#joel farabee x reader

[ohmyeyesmyeyes]

cool, cool, okay, okay, cool, cool

joel farabee x f!gotham fc player

summary: sometimes media conferences are just so unbearable you're left with no choice but to immediately seek out the one person with the ability to distract you from the mess of it

warnings: swearing, fluff

word count: 3.5k

“What does a typical year look like for you in terms of where you’re going to be, where you’re planning to be, when you’re not playing soccer or training?” 

You looked down at the table, rolling your eyes, before looking up towards the various cameras set up in front of you. The voice that had spoken came somewhere from your right, but with the lights blaring from the cameras,  you couldn’t quite make out who it was standing next to it. 

The question ran through your mind, and you tried to keep a neutral face when the implications of exactly what they were talking about were clear. You’d stated before that you weren’t comfortable discussing your personal life with the media, even before the whole thing with Joel was rumoured, and despite knowing they’d come back with more pokey, invasive questions this season, it did nothing to help the swell of irritation sparking at your fingertips.

“I’m just here to talk about soccer.” You shrugged uncomfortably, eyes wearily scanning the media crowd, awaiting your next question.

As much as you loved what you did, the worst part of it was definitely having to deal with the media.

“...was wondering what your living situation is now considering Mewis was traded to the WSL?” 

You sighed into the microphone, “Uh, it’s not really about soccer, but…” you breathed a laugh. You’d answer this one, though, (even though there was a hint of thinly veiled curiosity about exactly where you were residing and who with) mostly just because it was about Kristie, “Yeah, unfortunately I’m not living with Kristie anymore, but I managed to keep hold of the apartment here which was pretty lucky, and I wish her all the best for her future at West Ham; I know she’s gonna kill it out there.”

There was a general hum as reporters seemed to agree and nod their heads, offering smiles that were bordering dangerously between being a little condescending or pitying, before another voice cut in, this time towards the back, “There’s two more months before your season starts, is there anything in particular that you’re working on to improve your game in the off-season, or have you just been taking a break?” 

“You make it seem like taking some time off is a bad thing.” You commented drily, breathing a rather uncomfortable laugh into the microphone.

“Oh, I didn’t mean it in that sense, I was just wondering what you’ve been getting up to in the off-season.” 

Fuck. 

You inhaled, nodding to bide your time and stall to get your words in the right order, “Yeah, I’ve been resting, trying to recharge for next season and get my mind in order, but I’ve also been training, too.”

“We saw from the Philadelphia Flyers’ hockey team’s socials that you’d also been getting involved there–”

You felt yourself tense.

“And I guess I was just wondering if the Flyers are a team you support in the NHL?”

The breath you’d been holding flew past your lips in a relieved breath, “Yeah, they are. I grew up in a household that were strictly Flyers fans, so it was a pretty special moment getting invited as their guest. I brought my family along, too, which was pretty cool.”

“Did you get a chance to meet Gritty?”

The next laugh was genuine when you nodded, “I did. I was nervous going into that, but I came out alive so I’m taking that as a win. Gritty was great–”

“I know you said you don’t talk about your personal life, and I’m not gonna ask a question, but you were recently pictured leaving a cinema–” you stifled a groan and pressed your hands against your face to shield your reddening cheeks from the cameras. It was bound to come up at some point, and it wasn’t that you didn’t want to talk about Joel, because a small part of you did, but if you did – if – then that’d just distract from your job and more journalists would feel more entitled to ask more questions, and it just wasn’t something you were interested in, “with Flyers’ left wing, Joel Farabee–”

You sighed tiredly, shutting the door behind you, an hour and a bit of travelling back to Philly after the day you’d been subjected to catching up to you. You weren’t technically supposed to be back here until tomorrow, but the first step you’d taken out of that conference room was enough to have you booking an earlier train and risk getting in late, rather than getting the train early in the morning.

The whole of the bottom floor of the house was silent, and your eyes seemed to automatically seek out the expected line of shoes next to the door as you toed your own off, just to gauge who exactly had decided to spend the night. Joel’s you recognised, but there were also another two pairs – most likely belonging to Tyson and Frosty. 

You shrugged off your coat, picking up the holdall you’d already had pre-packed from this morning, before tiptoeing up the staircase, mindful for any possible light sleepers, ensuring not to step on a creaky floorboard. There was a small light on in the hallway, and the door to Joel’s room was cracked open slightly, a murmur of sound and flashing lights seeping through from the TV.

You paused on the landing, peeking your head around and concentrating on the sound.

The fucker was watching a rerun of your conference from earlier.

Your feet decided to move before your brain could even realise what was happening, because before you could wallow in the fact that he’d clearly known you were on your way back earlier and purposefully left the hall lamp on, you’d pushed open the door a slither more to sneak through without making too much noise, and were greeted with a softly smiling Joel – his eyes fixed onto the conference before flicking to you in the doorway.

“You’re such a sight for sore eyes.” You sighed gratefully, taking in his PJ-clad form lounged casually on top of the covers. He had one arm resting on the top of his head rather lazily, his other draped across his torso.

“Well, I’m always glad to be of service.” He grinned, pushing himself to sit up, his arms now resting across his kneecaps, “That bad, huh?” He gestured to the screen at the foot of his bed, and you nodded, dropping your bag on top of the covers and leaning down for a much-needed kiss.

“It started off fine, but right about now,” you nodded, cringing, “you can tell they’re trying to get nosy.”

“I hate it when they do that.” He agreed solemnly, not saying much else, but watching you with intrigued, patient eyes as you dug around in your bag. 

You shot him a glance, taking in the eye bags and bleary blinks as he fought off sleep, “You didn’t have to wait up for me, y’know?” You murmured, unable to help smiling – both at the soft man in front of you, and at the triumph of finally locating what you were looking for.

Joel just shrugged, albeit a little bashfully, “I figured…I don’t know, I just missed you.”

You felt a small lump gather in your throat at his honest confession, and you fought off the sudden emotion that seemed to be the consequence of your fatigue and refusal to sleep on the train, and chose to throw the bag on the floor – gently – and climb on the bed. Joel seemed to expect that kind of reaction, because before you’d even done any of that he was lifting your side of the duvet up with a smile that just blew your damn mind every time you saw it.

The shirt clutched in your grip, you followed him, climbing under the covers and automatically going to lay on your side, face-to-face with Joel, who’d tucked one arm under his pillow and had one leg draped over yours to pull you closer.

“I missed you, too.”

“‘S that why you came back earlier?” He teased gently, still blinking slowly.

You reached a free hand up to run through his hair, relishing in the way his eyes seemed to flutter closed and the slight lean into your touch, “Yeah.” You whispered.

At your voice his eyes reopened, looking all the more exhausted than mere seconds before, and before you could even say anything he was yawning loudly and stretching his arms over his head before using the momentum to roll…right onto you.

Despite the clenched fist, you wrapped your arms across the broad expanse of his shoulders, pressing a quick kiss to his messed hair, smothering a delicate laugh when he groaned against your collarbone, “What did you do today that’s got you so tired at nine in the evening?” You asked softly, carding a hand through the back of his hair.

Any previous effort he’d made to keep some of his body weight off you was forgotten when he physically melted in your arms at the sensation, a muffled, incoherent mumble tumbling from his lips.

“Sorry?”

He lifted his head off your skin ever so slightly, his eyes still shut but looking in your general vicinity, and you couldn’t help it when your finger traced the bridge of his nose affectionately, once more causing his eyes to fly open at the sudden contact, jumping slightly at the sudden intrusion.

You welcomed the attention though, something he seemed to catch up on by the way the corner of his mouth twitched slightly.

“Me and Frosty got dragged to an entire afternoon of Padel with Tys.” He sighed dramatically, “And I’m jet lagged, I think. Maybe. I don’t know, it’s like all the tiredness has just accumulated and I’ve been in bed since, like, six.” 

“Poor you.”

He blinked, raising an eyebrow, “Well, excuse me–”

“No, I wasn’t being sarcastic.” You interrupted, trying not to laugh at the hurt expression on his face, “I don’t think.”

He rolled his eyes, flopping back into his previous position against you, and you felt a stab of guilt for what you were about to do, “Joel?” You poked him, once more rousing him from a much-needed sleep.

He groaned audibly, lifting his head from your shoulder, keeping his eyes glued shut to ward out the harsh lights emanating from the TV. Your conference was still playing in the background, and although the volume was on the lowest setting you knew he could still hear it. 

“Two things,” you started, lifting the hand with the shirt up into his eyeline, and despite having them previously shut, the disturbance in light must have indicated that you were shoving something in his face, because he blinked his eyes open, staring at the black and white stripes, “This was waiting for me in my locker this morning – I got my new kit today and it seemed like someone on the team said something to the kit people, because…”

You trailed off, an awkward smile on your face. Your relationship with Joel was fairly new; not new in the sense that you’d only been dating a few months but new in the sense that this would be the first season you’d start with him as your boyfriend, all the way over in Philly. He’d also given you something similar back in September before the regular NHL season started, and as his eyes scanned over the material scrunched in your fist, there seemed to be some kind of recognition of his parallel moment with you because he pushed himself up and out of bed, taking the shirt from your hands gently.

He didn’t say much, just slowly unravelled the material. His jaw had dropped somewhere along the way, but his eyes didn’t falter as they roved across the expanse of the front of the jersey, taking in the new design, fingers tracing absently over the embroidered logos. Just as you were about to encourage him to turn it over, he did so, expelling a short breath as he took in your surname and number printed there.

“Is this your new home jersey?” He mumbled, turning to you with some kind of astonishment in his eyes.

You nodded, knowing he hadn’t quite gotten what it was that you’d intended to convey, “Yeah.”

Then, with a flicker of hope igniting on your chest, he gasped softly, “Am I allowed to see this now if it hasn’t been released to the fans?”

You raised a brow, blinking at him. 

You loved him, you loved him so much, but sometimes he just made teasing him a little bit too easy. In this case you couldn’t tell if he was a little hesitant to make assumptions, or if he was just downright oblivious as to why you’d given him the jersey, but you smiled nonetheless.

“Yeah, the new kits are gonna be released tomorrow.” You continued, hoping that he’d at least catch on soon.

But he just nodded, “This is so cool.”

Right then.

“Glad you think so, because it’s yours.” You admitted, watching his face carefully.

He froze, the shirt getting a little more crumpled in his grip as he stared at you, lips parted in shock, “Mine?”

You just hummed, biting your lip to stop your grin from splitting your cheeks, and instead moved to show him the inside label of the shirt, not oblivious to the heat of his faze on the side of your face as you did so, “Look at the sizing, and also,” you lifted the bottom of the shirt up, flipping it inside out to show him the customised piece you’d requested to be added, “your name is printed on the inside of the shirt, right where your heart is. I mean, it’s not on mine, but this one’s customised for you–”

“I’m in love with you.”

You inhaled sharply, head snapping to look at him. His gaze was so intense you could almost feel it burning your skin, and despite the shock that had been painfully clear on his face mere seconds before, there wasn’t a single trace of it there now. In fact, he looked a little nervous, something that not only combatted his usual demeanour, but also the conviction with which he’d just stated those five words, yet there was a hint of a smile on his lips.

