lightsoutmatthews

[lightsoutmatthews]

[AUSTON] before round one game fice of the playoffs against the sens 29.04.2025

[lightsoutmatthews]

Congrats on being done exams! I’m in the same boat currently, I have 2 weeks left 😬 your protective Auston fics have me feeling some kind of way, I’d love a protective Willy imagine. No particular story line, just always wanting to make sure his girl is taken care of and safe. I love all your fics 🫶

I hope your exams went well!!! Love myself some protective Willy

Safe with you – William Nylander

Sweden was quieter in the off-season. No roaring arenas, no post-game interviews, just fresh air, long days and the calm that came with being away from the chaos in Toronto. William liked it this way, especially with you here.

You had been dating for almost two years now, and this was your second off-season trip to Sweden with him.

Last year was a whirlwind. His family gatherings, exploring Stockholm, him introducing you to childhood friends, but this year felt different. Slower. He seemed more relaxed, but still, the protectiveness he carried with him during your time in Toronto didn’t just switch off.

It started small.

The first night you arrived, he carried your suitcase even though you insisted it wasn’t heavy.

You got halfway up the stairs to the bedroom when he looked over his shoulder and said, “I´ve got it, älskling. Just go up. You´ve been traveling all day.”

You rolled your eyes but didn’t argue. His tone hadn’t been demanding, but firm, casual but clear that he wasn’t about to let you haul luggage up to his Stockholm apartment after an 8-hour flight.

From then on, it was like a switch had been flipped.

He always walked on the street side when you went into town. He kept an arm around you on busy ferries and when you were at an open-air market downtown, he noticed everything. Like the guy who looked too long as you picked out strawberries.

William didn’t say anything but gently pulled you closer and kissed the top of your head.

You didn’t even notice the guy, but William did.

Later that evening, you were laying on the couch while he sat on the floor in front of you with the dogs, leaning back into your legs, watching some Swedish comedy show with subtitles.

“You okay?” you asked, combing your fingers through his hair.

“Mhm. Why?”

“You seemed tense earlier at the market.”

He tilted his head a little, like he was debating whether or not to tell you the truth. “There was a guy that was looking at you too much.”

You paused. “What guy?”

He turned his face into your thigh, almost annoyed. “Exactly. You didn’t even notice. That´s why I´m paying attention.”

You were quiet for a second, then laughed lightly. “You´re so dramatic and overprotective.”

William looked up at you, raising an eyebrow. “I´m not being dramatic and overprotective. I just don’t want you in a situation where you don’t feel comfortable. That´s all.”

You smiled, brushing some of his hair out of his face and leaned down to capture his lips in a quick but soft kiss. “I always feel safe with you.”

His mouth quirked up a bit at that, like he was trying not to smile too big. He turned back toward the TV after that, but you could tell the tension in his shoulders had eased.

-----------

A few days later, you both went on a day trip to a lake a couple of hours outside of the city.

It was tucked into a forest, with crystal-clear water and hardly anyone around. The only sound was birds and the occasional splash when you skipped rocks.

He packed a cooler with snacks, towels, sunscreen, and made you double check your shoes because the trail down to the water was pretty uneven.

When you reached a rough patch of rocks, he stopped and held out a hand. “Careful here,” he noted, steadying your with one hand on your waist and the other on your hand.

“I´ve hiked before, darling.”

He gave you a look. “Yeah, but you twist your ankle once and I´m never gonna hear the end of it.”

You smirked. “You´d carry me back.”

“Of course, I would,” he muttered, already scanning the trail ahead.

The water of the lake was cool but refreshing.

You swam for a while, then laid out on a towel next to him, both of you still damp from the lake.

He handed you a water bottle without asking, and you took it, not even realizing how thirsty you were.

He didn’t say much, just watched the treetops sway overhead and occasionally glanced at you to make sure you weren’t too cold, too sunburned, too anything.

At one point you noticed his eyes scanning the far end of the lake where another couple had shown up.

“They´re just swimming,” you mumbled.

“I know,” he agreed, sounding more observant than anything. “I just keep an eye out. You never know.”

You sat up and leaned over him, letting your hand rest on his chest. “Will you ever stop watching over me?”

He looked up at you, eyes soft. “Not really. Don’t want to.”

-----------

Even at home, the protectiveness didn’t stop.

You stubbed your toe one night walking to the bathroom in the dark, and he sat up like someone had broken in.

“You okay?”

“Yeah, just hit my foot,” you hissed, still in pain.

He was already out of bed, grabbing your hand and guiding you to sit down. “Let me see.”

You laughed. “Will, it´s just a stubbed toe.”

“I´ll decide that” he said, flipping on a lamp and kneeling down to look. “Which one`”

“Alright, Doctor Nylander,” you giggled, pointing at the one you just hurt.

He pressed gently around it, checking for swelling like some kind of hockey team medic.

When he was satisfied, you weren’t going to lose a toe, he stood up and shook his head. “You could´ve tripped and fell on your head,” he mumbled, heading to the kitchen. “Do you want some ice just in case?”

“You´re ridiculous.”

“Yeah, stay there,” he called from the freezer.

-----------

Some nights you went to dinner with his friends, usually people he grew up with or played youth hockey with.

You would sit next to him, and every so often he would rest a hand on your knee or drape an arm over the back of your chair, always in tune with your body language.

When one of the guys made a harmless but slightly off comment, something about how good you looked in the sundress you were wearing, William leaned forward, not aggressive, just calm and protective.

“Yeah, she does,” he said. “And she´s with me.”

The table went quiet for a second, Alex and Rasmus giggling behind their hands, the guy making the comment almost looking horrified, but then someone changed the subject and conversations went on.

William didn’t look mad but firm and you appreciated it more than you thought you would.

On the walk back home, you nudged him. “You didn’t have to say anything back there.”

He shrugged and wrapped his arm around you. “Yeah, I did.”

“I wasn’t uncomfortable.”

“I know, I just made sure it didn’t go to a point where you were.”

You leaned into his side, silent for a while. “I really do feel safe with you, you know.”

He kissed your temple. “Good. That’s the point.”

------------

It was about two months into the trip when something more serious crept in, just sharp enough to shake things up.

You had gone into Stockholm for the afternoon with William´s sister Ella. The two of you having gotten along like lifelong friends ever since you met her last year during your first trip to Sweden.

She had invited you out for some shopping and fika while William had meetings with his off-season conditioning coach.

“I´ll meet you after,” he said, grabbing his keys. “Ella knows the city inside out. Just stick together.”

You gave him a mock salute, “Yes, sir.”

He grinned. “And answer your texts today.”

You rolled your eyes. “I always answer my texts.”

“You answer eventually,” he muttered, walking backward out the door. “I want answer in real time.”

-----------

You didn’t think much of it. The day was beautiful, the weather finally dry after a stretch of rain, and you were enjoying just being a little independent again. exploring, laughing with someone who knew William all their life.

Everything was normal until you reached the café where Ella suggested to have fika in.

You were sipping iced coffees outside a small bakery when you noticed a man sitting a few tables away. Maybe in his early 30s, dark hoodie, phone out, headphones on.

You wouldn’t have paid him any attention, except that Ella suddenly went quiet mid-sentence, glancing sideways, lowering her voice as she spoke. “That guy has been near us since we left the last shop.”

You frowned, glancing again. “Seriously?”

Ella nodded once. “He was standing across from the last place we stopped too. I noticed him when we crossed to the square.

Your stomach tightened. “You think he´s following us?”

“I´m not trying to jump to conclusions,” she whispered, “But yeah, I do.”

You tried not to look again, but when you did, he had his phone aimed suspiciously in your direction. The lens was angled low, discreet, like he didn’t want to be caught filming or snapping a picture.

Your phone buzzed, it was William.

Will💕: On my way. Still with Ella?

You replied quickly: Yeah. Can you meet us soon? Might be something weird happening.

He responded immediately: Where are you?

You sent him the name of the bakery, followed by: A guy might be following us. Ella noticed. Not sure.

No response.

You looked at Ella. “He´s not answering.”

“Bet he´s already running here,” she said under her breath.

And she was right. Ten minutes later, William came down the street, scanning quickly.

You could see the second he spotted you and then the guy a second later.

His jaw tightened, walk quickening, but he didn’t break into a run. He was too controlled for that. Too calculated.

He stopped at your table, barely even looking at you. “That him?” he asked lowly.

You nodded once.

William turned toward the man calmly and approached. Ella´s hand shot out to stop you from following. “Let him handle it.”

You sat still, heart pounding. William walked up to the guy, who noticed him and immediately straightened up, pulling out one earbud. You couldn’t hear what William said, but his body language was clear. Assertive, not aggressive. One step closer than a polite stranger would stand. His shoulders squared, all muscled up hockey player on display. His tone unreadable from where you were sitting.

Then, suddenly, the man stood up, muttered something, and walked off in the opposite direction.

William watched him until he was gone from your view. Then he turned and came back to you, calm but visibly summering. “Let´s go.”

You walked silently for a minute before you spoke. “What did he say?”

Wiliam looked straight ahead as he answered. “Said he wasn’t doing anything, just “resting”, but he had pictures of you on his phone.”

You stopped dead in your tracks. “What?”

“He had his gallery open, you were in four of them.”

Your mouth went dry, and your heartbeat picked up. “Did you make him delete them?”

“He said he would,” William muttered. “But who knows, he walked away before I could do more.”

You felt cold. Not because of the weather, but the violation of it. You wrapped your arms around yourself and kept walking.

William glanced at you and slowed down. “You okay?”

You nodded tightly. “Just creeped out.”

He pulled your to a stop, turning you to face him. “I´m sorry I wasn’t there earlier.”

You shook your head. “You came faster than I expected.”

“I should´ve been with you from the start,” he sighed.

“No,” you argued. “You didn’t do anything wrong.”

He didn’t look convinced. “Will,” you said more firmly. “You didn’t let anything happen. You showed up the second I asked.”

