantly. That was 5 years ago, and it took them 2 years of working together and becoming best friends to realise that they actually liked each other and it wasn’t one sided pining. From then it’s been smooth sailing, rarely having fights and saying I love you within a few months. 

Y/N has been planning this for a few months, even going to a specialty jeweller, creating the perfect ring for Emily. They’ve been carrying the ring in their pocket for at least 2 weeks now, waiting for the perfect moment to drop to one knee and ask the question. There have been many occasions when they’ve been ready to do it; at a fancy dinner date night, at Rossi’s with the whole team around, during a work trip to the mountains. But something has always interrupted them, stopping the romantic moment before they could ask Emily to be their partner for ever and ever. 

And that leads us to today. The team had just gotten back from a case in Texas, a particularly tough one at that. The team had been investigating a number of mysterious explosions throughout a small town and when Emily almost ran into a building that was seconds away from exploding, Y/N knew. They knew that with this job, their lives could be taken away from them and Y/N didn’t want to go another day without having Emily as their wife. Today was the day. 

Everyone exited the elevators, ready to see Penelope’s smiling face greeting them like always but when those doors opened, the hallway was empty. Everyone’s face fell to confusion while Y/N’s gained a smirk. The plan was in motion. Before they got onto the plane, Y/N called Penelope back at Quantico, telling her that they were finally going to propose to Emily and they needed her help. Penelope was over the moon excited, she’d been waiting for this to happen ever since Y/N told her about the ring. 

“That’s weird.” Derek commented finally, stepping out of the elevator, everyone else following behind. He wandered down the hall to her lair, opening the door. “Baby girl?” She was nowhere to be found. 

“Maybe she’s inside.” Emily walked towards the glass doors, pushing the open simultaneously, ready to spot the analyst wandering around or in the kitchenette. Once again it was empty. 

Y/N hid their excitement, wandering over to their desk and placing their bags down. “I’m going to check up there.” They announced, nodding their head towards the stairs that lead up to the round table room where the shutters were oddly closed. Whilst walking, they reached into their jacket pocket to make sure the ring was still in there, it was. When they opened the door they were met with a very excited Penelope, she was grinning ear to ear. Y/N smiled back before she pulled them into a hug. 

“Oh my god, I’m so excited! I’ve been waiting up here for so long, you guys seem to take forever.” Penelope stepped away from the hug. Y/N looked around the room, spotting flowers scattered and small candles lit. 

“Pen, this is amazing! Thank you so much.” They thanked Penelope, the room looked amazing. “Now I just have to get her up here. And hope from there on everything goes smoothly.” They were getting stressed out, thinking about what they were about to do. 

“Hey, it’s going to be fine. I’ve never seen two people more in love, she’s going to say yes.” Penelope grabbed their hands, bringing them back down. “Is it time to go get her?” Penelope asked, releasing their hands as they nodded. “Okay, good luck my love.” She kissed them on the cheek and walked out the door that led to the catwalk, closing it softly behind her. Y/N breathed deeply, thinking of the words they had prepared on the plane. 

“Emily Prentiss,” Penelope finally appeared to the rest of the team that were milling around the bullpen. “Your presence is requested at the round table.” Penelope tried to contain her happiness, walking slowly to the steps and hiding her smile. 

“Uh, okay.” Emily shook her head, walking up the stairs and passing the mysterious analyst. Her brows were furrowed as she walked to the door. 

“What are you up to, baby girl?” Derek asked, wrapping an arm over Penelope’s shoulder. 

“Something magical.” She smiled, looking up at the windows of the room that was still closed off to everyone else. 

Emily finally approached the door, opening it slowly. A small gasp left her lips as the romantic setting was revealed. She let go of the door handle, walking further into the room. “Y/N?” She spotted them in the corner of the room, pacing nervously. 

“Hi.” Y/N breathed, walking to meet Emily in the middle of the room. 

“Hi.” Emily smiled at her lover, curiosity running through her veins. “Baby, what’s going on?” She chuckled nervously, interlocking her hands with theirs. 

“Emily,” They paused, making sure to capture her attention, meeting their eyes with hers. “The day I met you, I knew we were meant to meet. You came into my life at a time where I really needed someone, to listen, to talk and to understand me. And you did that and so much more. You became my best friend but I always wanted more than that. And I’m mad it took us so long to realise that we both liked each other, because then we could’ve spent so much more time in each other’s arms, spilling the secrets of our hearts instead of stealing glances across the room.” They paused, watching Emily laugh. 

“You, are my favourite person in the whole world, the love of my life, and I never want to spend another day without you in my arms. I’ve known that for a while, but today really made me realise that with this job our lives could be cut short at any moment.” They took a second, blinking away the tears in their eyes, taking a deep breath. “So, with that said,” They let go of Emily’s hand, reaching into their pocket. Emily’s eyes filled with tears, shock running over her face. Then they got down on one knee, looking up at Emily with a box in their hand.

