#and some complicated relationships and history

[ohe-ohe]

Linemates to Lifemates: A Hockey Love Story

Newlywed PWHL stars Laura Stacey and Marie-Philip Poulin navigate the complications of marriage and career

By Devin Heroux, CBC Sports, Nov. 21, 2024

When you walk into the Montreal home of Marie-Philip Poulin and Laura Stacey, one of the first things you’ll notice is that there’s not much to suggest the couple are two of the greatest hockey players in the world today. 

They aren’t the type of people to boast about their long list of achievements. 

Their two-storey abode, with a spiraling glass staircase, is tucked on a quiet suburban street, located off-island away from the hustle and bustle of downtown. Purchased three years ago, it’s the perfect place to keep a low profile. 

There are no trophies, plaques or medals on display that showcase the Olympic and world championships they’ve collected. No photos or banners of their hockey triumphs. Those are reserved for Arlo, a golden retriever that is their pride and joy. 

There’s an Arlo treat jar. An Arlo candle. At their wedding in late September the napkins at each table were adorned with Arlo photos. He features prominently on their social media

Their home, in many ways, resembles how these newlyweds and PWHL Montreal Victoire teammates have lived their lives. They’ve been intentional about hiding from the spotlight, hiding their love, and hiding the most intimate parts of their lives. 

Over the past year that’s started to change.

[whole article below]

Sitting in their living room on an October afternoon just before they begin training camp for a second season, the two share what this has all been like, including now being part of a true pro women’s hockey league, something they wondered and many before them wondered would ever happen in their lifetime.   

“Being able to say we're professional women's hockey players, it's pretty amazing,” Poulin says. “And seeing little girls wanting to be there one day is better than we ever expected. And we don't take it for granted.”

Nor do they take for granted the freedom they have to live their lives as they wish.

“This is probably the most myself I've ever been,” Poulin says. “Being myself, having the community, family and friends embracing me, embracing us, embracing this new team. And it doesn't matter who you love, it's who you are. And I think that's the best part about it.”

It hasn’t been easy for many who have come before them. Twenty-six years ago in Nagano when women’s hockey debuted as an official Olympic sport, some media coverage focused more on the sexual orientation of the players than the competition.

But relationships among athletes are slowly gaining a normality in women’s pro sports. In 2021, married couple Allie Quigley and Courtney Vandersloot won a WNBA championship with the Chicago Sky, and they are just one of many couples in the league. 

Women’s sports is undergoing a transformative expansion — new leagues, more money and investment, increased media coverage — and the story of teammates as couples is only going to become more common.

“I've always been the hockey player. But I have a wife and I can be myself. People are coming to the rink and saying thank you for allowing me to be myself,” Poulin says. 

Stoic and composed in a hockey arena, Poulin’s eyes well up as she talks about their September wedding. Stacey sits beside her, Arlo on the couch. Tears are streaming down Poulin's cheeks and she hides her face under her black ball cap. 

“She’s a crier,” Stacey says, rubbing her hand along Poulin’s back, filling the space between tears as Poulin tries to compose herself. 

Poulin, 33, has kept who she really is buried for years, shoved away in the depths of all that she is. She was only going to let people know her as this great hockey player who comes up clutch in the biggest moments.

Poulin is the only hockey player in history to have scored in four Olympic gold-medal games. Her heroics in the 2014 Olympic final — tying the game with a late goal and then winning it in overtime against the United States to capture gold — put her in a category all by herself. She’s been seemingly unstoppable for years. 

Stacey, 30, found a way to break through that tough exterior, to strike at the heart of all the things that matter to Poulin. 

“She puts up that front of, ‘I'm the hockey player’. That's all people see and have seen of her,” Stacey says. “The world knows her as the best hockey player in the world, but they don't know her as the best person in the world as well. 

“And I've been fortunate enough to see that but now for the world to see that too, it's pretty special.”

If Poulin has helped make Stacey a better hockey player, Stacey has assisted Poulin in living her most authentic life. 

And in a lot of ways, they have become bigger than the game.

Their late-September wedding at Le Peaches and Cream in Low, Que., is described by many of the 192 family members and friends who were in attendance as the perfect day. Poulin and Stacey both call it “the best day of their lives” — an epic celebration of life and love, the culmination of a relationship that began in 2017 when they locked eyes while swimming at a Team Canada event at Blue Mountain in southern Ontario.

Stacey had just competed in her first world championship, Poulin a decorated champion many times over. They were teammates, but they didn’t really know a lot about one another. 

“A few of us decided to go skinny dipping in the pool at 2 a.m.” Stacey says. “The two of us looked up into the sky at the same time and we saw a shooting star. Our eyes met and we asked each other if we just saw that. Nobody else in the pool saw it or knew what was going on but we saw it. For the rest of that night it was a weird feeling. I had a feeling.

“We always go back to that moment. Even in my wedding vows, that was the thing — that she was the wish I had always dreamed of and I didn’t realize it until now.”

Poulin, who’s happy to take a backseat to Stacey’s storytelling, jumps in. 

“You should have seen the skyline the weekend of our wedding. It was so bright and magical. Stars everywhere. I believe in those little signs,” she says.

It was an idyllic setting for the two to share their vows, with vibrant, fall-coloured trees, expansive fields of lush green grass and breathtaking sunsets surrounding a barn-like building. There was a fire pit too, and on the eve of the big day, all of their friends gathered around the flames, sharing stories, drinks and laughs. 

The crescendo came during the late-night dance party, when Poulin and Stacey had changed out of their stunning white dresses and into matching white pant suits, joyously leaping around to Celine Dion’s It's All Coming Back to Me Now.

With everyone surrounding them in a big circle, Poulin and Stacey jumped up and down, shouting, smiling. “Baby, baby, baby,” they sang, swept away in a moment that quickly went viral on social media.

It’s pretty remarkable considering Poulin and Stacey are the last of a generation that had to play on all-boys teams.

“I dreamed of playing for the Leafs because that’s all I knew. And that wasn’t possible but it’s the only thing I saw,” Stacey says. 

No longer. They are now what young girls see — Olympic champions as teammates in 2022, twice as world champions — and working toward a championship as linemates on the Montreal Victoire.

Before they were even in this position the two had to navigate free agency ahead of the new beginning for the PWHL.

All six teams were able to select three players ahead of the league’s inaugural player draft on Sept. 18, 2023. Hometown hero Poulin was always going to Montreal — that was never in question. But would her then-fiancee and national teammate also be part of that deal?

And that was just it. Poulin and Stacey made it very clear throughout the entire process they were not a package deal — and didn’t want to be considered one.

“It was really, really hard on me,” Stacey says. “I had conversations with all of the GMs and stated that I'm only coming or only want to be drafted by you if you actually want me as a person and a player.

“Obviously there's always those thoughts that go through your head that they're only taking me or they're only asking me to sign early because they want her.”

Stacey even considered skipping free agency just so that she’d be part of a draft and not have to endure being favoured because she was Poulin’s partner. 

“We did have those hard conversations, the two of us sitting here and seeing what was going to happen,” Poulin says. “There was no package deal. And that was something that we take a lot of pride in. I'm myself, she's herself.”

Enter Montreal Victoire general manager Danièle Sauvageau. She’s been part of women’s hockey for decades and was head coach when Canada’s women won gold at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics. 

Sauvageau was deliberate in making sure Stacey and Poulin were treated like two separate players, with separate conversations with each.

“For me it was important that the choice was made individually,” Sauvageau says. “Is she going to think we value her because of the context of her private life? We had to ask that question. I wanted to do the exercise to show her that wasn’t the reason. I wanted to sign her.”

Sauvageau says their decision to pick Poulin and goalie Ann-Renée Desbiens was easy, but choosing their third and final free agent was a process. They had a five-player wishlist. Stacey was on that list — and they weren’t going to roll the dice on missing out on her. 

“When you look at Stacey the last two or three years — the best line of Team Canada — she never gives up," Sauvageau says. “She brings a lot of energy. She’s a student of the game.

“We just didn’t want to lose her.”

Inside their home there’s a warmth and vulnerability the two share. But at the rink, it couldn’t be more different. Home is family. The rink is work.

“You're not going to see us fight or argue. We know it's business and we know we're going to get the best out of each other,” Poulin says. “When we train, we do our work. It's not about us being lovey dovey. It's us getting better, making people around us better.”

They have had to figure out how to give each other constructive criticism and feedback after their games — it’s still a work in progress.