He looked at you for a long moment, then finally said, “You want to go back to the house? I don’t think we should stay in the city.”

You nodded, “Yeah, let´s just go home.”

--------------

That night, he didn’t let you out of his sight.

He cooked dinner without asking what you wanted, kept your glass full, brought you an oversized hoodie, and stayed close.

You sat on the couch wrapped in a blanket, and he sat next to you with one hand on your leg, thumb brushing back and forth.

Neither of you spoke much, until halfway through some dumb reality show you weren’t even really watching.

“Do you think he was someone from media?” you asked quietly. “Or just someone random?”

William´s jaw clenched. “Could be either, even though the media tends to leave me alone here. Maybe it was someone who recognized you from being with me. Some fans are like that.”

Your voice was small. “It freaked me out. Ella too.”

He turned toward you, hand now holding your knew. “It should. That wasn’t okay. that´s not just some guy being awkward, that was invasive.”

You nodded. “Thank you for showing up so fast.”

He rested his head on your leg, placing a soft kiss to it. “I´ll always be there when you need me.”

-------------

The rest of the summer passed like that.

You went on long walks, took trips to the coast, spent lazy mornings making breakfast and dancing around the kitchen while stopping every now and then to make out like teenagers in their first relationship.

He was silly, affectionate, and relaxed in a way he wasn’t in Toronto, but that protective edge never disappeared.

It wasn’t overbearing. It wasn’t controlling.

It was just love. Quiet and solid. The kind that wrapped around you like armor without ever feeling heavy.

And in all the places you had ever been, with all the people you had ever known, nowhere had ever felt safer than in William Nylander´s arms.

[lightsoutmatthews]

"Stupid is very on brand for me" – Seth Jarvis

summary: Seth buys a motorcycle.

pairing: Seth Jarvis x female!reader

word count: 2.5k

warnings: -

-----------------------------

You were sprawled out on the couch, half-watching a rerun of some sitcom and half-scrolling through your phone, when Seth bursts through the front door like he was about to announce that he had won the lottery or something equally as exciting.

His grin was ridiculous. The kind that made you instantly suspicious.

“What did you do?” you called out without looking up.

“Guess what!” he said, practically bouncing on the balls of his feet.

You raised an eyebrow but stayed put. “If it´s about the game last night again, I´m not in the mood for a rant.”

“Nope, nothing like that.” He dumped his backpack on the floor, then reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a set of keys with a flashy keychain dangling from it.

That’s when you finally looked up, curiosity outweighing your annoyance. “What are those?”

Seth held them up like he was showing off a trophy. “Motorcycle keys.”

You blinked and took a second to process his words. “Wait, what?”

He nodded like it was the most natural thing in the world. “I bought a motorcycle.”

You sat up straight, eyes ripped wide open. “You did what?”

“I bought a motorcycle,” he repeated, clearly pleased with himself.

You stared at him, feeling your brain short-circuit. “Why would you do that? That is stupid. You don’t even own any gear, nor have you driven one before.”

“We both know stupid is very on brand for me,” Seth said with a lazy grin. “Have you never met me before?” he chuckled. “I really thought you knew me better than this, baby.”

Your eyes narrowed. “I don’t even know how to respond to that.”

He shrugged, clearly enjoying himself. “Look, it´s not like I bought a spaceship or something equally gigantic. It´s just a bike. It´s cool, it´s fast and it´s mine. And the gear will show up with the bike when they bring it here.”

You put your phone down and crossed your arms. “Yeah, but you don’t even have a license for it. You don’t know how to ride.”

“That´s what training is for,” he said, like that somehow solved the issue instantly and that he wouldn’t actually have to find time in his already busy schedule to actually go to get the license.

You shook your head in disbelief. “Seth, you´re reckless. You can barely keep your balance on a skateboard, and now you think it´s a good idea to hop on a motorcycle? With no training? What if something happens?”

He laughed like you just said something completely unreasonable. “Come on, don’t be such a worrywart. I´m not planning to jump out of a plane or fly into space. It´s like riding a normal bike just with a little more speed.”

You raised an eyebrow. “You jumped off the roof of your parents’ house last summer because you bet with Andrei that you could make it into the pool.”

“That’s old news, and that turned out okay by the way,” he said waving you off.

“You missed hitting the concrete by like five centimeters,” you argued.

He just waved his hand again. “Unimportant now.”

You groaned. “You´re a disaster, and I love you but this? This is next level even for you.”

He looked at you like you were still being way too serious about this purchase. “Hey, it´s called living a little. You should try it sometime.”

“I do live,” you said dryly. “I just don’t need a motorcycle to prove it to anyone. Living with you is adventure enough.”

“Fair,” he said, raising his hands in mock surrender. “Look, I´m sorry I didn’t tell you. I just wanted to surprise you.”

“You did surprise me, but not in a good way. I´m sorry,” you said, trying not to laugh at the ridiculousness of all of this.

Seth pulled you up from the couch and grabbed your hands. “Come check it out, they should pull up any second.”

You followed him out to the driveway where a truck from a bike company was pulling up right as you got outside.

A guy greeted you and opened the back of the truck to reveal a shiny, black and silver motorcycle inside.

The guy unloaded it, handed Seth some papers and was gone almost quicker than he got there.

Now the motorcycle was parked under the streetlamp, looking way too fast for a guy who will probably fall off trying to get on for the first time.

It gleamed under the light, the chrome shining, the engine quiet as Seth put the key in, but it promised power at the same time.

You reached out and touched the handlebar carefully, half expecting it to jump out at you, even thought that was completely unreasonable.

“Seth, I love you, so much, but you´re going to injure yourself on this thing,” you said, softly but seriously.

He just laughed. “I´ll try not to.”

“I would feel better if you wouldn’t get on that thing at all, but I won’t stop you. You have to promise me that you will take the training course seriously and that you pay attention to safety and always wear protective gear. Always,” you pushed.

“I promise,” he nodded seriously.

You shook your head, a smile tugging at your lips despite your worry. “This is going to be a disaster, isn’t it?” you asked.

“Yeah, but it will be our disaster,” Seth laughed, pulling you close.

You leaned your head on his shoulder. “I´m already horrified.”

-------------

A few weeks later the off season was in full swing. Seth had completed a driving as well as a safety course for his motorcycle and was taking it around Raleigh every other day visiting teammates that were still in town, showing off his new toy.

The sun filtered through your bedroom window when you woke up. The bed next to you was empty so Seth was already up.

You found him in the living room, buzzing around, talking to himself about helmets, gloves, and leather jackets like it was Christmas morning.

You peeked around the corner and saw the ridiculous sight of him pulling on a leather jacket that was clearly way too large for him.

“Are you seriously already getting new gear? Your old one isn’t even two months old,” you asked, entering the living room fully this time.

He shot you a grin. “Safety first, babe. You can never have enough. Plus, this one looks cool, right?”

You didn’t answer.

A second later he held out a smaller jacket to you. “I got this for you,” he said sheepishly. “I know you´re still not a fan of the bike but I thought maybe you would go for a ride with me one day.”

You grabbed the jacket from his hands and pulled it on. It was padded in all the right places, meant to protect you even if you had no clue what you were doing.

“I also got your this,” he added, handing you a brand-new helmet fresh out the box in the middle of the living room. You took it with a sigh. “You´re really going to make me do this, huh?”

“Come on, I know secretly you´re itching to go on a ride with me,” Seth said, eyes sparkling.

You had to admit; he came back extremely happy whenever he took the bike out. He had taken several of his teammates on rides and their girlfriends and wives told you the same thing.

Over the past days you had gotten a slight itch in your chest whenever he offered you to come but still declined, but this time mostly because you did not have any gear to wear. And there was no way in the world that you would get on it without it.

You sighed and nodded slightly.

“I knew it,” he almost shouted, pushing his arms in the air in triumph. You just shook your head in disbelief.

-----------

The motorcycle was parked just outside, gleaming in the morning light.

Seth started it up, and the engine roared to life.

The vibration ran through the frame, sending a thrill of excitement mixed with fear throught your body.

“Okay,” Seth, said. “Hop on.”

You swung your leg over the back and sat down carefully, hands immediately grabbing his waist.

The bike shifted under you as he adjusted his grip on the handlebars.

“Hold on tight,” he said, his voice low and a little nervous too.

You nodded, tightening your arms around him.

The helmet muffled sounds, but you could hear the city waking up. Distant honks, cars passing by, the hum of life going on around you.

Seath eased the bike forward slowly, getting a feel for the road.

You felt the wind start to pick up, tugging at your jacket and hair, and you gripped him even tighter.

At first, the ride was smooth. Seth stayed cautious, sticking to side streets and obeying every speed limit like it was the holy grail.

The nerves began to fade as you started to enjoy the sensation of movement. The speed, the freedom, the pulse of the engine beneath you.

“This isn’t so bad,” you admitted, your voice slightly shaky but amused.

Seth glanced back for a second and grinned. “See, I told you. You just gotta trust me.”

You gave a half-laugh, half-sigh. “Easy for you to say when you´re the one driving and don’t have to lay your life in the hands of someone else.”

After a few blocks, Seth´s eyes lit up.

He spotted am empty stretch of road ahead. Long, straight, and deserted. You knew what was coming immediately.

“I´m just gonna open it up a little,” he said over his shoulder.

“Wait, what does that mean?” you asked, panic rising.

Before you could say anything else, he twisted the throttle. The bike surged forward.

Your stomach dropped. You squeezed his waist like your life depended on it, heart hammering in your chest. The wind roared in your ears, the world blurring as the speed picked up.

“Slow down!” you yelled, but your voice was lost in all the noise.

Seth laughed, the thrill obvious on his face. “You´re supposed to be holding on tight! Like, tighter.”

You gripped him harder, knuckles white, trying to focus on breathing evenly even though your brain was screaming “this is a bad idea. This is a bad idea.”

