#nhl fan fiction

[ladylooch]

Weekends with Nico - [Nico Hischier]

Summary: Nico’s in town for the weekend and spends all of it with the love of his life.

Word Count: 5.5k

Main Trope: Established relationship; PURE fluffy fluff with our favorite fluff.

Friday

The minute my hand turns the door handle of mine and Nico’s apartment, I gasp in surprise as a glass of wine is extended from behind the door.

“Wow, look at this service. Five stars, Hischier!” I exclaim, grabbing the chilled white wine from his grasp. I joking gulp down three sips that has Nico wheezing out a laugh.

“Get it, baby!” He encourages me needlessly. I snort into the wine glass and almost choke on my next sip. Nico takes my work bag from me as I wipe the back of my hand across my mouth. “Was that fast enough for you? Your 'need wine ASAP' text was in all caps so I figured it was serious.”

“Perfect timing as usual.” I compliment him, then snuggle myself into his chest in a side hug. He drops a soft kiss on my lips that has my shitty day evaporating from my mind.

“I’m sorry you had a rough day.” He tells me sincerely.

“Thank you. It’s all better now.”

“The vino?”

“No, being home with you.” I insist. Nico beams back to me.

“You still okay to go out?”

“Hell yeah. Let me change, drink this up and I am ready to go.” 

“Okay.” He agrees, taking a sip of his own red wine. He pats my ass as we separate and heads back to the couch where he is catching up on a new show him and Timo started on the road together.

When I come out later in my date night outfit, Nico slides off the leather couch onto his knees. His thick eyebrows curl together dramatically as he groans.

“Good god, babe.” He shakes his head in deep appreciation. “I don’t know what I did right to get you all to myself, but I’d do it again in every lifetime.” I glide my hands over my tight jeans and busty top. I know I look good, but it tickles me to see him literally fall to his knees to worship me. Every woman deserves a Nico Hischier. But not this one. He’s mine.

“Hischier, you’re getting laid tonight. No need to lay it on this thick.” I roll my eyes at him, but the smug smirk on my face let’s him know how much I love him stroking my ego.

“Sweet, so you’re paying for dinner tonight?”

“You would never be so tacky.” Nico’s face crinkles up into a disgusted curl. 

“No. Not my style.” He says as he picks himself up off the floor.

He walks over to me, immediately stretching a big paw around my waist to dip into the back pocket of my black jeans. He pulls me flush with him then swipes his lips across mine. It’s teasing, not quite a kiss until I put my hand on the back of his neck. Then the playfulness stops and we consume the breath from each other’s lungs. His thumb extends off my jaw line to stroke my cheek as our tongues connect. He sucks my bottom lip into his mouth, nibbling it before finally breaking away. 

“We better go now or we won’t.” I whisper, feeling dizzy from his kisses and the way he looks at me.

“We’re finishing this later.” He insists.

We absolutely are.

But before then, we head to our favorite tapas place, indulging in tostadas, shrimp skewers, chicken wings and a chicharron situation that I’ll be dreaming about until the next time we can get back there. I have a few more glasses of wine, but Nico stops because tomorrow is a game day and he hates the fuzziness of a hangover when he has to compete at such a high level. He asks if I want ice cream, but I decline, feeling too full for such a decadent dessert. 

We walk through the streets of Hoboken back to our apartment, hand in hand. Our shoulders bump as we weave through the masses of people until we get to a quieter stretch of our neighborhood. We walk by a corner bar that has the door open, letting the live music bleed out onto the street. I peak inside as we stride by then immediately stop in place. Nico’s hands stretches out as long as possible before he feels the tug of my dead weight behind him.

“What?” He asks me.

“We have to go in.”

“Why?”

“Karaoke.”

“I’m not doing it.”

“No, but it could be really good! Come on! People are just starting to get drunk. Oh! Oh! Let’s invite Timo and sign him up.” I clasp my hand over my mouth and start laughing. “He could sing Barbie Girl! He loves ABBA!”

“Yes. We must.” Nico concludes, already texting Timo. Once Timo agrees to come meet us for a drink, I go to the side stage to sign him up on the sheet. There are plenty of people before him so by the time he arrives and settles in with a drink, they’re calling him as on deck.

Timo balks at Nico in Swiss German who says something back to him that has Timo actually getting up to do the song.

“I’m not going up there alone.” He looks pointedly at me.

“Nico.” I wave to my boyfriend.

“Someone has to save the table.” Nico stretches his hands out on the table top. “And you are way drunker than me.”

“Just tell her what you told me: captain's orders.” 

“That’ll bring out a version of her you aren’t ready for, T.” Nico smirks knowingly at me while addressing his teammate. My eyes darken and my lips curl into a coy smile.

But that’s how Timo and I end up singing a terrible rendition of Barbie Girl. Serious, Swiss captain Nico Hischier is laughing so hard he is crying at Timo’s attempt to lower his voice to match the baritone of the male singer. We leave immediately after because it was so terrible I don’t know how Timo is going to show his face at Prudential Center tomorrow.

“I’m never coming out with you guys again.” Timo laughs with Nico and I as we spill out onto the sidewalk. 

“Oh come on! It wasn’t that bad!”

“We are running away in shame. What do you mean it wasn’t that bad!?” Timo chokes on a laugh, gesturing back to the open doorway. “I swear to god if I get tagged in a video on TikTok…” Nico and I collapse into giggles, barely able to keep walking as Timo hunches his shoulders and runs off in front of us. “I’m leaving you bad influences behind!” He yells then continues on towards home.

“He’s actually ditching us.” I stutter at his retreating back.

“He has a date.” Nico fills in.

“Oh! Am I getting a bestie!?”

“Maybe… I think it’s going pretty good.” 

“I think things with us are going pretty good too, friend.” I bump into his shoulder.

“That’s so sweet after two years together that you’re finally ready to call me a friend.” 

“Hey, you’re my best friend.”

Nico tosses an arm around my shoulders, bringing my head to his mouth for a smooch. 

“Let’s get you into our bed, best friend.”

But we don’t make it there.

Instead, we get greedy and hungry as we strip down in our walk-in closet. Before we can move our bodies anywhere else, we are sliding to the floor amongst our discarded clothes. Nico strokes his nose through my slick folds and has me for dessert. I stretch and arch into his face, rolling my hips into his mouth as my hand finds purchase in his long hair. My teeth pierce into my bottom lip then fall away as I come, surrendering to wave after wave of pleasure. 

Nico takes his time pulling away from me, kissing my soaked skin, leaving wet kisses up my stomach as he settles the head of his cock against my entrance. He holds my face in place as he slides in, keeping my eyes on him for the duration of his hard thrusts into me. It’s intimate, intense, and passionate as we say nothing, but match each others excited, building breaths.

“I love you.” He tells me when he sees the build crescendo on my face. I whimper my love back to him. “Go ahead, sweet girl. Come for me.” He quietly requests, biting at my bottom lip. I squeak then release, fluttering around him in heavenly pulses until he spills deep into me. 

Afterwards, Nico collects me into his arms, then deposits me into the bed before returning with the aftercare essentials of water, my sleep gummies and a washcloth. 

“I had the best night with you.” I tell him as he cleans my folds gently. His smile softens his brown eyes even more. “I love you. Can’t believe how lucky we are to have Friday nights this good.” 

“Every day with you is the best day, baby.” He replies when he finishes his diligent clean up. He covers me with the comforter then disappears into the bathroom before coming to join me in a fresh pair of underwear. He tosses a t-shirt of his my way to put on as pajamas.

His strong arms collect me into the exact place he wants me. He pins one of my legs between his big thighs, then wraps one arm around my back. His fingers draw the lazy, barely touching circles he knows make me fall asleep quickly. 

“I don’t wanna fall asleep.” I sigh out even though I’m in the midst of losing the battle. “Don’t wanna be apart.” 

“We’re never apart, baby. I’ll visit in your dreams tonight. Promise.” He says with a kiss to my nose. 

With that reassurance, and his comforting strokes, I let myself succumb to the siren whisper of sleep.

Saturday

Plump lips make a home out of mine causing me to stir from my slumber. I kiss back in half-hearted attempts until a tongue is trying to worm it’s way into my mouth. Then I breathe in deep, tossing my arms around big shoulders. Two large hands slide down my back to my thighs, pulling me into a strong, warm chest.

“Whass this?” I mumble. 

“I miss you. I want you to wake up so I can tell you how much I love you and why.” 

“Can’t we do this later?”

“I have to go to practice soon.”

“That’s not my fault. You picked this life.”

“So did you.” He chuckles as he reminds me. “All I want to do today is have coffee with you. Barely even care about the game.”

“I’m telling Timo.” Nico gasps softly.

“No, don’t.” He whines.

“Jonas too.”

“You wouldn’t.”

“Maybe even Jack.”

“Take it back.” Nico demands, halting his steps to the kitchen.

“Put me back in bed.” I challenge him, squinting my eyes. His face falls making me instantly regret giving him such a hard time.

“Baby, I really want to spend time with you this morning.”

“Okay. I’ll be your lil koala.” I hold out the vowels making his dimples re-appear. “But I do need coffee.”

“I’ve got that covered. Plus a muffin.”

On the coffee table is a latte from my favorite coffee shop and an equally delicious, double chocolate muffin. He sets me down on the couch, then hands me both before folding my legs into his lap. He rubs at my feet as we sit in comfortable silence. 

“Who do you play tonight?”

“Preds.”

“Josi!”

“Ya.” Nico nods. “Probably won’t have time to meet up with him before, so I’ll have to check in with him after the game."

“That will be fun! I can’t believe it’s already been this long since World Championships.”

“Mhm. What are you up to today?” 

“I have to do laundry. Bleh. I don’t have anything to wear to the game tonight. The girls and I are getting drinks before, so if you don’t see me at warm ups, I’m not dead. Just buzzin’.” Nico chuckles. 

“Get some dinner in you too.”

“I will, mom.” I promise. You accidentally miss a game one time and he never lets you live it down…

Nico shoves the last bite of his muffin into his mouth then mumbles, “I gotta go” through puffed out cheeks. He kisses me after he swallows then heads out the door for morning skate. 

The rest of the day is our typical game day routine. Nico comes home after eating his pre-game meal at the rink. He heads right to our bedroom to close the curtains and get his nap going. I stay in the living room until I have to shower, then I tiptoe around as best I can getting ready until he pops his head into the bathroom. 

“Can I shower?”

“Yes, please. I could use a show while I get ready.” I tease him. 

He puts on a performance for me through the glass enclosure of the shower, including putting his perfect, sudsed up butt cheeks into the glass. I cat call him from outside the shower, leaning against the counter as he rinses off. His smile is so wide, dimples prominent, he looks innocent and deliciously sexy at the same time. 

He towels off quickly as I head into our closet to change. I help him pick out his game day outfit trying to argue with him to not wear his latest white beanie. 

“What about dress shoes?” I suggest when he stuffs his feet into his designer sneakers.

“No. These are more comfortable.” 

I sigh in defeat.

“Next game day. I promise.” He assures me, kissing my cheek as he moves past to gather the necessities like wallets, keys, and chapstick. “Do you need money for tonight?” He asks me, thumbing through the cash in his wallet. He doesn’t wait for me to answer, just tosses it all on the dresser for me if I need it. Then he straps his watch to his wrist as a knock sounds on the front door, meaning Timo is here.

“Game time. Love you, babe. I’ll see you after.” He gathers me into his arms. I hug him tightly to me, getting lost in his upper body and piney scent.

“I love you. Be safe. Good luck. Show me something out there tonight, hey?”

“I always do, no?”

“Eh.” I shrug noncommittally. Nico narrows his eyes at my deliberate sass. I fold my lips inward and rush backwards as he swats at my ass.

“Have fun with the girls.” He says through a smirk. “Don’t eat any men tonight with that outfit.”

I laugh at his retreating back.

“No promises!”

He knows I’m teasing. After all, it’s his last name and number that hang on dainty gold chains around my neck at the bar later that night.

The girls and I chat and catch up. It’s been a couple weeks since we all got together and the conversation flows as well as the drinks do. We miss warm ups, but do make it in time for puck drop. Nico is in the starting line up and he does a little stick tap in my direction when he sees me in our family corner. I clap in response, making all my bracelets clang together on my wrists

“Let’s go, baby!” 

It’s a night unlike any other that we have shared together at Prudential Center. Nico scores his first NHL hat trick. When the hats start soaring through the air, I wish I could run to him. When the crowd chants his name during his post-game, on ice interview, I wish I could be in his arms, feeling the laughter in his chest and the way his heart nervously flutters at all the recognition.

But right now, I still have to share him. So instead, I cheer and chant his name too. 

Then I do it again for him privately.

A captain’s showing in our bed only.

Sunday

Our Sunday, off-day tradition is all about seeing how long we can stay in bed without having to get up. Loser has to get the other coffee when they get up. It’s not surprising that it is me this morning. I have to pee, but unlike Nico who was up buzzin’ off his game high until 2:30am, I collapsed into a worn out heap by midnight.

I tiptoe out of the room, moving quietly through the kitchen to get two cups of coffee ready. I’ll bring Nico his, knowing it will get cold. But he likes cold, old coffee- something I hate and love about him at the same time. I need it scorching hot and sweet. We can always tell who’s cup is who’s based on the color of the liquid, but sometimes to tease me, he takes a sip of mine then spits it out dramatically in the sink. “Next time just make yourself hot chocolate you pretender.” He usually says, then nips at my lips like they’re his for the taking. 

My body pulses to be back with him, so I balance our coffees in my hands then head back to our bed. Nico has stretched himself over onto my side of the mattress. His pillow is crumbled in his crossed arms, head on top, as he keeps himself as close as possible to my pillow. Even in his sleep, he waits for me, keeping space for my body to slide in next to his. I reach over to set our cups down, then fold myself into the opening of the bed.

I grab my book, sliding my bookmark out of it’s place. My glasses are slipped onto the bridge of my nose and then with my cup securely in my hand, I find myself getting lost in a new fantasy romance book. Nico stays close to me the entire time. Eventually, his head ends up on my stomach. Then his whole body rolls between my legs. My thighs practically wrap around his neck as he wiggles himself in deeper to my skin.

After I finish my coffee, my fingers find their usually home in Nico’s long hair. I scratch along his scalp, helping him drift off back to sleep until soft puffs of air tease my skin. I shove the comforter off my legs as much as possible because Nico is keeping me warm without the extra cloth. 

When my stomach growls three times in a row, Nico finally forces himself awake. His head lulls back, eyes looking up at me with their sleepy glow. The hand with my book in it falls away to the other side of the bed so I can see him completely.

“Hi sleepy.”

“Hi sunshine.” He responds with a rough coating of sleep on his voice.

Slowly, I help him wake up by rubbing at his skin. I hand him his coffee cup and he rests it on my thigh then takes a generous slurp. That seems to invigorate him because he peels himself off of me and starts to stretch his body out. 

I rub his back as he slumps forward, scrubbing at his face. The sound of his few days of stubble fills the room with his movements. Then he turns to me, eyes peaking out through small slits of his fingers. 