“The first couple of games it was like, how do we do this?” Stacey says. “Do we just talk about it in the car? And then when we get home it's over? And I don't think that worked that well because I know for myself I just can't get over things that quickly.” 

“So we did a lot of detours on the way home,” Poulin says, and they both laugh.

“We just kept driving. We just kept driving,” Stacey says.

~

Jill Saulnier, their teammate at the Beijing Olympics who plays for the New York Sirens, has been practising with the pair in Montreal ahead of the new PWHL season. During an unrelenting two-hour practice on a Thursday morning at the historic Verdun Auditorium, which is the training facility for Montreal, Saulnier is doggedly keeping up with her two best friends in dryland training and on the ice. 

“They come to the rink. They’re married. It’s our job and it’s all business for them,” Saulnier says. “They’re able to separate the craziness.”

“I’ve known both of them for 15 years and they were wonderful individuals when I met them and they’re even more wonderful together. I feel that’s such a testament to a powerful relationship."

Erin Ambrose has also played alongside the two of them for years on the national team — and is getting ready to be their teammate on La Victoire for a second season. 

“As their teammate and friend, if there’s ever been an issue you’d never know it,” Ambrose says. “It’s heartwarming to see two people lift each other up and genuinely two of the best people you could have in your life.”

Caroline Ouellette knows perhaps better than anyone how tricky it can be to find a balance between being in love and playing the game you love.

She won four Olympic gold medals and a handful of world championship titles with Team Canada between 1999 and 2018, victories that came at the expense of her American partner and now wife, Julie Chu, who starred for Team USA.

For Ouellette it was a question of legitimacy. She was scarred from the coverage at the 1998 Nagano Olympics when women’s hockey made its debut. She still vividly recalls a newspaper highlighting the sexual orientation of the women playing at those Olympics.

“It was front page in Quebec — a sexual orientation that makes people talk — that’s what it was about. The whole article was about maybe there being relationships on the team, maybe with the coach and players. It was so hurtful and negative to the game,” she says. “It was shocking and disappointing.

“It silenced me for years. I took the approach that it wasn’t going to overshadow the performance on the ice.”

For Ouelette it was less about people knowing her and Chu were together and more about keeping the focus on the talent on the ice. 

“For me, I still felt I could be myself and be who I was with Julie. I think a lot of the media knew we were together and I’m grateful they didn’t make it something,” Ouellette says. 

A lot changed for Ouellette and Chu in 2017 when they celebrated the birth of their daughter, Liv. For Ouelette, it was because there was no hiding anymore. 

“We won the Clarkson Cup in 2017 with Liv in my belly. I thought that this was the coolest thing ever and I wanted to win that Cup so badly because I wanted to say we won with too many players on the ice,” she says with a laugh.

Ouellette was ready to share all the parts of her life and fully understands this place Stacey and Poulin have arrived at. 

“They complete each other,” she says.

All of this almost never happened.

Six years ago Poulin’s and Stacey’s relationship was on again, off again as they, like many young couples, struggled with the decision of whether they wanted to be together. Poulin had just returned from the 2018 Olympics in Pyeongchang and was devastated after losing to the Americans in the final. She says it was one of the darkest points of her life. 

“I felt like I let the entire country down,” she remembers. “I was one of the leaders. You take everything on your shoulders. I didn't want to see anybody and I was just really on my own.”

She sat in that sadness for weeks, but the Humboldt Broncos bus crash in April 2018, when 16 members of a junior hockey organization were killed, shook her to her core.

“You see parents losing their kids, kids losing their parents. I'm here in my bed and people lost their lives and I'm going to cry over a silver medal?” Poulin says. “That moment switched my perspective. That silver medal probably made me way better. It taught me that when there's hard moments, you get back up.”

That fall, Poulin and Stacey were playing on separate teams in the CWHL, the precursor to the NWHL, Poulin a member of Les Canadiennes and Stacey with the Markham Thunder. 

“There was a lot. This is complicated. She was in Montreal. I was in Toronto. We were national teammates. We just stopped talking. I was not talking to her. I was good and ready to move on,” Stacey says. 

Poulin wasn’t.

On Oct. 20, they found themselves lined up on opposite ends of the rink. Poulin’s Montreal team beat Stacey’s Thunder 5-1, and in a bold move, Poulin followed Stacey’s team bus back to her hotel after the game.

Poulin sent a text, imploring her to come out to her car to talk.

“She was serious,” Stacey says. “I didn’t know what to tell my roommate. I lied and said I needed to go see my family or something like that.”

Poulin finally convinced her to go for dinner, and the two now use that day as their anniversary. 

And while there are many more championships the pair want to collect, they’re also starting to think about what could be next.

That’s where Arlo has picked up the assist.

“Ifwe have a bad practice or bad game, when we come home Arlo does not care. He's going to love us till the very end. And what's not to love about him?” Stacey says. “I think that's just opened our eyes to having a family and growing our family.”

“We've talked about having kids as part of our next project. We love kids. We have friends with kids and we love it. And honestly, it will be the next project for sure,” Poulin says.

There’s a practical part of that conversation — that one of them would have to take a backseat, at least for a bit, to their athletic career.

“And it's going to be interesting for us — two female athletes navigating how to have kids, when to have kids. It's definitely going to take some thought, some planning because it is brand new to us and it's brand new to a lot of people too,” Stacey says. 

[cmdrfupa]

  Three is better than two and you are the only one they want. Suguru and Kento have a history but not a complicated one. When you arrive in Tokyo they do the mature thing and decide that dating you together could be the best relationship they've ever had. This is an anthology of a blossoming Polycule featuring Nanami Kento and Suguru Geto.

cw: so so SO much fluff, smut (multiperson sex scenes), Suguru and Kento are WHIPPED, very light angst, mentions of alcohol, canon divergence, more will be added as I go!

a/n: self indulgence is my thing so here I am indulging huehuehue. I have ideas but I am opening up this anthology to write what you may enjoy also! So please, send your request and if I want do them/feel comfortable with it, I will do it and let you know! I hope you enjoy.

i. Rewiring

The beauty of not knowing because you were born oblivious and stayed that way was a gift. Until this past week.

The past week with Kento and Suguru had been very different. A little less conversation between you and Suguru then being removed from two missions with Kento. Almost as if they’d been trying to stay away from you. You chummed it up to work being work but then they began to actively avoid even the smallest interactions. And with that, you needed answers. So color you surprised, ready but more so relieved, when Suguru invited you for your regularly scheduled coffee with he and Kento. 

So there you sat. The three of you at your favorite little bistro where you often met to unwind. 

They’d been subtly exchanging glances, talking among themselves when you went to grab your beverage then signaling that it was time to have a talk once you made it back. 

You sipped your coffee, unaware of the emotional tension brewing between the two. 

Suguru sat his coffee cup down, clearing his throat before speaking up in a calm tone. “I want to apologize for our lack of communication the past week. We’ve had some things going on and it unfortunately bled into our relationship with you.”

“I figured something was up. But it’s okay, I understand. We’re friends after all and I knew you’d tell me what was up once you could.”

Kento looked at Suguru then you. “You know, the three of us have always spent quite a lot of time together. Especially lately.. outside of the last week. It’s been... refreshing. Comfortable, even.”

You smiled, teasing slightly. “Well, I’m glad I’m not a burden to my two favorite workaholics.”

“Burden? Hardly,” Suguru leaned back in his chair, tucking a strand of hair with a glint of mischief in his eyes. “If anything, you’ve made our lives a little brighter. Ken and I both agree on that.”

“Both of you agree? Quite the statement.” Your curiosity piqued as you raised an eyebrow. 

Nanami cleared his throat, briefly adjusting tie “We’ve been meaning to discuss something with you. Something… personal.”

“Okay, well now you’re making me nervous.” You sat forward, holding the warm mug where your palms held the sides. “What is it?”

“We care about you. A lot. More than just friends or colleagues, if I’m being honest. And Kento and I have been talking about the possibility of deepening this connection we share with you.”

You glance at the two of them, confused but slowly connecting the dots. “Before I assume, please continue.”

Calm and direct, Kento chimed in. “We’re asking if you’d consider being part of something more with us. A relationship.” His gaze was steady, warm. “The three of us.”

Caught off guard completely but not entirely opposed, you shifted in your seat. “Together? The three of us..” You repeated almost relieved but still cautious.

Suguru nodded. “We both feel strongly about you, and we don’t want to compete or force you to choose. We want to build something together—with all of us equally involved, if it’s something you’d want also.”