The bike reached its top speed, and for a terrifying moment, you felt the tires slip slightly on some loose gravel at the edge of the road.

Your heart stopped but Seth reacted instantly. Hands steady, body balanced, and the bike righted itself as he eased off the throttle.

You exhaled shakily, your body still trembling.

Seth slowed the bike to a crawl and pulled off to the side. You stayed quiet for a moment, catching your breath.

Finally, you looked at him and said, “You´re an idiot.”

He shrugged, still smiling. “On brand.”

You couldn’t help but laugh, the tension breaking in an instant. “Seriously Seth. That scared me.”

He pulled off his helmet, hair tousled and wild from wearing it. “Yeah, yeah. Sorry. I got carried away a little bit.”

You shook your head but didn’t move away from him. “You´re so lucky I love you.”

“Lucky me, for sure,” he smiled, pulling you into a hug.

The rest of the ride was much quieter, the kind of peaceful that comes after adrenaline faded.

Seth kept the speed low, and you leaned into him, feeling safe and warm despite everything.

By the time you got back to the apartment, your nerves had calmed enough to laugh about the day´s events.

“I´m not sure if I´m going to survive this relationship,” you joked, pulling off your helmet.

Seth kissed you quickly. “You´re tougher than you think.”

-----------------

Later that evening, after the adrenaline had mostly worn off, you found yourself sitting on the small balcony of the apartment. Legs curled under you and a mug of tea warming your hands.

Seath was beside you, leaning back on the railing, looking down at the still buzzling street.

The day´s events felt a little surreal now. The rush of the motorcycle, the near-skid on loose gravel, the mix of terror and thrill, it all seemed far away in the fading light.

You glanced at Seth, who was fiddling with the ring on his finger absentmindedly.

He looked calm, but you could tell there was something on his mind. “So,” you started carefully. “Why did you really buy the motorcycle?”

Seth shrugged, but his eyes didn’t meet yours. “I don’t know. I guess I wanted something that´s just mine. Something that’s not hockey or social media or all the stuff people expect from me.”

You nodded slowly, understanding more than you let on. “I get that. You´ve got a lot on your shoulders. I´m not a pro-athlete but from living with one I get that the pressure and everything that comes with it has to be exhausting sometimes.”

He looked at you serious then. “It is. Believe me. Sometimes I feel like I´m living someone else´s life. Like I´m playing a role, not just being Seth, a guy from Winnipeg who somehow made it to the big leagues.”

He took a deep breath before he continued. “The motorcycle, it´s something that feels like me. Something wild and something free. Like I am during the off season, or like I was before hockey got serious. Don’t get me wrong, I love playing and I´m grateful for all the opportunities I got because of it, but sometimes it´s just a lot.”

You reached over and took his hand, squeezing it gently. “I want you to be happy and I want you to feel free, especially when your career gets hard sometimes, but I also want you to be safe.”

Seth gave you a small smile. “I know and I´ll always try. I promise I´m going to take this seriously I´ll always wear my gear and I´ll be smart with it.”

You studied his face, seeing the honesty there, and your worry softened. “That means more to me than you probably realize right now.”

He leaned in, resting his forehead against yours. “You´re the best part in all off this, you know? You keep me grounded.”

You smiled, feeling warmth spread through your chest. “And you remind me that life´s not always perfect. Sometimes it´s messy and sometimes it´s stupid, but it´s ours.”

Seth chuckled softly. “On brand.”

You laughed too, the tension between you easing away.

After a moment, Seth pulled you closer, wrapping an arm around your shoulders.

You leaned into him, fitting together like you always did, no matter how crazy things got.

“Thanks for coming with me today. I know it´s not your thing but I appreciate you giving it a try regardless,” he said quietly.

“Anything for you, but don’t expect me to do it again soon, okay?” you laughed.

[lightsoutmatthews]

This is the funniest thing I’ve ever seen 😭

[lightsoutmatthews]

thenhlonfilm on instagram: auston matthews & mitch marner, toronto maple leafs

[lightsoutmatthews]

hi do you write for NY Rangers? Maybe Matt Rempe and his girlfriend and they go to a teammates wedding. Maybe Quickie asks Matt when he is going to propose.

Second Matt Rempe request, I hope I´m doing him justice 😭 also again, I don´t know ANYTHING about the Rangers, I genuinely just picked a random teammate and random dynamics.

Plus one – Matt Rempe

You were not sure what you expected from an NHL wedding, but it was definitely not this.

The hotel ballroom was decked out in white and gold, with towering flowers arrangements and chandeliers that looked like they belonged int Versailles.

It was classy. Way classier than anything you ever imagined when Matt said: “Want to come to Foxy´s wedding?”

Matt Rempe, your boyfriend of nearly three years now, stood next to you, awkward in a tuxedo that fitted surprisingly well for someone his size.

His hand was resting on your lower back, absent-minded but familiar, and you knew it was more about keeping himself grounded in the crowd than anything else.

He was not nervous exactly, but he didn’t really do formal events. Or small talk. Or shoes that were tied tight.

You leaned in, whispering: “How long do you think it will be before one of these guys spills champagne all over themselves?”

Matt grinned. “Depends. Is Mika drinking?”

You both laughed, and the tension eased.

-------------

The ceremony was short, sweet and surprisingly emotional. Adam teared up a little while his bride walked down the aisle, and Igor Shesterkin actually whipped a tear off his cheek, muttering something in Russian that made everyone around him laugh.

You were squeezed between Matt and Alexis Lafrenière, who was trying (and failing) to stifle a yawn.

Matt didn’t cry, but he watched the ceremony with a weird sort of intensity. His thumb stroked over your hand, a small, unconscious moment, and you glanced up at him. He was tall enough that you had to tilt your head to catch his expression. His jaw was tight. Thoughtful.

“Everything okay?” you whispered.

He blinked, surprised you noticed. “Yeah,” he said quickly. “Just thinking.”

You let it go.

--------------

The reception kicked off like any other wedding you had been to. Speeches, dinners, clinking glasses.

People kept coming over to say hi to Matt. Some were teammates, others were wives or girlfriends or random people you haven’t seen before.

You were introduced about a hundred times. Everyone called you “Rempe´s girl”, and Matt kept squeezing your hand every time they did, like he wanted to make sure you were still there.

Eventually, music started. The bride and groom did their first dance.

You were halfway thought your champagne when Matt tugged you toward the dance floor.

“Matt,” you groaned. “You hate dancing.”

“I know,” he laughed, already pulling you along. “But I figured if I don’t get one on early, you´ll drag me later.”

“You say that like it´s a bad thing.”

He shrugged. “Just like to control the chaos.”

He was a terrible dancer. Long limbs, no rhythm, too self-aware, but you laughed and danced with him anyways.

The song ended, and you were both breathless. You tried to step away, but he kept his hands on your waist. “You look really good tonight,” he said suddenly, voice low.

You blinked. “Thank you?”

“No, I mean, like, seriously. You´re beautiful.”

You rolled your eyes. “You´re just trying to distract me from how bad your dancing is.”

“Is it working?”

A little, but before you could answer, someone clapped Matt on the back.

“Rempe,” a voice boomed behind you.

You turned to see Jonathan Quick, grinning like a man who had exactly the right amount of whiskey.

He was in full wedding mode, jacket off, tie loose, boutonnière slightly askew.

Matt straightened up. “Hey, Quickie.”

Jonathan pulled in him into a half-hug, then nodded at you. “Hey superstar, you´re looking good.”

“Thanks,” you said, amused at the nickname that stuck over the time you were staying with Matt at his house during the season.

He gestured toward the bar. “Mind if I steal your man for a minute?”

Matt glanced at you, you shrugged, so he left with him.

You watched them disappear toward the bar, then drifted toward a table to grab some water.

----------

Matt followed Jonathan to a small corner of the bar where Trouba, Mika and K´Andre were hanging out. They all looked way to entertained.

Jonathan clinked his glass and leaned in. “So, Remps,” he said, all casual. “Serious question.”

“Shoot,” he said, sipping his water.”

Jonathan raised an eyebrow. “When are you putting a ring on it?”

He nearly chocked. “What?”

“You heard me. When is the proposal happening?” Jonathan was grinning like he just scored an empty-net goal. “We´ve all been wondering.”

Mika laughed, said something in Swedish that he thought meant something like “finally” and Trouba was already shaking his head like he was disappointed.

“I – uh – I don’t know,” Matt stammered. “We´ve talked about it. I mean, yeah, I want to, just not…yet.”

“Not yet?” K´Andre said, mockingly offended. “Bro, you´ve been dating for what, three years?”

“Almost, yeah,” he muttered.

They all started booing. Booing. Like he just said he was switching teams mid-playoffs.

Jonathan whistled. “That´s, like, ten in hockey years.”

Matt held up his hands. “Guys, come on, it´s not like that.”

Jonathan slapped his shoulder. “No one´s rushing you, man. We just like giving you crap, but seriously, she´s awesome and you´re not exactly subtle when you look at her.”

Matt scratched the back of his neck, suddenly very aware of how red his ears probably were. “Yeah, I know. She is.”

“You love her?” Jacob asked, in that direct captain voice of his.

Matt nodded without hesitation. “Yeah, of course.”

“Then quit messing around and lock it down,” Mika added, finishing his drink. “Or else someone will beat you to it.”

The other guys laughed again, and Matt did too, but there was a weird weight behind what he said.

He glanced over at you. You were sitting at one of the tables, sipping champagne, laughing at something Lafrenière said. You were still wearing his jacket over your dress. Your shoes were on the floor next to the chair.

Yeah. He wanted that every say.

Jonathan clapped him on the back again. “Just think about it.”

“I already am,” Matt confirmed.

Jonathan grinned. “Good man.”

-----------

You were in the middle of sipping when Matt returned. His face was a little flushed and he looked like someone just asked him to solve a math equation in front of a crowd.