“I am going to take over the kitchen today to work on something. You stay here.”

“Oh okay.” I chuckle. I wasn’t planning on leaving this bed for awhile yet. And while I’m curious, I know better than to ruin a Nico surprise. It’s usually worth the wait.

After a generous morning kiss, Nico rolls out of bed for good, tugging on some fresh clothes before disappearing with a backwards hat over his hair and a swipe of his keys off the dresser in our room. Shortly after, I hear the apartment door open and close. He returns about an hour later, depositing a chicken caesar wrap into my hands from our favorite deli before shutting the door and leaving me to my book. I appreciate that because things are really starting to intensify. I know I have to finish this one today. 

It takes the rest of the afternoon and into the early evening. As I read, smells of garlic, onion and herbs float down to the bedroom. At various points in the day, Nico comes in with snacks or drinks to replenish the reading nook we’ve created on the bedside table. Each time, I’m in a different position on the bed. The one that makes him laugh the most is when he sees me with my feet on the wall above the headboard. He’s upside down when our eyes connect.

“Have you ever tried, this one!?” I joke. 

“No, but open to it.” He smirks. His lips float over mine, kissing me from above. My nose bumps the underside of his chin for a moment before he pulls away. “Checking to see if you need anything?”

“I’m good. Thank you, babe.” 

“Mhm. I’ll be ready for you in probably a half hour.”

“Okay.” I nod. That should be good timing. 

The ending of the book wrecks me because, of course my favorite supporting character dies tragically in a ball of fire trying to save his lover. I openly weep, wiping my eyes away as the book ends with a vengeful declaration of war. Book four is going to be epic and probably break my heart into more pieces than the series already has. But I have a perfect, very real man who puts those pieces back together again. 

I open the bedroom door, wiping the tears away with the sleeves of Nico’s sweatshirt on me.

“Oh no.” He pouts.

“He died! She really killed him off!”

“Is he like.. maybe seemingly dead but not?” Nico questions as he opens his arms for me to settle into.

“No, babe. He went poof.” I mimic smoke with my fingers then crash my head into his chest.

“Terrible. I’m so sorry, baby.” He kisses the top of my head gingerly. I look over at the stove, seeing my large dutch oven on one of the burners. It’s white with gold accents, a gift Nico got for me after he accidentally dropped my original dutch oven in the sink causing it to crack.

“Is that…?” I pulling away to look at his face. He beams proudly at me.

“I think I did good.”

“It smells like you did.” I murmur. “Can I see?”

“Yeah.” He nods, bringing me over to the stove. He uses a hot pad to lift the lid off and beneath it is my family’s infamous Sunday Sauce. I usually make this once a month for us, but didn’t have time to grab anything after such a long, exhausting week at work. Nico must have made the run earlier. It didn’t cross my mind, even when he handed me the wrap. My mouth salivates at the smell of everything mingling together and steaming in the warm pot. “Can’t taste it yet. I just did and it’s not ready.” 

“Okay.” 

“How about some wine while we wait?”

“Speaking my language as usual, Neeks.” I jump up onto the counter, grabbing two wine glasses from the cupboard then folding myself into a pretzel there as Nico pours us each a glass. While we wait for the sauce, we talk about the upcoming week. I pout about the weekend being so close to over and Nico politely reminds me that we still have tonight. He distracts me with talks of watching whatever movie I want and informs me he did get the cannolis I love so much from the Italian market. 

“You think of everything.” 

“Those long books you love so much always mean you need a lil sweet treat after.”

“Well if the bitch, affectionate, would stop killing people off…” I roll my eyes playfully. 

“Affectionate.” Nico guffaws towards the ceiling. 

“And she made him die saving the love of his life!” I swing my arms to the side exasperatedly. “How sad is that!?” My wine sloshes in my cup, a bit over and onto the counter. Nico grabs a sponge and soaks it up before it can stain anything. 

“A tragic love story. But he went out doing the honorable thing, no?”

“You would die to save me?” I say skeptically.

“Without question.” Nico shrugs his big shoulders. “Would do anything to keep you safe.” 

“I would be so mad at you. If you die, I want to die too.” Nico chuckles. “Seriously! You can't leave me here in this world alone, Nico Hischier.”

“That is so dramatic and unreasonable, even for you, my love.” He kisses my nose, then wanders over to the pot. He pulls off the heavy lid, beginning to slowly stir everything together, getting ready for another taste.

“If I died would you find someone else?” I ask him after another sip of wine.

“No.” He answers immediately.

“Good. I want you to be alone forever.” Nico snorts at my honesty.

“I hate talking about this.” He reminds me.

But I love it and my imagination runs wild on Sunday nights when I don’t want to go back to work. I do dream of throwing it all away and being Nico’s hot, trophy wife. He would support that. But we both know I would hate it, so until I burn myself out in corporate America, I’ll keep grinding and commuting in New York.

“Would you try to move on?”

“Babe.” Nico sighs, rubbing at the end of his nose with the back of his hand. He finally lifts his eyes from the sauce to mine. “I might, but I could never love anyone the way I love you.”

“Good boy. Blowie for you tonight.” 

He hits a subtle fist pump in the air as he purses his lips in his way that highlights his deep dimples.

“Ready to taste?”

“Yes, chef.” I stick my tongue out, wagging it at him. 

“Gonna give you something to stick that on later.”

“Yas, daddy.” I wrinkle my nose cutely at him, almost hissing at him in a playful banter.

“Stop it.” Nico chuckles. I don’t miss the slight adjustment to his sweatpants though.

He dips the wooden spoon into the sauce, gathering up a bite of it. He walks slightly to his left where I am curled up on the counter. He pauses there, gently blowing on the red liquid. He raises it slightly to his lips, feeling for the steam. When he is sure it’s safe, he glides it to my lips. I take a proper taste, then sigh heavenly at the depth of the sauce. The salt, garlic, and tomatoes have married with the fresh basil and if I didn’t know better, I might think Nico was part Italian with how well this has come together. 

“Outstanding. Better than mine.” I pat his butt in celebration.

“No, no, no.” Nico shakes his head immediately. “Nothing is better than yours, baby. You make it with so much love. Can’t be replicated.” He sets the spoon off to the side then turns the heat down even lower. “What kind of noodles?”

“Rigatoni!” I cheer. Nico is already pulling that box out. 

To be known is to be loved and Nico is truly the best at that.

I watch him get out a large steel pot. He heavily salts the water like I do and brings it to the stove. He turns it on, then goes back to the sauce, giving it a stir so it doesn’t sit too long and burn. My lips curl into a sweet, adoring smile. He clocks it quickly, coming over with a smirk and giving me a kiss. It’s a passionate one. I hook my legs around his waist and he pulls me off the counter. 

“You.” He brushes my lips again. “Need to get outta my kitchen or we are not going to eat dinner.”

“What’s wrong with that?”

“I have plans for you later that I need carbs for.” He drops me onto the couch, then tosses the throw blanket over me. “Find us something to watch.” He flicks his fingers at the TV.

“Okay.”

“Good girl.”

I hide my grin behind the soft blanket then do as I’m told. 

Cause I’m Nico Hischier’s good girl.

And I’m not about to disappoint him now.

Monday

Barely awake, I untangle myself from Nico’s arms to turn off the alarm on my phone. It’s quietly reminding me that although one of us gets to play hockey for fun, the other has a less exciting job to navigate back to today. Reality descends and I swear our bedroom has a cold, grayish tinge to it.

I sit on the edge of the bed, hands folded in my lap, trying to gather up the energy and willpower to get in the shower. My hair is wild and greasy. I can feel dried drool on the edge of my lip. Yet, behind me, a gorgeous Swiss captain slides himself across the bed so he can dig his face into my side. I pat his head, scratching his scalp for a few minutes. His nose rubs the outside of my thigh and he sighs as contently as a happy, jobless puppy would.

Before I get up, I lean down to kiss his bearded cheek. He hums in response. Then I peel myself from his arms for a second time already. 

He makes it harder to leave bed than it needs to be.

I take a shower, longer than I should but the warm water felt delicious and comforting. My body soap smelled extra inviting and the shampoo massage I gave to myself had me relaxing until nothing was really a priority. Thus I’m now running late, which has me crashing around our bedroom and bathroom trying to get ready quickly so I can catch my train into the city.

“Oh, fuck.” I mutter as I almost fall over putting my dress pants on. I have to grab the door to steady myself, making it slam into the wall. “Shit.”

“You good?” I hear Nico call groggily.

“Yeah.” I respond. “Babe, do you think you could get up and start some coffee for me?” I call out to him. I still have to get my make up on and finish styling my hair. 

“Mhm, of course.” He responds, sounding slightly more awake. I can hear him get out from under the comforter. He walks by the closet door, only in boxer briefs until he grabs his discarded lounge clothes from last night on the chair in the corner. Then his feet scuffle out of the room. 

In the meantime, I fly through my make up as fast as I can. My hair does not want to cooperate with a blow out. So I get it as styled as it will go and turn off my Dyson with a huff. It looks presentable enough. At least it isn’t greasy and matted down anymore. I slide on Nico’s favorite lipstick to get me a couple extra goodbye kisses, then head out to the main area to meet him. Along the way, I grab my work bag from the entry way, double checking everything is in place from Friday. I toss my keys and my wallet from my purse into it. After, I grab a few snacks from the panty and some oatmeal. 

“God damn.” Nico suddenly mutters when I lean down to the bottom level to grab the extra box of granola bars. “Your ass in those pants could send me to an early grave right now.” I giggle, looking over my shoulder at him to see his brown eyes feasting on my butt. He folds his bottom lip between his teeth as I stand back up, slowly raking his gaze up my body. “Coffee is ready.”

“Thank you so much.” I sigh happily, seeing he has already put it in my to-go cup. “You are the best.” I shake my head dramatically as I say it, then throw my arms around his shoulders.

“Love that color on you, beautiful.” He says immediately seeing my lips. We kiss hungrily in the middle of the kitchen as the world moves on with their Mondays.

“What’s the cost of the coffee?” I ask as we pull apart. My lipstick is smeared on his lips and a bit on his chin. I slide my thumb over it there, rubbing it off. Nico grabs my wrist, then works our fingers to lace together.

“A dance.”

“Oof. I don’t know that I have time for that. Rain check?”

“No. Payment must be given before you go. Those are the rules at Nico’s Coffee Hut.” I laugh, searching his incredibly smug face.

“You are so cute. But Neeks, I really have to go.”

“No, you need to dance with me. Right now.” He pulls me away from the counter. “Whatever the consequences are, I’ll take them for you.” He whispers against my lips. “Dance with me.” 

That tone, with those gorgeous brown eyes, evaporates the worries about walking in late. I bargain with myself too- it’s not like I have any meetings this morning. Nico begins to sway us gently and I give in completely.

Tucked into his arms like this is the only place I truly belong in this world.

I’ll take weekends with Nico over anything else for the rest of my life.

More hockey fics of mine are here for your enjoyment.

[fiapartridge]

you don't go to parties | j. hughes 🎆🪩✨

“i don’t know who im looking for ‘cause you don’t go to parties anymore…” you don’t go to parties, 5 seconds of summer

pairing: jack hughes x fem!reader

summary: after ending your relationship with jack, he finally plucks up the courage to attend a party—and all he can think about is you.

warning(s): cursing, smut (like they have sex but it’s more heated & slow than trying to be super smutty), angst + fluff?? (in some aspects LOL), also noticing now that there was no protection so beware lol

author’s note: i don’t write smut so this is probably the closest ill ever get to writing it LOL but it’s much more for the plot rather than it trying to be super 18+, r-rated type smut yk

wc: 4.01k

not proofread

Glitter hung in the air, every room bathed in a purple glow as Jack hung by the wall, nursing a beer he had managed to snag from the cooler outside. The air was thick with the scent of perfumes and sweat, and the music thumped in his chest, yet he felt—detached, almost alone in the scheme of things. 

The party was a blur of lights and sounds, of hookups and dancing. None of it held any interest for him, but his friends had practically begged him to come. They nagged him the entire summer to leave the lakehouse, to have a drink at the bar downtown, or even to just go on a drive with them, but Jack always came up with an excuse. “Can’t. Training for next season,” or “Gotta raincheck. Something came up.”

They knew what it was. It was obvious. He was missing you. You plagued his mind every second of every minute of every day. Jack knew he had messed up. The moments leading up to the collapse of your relationship replayed in his mind like a broken record—the arguments, the tears, the things he said that he couldn’t take back. The memories of you haunted him. He could feel you throughout the whole house.

You met Jack when you were 17. He hosted a draft party at the lake house the second he got back home to Michigan. Jack, being the cocky teenager he was at the time, made it an open-invite party. Sure, it wasn’t smart on his part but he was a clueless teen. He didn’t know better, but he thanks himself everyday knowing that that one decision led him to meeting you.

Your brother—one of Jack’s school friends—had been invited and asked if you wanted to come. You were hesitant at first. You had seen Jack around school, laughing loudly with his friends or pressing a girl up against the lockers, locking themselves together with heated kisses. You had always found him obnoxious, masking his stupidity with insensitive jokes and being portrayed as a “dumb jock.” But ever the hypocrite you were, because there you were, at that obnoxious, insensitive guy’s draft party. Go you.

Entering the house, you noticed the high ceilings and swarm of strangers that knew Jack better than you; who were probably wondering why you were even there, or who you even were. To your left, a group of friends talked animatedly on a set of plush couches, their drinks spilling out of their cups with every swing of their arms, and their makeup perfectly done on their face like they had hired professionals for this specific event. You felt out of place and, to your luck, your brother had abandoned you the second you stepped through that door.

Who knew you could be surrounded by hundreds of people, yet still feel so alone?

Weaving through the crowded house, you made your way to the backyard, which was just as packed as inside the house, except there was a slight breeze and it didn’t smell as terrible. String lights criss-crossed above the partygoers, creating a canopy of twinkling stars. A fire pit crackled in one corner, Adirondack chairs lining the perimeter as guests chatted all around you. The pool was lit within, its water glowing an intoxicatingly vivid blue. You stood there, watching the stillness of the water as everyone filled around you. The music thumped in your chest, in your ears, in your bloodstream, but you watched the water, and for a moment, you felt okay.

“I always wanna jump in at parties,” a deep voice said beside you. 

You hesitated before speaking. “Why don’t you? It’s your party, isn’t it?” you asked, face-to-face with the man of the hour. His chestnut hair was cut short, truly showing how young he is. You wondered how he could do this: have eyes on him at all times, have so many expectations weighing on his conscience, being judged constantly. It felt—suffocating, to say the least.

“Do you know how many hockey legends are here?” he laughed, as if the building was swarmed with secret spies. 

“And yet you’re standing here. Why’s that?” you asked, looking up at the boy.

And for the first time in your life, Jack Hughes looked at you. And it wasn’t in the gross, disgusted way he looked at clumsy kids in the hallway, or the way he looked at pretty girls like they were his next meal. He looked at you in earnest, an emotion you didn’t even know he was capable of possessing.

