#dougie hamilton imagines

[mommahughes19-23]

my men - N.H

@jaylnnnnnn : my favorite boys! featuring me..

tagged : @nicohischier

location : with my mennnnnnn

jackhughes : why does jax look stressed in his sleep?

↪ jaylnnnnnn : bc youre an uncle of his

lhughes_06 : OMG LET ME SEE MY NEPHEW YOU HOE🖕🏻🖕🏻🖕🏻

nicohischier : my favorite woman in the whooolleeee world!

dawson1417 : hes so big now! ommmmmmmgggg😜😜

pally_18 : why is nico biting his lip at chocolate?

↪ jaylnnnnnn : why aren't you biting youre lip for chocolate?🫦🫦🫦🫦

john.marino97 : dont forget me

tmeier96 : im concerned for your son.....

↪ jaylnnnnnn : dont be fucking rude timo

bssmith2 : YALL ARE TOO CUTE

ehaula : JAXXXXXXX our future captain 🫡🫡

tofff73 : his lil smile omg

curtislazar95 : cant wait till hes old enough to hang with the boys!!🥳🥳🥳

akiraschmid93 : future goalieeeeeeeee

holtz_10 : bring him over please!!!!!!😭

dougieham : hes SSOOOOOO CUTE OMG get him a lil cap jersey!🏆

naterbastian : legit the smallest lil human ever

reannelazar : 🤩🤩🤩🤩

kristen.haula : 🙀🙀🙀🙀

kevinbahl88 : AHHHHH

ninahischier : my nephew is the CUTEST, cant wait to come see you guys!🥳🥰

A.N :

Y'all aren't ready for this lineup I have

tagged : @quinnylouhughesx43 @skylershines @noahkahansorangejuice

[babydollmarauders]

MEDIA MANAGEMENT — JACK HUGHES (PART FOUR)

one — two — three — four

notes: i got a couple of these pictures from @/sholden43 on twitter! so creds to her for pics 2 & 5!!

y/ndevils00

liked by njdevils, john.marino97, and 31,697 others

y/ndevils00 hello and welcome back to y/n’s post-game web show!

i’m so happy to announce that njdevils clinched!! LET’S GO, BABY!!

to get us on the scoreboard, we had a goal by the amazing, the talented, the ‘leaves his socks on the bathroom floor’, LIL JIZZY!!! now, i’m not one to brag, but THAT’S THE GUY WHO HOGS MY BLANKETS AND I AM SO PROUD! we also have a picture of him side-eyeing me at the bench and then looking directly at me. that’s the face of love, people!

but before that goal could take place, maraschino cherry got put in timeout. BOO!! but don’t worry guys, he was given a stern talking to during intermission! he told me he’s gonna be a good boy now!

immediately after marinara’s sin bin placement, my favorite dilh was the victim of a giant toddler attack 😡 but rest assured, bradytkachuk was put in the naughty boy box as well! which is what led to my spectacular boyfie’s goal!

not long after that goal, woodchuck had a fight with said giant toddler… he did not win.

then, my bestest friend, brattman scored the third goal of the night! i rewarded him with the biggest and bestest hug i had to offer during 2nd intermission!

following that, dawson’s creek hit ‘em with a one timer that knocked their pads off! he was rewarded with a pat on the head! i, however, did not get a picture of him because he was hiding from my camera… he’s spending too much time with jackson.

in the final period, ham sammich taught the senators how to dougie! LET’S GO! happy for you douglas!

and to close the game, we had an empty net goal by my father that is not my father; TATAR SAUCE!

overall, i am so proud of the effort put forth from my team that i put together myself and pay out of pocket to entertain me! let’s go to the playoffs boys!

tagged: jackhughes, john.marino97, sharangovich17, miles.wood44, jesperbratt, dougieham, tomastatar90, and njdevils

jackhughes i appreciate the sentiments, but did you really have to call me out like that?

y/ndevils00 it’s for the plot babe!

jackhughes i’m 99% sure that’s not what that means

y/ndevils00 and i’m 100% sure that you’re a loser

trevorzegras stop flirting it’s gross

y/ndevils00 @/trevorzegras ariana, what are you doing here?!

jackhughes that’s actually the look of someone who did not like when you started cheering “go lil jizzy, get a hat trick you coward!”

y/ndevils00 it’s called tough love

jackhughes i think i prefer the love you give me at home

y/ndevils00 noted. can’t promise your suggestion will be put to use

john.marino97 once again, y/n’s “talking to” was not actually a talking to. she hit me in the head with a rolled up newspaper, that i still don’t know where she got, and told me to “pull myself together”

y/ndevils00 well when you put it like that, you make me sound like a bad friend

john.marino97 you’re the worst

y/ndevils00 that’s not what you said last week when i brought you dunkin

miles.wood44 i mean, i thought i won that fight

y/ndevils00 …stick to your crypto

miles.wood44 ouch y/n/n

y/ndevils00 i keep it real on my page, if you can’t handle the heat, block me

y/ndevils00 wait don’t actually! i’m sensitive

dawson1417 she really did pat me on the head. like a dog.

y/ndevils00 cause you got the dog in ya!

dawson1417 you concern me

y/ndevils00 i’d be worried if i didn’t

tomastatar90 my daughter that is not my daughter!

y/ndevils00 take notes boys, this is someone who accepts me for me!

jesperbratt i got a better hug than hughesy

y/ndevils00 hell yeah, you did!

jackhughes that’s cause i get something better

y/ndevils00 @/jackhughes jackson!

jackhughes @/y/ndevils00 still not my name

dougieham thank you! but why the full first name?

y/ndevils00 because it’s your name. is it not?

dougieham it is?

y/ndevils00 i rest my case

trevorzegras hughesy is a beast

y/ndevils00 does that make me beauty?

trevorzegras i’m not sure how to answer this without upsetting you

y/ndevils00 @/jackhughes i hate to tell you this, but you need to find a new best friend. your current one is mean. may i suggest @/jamie.drysdale ? still a duck, just a nicer one

jamie.drysdale did i just get a y/n notice?

trevorzegras stay away from jimbo, you witch!

[toffoliravioli]

the sensuality of these two photos

just pure art

[nhl-stories]

hydrangeas where your face should be – Dougie Hamilton

Summary: Dougie had all but given up on ever finding his soulmate

Author’s Note: This is me breaking out of my comfort zone and writing a soulmates au for @huttons as a part of @wyattjohnston's summer fic exchange.

There's some accidental deadnaming, but the character was unaware of the transition and under the influence.

Title from Flowers Where Your Face Should Be by The Wonder Years

Word Count: 2.4k

Dougie always knew he was different.

He knew it at age 5 when he was the only kid in his class with red hair;  everyone was eagerly waiting to point that out.

He knew it at age 13 people started to notice him on the ice; said things like he could make it to the OHL maybe even beyond if he worked hard.

He knew it in Boston and Calgary when he didn’t quite fit in; all shy and awkward and out of place in the hockey world of loud, gregarious men.

But all of those differences paled in comparison to his soul marks.

He was already a little different for having two. It wasn’t completely unheard of; his mother had two, an anchor and tulip, the tulip fading away as her bond with his dad grew over the years.