“What did Quickie want?” you asked curiously.

Matt sat next to you, sighing. “Just…stuff.”

You raised an eyebrow. “Stuff? That´s vague.”

He rubbed the back of his neck. “He, uhm…asked when I was gonna propose.”

You nearly chocked on your champagne. “What?”

“Yeah,” he winced. “Said it in front of Jacob, too. And Mika. And K´Andre. So that was great.”

You couldn’t help but laugh. “Oh my god.”

“Yeah, hilarious,” he deadpanned.

You leaned in. “So? What did you say?”

Matt glanced down. “I said, someday and then they all booed me.”

“Booed you?” you covered your mouth with your hand to surpass a laugh.

“Like a full chorus. Mika even threw a napkin at me.”

You were laughing now, full-on, stomach-aching laughing. Matt watched you, amused but slightly embarrassed.

“They´re just giving you crap,” you said, still chuckling. “It´s what guys do at weddings.”

He nodded slowly. “Yeah. I know.”

-------------

It was past midnight when the crowd started thinning.

The DJ was still going strong, but the vibe was winding down.

You were sitting outside on a stone bench, heels dangling form one hand, the other wrapped up in Matt´s jacket around your shoulders.

He was beside you, sleeves rolled up, tie loosened. He smelled like cedarwood and cologne and faint champagne from when it was spilled all over the place.

He was quiet, but not in a bad way. Just thoughtful.

“You ever think about it?” he asked suddenly.

You glanced over. “Think about what?”

“Getting married. Us getting married, especially.”

It was not a casual question, it landed with weight, real and solid.

You paused. “Yeah. Sometimes.”

He looked out over the lawn, lips twitching into a smile. “I do, too.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

He looked at you with a quiet intensity. “I´m just…I want to do it right. When the time is right.”

You nodded. “That makes sense.”

Matt shifted, turning toward you. “You´re not waiting on me, are you? Like, clock ticking, rings in the windows, wedding boards on Pinterest?”

You snort. “Relax, Matt. I´m not planning our wedding in secret.”

He smirked. “You sure?”

You leaned in, kissing his cheek. “If I were, you´d already know.”

He wrapped an arm around you, pulled you in close. “Good.”

-----------

You got a package in the mail with no return address a week later.

Inside a handwritten card: For whenever Rempe decides to stop dragging his feet – Quickie.

You opened the box. It was a small wedding planning book. Covered in glitter.

Matt groaned when he saw it. “I´m never going to hear the end of this, am I?”

You grinned, tossing it to him. “Guess you better get planning.”

He caught it, sighed dramatically, but smiled. “Someday.”

[lightsoutmatthews]

Thanks for mu birthday gift I lovedd itt💕

So happy to hear that 🥰

[lightsoutmatthews]

Hi, So Today is my birthday 🎂 (yayyy) and I was wondering if I can get a birthday fic with auston and reader where they are in love and celebrate the day together

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!! As a little surprise I made exception and had you skip the line of requests as a little birthday surprise (to everyone else, I am writing like crazy I PROMISE they will come soon!!!!). I hope you have a great day and you enjoy this!!

Birthday Surprise – Auston Matthews

You woke up to an empty bed, and that alone was suspicious.

Auston wasn’t exactly a morning person unless there was practice or a game. Even then, he normally pressed snooze at least twice and only dragged himself out of bed when it was dangerously close to being later.

But now? The spot beside you was cold, the comforter pulled back and faint noises were coming from somewhere in the apartment.

Footsteps. Cupboards opening and closing. The quiet clinking of dishes.

You rubbed your eyes and sat up, hair a mess and sleep still clinging to your body. “What the hell is he doing?” you mumbled to yourself.

A moment late, the answer came in the form of Auston Matthews standing in the doorway, wearing sweats and a plain with shirt, grinning like he had just pulled off the biggest surprise in history, holding a tray piled high with food.

“Good morning, birthday girl,” he announced.

You blinked. “You´re way too cheerful. What´s going on?”

“Sit tight, and you´ll see.” He crossed the room and carefully placed the tray across your lap. Pancakes were stacked high, a bowl of fresh berries, strips of perfectly crisp bacon, and a latte with a little heart drawn in the foam.

“Did you make this?” you asked, both touched and deeply doubtful.

“I ordered this,” he corrected immediately, sitting on the edge of the bed. “Babe, you´ve seen me try to flip a pancake. We´d have to replace the stove if I cooked breakfast.”

You laughed, already picking up your fork. “Still counts.”

He stole a strawberry off your place without hesitation. “Today is all about you. No chores, no errands, no answering work emails. Just you getting spoiled.”

You gave him a suspicious side-eye. “Define spoiled.”

Auston smirked. “You´ll find out.”

---------

Once you were full, Auston took the tray away, but came back with something hidden behind his back. “Present number one,” he announced.

You sighed. “Auston-“

“Don’t start. It´s your birthday. You´re not winning this argument.”

He handed you a small silver-wrapped box. Inside was a delicate gold bracelet with a tiny star charm that caught the light when you tilted it.

“I wanted something you could wear every day,” he explained, suddenly softer. “It reminded me of you. Always kind of…shining, even when you don’t notice it.”

Your heart melted instantly. “It´s beautiful.”

He clasped int onto your wrist himself, his fingertips brushing your skin before he leaned up for a kiss. “Okay, birthday girl. Time to get up, we´ve got places to be.”

-----------

You changed into the outfit he had picked. A soft sweatshirt, leggings, sneakers and sunglasses. Auston handed you a tote bag with snacks, a water bottle, and your favorite lip balm.

“What is this, a survival kit?” you teased.

“More like a comfort kit. I´m not having you get hangry halfway through the day.”

You slid into the passenger seat of his car, and the guessing game began. “Is it a picnic?” you asked as he merged onto the highway.

“Nope.”

“A hot air balloon?”

Auston laughed. “I don’t think the team would appreciate it if I would go up in the air in a giant basket attached to a balloon.”

You grinned. “So…yes?”

He just shook his head.

The first stop ended up being your favorite coffee shot downtown. Not for the coffee but for their pastries. Auston had already placed an order, and the barista wished you a happy birthday before handing it over.

“They threw in chocolate croissants for free,” Auston said proudly as you got back in the car. “Apparently I have some pull around here.”

You rolled our eyes and laughed.

---------

From there, you drove toward the edge of the city. Trees replaced buildings, and you were still guessing when he finally pulled into a parking lot next to a small pottery studio.

“I know you´ve been wanting to try this forever,” Auston said as you stepped inside. “It´s just you, me and a lot of clay.”

“Did you rent out the entire studio?” you gasped.

He shrugged. “Apparently I have some pull around here.”

It really ended up just being you, him and the instructor. Within five minutes, you were both a mess.

Auston´s first attempt at the wheel collapsed instantly. Yours wasn’t much better, but at least your bowl shape survived.

“You know this so going to look terrible when it´s fired, right?” he said, holding up something that looked suspiciously like a clay blob with a handle.

“They´ll have…character;” you explained.

By the end, you were both covered in clay. Auston had somehow managed to get it on his shirt, in his hair, and even on his cheek and you laughed so hard your stomach hurt when he tried to claim his misshapen mug was “modern art”.

---------

After cleaning up, Auston drove you back into the city to a rooftop restaurant with panoramic views. He had booked a table at the very edge.

The waiter appeared with champagne before you even touched the menu.

“Auston-“

“Don’t fight me on this. Just enjoy.”

Lunch was long and easy. You shared plates, traded bites, and people watched. The conversation bounced from your plans for the year ahead to ridiculous things like what you would name a potential second dog.

“I´m telling you, Sir Biscuit has a nice ring to it,” Auston argued.

“That is not going to be our dog´s name. Your first dog is named Felix, like a human, and you want to name his sibling Sir Biscuit?” you laughed.

Halfway through the meal, he reached across the table, resting his hand over yours. “You know, you make getting older look really, really good.”

You rolled your eyes, but the warmth in your chest said otherwise.

---------

You thought you were heading home after lunch, but Auston took another turn.

“Couples massage,” he announced as he pulled up to a tiny spa. “Figured you could use it after all that pottery wheel stress.”

The message was an hour of pure bliss. When you came out, your muscles felt like butter.

“Feeling spoiled yet?” Auston asked as you walked back to the car.

“Yes,” you admitted. “Dangerously spoiled.”

“Good,” he grinned. “Still not done though.”

----------

Back at the apartment, Auston told you to change into something comfortable but “photo-acceptable”.

You walked into the living room after changing to find fairy lights strung everywhere, blankets piled high, and your favorite snacks laid out in bowls.

“Private movie night,” he explained. “Fancy dinners are overrated.”

You picked your favorite comfort movie, and Auston pulled your close, occasionally feeding you popcorn like it was part of the treatment.

Halfway through the second movie, he reached behind the couch and pulled out another gift. An oversized hoodie you had been eyeing for weeks.

“I remembered,” he said with a grin.

----------

By the time the credits rolled, you were half-asleep against him. “This was the perfect day,” you murmured.

“That´s all I wanted,” he said, kissing your hair. “You do so much for me all the time. I just wanted to make sure you felt taken care of today.”

“You definitely spoiled me.”

He grinned. “Good, because next year is going to be even bigger.”

You groaned. “You´re ridiculous.”

“Maybe, but you love me anyways.”

----------

You must have dozed off after that, because the next thing you knew, Auston was nudging your shoulder gently. The fairy lights were still glowing faintly, casting the living room in a soft golden hue.

“It´s past midnight,” he said quietly. “Technically, your birthday is over.”

You groaned. “So proud of you for noticing.”

He chuckled. “I was going to wait until next year for this one, but I couldn’t.”

You sat up slowly, rubbing your eyes, and Auston pulled a tiny velvet box out of his hoodie pocked.