“Do you think I don’t know you?” he eyed you, his brow raising as you broke his—hate to admit it—intimidating gaze. You watched the water before you, crossing your arms over your chest as you began to feel that unwelcome, fish-out-of-water feeling again. Moving closer to you, his voice fell almost to a whisper as you felt chills run down your spine due to the proximity. “I know you’re the obnoxious girl that thinks she knows every answer to every question, who already judged every single person at this party without ever learning their names, who doesn’t like me, yet still came. Why’s that?” he asked, repeating the same question you had asked just moments before.

You felt bare in front of him, confused as to how he knew any of that stuff about you. Surely he was too busy making out with girls and slinging a stick around to pay attention to you. So why had he just read you like a book without you having to say a single word?

You shrugged. “I wanted to see what you were about, I guess.”

“Yeah?” he smirked, his tongue poking his cheek as you dared yourself not to look up at him. “How’d I do?”

“Not sure yet.”

He bumped his shoulder with yours, butterflies bumbling around your stomach. “Not just a dumb jock, you know. That’s all Luke.”

You scoffed quietly, a small smile playing on your lips as you lessened up the need to try to fight it. You were smiling because of Jack Hughes, and to be honest, you didn’t really mind it. “He asked me the difference between a square and a rectangle once,” you joked. You had some classes with Luke, and while you two weren’t best friends, you still talked to each other once in a while.

Jack laughed, watching Luke in the corner of his eye try to talk to a girl that was way too old for him. “You’re laughing,” he smiled, noticing you cover your face and still your giggles. “See, I’m not that bad.”

You rolled your eyes before looking up at him. He watched the partygoers on the other side of the pool mingling, his jawline sharpened and his moles scattering much of the surface area of his face. You hadn’t noticed much about his appearance until then, until you finally got a good look at him, at his personality.

You two sat poolside for a while, your legs dipped in the water as you talked about anything and everything. Occasionally people would pull him away to chat, but he would always come back to you, telling you all about the boring conversations, how much he hated networking at a party that’s supposed to be fun, how he hated being treated and expected to be like an adult when he was far from it.

He didn’t notice he was talking to you for so long until the party thinned and it was just you and him in the backyard. Cups littered all around you, his mom picking them up as she not-so-subtly eavesdropped on your conversation. His brothers were inside the house, watching you two from the kitchen window, and Trevor and Cole speculated who you even were while trying not to pass out on the couch in the living room.

For the first time in a while, Jack felt, I don’t know, good about himself? Like he wasn’t praised for doing such little things, or told he’s some amazing person just because he’s good at passing a puck around. Like he was able to talk, and someone was there to listen. And for some reason, he actually kind of liked being criticized by you. It showed that you paid attention; that you were real. He hadn’t met someone real in a while.

He remembered the time you had dragged him to a New Year’s Eve party at your friend Avery's apartment a couple years later.

He was wearing “2024”-shaped sunglasses that matched yours, and a shiny, gold, plastic fedora that made you laugh every time you looked at him. His arms were wrapped around you from behind as you entered the house, his lips planting a kiss on the crown of your head as you two separated to hug the group of people that stood near the door.

You talked to your friends, catching up on everything you guys missed in each other’s lives while in college. Jack snuck up behind you, kissing your cheek before slipping off your coat and placing it on the couch by the entrance. 

The party was chill, much more relaxed than any of the parties Jack was invited to that night. You had urged him to go to them, knowing he would have much more fun with his friends, singing karaoke, getting wasted, and blasting music until they can’t hear anymore, but he shook his head, saying, “Parties are only fun if you’re there,” he shrugged. “Besides, how am I supposed to get my New Year’s kiss without you?”

The two of you mingled for a while, sharing nostalgic stories about high school and the time Jack had confused “pads with wings” with pads and chicken wings. The living room was filled with soft music and the hum of conversations. Jack kept close, his hand finding yours every now and then as if to ask if you were okay, if you needed food or a refill on your drink, if you were tired and wanted to go home—you were always his first priority. 

As the night progressed, the countdown to midnight drew closer. People began to gather in the living room, excitement buzzing in the air. Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve played on the television as Jack pulled you to a spot where you could both see the screen. His arm wrapped around your waist, and you leaned into him, sniffing his cologne and laughing when he caught you.

Before you knew it, the countdown began and everyone started chanting along.

“Ten, nine, eight…”

You turned to Jack, his eyes locked on yours, a charismatic smile playing on his lips. Even after dating for five years, he still managed to make you nervous. You had hoped that that feeling would never go away. You want to be nervous because of Jack Hughes every single night—forever.

“Seven, six, five…”

The room seemed to fade away, leaving just the two of you standing there.

“Four, three, two…”

Jack’s hand gently cupped your cheek, his palm warm and tender against your skin as you leaned into it. 

“One! Happy New Year!”

Cheers erupted around you, but all you could focus on was Jack as he leaned in—not too slow, not too fast—capturing your lips in an impossibly better-than-the-last, sweet, honey kiss. Your hands were in his hair, his were glued to your hips, and it was perfect. And for a moment, it was just you and him, sharing the first kiss of the new year.

When you finally pulled away, grins were etched to your faces. You still couldn’t believe he was yours.

“Happy New Year,” Jack whispered, his forehead resting against yours.

“Happy New Year,” you echoed.

Jack’s head rested against the wall behind him, his eyes closed, the music muffling around him as he thought back to the first time he said “I love you.”

It was your 18th birthday and you were celebrating it at the lake house. Knowing Alex, Trevor, and Cole, they planned this huge rager for you, inviting nearly half the neighborhood—and then some. 

After you said your hellos and knowing that the party could continue without you, you wandered upstairs, finding yourself in Jack’s room as you sat on his bed; his gray cover soft under your fingertips as you brushed over the fabric. You just needed a minute. 

Before you knew Jack—like, really knew Jack—you hadn’t had a birthday party in years. It wasn’t like your family didn’t care about you, or your friends didn’t want to celebrate you. Everyone in your life meant something to you, and you meant something to them too. You just couldn’t go to parties to save your life. You would walk in, see all the girls that are prettier than you, all the guys that act like you don’t exist, you’d get in your head, get overwhelmed, and leave quickly after. This just wasn’t for you.

And because Jack knew you, he knew you would be upstairs.

The door slowly creaked open, causing your head to rise, and a sigh to fall from your lips—just Jack. He smiled at you, shutting the door softly behind him as he sat beside you on the bed. You two sat surrounded by the soft glow of dim lamps, and the distant thumping of music that had seeped through the floorboards beneath your feet. 

His heart pounded in his chest. He knew you were beautiful, but sometimes he’s just so amazed by you, like you’re a new person every single day. Like there were new discoveries to be made, like he could never get bored with you. To Jack, you were everything. And who needs anything else in the world if he had everything sitting right beside him?

His hand rested on your thigh, his thumb running up and down the exposed skin. “I’m sorry,” he whispered.

You furrowed your brows. “For what?”

He shrugged. “For the party. I know you didn’t want it.”

“It’s not that I didn’t want it,” you murmured, sighing. “It’s just—I’m not Trevor, or Cole, or the number one overall draftee, Jack Hughes,” you smirked, bumping your shoulder with his. 

He shook his head. “No one’s telling you to be. We could’ve watched a movie,” he suggested, grinning. “Or gone on a shopping spree, or went on a drive. You don’t have to do anything for anyone else, especially on your birthday.”

“I like parties when you’re there—and no one else is,” you laughed as Jack scoffed, a smile pulling at his lips.

“I like those parties, too.” He went silent for a minute, just the hum of music playing from the outside filling the room as you focused on his thumb on your thigh. “I know I’ve been busy with hockey and everything lately, but I don’t want you to ever feel like you’re not important to me, or that I’m not thinking about you, because I am—all the time. You’re the most important person in my life.”

Your heart swelled at his words as you squeezed his hand. “I know, J,” you nodded. “I knew what I was getting into when you asked me out,” you smiled, meeting his gaze. 

He had been busy with his rookie season for the past year: being called a bust, getting injured over and over again, fans questioning if the Devils made the correct choice with him. He grew quiet during those months, more frustrated—with himself, with his game, with the people around him. You were worried for him, begging him to just talk to you about it. He shielded himself from everything and everyone. He almost lost you because of it, and he vowed to never do that shit ever again; to never get so close to losing himself that he ends up losing you.

He took a deep breath, his eyes never leaving yours. “You’re really fuckin’ cool, you know that?”

You rolled your eyes, that smile planted on your lips never fading away. “I know.”

Laughing, he smiled, a small, genuine smile that made your heart skip a beat. He pulled you closer, wrapping his arms around you in a warm embrace. “I mean it. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

You buried your face in Jack’s chest, breathing in the familiar scent of seasalt and ocean breeze. “Luckily for you, you’ll never have to find out.”

He kissed the top of your head, his chin resting on your hair as your cheek laid against his chest. “I love you,” he whispered, the words spilling out before he could stop them.

He felt you tense beneath him, pulling back slightly. His heart sped up. “What?”

He gulped before breathing in. “I love you,” he repeated, his voice steadier this time. “I think I’ve always been in love with you—you make it hard not to be.”

Your breath caught, a small smile encapsulating your blushy face. “I love you, too.”

Before you could say anything else, Jack closed the distance between the two of you, his lips capturing yours in a tender kiss. The music was gone, the thumping of your heartbeat was put to the back of your mind, every doubt and every worry you had for this relationship was dissipated immediately—nothing existed at this moment. It was jack, jack, jack, plus a hundred times more.

Jack’s hands found their way to your waist, pulling you closer, deepening the kiss. You responded naturally, your fingers threading through his hair, holding him close as if afraid he might disappear, like this moment was just a figment of your imagination. 

Gently, Jack guided you higher up the bed, his movements careful and deliberate. He laid you down, hovering over you, his eyes filled with adoration. “I love you so much,” he whispered against your lips before capturing them in another kiss.

Your hands roamed his back as you tugged at his shirt, eager to feel his skin against yours. Jack immediately understood, pulling away just long enough to discard his striped tee before returning to you, his kisses growing more urgent. 

As you pulled him closer, your own shirt joined his on the floor, your lacy red bra standing out against your skin. Jack’s breath hitched at the sight, his hands trembling as they traced the contours of your body, committing every inch and every curve to memory. He wanted to explore every dimple and every mole, every birthmark, and every faint touch that made you squirm. He wanted to know you, as thoroughly as possible.

“Holy shit,” he murmured breathlessly, praising you to the highest level. “You’re so fucking beautiful.”

Jack’s lips left a trail of kisses down your neck, his breath hot against your skin. He paused, his gaze meeting yours, a silent question in his eyes. He wouldn’t do anything unless you wanted to. You answered with a nod, your fingers tracing the lines of his jaw before pulling him back to you. 

“I love you, Jack,” you whispered against his lips. “I want this.”

Jack’s hands moved with increasing urgency, his touch sending shivers down your spine. Roaming lower, they explored the curve of your waist before slipping beneath the waistband of your pants. His fingers found their way to your core, gently exploring, teasing.

A soft moan escaped your lips, your body arching against his touch. “Jack,” you breathed.

He kissed you deeply, his fingers moving with deliberate, tender motions, drawing soft gasps and breathless moans. “I love you…so much,” he murmured against your lips.

Your breaths became ragged, his name becoming the only thing left in your vocabulary. The room grew warmer, more intoxicating. Jack felt you getting closer to your high, quickly removing his fingers before you could reach it as you whined out, breathless.

He paused, his forehead resting against yours, his breath hot and heavy. “Are you sure you want this?” he asked again.

You nodded, your eyes locked with his. “I’m sure, Jack. I want you.”

With a shuddering breath, he captured your lips again, the kiss deep and all-consuming. His hands found the clasp of your bra, unhooking it, and letting it fall away. He stared at you for a moment, taking in your bare body before his lips began to trail downwards, worshiping every inch of you.

Your hands found the waistband of his pants, your hands working sloppily as you fumbled with the button. Paying no mind, he helped you, discarding his pants and boxers in one swift motion. Jack’s body pressed against yours, the heat of his skin against yours almost too much to bear. His kisses were everywhere, trailing down your neck, across your collarbone, and finally to your breasts, where he lingered, drawing soft moans from your lips.

You arched against him, your body pleading for more, for everything. "Jack, please," you whispered, your voice barely more than a breath.

He met your eyes, his gaze soft and safe. "I love you," he said again, his voice full of emotion. "Let me show you how much."

With that, he kissed you deeply, his body aligning with yours. The moment he entered you, it was like everything else fell away, leaving only the two of you, connected in the most intimate way possible. The rhythm of your movements, the gasps and moans, all blended perfectly, like this was right where you were supposed to be—with Jack, here, and in love.

His thrusts were slow at first, measured, each one driving you closer to the edge. The feeling of him inside you, filling you completely, was overwhelming. You wrapped your legs around his waist, urging him to go deeper.

“I love you, I love you, I love you,” he repeated against your lips, over and over again. 

Jack’s thrust became more urgent, his breathing ragged, matching your own. His heavy grunts, as your fingers dug into his back pulling him closer, closer, impossibly closer, filled the warm room. 

As your climax built, your hands weaved through his hair, needing to feel him, needing to be as close as humanly possible. Each thrust hit harder and faster than the last, bringing you closer to the edge. 

“Jack,” you cried out, your body tensing as that unfamiliar feeling approached, the high almost too much to handle.

His face was buried in your neck, holding you tightly. “Y/N,” he groaned, pushing you through your high, his own release nearly there.

With a final thrust, the string you held onto so tightly, slipped from your fingers, a balloon inside you erupting at the feeling. You cried out his name once more, your body trembling with the force of your release. Jack followed, his own climax crashing over him. 

You clung to each other, your bodies trembling with aftershocks. Jack held you against his chest, his breath ragged, and his heart pounding against yours.

As you laid entwined, the world slowly came back into focus. The sounds of the party were distant now, a faint reminder of where you were. But at that moment, it didn’t matter. You didn’t care about what was going on downstairs, who was missing you, or who was asking for Jack. All that mattered right now was the two of you, and it felt perfect.

“Don’t know if I said it enough, but I love you,” Jack chuckled, his arm wrapped around your small frame.

You smiled, your fingers tracing lazy patterns on his skin. “I love you, too, J. Always.”

Always.

  Always.

    Always.

      Always.

         Always.

Opening his eyes, Jack watched the crowd around him, his gaze instinctively searching for you. He didn’t know why he was doing it. There was no point—not anymore, not when he fucked everything up. Not when he let you slip from his fingers and leave his life entirely.

His eyes settled on a girl in the corner of the room, a red solo cup in hand, her cheeks a flushed mess, and he wondered why he was even at that party. None of these girls could hold a candle to you, not even if they tried. 

Yet Jack watched the door, and willed for you to come, despite knowing you don’t go to parties anymore.

[babysfirstfic]

the one with the football

matthew tkachuk x fem!reader

Masterlist

word count: 1.7k

summary: Matthew's invited you to spend Thanksgiving with his family, but despite his constant reassurance, you've still got reservations.

warnings: Mostly fluff. Some kissing and flirting. Anxiety spirals.