 “Emily Prentiss,” They opened the ring box, revealing a silver ring with a sparkling sapphire diamond. “Will you do the absolute pleasure of marrying me?” They smiled up at Emily, her hands now covering her mouth with a big gasp. 

“Oh my god. YES! Yes, yes, yes!” She reached down and pulled Y/N up by their shoulders, grabbing their face and pulling them in for a passionate kiss. They split apart, smiling at each other, laughing. Emily pulled Y/N in for a hug, holding them tightly. Y/N took the opportunity to grab Emily’s waist, lifting her legs off the ground and spinning her around. 

“Y/N, I love you so much.” Emily jumped down to look into her fiance’s eyes. Y/N kept smiling, pulling the ring out of the box and placing it onto Emily’s finger. “It’s beautiful.” She examined the ring. 

“I got it made specifically for you.” Y/N smiled at Emily, wiping the tears of joy that had fallen onto their cheek. “I love you.” Emily leant in for another small kiss, unable to wipe the smile off of her face. 

“Do they know?” She nodded her head to the blocked window, gesturing to the team who were patiently waiting downstairs. They shook their head.

“Only Pen, she set all of it up.” They pointed to the flowers and candles scattered. 

“Should we go tell them then?” Emily asked, grabbing a hold of Y/N’s hand. They nodded enthusiastically, kissing her again before they walked to the door hand in hand. They were silent as they appeared on the catwalk, waiting for the team's reactions. 

The bullpen was silent, tension and anticipation circling the air. When no one said anything, Emily finally shot their hands up in the air, her engagement ring shining in the light. 

“We’re getting married!” She shouted into the space. The team was cheering and clapping, filling the room with happiness as the couple made their way down the stairs. Emily and Y/N were laughing at the reaction. Rossi was the first to greet the couple, kissing both of them on the cheeks. 

“Congratulations!” He smiled at the pair. Hugs and laughter were shared with the team, everyone stopping to admire the ring Y/N designed, complementing them. The last person to congratulate them was Hotch. 

“I’m very happy for you two.” He smiled at Y/N before bringing them in for a hug. And that’s how the night continued, laughs shared among friends as the happy couple reminisced on their relationship. It was a happy day for everyone. 

Joining the club | Jen Beattie x reader

Summary; 2023 and the start of 2024 seem to have something in common already; everyone in the WOSO community seems to be getting engaged. And when you bring this up to your long term partner Jen, it seems she has nothing to say, or does she….

Pairings; Jen Beattie x famous!reader

Words; 2.5k

Warnings; pure fluff, swearing

A/N; It seems to be the season of getting engaged and even though I am way off getting engaged and very very single, I thought I would pretend and imagine that I was getting engaged to the one and only Jen Beattie. There is also a lack of Jen fics on here and I feel the need to write one for her. Enjoy!

First it was Steph and Dean all the way back in January. Lynn and Marley finally did it back in May. Then in June it was Emily and Kat, and Katrina and Clara just a few days after. Kristie and Sam finally revealed theirs from September after months of teasing. Chloe Kelly and Millie Bright got it within the same week, sharing photos with their partners around christmas. And finally a surprise from Ellie and Daan on the first day of a new year. 

It seemed 2023 and now 2024 was the time for engagements in the world of women’s football and you were quite caught up in all the news. 

“Oh my god babe, another one!” You let out a gasp as the post from Ellie and Daan popped up on your instagram feed, stopping your pre-dinner scrolling as you paused and assessed the picture. It was from a few days ago, and you were seeing it now because you had been away with Jen and her family, avoiding social media to spend time with them and only now catching up. 

“What?” Jen’s voice called from the kitchen, you jumping up from the couch with your phone and running quickly into the kitchen. 

“Look.” You aggressively shoved your phone into her face and she adjusted to the bright light as she tried to look at the photo. 

“Oh wow, congrats to them.” Jen smiled quickly before turning away and back to the food on the stove. You frowned at her quick response and disinterest at the post.

“Do you not think it’s funny?” You asked with a small laugh from beside her. 

“What is?” She asked whilst moving around the kitchen to find the rest of the ingredients for your dinner. 

“That everyone in the footballing world seems to be getting engaged at the moment?” You asked again and she didn’t respond with any excitement, again.

“Oh, guess I didn’t notice.” She shrugged and continued to stir the pot. You opened your mouth to talk again but she got there before you. “Could you grab me some bowls, love?” She asked while keeping her eyes on the pan. You paused for a second before grabbing two clean ones from the dishwasher and placing them next to her. “Thank you.” She smiled at you briefly before beginning to dish up the pasta that was now done. 

