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Language:
English
Series:
Part 12 of Soccerverse
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Published:
2023-01-30
Updated:
2024-05-28
Words:
13,507
Chapters:
9/?
Comments:
69
Kudos:
48
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3
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2,565

O Hallowed Halls & Vine-Draped Walls

Summary:

This is a collection of favorite WoSo players during their college days, exploring discipline relationships and navigating their feelings for other players.

Notes:

The title is a shout out to one of my favorite musicals, though this is not a songfic lol.

Chapter 1: Nittany Cub

Summary:

Alexandra Blaire Krieger finds herself holed up in Nittany Medical Center over the holidays after a serious accident left her hospitalized. She's recovering pretty well, but bored to death...until a high school student hoping to attend Penn the next year ends up sitting with her in the medical center.

Something between the two just clicks - not romantically, but perhaps they share a more profound bond?

Ali can see this girl has a destiny, and hopes to help her achieve it.

Chapter Text

Alexandra Blaire Krieger didn't know how she'd got herself saddled with a companion when her father had to go home. but she was glad. It was better to watch films like Shrek 2 with someone rather than without, and her room in Nittany Medical Center was lonely otherwise. Besides, she had someone to whine to about bits that made no sense, even if she'd just met the kid that day. "What the fuck kind of hick country is Far, Far Away anyway?" Ali Krieger grumbled, lying in the hospital bed and staring miserably at the tv. The teenage girl cuddled comfortably up to her side sat up and fixed the university junior with a look.  

"That's not nice," she informed Ali. Ali laughed reluctantly.  

 

"Bold little Lioness already aren't you, Nittany Cub?" she asked, petting the girl's hair affectionately. "Are you upset my dad roped you into sitting with me?"  

 

"Are you sure they'll accept me?" The girl nibbled her lip at the nickname, and Ali pulled her close.  

"They'd be missing out if they didn't. And you got your application in pretty early. How did you manage to find yourself in here instead of touring campus, Nittany Cub?" 

 

 "I like helping out." She sat up straighter. "Are you going to call me that forever, instead of Alyssa?"  

"That depends," Ali said, a smile ghosting across her face. "What are you going to call me? Not Alexandra, I hope."  

 

"What should I call you? You're going to be a senior, aren't you? Do we have to call the seniors something special? Miss Ali?"  

 

Ali stifled a hysterical laugh, turning it into a cough, which immediately hurt. Alyssa jumped up and ran for help.  

When Ali had been medicated and was drinking some water, Alyssa cuddled up next to her again, the younger girl gave her a reproving look. "Don't do that. You don't need to be even more hurt, you know."  

 

"I noticed," Ali said wearily. "I'm sorry. I hope I didn't scare you, cub."  

 

"Not much scares me," Alyssa said readily. "I have sisters - Abigail's probably got me immune to being scared. I was just concerned for you." 

 

 Ali nodded. "Mhmm. Well, thank you. No, you don't have to call me Miss Ali unless you want to, although that might cause people to assume things about us."  

 

The high school senior's face went an interesting shade of pink. "Oh," she said meekly. "Right. Better not."  

 

They had both laughed then - much more carefully, in Ali's case - and settled back to finish the movie before Ali fell asleep. Alyssa had woken her before she left, and they'd exchanged phone numbers and email addresses.  

 

In May, by now fairly healed and making her way back to normal, Ali got a text consisting of three words. I got in!  

  Ali sent back an excited: Good! See you in August, Cub!  

Ali arrived for her senior year at Penn State having signed up for the program that matched seniors with incoming freshmen. She'd put in a request, if it was possible, if no one else was matched with her first...and because they were both in the soccer program, because they had already developed a rapport over the few days Alyssa had volunteered at the medical center over winter break, the school was happy enough to oblige. She would be sharing her dorm room with Alyssa Michele Naeher. Her Nittany Cub, Ali thought as they hugged each other in greeting.