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plot: in which jessica tries to win her college sweetheart back

trope: lovers to exes to lovers

pairings: wbb! black! reader x jessica shepard

warnings: smut(just a lil bit), foul language, cheating, sexual implications, toxicity, slight manipulation

a/n: creds to ciaraloveswbb for giving me some inspo 🫶 we doin' jackie next cause she won the vote 🙂‍↕️ who do y'all want in the next vote?

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Everyone knew about the UConn and Notre Dame rivalry. It got pretty passionate between the players at times. College rivalries were serious. The media took it seriously, as did the fans. And yeah, it got heated on the court sometimes but it wasn't anything personal. It was passionate. That somehow never got to y/n. She didn't take the rivalry all that serious. Sure, did she dislike Notre Dame and their fans? Yes. Did she dislike the players? Maybe one or two. But, that never got in the way of her feelings for Notre Dame's forward, Jessica Shepard. In other words, her girlfriend.

They played in Nebraska together for two years, dating throughout one and a half of them. Jessica wanted to leave, transfer to another school, that school being Notre Dame. It just so happened that y/n got an offer from UConn. Geno wanted her to come play for them. They both made the decision to leave Nebraska, venture off into new directions. But that didn't break them up. No. They worked through the long distance.

What broke them up?

Jessica's cheating.

Y/n found out in an elevator the night before the march madness game against Notre Dame. She joined the lift with a group of girls and one of them noticed the picture in her phonecase of her and Jessica. She told her immediately. But it wasn't her, she told her Jess had cheated with her friend, an old teammate of theirs in Nebraska. She spent that night crying her eyes out in Napheesa's arms. She played horribly in the game, and UConn lost. She even got her first tech shoving Jess in the 4th quarter and cussing her out. It was completely out of character, even surprising her coaches.

Y/n dumped her in the hall after the game, not giving Jessica any words to defend herself. What's done was done.

There was nothing to save.

Ever since, y/n had been having the best career in the WNBA. She was a breakout star like Geno predicted. But she wasn't the same person she was in college. Her entire demeanor changed. She wasn't that sweet humble girl with a bubbly personality. No. She was cocky, filled with arrogance and anger. In college, she was a sweetheart who never trash talked or got into any trouble. In the big leagues, she was known for trouble. She was known to tick people off, to get under their skin.

Jessica knew it was bullshit. This new version of her. It was just a mask. She was hiding behind a brick wall to protect herself from hurt. A hurt that Jessica caused. She wasn't gonna shy away from it. She knew this was her fault. She did this to her. She ruined her. The guilt had been eating at her for years. Nobody could replace that gaping hole y/n left behind in her heart. She missed her. Watching her from afar all these years wasn't enough. She wanted her back.

She needed her back.

She planned to get her back in 2024 when y/n traded to the Liberty, but had to prioritize her team overseas instead. She missed that season. But it gave her time to reflect. She watched every Liberty game no matter what time it was overseas. She watched y/n break records, get techs, and help bring the Liberty back to the playoffs, and more importantly, the finals. They were up against Minnesota, Jessica's team, but she cheered y/n on separately. In the last game, they won the championship and y/n won finals MVP for her 21 points and 8 rebounds.

Y/n went on to play for Unrivaled, team Rose, and even won the inaugural championship with that team.

But, oddly enough, she didn't resign with the Liberty. People were upset, naturally. They called her a quitter, despite leaving on good terms with her team. They said she was a ring chaser. But it didn't make sense when they seen her return to Phoenix Mercury who were rebuilding the whole team with a brand new roster. The truth was, she made a bet with her Unrivaled teammate Kahleah Copper. If they won the championship, y/n had to come back to Phoenix. She wasn't one to go back on her promises.

Funnily enough, it was over a game of Uno.

It was May 30th, the first match up between Phoenix Mercury and Minnesota Lynx. Y/n and Jess hardly ever matched up in the W and by hardly, it was never. This would be the first time. It wasn't surprising. Jessica delt with some injuries, and she also came off the bench. Y/n was a starter, and had earned that spot her rookie year.