Like he was relieved he’d thrown the words out there.

You’d thought about this moment with Joel before, hundreds of times. You expected you’d feel somewhat changed by the knowledge that the person you love also loves you too, like your DNA would alter and you would feel noticeably different, but instead you were crushed by a wave of calm. 

It felt an awful lot like unadulterated happiness.

“I’m in love with you too.” You said, delighting in the way his grin seemed to grow and all nerves seemed to be extinguished at your reciprocation.

Gosh, he was just so infectious in everything he did.

It kind of drove you crazy, especially when you’d come down from a big loss and you’d FaceTime him in different timezones, and all you really wanted to do was rant, but the fucker was sitting pretty in your phone grinning straight at you and all previous anger just always seemed to dissipate instantly. It annoyed you that you couldn’t control that kind of thing, but the peace and the calm he allowed you to feel even after a mere conversation was unlike anything you’d ever experienced. It was divine.

“Cool.” He nodded, his grin not dimming a single bit, even as he tore his attention away from you to the shirt laid on the bed. 

“Cool.” You echoed, shrugging.

You wanted to laugh, but you held it in for Joel’s exhausted sake. 

“You said there were two things?” He turned back to you, grabbing the back of his PJ shirt with his hand and yanking it unceremoniously over his head to toss it to the end of the bed. You barely had a chance to get a word in for ogling him before he’d thrown your jersey on and pushed himself from the bed to stand in front of the mirror.

You let him check himself out in the shirt, which seemed to fit him spectacularly well, “You look so good. Like, insanely gorgeous.”

He flushed a little bit, but played it off by pretending to tense his guns in your direction, “I do?”

You nodded, breathing an amused laugh at his antics, “You always do, but even more so in that jersey.”

“Did you know,” he started, throwing himself back on the bed next to you, “that you’re the only person I’d ever wear a soccer shirt for?”

You pursed your lips, tilting your head, “I don’t think that’s the compliment you intended it to be.”

“I just mean that in the sense that – I mean, of course I like soccer – but I’d only ever wear your name on the back of a jersey, or have your team on the front.” He elaborated, throwing his arm across your shoulders to draw you closer, “But thank you for this, I love it.” He said into your hair.

You turned your head, catching his mouth with your own, and enjoying the moment, before pulling away, much to his dismay, “Would you ever wear a Canada jersey?”

He paused, pulling an unsure face, “Again, only if it was a soccer one with your name on it.”

“Likewise with yours, for future reference, by the way.” You rested a finger on his chin, using the leverage to turn his head towards the TV, “And the second thing: you’re probably going to want to watch the end of this conference.”

You felt his face contort from where your hand rested on his cheek, and without even thinking much about it, you leant forward to press a delicate kiss against his cheekbone, breathing a laugh when he scrunched up his face and manoeuvred you to his mouth once more, where you placed one, two, three kisses, before pulling away to answer his question, your cheeks warm.

“They ask about you.”

He stayed still, but you knew his eyes had flickered to the screen, right to where the you from hours ago was sitting at a long table, a hoodie and cap on, looking as awkward and out of place as you felt, in front of a row of cameras and lights, with question after question being fired at you.

“They do?” He whispered, turning his head to look at you to gauge your reaction.

“Yeah. Well, kind of. They start hinting at it with the last few questions.” You don’t meet his eyes, your own attention fixated on you on the screen, and just as you went to move in the conference, there was a slither of something that caught your eye, “No way. Fuck.” You mutter, feeling Joel pull away a little from where his cheek was resting against the side of your head comfortably.

“What’s wrong?” 

You reach across him to find the remote, before pausing the TV and turning to look at him with an uncertain glance, “This hoodie, I always forget it, but the zipper’s a bit broken, and if I move too much, the zip falls down.” You pulled the zip about a quarter of the way down, seeing Joel’s eyes widen in realisation, before he turned to the TV, only to see the exact same image staring right at him.

“Oh.” His lips were parted in shock, but he didn’t look particularly angry or irritated by what he saw. In fact, there was a mischievous tilt to his mouth, and before long his shoulder began to shake with an effort not to laugh at the entire thing.

You, however, had a more pressing issue, “Is that okay with you?”

He stopped laughing, turning to face you, “Of course it is. Is it okay with you?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay.”

“Okay.”

You reached to press play once more, trying not to wince whenever the black Flyers shirt under your Gotham zip-up was made abundantly clear. No wonder they’d started asking you about Philly and no wonder that journalist had mentioned the cinema trip with Joel.

Of fucking course.

You were thrown out of your own head when Joel cackled loudly at the screen, climbing back under the covers.

“What?” You asked, following his motions, a smile on your face, mostly because he was also smiling.

“I had no clue we were spotted leaving ‘Anyone But You’.” He breathed, tucking his hand under his head as he leant back against the pillows, looking significantly more awake than he had earlier, “Is it cool if I wear this jersey for the walk-in for my next game?”

Your eyes slid over to him, taking in the uncertainty in his features; his brows were raised in an effort to tell you that he wouldn’t mind if you said no to him. He was asking if it was okay with you to confirm your relationship.

You felt your teeth catch your bottom lip, trying to stifle the blush sweeping across your cheeks and the smile threatening to break though, “Yeah, it’s cool.”

“Awesome.” He grinned cheekily, a little smug at your failure to hide your true feelings from him, and you shook your head at the glint in his eye, “Love you, honey.” 

You just blinked at him, lips pursed in a still-dire effort to not smile at him.

“Say it back.”

“Love you too, Joel.”

[zegrasdrysdale]

for your WIPs do you post them in the order that they are on your pinned post or is it whichever you finish first? also saw that you have jamie and joel! the tags have been dry for them so i’m excited

it’s really whichever i get done first ! unless someone sends in an ask about one of them, then i’ll prioritize it and it’ll get posted sooner !

i think the jamie request will come out soon (like this weekend or early next week). the joel request just came in yesterday so i haven’t started working on it yet but im going to use it as a test run to see if i want to add joel to my list of players that i write for !!

[swissboyhisch]

JOEL FARABEE REC LIST

FICS

Felt The Lightning Under My Skin by @nugnthopkns A asshole hockey players vs a figure skater. What could be worse?

AUTHORS INCLUDED ALL DESERVE A FOLLOW:

@nugnthopkns

UPDATED: 13/5/23

[buttercupjosh]

Y’all, please send me your hockey fic recs, I’m going to updating my fic rec list soon (my last updated list is here). Thank you in advance😌

Note: I don’t read smut

[misshoneyimhome]

☆ Mature content I ✐ Requested I № Followers Festival

_

➼｡ﾟANDREI SVECHNIKOV

➼｡ﾟAUSTON MATTHEWS

➼｡ﾟERIK JOHNSON

➼｡ﾟFREDERIK ANDERSEN

➼｡ﾟJACK DRURY

➼｡ﾟJACK HUGHES

➼｡ﾟJOEL FARABEE

➼｡ﾟJOHN TAVARES

➼｡ﾟJOSEPH WOLL

➼｡ﾟKEVIN FIALA

➼｡ﾟLUKE HUGHES

➼｡ﾟMATTHEW KNIES

➼｡ﾟMATTHEW TKACHUCK

➼｡ﾟNATHAN MACKINNON

➼｡ﾟNICO HISCHIER

➼｡ﾟPYOTR KOCHETKOV

➼｡ﾟQUINN HUGHES

➼｡ﾟSETH JARVIS

➼｡ﾟSIMON BENOIT

➼｡ﾟTRENT FREDERIC

➼｡ﾟWILLIAM NYLANDER

_

SERIES [Masterlist]

Intern x Willy ☆

Inexperienced!reader x Willy ☆

Dad!Willy x reader ☆

Prof!Willy x reader ☆

Better In Time- Frederik Andersen x reader ☆

_

COLLECTIONS

A HOLIDAY COLLECTION ❄︎

250 FOLLOWERS FESTIVAL №

500 FOLLOWERS FESTIVAL №

Birthday Festival ♎︎

Sexy Christmas ☃︎

[33sturniolo]

welcome to... 33STURNIOLO !!

basics: tatum , 21 , they/she (please interchange them for the love of god), leo , nate chris girl, sam girl , morgan frost's gf (real!!) , writer of 8+ years . dni: basic dni materials. racist, transphobic, homophobic, xenophobic, etc. MY BLOG IS 16+ !! DO NOT REPOST MY CONTENT, THANKS.

biggest interests: - sturniolo triplets . - sam & colby . - hockey , specifically the flyers . - boys of tommen books . - hockey romances . - fortnite (as of right now) . - stardew valley . - animal crossing . music taste:

- taylor swift . - chase atlantic . - melanie martinez . - dominic fike . - conan gray . - noah kahan . - gracie abrams . - alex g . - the front bottoms . - billie eilish . - olivia rodrigo . - gorillaz . - mother, mother . - clairo . - 5 seconds of summer .

#tatum yaps

tiktok: 33sturnioIo (capital i instead of l!)

ask for other socials if moots !

there's probably more and more can be added, but for now...

- chris sturniolo - matt sturniolo - platonic! nick sturniolo (maybe eventually m!reader x nick but we will see, be patient with me.) - madi filipowicz - nathan doe - sam golbach - colby brock - katrina stuart - luke hemmings - ashton irwin - michael clifford - calum hood - sam ersson - mitch marner - jack hughes - trevor zegras - travis konecny

- morgan frost

- cam york

- owen tippett

- tyson foerster

- joel farabee

- egor zamula

- bobby brink - jamie drysdale - quinn hughes - luke hughes - most popular hockey players tbh

REQUESTS ARE OPEN. (i have every right to deny a request.)

masterlist HERE (tba)

- angst . - fluff .

- friendships - pregnancy (to a point, not detailed) . - mental health (trigger warnings given) . - polyamorous relationships . - light gore . - headcannons . - one - shots . - texts . - snaps . - multi - part fics .

- general gross stuff (i.e transphobia, homophobia, incest, racism, r*pe, etc.) . - more may be added ...

[delayed-affection]

House Party

Navigation   Oneshots

Carter Hart x reader

Warnings, Drinking, Cursing, Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee

Word count: 2.3k

When Frosty invited you to his off season house party you honestly thought about not going. You knew it was going to be a bunch of grown men fucking around while their wives or girlfriends try to stop them.

But here you are, checking your outfit one last time before you leave. You think about staying home but you promised Morgan you would go.

•

“Come on.” Morgan begs to you over the phone, “The boys and I miss you but mostly me.”

He’s spent about ten minutes of your fifteen minute call trying to convince you to come to his party.

“Morgan, you know I don’t do parties.” You remind, “We can always hang out some other day.”

“I haven’t seen you since the season started and who knows when we’re both going to be available again.” He replies, “Please, come to the party.”

He wasn’t wrong, the man was always on the move and so were you. The only way you could see him was on FaceTime or to go to a game.

