North London
September 2024
Leah's apartment smelled faintly like deep heat spray and coffee.
A very glamorous life.
She dropped onto the sofa after training with a groan loud enough that Elle immediately laughed through the phone.
"That sounded medically concerning."
"I'm ninety-three years old."
"You're twenty-seven."
"Debatable."
Elle smiled softly from the screen, curled sideways on her apartment sofa in New York while evening light spilled through the windows behind her.
God.
Leah missed her.
Not painfully lately.
Just constantly.
The kind of missing that had quietly woven itself into everyday life now.
"You scored and assisted this week," Elle pointed out. "Your suffering seems dramatic."
Leah rolled her eyes before stretching her legs across the sofa.
"I'm choosing to be brave about training."
"That's not how bravery works."
"Disagree."
The easy rhythm between them settled naturally after that.
No tension anymore.
No uncertainty.
Just comfort.
The kind built slowly through surviving difficult things together.
Leah listened absentmindedly while Elle talked about a campaign shoot in Brooklyn earlier that day, occasionally smiling to herself because honestly?
She could listen to her talk about almost anything now.
Dangerous information.
Then suddenly Elle went quieter.
Interesting.
Because Elle usually filled silences easily.
Leah noticed immediately.
"What?"
Elle smiled faintly. "Nothing."
"That's absolutely a lie."
"Okay, maybe something."
Leah sat up slightly now, immediately invested.
"Should I prepare emotionally?"
"Possibly."
That got Leah's attention frighteningly fast.
Elle looked down briefly before biting back a smile.
"So... this London agency reached out."
Leah blinked once.
"What kind of agency?"
"A modelling agency."
Silence.
Then—
"What?"
Elle laughed softly now at Leah's expression.
"It's only meetings."
"Meetings in London?"
"Potentially."
Leah stared at the screen like she physically needed a second to process.
"When?"
Elle tried and failed to hide her smile properly.
"Next week."
Leah sat up fully now.
"Next WEEK?"
"You're reacting very calmly."
"You might be in London for work?"
"Maybe."
"For how long?"
Elle looked suspiciously pleased with herself now.
"Two weeks."
The silence that followed was genuinely embarrassing.
Because Leah Williamson — professional footballer, emotionally evolved adult woman — suddenly looked like someone had personally handed her happiness wrapped in a bow.
Elle burst out laughing.
"Oh my God, that face."
"What face?"
"The one where you're trying not to look excited."
"I'm not trying."
"At all."
Leah grinned helplessly then, leaning back against the sofa again.
"Two weeks."
"Potentially."
"In London."
"Correct."
Leah physically dragged a hand down her face.
"This feels emotionally significant."
"It's work, Leah."
"Counterpoint: you'll be in my city."
The softness in her voice made Elle's chest ache slightly.
Because there it was again.
That quiet sincerity Leah never quite knew how to hide around her anymore.
"You know what Beth's going to say?" Leah asked suddenly.
Elle laughed immediately. "That you're insufferable?"
"Correct."
"She'd be right."
Fair.
Leah looked down briefly at her hands before glancing back toward the screen.
Then quieter—
"You should stay at mine."
The words settled softly between them.
Not dramatic.
But important.
Because somehow this felt different from weekends and visits and airports.
Two weeks.
Normal life.
Morning training. Tea runs. Coming home to each other.
The thought alone made Leah's chest feel strangely warm.
Elle's expression softened too.
"You sure?"
Leah looked at her like the answer was obvious.
"Very."
Silence lingered gently after that.
Not awkward.
Just both of them quietly imagining it.
Then Elle smiled slightly.
"You know what's funny?"
"What?"
"I think eighteen months ago this would've terrified you."
Leah laughed softly under her breath.
"Eighteen months ago I was emotionally constipated."
"That's still true sometimes."
"Rude."
But not inaccurate.
Leah looked at her through the screen for a long moment after that.
And suddenly the distance between London and New York didn't feel quite so impossible anymore.
Because now there was movement.
Momentum.
Plans that looked suspiciously like a future.
"You know what I think?" Leah murmured quietly.
"What?"
"I think you're about to completely ruin my ability to live alone."