***
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sophadiaz: home is where the heart is 🧸
(ps. you ever heard of colour, soph?)
📍 Sevilla, Andalusia

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***

Sophia was over the freaking moon right now.

Like, walking on sunshine happy.

Because she kissed Pedri.

She. Kissed. Pedri.

She. Sophia.

Pinch her.

Mere months ago, it was Ferran who initiated it all. Ramming into her in a club because he thought Sophia was cute, and Pedri ended up sliding in to save the day.

And she wouldn't know it then, but Pedri would be the one to charm his way into her life instead.

(It could've been Ferran?)

(Thank fuck it wasn't. In the most respectful way possible, because he clearly had feelings for Sira. And Sira... well, Sophia still needed the full story. Of everything, but she was in Sevilla still, and she didn't want it all to be a thing over FaceTime.)

(Which is why Sira doesn't know Sophia kissed Pedri. Yet.)

He did. He really did charm her, with his lopesided grin, his spontaneous attempts of speaking English, Pedri's enthusiasm around Sophia's family. His kind heart, and his amazing footballing ability. He was one of the players you'd fall in love with just watching them with the ball. That covered the surface. To mention the greenest flag of all, he played Zelda for her.

And he is very easy on the eyes, as a bonus.

"Soph, could you wake up!"

Slumped over the kitchen's breakfast bar, laptop still propped open, Sophia's head rested within her arms, circling over the wood. Her sleeping figure paid no heed to the unsanitary circumstance that was her raven hair splayed all over the eating area, or that she was unknowingly drooling over it in her sleep.

But she was rudely shaken awake.

Coming face-to-face with her sister.

Sisters.

Clarissa was obviously the one who'd shaken her awake, dressed in a green Betis fleece, black Nike shorts, hair in french braids. She must have been training. And in her arms was Rosie, trying to claw Clarissa's necklace from her own neck.

"My favourite person," Sophia drawls out.

"Love you too, Soph," replies Clarissa.

"I was talking about Rosie."

Clarissa narrows an eye. Sophia gives her a drowsy grin, sitting up. She hadn't realised when she fell asleep how comfy the hard surface of the breakfast bar actually would be. But her back cracked as she just straightened it, which probably wasn't a good sign.

Running hands through her tangled hair, Sophia yawns. It was a little past midday. "Why'd you wake me up?"

"Dad told me to," says Clarissa. "Since you're working. And because you need to give that employee of his a lift."

"Which employ—oh, fuck." Sophia remembers, "I told him I'd give Gio a ride."

"Gio?" Clarissa's eyes widen. "Like, pretty boy-Gio? The one you're in love with?"

"Was, in love with. No longer am, in love with."
Sophia corrects.

"Could that have something to do with a certain Barca player?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Yeah, you do," Clarissa rolls her eyes. "You stayed up till four am to watch him play in the Olympics, for heavens sake. You'd forsaken your bed privileges last night to fall asleep on the counter. You've been wearing the shit out of Pedri's jersey that he gave you. Kinda surprised you're not wearing it right now, and that monstrosity of a Star Wars shirt instead."

(Sophia frowns. She thought her oversized retro Ahsoka Tano tee was pretty cute.)

"You are basically an unofficial WAG at this point. I have no idea what you're talking about, my ass," Clarissa finishes.

"There's better Internet in the kitchen," Sophia tries to excuse herself. It was true, she did stay up till four am to watch Pedri—Spain—play in the Olympics. They'd topped their group, and had just beat Tokyo 5-2, after extra time. Through to the semifinals.

Pedri must really love extra time at this point.

"I don't mean to pry—"

"You definitely do," It was Sophia's turn to roll her eyes.

"Okay, yeah, I do." Clarissa admits. "You and Pedri... what is going on there? Like, you watch his games. You wear his jersey. He likes all your pictures. He also likes my pictures, it was a bit of a jumpscare when I saw him and his 3 million followers request me a couple of weeks ago. When I log on to the Switch I can see whatever he's playing, and I can also see the amount of times you guys have raced each other in Mario Kart. Oh, not to mention the fact Katherine made up some stupid excuse for you when she walked in for breakfast alone the morning after Italy beat us. Imagine my shock when I saw Pedri walk in mere minutes after you had. What happened?"

Sophia tried to think of a way to phrase it, and it was enough of a pause for Clarissa to gasp in realisation.

Hands over Rosie's innocent ears, Clarissa whispers, "Shit. Did you two sleep together?"