This time, she was starting in Napheesa's place who was injured. It was rocky start for Jess, still getting used to posting up against her ex. Meanwhile y/n who had gotten off to a hot start. Cheryl knew they had history only because Natisha accidentally spilled the beans when they were going over film and y/n had a little feature in it. It had the coaches speculating on it. They looked over at some old film when Jess and Y/n played against each other and compared their stats. Apparently, anytime y/n played Jess in college, her average would knock down at least a couple points.

Y/n tried to ignore it, that feeling she got in her body when Jessica posted her up. She covered it up with her anger. The last thing she was gonna do was look weak because her ex was making her feel some type of way. It didn't help that she had gotten finer. She'd grown into all her features. It was pure fuckery, meant to pull y/n back in but she wasn't falling for it. Had it been years since 2019? Yes. But, was she over it? Hell no. She was never going to be over it.

At some point in the game, Mercury was still down, and y/n was trying to get them back up but became impossibly hard with Jessica on her. It was exactly what the coaches wanted. They even kept Jess in there whenever y/n was so Napheesa didn't have to worry about her anymore. It was bullshit. Y/n was missing all her shots. She was taking bad fouls. The only thing keeping her from being benched was her defense. If Jess wasn't letting her get any points, she wasn't gonna let her get any either.

Y/n was subbed back in towards the end of the game and the scores were pretty close, Phoenix was not going away that easy. She and Jess jumped up for a rebound at some point and collided, fouling each other and falling to the floor fighting for the ball. Y/n climbed on top of her to try and rip it from her hands. "Let it go! You fuckin' bitch! Are you serious? Give it to me!" She exclaimed in frustration.

Jess finally let it go as the whistle blew. Y/n fell back against Jessica's knees, her hands going to her waist on instinct. Y/n smacked her hands away, "don't touch me, I ain't one of your hoes." Satou's eyes widened for a split second when she y/n's hands to pull her off of Jess. As they separated the two, she was too scared to ask what that meant.

Jess couldn't let it go, following behind y/n was making her over to the line for the jumpball. "What the hell is your problem?"

Y/n scoffs, "don't come over here talkin' bout my problems like you ain't the serial cheater."

"It was one time!" Y/n rolled her eyes, shaking her hand as the ref got in place. They threw the ball up and y/n jumped to hit it up and get the ball to Satou who ran for the open layup.

After the game, Mercury losing by three points, y/n wasn't in a very good mood but of course Jess just had to talk to her. She grabbed onto her arm to turn her around, y/n quick to pull away. "Can we talk?" She scoffed, looking her up and down before crossing her arms and rolling her eyes. "I don't got nothin' to say to you."

"Really? You had a lot to say to me during the game." Jessica shot back, not a fan of her dismissive attitude.

"Fuck you. Satisfied?"

Kah smiled before pulling y/n away, and throwing an arm around her. "You always in some mess."

"Why she gotta look like that? Shits pissin' me off." Y/n complained, going to look back at her but Kahleah didn't allow it. "It's the eyes. Don't fall for it."

Satou rubs her back, "don't worry, I hate when my exes get finer too."

"You not helpin' baby."

She smiled, and Kah separated from them knowing Sa was about to say something she did not want to hear. "Call me baby again and I'll show you how I can help." Y/n chuckled, Satou's arm wrapping around her waist to bring her closer. "You play too much." Fans by the tunnel called their names and y/n walked over to sign some stuff, Satou staying with her. "Who said I was playin'?"

Y/n laughed, pushing her away as she grinned. "I can't stand you!"

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Before we get into the playoffs, let's go over an All Star weekend recap. Y/n was snubbed that year, not making the team but she didn't care. She showed up anyways to support her girls. She walked the red carpet, and spent most of that day with Satou. She had a run in with Courtney and Natisha before the after party. Now the after party is where it got interesting. And by interesting, y/n and Kayla were caught getting real cozy on the stream.

Truthfully, y/n never bat any eye at Kayla before. But, the last Mercury and Minnesota game, Jess was talking some trash to her. It bothered her. She couldn't let it go. She hated that she didn't say anything. But she was not going to let it go unpunished. Jessica needed to be humbled. She needed to be reminded of what she lost. Y/n could get anybody she wanted. And if Jess could fuck her teammate...well, two can play that game.