Because the universe didn’t always get it right with one guess. There are 8 billion people on the planet, how can some unseen, almighty power be expected to narrow it down to just one option.

For some a second mark might grow over time, like something could happen to change the course of your life and a new soulmate grew along that path. For others the two were always there, never to fade or change.

But Dougie’s two marks were different; because they were identical hydrangeas in different colors. Boldly staring up at him from each thigh.

His parents told him to be patient, finding a soulmate would come naturally like it had for them. But Dougie felt so different he couldn’t imagine anything happening naturally; no fairytale moment where his soulmate might brush the mark by chance and everything just clicked into place.

So, he took to voraciously reading about soul marks, hoping to find an explanation for the twin green and pinkmarks that mocked him. He pored through books on botany to try and make sense of some hidden, deeper meaning behind the flowers. He never could settle on one single thing that made sense of everything.

He thought he met his soulmate in the 10th grade. Paisley Van Wormer played on the volleyball team. She was smart and kind and clearly going places.

Anyone would be lucky for Paisley to be their soulmate, in fact every boy in the school thought she must be their soulmate. Dougie thought he had the edge because her parents owned the local nursery and she would spend her spare time around flowers.

The other boys would dare each other to touch her soul mark on the back of her shoulder. It was frowned upon to purposefully touch a soul mark without permission, like you were trying to circumvent the path destiny set out for you.

But all the boys who touched the green apple never had a lifechanging moment, just got detention if they were caught.

The summer before senior year, Paisley shaved her head and suddenly no boys wanted to touch her soul mark. No boys but Dougie, who was still completely infatuated, but wouldn’t dare touch Paisley without her permission.

He planned to ask her to prom despite the chirps he got for liking ‘the bald chick.’ But during his attempt to psych himself up he bumped into a ladder she was using to hang up a sign for prom, he caught her at the last second and realized one of his hands was on her shoulder, brushing over the apple.

The world didn’t shift in the way he always dreamed of, instead it shattered his heart.

He threw away his childhood obsession with his soul marks and threw everything into hockey. For the most part it worked; everyday he got to live out his childhood dream. He played with one of his idols in Chara, he got to play in the league with his brother.

Still, it could get lonely.

He saw teammates find their soulmates, settle in for a future while he bounced from team to team. He got labeled a locker room pariah by the media, even when he felt like he was finding a home. He felt unwanted by the first team he felt truly himself with.

Then he landed in Jersey. And things seemed to be looking up. Two years in and he felt things coming together, felt like he was part of a family who wanted him there.

He took rookies under his wing, even when he had a hard time believing he was the old veteran with a decade of experience under his belt. He joked with the media, tried to come a little more out of his shell.

It took nearly 30 years, but he felt like he had finally become the person he was supposed to be. And he didn’t even need a soulmate to feel complete anymore.

Of course, that’s the thing about destiny; it comes whether or not you’re looking for it.

❀•❀

Dougie decided to stay in Jersey for the summer. He knows he’ll miss the time with his family, but he feels the need to keep carving out space that’s just for himself.

He starts the off-season with a wrist surgery and looks forward to some relaxation before the grind of rehab begins.

One week into his post-surgery R&R, he starts to have an excruciating pain in his mouth. When the pain killers for his wrist don’t quite quell the pain, he texts Jack about the dentist he saw to fix his teeth. Feeling less like an adult since he hasn’t found a new dentist since the move.

Dr. Van Wormer, tell them I sent you and they can probably squeeze you in 😜

He texts back: Don’t get too big of a head someone will knock that tooth out again

He gets an appointment within a day; he won’t let Jack know about the namedrop. Though based on the fairly extensive collection of Devils memorabilia, he doesn’t think he needed to do that.

It turns out he has a wisdom tooth that they didn’t take out the first time when he was 18. The thing finally decided to make an appearance when he was already dealing with his arm. Perfect timing as always for Dougie.

He can tell the dentist is smiling even behind the mask while he pulls on a pair of gloves.

“Nice to finally get you in my chair, wish it was under better circumstances. You’re pretty much the only current Devil I haven’t seen yet.”

Dougie isn’t a huge fan of dentists trying to have conversations, but there’s something familiar and calming about this man.

“If you have time I can get this guy out today, I won’t put you all the way under but you’ll be a little loopy for a while, so if you drove, we can schedule another day.”

Dougie wiggles his arm in its sling, “I took a Lyft.”

“So, is that a yes to moving forward?”

“Uh- yes please.”

The grin clearly widens under the mask.

Dougie is given some laughing gas, it doesn’t fully put him under, but he manages to doze off during the lengthy dental procedure.

He wakes up groggy and feeling a little airy and high in another room, gauze stuffed in one side of his mouth.

There’s a gentle touch on his shoulder, “how are we doing?”

The dentist squats down in front of him and smiles unmasked, a spark of familiarity down Dougie’s spine.

Dougie gets a glance at the name on his badge

“I went to high school with someone with that last name, it’s not very common,” he babbles before his brain realizes what he’s doing.

“Yeah, you went to high school with me.”

Dougie doesn’t know if it’s the drugs wearing off or the news or the combination, but he stares opened-mouth. Drool pools in his mouth and threatens to drip out, the dentist laughs. It’s huskier and lower, but it’s Paisley’s melodic, intoxicating laugh.

Or is he allowed to even think about that name? He doesn’t even know what their new name is, he knows he should ask, say anything, but his brain is foggy.

“I know I look a lot different. It’s Parker now.”

“Nice to meet you, Parker,” Dougie awkwardly shoves out his free hand to shake.

“I’d love to have a whole catch up with you, but you’re obviously not in the right mindset for this kind of life altering news,” Parker’s eyes sparkle and Dougie doesn’t know how he didn’t immediately recognize them.

“But I’m done for the day so how about I get your post-care information and I’ll drive you home.”

Dougie gives a goofy smile that must look extra stupid with the gauze and nods.

“Okay let me grab my stuff and” Parker uses Dougie’s thighs to help him stand up again, “holy shit.”

Dougie furrows his brows, not getting it at first. Then the feeling hits him.

It’s different than how he imagined it, he can’t look up at Parker, just stares at his own thighs, where the lingering feeling of his touch prickles under the marks.

It feels like everything in his brain and heart just settles. Not the seismic shift in his reality he always expected, just that everything is as it should be. He’s wrapped in a warmth that feels like his mom hugging him when he was little. It feels like comfort and home and unconditional love.

It makes him want to cry with relief.

When he finally looks up, Parker mirrors his feelings. And his face breaks into a smile.

❀•❀

Parker drives Dougie home but they decide not to talk about the two elephants in the room, post-dental surgery doesn’t really feel like the right time for it.

Dougie understands but he doesn’t want Parker to leave, feeling like the tenuous bond won’t be able to survive the separation. Parker gives him some pain killers that make him too sleepy to think about the cross-town distance.

Parker surprises him the next morning with an overnight bag and a load of dentist-approved recovery food.

“I’m here for the long haul,” Parker shrugs and makes himself at home in Dougie’s living room.

Something flips in Dougie’s gut at sight: Parker looking so at home in his space. A tiny piece of what he’s been missing all these years.

He tries to act casual, like this is an everyday occurrence, and awkwardly sits a cushion away on the couch. Parker bridges the gap by pulling his legs up on the couch, his feet touching Dougie’s thigh. His toes curl into the green hydrangea on his left thigh.