“You’re welcome.” You snapped out of your trance and silently moved to grab some glasses and the wine from the fridge. She waited for you to finish pouring your drinks before she grabbed both bowls and headed for the couch, you following close behind her. 

“What are we watching tonight, love?” Jen asked as she sat beside you on the couch, now both holding your dinner and the wine glasses on the coffee table. 

“I don’t mind, you pick.” You shrugged before taking a bite of your food and now it was her turn to frown at you, normally you always took control over what to watch together. 

“You okay?” Jen asked simply and you nodded silently while eating and staring at the screen in front of you. “ Okay, how about Bridgerton? We still haven’t finished season two.” She suggested and once again you nodded silently from beside her. 

You weren’t sure why you were feeling slightly off after Jen’s reaction to the post and your comments, but you still snuggled into her on the couch after finishing your pasta and wine.

The episode finished and you could feel the both of you drifting off after a long day. Jen had been back at training after winter break and your schedule had been hectic since returning from time off. You were an actress and your new movie was about to come out so all the promo shoots and interviews were now in full swing, though you were grateful it began in London so you could still go home to Jen every night.  

You met Jen a few years back at an event in London you had both been invited to, catching her eyes from the other side of the room and instantly knowing you had to go talk to her. You knew who each other were, an actress making her name in the world and a famous sports star who silently followed each other in their respective lines of work. One conversation and you knew there was something there, and so did she. You both knew it would be hard with your professions and the distance you would have at certain times, but you wanted to make it work, somehow keeping it from the public eye for two years before hard launching it on your anniversary and sending both sets of fans into a frenzy. 

“Ready for bed love?” Jen spoke softly into the dark living room, smoothing your hair softly. 

“Definitely.” You yawned and sat up, rubbing your tired eyes as Jen stood up and held a hand out for you. You smiled at the gesture and met your hand in hers, pulling yourself up and making your way to your bedroom together. You both had already showered when you got home earlier so all that was left to do was to brush your teeth together. 

Your night routine was almost the same every night, no matter what was going on in your separate lives, you always spent those last few minutes together before crawling into bed. So once you both finished in the bathroom, you hopped into bed on your chosen sides but made your way closer to the middle and each other, Jen opening her arms to you as you laid your head on her chest.

“Sorry I’ve been quiet, tired.” You mumbled into the darkness against Jen as she drew small circles against your back. 

“It’s okay, me too.” Jen looked down at you to meet your soft eyes. 

“I love you.” You smiled and snuggled into her chest once more, eyes drifting closed. 

“I love you too.” Jen placed a kiss against your head before closing her own eyes and drifting asleep. 

The topic of last night's conversation was mostly forgotten in the morning, or at least it wasn’t brought up again between you too. That didn’t mean it wasn’t brought up with different people. Jen arrived at training and as both Steph and Beth walked up to her, they could tell something was on her mind. 

“You alright there Jenny?” Steph bumped her shoulder as herself and Beth joined her sides. 

“Hmm? Oh yeah.” Jen nodded at them but went silent straight after. 

“You sure?” Beth dragged out her words and brought her face as she could to Jen’s, their height difference proving to be a little difficult.

“Yeah, just thinking.” Jen tried to brush them off again but these two were persistent and she knew she wasn’t going to get very far if she didn’t tell them. She stopped her walking and sighed before speaking. “Last night, Y/N brought up how it seems like everyone’s getting engaged at the moment, and I didn’t really say anything back. And then she seemed upset for the rest of the night, but she said she was just tired, which I know she has been, but I also think I might have upset her in some way.” She let out in almost one breath as Steph and Beth tried to process her words. 

“Well she’s not wrong, especially in the last few weeks.” Beth added with a shrug. 

“Do you think she’s ready?” Steph ignored Beth’s comment and looked at Jen.

“Well, I wasn’t sure before, but after last night I think she is.” Jen looked between the two of them. “Just the way she was talking about it and then when I didn’t really say anything…” She trailed off and looked down. 

“I think she’s ready.” Steph spoke with a smile. She had watched from the beginning of your relationship with Jen just how happy you were with one another, and how easy the relationship seemed even when spending time apart due to work. 

“Are you?” Beth asked sincerely, her and Steph awaiting Jen’s reply. Jen was silent for a few seconds, bringing her eyes back up to look at her best friends. 

“I bought the ring like 2 months ago.” She mumbled but they still heard it and instantly started beaming at the Scottish woman. 

“You sly little bastard.” Beth punched Jen’s arm softly as they began to walk again so that they wouldn’t be late for training. 

Throughout the whole day the three of them, mostly Steph and Beth, were coming up with ideas on how she should propose but Jen kept shooting them down. She wanted it to be private, special and a surprise, so anything that involved taking you out somewhere would instantly make you suspicious. 

