Neither Mapi nor Alexia were pleased to watch Sebastian of all people knock their club out of a European competition, but they then had to sit through Manchester United v Newcastle in the EFL Cup final- well it was running in the background as they got ready to go to London, making sure they had everything; mainly to do with their outfits.
The entire eleven who were selected by their fellow footballers wouldn't all be there, including Leah and Keira who were busy (the latter of whom didn't fly back to Spain with Lucy and Kaia when they returned to their club).
So the only ones who'd be present to accept the awards were: Mapi, Kaia, Alexia, Lucy, Beth, Christiane, Wendie and Alex.
FIFPRO Women's World 11:
Endler.
Williamson. María León.
Bronze. Renard.
Oberdorf. Walsh. Putellas.
Mead. Morgan. Morelli.
Their journey over to London was being filmed by Barça TV's media team, capturing every little thing from them arriving in the morning and checking in, to taking a bus to the airport and getting on the jet.
Alexia was busy on her phone as was Lucy, both of them looking professional and busy when in reality they were probably just texting their girlfriends.
Mapi and Kaia had the issue that they were together, and every moment they shared would be on the cameras so they couldn't be too lovey. Mapi didn't care too much, getting out of the bus first and holding her hand up for Kaia to take to help her down the steep steps, placing a hand on her lower back to let her go through a doorway first etc.
It was all second nature to her to do these little things, but when they got on the plane that could house over a dozen but would only fly the four of them, they realised they couldn't make the excuse of overcrowding to cuddle. The flight was only a few hours anyway.
Kaia was aware of the cameraman right behind her and following her down the isle, herself at the back of the 'line' and following Mapi.
Alexia goes to a random seat, Lucy goes to a random seat, so Kaia waits for Mapi to sit and then chooses the one on the other side of the isle to her. It's amusing how quiet they all are, but they're trying to focus, get rid of nerves and make sure everything is in order on their phones.
Currently Kaia's family group chat was going crazy, very proud of not only Kaia for the trophy she's about to receive, but for Sebastian lifting Man United's first silverware in years last night. They beat Newcastle 2-0 and it was a thriller of a match, Matteo even said he cried with pride at his children's success. Kaia isn't sure if he was just trying to be funny or if he was telling the truth, but she knows he, and her mum are proud of both of them. And that makes her happy.
11:25am
Cuore Mio❤️: princesa, you look so pretty
Kaia's eyes immediately lift from her phone to see her girlfriend staring back at her, hiding a smile behind her hand as she mindlessly pulls on the rubber bracelet between her fingers with her teeth.
Cuore Mio❤️: why are you so far? Come closer
Mi Vida😍: we're almost there, just wait a little longer
Cuore Mio❤️: 🙄
Cuore Mio❤️: I'm imagining you in that lace
Mapi's eyes leave her phone when she hears a breathless chuckle, and she smiles happily when she sees Kaia fighting off a slightly flustered laugh.
Mi Vida😍: behave
Cuore Mio❤️: I don't want to, and I'm bored
Mi Vida😍: have you decided 100% what eye makeup you want?
Cuore Mio❤️: bronze and sparkly, only a little though
Mi Vida😍: no eyeliner?
Cuore Mio❤️: no, just mascara
Mi Vida😍: and lips?
Cuore Mio❤️: whatever is on your lips😏
Mi Vida😍: nice try, but I've made sure my lipstick doesn't transfer because I know you'll be giving me kisses all evening
Cuore Mio❤️: mean. I was planning to just use your lipstick for mine
Mi Vida😍: I'll find you a good neutral shade once we get there
They spend the rest of the flight either discussing their look for tonight, mainly Kaia coaching Mapi through all the terms and complimentary details between outfit and makeup, or talking about random stuff to pass the time.