“I’ve told you a million times, babe,” Matthew said, reaching over the car’s centre console to give your thigh a reassuring squeeze. “Trust me, they’re gonna love you.” 

You tried to take his words to heart as you rolled into Keith and Chantal’s driveway. If you had been nervous before, the sheer size of the house wasn’t doing you any favours. 

After almost a full year of dating, you should have been thrilled when he asked you to spend Thanksgiving with his family. Thanksgiving was always a huge deal at the Tkachuk house. They really went all out, proving every year with their turkeys and their pumpkin pies that they were the quintessential American family. But as a non-American who’d always been sceptical about the holiday and its purpose, this world was all foreign to you. 

“I know,” you replied, a slight sense of apprehension still present in your voice, despite your best efforts to silence it. “But I guess you should take all my nervousness as a compliment,” you continued, forcing a playful smile, “Must mean I really like you.” 

“Oh really?” Matthew chuckled, leaning closer, “I had no idea. Thanks for giving me a heads up.” 

With one hand on your cheek, Matthew brought your lips to his, and with one kiss you felt your muscles relax, your thoughts quiet. He always had a way of giving you the strength to do the things you least wanted to. 

It was a little stupid for you to be this nervous, you thought to yourself as you climbed the steps of the house. It wasn’t like you hadn’t met his family before. You had, many times, at Matthew’s hockey games or at casual family dinners. 

But maybe it was the intensity of the setting that was getting to you. Holidays were special, sacred even. You prayed that you didn’t feel like an intruder. 

Now inside the home, you took a deep breath as you scanned your surroundings. Chantal and Keith’s home was spacious, but you were impressed with how homey it felt in spite of this. It probably had something to do with the family photos that seemed to cover every square inch of space on the walls and shelves in the entryway. 

Moving towards one of the shelves, you found yourself picking up one of the frames and tracing your fingers over the image. It was a photo of Matthew, probably around kindergarten age, sporting the kind of big, earnest grin that had become so familiar to you this past year. 

“You were so cute back then,” you said, holding the frame up as he set down the wine and appetizers he’d been instructed to bring. 

Without needing any prompting, Matthew seamlessly recreated the image, gap-toothed grin and all. 

“Oh trust me, I know,” he teased, taking the picture frame from your hands and placing it back on the shelf before turning you around and wrapping his arms around your waist. “But even I was never as cute as you are right now.” 

He said this last part into your neck as he began planting soft kisses on the skin that your neckline failed to cover. 

“Matty!” you half-whispered, half-giggled as you tried unsuccessfully to shove him off you. “Not here!” 

You had barely set both feet in the door and this man was already trying to embarrass you. You couldn’t even describe how grateful you felt when you realized Chantal and Keith were in the backyard, catching a glimpse of them through the back window. 

“This is not exactly the impression I’d like to make,” you continued, kissing Matthew’s cheek as he finally released you. “Though I appreciate the enthusiasm.”

“Fine, I’ll be patient,” he conceded. “But it’s gonna be real hard with you looking like that all day.” 

Such a smooth talker, you thought to yourself, rolling your eyes but unable to fully hide your amusement. 

Matthew took your hand and guided you through the entryway, past the kitchen, into the backyard. It didn’t take long for the family to realize and start flocking towards you, shouting their “hellos” from every direction. 

Taryn was the first to reach you, followed by Brady and Emma. “You’re just in time!” Taryn grinned, giving you a tight squeeze.

“Yeah, Matty,” Brady confirmed, reaching over to put his arm around your shoulder while using his other hand to ruffle his brother’s hair. “We were just gonna set up a game.” 

Another man might have squirmed under Brady’s touch, but Matthew’s laugh said it all. He did eventually push the taller man away, but not before giving him the chance to express his love.

“You guys clearly don’t understand personal space,” Matty spoke between giggles, now having to fight off a massive hug from Taryn. But everyone knew he loved it. Spend anytime with Matthew Tkachuk and you soon discover how physically affectionate he is. 

“Nope!” Taryn responded gleefully, clearly happy to see her big brother after so much time apart. 

As they engaged in passionate conversation, catching up and teasing each other in equal measure, you could feel your thoughts wandering back through the dark mental pathways you’d promised to avoid…

Before meeting the Tkachuks, you’d considered your family to be pretty close. You met up for holidays, spoke semi-regularly, came together to support each other when big life changes occurred. But a year into dating, you realized that you didn’t understand the definition of the word close. Between their very active family group chat and their frequent family vacations, the Tkachuks set the standard, achieving a level of family connection and solidarity you had previously only thought possible in the cheesy movies you used to watch as a kid. 

On top of that, they somehow managed to do it all while barely seeing each other. Matthew and Brady were one thing; everyone knew the NHL demanded a hectic schedule and loads of travel time. But Taryn was playing college field hockey in Virginia, and that added another dimension to the scheduling. It was a miracle that they saw each other at all, but they always made it work. 

Their closeness as a family certainly wasn’t making you feel any more at ease. You deeply feared that you were an invader, that you were ruining their time as a family, something that was seemingly so rare and precious for all of them. A pang of worry struck you as you considered this possibility…

You suddenly felt a firm hand on your shoulder, giving you a gentle shake. It snapped you out of your thought spiral, as you looked over to see Matthew sending you his patented “You good?” face. 

Glancing around, you realized that all eyes were turned to you, some concerned, some curious, all expectantly waiting for an answer to a question that you were thoroughly unprepared to give. 

Finally, you looked over at Matthew and nodded, taking a deep breath and squeezing his hand to reassure him. You threw in your classic “You know me too well” face, for good measure. Both of you had mastered the art of non-verbal communication; you were able to read the subtlest shifts in your partner’s expression. In moments like these, it was revealing itself to be an essential skill. 

“Uhhh sorry,” you managed to squeak out, “sometimes I get lost in my head.”

“No worries,” Brady continued, either ignoring your mini panic or remaining blissfully ignorant. “I was just asking about the football game we were gonna play. I was thinking…”

“Right!” you blurted out. “Well, I don’t want to get in your way.” 

You began to move to the side, but were stopped by Brady’s voice. 

“Where are you going?” he asked, genuinely seeming confused. “I was gonna ask you to be on my team.” 

“What?” you spluttered, shock plastered on your face. “But I’ve never even picked up a football before! You don’t want me on your team. Plus, I don’t wanna get in the way of your family holiday stuff. I’ll definitely just be in your way. Don’t you want an even number for teams, anyway…” 

You looked down at your feet and let your words trail away as you realized how much you’d been rambling, a symptom of the overwhelming anxiety. Luckily for you, Brady seemed none the wiser, his obliviousness both expected and endlessly endearing. 

“Awww c’mon,” he countered, “all that doesn’t matter! It’s just for fun. And you��re here aren’t you? That means you’re family! You gotta get in on these traditions sooner or later or else you’re gonna start losing your Tkachuk privileges.” 

Brady chuckled softly at his own joke but you completely missed it. You mind was stuck on one word: family. He had said that you were family. Coming from Brady, that word was like a big hug or a weighted blanket. 

“Yeah baby,” Matthew chimed in, “you’re family.” He complemented his words with a squeeze of your shoulders. Leaning in closer, he whispered into your ear, “You’re gonna look so cute holding a football. I wanna see what you got.” 

He kissed your cheek and began lining up opposite Brady on the open plot of grass a couple feet away, leaving you to bathe in his words. 

“C'mon slowpoke! Can’t start the game without you!” Brady bellowed.

The three siblings, Emma, and Keith were already lined up across from each other, ready to play. Chantal sat poised on the sidelines, holding new baby Ryder. She was fully prepared to offer tips, call penalties, or start heckling, should the game demand it of her. 

“One small issue,” you argued, moving closer to the group, “I still have no clue how to play.”

“Just catch the ball when Brady snaps it to you, and then try to find someone on your team to throw it to. You’re a fast learner, babe. You got this!” 

God bless Matthew Tkachuk and his endless encouragement. 

“You got me on your team,” Brady smirked, “I’d say you definitely got this.” 

You chuckled and took your position behind Brady. “Okay,” you said with as much confidence as you could muster. “Let’s do this.” 

You couldn’t help but feel a huge grin growing on your face as you caught Brady’s snapback and began the game. 

It seemed that you had more to be thankful for than you even realized. 

[slafastri28]

Blame It On The Mistletoe

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Note: Omg I've been gone forever I'm sorry. I felt like writing again to try and help my mood lately, hope you all enjoy this Christmas story

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It was the first Christmas break you were driving home without company, the first Christmas you were waiting alone for the three boys who had been a part of your life as long as you could remember. You pulled into the house you had grown up in and saw a familiar car in the driveway, you were hoping that was a good sign. You hopped out of your car and briskly walked to your front door trying to contain your excitement. You knocked with a smile on your face, with your luggage in hand. The door opened with a squeal from your Mom, she quickly pulled you in. 

“Hey Mom,” you squeaked out in her grip. 

“I’ve missed you so much Y/N,” she said kissing your cheek. You wiggled out of her grasp and made your way into your home looking around for the faces you had been waiting to see, but none. 

“Hey Dad,” you smiled as he took your luggage.

“Good to have you back sweetie,” he said. You continued to walk through your house to see more faces. 

“Y/N, you’re back,” you heard. You turned around to see the face of the woman who had become your second Mom. 

“Hey, when are the boys coming?” you hugged Ellen. 

“I have to pick them up tonight,” you turned to see Jim standing behind you, “figured you would want to come, I waited for you,” he said. This had been a tradition for as long as you could remember. Your family and the Hughes family had been glued together since you were little, you grew up with Quinn, Jack, and Luke, they had become almost like your brothers. Once everyone started going separate ways your families prioritized spending holidays together no matter how difficult it would be. 

“Of course I want to go,” you exclaimed. 

“How was the trip, sorry Luke couldn’t keep you company this year,” he said. 

“Boring but I made it didn’t I,” you laughed. You had wished Luke had been there, he was good car company and had gotten nicer to look at over the years. You went to every single game in college sporting number 43 on your back, once he was gone you felt lost at school, he was your best friend, your college life, he made you who you were. 

“Well are you ready then,” he smiled. 

“Yes,” you said running to get your shoes back on. You made your way to the car you had so many road trips in, traveled to so many games in, and made so many memories in. You hopped in the front seat eager to get to the airport. You felt as if you were going to explode if you weren’t there any sooner. 

Finally, you arrived and saw the three boys waiting. You leaped out of the car before it even came to a stop. 

“Guys!” You exclaimed running towards the boys. The three of them pulled you into their embrace. You felt warm, and comforted, you felt at home. They released you from your grip you hugged each of them individually. 

“Oh my god you’re freezing Quinn,” you said hugging him individually.

“Y/N, you are always cold you can’t talk,” he laughed. You moved to the next brother.

“You miss me Y/N?” Jack asked. 

“No not really,” you teased. He shoved you laughing before you went to hug him. 

“I know you did,” he smiled. 

“I think she missed me more,” Luke chimed in. You let go of Jack and faced Luke. You stood kind of frozen, you hadn’t realized how much you missed him until you were with him. You missed movie nights in your dorm, you missed your daily meals, you missed studying together, but most of all you missed having him by your side. 

“Hi Y/N,” he smiled. You unfroze and squeeze him tight. You slowly felt your feet leave the ground as he hugged you. 

“I really missed you, Luke,” you said softly,

“I really missed you too,” he replied. He let go of you as the two of you remained looking at each other, you felt your face heating at the sight of his grin. You two snapped out of your moment and loaded the trunk. 

“Shotgun!” Jack yelled hopping in the front. 

“I’ll take the middle guys,” you said sliding across the backseat. The car ride was full of conversation between the men, you sat quietly observing, and you couldn’t help glancing at Luke every so often, he was already looking at you. 

The three of you piled out of the backseat as you arrived at your home. The moms were waiting outside patiently, and after greeting you all rushed inside. You all had the same plan of getting unpacked before settling in. Once that was down you found yourselves at the famous dining room table, where you had shared so many meals with this family. You all took your usual seats, the Moms at one end, the Dads at the other, and the kids in the middle, you and Luke being the babies on one side, and Quinn and Jack across from you. 

“I hope the basement decorations aren’t too much for you boys, we had a party last weekend, and still haven’t gotten to taking them down,” your mom smiled. 

“They look lovely,” Quinn said. Jack elbowed him after using the word lovely. 

“Decorations Mom?” you said. 

“I had the time now that you’re at school,” she smiled. The group of you continued talking throughout the meal. 

“Everyone’s all grown up,” your Dad chimed in, “Nice-looking boys Jim,” 

“Aww stop it, making me blush,” Jack grinned. 

“Little Luke is big Luke now, taller than all of you,” your mom smiled. 

“Yeah, Jack,” he said flexing. You rolled your eyes and continued eating trying to hide the blush on your face. 

“Hey little Y/N is a beautiful woman now,” Ellen chimed in. You looked up from your plate,

“Well thank you,” you smiled. 

“She is isn’t she,” Quinn smiled. 

“All grown up,” Jack said getting fake emotional. You rolled your eyes and then looked at Luke. 

“She is.” He smiled and then looked back down at his plate. You tried to hide your blush as best you could. After that, the meal had ended. 

“Honey you should go see the decorations now,” your mom smiled. 

“I’ll look, I didn’t look other than ducking to avoid hitting things,” Luke laughed. 

“Can you set up my spot Y/N,” Jack called from being sprawled on the couch in your living room.

“Mine too,” Quinn said lying next to him. 

“Anything else your hignesses,” you rolled your eyes. They didn’t answer figuring no. The two of you went downstairs and looked around at what your Mom had done. 

“It’s nice she found something to do while you’re gone,” Luke said. 

“I wish I could say that about you,” you smiled as you walked toward the closet with the air mattress. 

“What do you mean? You can still go to games and stuff,” he said. 

“Who will I watch my movies with, movies have been lonely,” you said.

“I know I wish I could be there, but I can’t,” he frowned. You two grabbed the sheets and comforters setting up where the boys would be staying. The two of you stood there looking at your work and continuing to socialize, it felt like college again, it felt like your feelings were Luke were becoming stronger. 

“Hey Y/N,” he said quietly. You turned around to face him, you two were almost chest to chest. You looked up at him.

“Yeah Luke?” you asked.

“Look, we are under the mistletoe,” he blushed. You looked up and there it was, you were surprised you weren’t caught under it earlier, it was your Mom’s favorite thing to put up every year. 

“Guess we are,” you said blushing as well. You two stood there awkwardly waiting for someone to do something. 

“So, Y/N there’s something I’ve been wanting to get off my chest,” he said. You could tell he was nervous. You rubbed his arm assuring he had no reason to worry. 

“Go ahead Luke,” you smiled. 

“You know those movie nights, and study sessions, and wearing my jersey?” he said. 

“Yes, Luke,”

“Wow this is hard, I just, I don’t know how to say it,” he was nervous. You placed your hands on his shoulders rubbing them.

“Relax,” you said getting on your tiptoes before placing a kiss on his lips.

