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huuuuughes · 16 days ago

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Swaymas - Chapter 6

Summary: The dreaded holidays have almost arrived, and everyone says that there is always a bit of calm before a storm...

Word count: 4.3k

Warnings: fluff mostly, sprinkled with some angst. theres some real stuff comin up so i didnt wanna make it too heavy!! however jeremy "my wIFE" swayman!!!!!!

a/n: sorry for the lack of posting the last few days. the new year has not been kind to my house, to say the least. were still truckin tho <3

One last game before the holiday. One more game before you could turn off your microphone, shut down your laptop, and put your things away for 48 hours. Or at least until you had to board a plane to Columbus, but you were trying not to think about that for a moment at least. If your life had gone the way you thought it was supposed to, you’d be married to Brian right now somewhere in the middle of the Caribbean on your honeymoon. You’d probably be by yourself, doing the things you planned because Brian didn’t actually care. Funny how life could change so quickly and look so differently than it did before. Instead you looked down at the new ring on your finger, the one given to you by Jeremy. It gave you the warm fuzzy feeling you were supposed to have when you looked at your ring.

You had yet to contact your parents again. You didn’t really want to, you just wanted to enjoy a holiday for once and enjoy it for what it was. Being alone with your thoughts was never fun but at least it gave you time to decide that waiting until after holiday craziness would be the best way to deal with your own parents. You were in charge of your own life now, and you had tried to tell them before. They didn’t care about you for you, they cared about appearances. But now you had to focus, just one more day.

Having to be at the rink at different times kind of sucked some days but it meant you got to come home together at the end of the night. You got to see him come in for his arrival in his holiday suit that you helped him pick out with the socks he was so excited to show off. Speaking of showing off, you hadn’t slept together since that night in Vancouver. Your brain couldn’t decide if it was because he wasn’t actually falling for you and he only slept with you because he was just really in the mood and you were there, or if he was and now he was scared or if he didn’t want to cross some kind of invisible boundary or if his head was just too in the hockey-zone or something, but he hasn't touched you like that again. Cuddling at night sure, but nothing like that. It kept that tiny little part in the back of your brain that reminded you that this whole thing wasn’t real on paper.

Focus Y/N. You don’t need to think about that right now.

Tonight’s game was against the Washington Capitals, and the Bruins needed a win to keep their motivation going. You didn’t need to think about that right now. You were here to do your job, to help Jeremy and the team. You could figure everything else out later. You've found yourself saying that phrase a lot lately.

Tonight was all about the game.

As the players took the ice for warm-ups, you slipped into your usual rhythm. You caught the excitement in the air, the tension of the game that everyone could feel. The Bruins were in a good spot, but a loss tonight could throw them off course. You had a feeling they were ready for it, though—Jeremy was determined. You could see it in his eyes, his energy as he moved through his pre-game routine.

You sat at the side, typing out notes for your upcoming report, but you couldn’t help but glance over at him every now and then. There was something magnetic about him. It had always been there, but now, it felt different. You had become so used to him being around that it almost felt like he’d always been a part of your life. The routine of it was comforting, even if there were things about the relationship you weren’t sure of yet. You could become so sure because of how sure he was. It was infectious, his smile. It wasn’t perfect, but you weren’t expecting perfection. You were both figuring it out as you went. And that was okay.

You focused on the game as it began, the puck moving up and down the ice. The energy in the arena was electric, the fans on their feet, rooting for the team. Jeremy had a strong first period, keeping the Capitals from getting too comfortable. The tension in the air was palpable, but you could see the Bruins pushing, knowing how much this game meant. By the second period, the Bruins had managed to score a couple of goals, taking the lead. The team was hungry for this win, and you could tell they weren’t going to let it slip away. You couldn’t help but smile when Jeremy caught your eye from across the ice. You kept each other motivated throughout the night. His look was brief but filled with meaning, a little reassurance.