“We understand this might be unexpected. And if this isn’t something you’re comfortable with, we’ll respect that completely. Your feelings and boundaries are important to us.” Kento chimed in with a measured but sincere tone. 

“This is a lot to take in. I mean, I care about you both, never imagined this kind of situation being presented to me. Here I thought you were gonna ask me to be a surrogate or something.”

Suguru chuckled softly as he offered a reassuring smile. “We don’t expect an answer right now. Take your time. Ask us anything. We just wanted to be honest with you about how we feel.”

“We value you too much to hide this from you. Whatever you decide, that won’t change.” Nanami nodded in agreement reaching over to rub his thumb over your hand.

You leaned back, exhaling a slow breath as you all tried to absorb the moment.

“Wow. Well. I wasn’t expecting this. At all. Like, this is not where I thought this coffee date was going.”

Attempting to ease the tension, Geto tittered. “Well, we could’ve gone with ‘how’s the weather,’ but that didn’t seem quite as impactful.”

“Okay okay, serious question: how does this even work? Like, logistically? Emotionally? There’s two of you, and I’m just… me?”

“It’s about creating a dynamic where we all feel valued and supported.” Kento leaned onto the table bringing a sense of ease to the conversation with his thoughtful actions. “It works through communication and trust. For us, it’s not about splitting time or competing for attention. You wouldn’t be ‘just you.’ You’d be an equal partner.”

“And, we’d figure out the details together. This isn’t a one-size-fits-all kind of thing. It’s about what makes sense for us—what makes you comfortable.” Suguru concluded, watching your facial expression go to a slight frown. It was clear you were unsure but at least intrigued.

“Okay, but what if I feel like… I don’t know, the third wheel sometimes? You two have this whole established dynamic already.” You voiced a valid question.  

Nanami shook his head, willing to dispel any doubts growing in your mind. “We’ve discussed that, and we’d never want you to feel like an afterthought. If we’re doing this, we’d build something new—together. Your voice, your needs, would matter just as much as ours.”

“Besides, if anyone’s at risk of being the third wheel, it’s probably Kento. He’s terrible at board games, and you and I clearly share a competitive streak.” Suguru smirked and nudged Kento.

“I’m terrible at board games because I don’t waste time on theatrics. Unlike some people.” The blonde haired man glared and smiled. 

You all laugh and the tension in your shoulders dissipates almost immediately. You smiled. “Okay, I get it now. You two are already planning to gang up on me at game night.”

Geto grinned, leaning forward slightly.  “Only if you say yes.”

“This is slightly overwhelming if I’m being honest.” You paused, a softened expression as you glanced between the two of them. “I care about you both, too, but I need to wrap my head around all of this. I don’t want to jump into something I don’t fully understand.”

“Of course. Take all the time you need. This isn’t something we expect you to decide overnight.”

Earnest and quiet, Suguru met your eyes. “We just wanted you to know how we feel. And if you have questions—or if you just want to yell at us for springing this on you over coffee—we’re here.”

“You actually owe me dessert for springing this on me over coffee.” You mocked with a cocked eyebrow.

With no hesitation, Kento signaled the server. “Done.”

“Make it two desserts, Ken. We’re trying to impress them, after all.”

“You’re lucky I’m not asking for three. But seriously… thank you. For being honest with me. I’ll think about it.”

A week later, you wanted to have them over for dinner. A way to ask all the questions you could, no matter how personal they were.

Kento sat at the end of the couch, sipping his tea. while Suguru finished washing the dishes post dinner. You watched them from the arm chair briefly.

These two men have had your attention since the moment you joined the Tokyo branch. Your first interaction with Suguru had you smiling like a school girl. His calm demeanor and almost suave without trying persona had you willing to follow him around until you saw him embrace Kento during lunch. 

The tall, blonde haired, should’ve been a model of a man gave him the type of hug you only give your partner. “Not again.” You sighed before going over to be introduced to Nanami. 

8 months later the two are telling you that they find you absolutely mesmerizing and want you in their lives as more than just friends. At the same time. 

Turns out, they’d only dated shortly but both knew they had interest in you so decided the gentlemanly thing to do was to date you together.

A wattpad dream come true. 

Suguru finished up and joined Kento on the couch, leaving the middle cushion open incase you decide to sit between them. “Alright. All yours.”

You tucked a leg under you, sitting up and exhaling. “Okay. I have a lot of questions. Lots.” 

Kento sat up, placing his cup on table before smiling. “As you should. We will answer them all. Take your time.”

From the side table, you pulled out a pocket sized notebook and flipped until you got to your questions. “First. How do you deal with jealousy? Like. If I’m spending time with one of you, does the other feel left out?” 

With a matter of fact tone, Kento shook his head. “Jealousy is inevitable in any relationship, polyamorous or not. The key is to address it honestly. If one of us feels left out, we’ll communicate that instead of letting it fester.”

“It’s not about avoiding jealousy altogether—it’s about making sure no one feels unseen.” Geto peppered in. “That’s why we want everything out in the open. No secrets, no second-guessing.”

You hummed, tapping the notebook with your pen. “What about me? What if I feel like I have to balance everything perfectly, and it gets overwhelming?”

That’s completely valid.” Suguru quickly responded, his expression thoughtful as he sat on the edge of the couch. “We wouldn’t expect you to play referee between us. Relationships shouldn’t feel like a chore nor a babysitting gig. If you ever feel overwhelmed, we’d want you to tell us so we can adjust. This only works if it’s balanced.”

“We are not perfect nor are we looking for perfection. Just honesty and genuine intent. If something doesn’t feel right, you’d never have to handle it alone.” 

The thought simmered for a moment. You’d be a three person unit. No singling out or being the third wheel when two of you were together. Open, honest, respectful. You processed their words before nodding. 

“This isn’t exactly a conventional setup. What if people judge us?” 

Suguru shrugged casually, moving his hair over his shoulder. “They don’t get a say in our happiness. If someone has a problem, that’s on them, not us.”

“We’re not asking you to make this public if you’re uncomfortable. What matters is how we feel about this—not anyone else.” Kento added in with an almost protective edge stamped in his tone.

“You two have really thought this through, haven’t you?” 

“Kento and I wanted to be able to come to you with all our ducks in a row. We talked about it, weighed the odds. And brought it to you.”

“Hmm, well. One last question, for now. How do I know this isn’t just some phase for you two? That you’re serious about this?”

Kento cleared his throat and joined Suguru with sitting on the edge of the couch. “If it were a phase, we wouldn’t have risked bringing it up. We wouldn’t have wanted to put you in a position where you could get hurt. This is something we’ve both thought about for quite some time.”

“Literally brought it up 4 months ago. We recognized how we both were absolutely smitten with you and like the gentlemen we are, we didn’t want to have some type of competition.” Suguru added, his voice earnest. “You could choose to date one of us or neither of us and we would accept it all the same. But we’re serious about you. About this. If you’re willing to give us a chance, we’ll prove it to you. Every step of the way.”

“Hm. I’m willing to try. But we have to go slow. For the sake of my heart going at 200 miles an hour right now.” You smiled and went to sit between the two grinning men. “I trust you both to help make this relationship work swimmingly.”

“Thank you for trusting us.” Kento relaxed holding your hand as he kissed the top of your head. 

“We will be on our best behavior.” Suguru kissed your cheek. “Pinky promise.”

  The faint aroma of spices wafted in from the kitchen, where Kento stood at the counter, meticulously arranging a charcuterie board. You placed the last cushion on the floor around the coffee table, stepping back to admire the cozy setup—candles flickering on the sideboard, a bottle of wine breathing nearby, and an assortment of snacks spread across the table.

“That looks good,” Kento remarked. “Though maybe add a few of the smaller pillows. Extra cushion and looks more deliberate.” Voice even as always, that softness to it that you’d grown to adore—a quiet satisfaction.

You know,” you said, leaning against the door frame, “for someone who claims not to care about aesthetics, you’re very particular about the throw pillows.”

He glanced at you, unbothered. “There’s no harm in symmetry, darling. It creates a sense of balance.”

“Balance,” you repeated, grinning. “Sure. It definitely has nothing to do with Suguru’s habit of tossing them across the room or on the wrong couch.”

Kento’s lips twitched, the faintest trace of a smile breaking through his stoic facade. “If he does that tonight, I’m confiscating the pillows altogether.”

You laughed, moving to adjust the blanket draped over the arm of the couch. It wasn’t that the apartment needed to be perfect, but there was something satisfying about the ritual of preparing together. The quiet coordination, the ease of moving around each other, the occasional teasing remark—it had become second nature.