“You knew?”

“I could figure it out,” you smiled. His hands made their way to your back after tucking strands of hair out of your face. Your lips met once more. His hands moved from your back to your thighs. You jumped into his arms and wrapped your legs around him. 

“Woah,” he smiled. Your hands met his curls as you two stared at each other smiling. 

“Woah what,” you smirked. 

“You’re good at that,” he put you down. You two found your way onto the couch Luke would be staying on. He pulled you to his shoulder, as you rubbed his chest. 

“Luke, how are we gonna tell them,” you said.

“You think they didn’t see this coming,” he chuckled. 

“Shut up,” you said playfully shoving him. He shoved back then pulled your face to his again. You locked your lips with him, slowly wrapping your arms around his neck as he ran his fingers through your hair. You were too busy at the moment you hadn’t even heard footsteps down the stairs. 

“Ahem,” Jack cleared his throat, the two of you shot apart and turned to face both Quinn and Jack with his hands on his hips. 

“Come on you knew this was coming,” Quinn said rolling his eyes, “Jack made me come down,” he laughed. 

“Well,” Jack said. 

“Oh come on Jack,” Luke said, “does it make you uncomfortable,” he said pulling you close to him again, pressing small kisses on the top of your head to truly annoy his brother. 

“Okay stop,” Quinn said. 

“I didn’t expect it tonight okay,” Jack said, “How did it happen,” he was still annoyed. 

“Blame the mistletoe,” You smiled.

[couldawouldashoulda50]

From Completely Different Worlds - The Sweden Chapter - Part Seven "The End"

Previous parts 1 2 3 4 5 6 7a) In continuation of @misshoneyimhome's birthday celebration, this is the final part of this entire series From Completely Different Worlds. This chapter I believe is the longest one out of them all. I know how I originally wanted this chapter to end - the thing is I could have kept going but I thought perhaps I could do a follow-up summary for this, as I have other blurbs in mind too.

I do fear repeating myself, but I feel endlessly grateful for the notes throughout this storyline. The comments and asks that have come my way have made me laugh, made me beam and some really made me question and explore motives behind thoughts and actions of the characters.

I want to take the opportunity to anyone who even stops just to look at the cover - I wish you all the very best for the remainder of this year - joyous holidays - and the mindset to pursue all of what you dream of in 2025.

Word count on this one - I am truly sorry - I hope this is not arduous to read - approx 13.5k

Warnings - Profanity. I can't believe I wrote all of this and there's no smut.

William sat on the edge of his bed, phone in hand, staring at the unanswered messages he’d sent over the past two days. He knew that something was off. Loren always replied, even if just a quick "busy but will call later." But now, nothing.

Hey, just landed. Hope you’re having a good day. Can’t wait to see you soon.

Miss you. Let me know when you’re free.

Everything okay?

Loren?

As the hours stretched on and his unease grew, his texts became shorter, more direct, a mix of concern and frustration. By the second morning with no reply, his messages bordered on frantic.

Loren, talk to me. Please.

Is something wrong? I’m really worried.

Just let me know you’re okay.

Finally, his phone buzzed with a notification. He exhaled sharply, relief flooding him—until he opened the message. It wasn’t a response to any of his questions. Instead, it was a series of screenshots from Loren.

William’s brow furrowed as he scrolled through them. Margot’s name at the top of the thread made his stomach drop. His eyes darted over the words, disbelief quickly giving way to anger. The photos—the interview link—all of it. It felt like a sucker punch.

Before he could begin to type out a response, his phone rang. Loren’s name flashed on the screen. Without hesitation, he answered, his voice filled with concern.

“Loren?”

He could hear his heart in his ears in the silence that followed . Then came her voice—hoarse, croaky, and broken.

“William.”

He knew immediately—she’d been crying.

“Jesus, what’s going on? Talk to me,” he urged, his voice softer now, desperate to understand. “Please.”

The faint sniffle on the other end was like a dagger to his heart. “I—I don’t even know where to start,” she finally managed, her words shaky and congested.

William ran a hand through his hair, frustration simmering through layers of worry. “Start anywhere, Loren. Please just talk to me.”

Her hesitation felt like an eternity before she finally spoke. “I’ve been sitting with this—those messages, those photos—for days, William. They’ve said a lot. Showed me a lot of things I didn’t know about.”

The words hit him like a freight train. Days. She’d been holding onto this while he’d been tied up at the rink with medicals, team meetings, and the whirlwind of preseason media.

“Loren,” he started, his voice thick with emotion. “Please, let me explain.”

Her exhale traveled through the line, heavy with exhaustion and doubt. “I don’t know if I want to hear it. The messages from Margot, the interview responses are one thing, but the pictures... those pictures—they’re pretty self-explanatory.”

William clenched his jaw, his grip tightening around the phone as he paced the room. He forced himself to stay calm when he thought about Margot sending her those messages. “Those pictures - they…they’re not what they look like,” he said, his voice steady but urgent. “I swear, Loren, it’s not how she’s making it seem.”

“That’s a pretty standard response, eh? ‘It’s not what it looks like’.” Her tired voice cracked, the emotion breaking through. “William, I let my guard down because I thought—I believed—this was becoming something real. I get it - you know, I really do. Or I tried to at the beginning - I was ok with being the non-exclusive, noncommittal, go-with- the flow girl. But I allowed you to lead me on with saying you missed me and all the rest of it. William - seeing those pictures, your words in the interview confirming that there’s ‘a lot of women’….what, that you’ve been dating? Spending time with? And then, receiving messages from your side piece, Margot, confirming that there are more side pieces... holy fuck, I’m an absolute fucking idiot.”

“You’re not an idiot,” he said quickly, his voice firm. “Loren - Margot wasn’t my side piece - I told you the truth when you first came to see me in Stockholm. She’s twisting things because she’s bitter and—”

“She’s bitter because you fucked her, William and she wanted more - I get it.” Loren’s tone was low and matter of fact. “You told her there might be a chance for another time. And not just her. She said you’ve got others in the city, ready and waiting for your call*.*” Her voice cracked again, softer this time. “I guess that just makes me part of all of that pussy that’s always so available.”

William’s mind raced back to their candid conversation in the hammock.

William tried to calm his temper - he had been honest about how it worked with women when she asked him, and it felt like she was using that against him now. The silence that followed was deafening. William stopped pacing, his hands started to hurt from gripping the phone as he struggled to find the right words. “You’re not - that’s so unfai - that’s not how I think about you,” he finally said, his voice raw. “You’re not just another girl, Loren. I wouldn’t have asked you to visit me - I brought you into my world—introduced you to my family, my friends—you’ve become - or always have been….so, so important to me. I care for you so much, Loren.”

Her sniffle was faint, but he caught it. “None of this makes any sense to me, William. But I can’t ignore everything that she sent to me. I can’t unsee any of it. And I’m sorry William but usually, where there’s smoke, there’s fire….”

“But Loren - do you think I have been out seeing other women since you’ve been back here? We talked, we’ve been talking everyday almost,” he said, the frustration evident in his tone. “Margot... she’s bitter because I didn’t want anything serious with her. The one time I slept with her, that was before I understood how I felt about you —and then you came to visit and everything changed. I want - I want to be with you,” William finally admitted. “And those other pictures... I’m telling the truth. Yes, they’re hugs, but they’re random people, fans just saying hello—I don’t even remember exactly because it’s just how it has been for so long…a fan - or like an acquaintance comes up and they want a hug. It’s all been twisted around to make it look like something it’s not.”

“But then there’s the reporter, William - your eyes in that interview,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “You looked at that reporter like... she really wowed you. I could feel your attraction towards her. I’ve seen that look - you’ve given me that same look. You could see it, William.“ Loren began to cry once again. “Even if it’s all innocent, this kind of thing will be a constant occurrence. There will be other women claiming the same as Margot. Sending messages. Photos. Fuck William - you smile at some girl and they post it like there’s something between you - it might be delusional and I know it’s totally out of your control but….William,” Loren sighs before continuing, her voice cracking once again. “True or not, I'll be on the receiving end of this. It will be me that has to try and decipher what’s bullshit and what’s not. And that’s not the worst of it. It breeds resentment and bitterness, William. I’ll be the one always left wondering what is true - do you know what that does to a person over time? I’ve already gone through my fair share of deceit at this stage of my life. I don’t want to be mistrusting. I don’t want to feel like one day I’ll just happen to follow your stare into the crowd and wonder if there’s a women that’s caught your attention. I don’t want to feel that way towards you.”

“Loren,” his voice softer now, almost pleading. “Please, give me a chance to prove to you that this isn’t what it looks like. This isn’t what it will be like.”

Her silence felt like an eternity. When she finally spoke, her words were barely above a whisper. “You can’t say that last part with any kind of certainty. You cannot anticipate what lengths other people will go to in order to get your attention.”

It broke William hearing her voice so defeated.

“I don’t know if I can do this, William. I care for you so, so much but I really don’t know if I can handle this part of your life.”

—

For days, Loren’s lifeline was her work. She tethered herself to it, filling every available moment with tutoring sessions, group home shifts, and hours spent editing the language content for her growing online audience. Just like before, she went through the motions of her day-to-day life, wearing a proverbial mask to hide how hollow she felt, and kept to herself as much as possible.

Every once in a while, as she scrolled through social media, photos of William would appear from Leafs preseason events. There he was, smiling with his teammates, laughing, looking completely at ease, as if nothing had changed. He didn’t look broken—not like she felt. Seeing him appear so carefree only deepened the ache inside her, solidifying her belief that William knew exactly how to make things look perfect on the surface while leaving chaos underneath. She closed her phone and wept.

Her parents, Kathy, and even Alice—Simon Benoit’s girlfriend with whom she became fast friends with—had noticed the change in her. Their questions were gentle but persistent. Loren brushed them off, offering unconvincing reassurances. “I’m just busy, that’s all.” They weren’t fooled, but they respected her space.

It was early one morning when it happened.

Loren was running late and had just downed her green drink as she flew out the front entrance of her house and hurriedly locked the door. She rummaged through her tote bag making sure she had everything she needed for the day and slung it over her shoulder with her keys in hand.

The air was cold that morning, visible in the puff of her breath as she exhaled deeply while quickly walking down the steps of her front porch.

That’s when she saw him.

William stepped out of his car near the end of her driveway. His eyes were locked on Loren as she stood on the middle step of her porch. He walked toward her slowly, and there was nothing hiding the weight in his expression. His usual easygoing demeanor was replaced with something heavier, and the faint dark circles under his eyes hinted at restless nights.

Loren froze, her breath hitching. Her keys jangled in her trembling hand.

His voice broke the silence, soft and hesitant. “Hey.”

She swallowed hard, struggling to muster a response. “Hi, William.”

“I know I shouldn’t just show up like this,” he said, taking a cautious step toward her. “But I didn’t know what else to do. You won’t answer my calls, any of my messages—I just… I don’t know how to fix this.”

Her chest ached at his words, but her guard shot up instantly. She tightened her grip on the strap of her tote bag and didn’t move closer. Her voice came out quiet but steady. “I’ve been trying to figure out this absolute shit-show, William. And the truth is... I don’t know.”

“I just need you to let me explain,” he said, his voice cracking slightly. “Please.”

Loren’s throat tightened as she forced herself to meet his gaze. “I’ve spent days trying to make sense of everything. And I’m not asking to hear all the details right now, because I don’t think I can really handle anything else. But please try and understand - there wasn’t just one message. There was a barrage of messages full of information about you that completely bulldozed me. It wasn’t just one photo either - there were multiple photos. Your words in that interview - none of it was rehearsed William. Those words were your words, you confirmed you’ve been dating women - and there’s a lot of them. It was a total landslide of all of this shit hitting me all at once. I’m overwhelmed. I don’t know who to believe…because there’s just so fucking much of it.”

“I do understand how it looks,” William said, his hands outstretched, almost pleading. “But it really is not what you think. I know I keep saying this but it’s Margot—she’s gone out of her way to play this fucking game of twisting lies and making them sound like the truth. She didn’t even translate parts of the interview right - I never said there was a lot of women. I said there were a lot of rumours about my dating life.”

Loren’s voice cracked, but she kept her tone measured. “Even if that’s true, it doesn’t erase how this feels. Do you understand that? It’s the hurt. I’ve tried not to have doubts and I know I have my insecurities - I battle really hard to let go of the negative thoughts that creep into my head. But this whole thing just feels like a punch in the face. At this point, I’m not trying to figure out the why’s or how it happened - all I feel now are the bruises and the pain because of it.”

William raked a hand through his hair, his expression desperate. “Loren, I don’t know what to do if you won’t even let me sit down with you. Talk to you.”

“It’s not that I won’t let you,” she said quietly. “I’m so confused and I need time to let my thoughts settle a little bit. I can barely think straight…I’m just overloaded now.”

Her expression seemed to darken and she knew she might be crossing a line with her next remark. She didn’t even know why it popped into her mind. “But hey - based on the team posts that seem to be everywhere, you look like you’ve managed all of this just fine. I really don’t know that anything actually phases you.”

“That’s not true, Loren. Pictures aren’t always what they seem - someone could look happy because they have to - just to get through the moment, but can never fully know what’s going on behind the smile,” William bit back. His icy words hung in the morning air, each one landing like a heavy weight between them.

Loren looked down, her fingers brushing the edge of her tote bag. “I’m sorry - I shouldn’t have said that.” She kept her head down. “But, I do have to go,” she added, her voice barely above a whisper.

As she moved toward her car, William’s voice broke again. “Wait. Please Loren.”

She paused, her head hung downward as tears threatened, but didn’t turn to face him.

“I’d planned to ask you something before... everything happened,” he said softly. “I had planned to invite you to the home opener.”

A lump formed in Loren’s throat. She swiped at the tears that pricked her eyes and steadied her voice. “I’m already going.”

William’s brow furrowed. “What?”

“The organization gave Gary tickets to make up for him missing the Easter Seals skate,” she explained flatly. “He’s supposed to meet some of the team, afterward I think - or before, I’m not sure.”

“Oh,” William said, nodding slowly, as if trying to process her words. “That’s... that’s good. He’ll love that.”

There was a long pause, the tension between them almost unbearable. William’s gaze remained fixed on her as walked down the steps. “So, I’ll see you there?” he asked, his voice laced with a mix of hope and hesitation. “Maybe we could—”

“I’ll be working,” Loren interrupted gently, her voice remained distant. “I’ll probably see you there, William. But I really have to go now.”

He nodded, watching as she walked toward her car and slid into the driver’s seat. His heart twisted as he stepped back, giving her the space she so clearly needed but wishing he could close the ever-growing gap between them.

As Loren pulled out of the driveway, William stood and watched from the walkway, his breath visible in the chilly air. He’d come here hoping to make progress, to try and explain, to see her. But now, watching her drive away, he felt lost. He hoped he hadn’t made things worse.