While Jen had been conversing her thoughts and plans with her best friends at training, you were in your head all day thinking about last night. Which wasn’t really helping especially when you were trying to film press interviews all day and talk about your movie. 

You could have talked to your co-stars about it, after all they had become close friends while shooting and now being with each other everyday for promo, but the only person you really wanted to talk to was Jen; it was always Jen. 

Jen got home long before you, taking her time to deep clean the flat and cook dinner for you once again, knowing you would be exhausted from your long day of work. 

She didn’t hear you opening the door and making your way through the flat, she had been vacuuming with her headphones on and dancing around your bedroom. You stood in the doorway for a few minutes after spotting her, admiring her and waiting for her to see you. And when she did, boy did she get a fright. 

“Ah fuck!” Jen almost jumped out of her skin when she finally turned around and spotted you lurking in the doorway, using one hand to remove her headphones and the other to turn the vacuum off. “How long have you been standing there?” She dropped the vacuum and began to walk over to you. 

“A few minutes. I was admiring your hidden dance skills.” You smiled and stood up straighter, welcoming her into a hug like you do every day. “Hi.” You mumbled into her shoulder. 

“Hi love.” She pulled back and leaned in for a soft kiss. No matter how many times you kiss Jen, it feels like the very first time all over again, even after 4 years. “Busy day?” She asked as you parted, taking in your tired expression. 

“Busy day.” You nodded and smiled at her. “How was training?” You asked as you walked hand and hand to the kitchen. 

“Good, good to be back with the girls.” Jen smiled at you before letting go to retrieve dinner from the oven. You stood at the counter, simply watching her as she moved about wrapping up dinner. “Go put something on, I’ve got it.” Jen smiled and placed a kiss on your temple before ushering you to the lounge room.

“Okay bossy.” You laughed before making your way to the couch and switching the TV over to Netflix to finish the final episode of Bridgerton. You wait patiently for her on the couch, looking over your shoulder every few seconds to see if she is coming around the corner. 

Meanwhile in the kitchen, Jen is trying to hide her anxiety and nervousness as she plates up dinner and feels her pocket one more time. With two champagne glasses now full and a tray full of food she finally makes her way to you, letting out a final breath before entering the living room. 

“Dinner is served.” She places the tray down on the table and bows which makes you laugh. Your eyes fall on the glasses and you’re instantly confused. 

“What’s with the champagne? Decide the wine wasn’t good enough?” You joked and she let out a small laugh shaking her head. 

“Some nights are a little more special than the others.” She cryptically says and has you even more confused but you leave the comment alone and hit play on the remote. 

You eat dinner together while watching the episode, silently watching with a bit of commentary along the way before cuddling up after eating. The episode finishes and you can feel Jen’s heart beating particularly fast, her fingers are nervously playing with one another and she hasn’t spoken in a few minutes. You sit up silently and look at her, she doesn’t look at you. You’re about to fill the silence when she beats you to it. 

“You know how much I love you, right?.” Jen rushes out and leaves you slightly bewildered. 

“I know. I love you just as much.” You reply. “What’s wrong?” You bring your hand up to brush her hair back into her low bun. 

“I’m about to do something and I hope you don’t think it’s random and forced because it’s not and I’ve been thinking about this for a long time and I didn’t want to make a massive deal about it because it’s just you and me and that’s all that matters.” Jen speaks in one long breath and you need a second for your brain to catch up but before it can she’s pulling you up off the couch with her and standing in front of you. She holds your hands in hers and looks directly at you. 

“Wha-” Before you could even think about finishing your sentence, a giant gasp leaves your mouth at her next action. She drops down to one knee whilst still holding holding your hands, smiling up at you as tears well in your eyes. 

“My love, I could go on and on about how much I love you but you already know. There is no one else I would rather spend the rest of my life with, no matter where it shall take us. So,” She let go of your hands, you bringing them up to your face and hers reaching down into her pocket. She fishes the small, black box out, opening it to reveal a sparkling ring and looks back up at you. “Y/N Y/L/N, will you-” 

“YES!” You interrupt her before she gets to finish causing her to laugh and shake her head. 

You just stand there admiring her as she gets up and removes the ring from the box. She brings your shaking left hand from your face and slides the ring on. Your jaw drops at the ring before you jump into her arms, causing her to react quickly and grab hold of your legs. “I love you so much Jen.” You cry into her shoulder as she holds you before you lift your head up, meeting your eyes with hers before pulling in for a kiss. 

The rest of the night is spent in one another's arms just admiring each other and talking softly with each other about the rest of your lives while wrapped up in your sheets.

yourinstagram and jbeattie91

yourinstagram we joined the club 💍

liked by jbeattie91, stephcatley, bethmead_ and 834,032 others

stephcatley so happy for you! welcome to the club 😉

bethmead_ about time jen jen. congrats 🥰

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THE END!