Mapi's just glad she doesn't have to decide on her makeup on top of all the other stuff, because she has a girlfriend who knows what shades and techniques are best for her face shape, skin tone, hair, eye colour and everything in between. She also loves how Kaia never goes over the top, it's always natural and low-key, light makeup to compliment natural features instead of covering.
Once they landed and traveled to their hotel, they were asked to get into their first outfits of the day which they'll do photoshoots and interviews in for this award show. These outfits were more casual, but Kaia did wear the soft oversized leather jacket she'd be wearing to the event later on. It was comfy as hell and stylish enough for the cameras.
This part was all done alone, so Kaia didn't see any of the other three for a few hours, not until they were all in the makeup room getting their makeup and hair done.
Mapi, Alexia and Lucy were all wearing their hair down, but Kaia had hers straighten and then parted down the middle and put into a neat low ponytail.
No one wanted to ask Alexia why Natalie wasn't here as her date tonight, but none of them were too sure what exactly Alexia and Natalie were- girlfriends, friends with benefits, flirty friends or something else.
Mapi could tell the captain was stressed enough with the whole award ceremony, so she didn't ask and instead got up out of her chair once her makeup was done. "Bebé, can you help me into my dress?" She asks already walking to Kaia and leaving the other woman by the mirror.
Kaia tries not to laugh at Mapi's purposeful innocence and nods, taking the covered and hung dress off the wall. "Sure." She accepts.
The two of them go to the private area behind the black curtain and Mapi takes off her robe while Kaia unzips the bag.
Hearing a low whistle, Mapi turns and sees Kaia is examining the dark green sparkly dress. "Do you like it?" She asks. Kaia's already seen it before, but she doesn't mind the last minute reassurance.
"I love it, I also love the fact you haven't spoken a coherent English sentence to that woman." Kaia chuckles, doing her job and carefully helping Mapi into the material.
"She's flirty." Mapi shrugs, slowly shimmying the dress up past her hips. "Am I wrong? Wasn't she flirty?"
"Heavily." Kaia agrees with a slow eye roll at the behaviour of the professional outside. She was also the woman to do Mapi's makeup, which she did beautifully but she was enjoying the proximity far too much. "Turn around."
Mapi does as she's told and feels two gentle hands pull her dress closed and pin it at the top, a large portion of her back exposed still including her lion tattoo. Smiling when she feels hands stroke over her skin and try to creep under the edges of her dress, the Spaniard glances back over her shoulder. "Are you going to be able to keep your hands off me tonight?" She wonders, although she doesn't mind in the slightest.
In response, Kaia slowly removes her hands. "My hands? Yeah. But I'm not going to be able to take my eyes off you all night." She breaths out completely honestly. "You're so beautiful."
Even though Kaia's her girlfriend and should naturally find her attractive, the honesty in the statement gives Mapi a little more stage confidence, no; a lot more.
Turning around, Mapi makes sure not to mess Kaia's perfect hair up and gently urges her face closer. "I love you, mi amor." She whispers while leaving a kiss on her lips. "Let me help you into your bodysuit."
"You just can't wait to see me in lace." Kaia chuckles as she leaves the small room to retrieve her bodysuit and black pantsuits.
The bodysuit she's gone for is as Mapi keeps pointing out black lace, strapless and corseted. It's not sleazy in any sense of the word, and her chest is 100% covered by solid underlaying so no cameras are going to have any joy, it's her stomach and back that's exposed on occasion through the flattering but discreet pattern.
By the time she gets back to the small room, Mapi is grinning ear to ear in excitement. So Kaia hands the bodysuit over and drops her own robe to the floor. "You know I could've done this myself and only asked you to zip me up." She chuckles.
"I could've done the same with my dress." Mapi shrugs, hesitating with the clothes because Kaia is stripping. "Damn."
"Don't drool too much otherwise Fran out there is going to have to give you a touch up." Kaia teases as she gets the bodysuit up her legs pretty efficiently and lets Mapi tug it up her stomach.