Sophia sputters, "Yes—well, no—I—"

"What?"

"Get your head out the gutter." Sophia tells her younger sister. "We didn't do anything the night we got knocked out the tournament. I just went to his room, and we played Switch games, and we fell asleep... together..."

"Like, in his bed?"

"No, in Laporte's bed."

Clarissa sighs.

"Yeah, of course it was his bed," states Sophia.

"So you two just... fell asleep."

"Yes."

"Okay."

A small silence. Rosie, still ever-present, started hitting the fruit basket, and Sophia opens a banana for the almost one-year-old, breaking off a small chunk.

"But, like," Clarissa says, and Sophia knew they weren't done with the conversation just yet. "Have you and Pedri, like, ever... kissed?"

Sophia didn't answer right away.

Clarissa read her immediately.

"When." Clarissa deadpans.

"When what."

"When did you two kiss!" urges Clarissa, impatient.

"I don't know where you've gotten that idea," continues Sophia.

"You hesitated. If you didn't kiss, you would've said no, but you didn't, you hesitated—"

"Okay, fine," Sophia admits defeat. "Me and Pedri kissed."

If Clarissa wasn't holding an infant, she probably would've leaped in the air.

(Like she does during set pieces. She's that defender teams always call forward due to height.)

"When." Clarissa reiterates her question.

Sophia sighs, but conjuring up the mere thought, the memory of his lips on hers, her insides grew warm.

"It was the day the national team came over to the restaurant for dinner. Right before he left for Tokyo. I was upstairs, drying cutlery—"

"Shit, did Dad banish you?"

"It was actually Mateo," says Sophia. "Dad was gonna banish Mateo, but I sacrificed myself. Anyways, Pedri came up to say bye and... that's when it happened."

"Who kissed who first?" Clarissa doesn't hold back from asking.

"I kissed him."

"You?"

"Don't sound so surprised," Sophia laughs, kind of offended.

The doorbell rings, and Sophia gets up to answer. Her knees cracked getting off the breakfast bar stool, which probably also wasn't that great. Anyways.

"This conversation isn't finished," says Clarissa firmly, prompting the older Andalusian to roll her eyes. She pulls the door handle, and wasn't surprised to see Giovani De Luca's figure on the other side, with that charmingly calm expression that'd make her heart flutter, once upon a time. He wore a cap, chestnut hair peeking out, and Sophia recognised the very exact brown cap, because he comes into every shift wearing it. He tries to get away with keeping it on during his shift, but Vincent catches him out every time, forcing him to slide on that headband for his somewhat longer hair.

"Afternoon, Soph," Gio greets her, chipper.

"Good morning," says Sophia, yawning.

"It's almost one," deadpans Gio.

"My morning."

"You're not ready?"

"It's work. I take, like, two minutes to get ready."

"That's a downright lie," Clarissa buts in. "Hi, Gio."

"Hey Clarissa," Gio smiles, "How's the football going?"

"Going good. How's Maddie? I haven't seen her since summer's started."

"Maddie's good," Gio answers, referring to his younger sister, in the same year as Clarissa in school.

Sophia frowns. "Did you and Maddie have classes together?"

"We had maths together," says Clarissa. "Everyone hated us."

"Because you two couldn't stop chatting?"

"Well, that, and because we always got the work done before everyone else. And because it was always correct. We were the perfect pair in maths." Smiling reminiscently, Clarissa adds, "She was my gossip buddy."

"Oh, yeah?" Gio grins. "What type of things would you and my little sister gossip over?"

Clarissa rubs her lips together, eyes flitting to Sophia momentarily before meeting Gio's for a short spurt. "I'm not gonna answer that. You can ask her yourself."

Sophia had a hint, so cleared her throat before any hint of flustering started to show on her. Also acknowledging them being done with that conversation, Gio catches sight of Rosie sitting on the breakfast bar, one of Clarissa's arms still around her for stability.

"When does she turn one?" Gio asks, with a somewhat fond smile as he watched the baby's rattle toy flail around in her hands.

"Next week," Sophia grins. "We're throwing this big party to celebrate, the hall's gonna be all decked out."

Clarissa adds, frowning at Gio, "How do you not know about it? I gave Maddie an invite last month, for your full family?"

"Wait, you invited us?" Gio frowns. "Exactly how many people will be at this party then?"

"Eighty-three have responded," says Sophia.

Gio's eyes widen.

Sophia adds, "It's not everyday your baby sister turns one."