You smiled, holding your hair back from your face as you bent over. “Did you light the candles because you think they add to the aesthetic, or because Suguru can’t resist being dramatic?”

Kento paused, glancing at the candles with a faint smirk before coming up behind you, his thick arm wrapping around your waist as he looked at your work. “Both.”

The sound of the front door opening and closing drew your attention. Suguru’s voice called out from the entryway, warm and teasing. “Are you two conspiring against me again?”

“Always,” you called back, grinning as he walked into the room.

Suguru had that effortless presence about him, the kind that made the room feel fuller and brighter. He carried a small bag in one hand and shrugged out of his coat with the other, tossing it over the back of a chair before making his way toward you. His dark eyes flicked between the table and the two of you, a slow smile spreading across his face.

“Well, isn’t this domestic. I feel like I should’ve brought flowers or something.”

You rolled your eyes, but your smile stayed put. “You’re late. That’s your contribution.”

“And yet,” Suguru said, leaning down to press a kiss to your temple, “you’re still happy to see me.”

Kento smiled as he went back to the kitchen to grab the charcuterie board, carrying it to the table before setting it down with precision. “We were just debating how much of tonight’s atmosphere was for your benefit.”

Suguru’s grin widened as he turned to him. “Clearly all of it. You know how I thrive on attention.”

Kento gave him a long-suffering look, but there was no mistaking the affection beneath it.

As Suguru plopped down onto one of the cushions, he patted the space next to him. “Come here honey. Let me see what you two have been up to.”

You sat beside him, his arm immediately settling around your shoulders, pulling you comfortably against him. Kento joined you a moment later, gracefully sitting on the cushion at the short end of the table, his tie slightly loosened—a rare sight. He poured the wine, the soft sound of liquid filling the glasses blending seamlessly with the easy hum of your evening.

Suguru glanced at the spread and raised an eyebrow. “You two outdid yourselves. I’m impressed.”

“Don’t be,” Kento said dryly. “They are the one who made it presentable. I just follow instructions.”

“You’re more of a perfectionist than I am,” you countered, smiling. “Don’t let him fool you, Suguru. He’s been obsessing over cheese placement for the last ten minutes.”

“Cheese placement is important,” Kento replied, unfazed, though his lips spasmed in amusement. “Suguru would be a wreck if the brie wasn’t directly in that corner next to the olives.”

Suguru laughed, his hand giving your shoulder a gentle squeeze. “I don’t know how I got so lucky. But I’m not questioning it.”

“Here’s to our first date night of many.”

The three of you clinked your glasses, the quiet sounds of the evening overtaken by your shared laughter and conversation filling the room. There was no rush. No sense of urgency; just the warmth of a welcoming space, the kind of ease that came with trust, care and time.

[nerenda]

Sometimes I remember that Jamil is 17 years old and has had a job looking after Kalim basically 24/7 for years, his childhood spent making sure this other child stays alive and safe from assassination attemps while also managing their mundane things. And while I refuse to believe there weren't adults involved while Kalim lived in the Asim household, that is still absolutely an undue pressure to place onto a child - not to mention the whole child labor aspect of it.

And every time I dwell on it I'm just all

But also I want to punch every single adult involved who decided that this was a totally good and a normal idea and there's nothing wrong whatsoever with this arrangement.

[slozhnos]

jimmy collins

[posletsvet]

Given all the alternatives and original-divergent takes presented throughout Trigun's different versions, sometimes trying to wrap my mind around its complicated timeline gets my thoughts tied into a tangled knot of confusion. But I also appreciate the freedom it gives to reshape the order of pivotal events and stick to the telling which you find to your personal liking -- since they all are equally canon. However, there's one instance where I prefer to stray from each version, and that is the circumstances under which Knives crosses paths with William Conrad again.

As Trimax has it, Knives goes on his search for Conrad after he and Vash fall apart in that village where Knives cuts his brother's arm off. But for such a climactic episode in both of the twins' stories, it's always seemed to me a bit underwhelming. And why would Knives team up with a human after cutting ties even with Vash, anyways? So I found myself gravitating towards how this scene is written in Tristamp as it raises the stakes significantly, with Vash opening his gate for the first time and Knives hurting him in an attempt to stop the chaos it causes from spreading. One other difference from Trimax this scene presents is that at this point in the Tristamp's narrative Knives has already met and joined forces with Conrad.

I like to intertwine both versions in my mind, creating a single sequence of events, and that's how I personally see it. Vash and Knives separate under the circumstances described in Trimax. For decades after the Great Fall they only have each other, building no connections with humanity; not falling apart, but not growing any closer to each other, either. It ends with Vash straightforwardly sacrificing his well-being for the sake of the people he doesn't even know -- the choice that gets him chained to a metal pole as a hostage. Knives without any hesitation massacres the whole village and forces a gun into Vash's hands so that he can defend himself. But instead of much-expected gratitude he faces Vash's shock and disbelief and sees that very gun pointed at him. In the heat of it Vash accidentally opens the gate. Knives slices his left arm off. They separate. And only after that Knives proceeds to search for Conrad, seeking answers for what was that power he witnessed. He knows Conrad was among those at least partly involved in a research that Tesla was a subject for, and therefore Conrad might have some insight into independents' abilities. He might have something that Knives himself doesn't. Knowledge.

When the twins meet again years after that, Knives already displays full understanding of how his gate works, and he uses that knowledge to forcibly activate what power lies dormant in Vash, causing Lost July.

Of course, it's just a personal interpretation and I'm very well aware that in some ways it fails to align with what's canonically confirmed, but I guess it's just the reading that paints the most meaningful picture for me.

[tkfluff-fanatic]

Sometimes I look at other Countryhumans fans and wonder if we're in the same fandom

[byanyan]

I've talked a fair amount about how byan has been bullied and hurt by teachers in the past (& how they'd hit their limit and seek drastic revenge, in some cases), but I've never really talked much about how byan has also bullied and outright tormented teachers for themself... like yeah, it's definitely because they don't trust teachers or authority figures in general due to their past experiences, but that doesn't mean that their 9th grade math teacher deserved to feel afraid for his own safety or that their 10th grade biology teacher should have been so stressed that she retired early. byan has been done dirty by a lot of people in their life but they've also been a genuine menace to others who gave them no real reason to be, and they have taken enjoyment in it in a lot of cases.

[you-are-my-neverland]

love love love godhood... do you mind talking about ashka and naying? whatever you want, these kinds of dynamic just fascinate me endlessly <3

oh, i would be happy to discuss ashka and naying. maybe too happy, even.

where to start? naying doesn't remember the first seven years of her life, only waking up to find ashka watching over her. he tells her that her parents died in a car accident, the same one that injured her severely enough that she has to relearn just about everything. to her, he's the only parental figure she's ever known, and she's always felt a complicated sense of debt, awe, worship, and love towards him. sometimes, she felt as if she didn't know him, or understand him, that he was a distant point she could never reach, but she never doubted that, whatever happened between them, he loved her.

and then, when she's eighteen, he disappears. vanishes from her life. he had said he was going to meet someone, and then had never come home. she made missing posters, even talked to the police, but, eventually, it feels as if everyone but her stopped caring, stopped looking. the police found his bloodstained clothes, ruled it as a death, or murder, without a body, let it grow cold. naying dabbled in alcoholism, anger, and ruining her life one piece at a time. she never gives up hoping that he's alive, insisting that he's alive, because sometimes he leaves her things, groceries or gifts, things she knows are from him but can never prove.

so he didn't die. he didn't abandon her, he's not gone like everyone says. he just, for some reason, can't come home, and even though naying has rationalized it a hundred times in her mind, there's still a part of her that whispers he left you behind. it doesn't help that when she enters the outsider world, she's told some rendition of that line; her knee jerk denial is a defense mechanism, response, a way to protect herself, to not let it become the truth.

the ashka naying knows, though, the man that is her father, is a monster to the outsider world. he's the perpetrator of the greatest tragedies in the past century, a man honored as a god and then reviled as a devil. for his own greed, for his own selfish desires, he committed genocide (intentionally?), slaughtered a generation (intentionally), and, apparently, kidnapped a child just when they thought he might have gone to ground for good.

ashka is a man who looks to be in his thirties, but has actually been alive for almost a century. his believed power is unmatched, and, in the fifty plus years since the Battle of Black Cliff, he has become the bogeyman of the Outsider World. he's the last member of the last, revived godhead, a vengeful ghost who will not let the world move on. as long as he's out there, he's a threat to everything the Families and the World stand for. he's Wanted Number One basically. no one knows why, but everyone knows that, when she was seven years old, naying yue, heiress to the yue family, the next in line to be saintess, vanished. was taken. kidnapped. by a man described to be no other than ashka mihari.