Mapi's hands constantly stay on Kaia's midsection, relishing on the feeling of the lace under her hands that hugs Kaia's figure so well. But when she spins her around to zip up the back, she can't help groan in pure delight. "Princesa, your tattoo looks so good under this." She says tugging her closer to kiss the top of the rose vine deliciously placed up Kaia's spine. "I can't believe you're all mine."
It's definitely moments like this, when Kaia is looking extra standout-ish and like something out of magazine that Mapi truly lets her reality sink in. This woman is hers, only hers and completely devoted to only her. She can't even call herself lucky, it's something beyond luck, something so much more incredible.
"Do you want me to bring it home with us?" Kaia asks quietly, intertwining her fingers over the top of the hands resting on her stomach, enjoying their closeness but neither of them are willing to ruin their makeup yet.
Mapi nods and squeezes Kaia's closer, savouring the smell of the familiar perfume in her nose. "Please." She all but begs.
"Hey! Can you two hurry up? I've got these stupid heels giving me blisters already and Delilah said the plasters are in there with you."
𑁍
London was chilly, warmer than Manchester but colder than Barcelona. So it was no surprise they all had thick coats on to keep them warm and also their outfits clean, like Alexia's pristine white gown.
Looking like a true Queen.
They arrived together on the carpet but posed for mainly individual pictures as instructed, talking to officials from FIFA who were welcoming and congratulating them, also filing them down the carpet towards the massive auditorium.
Mapi caught up with her girlfriend as soon as she could, both of them being the most picturesque couple on the carpet, even looking better together than some of the male footballers and their model wives. They were definitely footballs power couple, both confident, both incredible in their own right, both inspirational role models with massive combined and individual fanbases.
Once the pictures were over, Mapi let Kaia walk ahead ever so slightly. Manners, but also because those pantsuits hugged her waist and behind perfectly despite them being loose fitting on the legs. She also walked with a hand in her pocket and the other loosely laced with Mapi's.
When they got into the auditorium it was already packed and they'd met back up with Alexia and Lucy who were only just in front of them anyway.
There were so many people, Lucy even had to offer to hold Alexia's dress up to stop people treading on it as they passed and walked down the isle towards their seats.
As people lingered on their feet, waiters with trays of champagne were stood available. So as Mapi and Kaia both reached for a flute themselves, the Spaniard got a second and placed it in Alexia's hand. It's like deja vu.
"Gracias." Alexia says with a confident albeit nervous smile. She's been at these things for the past few years and she still gets nervous, anxiety is just something some can't get over.
"No problem." Mapi replies with her eyes glancing over the people between them and the stage. There are a lot of people here.
The two of them soon feel a presence join them, slotting in the space in between. But Kaia's attention is straight ahead. "Jesus Christ, she's not hard to miss." She breaths out while staring at Alex Morgan in her oversized bright pink suit.
Alexia chokes on her sip of champagne, thinking the exact same thing but not being willing to voice it out loud.
"She has the same hairstyle as you, cariño." Mapi teases with a lingering chuckle.
"Mm." Kaia hums, but the outfit she's wearing and the atmosphere is feeding her ego and she immediately thinks 'I pull it off better'. "Oh, I need to go speak to Beth quickly." She says when she catches Beth in the crowd.
"Give her my best." Alexia smiles softly as Kaia passes between her and Mapi.
Kaia returns the smile and a nod, the request just reaffirming to her that Alexia is literally the most sympathetic person she's ever met.
"Does she realise she's won the best player award?" Alexia chuckles as they watch the calm Englishwoman embrace Beth, their winger a lot taller.
"There's still a chance you or Beth won." Mapi replies, but in her mind there's no one who deserves it more than Kaia for her performance between August 7th 2021 and July 31st 2022. It was her breakout season where she took European football by the scruff of it's neck.
Alexia rolls her eyes softly. "I beat her by one single point to the Ballon d'Or, remember?" She points out. "Make sure she's ready to go up and accept it."