You had no idea what the future held, but at that moment, it didn’t matter. For now, you had the game, you had Jeremy, and you had something real—something that felt like it was worth fighting for. The rest of the game was a blur of plays, penalties, and cheers. In the end, the Bruins walked away with a well-earned win, the crowd roaring as they celebrated. The team skated off the ice, heading to the locker room for their post-game routine.

You stood up, feeling a strange sense of pride—pride for them, pride for the team, and maybe a little bit of pride in the fact that you were here, in this place, with Jeremy and so many of the people that you now cared about. It was hard to think that you even worked here with Brian at all. Had you ever enjoyed being here this much before? It didn’t even matter anymore, you were finally starting to believe yourself.

You weren’t the lead reporter that night, and that was fine by you. Everything was set and ready to be published on the website and where it needed to be, which meant you were now free. At least as free as the outside stressors of the world would allow you to be. For the first time in what felt like forever, you let yourself just be.

In the quick time it took to get home, Jeremy was practically carrying you inside the apartment from how tired you were. The weight of the day had finally caught up with you.

“I know we’re both exhausted, but just a few more minutes okay? Don’t open your eyes until I tell you to.”

You sighed. You didn’t have the heart to tell him that surprises honestly made you really anxious but for him, maybe you could learn to enjoy them.

“Just a couple of minutes,” he said, a hint of excitement in his voice. “I’ve got a surprise for you.”

You raised an eyebrow, a little confused but intrigued. “A surprise? You know I’m way too tired for surprises right now, right?”

He chuckled softly. “Trust me, it’ll be worth it. Just let me do this for you, okay?”

You gave him a weary but affectionate smile, deciding to play along. “Fine, but you’re lucky I’m exhausted, or I’d totally fight you on this.”

Jeremy grinned and led you to the couch, urging you to sit down while he went to grab whatever this surprise was. Your mind was already feeling hazy from exhaustion, but you couldn’t help but feel a flutter of curiosity.

A few moments later, Jeremy returned holding a small, carefully wrapped package. He placed it gently in your hands, his eyes warm with affection. “Go ahead, open it.”

You slowly unwrapped the gift, your heart skipping a beat when you saw what was inside. It was a framed photo of the two of you, taken during the Bruins’ family skate. It wasn’t just any photo—it was a candid shot of you laughing as you tried (and failed) to skate gracefully with Jeremy by your side, his hand on your back, steadying you. The joy in both of your faces, the carefree moment captured in time, made you smile. It was a snapshot of your life now, of all the things that had changed in such a short amount of time.

“Jeremy... this is perfect,” you said, your voice thick with emotion. It wasn’t just a picture—it was a memory, a reminder of the laughter, the love, and the way everything was slowly falling into place. It was real. It was something to show off the two of you, in a space you now shared. This seemed to be very real to him.

He smiled softly, his eyes tender as he watched you. “I thought it would be nice to have something to remind us of that moment. Of yesterday, and all of the craziness recently.”

You felt your heart swell, the gesture small but so meaningful. “It’s perfect,” you whispered again, brushing your thumb over the photo frame as if trying to soak in the memory of it.

“Good,” he said, before gently taking the photo from your hands and placing it on the coffee table, before sitting down beside you. He then turned toward you, his hand lightly resting on your shoulder, a comforting weight. “But that’s not all, okay?”

You raised an eyebrow in curiosity but also exhaustion. “Jeremy, you’re already spoiling me.”

His smile was soft as he looked at you. “Just trust me.”

He then stood up, moving around you to grab something from the other side of the room. You closed your eyes for a moment, trying to keep your energy up, but Jeremy came back a moment later with a tray—on it, a steaming mug of hot tea, a small candle lit beside it, and a bowl of your favorite chocolates.

“I figured,” he began, his voice a little quieter now, “after a long day, you might need a little more care. Something to help you unwind.” He set the tray carefully in front of you. “I know you’ve been working hard, and it’s been a lot lately and now you’re in a new space, so I just wanted to make sure you’re okay.”

You blinked up at him, touched. His thoughtfulness, even after a full NHL game, never ceased to surprise you. “Jeremy, you didn’t have to do all of this. I’m fine.”