most of the world has accepted that she was killed, but some outsiders never stopped looking, including the yue family. no body, no crime. when our naying appears again at twenty one, she is and isn't the naying yue they are looking for - to naying, they have the same name, but they aren't the same person. to everyone else, she's either a fake or a copy. no one knows the game ashka is playing, least of all naying herself.

now, in terms of writing, ashka and naying's dynamic/relationship haunts the narrative. particulary for naying, who has the main pov of godhood, ashka is a ghost in her past, always cropping up in her thoughts, memories flooding in at the most inopportune moments. the littles things bring him to mind; in her memories, we are shown a man who loved his daughter, a man who sometimes hurt her in ways only father's can (not in a dv/sa way though. let me make that clear; there are enough other evil people in godhood), a daughter who tried her best to understand him and be the best she could be. she's bitter and angry at him, but also longing for him. she just wants him to return, to prove he didn't abandon her.

to prove everyone else wrong.

but for the majority of godhood, we have naying's pov and memories contrasting with what other people tell her about ashka. we slowly learn the extent of the things he has done, the reasons he is hated and reviled. naying might not judge him, but the readers will have to form their own opinions on what sort of man he is. ashka himself doesn't make a (re)appearance until close to the end of the first novel at least; he himself haunts the narrative alongside the girl naying was.

[ylkcheeeks]

I shouldn’t 👏 have 👏 read 👏 the 👏 replies👏

holy hell there are a lot of “call me anything but queer” people who are EAGER to pull out the long knives to use on those of us who use it for ourselves. Derisively calling people straight when they add longer more descriptive language so you shmucks don’t have to sully your mouth or fingers using the language someone has chosen for themselves is not “fighting homophobia.” The call is coming from inside the house!

I am perfectly happy to refer to folks as they see fit- you prefer sapphic over lesbian? Wear those violets in your hair! You’ve recently escaped the clock app and call yourself Le Dollarsign Bean? Opaque yet whimsical! You’re really into the clinical shine of homosexual? It honestly gives me mild heebiejeebies but I support you and will use them to help me remember that’s what you ID as!

But somehow someway mysteriously the replies on these sort of posts just keep showing that the people who are the most aggressive about insisting that NOBODY is allowed to use “the q slur” are the first to cast suspicion on the validity of people who do to even reclaim it, and tell them that they not only can’t use queer for themselves, but

they’re ‘just spicy straight’ uwu

I do not genuflect to bigots, even when they’ve wrapped themselves in rainbows.

queer is such a good word. im queer as in fuck you. queer as in odd. queer as in fucked-in-the-head. queer as in i hope you choke on it. queer as in a slur i laugh at. queer as in not like you. queer as in none of your business. queer as in a line in the fucking dirt. queer as in we’re here. get used to it. queer as in this is who i am and what i am. queer as in im different and i dont fucking care. queer as in with or without you i exist and ill keep doing it. queer as in queer

[bigothteddies]

https://www.tumblr.com/bigothteddies/767686753892139008/maybe-i-need-to-be-more-harsh-with-people-because

Have you considered showing some of that care to yourself? You wouldn’t want your friends going back to people who make them feel like crap ): you deserve better

whatever I got is chronic unfortunately ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[reflectionsofgalaxies]

been validated in my (poor?) decisions TWICE today and i’m feeling vindicated if also mildly conflicted

[opencommunion]

since people are talking about Imane Khelif, some reminders for discussing intersex issues: "Disorders of sex development" or "DSD" is an intersexist term that contributes to medical violence and social alienation. The correct word is "intersex," a neutral term for the characteristics that the term "DSD" others and pathologizes.

You can be intersex and cis. You can be intersex and trans. A lot of intersex people have more complicated relationships to those concepts/terms. Being cis or trans doesn't make someone more or less intersex.

Gender testing in women's sports is both transmisogynistic and intersexist. In practice it usually impacts intersex cis women because trans women are already disqualified by their social histories. Intersex cis athletes subjected to abuse and discrimination due to gender testing results are victims of intersexism, not "misdirected" or "mistaken" transmisogyny. Intersexism, transmisogyny, and misogynoir all overlap in many ways due to the intertwined histories of sex, gender, and race categories.

"Proof" that an intersex cis woman is not a trans woman (i.e. that she was AFAB'd) will not stop TERFs from attacking her, because TERFs also do not view intersex cis women as real women (case in point).

No one's private medical info should be reported on the news, but when an athlete is outed as intersex in this way, trying to defend their honor by claiming they're not really intersex only reinforces intersexism. Arguing over what kind of intersex variation someone has (e.g. hormonal vs. chromosomal) and whether it "counts" is intersexist and also weird. Leave us alone!

anyway, congrats to Imane on her win

[elysiicns]

ig some people might consider my time IDing as aroace as a "waste" of time bc it was years of my life but genuinely i don't see it that way. it let me examine the social pressures and attitudes around sex and romance in a detached way and ultimately i've carried the mindset of not giving a shit about social conventions surrounding romance especially, and honestly it's really freeing

[onthecrescentofthehill]

it’s funny when ppl talk about the harpy omelet scene and say things like “why did he do all of that? he didn’t need to. JUST doing that for laios???” (seen these nearly verbatim on posts i’ve made.)

i don’t really get how you can hear his backstory & not understand that every decision he makes within the dungeon is fueled by a profound trauma borne out of horrific, structural negligence. of course he would do fucking anything to enact his plan? if he computes “getting in laios’s favor = proxy control of the dungeon” and he has very limited time to do so, he will jump at the chance. he’s already DIED for this.

kabru has maybe the clearest possible motivation that a character can have. he has a Protagonists Motivation, and it guides him forward in a very coherent way in the beginning of the story. things get more complicated in later acts that directly address how that motivation manifests itself/gets contradicted, bc ryoko kui is great at exploring this, but it’s still extremely present.

and as a labru fan i strongly dislike the implication i see from some ppl that his interest in laios is mostly personal or romantic (posts that range from pure joke to actual ship meta.) even when taking the “confession” at face value, where i think he was telling the truth, there’s still a lot more to it than that. i think at first kabru does see laios as a means to an end in a way that’s impersonal, partly because he tends to keep everyone in his life at arms length. but that “end” (preventing history from repeating itself) is something foundational to his psyche, and we should consider that potential sense of safety getting mixed in with his warring fascination/apprehension towards laios. he’s drawn to him for visceral reasons, and his stated motivations are so intertwined with his sense of self that untangling this push-pull is much more interesting than boilerplate Yearning, to me.

it’s just confusing when any meta or basic discussion of kabru diminishes the weight utaya has on his inner world and i’m really surprised every time i see it? like i understand that different types of meta will put other lenses on things intentionally, and in most cases i think it’s an interesting tool to work with. but it’s a massive disservice to his character to put the most foundational experience of his life on the back burner ESPECIALLY when it’s in favor of shipping. dissecting character relationships, romantic or otherwise, is at its best when you have their full personhood in mind!!

[aniseya]

One thing is for certain in D’Arcy’s opinion: The kiss was not a calculated decision on Rhaenyra’s part.

“Honestly, I think initially there was just such a desire to connect,” D’Arcy told Variety. “I think what you see initially is intimacy, and an intimacy that Rhaenyra shares so rarely. Even in some of her other romantic relationships, there’s a lot of presentation, there’s a lot of bravado, often from both sides. Certainly with Daemon, I think both parties struggle to reveal themselves in weakness, and that their eroticism is sort of predicated on power.

“Whereas with Mysaria, in this growing relationship — it’s remarkably honest,” D’Arcy continued. “Initially, there’s huge feelings of empathy and gratitude toward this person. Rhaenyra is hugely affected by the life that Mysaria has lived so bravely. Then, they are two bodies completely overrun by touch. As soon as they embrace and their bodies are touching, I think it’s pure bodily desire.”

“There’s nothing Machiavellian in it, as far as I’m concerned,” Mizuno said in an interview on Friday. “It’s a really beautiful, tender kiss, and it would be impossible not to feel something as Mysaria in that moment. I don’t think she has had that kind of kiss — maybe ever. And I think sex and sexuality is very complicated for her, given her history as a young woman with her father, and then going into her professional work life. So to have that such a tender, loving and passionate moment would have woken something up.”