It’s like a fire lights behind his sternum, not some white, hot passion but like a fireplace you want to curl up by.

“How’s your mouth feeling?” Parker avoids the obvious.

“Fine, the pain meds are working wonders,” he smiles the best he can, like that proves it.

“I would hope so, I prescribed them.”

The silence stretches too long to be comfortable, especially between two people who have so much more than small talk to get to.

“I touched your soulmark in high school once,” it’s the first thing that comes to his mind.

Parker furrows his brows, no recollection of the moment that broke Dougie’s heart.

“Senior year, it was an accident.”

“Oh, the apple? I don’t even have that one anymore.”

He leans up and turns one foot to the side, a small bear below the ankle bone. Dougie can’t help but run a finger over it, Parker shivers in response. That at-peace feeling washing over them again.

“I always wished it was you,” Parker says it with so much reverence, like any other way might break the spell.

“But I never could figure out how you were connected to an apple or a bear, and then we graduated and you were drafted by the Bruins. But by then I thought our chance had passed already.”

Dougie feels a lump in his throat, mourning the loss of all the years they could have had.

“It’s probably for the best, I obviously still needed to find myself, become myself.” Parker adds like he can read Dougie’s mind.

“I always thought it was you until I touched the apple. I wanted it to be you so bad and then that happened, it broke my heart,” he feels the need to bear a little more of vulnerabilities to Parker.

“Even after I shaved my head?” It’s supposed to be a joke but his tone is off.

“I didn’t just like you because you were pretty. You were smart and nice to everyone, even to the guys who were dicks and tried to touch your mark.”

“I heard you yelled at the guys on the hockey team who did that to me.”

“Freddie did too,” Dougie shrugs off the compliment.

Dougie continues to rub a thumb over the bear as another silence consume the room.

“Can I see your mark?”

“You want me to take off my pants?”

“What’s a little nudity between soulmates?”

Dougie feels overwhelmingly shy, like he’s a scrawny kid in an NHL locker room for the first time.

He stands up and lets his sweats drop to the ground and step out of them. He’s not sure whether to stand or sit when Parker grabs his hips and maneuvers Dougie in front of him.

Parker’s face is unreadable, he’s staring like he’s trying to decipher, figure out what Dougie always wondered his whole life.

“Do you know what hydrangeas symbolize?”

“Beauty and grace and some other stuff.”

“Yeah, they also symbolize unity because there’s so many little blossoms making one big flower.”

He looks towards the right mark, getting close with his fingers but not quite touching, “pink hydrangeas symbolize love, normal soul mark stuff.”

Parker then focuses to the left mark, actually touching the skin ever so gently. He doesn’t talk for a while but Dougie can’t bring himself to speak, he doesn’t want him to stop.

"My parents gave me green hydrangeas after I told them I was transitioning."

He finally looks up, eyes a little glossy.

“They represent rebirth,” his voice cracks a little and he gives each flower a kiss, each giving Dougie a burst of warmth.

“The universe knew you’d love me before and after,” Parker is crying, but his smile is undeniable.

Dougie doesn’t know what to say, doesn’t have all the words, doesn’t want to say the wrong thing. So, he pulls him off the couch and holds him tight against his chest, because he knows the universe was right about loving Parker then and now.

[wyattjohnston]

I’m going a bit rogue here but how about Dougie and Brie with 21) things you said when we were on top of the world?

21) things you said when we were on top of the world? - dougie & brie

With the end of the season came a much-needed vacation—for Brie, of course. Dougie needed one, too, sure, but Brie had been looking forward to getting away because she’d been stuck in New Jersey since the beginning of the season.

She sometimes thought she was being spoilt, because she couldn’t remember the last vacation she’d had before she and Dougie got together, but now they were bare minimum once a year. Twice if she could get away during the All-Star Break.

They were travelling through Ireland, visiting every castle that popped up on road signs. Up until that vacation Brie wouldn’t have said she was particularly interested in castles and yet she was feeling nothing short of ethereal every time one came into view.

It was during their stay at Ashford Castle that her emotions peaked, the countryside blowing her mind whenever she turned around. A perfect green she didn’t think she’d ever seen before filling every part of her vision that wasn’t a gorgeous casual or the most pristine lake she could imagine.

On a leisurely walk one morning, taking in the views of the lake, Brie said, out loud but mostly to herself, “We should get married here.”

Dougie paused for a split second but recovered quickly, his breathing steady, “When’s the wedding?”

A little caught out, Brie glanced up at Dougie with a twinkle in her eye, “Probably in the summer—just don’t know which one yet. Just waiting on someone else to get their shit together.”

He hummed thoughtfully, “I’ll pass the message along.”

[literaryslapshot]

Hello! Could you please write something for Dougie Hamilton & labyrinth; "oh no, i'm falling in love again"?

meet me at midnight | contains: gn!reader

there was something about him. you couldn't pin point it, but he never left you with a queasy feeling. he always left you wanting more. he left you wanting more interactions, more hugs, more laughs, more smiles, more talks- more. it wasn't like anything you had before. he left you with this light and fluffy feeling in your stomach, like you had just gotten off a roller coaster and the adrenaline was starting to slow down.

there was something in him that was different. something good, fun, nice. something there that makes you want to be around him. there was never a time around dougie where you wanted to leave early, no, you wanted to stay around him as long as you could. as many seconds, minutes, hours with him you could soak in you would. it never got old, and you didn't want it to.

since day one that you met him there was a seed of interest planted in you and ever since it just kept growing and growing. he watered the seed with every word he spoke and look he gave you. everything that dougie hamilton did, you loved.

loved. that's the word, loved. everything he did, everything he talked about, texted about, posted about you loved and adored right alongside him. prior to dougie, you had never even listened to a single weezer song, but now it's on every single playlist of yours. you hadn't watched a single lord of the rings movie, but now you'd seen them all twice. it's safe to say that you were falling in love, and it was a terrifying realization.

dougie noticed. he noticed on game nights you didn't sit next to him like you always did like the last times before. he noticed you weren't texting him back right away, you weren't always responding to his stories, you weren't wishing him good luck on game days as consistently. he noticed that you were slowly slipping away, and he began to grow worried.

so dougie did what he's not afraid to do, and that as confront you about it. he showed up at your door at random, not letting you know beforehand. he knocks on your door until you answer, then walks in right past you once you finally open the door. he can tell that you had been having a hard day, and he hoped that his interrogation wouldn't make it even harder. but he went forth with his intentions anyway.

"why have you been avoiding me?"

you crossed your arms, folding your hands within your cardigan, looking up at him in confusion. he repeated himself and let out a huffing breath, standing in your living room with an expression you couldn't really understand.

"you've been avoiding me, it's obvious. you're not doing the things with me, with the group, lately and it's starting to worry me." dougie explained, "is everything okay? i meant it, are you like okay? do we need to talk about-"

"i'm in love with you dougie, that's the problem." you blurted out the words before you could drag them back in. they were out there. you had spoken them, they were out, and there was nothing that could undo it.

"wha-what do you mean?" he sat down on the edge of your coffee table and looked up at you. his face had softened; he made his body smaller and less intimidating to look at while you confessed your feelings. "why is it a problem?"

