#That asshole brings it in every damn week and it barks at everything and nips at people. violent little noisy ass football with hair.

[tallsprout]

Honestly, This. 1000x this. I'm so damn tired of dog owners thinking this is an acceptable way to live life.

We gotta do something about the way dog owners behave. No other pet owner is just bringin the pet wherever the fuck they go all the time but for some reason with dog owners they think its fine if they bring their dog to the gym and taco bell and whatever. And you invite a dog owner to your house where youve got your own pets youve got your dog and your cats and whatever it is you have and this dog owner shows up at your door like "oh i brought my dog i hope thats okay hes so sweet youll love him" and it is always the most untrained poorly behaved agressive animal that has ever lived. And we all have to pretend like its acceptable behaviour well im sick of it

[imaginingsoftly]

Wedding Date Pt 7 - Tyler Seguin

Type: strangers-enemies-lovers, series

Requested: no

Warnings: swearing, mentions of emotional manipulation and shitty exes, therapy mention, I think that’s it?

A/N: I feel so awful it took so long to get this out to you guys. I wanted it to be perfect, and it just wasn’t getting there. I finally got to a place where I was really happy with how it ended. I love you all, and I hope you enjoy. As always, my requests are open!

A/N: Also!! I need to give a huge huge HUGE thank-you to @tysojost for reading most of this series before I posted it and giving wonderful feedback that both helped me edit and gave me the motivation to keep writing. You’re the real MVP here dude, thank you so much!!!

Although Melissa had finally gotten used to decoding Southern accents every time she left the house, the weather in Dallas was a whole other story. It was mid-December now, well into the hockey season, and Dallas hadn’t gotten the message it was winter. Sure, she’d needed a sweatshirt some mornings and the typical high had finally dipped below 70, but they’d yet to have the first frost or even the threat of winter weather. 

Of course, the warmer weather meant that her and Tyler’s weekly dog park date could continue past the fall. Tyler had wound his way into her life slowly, so slowly that she didn’t even really notice it happening. One charity event turned into two, which turned into Melissa being Tyler’s date to team parties and casual events, which turned into a weekly beer and pizza night, which turned into small routine dates three or four times a week. There was the beer and pizza night, the afternoon dog park date, and usually a hike on a trail or a walk around the city that led to sharing a meal or coffee. They still weren’t dating, at least not in any officially stated capacity; Tyler had given Melissa the lead just like he’d promised, not pushing her any further than what she was willing to give. But it was definitely something.

As if he could sense where her thoughts had gone, Tyler began rubbing circles in her thigh with his thumb. “If this is too much sweetheart, just talk to me.” Earnest eyes met hers when Melissa looked in his direction. “I don’t ever want to push you in a direction you’re not comfortable going.” Tyler’s three dogs barked and nipped playfully at each other as they tore around the fenced-in park, but Melissa ignored the sound in favor of leaning in to Tyler. She’d submitted final grades for her three courses that afternoon, and the waning heat of the sun on her face and the feel of Tyler’s soft t-shirt under her cheek mixed with the bone-deep exhaustion that the end of a semester always brought to create an overwhelming sense of peace.

He grinned when she squeezed the hand rubbing her thigh. “You’re not going too fast, Ty. You’ve been amazing, actually.” It was true. Tyler kissed the top of her head when she leaned deeper into his chest, and then he turned back to the sunset shining golden and red over the park. The temperature was dropping quickly in the air around them, but Melissa couldn’t bring herself to suggest they head back to Tyler’s car. Gerry tore over to the pair and flopped his head on Melissa’s knee. The dog, much like his owner, had grown on her to the point that even just looking at his puppy eyes completely melted every bit of anxiety lingering. Drool dropped down onto her jeans, and Melissa chuckled as she scratched the dog’s head. 

Tyler was smiling softly when Melissa looked up again. “How was group last night?” Another weekly thing he’d encouraged her to take part in. There was a group of women who had experienced emotionally manipulative relationships like Melissa’s who met every week at a coffee shop near her townhouse, and it was Tyler who found them and encouraged her to go. She would never have done it on her own, but it had been so helpful to talk with other women about their experiences. Therapy had been helpful, almost a lifesaver in the beginning, but for her that was nothing compared to talking with others who could really get it.

“It was good.” She smiled up at Tyler as Gerry took off to play with the other dogs again. “A new girl came, and we spent a lot of time getting to know her. I don’t think she’d really had anyone to talk to until she met with us, so it was nice to listen and give her advice.” The girl had been young, younger than Melissa’s baby sister, and Melissa had seen red as the girl recounted some of the things her ex had said to her. 

A sudden burst of cold wind tugged some of Melissa’s hair from where it sat in a loose braid, and Tyler gently tucked it back in. “You ready for me to take you home?” Tyler’s question brought a frown to Melissa’s face. She wasn’t ready to leave the cocoon Tyler and the dogs had created. She still heard Liam’s voice in her head at inopportune moments, but they were fewer and further in between than ever. These moments with Tyler, whether it be just the two of them or in a crowd of teammates and friends, were moments she never heard his voice anymore. It was like Tyler, with his compliments and touches and consideration for her feelings had effectively banished Liam’s presence from everything Melissa and Tyler.