“I know you are,” he said gently, “but you deserve to take a break, too. It’s okay to take a moment for yourself.” He sat beside you again, his hand resting on yours. “Just let me take care of you tonight, okay?”

You smiled softly, feeling your heart settle with a sense of peace you hadn’t realized you were craving. “You really are something else.”

“Just doing what feels right,” he replied, brushing his thumb over your hand with a slowness he knew you would notice. He was looking at you in a way that said something, but you didn’t know what. You couldn’t read him like that quite yet. “Now, drink your tea and relax. I’m here. Whatever you need.”

As you sipped the warm tea and let the soft glow of the candle fill the room, you realized just how much his presence, his thoughtfulness, was all the holiday warmth you needed. It wasn’t about the big gestures or extravagant presents—it was the small things, the moments that made you feel seen, loved, and cared for. You’d never been good at accepting those types of things, you’d been doing them for yourself for so long.

He sat next to you, massaging out the knot in your shoulder you didn’t even realize was there. Each sip of the tea warms you from the inside out and helps the tension ease from you little by little. You thought it would make you more tired, but it didn’t. You hadn’t noticed at first, but he had put on your favorite movie. How he had even found out what that was, you’d never know, but at this point you weren’t going to question his superhero methods. You guessed it was his way of performing everyday miracles, and you were going to let him. Once you were finished with your tea and chocolate, you leaned into him and let the comfortable silence settle over you.

“Hey..psst. Where do you want to sleep? Your room or my, I mean our-” He whispered, but got confused in asking his own question.

“What?” You replied, a little out of it.

He chuckled softly at your confusion, his fingers still gently massaging your shoulder. “I don’t think attempting to sleep on the couch together would be very comfortable. Do you want to sleep in your room, or should we just stay in mine? I know we shared on the road and I know it’s a weird question, but I was thinking... You know, we’ve kind of been living together like this, and I just want you to be comfortable. You’re tired and I’m nervous, I’m sorry.”

You blinked a few times, your brain still a little foggy from the warmth of the tea and the calm of the night. The question wasn’t something you’d expected, but now that it was asked, it felt like a good one. The thought of where to sleep, of how the two of you had settled into this strange and new routine, was suddenly much more important than you realized. Being on the road and having a routine was one thing, being at home and having one was another.

"I mean… we’re kind of sharing the space already, right?" you said, your voice soft as you tried to gather your thoughts. "And it’s... been nice, the way things feel here. So maybe we should just stay here? Together, I mean. Not out in the living room. You’ve seen me naked Jer, I think we’ve gone there already haven’t we?"

You thought about the night you shared in Vancouver again, and how you hadn’t crossed that line since. Your brain is awake now, and on high alert. The hairs on the back of your neck were standing up, and it was almost like you felt a feeling move down your spine.

Jeremy’s hand paused on your shoulder, his fingers stiffening for just a moment before resuming their gentle rhythm. His laugh was soft, more of an exhale than anything else, but there was something charged in the air now, something unspoken.

“Yeah, Vancouver was… different,” he said quietly, almost like he was testing the waters.

He was the one who mentioned it by name. He called you wife and he wore the ring, but his hesitation told you that he was just as nervous as you were. He also needed reassurance.You could feel the weight of the memory creeping in. Vancouver had been unexpected—a night where boundaries blurred in the chaos of being on the road. It had been both too much and not enough, and since then, you’d both danced carefully around it, as if pretending it hadn’t happened would keep things simple.

Except things weren’t simple anymore. Everything that had happened since you’d been back had thrown the two of you for a loop.

“I didn’t mean to bring it up like that,” you murmured, suddenly unsure if you’d made things awkward.

“It’s okay,” he said quickly, his voice low and steady. “I mean, it’s not like I haven’t thought about it.”

That caught your attention. Your gaze snapped to him, finding him looking at you with an expression that was a mix of uncertainty and something else—something deeper.

“You’ve thought about it?” you asked, your voice quieter now, almost afraid of the answer. No, you were afraid of his answer.