"c'mon dougie, you know what happened last time i fell in love with someone. it got handed back to me in the worst way and i...i'm terrified of that happening again." you looked down at the floor beneath you, slowly wrapping your arms around yourself and taking your time in speaking your words.

"i've been slowly falling for you, and while i tried to keep myself from it, it happened." dougie stood up and slowly took a few steps toward you. gently, he placed a hand on your shoulder and then when he felt you relax he took you into a warm embrace.

you were taking deep breaths as you rested your head against his chest. dougie felt comfortable enough to rest his head on top of yours, "you know i'm not like him." he mumbled. you took a sigh and felt a few tears slip out of your eyes. he could never be like him.

"i know, doug." he tightened his grip on you just a little bit before taking a brave step and kissing the top of your head. you took your arms and then wrapped them around his torso to complete the hug.

"i'm falling in love with you too."

those were the words that you needed to hear, to then confirm that there was something worth it about him.

[laurenairay]

can I request prompt 5 with my big man dougie Hamilton?? happy birthday!!! ❤️❤️

I appreciate that you appreciate Dougie as much as I appreciate Dougie. Especially his big hands 😘

“We should compare hands. You know, for science.”

Words: 990

*

“Hey! Hey baby, you’re here! You look so pretty! Isn’t she so pretty, Cap?” Dougie sighed happily.

By the glassy eyes and the widely gesturing hands, it didn’t take you long to figure out what was wrong with him. When your boyfriend’s captain had called you to say that Dougie had to be carried off the ice during practice because he was seconds away from passing out, you knew you should’ve put your foot down harder this morning when he was leaving home. But it was too late now – so here you were, leaning in the doorway of a trainer’s room with Nico looming beside you, Dougie stretched out on a medical bed without a care in the world.

He was an idiot. But he was your idiot.

“Very pretty,” Nico agreed solemnly, corner of his mouth twitching in a smile.

Then he turned to you with an apologetic expression.

“I should’ve warned you on the phone,” he started.

You held your hands up, shaking your head with an amused smile.

“You guys have him on the good cold & flu meds huh?” you mused.

“Yeah sorry about that – there were no notes about him reacting this way to them,” Nico winced.

“Eh, no harm no foul. I wouldn’t mind help getting him out to the car though,” you shrugged, laughing.

Nico laughed as well, nodding as he clearly tried to picture you carrying the drowsy giant out by yourself. “Not a problem – that’s why the trainer left us, he’s already gone to find something to wheel him out with.”

“I did tell him that he shouldn’t have gone in for practice today, but he insisted,” you said.

“Yeah that sounds like him. It was scary seeing him sway on the ice though, and that was before the nasty coughing,” Nico frowned.

You rolled your eyes fondly, shaking your head, to which your oblivious boyfriend just smiled. You could imagine it clearly – considering how bad Dougie was when he left the house this morning, you would put money on him being dehydrated from pushing himself so hard, as well as the phlegm having built in his chest not helped by the fact that his nose was blocked. Such an idiot. He was lucky he was so endearing.

“I’ll make sure he rests up this time, I promise,” you sighed, still unable to stop yourself from smiling slightly at the sight in front of you.

“I know you will,” Nico mused, “Also I’m pretty sure Dougie knows that you’re a little mad at him so I can’t see him fighting you on this again.”

The trainer interrupted your laughter, arriving in the corridor with a wheeling flatbed cart.

“Is this the thing they cart the goalies out on?” you snickered.

“Have you seen the size of your boyfriend?” Nico grinned.

He had you there.

Between the three of you, you managed to get Dougie up off the bed and onto the cart, Dougie immediately grabbing your hand, Nico just grinning as he snapped a few subtle pictures. No way were you going to stop the blackmail opportunity. Nico and the trainer pushed the cart down the hallways, Dougie just chattering to you nonsensically, and you found yourself humming and listening to the chatter as you walked by his side.

It was kind of sweet, seeing this side of him, although you knew that he would massively regret getting into this situation in the first place as soon as he was lucid enough.

“You know what, baby?”

“What?” you mused, looking down at Dougie again.

“We should compare hands. You know, for science,” he slurred.

What the fuck?

Nico didn’t bother hiding laughter this time, the trainer snickering as well, but Dougie just stared up at you with big eyes, waiting for your response.

“For science?” you said lightly.

“Yeah! Because my hands are so big and yours are so small and I like holding your hand,” he nodded.

Oh bless his heart.

He was definitely going to regret this tomorrow.

“We can definitely do that. At home, though, where we can log the results properly,” you mused, “for science.”

Dougie seemed happy with that answer, nodding to himself and smiling as the cart finally reached the doors for the car parking area. Nico was still grinning as he helped the trainer lift Dougie into your car, and you knew that he wasn’t going to waste a moment texting the team the full details of Dougie’s clouded mental reactions, just as Dougie deserved.

“Have you got it from here?” Nico asked, watching in amusement as Dougie fumbled with the seatbelt catch.

“Yeah, I think so. Thanks for your help,” you nodded, smiling, “Make sure there’s enough chirping that he doesn’t do this again.”

“That I can definitely help with,” Nico grinned.

You grinned back at him before getting in the car yourself, waving goodbye as Nico and the trainer headed back inside.

“Ready to go home?” you mused, starting the car.

“Yeah, I don’t feel so good,” Dougie nodded, eyes a little more half-lidded.

You could only imagine how out of it he would be by the time you arrived home, poor guy.

“Okay, let’s get going. Try to stay awake for me, yeah?” you said, smiling softly as you pulled out of the parking spot.

“I will do my best,” Dougie said seriously, although the slur in his voice made him sound more than a little silly, “Did I tell you that I love you?”

This guy. This sweet guy.

“This morning you did, yes,” you nodded, smiling a little wider.

“Good. You should always know how much I love you,” he said happily, wiggling his shoulders as if he was snuggling into the seat, “Because I do. Love you, that is.”

“I love you too, Dougie.”

If loving him meant hauling him out of the car mostly unconscious, then it was worth it for that brilliant sweet smile he sent your way.

[ilyasorokinn]

new jersey devils

* = from a prompt list 

dougie hamilton !

imagines,

✷ good tidings - y/n works at a hospital, and as a surprise to all the kids, y/n asks her boyfriend dougie to come visit. he agrees, and invited a few friends along. (part of “taylor’s 14 days of christmas” series)

✷ pillow talk with y/n y/l/n - y/n, an influencer, invites dougie onto her podcast, where they talk about their life, dating, marriage, hockey, and everything else in between.

✷ winner, winner, pumpkin dinner - at the devil's annual halloween party, the host’s decide to have a couple's costume party, and the prize, for the winning couple, is loads of candy, a couple's massage, oh, and of course, pumpkins. (part of “taylor’s halloween series”)

blurbs,

✷ three jobs - y/n’s gonna need 3 jobs to try and support their three dogs. *

✷ birthday bash - dougie comes home to a mini surprise birthday party with you and your dog, effie.

nico hischier !

imagines,

✷ meeting the in-laws - y/n’s never met nico’s parents. not in the whole year and a half they’ve been dating. so he invited y/n home for the holidays, and introduces her to the family. (part of “taylor’s 14 days of christmas” series)

✷ something blue - one of the stories nico learned about y/n early on was the story of the lost ring. it was a ring given to y/n when she was 17, but during a move, it was accidentally sold. so, nico decides to track it down and give it to her for chirstmas. (part of “taylor’s very merry christmas” series)

blurbs,

✷ been nicer - y/n pulls the “you could’ve been nicer to me today” prank on nico.