—

Loren sat cross-legged on the Benoit’s couch, gently patting little Adelaide Benoit’s back in soothing, rhythmic motions. The baby let out a burp, then another, and Loren cooed softly, relieved as the baby’s fussing finally began to settle. She shifted Adelaide to a more comfortable position, and soon the little one was fast asleep against her chest. Across the room, Alice slumped into the love seat, her damp hair wrapped in a towel. She exhaled deeply, exhaustion still etched across her face despite the reprieve of a hot shower.

The team had left the day before to do their traditional team-building getaway north of the city, and Loren had offered to stay with Alice while Simon was away.

[Speaking in French] “Thank you for this,” Alice murmured, her eyes closed and her voice heavy with gratitude. “I don’t know what you’re doing differently—she’s been fussy with me since Simon left, but she’s an angel with you.”

Loren subtly shook her head. “You’re exhausted, Alice. You needed a break. Besides,” she added playfully, “I’m auditioning for the role of your number one babysitter when you and Simon start doing date nights again.”

“You’re hired. You could just move in with us. Rent out your house, work one job instead of what, three? Four?” Alice stretched out on the cushions, adjusting a pillow to account for the towel still wrapped around her head. “And hey, if you get this mess with Willy sorted, we could even be WAGs together.”

Loren chuckled lightly, though the idea of being a WAG felt about as likely for her as a trip to Mars. One hand cradled Adelaide’s bottom while the other gently stroked her back. “I really don’t know what to believe, or even what the right thing is to do—for me, anyway. It’s getting to the point that it’s not just the Margot stuff anymore, or what he said in that interview, or the way he gazed at that reporter—” Loren rolled her eyes, her voice sharpening with indignation at the word gaze.

She sighed, her eyes dropping to the baby in her arms. “It’s all of it, and then add the fact that he’s turning into this huge celebrity. I mean, he already is, but with that docuseries coming out in a couple of days, it’s going to catapult him into a whole other realm of stardom.”

Alice opened her eyes, studying Loren carefully, but stayed quiet as she let her friend pour her heart out.

“It goes back to how I felt when I first met him,” Loren began. “I mean—it was Willy Nylander, one of the “core four”, a star forward for the Leafs, right? Young, hot, wealthy—and insanely talented. Every time we got together, I assumed it would be the last time, that he’d just move on to the next girl because he could, and why wouldn’t he,” Loren admitted, reflecting on when she and William first met in March.

“But then I got to know him. His personality, his quirks, how caring and funny he is. And suddenly, it wasn’t ‘Willy Nylander, the hockey player.’ He was simply William—I would literally forget “what” he was and I loved spending time with “who” he was,” she said, her expression softening with a small smile.

Her voice dropped, tinged with uncertainty. “But now, with everything—the messages, the past hookups, all of the attention he gets, all of it—I feel like I’m back to being just another girl that he’ll eventually pass over - like, another stop along the way. But all the feelings I have for him? They’re still there.” Her eyes lifted to look at Alice. “Does that even make sense?”

Alice leaned forward, her elbows resting on her knees. “It makes perfect sense, Loren. But listen to me—because you’re overthinking this. You’re not being ‘passed over,’ and you’re not just ‘another stop along the way.’ If that’s all you were to him, he would have passed you over already and he sure wouldn’t have invited you to Sweden. He wouldn’t have brought you to meet his family, his friends, the places he loves. That’s not something someone does for a fling.”

Loren opened her mouth to argue, but Alice held up a hand. “I’m an overtired Mommy now so you have to listen to me. Look Loren - I get it. It’s scary. The guy has options—more than most people will ever dream of having. And yeah, he’s maybe got a reputation, but based on what? Reputations don’t tell the whole story. You said it yourself: when you’re with him, it’s not about ‘Willy Nylander, the hockey player.’ It’s about William. And let me tell you something—my feeling is someone like William doesn’t waste his time on people he doesn’t care about.”

Alice softened her voice. “And about those messages? Of course they rattled you. That’s what they were meant to do and pretty much anyone in your position would feel the same. But if he’s been trying���really trying—to explain and make things right, don’t you think that says something? The question - to me anyway - is whether you can let your guard down enough, just to hear the guy out.”

Alice gave Loren a wry smile, sitting back on the couch. “And for the record? You’re the only person I’ve seen get that guy to light up the way he does when he looks at you. So maybe you should give yourself a little more credit and for the love of God, get out of that head of yours.”

Loren paused for a moment before shaking her head. “Agh - you just had a baby and here I am blathering on about my boy troubles. I hope you know how much I appreciate you,” Loren smiled.

“I appreciate you too, especially if you’d put Adelaide in the bassinette so I can crawl into bed? I’m so tired,” Alice said groggily.

“Of course - I’ll take the dogs out for a walk too.”

After doing some tidying up, Alice and Adelaide were long tucked away for a nap and Loren soon ventured off with the dogs. October weather in Toronto could bring multiple climates together in one week, or in one day, depending. That day, it felt almost like summer was beginning again, and Loren felt her mood lightening as she walked briskly with the dogs towards the large off-leash dog park near the Benoit’s home. The walk also gave Loren time to sit with her thoughts, and with Alice’s remarks about the situation with William. The morning he waited for her outside of her house, their conversation resulted in William relenting and giving Loren her space. The steady flow of messages that he had been sending her prior to that morning ceased. Now, with no communication, an even greater fear of the unknown toyed with her mind.

The hardest part wasn’t about deciding whether to trust William—if he still wanted to even pursue a relationship with her. No decision regarding William came with a guarantee. She couldn’t know if walking away would spare her from future heartache anymore than trying to mend things between them would.

At the park entrance, Loren gently commanded the dogs to wait as they began to pull excitedly toward the gate. Determined to refocus them, she stopped and gave the leashes a light tug. “Wait,” she said firmly. The dogs turned their attention to her, and with a sharp “sit,” they obediently complied. Loren rewarded them with praise and their favorite dried liver treats.

Once inside, she latched the gate behind her, laughing softly as the dogs’ focus shifted from her commands to the excitement of the park. She unclasped their leashes, and they bolted off, running in wide loops to sniff and explore.

Her phone chimed with an incoming call. The screen lit up with “Benny,” Simon’s team nickname.

Loren answered quickly, unsure why Simon would be calling. “[In French] Hi, Simon. Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, everything’s fine,” Simon replied, though his voice carried a note of concern. “I’ve been trying to call Alice, but she’s not answering.”

Loren smiled. “She’s asleep, and so is Adelaide. I took the dogs to the park to give them some exercise and a little extra quiet for their nap.”

“Oh, perfect. Phew. I was getting nervous… but yeah, makes total sense now. Dad nerves are real. Holy shit,” Simon said, laughing now, the tension in his voice easing.

Loren and Simon talked about Alice and the baby, eventually shifting to their plans for Thanksgiving dinner at Loren’s. They quickly agreed on a few menu details before Simon asked to see the dogs. Switching to FaceTime, Loren angled her phone toward the open grassy field. Simon laughed as he watched the dogs zoom around, darting and weaving like kids playing tag.

After a few moments, Simon glanced over his shoulder and back at the screen. “Looks like I’m being waved over. I’d better go. But hey—Loren, thank you so much for everything. I’ve been able to focus and even relax knowing you’re there with my ladies… and manning the zoo.”

“I love your ladies, and your zoo, so I’m happy to help. Go have fun, and message me if you have any other ideas for next Sunday,” Loren said with a smile.

“Will do. Thanks again, Loren. À bientôt,” Simon replied with a grin before ending the call.

As Simon pocketed his phone, Ryan Reaves walked up alongside him. “Talking to Alice? Everything okay at home?” He paused. “Wait—don’t tell me Alice is there with little Cashew and your mini-farm all by herself.”

Simon chuckled at the name “Cashew” that the team voted on for his baby girl, before he and Alice decided on Adelaide. “Actually, Loren’s staying with her. They hit it off when they met and have gotten pretty close. Really thankful she’s there. Alice and the baby are asleep right now, and Loren’s out with the dogs.”

Within earshot, William overheard their conversation. At the mention of Loren, his stomach flipped—an uncomfortable mix of butterflies and a twisting ache. Even here, surrounded by teammates and fans, his thoughts constantly drifted to her and the icy wall between them.

He’d been thinking of her almost non-stop but forced himself to continue giving her time and space. But hearing Simon mention her, he was desperate to hear her voice. Swiping open his phone, he tapped Loren’s contact before he could overthink it.

When she picked up, her voice was slightly breathless. “William—hi! Sorry, just a second.” He heard muffled sounds and the sound of a zipper, followed by her clear commands: “Okay, boys - sit. Good. And break!”

William chuckled softly, his chest warming at the sound of her voice.

“Sorry about that,” Loren said, her heart racing as she refocused on the call. “I’m out with Benny’s dogs right now. They’re a handful.” She laughed lightly. “How are you? How’s Bracebridge?”

Relief washed over him. She sounded more like herself again. “Good. Up here is nice. You know, usual team bonding stuff,” he said, his voice carrying a smile.

“Oh, right… just another day being William Ny-laaan-der,” Loren teased.

He laughed. “So you’re out with Benny’s dogs?”

“Yeah, just helping Alice out for a couple of days. Extra set of hands, that type of thing,” Loren replied, brushing off her helpfulness.

“You should grab Pablo and Banksy for a doggie playdate,” William teased.

Loren’s heart sank at the mention of his dogs. “Well, thanks for bringing them up—it’s not like I was missing them or anything,” she teased, her sarcasm very apparent. “I’ll just lie down here in the dirt and cry,” she said wistfully with a chuckle. She fell quiet for a moment, the weight of her feelings pressing down on her. She did miss them terribly. But the truth was, she missed William even more.

“They’d be happy to see you,” William added gently.

Loren swallowed the lump in her throat, unsure how to respond. “I read - or well, saw that awful fall during the game last week…are you okay?” she asked tentatively.

“Not my finest moment,” he replied with a chuckle. “But I’m okay.”

Silence hung in the air, which was rare for them.

“Oh! I almost forgot, I was going through the millions of pictures and videos from Sweden….I had taken some photos of the boys by the water - I think they turned out pretty well. Can I send them to you?”

Loren’s voice sounded so timid and uncertain, reinforcing how uncomfortable she now felt with him. That realization twisted the dagger already lodged in his heart. He hated how far they’d drifted—how the easy connection they once shared had been replaced by awkward silences and hesitant words.

William squinted his eyes shut for a moment. The fact that she now felt the need to ask for permission to send a simple picture was almost unbearable. “Loren—you can send me anything you want, anytime you want.” The words came out steadier than he felt. If he could slip through the phone and magically appear in front, he wouldn’t hesitate to hold her and let her melt into him. She had admitted once or twice to him that wrapped in his arms was her favourite place to be.

Loren could hear voices and rustling in the background at William’s end and sensed their conversation was winding down. “Sounds like you’re on the move - I’ll let you go, okay?”

As William stepped into one of the conference rooms at the hotel, he hesitated. He wanted more—wanted to see her, to address her concerns, to air out everything that had happened between them. The impatience and longing tormented his mind, but he knew he had to tread carefully. The call had been unplanned, and for the first time in weeks, she didn’t sound withdrawn or despondent. Her voice carried a liveliness and openness he hadn’t heard in far too long.

“Yeah, okay—we’re just starting something here, so—” William paused, trying to steady the flurry of thoughts racing through his mind. “Do you—could I reach out again when I’m back? Oh—and, yeah, the pictures… I’d love to see what you’ve got.”

Loren lightly kicked at the dirt beneath her shoe. “Sounds good, William. And for sure, I’ll send some along. Enjoy the rest of your time, okay?”

Some time after the call ended, as he sat listening to the Event Coordinators, his phone buzzed with a new notification. Loren had sent the first picture. He glanced at it briefly, noncommittally at first, but then he froze and did a double take.

Loren’s description of the photo did not come close to doing it justice. The image of the two dogs sitting side by side on the dock, silhouetted against the wildfire hues of an orange-red sunset, was breathtaking. The lake was utterly still, its surface like flawless glass, reflecting the wild colors of the sky.

William’s throat tightened with a sudden rush of emotion. It wasn’t just the beauty of the picture—it was the way it transported him back to the bliss they had shared in Sweden. He desperately hoped they could find that same happiness again, this time while sharing their lives in Toronto.

—

The days following her conversation with William felt like uncharted territory. Loren sent a few more photos from Sweden, each one met with brief but heartfelt replies from William. Their exchanges were light, almost painfully polite, but beneath the surface, yet one could sense a mutual longing that neither could bring themselves to fully express.

Though the sting of the Margot situation had begun to fade, it was gradually replaced by a deeper ache—one that came from missing William in ways she almost did not want to admit, even to herself. She missed their conversations most of all, the easy way they used to connect, and the warmth he brought to her life. But no matter how much she longed to see him, she couldn’t ignore the weight of the conversations that still needed to be had - conversations about Margot, their future, and everything in between.

With William busy with practices and going on the road—first in Detroit, then Montreal, and finally New Jersey—their chances of being in the same place at the same time were nonexistent. The physical and emotional distance between them gnawed at her, and only exasperated how she was already feeling.

Loren, however, had more than enough on her plate to keep her busy and her mind occupied. A handful of new students, classmates of her existing clients, had reached out requesting help with literacy and speech practice in French. The influx of tutoring sessions provided enough of a financial boost that she could scale back to more sustainable hours at the group home.

Meanwhile, her online audience continued to grow as her digital language content gained traction. Her marketing manager was thrilled with her output and began brainstorming new opportunities for Loren to be involved in, some of which even included potential travel. As her schedule filled and her prospects expanded, Loren couldn’t help but feel good about the path she was carving for herself.

One afternoon as her last student left, Loren let out a deep sigh, finally allowing herself to relax. She decided to keep things simple for the night—cooking wasn’t in the cards, so she threw together a platter of fruit, vegetables, and snacks.

With her plate balanced on her lap, she poured herself a glass of red wine and sank into the couch. The first sip brought a flush to her cheeks, the warmth of it displayed by blotches on her neck. Scrolling through streaming options, she couldn’t settle on anything, her mind wandering as the quiet of the evening began.

Her phone began to vibrate and dance on the end table beside her. Glancing at the screen, her cheeks went from flushed to white hot when she saw William’s name on the screen.

Hesitantly, she picked up the phone and tapped on the green icon. She answered with a soft and friendly “Hi.”

William’s voice was low and gentle, the same one that always had an effect on her. “Hey - um, just wanted to call and see what you’re up to?”

Loren smiled . “Oh, well - hmmm,” she paused as she shifted her body to a more comfortable position. “I wish I could come up with some fantastic answer but I unplugged my brain about an hour ago. So, really, nothing interesting…looking for something to watch, right now.” She tried to sound blasé, but the smile in her voice gave her away. “What about you?”

“Some Leaf fan you are—you’re not following the schedule?” he teased. “We’re playing tonight. First game of the season. Against Montreal.”

Loren’s cheeks flushed deeper, this time in embarrassment. “Ah, shit…I completely forgot. Thanks for the guilt trip. Arrête de m’énerver, William,” she added with mock drama in French.

His trademark laugh sounded through the phone. “See - yeah, I was thinking you could remind me of some of the French things you told me in Paris so I could shout them at Cole Caufield during the game.”