The off season was the only time you could actually spend time together.

You sigh, “Okay, I’ll go.”

“You promise?” He asks

“Yes, Frosty, I promise.” You answer, “But if I have to take care your drunk ass later I’m telling T.K. to beat your ass.”

He chuckles, “Noted.”

•

Opening Morgan’s front door you are greeted with the pounding of music and very loud conversations.

You move about the house, saying hi to those you know but not stopping for a conversation. As of right now you’re looking for Frosty.

Finding him in the kitchen playing bartender.

He spots you and sets down the bottles in his hands, “You made it!”

He moves around the island and over to you, pulling you into a hug, “I thought you’d flake out on me.”

You laugh and pull away, “You think so low of me, Frost. I’m hurt.”

He puts an arm around you and pulls you out of the kitchen, “You know someone was asking about you?”

“Let me guess, was it Beezer?” You question

He pulls you into the backyard, “Yes but no, that’s not who I’m talking about. It was actually our little goalie.”

“Carter?” You ask

He doesn’t answer, he just gives you a goofy smile.

Beezers voices draws their attention, “Look who made it! Just in time to see me beat Hartzy’s ass in darts!”

Carter lets out a dry laugh as you two approach.

Morgan lightly pushes you forward, “Take care of her you two, I’m going back inside. You want anything, y/n?”

You walk over to Carter, “Nah, I’m okay for now.”

Beezer lines up his shot, “Yo, bring me back some food, Frosty.”

He waves a dismissive hand at him and goes back inside.

“What are you playing to?” You ask

“Two hundred.” Carter answers

“Best two out of three.” Beezer adds, “Hartzy has better aim than I thought.”

“I think that comes with job.” You joke

He laughs, “For a hockey player he has the worst aim. Well on the ice, off the ice he’s great.”

Carter pushes him out of the way with a chuckle, “That’s why I’m a goalie.”  

~

Finishing their game, Beezer suggests a game of beer pong.

He pats you on the shoulder, “Imma find a partner and the cups, you guys go get a table. You could steal one or get one from the garage, I don’t care.”

He grabs his can a disappears into the house.

You and Carter survey the backyard, everyone’s doing their own thing paying no mind to the people around them.

You look over to him, “Which one do you wanna steal.”

He lets out a dry chuckle, “You mean which one are you stealing?”

You flash him a smile, “We are in this together Hartzy, so pick a table.”

He shakes his head, “The one in the corner, we won’t even have to move it, just clean it off.”

You grab his hand, “Well let’s get going.”

You lead him through the yard and to the table, dropping his hand.

You pick up a couple bottles, “So, what brings to this party anyways, Carter?”

“My car.” he jokes moving some cans to another table.

“Haha.” you say, “It was a serious question, Carter. You’re not a party person and this is a party persons party.”

“I could ask you the same thing.” he replies wiping off the table.

You shrug, “You could but I asked you first.”

He rolls his eyes, “Let’s say that Morgan can be very persuasive.”

This interests you, “What did he offer you?”

“Nothing.” He answers

“Buy you?”

He chuckles, “Nothing.”

“What got you here then?”

“He just told me about someone, that was all.”

Maybe this someone has to with you, Morgan did say he was asking about you.

“You know he told me something too?”

He leans against the table, “What?”

You hesitate, “He said that you were asking about me.”

He averts his gaze else where, “Asshole.” He mumbles

“Look it wasn’t anything weird.” He says, “After our last game he asked me if I was going to the party and when I said no he told me that you were going and that you always have a better time when I’m there. So when I showed up and you weren’t here I started asking if you were actually coming.”

“Well he lied to you about me coming because he didn’t tell me about until you guys got back.” You confess, “However he didn’t lie about me having a better time when you’re around.”

“I got the cups!” Beezer shouts walking over, “I figured we could just fill them up with the hose.”

“Losers are taking shots!” Frosty exclaims holding up a bottle of Tito’s and pink Whitney.

“Yo, Carter. Can you get the hose?” Beezer asks setting up the cups, “And Y/n, can you grab the balls and shot glasses, they’re in Frosty’s hood.”

Carter walks off, the moment the boys have been waiting for has arrived.

“What were you two talking about?” Frosty asks

You pull the things out of Frosty’s hood, “We were talking about you, actually.”

“I highly doubt talking about me got him blushing.”

Beezer puts his arm around your shoulders, “Oh my god! Are you finally making a move?” he wipes a fake tear, “Our little girl is growing up.”

“No, I’m not making a move, we were just talking.”

“Talking about fucking? Cause that’s the only way to get me blushing.” Beezer teases

“Or did you guys already fuck? Because he was very eager to see you.” Frosty badgers

“Oh my god.” You grumble

Beezer pokes your side, “Was it after his big shutout game, cause he was really pumped up after that.”

“You even flew out for that game. Was it just to see us play or was it to your little lover boy?” Frosty goads

Carter comes back just in time to save you from anymore teasing.

Beezer let’s go of you and takes the hose, “Go turn it on but make sure it’s on low.”

Carter reluctantly makes his way back across the yard.

“Y/n you’re on my team.” Frosty claims

“No I’m not.”

“What? Why not?”

“Because you suck, that’s why.”

“Fine then, I’m taking Carter.”

“Why would you take him?”

“Yeah, why take him?” Beezer asks feeling betrayed

“Because if I take him, she can’t have him.” He answers

You’ve seen Carter play and he let’s just say he’s better at darts, but you’ll let him suffer, “Fine.”

“Okay stop!” Beezer yells at Carter

He waits for Carter to come back to explain the rules, “Okay, if a ball bounces from one cup to another both cups are removed. If the ball bounces back to you, you get to shoot again only if you get it before the other team. Your elbow must stay behind the table at all times. You can have your cups rearranged to any position but you have to ask for it because well we’re not mind readers.”

He gives you and Carter a ball, “Now, to see who goes first one player from each team has to shoot the ball but they have to look at the other player while doing it.”

He pushes you to your side of table, “And remember the losing team has to take two shots each.”

You and Carter stand at opposite ends of the table looking at each other.

~

After what seems like a hundred games you all decided that this was your last game. Well more like you and Carter decided for everyone, Beezer’s feeling the buzz and Frosty is basically blasted.

He was drinking earlier, taking shots after every loss and chasing them with even more alcohol. But not only was Frosty drunk, he was a sore loser, it went from best two out of three to four then five and now six.

If it wasn’t for Kevin’s homemade wings and Noah’s commentary keeping everyone going this game would’ve been over a while ago.

“Let me get the cups in the tight pussy position.” Beezer instructs

Frosty clumsily moves the cups around to shape a diamond, “If you keep playing your cards right you might get the real thing, Carter.”

Carters face turns beet red, you try your best not to laugh while Noah and Beezer basically turn into hyenas.

~

You and Carter stand at the kitchen island, not wanting to hear Frosty’s cover of ‘Before he cheats’ outside. Everyone else wanted to though, so it basically just you two inside.

“I honestly don’t know if I could’ve lasted another game.” You tell him

He chuckles, “I don’t know if I could’ve taken anymore abuse from Frosty, he was getting way too into it.”

You nod, “Yeah, I think we should’ve stopped the game after he tackled Beezer for the ball.”

“Yeah that probably would’ve been a good idea.” He says

You push yourself up onto the island, “Besides being verbally abused by Frost, are you enjoying the party?”

He leans back on the counter in front of you, “It’s all right, I guess. But the real question is, are you enjoying the party?”

“As of right now, yes. But later, no.” You answer

“What do you mean?”

“The party’s been fun but I know I’m going to have to take care of the wanna be Carrie Underwood.”

He nods understandably but still asks, “You don’t have to take care of him, you know?”

“I know, but I’d do the same thing if it were you.” You pause, “Or any of you really.”

“Out everyone in this house, I’d be happy if it were you. But I’d also except Kevin, no offense.”

“None taken, I’d trust him with my life.”

He picks at a bowl of chips, “Would you trust me?”

You laugh softly, “Of course I’d trust you. Honestly I’d trust you to take care of me more than Frosty, he’d probably draw a dick on my forehead and tell me I did it.”

He laughs moving over next to you, “Speaking from experience?”

“From self-experience, no.” You reply, “But I did walk into him doing it to laughty.”

He just nods in response.

You look down at his hands on the island, “Is that a new bracelet?”

He looks down, “Um… Yeah, how’d you know?”

“I pay attention but it’s also really clean compared to the others.” You answer, “Can I see?”

He goes to take it off, “Yeah, sure.”

“No.” You say, “You don’t have to take it off. Just give me your hand.”

You pick up his hand making him step in front of you.

You slowly move the bracelet around, “It’s nice and silver looks really good on you.”

A light blush fills his checks, “Thanks, it was a gift.”

Your eyes flick from his wrist to his eyes, “From who, if you don’t mind me asking.”

“My mom, it was a Christmas present.”

You stop messing with the bracelet but keep his hand in yours, “Well she has excellent taste.”

His eyes dance around your face, like he’s studying it, “I don’t think we’ve ever been this close before.”

You let go of his hand, “Do you not like being this close?”

He moves closer, “No, I like it.” His eyes settle on your lips, “I like you, if I’m being honest.”

You wrap your arms around his neck, “Well if I’m being honest, I like you too.”

His hands move to your waist, his face is so close to yours that you wanted to kiss him all you had to was slightly move.

And that’s what you planned on doing, it was now or never.

But it seems like god had other plans…

Frosty rushes into kitchen, “Y/n our song is playing you have to come outside!”

You drop your arms to your sides and Carter backs up.

“Shit.” He whines, “Did I ruin the moment, here I’ll turn around.” He quickly turns, “Okay, now you can kiss.”

You sigh, “We’re not gonna kiss, Frost.”

That was the last thing Carter wanted to hear, “We’re not?”

He turns around, “You’re not?”

“Come on.” Carter whispers to himself

Carter was desperate to kiss you and honestly, you were too. Who knows when you’ll have this opportunity again. Especially if you back out now to go be stupid with Frost.

You rewrap your arms around Carters neck pulling him to you, his hands pull at your waist bringing you to the edge of the island.

This kiss is soft but deep and sensual, it makes butterflies erupt in your stomach. It’s the type of kiss that warms up your body, the type of kiss that you never want to end.

Frosty freezes but only for a second, “Oh my god! Joel!” He runs back outside, “They’re kissing! They’re fucking kissing!”

He pulls away leaning his forehead on yours, “You wanna hang out sometime? Like just the two of us?”

You smile, “You mean a date?”

He chuckles, “Yeah a date.”

[lukehughes43]

MASTERLIST!