Mizuno spoke about how the two actors conceived of their characters’ feelings before filming the scene. “When we discussed it, we talked about when you realize you have a crush on someone in hindsight, and you’re like, ‘Oh yeah, of course. I’ve fancied that person for six months, and I didn’t realize,'” she said. “But then once you realize it, it’s then a full-blown teenage crush. So maybe there’s some of that going on. But there’s also a civil war breaking out, so what are the priorities going to be?”

emma d’arcy and sonoya mizuno for variety.

[yuujispinkhair]

I WANNA BE YOUR ENDGAME – Chapter 08

🏒❤️ A Hockey Romance feat. modern!Sukuna

Pairing: HockeyPlayer!Sukuna x Reader (female) Genre: College AU, Hockey AU, fluff + smut Playlist: I wanna be your Endgame Word Count: 5k Warnings: 18+, smut, cigarettes, alcohol, hockey injuries. Fuckbuddies to lovers. Reader is a creative writing student. Sukuna is an ice hockey player + history student. This story will have approximately 12 chapters. Minors don't interact. Header by me. Divider @/benkeibear

MASTERLIST

You lie awake for hours. What happened between you and Sukuna during the private ice skating lesson? Didn't the whole thing in the hockey arena feel too romantic and too intimate for just fuckbuddies? Do friends with benefits really kiss each other like that?

You feel strangely smitten, almost shy, when you think about your evening with Sukuna. He was such a gentleman, making sure you didn't slip and fall on your ass, helping you exit the ice and make your way to the bench, where you could put on your shoes again. You left the arena, and Sukuna ruffled your hair and made a joking comment about how you had screeched when you set foot on the ice for the first time. And you playfully hit his biceps and told him to shut up. But your heart was racing, and your face felt too hot, and you are sure you giggled like some teenager with a big fat crush.

Sukuna walked you back to your dorm, and you teased each other the whole way. You asked Sukuna if he wanted to come in, and he agreed with his typical sexy smirk. You spent an hour in your bed, low groans and soft mewls and the rhythmical sound of your headboard banging against the wall filling your room.

And now, Sukuna is gone again, but your pillow still smells like him. And you stare at the ceiling, unable to get that kiss in the hockey arena out of your head. A kiss that felt too romantic, too tender.

You know your little private ice skating lesson wasn't a date, but why did it almost feel like one? If you are honest with yourself, the hour spent ice skating in Sukuna's arms felt nicer than any real date you had.

You wonder if Sukuna is lying awake, too? Does he ask himself the same questions you are asking yourself? You want to convince yourself he isn't aware of it. But there's a small voice in the back of your mind reminding you how good Sukuna is at analyzing things. You are sure he can see how close the two of you have become, too.

But does he care? Does he want more? Or is it just fun for him? You know Sukuna has that bad reputation that paints him as a fuckboy. But is he, though? The thing is that ever since the two of you started your little arrangement, Sukuna seems to only fuck one girl... and that girl is you. And then there are all those little things Yuuji says that sometimes sound like he is dropping hints about Sukuna possibly liking you as more than just a casual fuckbuddy.

"Oh shit."

You groan and pull your blanket over your face, hiding yourself even deeper in the comfort of your bed. The little hopeful spark and the butterflies in your stomach scare you. You know this feeling all too well, and you don't want it!

You told yourself you would get through college without the complications of romantic feelings. All love ever did was cause you heartbreak and pain. You swore off it after the disappointment that your ex-boyfriend was. You swore to yourself that you would just have fun when you go to college. Nothing serious. No relationship. No feelings. Just fun. And this fuckbuddies arrangement with Sukuna had seemed so perfect for what you wanted. But what now? What if you suddenly develop feelings for Sukuna?

You cannot let that happen. You have to fight it!

Get a fucking grip!

You see Sukuna the next day, and you manage to act normal around him, ignoring the fluttery feeling in your stomach when he smirks at you and lets his large hand slowly trail down your arm to steal your heavy stack of books out of your hands and carry it for you to your classic literature classroom. He makes a comment about you obviously being too weak to carry it on your own while giving you one of his devilish looks, and you roll your eyes and yank the books out of his arms even though Sukuna already carried them all the way to the classroom.

You agree to meet him for lunch, and by the time the two of you have finished your meals and bickered playfully over all kinds of things, you feel better. More in control again. You can do this. You can continue this fuckbuddies thing with Sukuna without making things awkward. Even if his boyish smirk and those pretty, maroon eyes and mouth-watering muscles make your pulse race. It's fine. Sukuna is your friend. Just that. Just a very hot guy-friend who fucks your brains out anytime you feel like it.

It's perfect the way it is. You wouldn't want to risk losing this.

Sukuna asks you to see him after hockey practice, and you spend an hour in his bed that evening, moaning into his pillow and laughing against his buff biceps afterward when he lies next to you and shows you a funny video on his phone.

You steal a drag from Sukuna's cigarette that he smokes by his window, and he grins at you and pulls you into a kiss with that sexy, teasing tongue flick at the end before he tells you to be a good girl and go home to study for your classic literature course so you can join him in the top-grades-getter-league.

It's Friday, and Nobara keeps bugging you about joining her for a night out at a popular club, claiming that you will get a bad case of FOMO if you don't come with her. You doubt her words, but you have to admit that maybe a girls' night with some dancing and some fancy drinks is exactly what you need to get your mind off a certain pink-haired hockey player, and so you laugh and tell her to help you pick an outfit.

Nobara was right about the club being amazing. You really have a lot of fun, sipping on some pastel-colored sweet cocktail and dancing and laughing with your dormmate, feeling as if this is the authentic college experience.

The club is a popular meeting spot for college students. You see so many familiar faces. And so, it should probably not come as a surprise when you see several hockey players. You try not to do it, but your gaze keeps wandering through the club, searching for one particular Tiger.

And you find him.

He is leaning casually against a pillar, laughing at something his brother is saying to him before Yuuji gets pulled onto the dancefloor by Todo. Sukuna stays where he is, lifting a bottle of some vodka mix drink to his lips and tilting his head back to gulp it down. His Adam's apple bops enticingly, making you involuntarily lick your lips.

You have stopped dancing, you realize. Too busy staring at Sukuna.

Damn, stop it!

You shake your head and laugh, grabbing Nobara's hand to spin her around, forcing yourself to get back into your little fun time with your friend. But even as you dance with her, your gaze keeps straying back to your fuckbuddy, who is still standing at the same spot.

Several hockey players gather around Sukuna, laughing, chatting, and drinking together. Tequila shots this time. It looks like the whole team is here tonight, maybe celebrating something. Sukuna hasn't spotted you yet, and you use that chance to let your eyes trail slowly over him.

He looks hot. He always does, of course. Tall, athletic, and handsome. The tight black t-shirt he is wearing shows off his well-defined muscles and sexy tattoos. The expression on his tattooed face is aloof and bored, making him probably look even more attractive to all the girls who are eyeing him. Sukuna is a challenge. The bad boy, who seems so hard to please. The tough guy who seems like he never smiles. But you have seen his smile and know how to get it out of him.

You are about to walk over to Sukuna to greet him, but you freeze up when you watch a pretty girl dance up to him, a seductive smile on her face. You feel your stomach clench anxiously. The girl gets on her tiptoes, a sugary smile on her beautiful face as she says something to Sukuna. Her hand sprawls over his pecs, her body leaning closer and closer to him.

But Sukuna shakes his head at her and plucks her hand off him with a cold sneer on his beautiful face. He points a long, tattooed finger at one of his teammates and steers the girl over to him.

And as fast as that strange feeling in your guts appeared, it is gone again, and instead, you catch yourself grinning from ear to ear.

And suddenly, that maroon gaze is on you. You draw in a sharp breath, staring back at Sukuna as the seconds tick by.

Sukuna's tattooed face lights up with a broad grin, and he pushes himself off the pillar he was leaning against. Your pulse is racing as you watch him walk over to you while Nobara is laughing. Sukuna stops in front of you, tall and sexy with that boyish smirk and looking so good in his tight black t-shirt and jeans.

"Hey, princess."

The words come out slightly slurred. You tilt your head to smile at him, noticing the somewhat unfocused look in his usually so sharp eyes. He is drunk, you realize. His grin turns into a lopsided smile, and somehow, it makes him look almost cute. Softer around the edges. He seemed so aloof a moment ago when he turned that girl down, but now he is all playful again when he reaches out to wrap his strong arms around your waist and pull you against him.

"Fuck, I'm glad you're here, too, princess. I was so fucking bored."