She spent the rest of All Star weekend with Kayla, and made sure they were seen on stream a couple times so fans would post it and Jess would be forced to see it. She knew Kayla wasn't gonna take it serious either, just getting out of a relationship. But still, it didn't stop them from having their own little fun, and making their exes jealous in the process.

Jessica wasn't pleased at all. She couldn't be mad at Kayla but she wasn't pleased with her either. And y/n? Oh yeah, she loathed her.

It was the semifinals now. Phoenix Mercury vs Minnesota Lynx. Who was going to the finals? The first three games, y/n had gotten into it with Jess at least once, and received two techs for two of those times. It wasn't the tech that bothered Jess, it was her smiling as she taunted her. Including the times she would purposely check out Kayla in front of Jess. She was doing it on purpose. She was trying to get a reaction out of her.

It was game 4, and if Mercury won, they were going to the finals. Unfortunately for the Lynx, their coach was suspended and they didn't have Napheesa Collier out there either. Y/n didn't care what they had. She was going out there with the same mindset she always had. It the second quarter, Jess was being the quite the pest. It was frustrating as fuck. She was fouling her so many times, grabbing her waist, pushing her too forcefully and getting no calls for it. Naturally, y/n got mad. Harsh words were exchanged and she was T'd up.

Whatever. She brushed it off, rolling her eyes at the ref.

Then it was the 4th. The beginning of the quarter and diving for a rebound, Jess had accidentally pushed y/n down to grab it. The foul was called but y/n wasn't pleased. She got up and shoved Jess, the woman barely moving but offended. "That all you know how to do?! Always foulin' and travelin' like a bitch! Fuck you!" Her teammates were quick to grab her, but it was too late, the ref called the tech, and she was not ejected from the game.

The crowd booed, and Jess grinned, waving her bye as she walked off the court still running her mouth. "Soft ass fuckin' refs."

Fans on twitter were being messy, as always. They started pulling up some old pictures of Jess and Y/n in college, talking about how they went from besties to opps. Some people weren't believing they were just best friends. They saw it in another light. They saw two ex girlfriends who didn't like each other, or, hated each other so badly they wanted each other back. It was a complicated situation. 

Y/n was back at her apartment after the game, her team was out celebrating but she just wanted to relax, and let her body take a rest for the finals. She was sitting in her living room, lounging on the couch watching Interview with the Vampire when there was a knock on her door. She sighed, pausing the show and getting up. "I thought I told y'all I wanted to rest." She unlocked the door and pulled it open, expecting her teammates. It wasn't them. It was her. The cheater.

"The fuck you want?"

Jess tucked her hands into her pockets, "I wanna talk. You gonna let me in?"

"Fuck you."

"Later. We gotta talk first." Jess pushed her way in, not giving y/n a chance to deny her entry. She knew she was too stubborn to let her in so she'd have to do it herself. "Why is everything black? I thought your favorite color was pink." She questioned, looking around the place and everything was so dark and gothic. A painting she had on the wall was two vampires sucking the blood from a human. It was cool, but also a little creepy.

"I don't like pink no more."

"Why not?"

"I don't gotta explain myself to you."

Jess sighed, turning around to face her. She couldn't help but check her out. She had on a simple black tee, and some boxer briefs. She had on a bonnet, no makeup, and fuck was she pretty. She had already been pretty in college but now? Yeah, she was something incredibly serious. She wanted to smack her past self for fumbling this. "You look good."

She crossed her arms, tilting her head at the ex. "What do you want, Shepard?"

Jess winced slightly, "ouch. My last name? Really? That's not dramatic?"

"I'll tell you what is and isn't dramatic. Now, tell me what the fuck you're doing in my apartment." Jess clicked her tongue in such a mocking way. "So hostile for someone who wants my attention so bad." She scoffed, offended by those words. "I don't give a fuck about you. I hate you. I hate everything you do. The last thing I want is your fucking attention."

Jessica didn't buy a word she said. "Right, 'cause you just fucked Kayla for fun, huh?"