NHL

ryder donovan: about last night  → When your parents go out of town for the weekend, your friends begin to pressure you into throwing a part. A small get together of friends soon breaks into a full blown party, one your next door neighbor can’t help but attend.

joel farabee: distractions all parts [mafia au] [nsfw. 18+] → Being born into the South Philly mob could be seen as a dream, or a nightmare. For Joel Farabee it was a dream, the dream. If only he knew exactly all that came with it.

jack hughes: all over again → A seemingly perfect relationship between Jack Hughe and yourself had been put to the test a mere handful of times due to petty fights, and social media. However, when the same thing occurs for a second time, you can’t seem to let it go.

hot chocolate  → Christmas Eve in the Hughes house is always one to remember. This year is even better as Brady made the time to come down for a visit, or for some meddling and a cup of hot chocolate. You’ve yet to decide. 

my angel  → The biggest moment of Jack’s life is about to happen without the most important person in his life: you. Now his real life angel, Jack must fight through the emotions of draft day without you by his side like he had always dreamed of. 

not my fault → Jack finds himself in a hard spot after a party and having too much to drink. You decide his actions from that night are something that you can’t ignore.

old town road → After a burst appendix and emergency surgery, Jack enlists the help of the USNTDP team to make you feel better.

Superstar → Once Jack is drafted first overall, he’s whisked away to Jersey for his media tour and development camp. While it’s a routine trip away, you can’t help but feel like there’s something he isn’t telling you. 

through a lens → Watching one too many YouTube videos after boredom, Y/n gets Jack to start a vlog with her.

when we were young → Since Jack Hughes was born, you were always in his life. Wherever he went, you went. If he played hockey, you played hockey. For every big moment and birthday you were by each other's side. It only made sense that over time a relationship was born. And with that, you got to watch your best friend live his life long dream: playing against his brother in the NHL.

thunderstorms  → A hard fought playoff win is rewarded with a thunderstorm. That thunderstorm just happens to bring an extra pair of feet to sleep in yours and Jack’s bed. 

not before dinner → Dinner’s right around the corner, but Jack can’t say no to his oldest daughter. Especially when you disappear upstairs to take care of the baby. 

luke hughes: No time for goodbyes [luke hughes x coug!reader] → With Luke leaving for the Frozen Four, reality has begun to seep in that the life you had built with him over the past 4 years in Ann Arbor was coming to a close. Who knew leaving Michigan behind would cause so many tears?

nye traditions  → Playing a World Juniors game on New Years Eve wasn’t going to stop Luke from getting his New Years kiss from you. That and he would have 3 disappointed teammates if he missed the kiss. 

kasperi kapanen: i see you → Kasperi still wasn’t sure what caused the end of your relationship. All he knows is that it’s been weeks since he last heard from you, and you’re still all he can think about. Hoping to find a new distraction out with the rookies he runs into what he least expects.

8 letters → A past relationship has affected your ability to let people in, and say the simple phrase everyone longs to hear. So much so that it ruins the relationship with the only man you’ve really loved.

spencer knight: beg for it [nsfw. 18+] → You know what they say, if the boats rockin’ don’t come knockin’. 

family affair → A Connecticut thunderstorm has broken the once peaceful sleep you were enjoying. It also disturbs the slumber of Spencer, Hannah, Claire, and the family dog Baylor. The only place left to find comfort? Spencer’s bed.

heart stops beating → It has felt as if this all your life, and all of Spencer’s life, have led up to the utterance of three little words. 

mitch marner: why won’t you love me? → Time changes a relationship more than Mitch or yourself could’ve expected as teenagers in love. Now in your early twenties, do both of you understand just how much it has changed you.

auston matthews: all I know → On a visit back to your hometown, Auston realizes there’s so much more he doesn’t know about you. As he watches your past cause you to crumble, he has to fight to pick up your pieces. 

and they were roommates → Two best friends who have gone through everything together. Birth. Birthdays. High school. NHL draft. Every big moment they’ve been there for each other. What happens when one of them realizes they’ve been in love this whole time?

prank war → An uneventful off day for Auston, catapults a month long prank war everyone on the Maple Leafs can’t help but get involved with. 

casey mittelstadt: “who’s crosby again?” → Casey and yourself have always never seen eye to eye when it came to favorite players in the NHL. So much so that you can’t help but poke fun at the legendary Penguin to get under your boyfriend's skin.

the ways i love you → A person can say, “I love you” in more ways than just saying the three words. Over the course of a year, Casey’s actions have shown you all the ways he loves you.

william nylander: the bull cut → William’s mother Camilla makes a quick visit to Toronto carrying old photographs of Will as a child. In those photos he’s sporting a very interesting haircut, one that you can’t let him live down.

the blue’s in your eyes → On a dark Toronto afternoon, one cheesy pick up line changes the relationship between Will and yourself forever.

alex turcotte: the story of us → While making dinner one night, your son can’t help but ask how you and his father met. What started as a simple story to occupy your son while making dinner, soon turned into a full story over the remainder of the night.

trevor zegras: dial drunk → When you had ended your relationship with Trevor almost three years ago, he wasn’t sure why. Even now, back in your shared hometown he couldn’t find the answer. Instead he found bottle after bottle of alcohol to drown out the memory of you. Only, some memories refuse to go away, and the memory of you was one he couldn’t drown away.

[hockeyrpfhub]

In your opinion, which players do not get enough love on here? For me, it’s Joel Farabee. There is not enough writing for him on here. Does anyone have any recommendations?

i would say that any bottom 6 forward, defenseman who isn't cale makar and goaltenders are ALL underrated guys who don't get enough love on tumblr.

as for joel farabee recs... i found these guys in his tag:

drinking to forget by @hockey-fics - player x reader

bee's on ice by @ilyasorokinn - player x reader

the odds of the body by @callabang - player x player

goodbye osky by @ilyasorokinn - player x reader

love drunk by @sunshinefarabees - player x reader

fell in love with you in stages by @wyattjohnston - player x reader

til the end of time by @hockeyboysimagines - player x original characters

and going through his tag, it looks like there is actually quite a bit for him, so what I have here is just scratching the surface.

K

[cellythefloshie]

【ｃｏｍｉｎｇ　ｓｏｏｎ】 Below the cut is a current list of my WIP's

500 FOLLOWER CELEBRATION - CAN'T FIGHT THE MOONLIGHT - vince dunn x reader 500 FOLLOWER CELEBRATION - SO GOOD - adam x charlie COOL FOR THE SUMMER - SERIES - andrei svechnikov x oc 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 FOUR'S A CROWD - multi!player x reader HIGH INFIDELITY - SERIES - tom wilson x oc/reader x vince dunn IT'S MY PARTY - mat martin x reader LIPS OF AN ANGEL - adam x charlie MR STEAL YOUR GIRL - vince dunn x reader x andrei svechnikov NANNY DIARIES - SERIES - tj oshie x reader x undertermined player OVER NOW - vince dunn x reader OUT OF THE WOODS - vince dunn x reader ROAD WIFE 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 ROAD WIFE AMENDMENT #1 - various players ROAD WIFE ONE SHOT - ross colton x reader STEAL MY SUNSHINE - ross colton x reader UNTITLED - adam x charlie UNTITLED - jeremy swayman x reader UNTITLED - brendan lemieux x oc, joel farabee player x oc UNTITLED - ross colton x reader UNTITLED - brady skjei x reader UNTITLED - vince dunn x reader/oc UNTITLED - vince dunn x reader UNTITLED - vince x samantha UNTITLED - mat barzal x reader UNTITLED - ross colton x reader UNTITLED - ross colton x reader WPG ROAD WIFE - SERIES - Winnipeg Jets 2024 Christmas Special

*list is written in alphabetical order not in order of priority **series posts include all encompassing chapters but does not include oneshots ***includes fic in varying stage of development updated 2024-02-05

[youngbeezer]

✨beezer and a spring break post?

why yes ofc i hope you enjoy :)

spring break | joel farabee x reader

joelfarabee posted!

liked by yourusername and others

joelfarabee much needed break with the homies

view all comments

owahlstrom97 very nice

yourusername when you’re one of the boys😎

-> joelfarabee love ya bro

-> yourusername @joelfarabee love ya too bro

wadeallison19 big sunset guy

user1 🐝🐝

camatkinson89 have fun my man!

yourusername posted!

liked by mfrost16 and others

yourusername spring break you were good to me!☀️

view all comments

bestfriend couples who post sunset pics together stay together🫡

liked by joelfarabee

-> yourusername i’ll drink to that

wadeallison19 vibes = immaculate

joelfarabee you’re good to me🧡

user cringe

ryannegiroux so cute!!

[littlemortals]

Nhl (4+1) recommendations

Because I love these fics I thought why not to make a little list of recommendations

(some of these are 5+1)

Matthew Tkachuk:

4 times Matthew’s family knew he was in love + 1 time he confesses his love by @josty

The four times you took care of Matthew and the one time he gets to take care of you by @stardusttkachuk

It’s not that bad by @sorryjustafangirl

Are you sure about that? by @linasobsessions

I hate you by @lam-ila

Four times you sat in Matthew’s chair + the one time they called him out by @extratragic

4 times you faked a relationship + 1 time you didn’t by @hockeywhy

Mathew  Barzal:

Four Times Mat Almost Told You How He Feels And The One Time He Did by @fallinallincurls

Bad luck charm  by @matwith1t

Steal my love by @tysonjost-taylorsversion

Five times everyone knew Mat loved you & the time he realize himself by @idontgiveaflyinggrayson69

Our song by @generallybarzy

Not a perfect proposal by @myhockeyworld87

Frederik Andersen:

Maybe it was fate by @ghstandpucks

Tyson Jost:

The holidate by @hookingminor

Olympic bound by @ghstandpucks

Dancing around feelings by @tysonjost-taylorsversion

Andrei Svetšnikov:

Fake numbers and date numbers by @matsbarzal

Nathan Mackinnon:

The night everything changed by @ghstandpucks

Four Times Nate Embraces Hot Boy Summer And The One Time He Falls in love by @fallinallincurls

David Pastrnak:

5 times the team told him he was in love + 1 time he realized it by @mainlypastrnaksbae 

Jesperi Kotkaniemi:

Five times you pull tiktok pranks on him, and the one time he pulls one on you by @ilyasorokinn

Joel Farabee:

Fell in love with you in stages by @antoineroussel

Sebastian Aho:

I thought you’d never say it by @hockeyshitandstuff

Puck me by @sydnikov

Sideny Crosby:

What love feels like by @laurenairay

Elias Pettersson:

Five Times Elias Pettersson was Teased for Being Whipped and One Time He Wasn’t by @oleksiak-pettersson

Erik Johnson:

Annoying little brother by @ghstandpucks

Travis Dermott:

4 times you thought he would kiss you + 1 time he did by @denis-scorianov

All the authors mentioned in this have other amazing fics so make sure to check them out!