He shifted, his hand falling away from your shoulder as he rubbed the back of his neck. “I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t. But I didn’t want to push or, like, make it weird. It’s just… you’re important to me. And Vancouver—it felt important, too.”

The room felt impossibly quiet. You could hear your own heartbeat, feel the way your hands fidgeted against your lap.

“Jeremy…” You hesitated, unsure if you were ready to cross that line again—or if you even knew where the line was anymore. “It was important. But I don’t know what it meant. Or what it means now.”

He nodded, his lips pressing into a thin line. “Yeah. Same here. But maybe we don’t have to figure it all out tonight?”

There was relief in his words, and you realized it mirrored your own. He wasn’t asking for answers, just honesty.

You managed a small smile, the tension easing just slightly. “Okay. No overthinking tonight. Just sleep.”

“Just sleep,” he agreed, though there was a flicker of something unreadable in his eyes.

This time, when he stood and offered his hand, you took it without hesitation. “Come on,” he said softly, his voice warm and reassuring. “Our room, right?”

“Yeah,” you said, letting him lead you toward the bedroom. “Our room.”

The next morning, the light streaming through the curtains was soft and golden, a quiet prelude to the day ahead. The first time you and Jeremy would host a gathering together—officially, as a married couple. You enjoyed that you both celebrated different holidays, and being able to learn so many new things from him. At least hosting people gave you something to do rather than sit there and be alone with your thoughts, which was never a good idea around this time of year.

The weight of it hit you the moment you opened your eyes. The conversation from last night lingered in your mind, threading through the dreams you couldn’t quite remember. Jeremy’s words, his honesty, had settled somewhere deep, easing some of the tension you hadn’t realized you’d been carrying. Beside you, Jeremy stirred, his arm instinctively reaching out to rest across your waist. His hand brushed against your hip, and when his eyes blinked open, they softened at the sight of you.

“Morning,” he murmured, his voice still heavy with sleep.

“Morning,” you replied, smiling despite yourself.

He tilted his head, studying you for a moment. “You okay?”

You hesitated, then nodded. “Yeah. Just… a lot on my mind.”

“Dinner?” he guessed, his lips curving into a knowing smile. He brought you in closer to him, so that you were backed up against his chest. His bedroom had an amazing view of the Boston skyline, one that you weren’t going to get sick of any time soon. You could lay here with him for hours if you weren’t careful.

“Dinner,” you confirmed, groaning as you sat up. “And everything else. It feels like a lot, you know? Like I have to prove something tonight.”

Jeremy sat up beside you, his hand finding yours. “You don’t have to prove anything,” he said firmly. “This isn’t a test. It’s just us, sharing the holidays with people we care about. No one is going to question anything, especially if Charlie told anyone about seeing us in the hotel—” He gave your hand a small squeeze. “We’re doing this as husband and wife. That’s it.”

You looked at him, his words grounding you. “Husband and wife,” you repeated softly, letting the weight of the phrase settle over you.

“Yeah,” he said, his voice lighter now. “And if we burn the food or run out of booze, they can deal with it. This is about us.”

The day unfolded in a blur of preparations. Between cooking, cleaning, and setting the table, you and Jeremy moved seamlessly together, your usual rhythm punctuated with the occasional shared laugh or playful nudge. You had even managed to send your parents a quick text, saying you would meet them but not until returning from Columbus. You would take your control back, whether they wanted you to or not and they were not going to take your first enjoyable holiday away from you.

By the time the doorbell rang that evening, the house felt ready—cozy and warm, the soft glow of the tree lights casting a festive charm. Jeremy shot you a grin as he opened the door, greeting the first couple with an easy laugh and a handshake.

As more guests arrived, the house filled with laughter and conversation. You floated through the gathering, keeping drinks filled and plates replenished, but the nerves still lingered beneath the surface. It wasn’t until Jeremy called for everyone’s attention that you realized how much he’d noticed.

“Alright,” he said, standing in the middle of the living room with his glass raised. “Before we get too deep into the night, I just want to say something.”

You froze, heat rushing to your cheeks.