Maybe it was time for Melissa to take a step for once, instead of waiting for Tyler to do it. “Would it be okay if I went home with you tonight?” She looked out at the treeline rather than at Tyler as she spoke, though a gentle hand gently guided her chin until their eyes met. His eyes, dark and searching, must have found whatever they were looking for. Tyler grinned and tugged Melissa to her feet, only breaking eye contact to whistle at the dogs. The trio tore through the growing twilight past Tyler and Melissa, barking and nipping at each other the entire way. Melissa giggled as the dogs came to a stop at the gate to the park, and she felt lips at her hairline as Tyler pressed another kiss to her forehead. 

“You want to stop for dinner, or do you want to cook something together?” Tyler’s thumb rubbed circles on the top of Melissa’s hand as they walked together towards the dogs. “I think I’ve got the stuff to make steak and some mashed potatoes or something.” Melissa nodded an affirmative. He’d been trying to grill her a steak for weeks now, but life kept getting in the way. 

“I dunno, a shirtless Tyler manning the grill sounds pretty damn nice to me,” Melissa teased with a laugh, “I think that might be exactly what I need.” 

Tyler let out a bark of laughter and hauled her body into his own. He leaned down until his lips were level at her ear. “You want me shirtless pretty girl?” Melissa shivered at Tyler’s whisper. “I’ll take my shirt off if you promise to change out of your work clothes and into my shirt.” He squeezed his hands where they rested on Melissa’s waist, and she nodded into his chest. Her bones felt almost like liquid as Tyler tugged them back into motion, but the smirk on his face said he knew exactly what he was doing. 

They spent a majority of the ride back to Tyler’s place with the windows rolled down, much to the pleasure of the three dogs fighting for window space in the backseat. Even with the cold air filtering through the car it felt too hot, largely thanks to the asshole sitting to Melissa’s left. Tyler smirked at the dashboard as he drove, one hand on the steering wheel and the other rubbing small circles on the inside of Melissa’s thigh. He’d known exactly what he was doing when he whispered in her ear at the dog park. It wasn’t even that he’d whispered anything dirty, it was that he knew it would wind her up. 

Cash took off for the door to the house as soon as Melissa opened the door to the backseat, and the other two dogs followed closely behind him. Tyler came around to her side of the car. He leaned down to kiss her cheek, and then whipped his shirt off in one movement. Melissa didn’t have a chance to react to the muscle and ink in her face before Tyler shoved his shirt at her. “Go change. I’ll get the steak and shit out.” He took a few steps in the direction of the door linking his garage to the inside before he stopped short and turned to face her again. “Do you want some sweatpants too, or is the shirt gonna be okay?” 

Melissa smiled at the consideration. “I think I’ll be okay with the shirt. You tend to keep your house pretty warm.” Tyler smiled in her direction and finished heading inside, leaving Melissa a second to gather her thoughts before she followed. Maybe it was that she was too tired to overthink things for once, but she was finally coming to realize that this thing with Tyler was more than just a really good friendship. She loved him a lot, actually. Tyler’s shirt, still warm from his body and smelling of him, almost fell from her hands at the realization. She loved him. 

It was the fastest she’d ever changed. Tyler’s shirt fell just long enough to cover her underwear, and she neatly folded the blouse and chinos she’d worn to work. The sound of rap and Tyler’s poor attempt to sing along led her into the kitchen, where he cooked shirtless with a towel draped over his shoulder. Now that she’d finally caught up with her feelings, a flash of her potential future passed in front of Melissa’s eyes. She could see herself coming home to this view every night. 

Tyler looked up as she stepped further into the kitchen, and his grin turned her bones to liquid again. “Hey, pretty girl. Looking good. I like you in my clothes.” It was such a Tyler thing to say, all player and cliches, but Melissa could tell he was being serious. He turned back to the potatoes he was chopping up, and Melissa took a couple more steps forward.

“I love you.” Damn. She hadn’t meant to just blurt it out like that. Tyler barely reacted, except for a flash of a smile down at the cutting board.

Her heart pounded as she waited to see what Tyler would say. “Well it’s about damn time.” Tyler put down the knife, and he flashed that damn smile at Melissa this time instead of the potatoes as he took three large steps in her direction. “Baby I’ve been waiting to hear those words out of your mouth for weeks.” She tried to come up with some kind of sarcastic retort, but hands cupped her cheeks and Tyler’s eyes were meeting hers. “I love you too. I’ve been waiting to tell you until you said it first. I didn’t want to scare you away.” Melissa’s heart turned to goo, and she leaned up to kiss Tyler. It was nice, she decided, initiating things with him. 

Tyler pulled back too quickly, and Melissa frowned. “Potatoes. Water is boiling. Don’t want to burn the pot.” He threw a smirk over his shoulder as he strode back to the stovetop. “Steaks are on the grill, potatoes are going in. You want to grab the stuff to make a salad?” 

They worked in silence. It probably should have been awkward, especially after Melissa’s outburst upon entering the kitchen, but silence with Tyler really never had been weird. His hand met hers periodically as they made dinner together, and the only time their silence was broken was the handful of times Tyler randomly leaned over to kiss Melissa’s cheek and whisper “I love you” into her skin. It almost felt like a dream.