@mitch-slap tagging you bc you said you like these:)

If you have some other 4+1 fics that you like please send them to me!:)

[fear-of-flyers]

welcome to the season of the sticks! grab a warm, cozy drink and stay a while <3

Northern Attitude (ft. Mat Barzal)

Stick Season (ft. Kent Johnson)

All My Love (ft. Luke Hughes)

She Calls Me Back (w/ Brendan Brisson)

Come Over (ft. Quinn Hughes)

New Perspective (ft. Jack Hughes)

Everywhere, Everything (ft. Owen Power)

Orange Juice (ft. Mitch Marner)

Strawberry Wine (ft. Thomas Bordeleau)

Growing Sideways (ft. Joel Farabee)

Halloween (ft. Nathan Mackinnon)

Homesick (ft. Charlie McAvoy)

Still (ft. Anthony Beauvillier)

The View Between Villages (ft. Sidney Crosby)

[ilyasorokinn]

(day six) bee's on ice , joel farabee

note, this fic is part of my christmas series called taylor's very merry christmas series. check out this masterlist for the rest of the series. another note, this fic is part of "the four bees" series. check out this masterlist for more. pair, joel farabee x reader summary, the flyers are hosting a family skate for all their families, players, staff, etc. when joel first heard about it, he was immediately ordering lincoln a pair of skates. so to say he was excited was an understatement. warnings, kids/children word count, 822 words

(gif not mine)

When Joel came home, he was so excited. He dropped everything in his arms in the entryway and ran into the house, "Joel! What the heck?"

"There's a family skate." He told you, his voice laced with excitement.

"When is it?"

"The 18th."

"All right, so we have some time." You placed some blueberries onto Caroline's plate.

"I already got Link skates, and I'm sure Care's skate still fits her."

"He's not even a year old, I don't think he's going to be doing very much skating."

"Oh, come on." He begged, "I already got them."

You sighed, "Don't you dare let him fall. I swear if you do, I'm divorcing you."

"I promise, I'll be with him the entire way." Joel pressed a quick kiss to your cheek before he was off and running off to God knows where.

You rolled your eyes, "Carebear, lunch!" You hollered.

-

On the day of the family skate, Joel was bouncing off the walls all morning. He was rushing around, grabbing everything you asked for with haste, wanting to get out of the house as quick as possible.

"Okay, calm down." You laughed, "We're not gonna be late. We're actually very early, so I'm gonna need you to take like 5 deep breaths."

20 minutes later, both kids were buckled in and you were all ready to go. You had extra blankets, jackets, hats, gloves, and everything in between. So maybe you had gone a little overboard?

"Are you excited to skate, Carebear?" You asked, turning around and looking at her.

"Yeah." She wiggled in her seat, "Link skate too?"

"Yes." You and Joel spoke at the same time with different tones of emotion.

You glanced over at him, raising a brow, "Well, not really. I got him skates, but he's not gonna skate like you are quite yet."

"Okay." She responded, going back to singing along to the song playing on through the car speaker.

You looked over at Joel, "I'll hold him. He'll hover, like what I did with Care." He reassured you.

"Promise me."

"I promise. I'm not gonna drop our baby, Y/N."

"I know." You nodded.

-

When you got to the arena, you bundled with kids up with so many layers, Caroline was waddling when she walked, "Too much, mommy." She whined.

"I just don't want you to be cold."

"She won't." Joel started taking off some of the layers until the only thing she was in was her puffer jacket, warm pants and warm boots, and of course a Flyers beanie.

"All right, come on." You held Caroline's hand while Joel held Lincoln, and you made your way into the arena.

"Look who it is." Sanny came up, and picked up Caroline, flipping her upside down, eliciting a loud squeal and laugh from Caroline, "My favorite Carebear."

"Uncle Sanny." She giggled.

"Are you gonna skate today?" She nodded her head, "Awesome. Let's go get your skates." Joel handed Travis her skates, and Caroline walked off, hand-in-hand, over to the bench to get her skates on.

"Come on, little man. Let's get your skates on." You followed Joel over to the bench and watched him pull out the tiniest pair of skates you'd ever seen.

"How can you resist this?" He held up the skates.

"Fine, fine." You rolled your eyes playfully, "Just get them on." After getting Lincoln's skates on, you got yours on and then carefully got onto the ice.

Joel held onto Lincoln while you watched. You pulled out your phone and started recording, "You ready?" You nodded.

Joel slipped his arms underneath Lincoln's armpits and held him above the ice so his little skates were just barely grazing the ice, "Look at you, little man." Joel's smile was so big, "You're skating."

You laughed as Joel slowly skated towards you, and right as he got to you, he picked Lincoln up and cradled him to his chest, "You just skated. Your very first skate!" He exclaimed.

"Not even a year old, and he's already skated." You laughed, carefully adjusting the hat on his head.

A laugh from across the rink caught your attention. You both looked up at the sound of Caroline's laugh. You saw her skating with Travis and his girlfriend.

"See? This was fun." He nudged you.

"Yeah, yeah, you were right." You tried to conceal your smile.

"I'm always right."

"All right, careful there."

"Almost always right." He corrected.

"That's better." You nodded, "Now, what do you say, Link? Wanna go get some hot cocoa? or in your case, milk?" You plucked Lincoln out from Joel's arms and headed for the exit of the rink.

"We'll sit over there and watch." You pointed over to the bench where some other partners were sitting with their kids.

"Be safe."

"We will." You smiled, waving Lincoln's little hand at him as you watched him skate over to Caroline, "Your daddy is silly." You kissed his head.

-

my taglist: @tonyspep @mitch-slap @kolsmikaelson @ashleymarine @rosesvioletshardy @laurenairay @kidlnthedark @bowen-power @lam-ila @jostystyles @catahshart @puckinrightschicagoo @fiveminutesforfarabee @stars-canucks @drei-mrssvechii @iwantahockeyhimbo @2manytabsopen @calermakar08 @hamilton160 @pierrelucduboiis @thescooby-gang @sammysworldddd @corneliaskates @mista-svech @samanthasgone @hockeyboysarehot @nicoleloveshockey @thedukes-56-5 @kaydenissleepy @Yagetintoit @seventieswhore @MichelleKirby30 @jamieeboulos @Coffeeandteaandflowers @bibella8swan @cuttergauth @boqvistsbabe @sophia-bordeleau @luca-fantilli @madison-nhl

add yourself to my taglist!

(this taglist is my regular taglist, my non-special occasion masterlist. if you want to be tagged in all my writing, feel free to add yourself!)

[buttercupjosh]

It’s been 3 years since I wrote this fic. Now, I know that it’s a bit different from what others have created but I’m proud of this story and I hope that if you see this, that you would take the time out to read it. Thank you in advance😌✨

a summer in syracuse

(Gif credit to @tylerglasnow)

word count: 5,115

warnings: none

genre: summer romance, strangers to lovers, self insert, fluff

a/n: I’ve been quietly working on this fic since February and I’m finally dropping it. I actually applied to a summer research opportunity at syracuse university (unfortunately, I didn’t get in) and I had one of those before you go to sleep, dream prompt scenarios that was like “imagine if COVID didn’t exist and you went there and somehow ended up falling in love with Joel, what would that look like?” So based on the different details I would come up with to help me fall sleep (I never dreamt about it), here’s my beezy fic. I haven’t written a fic since 2014 and I’m no Nicholas Sparks so I tried my best at this. I’ve also never been to upstate New York so I just relied on my imagination and Google to help create the scenes. I’m not transitioning to becoming a fic writer, I just caved into the idea and wrote it out. It’s written with a female reader in mind because I’m a cis female but if you want to, you could make it apply to anyone. It's intended to be a self-insert to where the reader can imagine themselves or a character of their choice in the position. It’s also lowercase intended and there’s no dialogue because I wanted to do something different. Shoutout and thank you to @thestarsintheskyburnout for reviewing and editing this story for me. I’m open to any and all feedback, comments or questions; just put them in my inbox or dm me. Thank you in advance for reading, I appreciate it and I hope you like it😌 (p.s. if you have the time, I would also really appreciate if you checked out my other piece, know your heart. Thanks☺️)

(Note because I already know that someone is going to bring it up: yes, Joel actually has a vsco that he still actively uses. The only reason why I know that is because last year, someone (I can’t remember who) shared a photo from his vsco on here and put it as a source for a photo. I probably won’t share the vsco info for the sake of controversy and drama. Don’t come into my inbox about it.)

(Optional listening/songs of inspiration: summer love by one direction, space cowboy by kacey musgraves, san francisco by 5sos, streetlights by wanderer, driving by wanderer, into your eyes by wanderer, know your heart by wanderer (promoting it again because this song is so good), and my spotify playlist)

“you were mine for the summer, now we know it’s nearly over. feels like snow in september but i always will remember. you were my summer love. you always will be my summer love” -summer love by one direction

you were fidgeting in your seat from excitement and also as a way to keep yourself awake. you hadn’t slept much the night before because you were making sure that you had everything you needed for your trip and you were tired from spending the majority of your day in either an airplane or an airport. you kept tapping your feet on the floor and began sending your final texts to your family and friends and you were looking for the right playlist before the plane took off. you were blessed with the opportunity to go spend 8 weeks in syracuse, new york to work on a summer research project at syracuse university. you were so wrapped in your bubble of excitement and exhaustion that you didn’t notice the guy who sat next to you. he looked over at you with a side eye and he contemplated switching seats. this flight, however, was full so he stayed in his place. he grew slightly annoyed with you and wondered how someone could have this much energy for a boring flight to his hometown.

as the plane began rolling away from the terminal, you took out your gum and politely offered the guy in the glasses with the sharp jawline next to you a piece. he accepted and you noticed that he was wearing a black philadelphia flyers sweatshirt with the number 86 on it. something about him felt familiar so you complimented him on the sweatshirt and asked if he was a fan of the team. that’s when he revealed who he was, introducing himself as joel farabee, a forward for the flyers. that’s exactly why he was familiar to you because you watched him play before during the 2019-2020 playoffs and during the recent 2020-2021 season but you didn’t pay much attention to him specifically (your attention was more focused on a defenseman, a giraffe named phil myers). what were the chances that you would be seated together on a flight to syracuse? you told joel that you were a fan of his team but that you didn’t pay close attention to the entire roster. he laughed because he knew that he was only in his second season in the nhl, putting up great numbers but still gaining momentum within the team and that the team had other superstars, who casted a larger shadow over him. you knew that they had a rough season. you apologized for not noticing him and he accepted it. he asked you about why you were so excited to go to syracuse, it was a college town with nothing much to do unless you like to be outside, party or spend time in the library. you explained to him about the research project opportunity you were granted with and how it was your first time going there. for some reason, knowing that it was your first time there, it sparked an idea in joel. he decided that he wanted to be a tourist in his hometown and show you around. yes, he did spend the majority of his life there and he goes back every major holiday to see his family but he never really got the opportunity to show what the region had to offer and he wanted to do something slightly different this summer. his typical summer plans were to work out, practice at the rink, hang out with his friends, spend time with family, go fishing and catch up on sleep. he could still fit those things into his break and make time to show you around town. he offered to make your summer in syracuse fun, even though you would be spending 8 weeks cooped up on campus. you accepted the offer and exchanged numbers. as the flight continued, exhaustion began to wash over you and before you knew it, you had unintentionally fallen asleep on joel’s shoulder. yes, you had your neck pillow but your head had moved a bit too far over to the left. realistically, he should of woken you up and politely asked you to move your head off of him but he understood that you had spent the majority of your day traveling and were exhausted so he left you alone.

as the plane descended and made its way to the terminal at syracuse hancock international, he woke you up. after realizing that you fell asleep on the shoulder of someone you just met, you apologized to him again and he accepted it. at baggage claim, you thanked joel for being a great flight buddy and he chuckled at your words. his bags came out first and he waited with you until you got yours. he offered to take you to campus but the school had already given you a $100 uber gift card for transportation and you had already ordered the car. before heading your separate ways, you arranged to make plans at some point during your 8 weeks to hang out. in his mind, he had already started planning all of the places he wanted to take you.