The wine combined Loren’s adrenaline fueled her banter. “William, I think the French things I said to you in Paris would be wildly inappropriate to shout at Cole during a game.”

William’s laugh turned staccato, that contagious sound that always made her giggle too.

“However,” she continued, her tone faux-serious, “Va chier basically means ‘Screw you.’ Honestly though, I really don’t know how much French Cole understands anyway, so I think you just need to give up this idea altogether, William.”

"You could still remind me of those other words,” William replied, borderline flirtatious. “Inappropriate or not, it might throw him off his game.”

Loren paused, grinning. “I guess if anyone could pull it off, it’s you.”

The two continued to chat, the flow of their conversation sounding more at ease.

Before ending the call, William asked again if Loren still planned to be at the game that coming Saturday. She confirmed she would be.

As William lay stretched out on the bed in the hotel in Montreal, he felt the tension lifting more and more between them. If he could just keep inching the momentum forward, he felt confident they could get back on track.

The past month had humbled him in ways he didn’t expect. When the pictures and messages from Margot first reached Loren, she could have lashed out—screamed at him, hurled threats or insults, or done any number of things to exact revenge. Instead, even in her pain, she had handled it with a kind of control that still amazed him.

It wasn’t something he’d recognized immediately, but his parents had pointed it out after learning what had happened. His mother had been especially vocal, emphasizing how rare it was for someone to respond with restraint instead of anger—to simply articulate her hurt feelings in the face of what felt like a violation of trust.

The more William thought about it, the more it reflected who Loren truly was—steady, thoughtful, and kind, even in moments of turmoil. She hadn’t shut him out as a malicious attempt to make him twist in the wind. She had needed space and time because he realized what they had developed was too important not to press pause.

At the end of the day, he missed her. Her absence hit him harder this time, and the knowledge that she might not remain in his life left a knot in his stomach. He had no idea if the conversations they still needed to have would fix things.

In the quiet moments between games, William considered how he might have reacted if the roles were reversed. If someone had sent him photos and messages implying Loren had been making a fool of him —whether about an ex, a fling, or anything in between—he would have shut down. His walls would have gone up immediately, trust shattered, and he wasn’t sure what lengths Loren would have had to go to earn it back — if he even allowed her to. It wasn’t a side of himself he was proud of, but it was one he couldn’t deny existed.

For now, he pushed those worries aside. Years of sports psychology had taught him to quiet his mind before a game, especially when personal issues arise. But before he did, he allowed himself one more glance at a photo he’d taken of Loren in Monaco—her long hair flowing, a flower tucked behind her ear, her eyes fixed on his full of affection and desire. It was one of his favorites.

—

Michael Nylander sat on the couch in their Stockholm home, the glow of his laptop screen reflected off his face as he watched the first game of the new NHL season, with the Leafs playing the Canadiens in Montreal. He gently blew the steam from his mug of tea, his eyes remained fixed on William, who almost got a tip-in goal on a power play.

Michael audibly sighed as the puck traveled down the length of the ice after William’s attempt.

[In Swedish] “How is the game so far?” Camilla asked as she padded across the room, her hair slightly tousled and her eyes heavy.

Michael patted the spot next to him on the couch, and soon Camilla’s head rested on a pillow in his lap. “Was the volume too loud - did I wake you?” he asked.

Camilla shook her head and smiled, reaching for the blanket that was folded neatly on the back of the couch. She covered herself followed by Michael lovingly stretching the blanket over her body.

“It’s only just begun - Leafs just finished a power play. William had a good chance, the team looks pretty good so far,” Michael replied softly. He strokes Camilla’s arm as the resume watching the game in comfortable silence.

“I couldn’t sleep. I was thinking about Loren and William,” Camilla wearily admitted.

Michael nodded. “It’s certainly a mess. I can’t get my head wrapped around what would possess Margot to go after Loren like that?”

Camilla shifted under the blanket. “I never asked but I think something happened with her and William during our family vacation.”

Michael was silent for a moment. Taking a sip of his tea, his eyes remained fixed on the laptop screen. “So, it’s jealousy. I think I can see it coming together now,” he sighed.

Camilla continued. “I’ve seen everything Margot sent to Loren. It was upsetting enough for me to read the way that information was positioned to Loren. There was a nastiness to her messages, almost like Margot was trying to befriend Loren by ripping apart William,” she explained. “I don’t know if Margot really understands the magnitude of what she has done. I know maybe William doesn’t help by getting into these situations to begin with, but all of that damage done to Loren—”, Camilla stopped speaking as Montreal just scored the first goal. She adjusted herself to nestle into Michael’s side. “I just wonder if I should reach out to Loren. William’s got the start of the season going on - and it’s already been a month….” Camilla’s voice trailed off. “I could help her understand what the truth is. That’s what William has said, that Loren’s so confused - she doesn’t know what to believe, and rightfully so. She hasn’t shut the door on anything and Michael - William adores her - I hate to think that they’re both in misery when they don’t have to be.”

Michael nodded. “You are so wise and kind, my wife - and I don’t think it could hurt to talk to Loren.”

She paused to watch the game for another minute before she stood up, tied her hair in a pony tail, grabbed another laptop and walked toward the study.

“You’re doing it now?” Michael called after Camilla.

All he heard his wife says is “No use wasting time getting this fixed.”

—

Loren had long passed out on the couch after her conversation with William and her one glass of wine. She forgot where she was momentarily when she awoke to her phone pinging and vibrating on the end table next to her. She rubbed her eyes and grabbed her glasses to first look at the time and then the text notifications. Her heart raced furiously when she saw the text was from Camilla.

The message was kind and apologetic, asking if Loren could join a video call. She was completely bewildered by Camilla’s request - but mostly because it was in the early morning hours in Stockholm. Her stomach was in knots thinking about all of the possibilities of the purpose for her call. Loren messaged her back right away and opened her laptop, connecting to the call shortly thereafter.

Loren greeted Camilla with a wide smile, although all of her emotions are just under the surface.

“It’s so nice to see your face, Camilla. How are you? Are you up watching William’s game?” Loren asked.

“I’m doing well, my darling. Yes, Michael is watching- I had seen enough when Montreal scored,” Camilla admitted with a chuckle. “I hope I didn’t take you away from anything?”

Loren’s tone was sheepish. “I actually fell asleep on the couch,” she admitted with a grin. “I’m just exhausted lately.” Loren immediately regretted say she was exhausted - it felt like a hint to her goings on with William.

Camilla lowered her gaze for a moment before her blue eyes found Loren’s once again. She smiled warmly at Loren but her furrowed brows showed immense concern. “Loren, I know this might not be my place but I wanted to call, first to ask how you are and second, to tell you how sorry I am about everything you and William are going through.”

Loren’s throat felt tight, wrought with emotion. She could feel her face begin to twist as she tried to hold back her tears. “I’m - I’m doing okay, Camilla. I really appreciate you calling,” Loren said, her voice wavering.

Camilla continued carefully. “I would not normally interfere - I want my children to sort out their own business. But, I have to tell you I have not been able to think about much else since I heard about the messages Margot had sent you. I can’t even imagine how you’ve been feeling.”

Loren’s throat began to ache from being constricted with trying to suppress her emotions. “It’s been tough - it’s just such an odd - no…I guess upsetting and confusing situation.”

“It absolutely is,” Camilla agreed. She gave Loren a comforting smile through the screen. “Loren, Michael and I think so highly of you. When you were here, and we saw the two of you together, we could feel how much you care for one another. I don’t know if William told you this but he and I spoke at length while you and his dad made lunch that day before you left. He wanted you to stay so you both could return to Toronto together. The way he looked, the way he expressed himself Loren - I honestly don’t know if he’s ever felt this strongly about someone before,” Camilla added.

With this admission, the flood gates opened with Loren. She could not hold it back any longer as she ripped away her glasses and covered her face with her hands, tears streamed through her fingers. Camilla’s heart aches watching as Loren’s body began to tremble from the force of her sobs.

“Oh, Loren.” Camilla’s voice is tender as she speaks soothingly through the speakers. “Let it out. It’s okay, just let it all out.”

Loren continued to weep, apologizing to Camilla for letting her emotions get the better of her.

“Please don’t apologize for being upset. Loren, you have every right to feel the way you do. I’m just glad I can be here for you,” Camilla comforted.

After some time, Loren’s tears began to subside, and she began to speak. “I’m just - it’s such an awful feeling. I mean - at first, all I could think about were Margot’s messages - the amount of distrust that I allowed her to plant in my mind about William. But then, and I hate saying this to you - but they’ve earned the reputation of being players in every capacity so I just feel like I’m blindly tripping along here not knowing what to think,” Loren said, her voice still full of anguish.

“I can understand that,” Camilla began thoughtfully. “But I’ll tell you something—when it comes to my boys, I’ve always worried about how easy it’s been for them to attract girls. They never had to try; the girls just flocked to them, like moths to a flame. It always concerned me—what if they didn’t know, or worse, didn’t care, if someone truly special crossed their path? Would they even recognize it? And if they did, would they know how to treat her—or would they simply expect her to always be there for them, without ever giving back?”

Camilla paused, her voice softening as she smiled at Loren. “But while you were here, I saw something different in William. Yes, his family will always be everything to him, followed closely by his friends—but you, Loren…” She leaned closer, her voice sincere. “I feel he’s created a very special place for you in his life.”

Loren remained silent, her expression still clouded with sadness as she considered what Camilla had explained. More and more, Loren felt the distrust toward William fading. What she felt added up perfectly in September with all of Margot’s “evidence”, now it made less sense than ever before.

The two women sat in silence for a moment before Loren spoke. “I have been able to work past what Margot said in her messages and while the other things she said bothered me, I can explain most of it away. It’s just the pictures now that I keep coming back to, but even those…he said they were just random people saying “hi”….they weren’t what Margot made them out to be at all,” Loren expressed, still riddled with confusion.

Camilla’s expression turned to regret. “I know, Loren - I understand your need to protect yourself and it’s hard when there just seems to be so much information that leans on way. I was not there myself to say one thing or the other. But, if I may, Loren, I just cannot see William doing that to you - not after seeing how the two of you are around each other.”

Loren swiped away the fresh tears that ran down her cheeks and put her glasses back on, smiling at Camilla now that she could see her more clearly.

“Loren, älskling, being with someone like William isn’t easy. I can only speak from the experience of being a wife of a professional player, and the mother of two more. There are things I have seen and heard that I would have preferred not to. There are hurt feelings and moments of frustration. For William, I can absolutely understand why you have reservations about his life and how it will affect you in your relationship with - hmmm, so much “interest” in him. There are so many challenges, even with the greatest and strongest of loves, but there are also choices. Every day, you’ll have to decide if the love you share is worth those challenges. And he’ll have to make that choice too,” Camilla concluded, followed by a warm smile.

Loren nodded her head. She took a deep breath and looked back at Camilla through the screen. “We’ve been talking a little, William and I,” Loren said quietly.

Camilla’s eyes brightened with Loren’s admission, her smile widening. “That’s wonderful, älskling,” she said softly, her voice full of encouragement.

Loren swiped away some dust from her keyboard, almost lost in thought. “Maybe we’ll get a chance to talk once the home opener is over,” she smiled.

Loren tried to sound optimistic but she could not begin to guess how this all might turn out.

—

The second Saturday in October was circled on calendars across Toronto and beyond, a date that marked months of anticipation after the Leafs shortened playoff run. For Maple Leafs fans, it wasn’t just a game—it was the event, the beginning of a new season brimming with hope. Across the country, hockey reclaimed its spotlight, and Scotiabank Arena stood as a glowing beacon, welcoming the return of one of the league’s storied Original Six franchises.

Kathy stepped out of the elevator from the parking garage, holding the door as Loren guided Gary’s wheelchair toward the large glass doors of the office tower bordering the square in front of the arena. Though they were still 45 minutes early before the gates even opened, the blue of their home jerseys quickly blended into the growing sea of fans. The city’s sights and sounds converged around them as Loren and Kathy maneuvered Gary through the bustling crowd. Fans milled about, snapping pictures and chatting animatedly about the new season, the coaching staff, and the newly minted captain, Auston Matthews.

Locating Gate 1, the three queued in line, with Gary completely mesmerized by the massive murals of current players displayed above the doorways. Being among the first to arrive, a Security Officer approached, offering guidance on what to do once the doors opened. When Kathy mentioned they were meeting with Fan Services, the officer nodded, spoke into his radio, and quickly disappeared, leaving them to wait amidst the growing line of fans.

Passing through security, they were greeted by Eriika from Fan Services, a wide smile on her face as she introduced herself. After a few pleasantries, she guided them on a quick tour, pointing out the key spots designed for accessibility, including the section where Gary could get a perfect view of the Leafs during warmups at ice level. Finally, Eriika led them to their seats, ensuring they were settled comfortably before leaving with a friendly reminder to flag their usher if they needed anything.

For once, Gary was completely speechless. He slowly scanned the area, looking from the banners of retired players to the banners of their championship wins. Loren could not have been more thrilled for Gary. His life were the Maple Leafs. If anyone bled blue, it was him. He never bad mouthed the team, his support was rock solid. To see him gaze with such an air of both disbelief and awe, made her heart swell.

Eriika had arranged for a wheelchair escort, Josh, to assist Loren and Kathy with navigating the different levels and accessible entryways. He guided them through the maze of hallways and ramps until they emerged at ice level, the freshly cleaned sheet of ice, with the Maple Leaf emblem in the centre, illuminated by the low lights of purple and blue. Gary’s face remained in awe as he absorbed his beloved team’s arena.

Josh leaned down toward Gary. “Let’s see this sign you’ve got,” he said with a grin. Gary proudly held it up, revealing a poster with a large arrow pointing downward and the caption, “Hey Boys! Look all the way down here. Next Leafs Power Forward ON WHEELS - pass me the puck!”

Josh’s grin stretched from ear to ear, his laughter echoing above the hum of the arena. “Man, this is gold,” he laughed, giving Gary a fist bump. “This should definitely get some attention—just be ready….those pucks can come flying over the glass pretty quickly,” Josh light-heartedly warned, saying it more to Loren than Gary.

“That’s why I bring her,” Gary said, jerking his thumb toward Loren. “It’s her job to protect me—she gets paid for it, so she can take the puck to the head, not me.”

Josh laughed at Gary’s apparent heckling of Loren, who just shook her head and rolled her eyes at Josh. “Gee, thanks Gare. You really are such a charmer.”

Gary waved off Loren’s remark with a smile and placed the sign carefully on his lap as they waited.

Soon Kathy joined them at the glass, and they took turns taking pictures of their group with the arena as the backdrop.

Through her smile however, Loren couldn’t shake the nervous energy building inside of her. Her stomach churned—not just for the sheer excitement of waiting to see Gary’s reaction to warmups but also because she knew William was close by, getting dressed and preparing to hit the ice.