Your breath hitched. “Auston…”

“Relax, it´s not that kind of box,” he said with a smirk, sitting beside you. “That will come eventually, but right now I wanted to end your birthday with something small. Like…a last note.”

You opened it to find a simple, dainty ring. Not an engagement ring, but a thin gold band with a single tiny diamond in the center.

“It´s a promise,” he said before you could speak. “That I´m going to make you feel loved like this every day. Not just on your birthday.”

You smiled, a little stunned and a lot warmer inside. “You already do.”

“Good,” he replied, taking your hand and sliding it onto your finger. “Then this is just…proof. At least until we´re ready for the real deal.”

You leaned in and kissed him, slow and soft.

“Happy birthday,” he murmured against your lips.

[lightsoutmatthews]

hi hi! Just dropping in to say thank you for all the hard work you do in order to post as often as you do while still putting out such great pieces:) I’m particularly excited about the AM34 one you have on your win list but I know everything’s going to be great and I’ll eat it up every time. Hope you’re having a great day/night ! <3

Thank you so much Anon!!! I´m really enjoying all this writing I´m able to do right now because I´m on summer break and genuinely have nothing to do so I just write and read all day 🤭

The AM34 story is still work in progress but this might give me the push to finish it and plan for a release in the upcoming weeks, we´ll see. 🤫

[lightsoutmatthews]

Heyy girll, I'm obsessed with your writing 😍 May I please request a Clayton Keller fic where his family is in town and staying with him, and they realize that his long-term gf is truly it for him 😚

I tried something new with this and wrote from the perspective of Clayton´s mom, hope you enjoy!!

(warning I don´t know anything about the real Keller family dynamics)

What´s always been there – Clayton Keller

Kelly Keller had known for a long time that you weren’t going anywhere.

From the first year Clayton brought you home for Christmas, the quiet confidence, the way you moved through their kitchen like you had been there forever.

Kelly saw the writing on the wall and not in a bad way.

It was just obvious. The way her son looked at you. The way you always checked in with him, without asking too much. The way the two of you talked without saying anything at all.

It wasn’t new love, not anymore. Now it was steady, built in. The kind Kelly had with her husband.

Still, she hadn’t spent much time in their world. Clayton and you loved thousands of miles away in Utah now. While Kelly and Mike were still in Missouri.

There were occasional visits. Holidays, FaceTime calls, but she had never spent more than a couple of days under their roof.

Until this trip.

---------------

Clayton had invited them to come out for the long weekend. Her, Mike and Jake.

His schedule aligned, the team had a home stretch, and he said, “Just come stay with us.”

That told her a lot.

So, they packed up and flew out and when they arrived you were the one that greeted them at the door.

You wore leggings and a sweatshirt. No makeup, hair in a low bun, bare feet.

Comfortable and familiar, like she knew his family wouldn’t judge how she looked because she had been part of it for a long time.

The house was clearly theirs. Clayton´s hockey stuff was still everywhere but it was more balanced now.

A blanket folded on the back of the couch. Photos of the two of you at a lake, on the patio, holding a little Lucky. Cookbooks in the kitchen, mugs with your initials.

This wasn’t just Clayton´s house anymore, this was your home.

And that made Kelly feel more at ease than anything.

-----------

That night you made dinner.

You weren’t trying to impress anyone, not anymore. Chicken and roasted vegetables, garlic bread and salad.  No fuss, but it was thoughtful. It reminded Kelly of her own early years of marriage, trying to feed everyone without making it a production.

“Do you need help, sweetheart?” Kelly asked, wandering into the kitchen.

You gave her a small smile. “I think I´m good, but you can keep me company if you want.”

So, Kelly poured wine and leaned against the counter while they chatted. The kind of back-and-forth women have when they´ve known each other long enough to not pretend anymore.

At the dinner table, Jake went on about his hockey team, and Mike predictably launched into one of his “back in the day” stories.

Clayton just smiled, his hand resting on your thigh under the table. He was probably hoping no one noticed, but Kelly did. She always noticed the quiet things.

-------------

The next morning, she came into the kitchen around 7:30, expecting to find the house asleep.

Instead, you were already there, coffee brewed, eggs halfway done, toast in the toaster.

“Morning,” you said with a smile. “I think you son is still dead to the world, but I got started on breakfast anyways.”

Kelly chuckled. “He was never a morning person.”

You handed her a cup of coffee without asking how she liked it. You already knew and that was the thing. You didn’t just know Clayton inside out, you had been around their family for long enough to know each one of them well enough to notice subtle details like coffee orders.

But Kelly also noticed how you took care of her son. You kept a secret stash of his favorite snacks in the pantry, tucked behind your own. The way you reminded him to ice his wrists without nagging. It was all second nature at this point.

“You take good care of him,” Kelly suddenly said, not quite meaning to speak it out loud.

You looked up, blinked once in surprise, then smiled softly. “We take care of each other.”

-------------

That afternoon, they went out as a group. Sporting goods store for Jake, coffee shop after.

Kelly stood off to the side with Mike while you and Clayton browsed through golf gloves.

“They´ve got it figured out,” Mike said, arms crossed as he watched them laugh quietly over something.

Kelly nodded.

Mike tilted his head. “Did you ever think he would settle down this young?”

“I don’t think he did it young,” Kelly argued. “I think he just found her early.”

-------------

They went to dinner after the game Saturday night. Clayton had a goal, and an assist and Jake acted like it was the greatest night of his life.

At the restaurant after, Kelly watched as you checked the menu and quietly leaned over to order for both of them. Not because Clayton couldn’t order his own food, but because they had that kind of understanding with each other where they knew what the other person would like without even saying it out loud. One she hadn’t seen up close until now.

She realized it then, not just how much you were part of Clayton´s life, but how much you had shaped it.

He was lighter around you. Not in a silly way, but in a grounded way. Like someone who had finally stopped and grew up.

------------

Sunday morning, pancakes were made.

You moved around the kitchen like it was muscle memory, and Kelly stood beside you mixing while you flipped.

“You two really have a rhythm,” Kelly said, passing the syrup.

You smiled without turning. “We perfected it over the years of living together.”

Kelly hesitated, then finally said what she had been thinking since the moment they stepped into the house. “I hope you know that we see what you are to him.”

You looked at her with a raised eyebrow but then it clicked. “Thank you. I love him more than I know how to explain.”

“You don’t have to explain it,” Kelly waved you off. “We see it and you´ve been part of this family for such a long time now. Just consider this me saying this out loud.”

You blinked quickly, brushing a piece of hair out of your face. “That means more than I can say.”

------------

When it was time to leave, Kelly tried not to get emotional. She never cried at airports, and she wasn’t about to start.

She hugged Clayton tight. “I´m proud of you. Not just for hockey but for the life you built, especially with her.”

He smiled, eyes a little glassy. “She´s everything to me.”

“I know, make sure you tell her every now and then.”

Mike shook his hand, then pulled him into a one-arm hug. Jake pretended to be annoyed but lingered too long before getting in the car.

You stood behind Clayton, your hand on his lower back, like it always belonged there.

Kelly met her eyes and gave her a smile, small but full and you smiled back with the same meaning.

------------

On the flight home, Kelly scrolled through er camera roll and landed on a photo she hadn’t remembered taking.

A candid from the restaurant, with Clayton laughing at something you said, head tilted back, totally unguarded.

She nudged Mike. “Look at this.”

He squinted, then nodded. “That´s the real him.”

Kelly smiled. “She brought it out of him.”

“No,” Mike disagreed. “He just finally had someone he didn’t have to hide it from.”

Kelly had no doubts anymore, you weren’t just the girl Clayton had been dating for years. You were the one he had always been building toward.

When he sent ring options a few months later, Kelly wasn’t surprised. She knew you would be in his life forever, ring or not but she was glad.

She already considered you the daughter she never had, but Clayton making you a Keller in every way made her happy. Not just for her son but also for the entire family.

[lightsoutmatthews]

Made this weird drawing—thanks to all the goalies for their hard work in the 24–25 season, and thanks to my friend Chen for the help.

*No goalies or animals were harmed

**Fixed the number error

[lightsoutmatthews]

Hi I love your writing! I was wondering if you write for Matt Rempe? If not it’s okay I understand. If you do can you write a Matt Rempe and reader. The reader is his girlfriend. They spend the offseason together. Maybe he is looking for an apartment in NYC and then ask her to move in with him or something like that. Thank you in advance if you can do it.

Anon I´ll be so honest with you, I regularly forget he exists because the only Ranger I sort of care about is Igor and as a Canes fan I only ever see them as rivals to them 😭 But I´m always open to write for new players so I gave it a go!! It´s a little short but I hope this is what you were looking for.

Home in the City – Matt Rempe

You were used to quiet mornings, especially during the offseason. Coffee in hand, toes curled into the corner of the couch, and the occasional murmur of whatever show you half-watched on TV.

But this morning, Matt had energy. Like, way too much.

“Babe,” he said, poking his head into the living room with a grin. His long frame filled the doorway. “I´ve got four listings lined up today. Are you ready to see some places?”

You looked over your mug. “Four? I thought we were doing two?”

“I added a couple. They´re close to the others, just figured while we´re out there…”

You smiled. “You´re really excited about this apartment hunt, huh?”

Matt shrugged, coming over and flopping next to you on the couch. “I want to find a place that doesn’t smell like gear 24/7 and maybe one that doesn’t have a little boy wanting to play mini sticks at 8 am on a Sunday. As much as I love the little Quick´s.”

You leaned against him, resting your hand against his thigh. “Fair.”

Truth was, you had been staying with Matt in New York at the Quick´s place during the season on an off. Between your own job´s flexibility and his schedule, it just made sense, but no matter how many times they told you, you were more than welcome to stay as long as you wanted, you felt like you were imposing on their family life.

He was ready for something new, and you were too. Not just for now, but he was thinking long term, his future with the Rangers, with you.

-------------

The first place was all light and angles. Floor-to-ceiling windows with a view that felt like a screensaver.