____________________________________

after arriving on campus, getting settled in your dorm, and meeting your roommate, you noticed that joel followed you on insta and added you on snapchat. you snapped him a photo of the sunset, which he screenshotted but left you on opened. the following morning, joel sent you a snap back of the home cooked breakfast he was enjoying. you snapped him back a photo of a tree while walking to the research lab, and thus, a streak was born. you and joel began texting each other back and forth consistently. he already knew where he wanted to take you but he didn’t want to initiate the first move yet so he waited until you brought up wanting to go out since you had a much busier schedule.

about 2 weeks into your stay, you had finally decided that you wanted to ask joel about going somewhere. joel suggested going to destiny usa (the large mall in the area but going shopping together in a busy setting wasn’t the best way to get to know someone), the museum of science and technology or the art museum (both places piqued your interest but your research program already arranged dates for a group visit) and even going hiking (it sounded good but it felt odd since you had only just met each other). finally, you both decided that going to lunch at dinosaur bbq (a popular restaurant in town and one of joel’s favorite spots) the following day was the best choice.

the next afternoon, you nervously waited outside of the dorm hall and joel pulled up in a black audi. you took a deep breath before going inside. you trusted that joel was not some secret, dangerous creep and that his intentions were good. in your mind, you decided that if you both didn’t vibe well together during this lunch hangout, you didn’t have to see each other again afterwards. you were going to reject joel’s offer to show you around town and you could always ask your roommate or another member of your cohort to explore syracuse with you. ultimately,  you were wrong; having lunch with joel was actually a lot of fun. it was awkward at first because you were nervous. you barely spoke to him on the ride to the restaurant, not wanting to embarrass yourself by saying something wrong in front of him or creating the wrong impression. on the other hand, joel was cool, calm and collected. he didn’t think too much of going to lunch with you. he could tell that you were nervous and he didn’t want to push you to speak.

while you waited for your food, you carefully tried to choose your words and began opening up to each other. you both exchanged surface level basic details about your lives. the heart to heart stuff was being saved for later on, because you didn’t want to push each other away with the deeper details and the trust between you two hadn’t yet been established. you tried not to include hockey in your conversation, but it was a huge part of joel’s life and he had no issue talking about it with you. he willingly answered your questions about the behind the scenes of the nhl and you equally responded to his questions about your research project. you learned that you both shared certain things in common and some things you differed on; he even made you genuinely laugh a few times. throughout the meal, you realized you admired joel’s dorkiness and charm, while he admired your down-to-earth spirit and kindness.

when the check arrived at the end of your meal, you graciously offered to pay for both of your meals. joel declined your offer to pay and instead put his credit card on top of yours. you gave him his card back and made a compromise with joel. anytime, you went somewhere together, you would pay for something in exchange for his time and service of driving everywhere. he didn’t mind paying for things and driving the 15 minutes from his home in cicero to pick you up but he agreed to it and you both shook hands. his hands were larger than yours, but oddly, they fit together like matching puzzle pieces. joel took you back to the university and before leaving, you asked joel if you could hug him as a sign of gratitude. normally it would feel weird to hug someone that you had only known for a short while but hugging him felt natural and comfortable. after hugging him goodbye, you told him to text you when he got home. he promised you that he would before driving off and he kept that promise. ___________________________________

after that first initial hangout, you started having joel around more. he would sometimes come visit you in the library and keep you company as you studied. he would always bring snacks or take you out to go get food. sometimes, he would annoy you and you would end up spending more time dealing him and his antics than reading the book’s contents and working on the project. he never said it, but, he was in awe of your academic prowess. he had only spent a year in college before moving onto the nhl and seeing how passionate you were about the topics you studied amazed him.

after a study session, joel offered to take you to go do something fun and he suggested going to the zoo. he hadn't been since he was a child and felt a sense of nostalgia. you were both grown adults, but, a trip to the zoo wouldn’t hurt anyone. you ended up strolling around together at the rosamond gifford zoo on a saturday afternoon. you would stop and read the facts on each of the animals at the exhibits and joel would take photos of them on his vsco and send different ones to his friends. he saw a meerkat and sent a photo to tk. joel told you that you were like an elephant, big brained and full of knowledge. you rolled your eyes at him and indicated that you wanted to get dippin dots. over the cool treat, you and joel exchanged stories from your own childhoods. you told him about where you were raised, your hobbies, and your love for stuffed animals when you were younger. joel told you about his life here in town, his time in boarding school in connecticut, about his days in michigan playing for the us national development team and his short time at boston university.

after the ice cream was finished and the stories were concluded, you wanted to stop by the gift shop to pick up a souvenir from your trip to the zoo. you picked up two magnets (one for your parents home and one for your place). before checking out, you needed to use the restroom and asked joel to hold onto the magnets until you got back. joel took advantage of your short absence to purchase the magnets for you. you were surprised by the kind gesture and thanked him, though you insisted on buying them yourself. as you were both exiting the zoo, joel mentioned how the rose garden was close by. he knew that he wanted to take you there to see the flowers but he didn’t want to be awkward. he knew that the rose garden was a romantic place and as far as you both knew, you were just friends and nothing more. from your perspective, you knew that joel could possibly secretly be involved with another girl back in philly or in his DMs, and he could also have any girl he wanted at the drop of a message anyways. realistically, you were both single and neither of you wanted to admit that a summer romance was quietly blooming between the two of you. after you listened to his suggestion about the rose garden, you had decided to opt out. you definitely wanted to go check it out but you didn’t want to make joel uncomfortable by going there together when you weren’t dating each other. on the ride back to campus, you awkwardly asked joel for more information about the rose garden. he responded telling you how beautiful it was in the spring, how it’s one of his mom’s favorite places in town, and sharing a story about a time he visited. after listening to his commentary and saying goodbye, you wished that you had accepted the invitation. little did you know, joel was feeling the exact same way. ____________________________________ your research project was progressing well, but, as you got closer to the deadline, you jokingly told joel that you were so stressed out and busy that you just wanted to go down niagara falls in a barrel to escape it all. this inspired joel to actually take you to see the marvelous waterfalls to get your mind off of the stress you were feeling. it was a 3 hour drive from syracuse but it was worth taking the trip for you.

on the ride to the falls, joel let you decide the soundtrack for the road trip and he learned that you held a deep love for music. he learned which songs and artists meant a lot to you and even asked you to add some of the songs you played into his library. you didn’t think much of it at the time (besides the fact that you were getting this boy to listen to other genres besides country and rap), however, joel was quietly planning on making a playlist full of the songs you loved - even though some of the songs you played were definitely out of his comfort zone. the purpose of the playlist was to help him feel connected to you after you left.

after the 3 hour drive, you finally arrived in the late afternoon. you did not bring your passport with you, so, you were unable to cross the border into canada and explore that side of the falls. you hopped together, alongside other tourists, onto the maid of the mist boat ride. it took your breath away to see the waterfall up close and in person. you were speechless by its amazing beauty. you felt the mist of the water dance across your skin and your eyes widened in wonder. you couldn’t believe that you were actually in front of niagara falls. while you were inside a bubble of awe, joel admired you and your reactions. it made his heart full, seeing the joy spill out of you. he made sure to capture photos of you and the falls and you both took touristy photos in the classic yellow waterproof ponchos at the cave of the winds. your favorite photo taken that day captured you and joel laughing in the titanic pose in front of the falls. it looked a bit silly but it was a really cute photo of you two together. joel’s favorite photo was a side profile shot of your face, with the water cascading in the background. although, you felt otherwise in the oversized, bright plastic coverup, he truly thought you looked beautiful.

after picking up more magnets and a t-shirt from the gift shop, and watching the falls illuminate at night, you headed back to syracuse. on the ride back into town, you and joel stopped at a diner off of the highway. you sat across from each other, admiring the details of each other under the light, just as you had many times before. however this time, a wave of vulnerability kicked in and you decided to share more about the intimate details of your life with joel. in your mind, some of the things you shared weren’t so great and you felt they could be a reason for him to stop liking you. however, joel saw how the not-so-pretty, broken parts, the seemingly boring, uninteresting things and the little details of who you are, pieced you together like kintsugi. the scars that lined you were flowing with the gold of your love, compassion, and kindness and he liked that about you. it’s what made you so different from all of the other girls out there. sure, on paper the qualities of who you are could be what he needed in a partner but physically, you may not match the expectations of wags within hockey culture. his heart whispered to him that you were something special and that the physical beauty of this world didn’t matter because he knew that you were beautiful on the inside.

at the end of your meal, the waitress dropped off the receipt explaining that she adored when couples came in together and seeing a happy relationship reminded her of her and husband, after losing him many years ago. joel blushed at the waitress’ remark and you thanked the waitress for her service before leaving. you and joel had never talked about your feelings for each other. it was definitely safe to assume that you were friends and nothing more but there was something more lurking under the surface. your hearts both, connected by an invisible string, could sense that love was there but the words never slipped out. the rest of the drive back was awkward. while the music hummed in the background, you speculated that joel wasn’t probably looking for a relationship and you assumed that you didn’t fit his standards anyways. you weren’t a model, you weren’t a sorority sister, you weren’t someone who had a shot at competing on the bachelor. you were just you and you were content with who you are. you knew that dating an athlete wouldn’t be easy but if you knew that he was into you, he was worth the risks and challenges.

while you were wrapped up in your thoughts, joel reached over and grabbed your hand. you were surprised by the move but didn’t let go. he didn’t say anything either because he had similar thoughts about his feelings towards you racing through his mind. you didn’t know that he felt the same way, seeing that you were full of internal beauty and you shined like a light on earth. he was also terrified of what could happen next for whatever was going on between you. he knew that he considered you his friend and he could feel himself falling for you, but, he was worried about what he couldn’t see below him. he wondered if you could handle the pushback associated with being a wag or if you even wanted to be romantically involved with someone like him in the first place. he also wondered if you were falling for him as well or if you just wanted to remain friends.