✷ i love you - y/n pulls the tiktok prank on nico of not saying “i love you” back.

✷ in the presence of royalty - y/n takes nico home, but doesn’t let her family know who he is. *

✷ alarm - y/n acts as nico’s alarm when he sleeps through his. *

series,

✷ the hischier family - nico hishcier, and his life with his daughter, elena.

jack hughes !

blurbs,

✷ spilling all the secrets - y/n goes home with jack, and as a way to close out the summer, his neighborhood throws a bonfire, where they expose jack and all his secrets. *

✷ jacky and miss andie - andie, y/n’s niece, and jack are best of friends. *

luke hughes !

blurbs,

✷ 20 instagram requests - after hiding his girlfriend, luke’s teammates follow him and find out about his girlfriend.

✷ special celebration - y/n and luke celebrate after luke breaks the freshman defense record.

✷ weird - luke’s been acting weird, so quinn and jack investigate (eavesdrop) into why. (prequel to “20 instagram requests)

✷ indulging the crazy -y/n and luke had plans, but then it rains, and the one thing that means: dancing in the rain.

✷ sister? - luke finds out owen has a sister, and he finds out that sister is his girlfriend.

[ wips ] [ masterlist of masterlists ] [ taglist ]

[incorrectdevils]

Nico Hischier: My life is a little too much panic and not enough disco. Jack Hughes: My life is a little too much fall and not enough boy. Jesper Bratt: My life is a little too much chemical and not enough romance. Dougie Hamilton: My life is a little too much imagination and not nearly enough dragons!

[ticiie]

week 3: (missed) late night calls

prompt from the off-season winter sport fandom challange

characters: Nico Hischier, Jonas Siegenthaler, Jack Hughes (mentioned), Dougie Hamilton (mentioned)

length: 795 words

author's note: once again had to adjust the prompt because it was giving me 💫nothing💫 also as much as i want switzerland to do well at the upcoming iihf worlds, i kinda don't want to see any of the devils there because i want them to win the cup even more? sue me. so here goes nothing

The silence which had settled in the bus was filled with a tension that was almost graspable. Most of the players were trying to distract themselves by listening to music or scrolling through their phones. Nico, who was sitting next to Jonas in the back of the bus, had his head rested against the window. His level of adrenaline was still low enough to make him drowse off every now and then and since traffic was making a fool of them at the moment anyway, he might as well use the time efficiently. Jonas, on the other hand, felt his heart beating in his throat already. Not to be dramatic but the amount of blood, sweat and yes, even tears, it had taken them all to get here tonight was far beyond anything he could’ve ever imagined. It would all come to an end tonight and Jonas was trying to not imagine what would happen if they lost in tonight’s final. There was no sense in worrying about the outcome, never had been, yet his brain was running on full speed, his chest felt tight all of a sudden, and why was it so hot in here, had somebody turned on the heating? Jonas was pulling at the collar of his button down. An unpleasant tingle started to rise from somewhere near his stomach into his limbs. Only when Nico placed his hand above Jonas’ which he had clenched around the handle that was fixed to the backrest of the seat in front of him, he felt the flurry easing off little by little.

“Breathe,” Nico said, his voice as calm as always. Jonas did as he was told. They locked eyes, their fingers intertwined, pulling each other back up to the surface. The panic passed almost as quickly as it came and Jonas’ heartbeat slowed down to a healthier rhythm again. Nico didn’t let go of his hand though, not even as he pulled out his phone and showed Jonas a picture that had just reached both their and also Timo’s and Akira’s phone. It was most of their other team, and they were all wearing red-and-white jerseys that said “Swiss devils” giving the camera thumbs up and bright smiles. Jack had captioned the picture “GO WOLF PACK” and Jonas smiled. “I guess he’s not angry at us anymore then?” he asked.

“He told me how he’d much rather get kicked out by us than having to watch Sweden winning yet another time.”

“So, no pressure at all,” Jonas mumbled and Nico laughed softly. He pulled Jonas’ hand towards him and placed a small kiss on the older one’s knuckles. “We’ll be okay.” It was more of a promise than anything else and Jonas wanted nothing more in the world than to believe it and especially the person rewarding it to him.

What happened then was the stuff that dreams were made of. Until this night, Nico had never seen their head-coach cry but when Patrick was handed the trophy, his face was covered in tears and the sight of it alone was enough for a sob to escape Nico's throat. It took them half an eternity to get from the ice to the mixed zone let alone back into the changing room. Nico was the last player to reach it. He had lost complete track of time. The mood was incomparable to what it had been like this afternoon, loud music, shouts, and laughter were filling the cabin, someone had organised beer and pizza and the trophy was still going its rounds from hand to hand. It was simply impossible to describe the pure joy that was soaring through Jonas’ body. And when Nico entered the changing room, exhausted but happy, his heart started doing the sort of flips he had gotten addicted to over the years.

By the time Jonas got to check his phone again, the clock on the display told him it was past 3am. His intoxicated brain didn’t progress this information at all, along with the fact that apparently, Jonas had missed two dozen calls and was left with nearly one hundred unread messages. The only one that mattered though was one from Hamilton that had arrived only a few minutes ago. It was a picture he obviously had taken from a TV-screen, frozen at the very moment when Jonas and Nico had reached each other after the final siren that had announced their victory. One could barely tell where Nico started and Jonas ended and all Hamilton had to say about it was a short “idiots in love. Congrats.” Jonas grinned into his phone like an utter goofball as he set the picture as his lock screen-wallpaper. The night was mild, a soft breeze was rushing through Jonas’ hair and he exhaled in relief.

[wildrangers]

Which hockey players do you think would make good dads? (Who aren’t already) been reading blurbs and imagines so I’m in my feels lol. Also loved the first Taylor Swift vault blurb, so good! 😊

Hi there anon!!

Interesting question hmmm…one of the first that comes to mind is Nico, he just seems so soft and wonderful. Chris Kreider would be a wonderful father for sure. Omg and Dougie Hamilton!! The cutest. Brock Boeser comes to mind. I feel like the Hughes parents are great so when the boys are older they will be too but they’re pretty young yet (minus Quinn, he’s a full adult lol). I feel like the Tkachuks would be chaos incarnate but kind of fun? That’s all I’ve got 😂😂

And ahhhh thank you it means so much!! 🫶🏻 I’m hoping to get the next one up before Christmas.