Matt walked through the place with his hands on his hips, nodding slowly, doing the thing he always did when he was thinking. Biting the inside of his cheek.

“What do you think?” you asked him, watching as he opened the fridge like it would reveal some secret about the apartment.

He closed it and turned to you. “Feels a little too…showy?”

You looked around. It did feel staged, like no one could actually live here without worrying about breaking something.

“Yeah,” you agreed. “It doesn’t feel like you.”

The second place was more promising. Brick walls, open kitchen, a little bit of charm.

Matt kept commenting on how high the ceilings were.

“Are you going to bring a basketball hoop in here or something?” you teased, watching him stretch his arms up to prove he wouldn’t hit the ceiling even with his 6´9” frame.

“Maybe,” he grinned. “Rather a punching bag.”

“I feel like your coaches would love that,” you laughed.

“Conditioning,” he said seriously. “Year-round.”

You laughed again, shaking your head.

------------

After the fourth place, you both sat at a café nearby, your feet aching from walking so much.

Matt was scrolling through the pictures he had taken on his phone. “Okay. The third one? That´s the one, right?”

You took a sip of your iced tea, thinking back.

The third apartment had balance. Not too modern, not too outdated. Spacious. Quiet block. A building with an elevator, which Matt appreciated more than he wanted to admit.

“It´s definitely the best one,” you agreed. “I could see you in there.”

Matt looked at you over the top of his phone. “Could you see us in there?”

You froze for a half-second. He caught that.

“I´m just saying,” he added, softer now. “This place is big enough for two people. Just…if you wanted.”

You set your drink down slowly. “You´re asking me to move in?”

He scratched the back of his neck. “I mean, yeah. I was going to wait until I signed the lease, but we´ve been doing this back-and-forth thing all season. You´re here all the time anyway and I want you around and it makes sense. If it´s what you want, too, of course.”

Your stomach did a small flip. It wasn’t like this was a surprise, Matt was a walking open book most days, but the fact that he was so serious about this, that he had thought about the both of you in his future…

“I think I´d like that,” you said, not making him wait any longer. “I want to live with you.”

His smile was immediate, wide and real.

“Okay,” he said and leaned across the small table to kiss you, his hand cupping the back of your neck while doing so.

----------

The next few weeks passed in a blur.

Paperwork, boxes, late-night IKEA browsing.

Matt let you take the lead on decorating, though he had opinions. Particularly about the couch.

“It needs to be deep,” he said, lying dramatically on one of them in the store. “I need full stretch space.”

“Your knees are already hanging off the edge,” you pointed out.

“Exactly. I´m suffering.”

But the apartment slowly came together.

The couch was deep enough for both of you to sprawl on, the kitchen had enough space for Matt to experiment with making pasta (badly), and the extra bedroom turned into a hybrid guest room/gym space.

One night, while unpacking yet another box of his random stuff – hockey pucks, a few awards, a frankly concerning number of hats – he glanced over at you.

“This feels real now,” he mumbled. “Like…I live here, with you.”

You paused, holding a Rangers hoodie in your hands. “Was there a moment it clicked for you?”

Matt nodded slowly. “Yeah. Yesterday. I was heading home after skate, and for the first time, I didn’t think of the Quick´s house as home. I thought of this, and you and I got excited just to be here.”

You crossed the room and wrapped your arms around him, resting your cheek against his stomach, because you were too small to reach his chest.

“I´m glad we did this,” you said.

“Me too.”

[lightsoutmatthews]

Prank War – Frederik Andersen

summary: 4 times you pranked your boyfriend for TikTok + 1 time he pranked you back

pairing: Frederik Andersen x female!reader

word count: 3.1k

warnings: short angst

-------------------------

You had no real plan when you filmed your first prank on Freddie. It was just supposed to be a throwaway joke, something to make your friends and barely 500 TikTok followers laugh, but when the video hit 200k views overnight and the comment section flooded with “protect him at all costs” and “he´s so sweet” you realized something important.

Frederik Andersen was prank gold.

Calm and composed, like a hockey goaltender should be. A little slow on the uptake but in the best way and most importantly, so wildly unbothered by social media that he didn’t even realize what he was walking into.

So, you leaned in.

Hard.

#1 “My current boyfriend”

It was a lazy Saturday morning when you planed your next prank. The kind where the world outside seemed to pause, allowing Freddie and you to bask in the comfort of each other´s company. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the kitchen as you perched on the counter, watching Freddie flip pancakes with practiced ease.

“These are going to be the best pancakes you´ve ever had,” he declared, a proud smile on his face.

You chuckled, sipping your coffee. “You say that every time.”

“And every time, it´s true,” he retorted, placing a stack of golden pancakes onto a plate.

As he set the plate in front of you, you pulled out your phone, pretending to scroll through messages but secretly starting to record. “Oh, by the way,” you began casually. “I´m meeting up with my ex for lunch tomorrow.”

Freddie paused, the syrup bottle in his hand mid-pour. “Your ex?” he questioned.

“Yeah,” you nodded, taking another sip. “Figured it would be good to catch up, you know? Since I´m with my current boyfriend now.”

He turned to face you, eyebrows raised. “Current boyfriend?”

You feigned confusion. “Yeah, you.”

He set the syrup bottle down, crossing his arms. “Why current? That makes it sound like I´m just a placeholder.”

“Well, technically, everyone is someone´s ex at some point,” you shrugged, hiding a smirk.

Freddie starred at you, a mix of amusement and disbelief on his face. “Are you trying to tell me something?”

You burst out laughing at his expression, unable to keep up the act any longer. “Yeah, that this is a TikTok trend and I wanted to see how you would react if I called you my current boyfriend.”

A frown appeared on his face but was soon replaced with genuine amusement. He pointed the spatula at your face like a weapon, before giving you one of his rich laughs. “You´re going to give me a heart attack one day.

#2 “Get off me”

The next time you sensed your opportunity was a quiet Sunday evening. The two of you had just finished dinner and were now settled on the couch, a movie playing softly in the background.

Freddie´s arm was draped around your shoulders, pulling you close as you lean into his warmth. His head almost resting on yours.

You glanced up at him, noting the content smile on his face as he watched the screen. Then the idea sparked in your mind, a prank you had seen circulate on TikTok recently. It involved asking your significant other to “get off” you while cuddling, just to see their reaction.

“Hey, babe,” you said, keeping your tone casual.

He looked down at you, his expression so soft you almost felt bad for what you were about to do to him. “Yeah?”

“Can you… get off me?”

His brows furrowed in confusion but his head lifting off yours immediately. “What? Did I hurt you?” he asked immediately, concern all over his voice.

“No,” you replied, shaking your head. “I just… I need some space.”

Freddie sat up straight as soon as the words left your mouth. His arm tucking away at his side, his soft expression from a few minutes ago dropping.

“Did I do something wrong?” the amount of concern he spoke with now almost broke you, but you decided to keep going, just a little longer.

“No, it´s just, I feel smothered.” You avoided eye contact as you spoke, partially because looking at him would probably make you laugh but also to maintain the act.

When you carefully looked up again a few seconds later he genuinely looked hurt. His eyes that were usually full of color dulled, shoulders sacked.

“I thought you liked cuddling.”

You bit your lip, trying to suppress a grin. “It´s just a lot sometimes.”

That’s when he stood up, grabbing a blanket as if he was ready to leave you alone. “I´ll give you some space then.”

As he started to walk away, you couldn’t hold it any longer. “Babe, wait,” you laughed confusion now written all over his face, but it was soon replaced with another frown as he realized what was happening. “It´s a prank,” you continued.

“Seriously?” he turned, eyes narrowing.

You nodded, still laughing. “Just another TikTok trend.”

He sighed but there was a smile tugging at his lips. “You´re evil. I genuinely thought I did something wrong.”

You held your hand out, waiting for him to walk back over and grab it. When he did you tried to pull him back on the couch, his massive frame and athlete build stopping your from succeeding which made him laugh.

“Come back, I need my human furnace.”

#3 “Can you sleep on the couch tonight?”

The idea for the next prank came a few weeks later. It was the kind of day where even making it through the door felt like an achievement.

Freddie had just come back from a road trip, bags still half-zipped in the hallway. You had spent most of your day finishing up a deadline, so by the time dinner rolled around, the two of you were just grateful for takeout sushi and the promise of going to bed.

You were curled up in there first, already half-buried under the covers in one of his way to large shirts and shorts. Freddie walked in from the bathroom, a towel slung over his shoulder, shirtless and yawning. He threw a glance your way when he spotted you already snuggled in, one of these tired, sweet looks that made you feel warm.

“I missed our bed, hotel beds are not half as comfortable and they don’t have you,” he mumbled as he tossed the towel into the hamper and crawled in next do you.

You didn’t answer right away because you were preparing for the prank. One you had seen people do all over TikTok once again. You knew it was designed to make your partner think they had somehow messed up, but in a low-stakes, teasing kind of way.

Freddie turned to face you, hand sliding instinctively around your waist like he always did when you went to sleep together. He buried his nose into your shoulder and let out a heavy exhale. “You smell like that fancy shampoo you always steal from me.”

That made you grin, but you schooled your face quickly. It was time.

“Hey, Fred?” you mumbled.

“Mmhmm?” his voice was muffled by the fabric of your shirt.

You pulled the covers tighter around yourself. “Could you sleep on the couch tonight?”

His head snapped up, the once tired eyes ripped open alarmed. “What?” he shot out.

You tried to keep your tone calm, almost apologetic. “I just, kinda want some space. I feel like I haven’t had the bed to myself in a while.”

He blinked, confusion written all over his face. “But I just got home from a week-long trip today?” he questioned. Then a second later, “Did I do something wrong?”

“No! No, it´s not that,” you said, keeping your expression neutral, like you were just trying to explain something very practical. “And I know you just came home, but I just need, like, personal room tonight.”