“This is our first time hosting as a couple—officially,” he said, glancing at you with a soft smile. “And yeah, it’s a little nerve-wracking, but I’ve got to give credit where it’s due.”

He turned fully to you, his voice steady and sure. “She’s made this place feel like home. She’s part of me now—not just because she’s my wife, but because of who she is. I believe in her so much, and I hope she starts to believe in herself too. To Y/N!”

A ripple of agreement passed through the room, accompanied by warm smiles and clinking glasses. You felt the burn of unshed tears and shot him a look that was equal parts gratitude and exasperation.

“You didn’t have to do that,” you murmured when he crossed the room to stand beside you.

“Yeah, I did,” he said, his voice low. “Because it’s true.”

The rest of the evening unfolded in a swirl of warmth and joy, the kind that only comes from good company and the holiday season. Everyone filled the house with stories, laughter, and the occasional teasing remark that had everyone grinning. At first, you focused on the tasks at hand—making sure plates were full, drinks were topped off—but slowly, you began to relax, letting yourself enjoy the night as much as everyone else. Hockey didn’t make for the easiest holiday season, and not everyone was able to travel home or have their families come to them. You were happy to be the place that others were able to come to, and feel like they had a home as well.

Jeremy was everywhere, effortlessly hosting with a mix of charm and warmth that made everyone feel welcome. He seemed to be so good at it, blending in with groups of people but then being able to cozy up in the corner with you unnoticed and make you feel comfortable. You should have known he would be right and everything would end up being fine. The world didn’t always end in disaster, at least not when he was around.

After dinner, the group gathered in the common areas and the twinkle lights you had stolen from your apartment living room bathing the room in a low light that felt comforting to you. Someone suggested a game, and before long, the competition was in full swing. You would think that maybe a game would help them be a little more relaxed, but then again competitiveness between friends only increased when they were off the ice you had learned. Shouts of victory and exaggerated groans filled the air as Emily viciously defended her argument of the definition of the color turquoise in hues and cues. Apparently the lighting in the room needed to be adjusted for proper play.

During a quieter moment, Emily sat down beside you, nudging your arm. “You’ve outdone yourself tonight,” she said with a grin.

“Thanks,” you said, though a small part of you still wasn’t sure.

“No, really,” she pressed. “You’ve got this knack for making people feel comfortable, and tonight? You’ve made it feel like home for all of us. Who knew falling on a treadmill would get you exactly where you needed to be?”

Her words stayed with you, lingering even as the evening began to wind down and guests started trickling out. You stood beside Jeremy at the door, exchanging hugs and warm holiday wishes. With each departing guest, your nerves faded a little more, replaced by a growing sense of pride. When the last couple left, the house fell into a calm quiet. You leaned against the door, letting out a long breath.

Jeremy turned to you, his face soft with a mix of pride and affection. “You were incredible tonight,” he said, his voice warm.

You gave a small laugh, shaking your head. “We were incredible tonight.”

He stepped closer, his hands finding your waist. “Sure, we were a great team. But you made it something special. You brought everything together—you made it feel like us.”

His words hit you square in the chest, their sincerity impossible to ignore.

“Thank you,” you murmured, your voice quieter now. “For saying that. For believing in me.”

Jeremy leaned in, brushing a kiss against your forehead. “Always,” he said softly. “You’re my wife, Y/N. Believing in you? That’s just part of the deal.”

“Say that again.”

“What?”

“The second part.”

“My wife?” His mouth curved up on one side, catching on to your question.

“Mhmmm..” You leaned into his embrace, enjoying the space you had newly created. Tomorrow you’d host Jeremy’s family and that would be a whole different rollercoaster, but for now you just had this, and you wanted to enjoy it. His words carried a weight that felt steady and grounding, settling into the spaces you hadn’t realized were still raw.

For the first time in a long while, you didn’t just hear the words—you felt them. And as you stood there in the glow of the twinkle lights, arms wrapped around each other, you realized that tonight wasn’t just a successful dinner. It was proof that you were starting to believe in yourself, too.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5

Swaymas Masterpost