Title: And All at Once, Summer Collapsed into Fall
Fandom: Women's Soccer RPF
Pairings: Hope Solo/Kelley O'Hara
Characters: Hope Solo, Kelley O'Hara
Rating: G
Length: 400 words
Author's Notes: Title is a quote from Oscar Wilde. Written for Challenge 456: Yellow and 459: Amnesty 76 at fan_flashworks. It also fills the "Autumn" square of one of my 2023 Fall Fest Bingo Cards and the "Ally/Companion" square of my 2023 Story Sparks + Drabble Fest Bingo Card. Also inspired by femslashficlets's florence + the machine lyrics prompt table challenge: 13. 'Cause she's just like the weather, can't hold her together.
Summary: Autumn is the season of change.


Red, orange, and yellow leaves barely hang on to their home branches. A gust of wind easily pulls them off. Now, they are carried by the current, falling wherever and left to rot. Every crackle of the dying leaves reverberates in Hope's chest.

It's October. The NWSL season is coming to an end. Club teams are preparing for their last chances to earn a spot in the playoffs. Hope should be with the Seattle Reign players working to improve after the national team's early Olympic loss in July. But like the leaves falling around her, her dreams were snatched from her by US Soccer.

Playing soccer was Hope's entire world, and she was cut off from it in an instant.

No more practice.

No more games.

Just like that.

Even teammates - now former - don't contact her. US Soccer ended Hope's career with no regard for wherever she may end up next.

The crisp Seattle air thickens with the threat of rain. It condenses the heaviness that constantly surrounds Hope. Her phone pings with a notification, but she is too focused on fighting the pressure in her throat and behind her eyes to look at it.

When Hope can breathe again, she gathers the courage to open the message.

from Squirrel<3: Hey Hope. We're in the playoffs. Will you come to the game? I'll have a ticket ready for you. You motivate me, and you're always on my mind. I miss you and want to see you. I can't wait to spend our first offseason together.

Kelley is the one teammate who has stood by Hope's side. They just started dating last year after they won the World Cup, but Kelley truly understands Hope. She knows how dedicated Hope was - and still is - to the sport. So, she took time off to be with Hope as her life fell apart.

It has only been a few weeks since, but Hope misses her too. Accepting the ticket allows Hope to see her earlier than planned. But it is too soon to be around a soccer field. She doesn't want to be in the stands surrounded by fans. On the other hand, although Hope can't be on the field herself, she loves watching her girlfriend play. It shouldn't matter how. And spending even more time together than originally planned is a bonus.

Whichever Hope decides, Kelley's message reminds her that she is loved.