Mapi shrugs coyly. "She... might've already asked me about what she should say if she wins." She admits. They had the conversation, the same conversation they had before they went to the Ballon d'Or ceremony on the off chance Kaia won.
She doesn't want to make Kaia more nervous, but she's very convinced they're going to be putting three trophies on the shelves when they get home.
Alexia smiles in amusement at this, she's accepted her loss this year thanks to missing the Euros, she grateful and satisfied with retaining the Ballon d'Or. Now she's just looking forward to watching Kaia accept the first of many high individual honours.
"Ok... let's find our seats." Mapi decides as she glances around again for someone who can point them to the Barcelona section.
The ceremony soon begins and everyone is in their seats for it, eyes up on the stage as the presenters talk and they have some entertainment acts to keep everyone engaged in the once a year show.
The men's World 11 comes first, with the likes of Messi, Mbappe, Van Dijk and more, they all talk a little and get given their trophies. It's no surprise when Messi is handed the men's player of the year trophy and he does his acceptance speech in thick Spanish with a smile.
Kaia was proud of the fact Mapi wasn't wearing an earpiece like Messi or Casemiro, the Spaniard was confident enough in her English to be asked a question onstage in front of thousands, millions, and answer it.
The closer it got to the women's portion and the more Alexia and Lucy were looking at her with knowing smiles, the more it sunk in for Kaia. She was the favourite to win the personal trophy, something she forced herself not to think about. She just wanted to enjoy being chosen being on the same best team as her girlfriend and best friend.
"Fuck, do any of you have alcohol?" Kaia asks down the line of her teammate, her voice carrying to the ears of the person sat directly in front which gets her an amused glance from Frenkie De Jong.
Lucy laughs quietly. "Yup, it's just hit her." She states what they've all been waiting for, her, Alexia and Mapi finding the amusement in her sudden emotional shift.
"Bebé, relax." Mapi says placing a hand over Kaia's which is clutched to the armrest. "Remember what we said, thank the club, the staff, individuals who helped you, your country, you can even mention me if you want." She winks.
"I don't do public speaking." Kaia grumbles to herself, a statement that gives Alexia comfort because at least she isn't alone with that feeling.
But Lucy is unapologetic, and she knows Kaia works best when thrusted into a situation. "Well you're about to." She deadpans remorselessly.
Before the individual trophy, it was the Women's World 11. The fact Kaia was onstage with people she'd funnily enough consider all close friends, it settled her nerves and she was calm as she made the walk from between Mapi and Alex Morgan to shake the presidents hand and accept her smaller award before taking her place again.
No matter how much Mapi wanted to give Kaia a teasing comment, she was forcing herself to remember they put a microphone on her before they were revealed behind the screen. So she'll save the compliments for later, although her eyes are full of pride and love as the lock with Kaia's briefly.
Lucy makes some joke about how they look like a hard team to beat, Beth sings Lucy and Kaia's praise for their form in the Euros, and Kaia touches on the fact Barcelona has pushed her to new levels- while simultaneously trying not to offend Christiane and Wendie (Lyon players) who are also on the stage.
By the time the individual award came around, Kaia had accepted her fate and was being fed purely off adrenaline. It helped that the audience were sat in the dark so she couldn't see all the faces staring back at her, instead when her name was read out followed by a large round of applause, she looked between the marker near the streaming camera and the larger trophy in her hand. The one that said THE BEST on it.
She did as Mapi said, surprised her brain was still functioning and she was able to string a smooth sentence together. But she mentioned Barcelona and a few select people behind the scene, she thanked Sarina for believing in her and giving her the England vice captaincy, and instead of mentioning Mapi, she decides to mention Alexia, saying this is an award she deserves as well.
The clapping she got after she finished made Kaia feel accomplished but also very keen to get out of the spotlight and get home, yet she couldn't hide the happy smile on her lips.
It was good night.
🌟⤵️