"Fair enough," Gio chuckles. From where he stood, leaning gently against the breakfast bar at the opposite side to where Rosie and Clarissa were, he grins at Rosie. The baby, catching on, looks up at him with her usual puzzled expression, so Gio lifts a hand in a wave. Rosie reciprocates, the wave ending up being a whole arm effort. "She likes me."

"I can't see why," Sophia jokes. Gio actually... frowned a little, despite it. "I'm gonna get ready. Be back in five."

"Good, because that tee is a monstrosity to the Star Wars franchise."

"That's what I said!" Clarissa joins in.

Rolling her eyes, Sophia runs upstairs to get ready, cursing herself internally because she forgot that Gio's entire family had been invited to Rosie's first birthday party. Her parents were not holding back, anyone and everyone were coming. Clarissa was really close with Gio's sister, and he was an employee, and their parents knew each other, it shouldn't have been that surprising. The rest of the staff — Mateo, Valentina, Carlos, and others, were all invited too. It wasn't a big deal.

But this was Gio.

(And she kissed Pedri.)

And they have been spending more time together. Purely because of work, nothing else. And she's over him. Even the fact that she was giving him a ride, she's glad to know her automatic response is no longer flushed sweats at the thought of being in close proximity, sole interactions, with the guy.

She's over him, and they're friends.

It wasn't a big deal.

"Giovani, you better be ready for some Taylor Swift on the way in." Sophia returns shortly, dressed in her uniform with her dark hair braided down her back, leather jacket under her arm as she picked her keys off the key hook.

"What have I gotten myself into," Gio was heard sighing. He throws Clarissa an easy grin, "Take care of yourself."

"You too," the younger sister returns. "See you at the party, I hope."

"Definitely," says Gio.

"See yous later," says Sophia to Clarissa, bending down to also place a kiss on Rosie's cheek. "Let's go," she says to Gio, and they head out of Sophia's house and to the street, her navy Seat parked on the kerb.

"Is she still called Rebekah?" Gio laughs, closing over the passenger side door as he pulled the seatbelt over him. He had to retract the seat a little, accommodating for his tallness.

"Don't judge," says Sophia, hiding her amusement at the fact Gio remembered her car's name. Adjusting her rear-view mirror, she retorts, "You named your car Padmé. Speaking of, where is she? How come you required mine and Rebekah's services today?"

"Padmé needed a service," Gio explains. "Her engine sounded a little rough so she's in the garage getting checked out. I asked Vince if he'd be able to give me a lift but he said you could take me with you instead, that he had stuff to fix in the afternoon."

Sophia nods, foot pressing down on the clutch, pulling out of her street. "For Rosie's birthday. The owners of the hall we booked were being odd as fuck, so he's had to make sure everything's clear. Carlos is KP today instead."

Wonderland by Taylor Swift playing lowly over speakers in the car, got interrupted by a text notification over the display screen.

It was Pedri. The picture that flashed up, was the selfie Sophia took of herself and Pedri that time they were in his car. Almost immediately Sophia dismissed the message, before it previewed the text. Gio was in the car, and even though they were friends... texts should be private.

And this was Pedri.

Sophia purses her lips, hands with a gentle grip on the steering wheel. Eyes straight on the road ahead. The restaurant wasn't that far away, and once they were out the car, it would be fine.

Then Gio speaks up, "What's going on there?"

Very clearly, very obviously, talking about Pedri.

"Not much," Sophia answers. "He's in Tokyo for the Olympics currently. It's, like, evening for them right now."

"You can, um, answer it, if you want." Gio clears his throat. "Don't let me stop you."

"Why would I let you stop me?"

"Because... you know."

She did know.

"I'm over it," says Sophia. "And the way things seemed to have went, you didn't have much to get over anyways. So, I'd rather we didn't bring that up."

"Alright," Gio nods his head, understanding all too well. "Does he at least... make you happy?"

It wasn't any of his business. But Sophia still answers naturally, and without hesitation.

"Yes," she says. "He does make me happy."

She keeps her eyes on the road, so that she wouldn't look at Gio, wouldn't see the dejecting in his eyes that would threaten the feelings to all come flooding back.

When Sophia's car ended up positioned in its' usual bay within the staff car park, she stayed behind to answer Pedri's message. Gio had slipped out of the car without another word.

***

Sophia didn't know what time it was when her phone rang.

Which immediately told her it was a preposterous hour, because it took her mind five or so rings to acknowledge the fact her phone was actually ringing, and it wasn't some kind of fever dream.