Freddie looked at you like you spoke in another language. Then, he ran his hand through his hair, sitting up straighter. “Wait, are you upset about something? Did something happen while I was gone? I promise I tried to text as much as possible, but you know our schedule on the road.”

You tried not to laugh at him scrambling to find an explanation to why you would ask him to sleep on the couch his first night home after a longer trip and if you would be honest, it would not make sense to you either if you were in his position.

“No, I promise, your texting isn’t the problem and nothing else is either. It´s just a weird mood that suddenly came up. I don’t know.”

He was quiet after that. Not in a passive-aggressive kind of way, more the genuinely confused, processing-things way.

“So, you want me to go sleep on the couch?” he repeated, slower this time, as if it would make more sense.

You nodded, feeling a mix of guilt and amusement building in your chest. He looked so thrown off.

“Do you want to be alone tonight or just sleep in the bed alone?” he questioned.

“Both, I guess?” you shrugged.

That made him stand up, reluctantly but he did it. You watched as he walked to the door of the bedroom and turned back. “You´re serious?”

You nodded again, biting the inside of your cheek.

He opened the closet, pulled out an extra blanked and one of the pillows from the bed. You were impressed; he was actually going to do it. No dramatic sigh, no protesting, just quiet confusion.

“Okay,” he said, much softer this time. “Just tell me if I did anything wrong, alright?”

You were officially the worst girlfriend on earth but for the sake of the video you again, just nodded and actually let him leave this time.

After you waited for a few minutes, you got up and followed him.

He had placed his large frame in the middle of the couch, the blanket draped over his legs, the pillow under his head, scrolling on his phone.

When he heard you come in, he looked away from the screen, letting his eyes roaming over your frame with even more confusion. “Change your mind this quick?” he asked, not accusing, still, just confused.

“It´s a prank,” you blurted out, a laugh bubbling out of you.

He didn’t move for a second, processing. Then starred at his phone screen, then back at you.

“Are you serious?” he said, swinging his legs over the edge of the couch to sit up. “You had me thinking I forgot your birthday or our anniversary or something.”

He got up, grabbing the blanket and the pillow before walking over to you. “You didn’t even question it that much!” you laughed.

“Because I respect your space,” he huffed. “And I was lowkey scared I would sleep on the couch, and you would say it was a test, which it basically was.”

When you were back in bed a few minutes later, the blanket back in the closet, the pillow on the floor next to him, he wrapped his arms around you tightly and dramatically. “Well, joke´s on you,” he mumbled into your shoulder. “Now I´m not letting you go all night.”

#4 Calling him by his full name in front of his teammates

The next prank was set up when you were tagging along with Freddie to a team gathering at a local restaurant. The atmosphere was casual, just the guys unwinding with their partners after a back-to-back, a few cold beers on the table, some lighthearted banter bouncing around the room.

You didn’t usually come to these events, but tonight some of the other wives and girlfriends convinced you so you went. Maybe it was the urge to mix things up, or maybe you just wanted to see some more of Freddie´s world with his teammates because you rarely did.

Whatever the reason, you were there, blending into the corner of the room, nursing a soda and enjoying the vibe.

Freddie was in conversation with some of his teammates on the other side of the room. His usually reserved self blooming when he was in the close-knit group who seemed to know each other better than they and their partners did.

You watched him laugh and joke, relaxed and casual in a way you didn’t always get to see during the rush of games and travel. And then the prefect idea hit you.

Recently, there had been a new trend on TikTok, calling your significant other by their full government name in front of a group. At that point it had been a while since you last pranked him, and you figured it was time again.

You knew Freddie didn’t have a mouthful of a full name but since everyone always just called him Freddie, you figured calling him Frederik would already get enough of a reaction.

You caught his eyes from across the room. “Hey…” you started, loud enough for everyone to hear.

His gaze slid to you, curious.

You cleared your throat dramatically and called out, “Frederik Andersen.”

The room went quiet for a beat. Everyone froze mid-conversation and turned to look. You thought you even saw a few jaws drop.

Freddie´s eyes widened, and he practically froze where he sat, a mixture of shock and embarrassment coloring his face. “Did you just full-name me?”

You nodded. “Can you grab me another drink?” you asked sweetly.

Seth Jarvis whispered “Bro, you´re in trouble.” As your boyfriend passed him.

“I don’t even know what I did,” Freddie called out, then he faced you. “What did I do?”

You burst out laughing, infecting half of his teammates and their partners with it. “Nothing, it´s just another prank, it´s way too easy with you and I thought it would be funny to see you squirm.”

Jesperi Kotkaniemi laughed and shook his head. “We will never let him live that down.”

“I sure hope so,” you laughed before turning to your boyfriend again.

“You´re so dead,” said man chuckled. “Oh, come on, babe, it´s just a joke.”

He turned to the guys, shaking his head with a smile. “She´s evil.”

Soon after everyone returned to their own conversations, you and Freddie left standing in the middle of the room. “I´m going to get you back for this,” he whispered in your ear.

“Oh, bring it on,” you whispered back, grinning.

+1 Freddies Revenge Prank

It had been two weeks since your last prank on Freddie, everyone’s reaction still fresh on your mind and you were secretly bracing yourself for payback.

Freddie had been acting completely normal, even sweet, in the meantime, like he wasn’t plotting. You knew better than to trust the calm.

That Saturday afternoon you were lounging on the couch, scrolling through your phone when Freddie came home from practice earlier than usual. You looked up as he closed the door behind him.

He didn’t say anything at first, just leaned against the doorframe, but his expression was far more serious than you had ever seen it.

Your heart skipped a beat.

“Freddie? What´s up? Why are you here earlier than usual?” you asked, sitting up.

He took a deep breath. “I need to talk to you.”

Your stomach tightened and your heart rate picked up at his words. “Okay? What is going on?”

He paced for a moment, the stopped and faced you. “I got traded.”

You blinked, trying to process the words. “What? When?”

“To the other side of the country, San Jose to be exact.”

Your mind started racing. “What do you mean you got traded to San Jose?”

Freddie´s face was stone cold serious. “What do you think it means? I´m moving, new team, new city.”

You sat frozen in shock. This wasn’t a drill, this wasn’t a joke. Or was it?

You searched his face for any sign that he was messing with you, but he kept the same serious look at all times.

“Are you… serious?” you whispered.

He nodded slowly. “Yeah. I just found out at practice, that´s why I´m here earlier. I have to be there by tomorrow.”

Tears started to well up in your eyes. The thoughts of him being thousands of miles away felt unbearable. “But what about us?” you asked, voice cracking.

Freddie sat down next to you, carefully taking your hand. “I don’t know, I guess we´ll have to figure that out.”

You squeezed his hand tightly, swallowing the lump in your throat. Your mind already making up plans as in how you could join him in San Jose for the rest of the year, when his lips curled into a mischievous smile.

“I´m just messing with you.”

You blinked, confused.

“It´s a prank,” he laughed softly.

You stared at him, speechless.

“I thought I´d give you a taste of your own medicine,” he said, grinning.

You whipped one of your tears away with the sleeve of the hoodie you were wearing and still stared at him in shock.

You didn’t think he was capable of pulling it off, you had been suspicious of all his movements since your last prank, but he did. You weren’t sure if you should be impressed or horrified by how good of an actor he seemed to be.

“That was cruel, I really thought I would have to uproot my entire life withing a week.”

You let out a deep breath, feeling the tension break as the realization that you wouldn’t have to move across the country settled into your stomach.

“You´re such an asshole,” you said, hitting his chest playfully.

“I told you I was going to get you back,” he argued laughing.

He grabbed your arm and pulled you into his chest before you had any chance of protest. “I didn’t think you were such a good actor, and wait, how did you manage to get out of practice early?” Rod was incredibly strict in that sense. You only leave early if it´s an emergency.

“I wasn’t at practice; I got the morning off for workload management.”

Your mouth opened in shock. “I can’t believe you would lie to me like that,” you said, fake outraged.

“Anything for a good prank but can we please call a truce?” he laughed. “I´m too old for this shit.”

A smile spread across your face. “Yeah, sounds good to me, that was horrible, I don’t want to experience that ever again.”

[lightsoutmatthews]

So, one of my wonderful followers (shoutout @anisoawan) brought up the idea of making the William Nylander x SandinSister request a series and it sparked ideas immediately 🤭

Now my question is would people be interested in reading that? Maybe a series of snippets (first real date, first vacation, moving in, etc. all the way until a proposal/wedding?) or a continuous story?

Let me know what you think!

[lightsoutmatthews]

HEYY Jo!!!

Ur work is so good can u please do a Auston Matthew’s x mom reader and they have a toddler!??! And just fluff (No pressure )

This was so cute to write ugh, I love writing family dynamics. I also chose a random name for their kid hope that´s okay 😂

Sunday at the Matthews – Auston Matthews

The sound of tiny feet thumping down the hallways was your weekend alarm clock.

Before you even opened your eyes, you heard the high-pitched squeal of a toddler´s excitement followed by the unmistakable creak of the bedroom door being pushed open.

“Mommy! Daddy! Wake up!”

You groaned softly but smiled as you turned over in bed. Auston shifted next to you, still half-asleep, mumbling something unintelligible into the pillow.

Your three-year-old son, Leo, launched himself onto the bed like he was starting a WWE match.

His knees hit Auston´s stomach with a soft off.

“I guess we´re up,” you said, rubbing your eyes.

Auston groaned again but turned onto his back, blinking at Leo, who was now sitting proudly between you both in his little Spider-Man pajamas.

“Good morning, bud,” Auston said, voice still thick with sleep.

Leo beamed. “It´s pancake day!”

“Oh now,” you said mock-seriously. “How did you know?”

“You said last night,” Leo reminded you with an exaggerated toddler shrug, like duh, mom.

You and Auston shared a look over your son´s head. The quiet kind of smile you had both gotten used to since becoming parents. Tired, sure, but content in a way that only came from mornings like these.