[mommahughes19-23]

toooo fancy - N.H

@baby.bianca : finally convinced @ninahischier to come watch a game with me ( SHE TOLD ME I DRESS TO FANCY )

tagged : @nicohischier @ninahischier

jackhughes : maybe bc you do dress fancy af ... wear some normal clothes 😬

↪ baby.bianca : FIND A REAL GIRLFRIEND

lhughes_06 : wow and u still managed to get the shittiest drinks our arena sells.... 🤯🤯

↪ ninahischier : LUCAS HUSH

nicohischier : 2 of my favorite girls , love you both so much💖💝💖

dawson1417 : never not wearing a hat of some sort

↪ nicohischier : never not being annoying

pally_18 : you know the season ended a few months ago.... 🫡

john.marino97 : our biggest and best fan

↪ baby.bianca : dont call me big 😡

jesperbratt : cant wait to see you both more next season.

tmeier96 : I bet niña regrets it 😜

bssmith2 : dang our arena is massive from poor people angels

↪ baby.bianca : i will steal ur skates and use them on concrete if you ever talk to me like this again

↪ ninahischier : I wouldn't test her..

ehaula : WAG energy at its peak

tofff73 : my girlyyyyyys

curtislazar95 : thanks for keeping reanne entertained I guess

akiraschmid93 : always nice to see you both

holtz_10 : devils devils devils

siegenthaler34 : go home

↪ baby.bianca : you go home

dougieham : mom

naterbastia : momma

jesperboqvist : mother

reannelazar : had a FANTASTIC time catching up with you two!!!

kristen.haula : Thank you for spicing up the game!! you both need to come more!

vitacz15 : 👿

simonnemac17 : 👺

jobernier45 : 😈

kevinbahl88 : 👹

ninahischier : HAD THE BEST TIME THANK YOU FOR HAVING MEEE!

tags : @mileysrae @noahkahansorangejuice @skylershines @quinnylouhughesx43

[whockeywhore]

Skip Over It 15

I woke up in my bed, the sheets under me damp with sweat. The other side of the bed was still made and I sat up, listening for him in my apartment. It was quiet until a loud bang rang out from the kitchen, followed by quiet cursing.

I got up and started towards the kitchen when I ran into Dougie in the hall. His eyes were wide and he held a pan in each hand as he gave me a once over.

"Did I wake you?" I shook my head and he let out a sigh of relief. "Good. Do you have a stock pot?"

"Cabinet above the fridge."

He nodded and went back to whatever he'd been doing as I reached for the thermostat to turn it down. My body was sore and I gingerly took a seat at the counter to watch him. He'd pulled out the stock pot, set it on the stove, and had begun rifling through grocery bags on the counter.

"Did you go shopping?"

"Yeah, just to get a few things." I watched him empty a carton of chicken stock before crushing it and throwing it into the trash. He turned the heat on and turned to look at me. "How are you feeling?"

"Better. Hot."

"Your fever must've broken." He reached out and pressed his hand to my forehead, watching me as he did. "You were sleeping hard. Have you taken anything since you got up?"

I shook my head and turned to grab the bottle of ibuprofen from the couch, eyeing the rumpled blanket and pillows left there. "Did you sleep out here last night?"

"Yeah, I figured you didn't want me to..." Tension began to grow between us and I busied myself with pouring a glass of water, slipping behind him to fill a cup from the fridge. He didn't say anything for a long minute but finally cleared his throat. "Are you ready to talk now?"

"I don't know if there's anything to talk about."

"Can you please let me explain?"

I reclaimed my seat and nodded, staring down at my hands as be began. It wasn't outlandish to believe, not farfetched by any means, but I was still skeptical. He cooked while he spoke and I joined in after a few minutes, eager for a distraction. I could feel his eyes on me as I chopped celery but I fought the urge to react.

I added the pile of vegetables to the pot and finally turned to look at him. He was being earnest, sincere when he spoke, and I wanted nothing more than to fall into his arms. Fatigue was wearing down my resolve and I leaned against the counter.

"You know me Chloe, and you know I would never do anything like that."

"I do- I know you wouldn't. But the girl in your hotel room isn't our only issue Dougie." He put down the knife he'd been using to chop chicken and mirrored my position, crossing his arms over his chest. "You could've been seriously hurt and it's my job to make sure that doesn't happen. Your health and the team's health is my priority."

"I understand that."

"You can't expect me to look the other way and put you at risk just because I'm your girlfriend."

"But I can't be in a relationship with someone who I can't trust."

"Trust me with what, Dougie? You took a hit that could've broken a rib. Were you planning on playing injured?" He started to nod and I snapped over the absurdity. "Why? Why would you risk your life and your health over a stupid game?"

"It's not a fucking game, Chloe! It's my livelihood."

"It's not your livelihood, Dougie. Playing injured isn't your livelihood. It's your fucking ego." He stepped forward and I met him where he stood, pressing a finger into his chest. "You really think you're solely responsible for the success of this team, enough to where you get reckless and make stupid decisions, and you got angry because I interefered with that. Am I right?"

"That's not-"

"Am I right or not?" I could see I'd pissed him off but I couldn't stop. The wound was wide open and I figured it was time to let it all out. He wouldn't look at me but I didn't care. "You are... so talented and a huge part of why the Canes have gotten so far, and I understand that it's a lot of pressure. But you are not the only reason and you are not the only person on that ice. You need to get over yourself!"

He opened his mouth to speak but closed it without a word, turning to leave instead. I watched him grab his keys from the counter and reach for the handle, wrenching the door open and stopping with one foot out.

He turned to look at me and I knew I'd gone too far by the way he clenched his jaw. I wanted him to stay, to yell and tell me off so I knew it was something we could fix. I took a step forward but he shook his head and left. The slamming of the door echoed in the empty apartment and I fell back against the counter again.

My head had started to ache and a chill took over, my fever returning slowly but surely. I turned the stove off, the thermostat back up, and the television on before grabbing the blanket he'd slept with from the couch. It smelled like him, earthy and musky, and I buried myself in it as I started to cry.

[toffoliravioli]

dougie is about to come deliver my package thanks bestie

[hotanddistraught]

carolina, after actually having to pay 6.1 million to kotkaniemi: i fear i may have girlbossed a bit too close to the sun

[wyattjohnston]

i'll bet you didn't even know - dougie hamilton

summary: Brie really just wants Dougie to be happy, even if that means letting him love someone else. Funny thing is, she might not be the only person who feels that way.

word count: 3,420

It was getting late, so people were starting to leave. Saying goodbye to everyone was always an impossible feat, but Brie always tried to say goodbye to everyone if possible and she tried to make sure Dougie did, too.

“Marty’s heading off,” she said, walking up to Dougie who was experiencing a lull in conversation with a woman Brie didn’t recognise, “you should go say goodbye.”

“Of course,” the woman said bitterly. “I’m so fucking stupid.”

Brie hesitated, taking time to notice Stacey’s familiar facial features that she’d been hiding behind wonderfully styled and newly dyed hair.

“Oh, Stacey, I didn’t recognise you!” she exclaimed, genuinely excited to see Stacey for the first time since she and Dougie broke up two months prior.

Stacey turned to Dougie, her voice shrill and demanding, “How long were we broken up before you jumped into bed with her? Were we even broken up?”

“I beg your pardon?” Brie asked, the conversation losing her immediately. All she knew was that Stacey was far less excited about seeing her again.

Stacey talked directly to Dougie, “You broke up with me so that you could date her, didn’t you?”

“Dougie and I—we’re not dating,” Brie said quickly and defensively, looking between Dougie and Stacey, who had started to cry.

“You don’t have to lieto me,” Stacey spat. “You’re so perfect together. Everyone told me it was only a matter of time before you realised it.”