Snuggled under her duvet, deep within her Sevilla bedroom, for she hadn't moved back to Barcelona yet, her hand reaches behind her bedside table to find a lamp switch. Light floods the side she slept on, reflexively squinting despite the minimal tone of her lamp.

On that same bedside table, she finds her phone, shifting on to her front. Her eyes widen at the caller.

Palmero.

Why was Pedri calling at... three in the morning? In all fairness, due to time zones it was nearing midday for him in Tokyo.

Sophia answers the call. "Hello?"

"Hola," Pedri's distinct voice returns, slowly. "Did I wake you up?"

"Nah."

"Liar. You have morning voice."

"Don't know where you've gotten that idea from."

She hears Pedri chuckle on the other end, but it lacked something.

"I can call back later, if you want to go back to sleep?" He suggests.

"Nah," she reiterates, sitting up to have her back leaning against the headboard. "What's up?"

"Does something have to be up for me to call you?" Pedri jokes, but like before, something was missing from it.

"Not necessarily," replies Sophia. "Are you alright?"

"I'm alright," he confirms. "Are you?"

"As good as anyone at three in the morning can be," Sophia kids on.

Pedri laughs. "If you wanted to go back to sleep, I wouldn't hold it against you. I just wanted to see if you'd answer."

"I'm fine, promise," Sophia smiles. "Talk to me."

The line paused with silence for a second.

"I just missed home a little," Pedri explains.

Sophia frowns.

"With the Euros, and now Olympics, it feels like I've barely had time in Spain over the summer. It's been fantastic, the summer regardless, but... nothing beats home."

"I get it," says Sophia. "Won't be long till you're home, though... The final is in a couple of days, right? You'll be back before you know it."

"That's true. Did you miss home?" He asks, "When you left Sevilla for Barca?"

"I was actually, really homesick," Sophia admits.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," says Sophia. "Me and Sira didn't know each other that well at the time, it was a brand new city, not having my parents or siblings around... I think I drove home like three times in the space of two weeks when I first moved in. Even just not being able to attend Betis games as much felt like a big thing. Katherine called me all the time, but I was used to not having her around. It was my first time in eighteen years being away from my parents, so, yeah."

(She left out the part about heartbreak involving itself within the homesickness, because that was the time everything with Gio kicked off. It wasn't necessary to mention anymore.)

"When did things get better?" asks Pedri.

"The first time things really started to feel nicer was when Sira offered to teach me horse-riding," Sophia recalls, smiling fondly. "I had a free day from uni and she wasn't training that day, and the arena was free. It was our first time properly bonding, and that was also the day I sat down for dinner with her family, when I met Lucho, Elena and Pacho. Being involved with their family definitely helped, I can't thank them enough for that. Very grateful for them all."

It went silent again, and Sophia frowns. "Palmero?"

"Hm?" He responds.

"You're not saying much," she points out.

"Maybe I just want to listen." He adds, "You have a nice voice."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah. I missed it, actually."

"You romantic."

"I blame the girl who turned me into one."

Sophia was grinning. "And that is?"

"Who else but Princess Zelda?"

Sophia laughs. "Right, yeah, that's fair."

"Honestly, her and Link's love story has given me a new perspective of life. Link has truly given me inspiration to never stop chasing the love of my life, through all calamities and disasters."

"You romantic," Sophia repeats.

"Zelda's not the only one I blame," says Pedri, in a way that made the corners of her mouth pick up. The Canarian was heard yawning over the receiver.

She tells him, "You sound tired."

He chuckles. "That obvious?"

"You're almost there, Palmero," says Sophia. "One last push."

"Yeah," Pedri was heard exhaling. "One last push."

***

pls guys im so sorry this took so long to come out life has been so fuckin hectic rn uni has me like😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫

pls bare with me bc i do want to update life just gets rlly busy i know it's VERY surprising but i do have a life aside from writing fanfiction😭😭

also im literally living for you guys going feral over sophia and pedri kissing like we're all the same out here fr

my guys won the league cup yesterday🥺🥺

fr the only thing to cheer me up after barca's two defeats in a row. it's UNDERSTANDABLE like a winning streak had to end at some point, rlly praying that we bounce back and learn from our mistakes instead of crumbling as we have in the past. tough times coming ahead but visca barca

also name something better than celtic winning the cup against RANGERS?? those fuckers better learn some humility and to keep their mouths shut before games <3 hail hail the fuckin celts

take care my angels ily all