before you both knew it, you arrived back to campus. despite the awkward car ride, as usual, he dropped you off and you gave him a hug goodnight, telling him to text you when he got home. as soon as you walked into your dorm, you immediately confided in your roommate about your trip to niagara falls and your feelings for joel. she knew that you had been spending a lot of time with joel and she admitted that she adored how well he treats you. your roommate advised you to listen to the whispers of your heart and focus on what it said to you. you considered her words and hoped that your heart said the right things to you and guided you into the right direction. ____________________________________

your final research project presentation was thursday afternoon and your flight home was scheduled to leave friday morning. joel really wanted to make your last night in syracuse special. he was proud of you and wanted to celebrate the completion of your research project experience by taking you out to eat at his favorite hometown restaurant. going out to eat together was not a new thing for you, he had taken you to several different restaurants, but this place was special to him. francesca's was only reserved for special occasions. it was where he had celebrated several of his birthdays, his high school graduation, when he got signed to the flyers, and other important events. based on advice from his older brother, he had never taken a girl there unless that girl was important to him. although you had only known each other for less than 3 months, you meant a lot to him. he knew that you were someone his family and the team would adore.

he waited for you in his car, just as he had done countless times before but this time with a bouquet of flowers for you. he had spent hours with you but the butterflies in his stomach fluttered loudly tonight. he peered out of the window and he thought you looked absolutely stunning in your dress, the color you wore looked amazing on you. when you got closer to the car, he got out, handed you the flowers, and went around to open your door. he complimented you on your outfit and it made your cheeks warm. the flowers he picked for you were beautiful and you admired how he was being extra sweet tonight. on the ride to the restaurant, you complimented joel, saying he looked handsome in his outfit and you thought to yourself that that the both of you look good together.

the restaurant he took you to was very nice. it had brick walls and a lively atmosphere. you could sense that joel was a bit nervous, which was odd, since he was never nervous around you before. you questioned him about it and he explained  the significance of the restaurant to him. you were taken aback that he thought you were special and important enough to him for him to bring you here. that made your heart whisper to you. you had listened to what your heart had to say and not surprisingly, it did say the right things to you.

at the end of the delicious dinner, you wanted to go get ice cream, so joel took you to  the cold stone creamery inside of destiny usa. you both sat and ate ice cream on a park bench in onondaga park, looking out onto hiawatha lake, and admired the stars in the night sky. the reality of your last night in syracuse began sinking in. joel knew that you had an early morning flight, so he drove you back to campus sooner so that you would get enough sleep for your journey back home. he drove to the front of the building and he promised that this moment wasn’t goodbye and he was going to take you to the airport the next morning. before leaving, joel reached over in the backseat and handed you a bag. inside of the bag was a bee beanie baby, a keychain of gritty (the mascot for the flyers), a black philadelphia flyers hoodie matching the one he wore when you first met, and 4 magnets - 2 represented the city of syracuse and 2 were flyers magnets. you were thankful for the sweet gift and admired that joel paid attention to the things you liked. you went in to give joel the usual goodnight hug but this time, he asked if he could kiss you goodnight instead. you accepted the offer. ____________________________________

you didn’t sleep well the night before. your mind was racing with the thoughts of the great night you had and you also wondered about what would happen between you and joel. you said farewell to your roommate and promised to keep in touch with her. her flight was leaving at a different time but yours was an early morning flight back home. it was too early in the morning for you to go to breakfast together so you planned on getting something overpriced and filling in the airport. as he promised the night before, joel was taking you to the airport to say goodbye. he still had about a month left before training camp started but he wished that you would change your ticket and stay longer. you were dozing on and off during the trip to the airport, joel looked over at you and his heart was full. this was the last time that you would be together like this in his car. you were going to miss the unintentional familiarity that you developed sitting in his passenger seat and being physically close to him. he enjoyed the way it felt having you next to him and he too was going to miss that feeling.

as he pulled into the short term parking lot at the airport, you woke up from your nap and an overwhelming feeling of sadness washed over you. you didn’t want to leave him. you had such a good time in a new place and you had gotten to spend time with an amazing guy who treated you so well. your heart swelled with the gratefulness that you had felt for joel, sacrificing his time to spend time with you. he could have brushed off the fact that it was your first time in syracuse and spent part of his summer with anyone else and do his typical summer routine with his old friends. he was under no obligation to drive around his hometown with someone that he barely knew but he had chosen to spend that time being with you - which neither of you regretted for a single moment.

after checking your bags and receiving your ticket, it was time to say goodbye. you weren’t sure how long the line would be for security and you were a little hungry and tired so you knew that you didn’t have much time left together. you were sad that it was all over and whatever you and joel had was done. as absurd as it sounds, you actually fell in love with the friend who made your summer in syracuse fun. the tears began to slowly flow and joel wiped them away. he embraced you in a hug and kissed the top of your head. at that moment, the busyness of the airport quieted for you. in that moment, it was just you and joel holding onto to each other for one last time. he reassured you that this wasn’t the end of what you had together. he still wanted to talk to you, see your beautiful smile, he wanted for you to come visit him in philadelphia and of course, he wanted to show his favorite girl (besides his mom) around town; he wanted more of you and the light that you shined into his life. neither of you wanted to let go but you had to separate in order for you to make your flight on time. he squeezed you a little tighter and planted a departing kiss on your mouth. you smiled at him with tears in your eyes. he joked for you to not fall asleep on anyone’s shoulders unless they were his and got a giggle out of you. although, he thought that you wouldn’t hear him say it but he quietly murmured an “i love you” and you repeated those 3 precious words back to him.

this goodbye hurt a lot but you both knew that the leap made to spend your summer together was worth the fall into the deep unknown of your friendship/relationship. you both wished that you could press rewind, start over and relive the time that you spent together during the past 6 weeks. you weren’t sure if or when you were going to see each other again, you still had time before you graduated from school and joel would be busy with the upcoming hockey season. although, the chaos of what’s to come loomed ahead, you both promised to not forget about each other and to at least remain friends and keep in touch. the future was full of uncertainty and you also weren’t sure if joel would patiently wait for you. he could always find another girl to fall in love with and spend his days with. you also could always find someone for yourself, which would be okay, only the future could tell. you hoped that somehow this would all work out, with the two of you finding a way back to each other. regardless, he had made a impact on you that you would treasure moving forward. you were each other’s summer love and the possibility of moving on hurt but the love you had shared wouldn’t go away as the seasons went on.

with one final hug and look into each other’s eyes, it was time to leave. as you walked towards the security checkpoint with tired eyes, you were exhausted, but it wasn’t a dream and it wasn’t a joke. the feelings and things you had experienced with joel were real. you were brought together for a reason and it was no mistake that you sat next to each other on that flight. an opportunity fell into your hands and you both had chosen to not let it slip away. you were both the one that the other had waited all of this time for and that patience had paid off. even if it didn’t end up turning into a full romantic relationship, the friendship and bond that was created between you was worth the time and effort that was put into it. your summer in syracuse was over but you would never forget the memories you made with a certain flyer and the love that you shared with him.

[misshoneyimhome]

500 FOLLOWERS FESTIVAL

Cross me - “If you cross her, then you cross me” I Joel Farabee

Summary: You and Joel Farabee often clashed, but then one night he saw you in a new light. And when he stepped up to defend you, the shift in your relationship became undeniable.

Tropes & warnings: Joel Farabee x reader, enemies to lovers, reader working for the Flyers, protective!Joel, angry ex-boyfriend, Smut 18+; fingering, unprotected penetrative sex (p in v)

Other notes: Alrighty, babes! So, this one's for the anon who requested Joel Farabee smut 🤗 I have to admit, I wasn't too familiar with him at first, but I hope I've managed to capture his vibe just a little bit 🙈

Word count: 3.1K

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The locker room was buzzing with post-match adrenaline. The Philadelphia Flyers had just secured a thrilling victory, and the air was electric with high-fives and laughter. Joel Farabee, however, couldn't shake off the nagging feeling of unfinished business. And as he pulled off his gear, his eyes drifted to the opposite corner of the room where you stood, talking animatedly with one of the coaches.

You were one of the team’s PR managers, brought in to shake up the Flyers' public image a couple of seasons ago. And from day one, you and Joel had clashed over every little detail—press releases, social media posts, interview schedules. It seemed like every interaction ended in an argument, a battle of wills that neither of you could back down from.

_

One particular incident still stood out in your memory. It was the day after a tough loss, and the tension in the locker room was palpable. You had drafted a press release to address the team's performance, emphasising their determination to bounce back stronger. Joel, however, had different ideas.

"Seriously? This makes us sound like we're begging for sympathy," Joel had said, holding up the draft with a scowl.

You crossed your arms, meeting his glare head-on. "It's called damage control, Joel. We need to show the fans that the team is resilient and committed to improving."

But he just shook his head, frustration etched across his features. "We need to be honest, not sugarcoat everything. The fans deserve better than empty platitudes."

"It's not about sugarcoating,” you sighed, pinching the bridge of your nose. “It's about maintaining a positive image and keeping morale up."

Joel stepped closer, his voice lowering but no less intense. "And it's my job to make sure we’re genuine. The guys don't need to be coddled. They need to feel the weight of their performance and come back fighting."

The argument went back and forth, neither of you willing to concede. Your voices rose, drawing the attention of some of the other players who exchanged wary glances but wisely stayed out of it.

Yet, finally, you threw your hands up in exasperation. "Fine. Let's just put out a bland, generic statement and see how that goes."

"It's not about being bland,” Joel's eyes flashed with irritation. “It's about being real. The fans can tell when we're faking it."

You bit back a retort, recognising that continuing the argument was futile. "We'll revise it together," you said through gritted teeth, barely managing to keep your tone professional. "But we need to find a balance."

Joel nodded curtly, still clearly annoyed but willing to cooperate. "Agreed."

_

But tonight, something was different. Joel noticed the way you winced as you moved, your usually bright eyes dulled with pain. 

His brow furrowed in concern. Although Joel wasn’t exactly sure why he cared so much, the thought of you being hurt made his chest tighten.

So, as the locker room began to empty out, he found himself walking towards you. You were packing up your things, your face set in a determined mask.

"Hey," he said, his voice softer than he intended. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"

You looked up, surprise flickering in your eyes before they narrowed suspiciously. "What is it, Farabee? Need another fight to cap off your night?"

But Joel shook his head, taking a step closer. "Who did this to you?" he asked, his voice low and serious.

Your eyes widened in shock. "What are you talking about?"

"The way you're moving. You're hurt. Did someone do this to you?"

You glanced around, as if checking to see if anyone else was listening, then sighed. "It's nothing. Just a little accident. Nothing for you to worry about."

Yet, Joel's jaw clenched. "It is something if someone hurt you."

"Why do you even care, Joel?” your breath hitched at the intensity in his eyes. “We’re not exactly friends."

And with that, you dismissed him as you walked out, leaving Joel a little frustrated. All he wanted was to help, and yet you didn’t want to accept it. He stood there for a moment, watching you go, a mix of worry and helplessness churning inside him. He had never felt this protective before, and it frustrated him that you wouldn't let him in.

_

A few nights later, on a rare off night for the Flyers, the team decided to unwind at a popular downtown bar. The atmosphere was lively, with music thumping and laughter echoing from every corner. And naturally, Joel was there, enjoying the night with his teammates, yet his eyes kept drifting toward you. You were mingling with everyone, your laughter genuine as you joked with colleagues and team partners. It was a side of you he rarely saw, and for some unknown reason, it made him smile.