He jerks his chin at Nobara in a greeting, informing her with a smirk,

"I am stealing her for a while. Find someone else to dance with, Ginger. What about my brother? He is a good dancer. Get him before someone else does."

Nobara complains loudly, smacking Sukuna's biceps while telling him that hockey players suck in general and pink-haired ones in particular, but you can hear the smile in her voice, and she really half-walks, half-dances away from Sukuna and you, looking for another dance partner.

You chuckle softly as Sukuna pulls you to him, making you stumble into his firm body. You put your hands on Sukuna's abs to brace yourself, grinning up at him, your pulse fluttering at being so close to him. His body heat seeps through his shirt, and his firm abs move under your palms when he leans down to press a sloppy, wet kiss on your cheek,

"Come on, dance with me so Todo and the brat get off my dick and stop pestering me about dancing with them."

Sukuna pulls you with him to the middle of the dancefloor, where the rest of the hockey players are. You don't even have time to complain or feel embarrassed about your dancing skills because Sukuna's strong arms are wrapped so firmly around you that you can't really make any move on your own anyway. And the drinks you had make you tipsy enough to just go with it and laugh loudly as Sukuna grinds against you.

You find yourself relaxing, just having fun with Sukuna and his teammates, dancing dirty with Sukuna while singing along to the songs, and smiling when Sukuna grins at you. You wrap your hands around Sukuna's neck, letting him sway you from side to side, or press his tall, muscular body tightly against yours to grind against you slowly.

It seems only natural that the two of you kiss. Sloppy, drunk kisses that make you chuckle against Sukuna's lips, feeling a lot more intoxicated than you truly are. It feels exhilarating to dance and make out with him here in the middle of the club.

Sukuna's hands are all over you, running up and down your back and groping your ass. He slips his hands into the back pockets of your jeans and pulls you even closer to him, and you let your nails trail over his short undercut, smiling when it elicits a low growl from the back of Sukuna's throat.

He trails hot, wet kisses over your chin to your neck, and your breath hitches. It's new to be like this with Sukuna in public, but you can't deny how exciting it feels to have him all over you. Drunk Sukuna is clingy, you realize. He doesn't let you move away even a step. His large hands immediately squeeze your ass, pulling you to him again while his lips trail kisses over your neck and his sexy low voice murmurs in your ear,

"Need you, baby."

Your heart skips a beat. You know Sukuna is just drunk, and it means nothing, but you can't help but feel a fluttery tingle in your belly and chest at his words. You smile and grab Sukuna's chin, pulling him into another kiss to shut him up before he can say anything else that will make you spin out of control and that he might regret in the morning.

You weakly try to decline when Sukuna whispers in your ear that he wants you to go home with him. But he won't let go of you, clings to you, and kisses you all sweetly before he looks at you with a cute little pout that looks hilarious on his tattooed face. His voice is a bit thicker than usual, tongue heavy from the alcohol, making you wonder how many shots he had.

"Don't leave me alone, princess. Who knows what kind of trouble I will get into without my personal lucky charm by my side."

He keeps grinning at you and bugging you until you agree to leave with him, even if it is just to put him into bed. You let Sukuna put a muscular arm around your shoulders while his other arm pulls his twin brother to his side, and the three of you make your way outside while you hastily type a message to Nobara, telling her you are leaving with the twins.

You laugh when Sukuna throws his car keys to his brother, even in his drunk state, not forgetting about the beef he has with Yuuji over his beloved car,

"You drive, brat, but if you get even the tiniest scratch into my car, I will punch that stupid smile off your face."

You sit in the backseat with Sukuna while Yuuji drives. Or, more like, you lie in the backseat because Sukuna is on you the moment the car starts. You spend the whole drive with Sukuna lying half on top of you, kissing you deeply, with those intense deep tongue kisses that make you moan into his mouth and knead his firm ass through his tight jeans.

"So greedy, huh, princess? Don't worry, I'll fuck you until you scream my name." "Oh, shut up. You are drunk. I'll just tug you into bed and then leave." "Don't you dare leave me alone. I had some drinks, yeah, but I am perfectly fine. I can still fuck you better than any other could." He smirks at you with that challenging glint in his eyes, and your pussy throbs, your conviction wavering. Sukuna licks your neck slowly, teasingly, before he captures your lips in another deep kiss, successfully making you change your plans. Your hands slip under his shirt, caressing his hot, smooth skin, kneading his buff muscles, smiling when you hear him groan into the kiss. You go with Sukuna to his room and watch him take off his clothes, heart pounding in your chest as he turns around and beckons you over, his sexy muscles and tattoos unashamedly on display for you, and his gorgeous thick cock already half hard, waiting for you to stroke him to full hardness so you can have fun with him. Sukuna fucks you with sloppy, lazy strokes and those deep French kisses that make your pussy and your tummy flutter. You are gasping his name, wrapping your legs tightly around his narrow hips, mewling with every thrust, enjoying the drunk sex immensely. Sukuna fucks good, even when he had several drinks. The only thing that's different is that he is louder. And it's so sexy that it makes you clench around him, your eyes falling shut to bask in the sexy, loud moans falling from Sukuna's lips.

You really scream his name when you cum, and he moans yours when he follows you a few seconds later, hot thick cock throbbing inside you. Sukuna slumps on top of you afterward with a satisfied sigh, and you hum happily, caressing his neck and running your foot up and down his muscular calves and thighs.

You ask how late it is, but Sukuna doesn't answer.

"Sukuna?"

You push at Sukuna's broad shoulders only to hear a soft snore coming from him, realizing he fell asleep on top of you. You laugh and relax, letting a hand trail slowly up and down Sukuna's broad, muscular back, caressing him while he sleeps soundly on top of you.

Sukuna is heavy, but you let him sleep, grinning to yourself, feeling oddly happy, lying here under the hockey star. After a while, Sukuna rolls off you, mumbling softly in his sleep, but it's incoherent, and you can't make out any words. It makes you feel surprisingly soft for him.

You roll onto your side, too and press a soft kiss to Sukuna's tattooed shoulder, murmuring,

"Good night, Kuna. Sleep well."

You are about to get up to collect your clothes from Sukuna's bedroom floor to get dressed and then sneak out. But before you can get up, a large hand wraps around your arm, stopping you, pulling you back against Sukuna's warm, naked body.

"Stay."

Just a single word, mumbled in a hoarse, sleepy-sounding voice.

You tense up. Does Sukuna know what he is asking? He never before asked you to stay the night, and he also never stayed the whole night in your dorm. It feels like a line fuckbuddies shouldn't cross. On top of that, you don't think Sukuna is the type who lets someone sleep in his bed. You know he's already making a huge exception when it comes to you by taking you to his room and fucking you in his bed. Apparently, that's something Sukuna never did with his former hookups because he thought his room was none of their business. And now he wants you to sleep in his bed the whole night?

You know you are overthinking it, but you simply can't stop worrying that you are somehow taking advantage of Sukuna's drunk state. The sex wasn't the problem because your whole arrangement is based on having sex with each other. But this is something different. Sleeping in Sukuna's bed feels like a big fucking deal! If you sleep here, will he regret it in the morning? Will he be mad? You don't want to overstep a boundary.

"Sukuna..."

"Shhh, no talking. Just stay."

And as if he read your thoughts, he adds in that slightly slurred voice,

"I swear I won't regret it in the morning. Stay. I'll even make you breakfast."

You chuckle softly and close your mouth again, not trying to argue anymore, nor do you want to. You smile and snuggle back against Sukuna's tall, warm body, sighing when his strong arms tighten around you, and he buries his face in your neck, instantly starting to snore again, sounding so cute that it makes you grin from ear to ear. The bad boy star player all cuddly and tame.

Even after your night in Sukuna's bed and the morning after, when he made breakfast for you just like he promised, you tell yourself you can just stay friends with benefits with him.

Nobara tries to rile you up, teases you endlessly, and tries to get you to admit you have feelings for Sukuna. But you turn her down anytime, adamantly declaring you only want him as a friend. A friend who is very good in bed and who you can have sex with any time the two of you feel like it.

You think if you just say it often enough, it will be true. You will be able to convince yourself you have everything under control.

And then the accident happens.

You're in your usual spot in the stands, watching the hockey game, cheering and laughing. The mood in the arena is ecstatic because it looks like the Tigers overcame their loss two weeks ago.

You hold your breath in giddy anticipation as Sukuna steals the puck from a rival player and speeds across the ice, his gaze on the goal ahead. His playstyle is high-speed and brutal, as always. It's sexy to watch. Until two rival players throw themselves in Sukuna's way.

