009 | late night talks

The sun had long set by the time Gianna returned home after spending the evening with the boys and Cienna. Training was looming early the next morning, but she felt too energised to sleep just yet. Something about the day-the camaraderie, the laughter, the playful banter-kept her buzzing.

She dropped her bag by the door, kicked off her sneakers, and made a beeline for the kitchen to grab a bottle of water. As she leaned against the counter, her phone buzzed on the countertop.

Hector: Are you awake?

Gianna smirked as she read the message. She should've known Hector wasn't done for the night either.

Gianna: Barely. What's up?

The reply came immediately.

Hector: Come up to the rooftop. I'm already here.

Gianna's eyebrows shot up. Hector wasn't one to text her from the rooftop unless he wanted to talk about something important-or he'd raided her fridge and felt guilty about it.

She grabbed a hoodie from the back of her chair, slipped it on, and made her way upstairs to the rooftop terrace.

When she pushed the door open, she found Hector sitting on one of the lounge chairs, his long legs stretched out in front of him. He was still in his training gear, though his jacket was draped over the back of the chair.

"You look comfortable," Gianna said, walking over to sit next to him.

"I am," Hector replied, smiling as he handed her one of the two cans of soda he had with him.

"Thanks." She popped it open, taking a sip as the city lights sparkled in the distance. "So, what's on your mind?"

Hector didn't answer right away. Instead, he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he looked out over the city.

"I was thinking about the match against Madrid," he finally said.

Gianna raised an eyebrow. "What about it?"

"You," he said simply, turning to look at her. "The way you played. The way you fought for Cienna. And that celebration? It's like you were on fire out there."

Gianna chuckled, shaking her head. "It wasn't just me, you know. The whole team-"

"Yeah, yeah, team effort and all that," Hector interrupted, waving her off. "But seriously, Gigi. You're different when you're on the pitch. Fierce. Unstoppable. It's...kind of amazing to watch."

She felt her cheeks warm at his words, though she tried to play it off with a shrug. "I guess I just get caught up in the moment."

Hector leaned back in his chair, studying her. "You know you're one of the best out there, right? Not just on the women's team-out of everyone. Period."

Gianna glanced at him, caught off guard by the intensity in his voice. "I don't know about all that..."

"Well, I do," he said firmly. "And so does everyone else. You're special, Gigi. Don't ever forget that."

She looked down at the can in her hands, fiddling with the tab. Compliments like these-especially from Hector-always threw her off. He wasn't usually this serious or direct, but when he was, it was hard not to feel the weight of his words.

"Thanks," she said softly, finally meeting his gaze.

He nodded, his usual grin returning. "Anytime."

They sat in comfortable silence for a while after that, the cool night air wrapping around them as the city buzzed faintly in the background.

"So," Gianna said after a moment, a teasing glint in her eyes, "was this whole rooftop thing just so you could give me a pep talk?"

"Maybe," Hector said, smirking. "Or maybe I just wanted to hang out."

"Sure, Fort," she said, leaning back in her chair. "Whatever you say."

He chuckled, tipping his soda can toward her. "To the Clásico Queen."

Gianna rolled her eyes but clinked her can against his. "And to the guy who keeps calling me that for some reason."

As they laughed, the tension from the day melted away, leaving only the easy, familiar bond they'd shared for as long as Gianna could remember. Whatever challenges lay ahead-on or off the pitch-she knew they'd face them together. And in that moment, under the glow of the city lights, everything felt exactly as it should be.