You had grown close to many of the team members over the past few months. Your hard work and dedication had earned their respect, and tonight was no exception. You moved through the crowd with ease, sharing stories and drinks, a welcome presence among the players and staff.

However, suddenly, the room's lighthearted mood shifted. And Joel noticed it immediately—your expression changed, your face paling as you glanced toward the entrance. Following your gaze, Joel's eyes landed on a man who had just walked in - your ex boyfriend.

His heart sank as he saw the fear and distress in your eyes, the way your shoulders tensed and your smile vanished. He had heard rumours but hadn't had the chance to ask you about it, yet he knew: your ex was the reason for your recent pain.

Joel’s protective instincts suddenly flared up.

Your ex then made a beeline toward you, his presence like a dark cloud interrupting the joyful atmosphere. You tried to maintain your composure, but Joel could see the tears welling up in your eyes, the knot in your chest tightening as your ex began shouting. His voice was loud, drawing attention from everyone around you. It was nothing but humiliating.

“You think you can ignore me?” your ex yelled, his face twisted with anger. “You’re coming home with me. NOW!”

You tried to speak, to tell him to leave you alone, but your voice caught in your throat. And as the bar fell silent, all eyes were on the unfolding drama.

But before you could say anything else, Joel suddenly stepped in. He moved swiftly, positioning himself between you and your ex. His expression was fierce, eyes locked onto the man in front of him.

"Maybe you should leave," Joel spoke firmly, his voice low but commanding.

Your ex sneered, clearly unimpressed. "You don’t get to tell me what to do. She thinks she can leave me? Well, she can’t. She’s coming home with me."

"No," Joel said simply, his tone unyielding. "If you cross her, then you cross me. And I don’t think you want that."

There was a tense silence as your ex seemed taken aback by Joel’s unwavering stance. He scoffed, about to retort when another voice joined in.

"Actually, you cross all of us," Sean Couturier said, the captain stepping up beside Joel. And then, one by one, more players moved to stand behind them, forming a protective wall between you and your ex.

The solidarity of the team was overwhelming. You had never expected anything like this—the entire team protecting you, with Joel at the front. It was both humbling and empowering.

Your ex looked around, realising he was outnumbered and outmatched. So, with a frustrated huff, he turned and stormed out of the bar.

The moment he was gone, you felt the knot in your chest begin to loosen. And then Joel turned to you, his expression softening. "You okay?"

You nodded, tears still brimming in your eyes but now for a different reason. "Thank you," you whispered, your voice shaky with gratitude. “So much.” 

Joel gave you a small, reassuring smile. "Always. If you ever need anything, I’m here."

The team dispersed back into the crowd, the incident already becoming part of the night’s stories. Yet, Joel stayed close to you for the rest of the evening, his presence a comforting reminder that you weren’t alone. And as the night wore on, the initial shock and embarrassment gave way to a growing sense of warmth and safety. Joel’s protectiveness, once a point of contention, now felt like an anchor.

And eventually, the two of you found a quieter corner of the bar, away from the bustling crowd. You sat together on a plush couch, the dim lighting creating an intimate atmosphere. Joel handed you a drink, and you took a sip, feeling the warmth spread through your chest.

"Are you really okay?" he asked, his eyes searching yours for any lingering pain.

You nodded, a small smile playing on your lips. "I am now. Thanks to you."

"I meant what I said," Joel's gaze softened as he gently tucked a strand of hair behind your ear. "If you ever need anything, I’m here."

You looked into his eyes, seeing a depth of sincerity that took your breath away. The tension between you shifted again, the space between you charged with a new energy. In that moment, you realised that the constant bickering had masked a deeper connection, one that was now impossible to ignore.

"Joel," you began, your voice barely above a whisper, "I never expected you to..."

"To care?" he finished for you, a half-smile playing on his lips.

You nodded, unable to tear your eyes away from his. "Yeah."

Joel leaned in closer, his hand still resting on your cheek. "Well, I do. More than I thought possible."

Your heart pounded in your chest, the world around you fading as you focused entirely on him. The warmth of his hand, the intensity in his gaze—it all drew you in, making it impossible to resist.

And just like that, as everything else fell away, you closed the distance between you, your lips meeting his in a gentle, tentative kiss. It was soft and sweet at first, a hesitant exploration of new territory. But as the seconds ticked by, the kiss deepened, fuelled by the unspoken emotions that had been building between you.

When you finally pulled away, both of you were breathless, your foreheads resting against each other. Joel’s thumb brushed your cheek, his touch sending shivers down your spine.

"Wow," you whispered, a smile spreading across your face.

Joel chuckled softly, his eyes sparkling with affection. "Yeah, wow."

You both sat there for a moment, savouring the new closeness and the promise of what could be. Yet, you yearned for more—a longing to feel more than just his lips on yours.

The bar's lively atmosphere buzzed around you, but all you could focus on was Joel. His presence was magnetic, drawing you in with every passing second. You didn't want this night to end, and the idea of parting ways now felt unbearable.

"I don’t want to go home alone," you admitted softly, looking up at him through your lashes.

Joel’s eyes darkened with understanding, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Neither do I."

You bit your lip, contemplating your next move. You didn’t want to seem too obvious, but the desire to continue this night with him was overwhelming. So, gathering your courage, you took his hand in yours, the simple touch sending a spark through your body.

“Come with me,” you whispered, your voice filled with both hope and anticipation.

Joel simply nodded, no hesitation in his eyes. “Lead the way.”

The walk to your place was filled with a comfortable silence, the night air cool against your flushed cheeks, as your hand remained in his, a steady anchor while you navigated through the city streets. And every so often, you’d steal a glance at him, the look of determination and tenderness in his eyes making your heart race.

Then when you finally reached your apartment, you fumbled with the keys, your nerves getting the better of you. But Joel’s hand on yours steadied your trembling fingers, and you managed to unlock the door, pushing it open with a sense of anticipation.

And as soon as the door closed behind you, the tension between you snapped. Joel’s hands were swiftly on your waist, forcefully pulling you close as his lips found yours once again. The kiss was more intense this time, fuelled by nothing but desire. You led him to the living room, your lips never parting, as your hands roamed every part of him.

But then you pulled back slightly, just enough to catch your breath, your forehead resting against his. “Joel,” you breathed, your voice filled with longing.

And he simply answered with another kiss, his hands roaming your back, pulling you even closer to his body. “I know,” he murmured against your lips. “Me too.” Then with a shared look of understanding, you led him further into your apartment, towards the bedroom.

The room fell hot almost immediately as neither of you wanted to waste any time undressing each other. With each kiss, every touch, friction caused sparks to fly as your mutual desire filled the air.

Joel’s fingers deftly unbuttoned your shirt, his lips trailing down your neck, leaving a trail of fire in their wake. You tugged at his shirt, pushing upwards and prompting him to pull it over his head, your hands eager to explore the muscles beneath. He then pulled your shirt off as well, his eyes darkening with desire as he took in the sight of you.

“You’re incredible,” he whispered, his voice husky.

Yet, you merely responded by pulling him closer, your hands tangling in his hair as you kissed him again. The world outside ceased to exist, and all that mattered was the two of you, lost in a whirlwind of passion and longing.

Joel’s hands slid down your back, the sensation of his touch on your bare skin making you shiver, your body reacting to his touch with a fervour you’d never experienced before. So, you quickly worked on unbuttoning his trousers, your fingers trembling with anticipation.

And as your clothes fell to the floor, you both moved towards the bed, the longing building with every step. The sheets felt cool against your heated skin as Joel lowered you onto the mattress, his naked body pressing against yours. His kisses became more urgent, his hands exploring every inch of you, igniting a fire that burned brighter with each touch.

Your hands roamed his back, feeling the strength of his muscles as he moved against you. Every kiss, every caress was a declaration of the connection you’d both been too stubborn to acknowledge until now.

Then Joel’s lips found yours again, the kiss deepening as he settled between your legs. His hand then gently snaked between your bodies, tracing soft trails over your smooth skin until he found your core.

You arched into him, your body craving more as the heat between you was almost unbearable. And effortlessly, he allowed two fingers to gently enter you, exploring your heat and tight muscles, stretching you with every slow pump. His name escaped your lips in a breathless whisper, your fingers digging into his shoulders as he responded with a low growl of desire.

“Joel,” you moaned softly, feeling the arousal build within as he moved his fingers a little faster. You were completely soaked, making it effortless for him to massage your core.

But both of you also felt the impatience for a rush take over. Despite how good it felt having Joel stimulating you, you needed more. You craved him inside you.

And Joel was feeling the same arousal burning within him, his hardness throbbing, already dripping with pre-cum as he too felt the need to feel you around him.

So, gently withdrawing his fingers, causing you to let out another soft moan, he then lined the tip of his length with your entrance. And with a determined and passionate push, he let himself enter you completely.

“Oh yes…” he moaned deeply as your tight walls wrapped around him, hugging him tightly. “Fuck, you feel so good.”

You could barely respond, only a mix of gasps and moans escaping your lips as he began to rock his hips, his length filling you up and hitting your sensitive spot repeatedly. 

It felt nothing but amazing as the two of you made passionate love, your bodies melting together in sync.

Joel picked up the pace, settling into a steady rhythm that felt natural yet dangerously arousing. The night became a blur of passion and sensation, as your bodies moved together in perfect harmony. 

Every touch brought you closer, the intensity of your connection growing with each passing moment. It was as if all the arguments, all the tension had been leading to this, a culmination of the unspoken feelings that had been simmering beneath the surface.

“Mmm…” you bit your lip as you felt the rush beginning to course through you, knowing that it wouldn’t be long if he kept up the speed. “Joel… I’m… I’m close.”

But your moans and words only spurred Joel on, as he felt his own climax approaching, making him unable to hold back. The feeling of you around him was simply incredible, and though he didn’t want the pleasure to end so soon, the urge for a release overcame him.

And when your nails dug deeper into his skin, your walls clenching around his sensitive member, neither of you could hold back your climaxes. Letting out louder moans, sounds of pleasure echoing through the room, you both gave into the intensity and pushed each other over the edge together.

“Fuck…” Joel grunted deeply as he released himself into you.

“Fuck indeed,” you breathed out panting for air, your eyes shut as you slowly came down from the high that had consumed your mind completely.

Joel lay still for a moment, allowing himself to relax while still inside you, feeling your muscles pulsating around him. It had been intense, yet nothing but pure pleasurable. And the smiles slowly creeping on your lips signalled the rush you were both feeling.

Then Joel gently withdrew, and when you finally lay together, tangled in each other’s arms, the world outside still and silent, you knew that everything had changed. Joel’s hand traced lazy circles on your arm, his breath warm against your skin.

“You know,” he murmured, a smile in his voice, “I think we make a pretty good team.”

You laughed softly, the sound filled with contentment. “Yeah, we do.”

You looked up at him, your eyes meeting his in the dim light. There was a tenderness there, a promise of something more, something deeper than just a fleeting moment of passion.

And as you drifted off to sleep in Joel’s arms, you couldn’t help but feel that this was the beginning of something new—something better, something real.