“Alright, pancake boss,” Auston mumbled, sitting up and ruffling Leo´s curls. “Let´s go.”

“I wanna help!” he shouted, immediately climbing off the bed and heading straight for the kitchen, not even waiting for either of you to fully get out of bed.

You laughed. “He gets his energy from you.”

Auston swung his legs over the side of the bed. “He got his whole personality from me.”

“Debatable,” you laughed.

-------------

Ten minutes later, you were in the kitchen, hair messy and sweatshirt half-on, pouring flour into a mixing bowl while Auston held Leo on his hip.

“Okay, ready to dump it in?” he asked your son.

“Yup!” he squealed.

Auston guided Leo´s small hands as they dumped the flour into the bowl. A small cloud of white powder puffed up into the air, and both of them sneezed.

“Bless you!” you laughed to both of them.

“Pancakes are dangerous, daddy,” Leo said solemnly.

“Very,” his father agreed.

You moved around the kitchen smoothly, adding eggs and Milk. Leo´s next job was mixing, which he didn’t do very effectively, and Auston made sure none of it ended up on the ceiling or on the dog like last time.

You all worked as a team, even if the pancakes were slightly lumpy by the end.

“I think these are the best ones yet,” Auston declared as he flipped one with extra flair.

“They´re all the best ones yet,” you replied with a knowing smile. “You say that every Sunday.”

“Because they are,” he argued, making both of you laughed.

-------------

Breakfast ended with sticky syrup hands and a pile of used napkins. Leo was mid-story about a squirrel he saw “chasing a car” when you started gathering dishes.

“It was running so fast, and then it zoomed!” he explained, making sound effects as he zoomed a pancake piece across the table.

Auston nodded seriously. “We have to get that squirrel on the Leafs. Sounds like it could keep up with me better than Uncle Willy and Uncle Matty.”

You and Leo giggled. “You should suggest Brad to take advice from our son, he´d run the team like the marines.”

Auston chuckled. “For sure would.”

Leo wasn’t listening. He had found a spoon and was now using one of them to drum on his plate.

“Okay, little drummer boy,” Auston said, scooping him up. “Let´s get you cleaned up.”

------------

Bath time was usually an evening thing, but Leo had managed to get syrup in his hair, so here you were, mid-morning bubble bath.

You sat on the floor in the bathroom, scrolling through your phone while Auston sat on a stool that was way too small for his large frame, splashing water with Leo.

“Can I have the blue shark?” he asked, smashing his hands to the water, getting it all over your husbands shirt.

“Blue shark coming right up,” the man said without missing a beat, handing over the bath toy. “Attack mode or nap time?” he asked seriously.

“Attack mode!” the small boy yelped in excitement.

The blue shark immediately began terrorizing the duck and boat. Leo shrieked with laughter getting you and Auston to join in seconds later.

You leaned your head back against the wall and just listened. There was nothing fancy about mornings like this, but they were your favorite. No games, no morning skates, no travel, not being alone because Auston was on another road trip.

It was just the three of you. Family.

-----------

After bath time came the battle over clothing. Leo wanted to wear his Buzz Lightyear costume again, and you wanted him to wear something clean.

How dare you, honestly.

“I need it to fly!” Leo insisted.

“You can fly in your jeans,” you reasoned.

“Buzz doesn’t wear jeans, mommy,” he explained to you.

Auston walked in holding a juice box. “What´s going on in here?”

“He won´t wear his jeans,” you explained.

Auston took a sip from the juice that you expected would be for Leo. “I support freedom of movement.”

You gave him a look. The one you gave Leo when he did something “bad” and like father like son it worked on both of them without a doubt.

“Alright, alright,” he said, raising his hands in defeat. Then he kneeled down in front of Leo. “How about this, you wear jeans now, and we put the Buzz suit in the backpack for later.”

Leo thought about it for a long time. “Can I wear the helmet?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay, deal.”

You sighed in relief and high-fived Auston on your way out to grab the diaper bag.

You were just going to the park, but going anywhere with a toddler was like packing for a weekend trip.

--------------

The park was just a short walk down the street, but Leo insisted on riding his scooter. A tiny three-wheeled thing he pushed more than he rode.

Auston held your hand as you followed slowly behind, Felix keeping you company.

“Remember when we thought this would he harder,” you asked.

“I mean, it is hard,” Auston replied. “Especially for you, with me always gone, but still, I thought we would be more overwhelmed.”

You nodded, thinking back to temper tantrums and the many “but I want daddy” arguments while Auston was gone.

Leo didn’t really understand where his dad was going all the time, or that he couldn’t just come home in the evening.

“But were a good team,” you reminded him.

“We are, but you carry the heavy weight,” he agreed, leaning over to press a kiss to your head.

Leo screeched ahead, “I beat you! I win!”

You both laughed.

------------

At the park, Leo ran straight to the slide while Auston trailed behind him like a bodyguard.

You took a seat on a bench, Felix laying down next to you, sipping an iced coffee you brought from home.

You enjoyed those moments of watching your boys. They were rare and far in between during the season, so, you especially cherished them when they happened.

Auston took every opportunity to spend time with his son while he was home, and you were happy about a few short whiles of alone time. As much as you loved them.

“Yours?” a mom next to you smiled, nodding to Leo.

“Yup,” you confirmed.

“Cute. Mine is over there by the swings, red shirt.”

You chatted for a bit while you watched your kids and husbands.

“Not to come across as weird or anything but I swear I know your husband from somewhere,” she said after a moment of watching Auston, who was waiting for Leo at the end of the slide.

“Yeah,” you laughed. “He plays for the Leafs.”

“No way,” she said, eyes widening. “But I bet it´s hard with him being gone so much.”

You laughed. “You get used to it. It was harder when junior was still a baby.”

She joined in. “He makes up for it when he´s home, as you can see,” you added with a smile.

------------

After the park, there was lunch, and after lunch, there was quiet time.

Unfortunately, due to Leo´s age quiet time was no longer a nap. Leo´s version was more books, cuddles and some downtime with his stuffed animals.

You and Auston laid on the couch while he flipped through a book on the floor. Your head was resting on Auston´s chest, one of his arms lazily wrapped around your shoulders.

“I don’t want this day to end,” you mumbled, having a hard time keeping your eyes open.

“It doesn’t have to,” Auston replied. “We´ll have plenty more like this, and maybe next time, we´ll even nap during his quiet time.”

You laughed softy. “You say that every time, and we never nap. I think the last time was when Tessa and Mo were over with Mick and made sure our son didn’t injure himself while his exhausted parents fell asleep on the couch.”

Auston groaned. “Mo still teases me about that as revenge for teasing him when Mick was Leo´s age.”

Leo crawled up and plopped between you both, holding a book. “Read this one?”

“Of course,” you said, sitting up.

He curled into your side, handing you the book with all the trust in the world.

Auston pressed a kiss to the top of your head. “You start, I´ll do the voices.”

--------------

It was late afternoon when Auston took Leo and Felix outside to kick a soccer ball around.

You stayed behind, picking up toys and folding laundry. There was something very peaceful about it.

When they came back in, all three of them were breathing heavy. Auston and Leon were sweaty and laughing.

You had just started getting dinner ready so you called: “Who´s ready for dinner?”

“I´m so hungry, mommy, I think I could eat all the food by myself.”

You chuckled. “You have to leave some for your dad, how is he supposed to score a goal for you tomorrow if he hasn’t eaten?”

That made the small boy´s eyes go wide. “You´re so right, mommy, daddy can have some too.”

You laughed. “That´s nice of you, sweetheart.”

He then held up a blade of grade like it was a treasure. “I found a sword!”

You looked at Auston.

“It´s a stick,” he clarified. “But you know…imagination.”

You smiled. “Sword stays outside, bud.”

Leo pouted but obeyed.

----------

Dinner was homemade pizza. Leo´s favorite (because it was his dads favorite).

He helped add toppings with serious concentration, placing each pepperoni like it was a puzzle piece with an exact place.

After dinner, it was bath round two.

You still couldn’t believe the amount of dirt that kid could accumulate in a day.

“I think he´s part magnet,” you whispered to Auston as you washed Leo´s back.

“Magnet for chaos,” he laughed as your son sung quietly to himself in the tub.

----------

Bedtime was a whole event.

Pajamas, teeth brushing, saying goodnight to Felix after arguing that he couldn’t sleep in his bed, three books, a cup of water, and then one more hug. And then another.

Eventually, he settled under his rocket ship blanket and blinked sleepily at the two of your standing in the doorway.

“Love you, Mommy. Love you, Daddy.”

“Love you more, sweetheart,” you murmured.

“Love you the most,” Auston added.

The door clicked shut behind you, and you both stood there for a moment, soaking in the quiet.

“Want to sit outside for a bit?” you asked.

Auston nodded. “I´ll grab the monitor.”

-------------

You ended the night on the back porch, wrapped in a blanket, a glass of wine in your hand and Auston´s arm around your shoulders.

The stars were faint in the city, but they were there.

“Days like this,” you said quietly. “I don’t even miss the old life.” Referring to the sometimes pretty crazy months you two shared.

“Me neither,” Auston agreed. “This is better.”

You leaned into him, resting your head on his shoulder. “It might not always be as easy as it was back then, but I couldn’t imagine it any other way anymore.”

He pressed a kiss to your temple. “I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

[lightsoutmatthews]

I am back at home and ready to tackle all the requests in my inbox!!!

I hope you’re prepared because I may or may not adjust the release schedule a bit based on how fast I am with writing 🤭

[lightsoutmatthews]

hiiii! I just wanted to say I really really loved your William angst blurb!!! I love how you really had him earn it❤️❤️❤️ that was so refreshing and healthy😍💞

Thank you so much anon 🥰🥰 it’s not that I mind stories where they get back together immediately but I enjoy actually going the “healthier” route sometimes