“I have no idea what’s going on here. I think you two have some things you need to talk about? I’ll talk to you later, Dougie.”

He sent Brie a pleading look, but she didn’t hang around to save him. She felt a little bad that the crying didn’t stop, that the screaming got louder, she just knew that she had been the reason it started and hanging around would only have increased it tenfold.

It was much easier to hover around other groups of people, inserting herself into conversations where she fit or talking a moment to check her phone where her family group chat was being filled with photos of her nieces and nephews with Santa. Nothing was enough to distract her from the argument Dougie and Stacey were having—everyone in the room had taken notice and pretending they hadn’t—or from the way Stacey stormed out of the party with a shrill scream and stomping feet.

Brie was right back by Dougie’s side before anybody else could get to him, whispering, “I’m really sorry, Dougie. For whatever that was.”

“Nothing you need to be sorry about,” he assured her sincerely. The smile on his face was far less sincere, though it was projected more to the rest of the people at the party than at Brie.

“I liked her. I thought she was good for you,” Brie sighed. “Why did you break up? I thought it was because you grew apart?”

“The jealousy got out of hand. I couldn’t not be with her without her asking if I was with you.”

“Oh.”

“It’s not your fault, Brie,” he said, hurriedly, trying desperately to make eye contact with her to prove he was still being truthful with her.

“It kind of is, though. I don’t want to be the reason your relationships end.”

“Just the one, and I’m not super cut up about it.”

A certain amount of alarm entered Brie’s mind at the sincerity of his answer. Despite the intensity of what had only just occurred, he didn’t seem very cut up about the end of the relationship. His discomfort was far more with the scene Stacey had caused.

Brie said nothing more, just brought her glass of wine to her mouth and drained it in one mouthful.

Nicole’s entrance into Dougie’s life—and thus Brie’s—was a dramatic affair. Not nearly as dramatic as Stacey’s final exit but dramatic, nonetheless.

February brought Brady and Gracia from New York, and within a week Gracia had introduced Nicole to Dougie. Another week went by before Dougie was talking about Nicole as if she was the best thing to ever happen to him, and Gracia was drunkenly apologising to Brie for setting them up in the first place.

“It’s fine,” Brie insisted, yet again, as Gracia pouted in front of her.

“No, but if I’d known that you and Dougie were meant for each other I would have kept my big mouth shut,” Gracia stressed. “I just showed up to a brand-new team and immediately fucked it up.”

Brie put her drink down so that she could place her hands on Gracia’s shoulders and look her directly in the eyes as she said, “Dougie and I isn’t going to happen.”

“But it could,” Gracia sighed, “and it would be so fucking cute.”

“Gracia, if Dougie and I were going to be together we would be together. Nothing has ever indicated to me that he sees me that way.”

“You see him that way, though. I think you love him.”

Brie’s mouth snapped shut as she watched Gracia’s frown deepen, she was clearly distressed by what she’d done even if it was exaggerated by alcohol. The team had gone out for dinner and then broken off into smaller groups to head out to continue the night. It was at the bar where Brie met them. Most of them had a head start on her because of the dinner.

“I’m happy to be Best Friend Brie,” she said, and it wasn’t a lie. She found her eyes drifting over to Dougie where he was talking to Jani and Marty and her heart stuttered because there wasn’t a future she wanted where Dougie wasn’t part of it.

“Lowkey,” Gracia said, but it clearly wasn’t lowkey at all, “that’s super depressing. I could never just be Brady’s best friend.”

“I don’t know, you’d be surprised about what you can do just to keep the person you love in your life.”

Gracia didn’t buy it, her pout exaggerating and the sadness in her eyes deepening. Brie had nothing more to say and thankfully was saved from having to find something when Brady walked up to say it was time for them to leave.

Nicole was lovely, truth be told. She fit in seamlessly, too. Brie couldn’t bring herself to dislike her even remotely—which was a conundrum because it only served to make her actually dislike Nicole. Brie remained friendly, though. It wasn’t Nicole’s fault that Brie was in love with her boyfriend.

Brie bought another Aperol Spritz at the bar once Gracia was finally convinced to leave and found her way to Amy and Courtney. Brie always felt at home with the team, and the wives and girlfriends were people she knew she could count on in an emergency. Even more than that, though, they were her friends, and she was comfortable around them—which is why she always showed up after team and family events when things were less official.

“Nicole already fits right in,” Amy said, gesturing subtly to wear Nicole was speaking with another group. “It’s only been a couple of weeks, but I really think she might be the one for him.”

Brie bit into her cheek, agreeing, “She seems really great. He’s been really happy.”

Amy and Courtney began to gush, and Brie let them, because although Gracia had cottoned on to Brie’s feelings immediately, everyone else had just watched Dougie and Brie be themselves. The feelings were gradual, and Brie had been sure to never be overt when they did start to change.

The conversation moved on naturally and Brie followed it, keen to talk about anything else. It almost always came back to Courtney’s kids—who were adorable, so Brie would never complain—and how Courtney was taking full advantage of Marty’s parents being in town so they could have a proper night out.

It grew later, everyone grew wearier, and people started to leave. With fewer people to talk to, Brie made her way over to Dougie for the first time since she’d greeted him. It hadn’t been her intention to stay away from him, and it even had nothing to do with Nicole hanging around him, it was just habitual to catch up with everyone else because she knew she’d get to see him the next day, or at least during the week.

He wrapped his arm around her shoulders when she stood beside him, his big grin making her chest warm and her body shiver as she slotted in easily. He didn’t stop talking to the boys, barely missing a word when she showed up, and she settled in for however long the night left.

Until, of course, Nicole moseyed on over. Dougie’s arm left Brie’s shoulders instantly as he drew Nicole into him. Brie stepped aside, the warmth of his body leaving her, and let Nicole fill in the newly created space between them.

Nicole’s laughter filled her ears as Dougie started to tickle her sides, and it was immediately followed by a joyous chuckle from Dougie.

And just like that… Brie knew she wanted Dougie to be happy more than anything and she knew she was going to have to take a step back if it meant Nicole staying around.

“Brie!”

Brie stopped mid-step in the centre of the lobby. A man scoffed at her as he walked around her, but she made no effort to get out of the most direct path to the door. She was far more focused on searching for whoever had called her name.

By the time she spotted who it was and realised they were making a beeline for her, it was too late for Brie to make the getaway she so desperately wanted to.

“Nicole—hey. Um, what are you doing here? At my work.”

Nicole was smiling as though her presence was normal, and she was taking Brie’s hand and pulling her outside.

“It’s Opening Night.”

“I know.”

“You need to be there. Dougie has mentioned it so many times this week. He really wants you there.”

Brie sighed and unsuccessfully tried to take back her hand. She said, “I’m exhausted and starving, and I just want to go home.”

“Please,” Nicole begged. “We can go get food and I’ll drive and if you want, I’ll drive you home and give you some money to get to work tomorrow.”

“Why would you do that?”

“He really wants you there. You’re his best friend and you haven’t been around since last season, and this would mean the world to him which in turn would mean the world to me.”

“Fine,” Brie relented despite her better judgement.

Nicole squeed and dragged Brie to the sporty coupe parked on the street. She started talking about dinner options and the best way to get to the arena and Brie sat in the passenger’s seat and waited for the heart to swallow her whole.