She smirked in satisfaction, "you fuck my teammate, I fuck yours."

Y/n took a step closer, dragging her finger down her chest, feeling her heart speed up, breath hitching. "And she fucks so good, Jess. So fucking good, I still remember the way her fingers curled inside me." Jessica's eye twitched and her jaw clenched, trying to hold back her anger, her jealousy so bad but y/n kept going. "I can still feel the soreness the morning after she fucked me with her strap. She bent me over, made me beg for it, the same way you'd make me beg for it. Remember, Jess? You remember when I used to beg for you? Now your teammate makes me beg, and I'd do it again."

She couldn't look at her. She couldn't give her the satisfaction. She licked her lips, beyond angered with all of her details. "We even now?"

"I will never forgive you." She pushed past her, going to the living room and Jess followed.

"I've never asked you to forgive me! Not once! I know I fucked up, but that was seven years ago! I'm not that same person I was and you aren't either!" Y/n paused, turning on her heel. She hated this. How her words could sway her so easily. They did in college and they were trying to do it now. "You- you hurt me. Four years, I spent being your girlfriend, and your best friend. We talked about our future more than anything else and you still betrayed me. You don't know how much that fucked me up. I have never been the same! I'm not a happy person anymore. I'm angry! Constantly angry and you're the only one who brings me even the slightest happiness and I don't understand why because you're the reason I'm like this in the first place!"

"I know. I know, baby. And I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I never wanted to hurt you. I was selfish. I was stupid. I don't want you to forgive. I don't deserve forgiveness." She walked towards her, placing her hands on her arms, rubbing her soft skin as she tried to avoid eye contact, knowing she'd melt if she met them. "I just want you back. I want to make it up to you, however long it takes to earn your trust baby. Please, take me back. I'm begging you. I need you. I'm nothing without you."

"I don't want you," she mumbled, but not even she believed it.

"Yes, you do." Jess guided her hands to her waist before slipping one under her shirt. "You know you want me. You know you missed me. You can't keep denying yourself." Y/n's breath hitched, Jess completely in her space and she didn't want to push her away. "I know you love me, baby. You were always gonna come back to me. 'Cause you're mine. You're always gonna be mine. Say it. Say it, baby."

Jessica's hand slipped around her neck, guiding her to look at her. "Say it."

"I'm always gon' be yours."

There it was. She was back in, back in her grasp.

Jessica smirked before bringing her in to smash their lips together. Her hands hooked around her thighs before she lifted her up and brought her over to the couch to lay her down. "You're all mine, baby." Her knee slotted between her legs, y/n whimpering slightly into the kiss. "I'm all yours."

Her lips traveled down to her neck, a free hand slipping beneath her shirt to touch her skin. "She fuck you better than me?"

Y/n, being the petty one she was, obviously had to be a little petty. "Maybe. Your fucks weren't very memorable."

She felt her grip on her hip tightened enough to leave a bruise and winced slightly. Jess sat up to pull her shirt off, jaw clenched in frustration. She wasn't happy with that answer, clearly. It angered her. "Say you're sorry." Y/n scoffed, shaking her head stubbornly. "No. Why should I? I don't lie. Kayla fucks way better than you."

"You just love to piss me off." Jess yanked her boxers down her legs, y/n wincing when she landed a smack on her inner thigh. It took six minutes before y/n was on her knees, her own strap fucking into her. She was a whimpering mess, her ass sore from the amount of times Jess smacked it. She loved this position. She loved seeing y/n on her knees, her back arched so pretty for her. She leaned forward, stopping her movements. "You gonna say sorry now?"

She panted for air, the pillow covered in her tears. "I'm sorry, baby. I didn't mean it."

Jess pressed a kiss to her cheek, a tear rolling down it. It wasn't the best sorry, but hey, it satisfied her enough. "Nobody fucks you better than me." She groaned, fucking the strap back into her, eyes rolling back like she could feel it. Just hearing y/n's whimpers and moans were enough to satisfy her. She leaned back in, licking a stripe down her soft brown skin as she gasped. "I missed this pussy so fucking much."

"You're nasty."

Jess smirked, "you like when I'm nasty."

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