You gasp loudly as Sukuna crashes full speed into the two players. All three go down, slamming hard into the ice with a heavy thud and the loud clatter of their hockey sticks skittering across the ice.

You are on your feet before you even notice it, a hand pressed over your mouth, staring wide-eyed at the ice where Sukuna is lying in a pile with the players he crashed into. The whole arena is yelling in shock because their star player went down, but you only hear it as a far-away noise because the blood in your ears is rushing much too loudly as your heart races fearfully.

What is going on? Why is Sukuna not getting up? You see the other jersey with the Itadori name speeding towards the scene. Yuuji pulls one of the rival players off his brother while yelling something you can't hear. He instantly gets attacked by several other players, but Yuuji fights back angrily, punching them and pushing them away from Sukuna.

Sukuna, who is still lying facedown on the ice. He isn't moving. Panic threatens to drown you, and before you know what you're doing, you start running and pushing your way through the crowd. Nobara is yelling your name, but you don't stop to wait for her.

You feel sick to your stomach. Your heart is pounding fearfully in your chest as you stop in front of the plexiglass, pressing your hands against the cold glass. Your anxious breath fogs up the glass as you watch the whole team and the team medic rush to Sukuna, who is still knocked out.

Or worse.

Tears are gathering in your eyes, and you feel a sob finding its way out of your mouth.

Please let him be okay! Please let him be okay! I never even told him how much I like him!

That's when you see Sukuna make a slight movement, and you huff a shaky sigh of relief.

The team medic is saying something to him, and Sukuna nods softly. You press yourself anxiously against the plexiglass, watching as the doc carefully pulls Sukuna's helmet off.

Yuuji and Todo help lift Sukuna onto a stretcher under the anxious gazes of the whole arena, which is filled with fearful silence.

You are still pressed against the plexiglass, watching as they carry Sukuna off the ice. Sukuna's eyes meet your worried gaze as they carry him past you. He lifts his head slightly, looking at you with a dazed expression. A dreamy look crosses over his tattooed face, and to your surprise, he smiles at you even as his maroon eyes seem unfocused and caught in some daydream.

Sukuna smiles a dreamy little smile at you while his lips move. You can't hear what he says, but you think you can read his lips, and what they murmur is something like "angel".

You stare after him, stunned, even when the stretcher is already getting carried to the back of the arena, away from your gaze.

The game continues, but the Tigers are out of it. The shock of seeing their star player get knocked out seems to sit in their bones. The cheerful and excited mood in the arena has dimmed almost completely. You bite your nails nervously as you stand at the boards, watching the game but not really seeing anything, too lost in your thoughts and worrying about Sukuna.

He was so fast when he crashed into those two players, and he seemed so out of it when they carried him off the ice. You were relieved to see him conscious again, but the shock still makes a painful knot remain in your stomach.

You practically flee from the rink once the game is finally over. But you cannot even consider the idea of going back to your dorm. Nobara walks up to you, reaching out to pat your back.

"Hey, I'm sure he is alright. That thick head won't crack from a bit of ice."

You smile weakly at her, knowing this is her being nice and sympathetic, but you still tell her,

"I'll wait here. Maybe I can talk to Yuuji."

"Okay, you do that. Let me know if Kirby Boy is okay."

You loiter around the lobby, waiting impatiently for a sign of pink hair. When Yuuji finally walks toward you, you hurry over to him with a fearfully racing pulse.

"Is he okay?"

Yuuji smiles that sweet, reassuring sunshine smile at you and nods,

"Yeah. He scared me, too. But he just has a concussion."

"A concussion?"

You stare at Yuuji worriedly, but he laughs softly and rubs your arm,

"It's no big deal. I get one almost every season. Kuna will be fine, don't worry. He just needs to rest for a day, or our coach will kill him."

You huff, feeling like Yuuji is downplaying it, or maybe this is really the way the hockey guys are. But his reassurance makes you relax anyway.

Yuuji cocks his head,

"I'm heading to our dorm to get the car because they won't let Sukuna walk home. Do you want to come with me?"

You nod and quickly hurry after Sukuna's twin brother.

When you finally see Sukuna after his accident, you curse loudly.

He is sitting on an examination table in the first aid room in the back of the arena, in his sweatpants and Nikes and the black compression shirt he always wears under his hockey jersey. His pink hair is ruffled, and he still looks as dazed as when they carried him off the ice. A dark blue bruise is already forming around his right eye.

Your heart clenches at the sight, and you find yourself hurrying over to Sukuna and hugging him lightly before you can stop yourself.

"Oh god, are you okay?"

You pull away a bit to look at him with big, worried eyes while you caress his biceps gently, afraid to hurt him if you touch him more firmly. As if the big, broad hockey player is a fragile porcelain doll. But you can't think rationally at the moment. All you see is that Sukuna is injured, and it triggers something in you, making you feel all protective and worried over him. And scared. So scared to lose him.

But Sukuna laughs softly and smirks at you. It's a bit crooked and a bit slower than usual, but it manages to calm you down regardless. A large, tattooed hand comes up to rest on your back.

"I'm fine, princess."

But you see how Sukuna can't seem to focus his gaze on you and how he squints his eyes against the bright neon light in the small room. Even if Yuuji hadn't told you about Sukuna's concussion, you would have figured it out by now. He belongs in bed, in his dark room with the curtains closed and lots of rest.

Luckily, Yuuji is already by his brother's side, pulling him up.

"Come on, let's get you home."

You help Yuuji, the two of you taking Sukuna in your middle and leading him slowly to the car. He complains all the way about how he can walk on his own and that he doesn't want Yuuji to wreck his car. You roll your eyes, but at least Sukuna seems to be halfway okay if he can talk like that.

You sit with Sukuna in the back of the car again. Not making out this time, but instead holding his large hand in yours and watching him worriedly, checking if he is still okay.

Once you are in Sukuna's room, you help him take off his tight compression shirt and sweatpants before telling him to get into his bed. He is a good boy for once and does as you say, lying down and letting you pull his blanket over him.

Sukuna looks up at you with that same dazed smile he had in the arena when they carried him past you and he thought you were an angel. It's an expression that seems so foreign on his face that it instantly makes worry flare up in your chest again.

Your decision is made at that moment. You grab the hem of your sweater, pull it off, and slip out of your jeans, crawling into bed to join Sukuna under his blanket,

"I'm staying. I don't think you should be alone right now."

Sukuna laughs softly, but his muscular arm wraps around you immediately and pulls you against his side. You sigh and snuggle against Sukuna, placing a hand on his naked chest, feeling his warm skin and his heartbeat, which is strangely reassuring.

Sukuna's low voice sounds tired but nonetheless smug when he murmurs,

"You're really worried about me, huh, princess? That's so cute."

"You were knocked out. Of course, I am worried. If you had seen the expression on your face when they carried you off the ice, you would have been worried, too!"

"Shhh, it's okay, princess. I'm just teasing you."

Sukuna's large hand lands on yours, holding it in place right there on his chest, his thumb caressing the back of your hand as he adds in a low voice full of amusement,

"I should get injured more often. I quite like it when you get all scared for me and dote on me like that."

"Oh, stop it. You are such an idiot. And don't you dare get into trouble!"

But Sukuna just laughs that raspy low laugh as you add firmly,

"You should get some sleep now. The doc and your coach said you should rest."

"Yeah, yeah, I'm on it."

And Sukuna really drifts off to sleep just a few minutes later, his body and brain obviously exhausted and in dire need of rest. You, on the other hand, can't find sleep for a long time.

You lie awake in Sukuna's bed, your palm resting on his chest, fingers sprawled over his defined buff pecs, feeling his heartbeat and listening to his soft breathing. The earlier anxiety has left your body now that you know Sukuna will be okay. But something else is keeping your mind busy.

You fucked up. You have a big problem, you realize.

Because what Sukuna's little accident clearly showed you is that he means a lot more to you than you planned.

I AM SO WEAK FOR HIM!! 😭 Tipsy Sukuna made me smile so much while writing 😍 He is so clingy and cute. "Need you, baby." I would have MELTED!! Did you feel protective over injured Kuna, too? I wouldn't leave his side either 😭 Thank you so much for reading the new chapter! I am so glad that I finally had time to post it. I missed our fave hockey player so much. I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Comments and reblogs would be very sweet. In Chapter 09, we will see Reader accepting her feelings + there will be jealous!Reader and jealous!Sukuna. And we will finally also see Sukuna's POV ;)