The sound of a key turning in the lock jolted Madeline out of her focus. She'd been scrolling through her rehab schedule for the week, but now she shot up from the couch, anticipation buzzing in her chest.
Marc stepped through the door, suitcase in tow, his familiar grin stretching across his face.
"Well, well," he announced, dropping his bag just inside. "Miss me?"
Madeline rolled her eyes, though she couldn't help but smile as she crossed the room and hugged him tightly. "Took you long enough. How was it?"
Marc pulled back, his face lighting up as he started talking a mile a minute. "It was insane, Maddie. The facilities? Next-level. The coaches? Brilliant. And the stadium... I mean, it's Stamford Bridge. You have to see it to believe it."
Madeline laughed, shaking her head as she led him into the living room. "Okay, okay, slow down. Did you actually get to meet the team?"
"Yeah," Marc said, flopping onto the couch. "Some of them, anyway. Enzo was cool, and Reece James? Absolute legend. They were all really welcoming. It was... surreal."
She sat down beside him, tucking her legs beneath her. "So? What's the verdict? Are you going to sign with them?"
Marc's smile faltered for a moment, and he ran a hand over his buzzed hair. "I don't know yet. They want me, but... it's not an easy decision. Barça is home, you know? Leaving everything behind..."
Madeline nodded, understanding the weight of his words. "It's a big decision, Marc. But whatever you choose, it'll be the right move for you."
"Thanks," he said softly, giving her a grateful look.
Before they could say more, there was another knock at the door.
"Expecting someone?" Marc asked, raising an eyebrow.
"No," Madeline said, standing up.
When she opened the door, Hector was there, a grin spreading across his face when he saw Marc. "Back already? What, Chelsea couldn't handle you?"
Marc laughed, stepping forward to hug him. "They tried, but I'm too much to handle."
Hector stepped inside, his eyes flickering to Madeline briefly before focusing back on Marc. "So, how was it? Fancy tea and crumpets? Did they roll out the red carpet for you?"
"Pretty much," Marc said, dropping into a seat at the counter. "They're serious about wanting me, Hec. It's kind of overwhelming."
Hector nodded, leaning against the counter. "Big move. But hey, whatever happens, you've got options. That's not a bad problem to have."
Madeline watched the two of them talk, her chest warming at how easily Hector had slotted himself into their lives.
"So," Marc said, leaning back with a smirk. "What'd I miss while I was gone? Any drama? Did Maddie finally start cooking?"
Madeline gasped, grabbing a throw pillow and hurling it at him. "I can cook!"
"Barely," Marc teased, catching the pillow and tossing it aside.
Hector chuckled, watching the sibling banter unfold. "She held it together pretty well, I'll give her that. Though I did bring tacos one night."
Marc raised an eyebrow at Madeline. "Tacos? That's your idea of survival?"
"They were good tacos," she shot back, crossing her arms.
The three of them laughed, the apartment filling with the easy, familiar sound. For the first time in days, Madeline felt a little lighter.
As the evening wore on, Marc recounted more details of his trip, his excitement contagious. But underneath it all, Madeline could sense his hesitation. He wasn't ready to make a decision yet-and that was okay.
And as they all sat together, the weight of the decision seemed a little less heavy. Because no matter where Marc went, they'd always have moments like this to come back to.
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𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐋𝐎𝐍𝐃𝐄 | h.fort
Fanfiction"fort, you're insane!" "only when im around you, guiu." The Blonde is a heartfelt romance about Madeline Guiu, a talented football player recovering from an injury, and her growing relationship with Hector Fort, her teammate and confidant. As they n...