She considered just jumping out of the moving car a la Steve Carrell in Crazy, Stupid, Love when Nicole reached into the back and threw a brand-new jersey at her, stating, “As if I was going to let you go in without one.”

Brie’s heart thudded, her breath caught, and she traced over the red 19.

“He said you didn’t have a Take Warning one yet.”

“Uh, no. I’ve been meaning to, but I really liked the away ones, so I never got around to it.”

Dinner was insufferable if you asked Brie. Nicole didn’t seem to agree if her endless, easy conversation was any sort of proof. Brie managed to shove enough dumplings in her mouth for minimal input which surely did little to stave off her discomfort because she was forced to listen to the entire itinerary of Nicole and Dougie’s vacation to Spain.

“Dougie had a weird aversion to going to Greece, though,” Nicole said with a confused head tilt. “He got quite upset when I brought it up as an idea.”

Brie pushed an entire dumpling into her mouth to stop herself from explaining that it was because she and Dougie had always planned to go together.

Nicole was none the wiser as she moved on to her job.

A victory was on the cards—3-0 over the Canucks—and Brie was happy that she’d been kidnapped. Everyone had been delighted to see her and she had been perfectly distracted from the fact that it had taken Dougie’s girlfriend to get her to the arena.

At least until Nicole grabbed her shoulder and said that they were going down to the locker room.

There were far too many friendly faces waiting for her to make an excuse and get away. She pulled her hands into the jersey’s sleeves and moved to the back of the group with Heather Staal.

And she stayed at the back, hidden, until a few of the players had come and gone. Trying to pretend she couldn’t see how close Dougie was standing to Nicole.

It took an agonisingly long time for Dougie to notice Brie—for Heather to point her out to him. Brie wished it had taken longer. Maybe wished that it had never happened.

Dougie’s hands fell from Nicole’s waist, not in a deliberate way but in a distracted way as he turned his head and made eye contact with Brie. His long legs meant that he covered the distance between them in no time at all and was cupping her face before she had time to register.

“Hi,” he breathed through a wide grin. “I didn’t believe that you were actually here.”

“I’m here,” she breathed back, her heart heaving. “I’m here, Dougie.”

His hands dropped from her face, and she was enveloped in an all-consuming hug. She wrapped her arms around him, buried her face in his shoulder and revelled in how good it felt to be so close to him.

The freeze that washed over her when they pulled apart was the most frigid she had ever felt. Also every pair of eyes was on the pair of them, some shifting between them and Nicole, and Brie had never felt more like a caged animal.

She stepped back, putting distance between them, thanked Nicole for picking her up, and then said the hastiest of goodbyes as she was already walking away. Nobody called out to her, accepting her excuse of an early start at work—or at least accepting that they would not be able to change her mind.

Driving home was exhausting,

Driving home was exhausting, despite not being very long. Keeping her attention on the road was nearly impossible when all she could feel was the ghost of his hands on her face, remembering how easy it would have been for him to lean down and kiss her. Mostly, it was how normal it had been. Almost as if it was something they’d been doing for years when it was the first time he’d ever looked at her with such longing, the first time he’d ever held her like he truly didn’t want to let go.

Brie had barely changed into her pyjamas when her doorbell rang. It was nearing midnight and she had never been more thankful for the camera looking onto her front porch. Until she saw Dougie’s face on her phone. Pulling her robe on, she made her way down the hall with a sick feeling brewing in her stomach.

“What are you doing here? Are you okay? Come in,” Brie said, speaking all in one breath as she pulled Dougie inside by his forearm and closing the door. When he didn’t speak, she squeezed his arm and said worriedly, “Dougie.”

“Nicole broke up with me.”

Brie’s instincts conflicted in that moment—to pull him close and hold him or drop his arm and put ten feet of distance between them.

“I, um,” she stuttered and opted to let go of his arm but not step back. “That’s my fault, right? I tried so hard to be normal and I still fucked it up. Dougie, I’m so sorry—I was keeping my distance so that this wouldn’t happen and then the one nightI’m around—”

“I knew you were avoiding me,” he said triumphantly.

Brie couldn’t comprehend the smile on his face. “Why are you happy? Aren’t you going to yell at me?”

“No? Not even a little bit. She gave me two options about you: I get over you or I finally tell you that I love you.”

The ringing in her ears was so loud that Brie thought for half a second that one of her neighbours was being broken into—it was nothing like that, though, just Dougie standing in front of her as casually as ever, like he hadn’t just dropped a bomb.

“What?”

“I just need to know what you want. The first option hasn’t ever really been successful, but I reckon if I actually hear you tell me I don’t have a chance it might work better.”

“You do,” Brie said around the lump in her throat. “You do have a chance. You’ve always had a chance but—I don’t know. Stacey wasn’t a threat, I guess. You were never going to settle down with her, but Nicole seemed like the girl you would marry.”

“So, you dealt with that by ignoring me.”

“I wanted you to be happy and give her a chance. I didn’t want her to be like Stacey and leave because she was insecure about our friendship—which apparently I was right to do because the first time in like five months that I’m around she leaves you.”

Dougie shook his head, “Technically she gave me two options and I chose to come here.”

“She’s amazing, Dougie. I can’t—”

“You’re amazing.”

“I’m not—”

“Brie, I chose you. No matter how this conversation goes I can’t take that back. There was a little bit there about apparently having a chance and I would like to cash in on that chance.”

“There was a part where you might love me? Can you just—”

“I love you. I’ve loved you for a long time.”

Brie started to nod, frantically, as she stepped closer to him, and her breath was taken away when he cupped her cheeks in his hands again. Warmth ran through her as their eyes met.

She held her breath; Dougie held his.

“You’re not going to wear a jersey? You always wear a jersey to the first game.”

“There are two major differences this year: I used to sit in the crowd, not the family box and this isn’t my team.”

“Of course, it’s your team,” Dougie countered. “It’s your team because it’s my team.”

“Carolina was my team long before you came around. That still doesn’t change the fact that I can’t wear a jersey in the family box without looking like a total asshole.”

“Do you want to sit in the crowd? I can find a way to make that happen.”

“You just want me to wear your name,” Brie said, poking his chest when he stubbornly shut his mouth without protest. “Remember when you got me this very, very nice bracelet with your name engraved into it? I always wear your name.”

Brie let the sleeve of her jacket fall, so Dougie could stare down at the hand poking him and see the exposed Cartier bracelet. Pressed against the inside of her wrist “Douglas Hamilton” was engraved into the gold.

“Hamilton’s going to be yours one day, too, I just want you to get used to it.”

He was smug, at least outwardly so, when he said it. It wasn’t the first time Brie had heard something from him that hinted at marriage and a future, though they were yet to sit down and have a serious discussion about what it all entailed.

“Did you make it a weird hockey superstition that I need to be wearing your jersey to the first home game?” she asked instead of reacting like she knew he wanted her to.

“Maybe a little. You being there is the more important part,” he conceded.

Brie kissed him, wrapping her arm around his neck to give herself some leverage and hold him close. He returned it passionately, one hand making its way into the hair at the back of her neck. It never got old, him being near her and being able to kiss him when she wanted.

An entire year later and it—and he—was still blowing her mind.

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