The thought of seeing him again made her heart race. She had not seen him since their bittersweet moment at Arlanda airport, when he placed soft, lingering kisses on her mouth before she stepped out of the vehicle. Beyond that, she and William hadn’t spoken since their brief conversation before the season opener. As much as she felt that the conversation was light with hints of amusement, it was still far from their usual easy chats. They were both far too aware of the things that still needed to be said.

During the drive into Toronto, Loren had filled Kathy in on the latest development with William - her call with Camilla. She explained how Camilla had calmed so many of the worries that still plagued Loren’s mind. The fact that Camilla didn’t “choose sides” - she acknowledged Loren’s feelings and gave her gentle guidance, with the understanding of what it might feel like to navigate William’s whirlwind life. It was as though Camilla was reassuring Loren, in her own way, that with her strength and the kind of person she is, that she’ll be more than okay no matter what she decides.

The sudden image of the exit from the Leafs dressing room appeared on the jumbotron screen, couple with the announcer’s voice, was met with the rumble of growing cheers from the crowd. Loren looked at Kathy and inhaled, while Kathy shot Loren a knowing smile while mimicking the Lamaze breathing technique for some much needed humour to ease the tension.

As they showed the players being lead out by the newest Leafs goaltender, Anthony Stolarz, Kathy and Loren positioned themselves on either side of Gary, holding up the sign for him and trying to make it as noticeable as possible. At this stage, all Loren really hoped for is that someone saw Gary’s sign, and would give him something tangible as a memory for that evening.

Loren fished out her glasses and slid them on - if a puck did come flying over the glass, at least she’d have a better chance of seeing it with her glasses on.

Bright white lights suddenly lit up the entire arena as Stolarz and the first handful of players stepped onto the ice, their blades audibly slicing through the surface as they skated their practice laps.

One by one, the Leaf players in their blue home jerseys emerged from the tunnel. Loren could not figure out where to look first as the players whipped by the glass with the sound of pucks ricocheting off the boards.

She finally saw the unmistakable jersey number 88 through the sea of jerseys that flew by her line of sight. Seeing him in person again sent a jolt through her entire body and her head started to pound with the sudden rush of adrenaline. Unaware that Loren had already spotted him, Kathy discreetly nudged her arm and nodded toward William, who was still on the opposite side of the ice, practicing some of his stick handling moves.

William had only been out on the ice for a couple of minutes, but he swore he glanced up and down the faces at the glass about a hundred times, with no luck in seeing Loren. He went about his routines - skating low and fast while making tight turns with the puck never leaving the tape on his stick. After a few turns, he shot the puck at the empty net which naturally went in.

He skated toward the blueline, sending a few pucks in different directions before turning back around. A sign caught his attention which had an arrow pointing downward - the sign seemed to dance along the glass until it was shifted to the side and revealed a man, barely visible at the glass, sitting in a wheelchair with a woman standing behind him.

He hadn’t recognized her right away with her glasses on, but the second he had, his heart swelled - the mixed feeling of relief, happiness and nervousness coursed through his body. She looked even more beautiful than ever - her locks swept up into a pony tail, her skin still miraculously golden despite autumn being in full swing.

When Loren spotted him gliding toward their spot at the glass, the pounding in her head gave way to a twisting knot in her stomach. Her eyes followed him as he read Gary’s sign, a smile tugging at his lips before he interacted briefly with a couple of players leaning against the boards.

Loren shifted nervously behind Gary’s chair, her fingers gripping its handles tightly. She prayed she looked poised and composed on the outside, even though her insides were anything but.

William’s gaze locked on hers, his lips curving into a subtle smile. He motioned for her to catch the puck he was about to flip over the glass. Loren’s eyes darted upward to the tall glass panels that separated them, and then back to him with a panicked expression that made him grin. The background music and chatter from the crowd drowned out his laughter as she exaggeratedly mouthed, “It’ll probably hit me in the mouth,” punctuating it with a wry roll of her eyes.

Still grinning, William motioned for her to head toward the camera hole in the glass. Loren hesitated for only a moment before moving toward it, the surrounding kids pressing closer to see what was happening.

Sliding off his glove, William scooped up a puck and reached through the opening. Loren stepped closer, her hand brushing against his as she took the puck. Her gaze lifted, and as she smiled softly to say thank you, his fingers lingered, gently wrapping around hers for a brief moment. Had it not been for the handful of children that converged around them, their shared moment might not have ended so quickly.

Loren made her way back towards Gary. She turned to see William using the blade of his stick to balance and vault pucks over the glass to the awaiting fans that had gathered. She handed Gary the puck she had been given, and glanced back towards William who needed to get on with his warmup. Before skating away, he looked at Loren and motioned for her to show him the back of her jersey. It was same the Auston Matthews jersey she was sporting the first time they met. Mocking his disapproval and exaggerating his disappointment, William gave Loren a confident grin as some fans cheered at his antics before he skated away.

A spectator hollered from his seat nearby “He may have asked you out if you had the right jersey on!” the man laughed.

Oh, the irony of that comment Loren thought.

—

Josh had guided Loren and Gary back to their section and their seats, and the two silently watched the video segments on the overhead screen as the clock wound down for the start of the introductions. A wide smile spread across Gary’s face as the lights dimmed, and the familiar voice of Mike Ross echoed through the arena. Loren couldn’t help but smile as she watched Gary’s reaction between each introduction -from the staff, the coaching team, and then the players—each called out in ascending numerical order.

Loren found herself gripping the armrest of her seat, her knuckles whitening as she counted down the moments. She hadn’t consciously realized her reaction until her heart gave an unexpected jolt when she heard the unmistakable, deliberate style of Mike Ross’s voice announcing, “From Stockholm, Sweden, number 88—William KNEEEE-LAAAAN-DER!”

The eruption of cheers was exhilarating. Loren instinctively whooped and hollered as she applauded, her smile stretching wide as her heart swelled with pride. She couldn’t stop herself from beaming at the sight of him stepping onto the ice, his easy smile flashed across the jumbotron as he skated to his place along the blueline next to Ryan Reaves.

In that moment, everything about William came into sharp focus. He wasn’t just the hockey star with unwavering self-assuredness or the man who was often a breath of fresh air to her. He was both. He was William—one of the most exciting players to watch on skates and the man who made her laugh until her cheeks hurt. She finally saw both parts of him converge in front of her eyes and her realization that she could be in awe of both versions simultaneously. This realization was coupled with knowing she missed him more than ever.

It was not long before the arena fell silent for the national anthems, and William stood in his usual spot at the bench and faced the flags as he had done countless times before. The camera swept across the team, lingering briefly on him. He was aware of it, the way players always were, but he didn’t adjust his expression. Instead, his eyes scanned the crowd, focusing on the accessible seating sections until he spotted her.

There she was, standing beside Gary’s chair, her hand resting lightly on the handlebars of his backrest. His grip tightened slightly on the shaft of his stick, the curved blade supporting his chin as he leaned against it. He stood still, watching her sing—or at least mouth the words—her glasses perched on top of her head where she would always unconsciously put them.

Seeing her through the glass partition during warmups had pushed his longing for her to the limit. The words about a thousand women versus one woman had played on his mind since she first said them. Now, amongst the faces of thousands of women, hers was the only one that he cared about seeing. He just hoped he could steal five minutes of her time after the game to tell her that.

But first, they had their home opener to win.

The game progressed quickly, with the Leafs improving as each period unfolded. Early in the second, William scored his first goal of the regular season, a perfectly executed play set up by Max Domi. His reaction was priceless—grinning widely, he pointed toward Max as if to give full credit to his teammate. Skating past the bench for the customary fist bumps, the thought of Loren in the stands, undoubtedly cheering along with the rest of the fans, gave him an extra spark of pride.

In the final minute of the third period, with the Penguins’ goalie pulled, William secured an empty-net goal, sealing the Leafs’ 4-2 victory. This time, as his teammates surrounded him, he caught a glimpse of Loren on her feet, clapping enthusiastically. The sight gave him a flicker of reassurance that maybe, just maybe, the night wasn’t over yet.

As the final seconds wound down and the team left the ice, Kathy approached Loren and Gary’s section. She bumped into Eriika, who had arrived to escort them down to the dressing room.

Eriika led the way through a maze of back hallways, the cheers of celebrating fans still echoing from the concourse above. Loren followed quietly, pushing Gary’s wheelchair while Kathy walked alongside them. The muted hum of the arena gave way to the buzz of media activity as they neared their destination. Off to the side of the dressing room entrance, Loren could already hear Mitch Marner’s familiar voice carrying through his post-game media scrum.

Eriika waved the three through, mentioning as they entered, “A few players, including Morgan, have something special for you, Gary—a signed jersey. They’ll be by shortly.”

The dressing room buzzed with post-game energy, the players scattered between chatting, packing their gear, or doing media interviews. Max Domi was the first to spot Gary and Loren, his face lighting up as he strode over, still partially in his gear.

“Hey, buddy! Great to see you again—and you brought the ‘ole ball and chain, I see,” Max teased, throwing Loren a playful wink.

Gary didn’t miss a beat. “I’m not allowed to call her that anymore,” he deadpanned in a slow drawl, looking up at Max. “She said she’d roll me off a cliff if I said it again.”

In the next room, William could faintly hear the conversation and laughter as he waited for his media availability. He was in a good mood from the win, but his focus was split. All he wanted was to get this part of the night over with and find Loren as soon as he could.

Standing shirtless, his hair slicked back under a backwards ball cap, William showed his typical casual demeanor as he answered questions about what he saw on Max’s play. But thirty seconds in, there was a slight pause in the reporters’ questions which seemingly gave him an opportunity to exit the scrum.

“All good? Thanks, guys,” William said, pushing himself off the wall, and started to walk away with a cheeky grin. The reporters paused for another second until one began asking another question, keeping William from escaping, eliciting some chuckles in the crowd. William was good-natured about the continuation of questions, and laughed at his attempt to make a run for it and getting caught in the act.

After fielding the remainder of questions, most of which could be considered obvious, William tossed a quick “Thanks” over his shoulder and left the reporters while giving the next player up, Anthony Stolarz, a friendly grin as the media readied themselves for the next round of questions.

William slipped back into the dressing room, immediately scanning the room until he spotted Loren standing next to Simon Benoit and the two Max’s, Domi and Pacioretty. He watched as she laughed at Simon explaining the story behind the team vote to name his little baby daughter “Cashew” before he and Alice settled on Adelaide for her name. “All because I call Alice peanut,” Simon chuckled, while Loren laughed and shook her head.

William’s heart raced as he approached the group, his eyes fixed on Loren. She did not notice him right away, her attention still on Simon who was explaining his excitement for the next day’s Thanksgiving dinner with Loren.

When her sights finally landed on him, everything around her seemed to slow. Her lips fell slightly open as her eyes first fell upon his bare chest, and then the rest of him. The second her eyes finally locked on his face, it was like a bolt of lightening traveled through her body.

Loren was so overwhelmed by the sight of him, she constantly averted her eyes in order to not simply melt into a puddle.

William appeared relaxed as he greeted Loren with a quiet “Hi” and a hug. In that one moment, his body felt starved for her.

“Can I borrow you for a sec?” William asked Loren, the tone of his voice serious.

With an air of uncertainty, Loren nodded. They excused themselves from the group, and he was soon leading her down a small corridor.

“Shit - sorry William, just two seconds - let me just let Kathy know, okay?” Loren said quietly as she turned back towards the main dressing room. William followed, realizing in that moment that he had yet to say his hellos to Gary.

Kathy sat with Jake McCabe and Morgan Rielly in Morgan’s stall, with Gary by their side and his newly signed “Rielly” jersey. Kathy was deep into explaining the sordid details of Gary’s early life experiences.

Loren approached Gary’s chair from behind and she rested her hands on his shoulders. Gary looked up at her as though he had found heaven on earth sitting in the dressing room. She patted his shoulders and apologized for interrupting.

William lowered himself to Gary’s line of sight. “Hey Gary - it’s great to see you again - how’ve you been man?”

Gary’s eyes lit up. He struggled at first with his words but Loren’s reassuring hands on his shoulders grounded him as he spoke. “Been real good. I think you’re gonna have a good year, Willy.” He slowly began to hand William the jersey in his lap. “Will you sign this for me?”

Kathy smiled at William and handed him a marker. Her eyes briefly connected with Loren’s as if to say “Go and get this sorted out with him now.”

William scribbled his signature on the shoulder of the jersey, and handed it back to Gary. He could see Gary’s eyelids started to droop from exhaustion and that Kathy and Loren need to get him home soon. “Gare - it’s good to see you again - and really nice to meet you,” he smiled at Kathy. “I won’t keep her but I just need Loren for a minute, is that okay Gary?”

“Agh - you can keep her,” Gary waved them off and chuckled when he saw Loren’s less than impressed expression.

“You know you’re not funny - right, Gare? Anyway, Kathy - I’ll be back in a sec.” Loren then turned to Jake and Morgan. “It was really great seeing you guys. And Congratulations again to you and Tessa on your little man, McCormick,” Loren grinned as Morgan and Jake leaned in for a hug.

Loren stepped back as William touched her shoulder, nodding his head subtly back toward the hallway. Loren’s nerves gripped her stomach as she followed his lead. She watched in mild amazement of how he glided past the buzz and the noise of the post-game activities without distraction. Somehow, he was still discreet as he lead her down a short corridor that ended at an unmarked door. With a quick glance over his shoulder, he opened it, revealing what appeared to be a small medical supply room.

While passing by, the only person that seemed to notice William and Loren was the new coach, Craig Berube. Fucking guy works fast, I’ll give him that he thought as he chuckled to himself .

William stepped aside to let her enter. She stepped though, her heart racing as he followed her in, the door clicking softly behind them, muting the laughter from the dressing room.

A singular fluorescent light flickered on, and Loren glanced around the room just to get her bearings. Her hands fidgeted, subtly but compulsively pulling at the hem of her jersey as she stood across from him. Her cheeks burned as she glanced at William, still shirtless, still with his backwards cap, and still the man she cared deeply for, and missed every day.

William leaned against a counter, watching her nervous movements. His heart sank seeing how unsure she appeared to be.

Despite her nervousness, she broke the ice with William immediately. “I’m disappointed I didn’t get to see you in your garters.”

William broke into a wide smile and hung his head. “Oh yeah? I carry them off pretty well, do I?”

“It’s humbling to know that you still are the sexier one in garters between the two of us,” Loren grinned.

“Says you - I think most men on the planet might disagree,” William chuckled.

Although their conversation had a lightness to it, silence eventually fell between them. William could see Loren struggling to keep control of her emotions.

She was cracking inside. Her shoulders drew together as she tensed, not wanting to break in front of him.

But it happened as soon as he asked her how she has been.

Her head lowered, hands soon covered her face as she wept. William himself felt tears prick at his eyes seeing how upset she was.

He gently pulled her into him, and felt her warm wet tears against his chest. As her body shudder, his arms completely enveloped her. He soon felt her palms along the side of his body which eventually circled around to his back.

His hand moved up to her hair, cradling the back of her head as she leaned her forehead against his chest. He felt her tears falling as they landed near the waistband of his shorts.

When Loren finally spoke, her voice hardly registered above a soft whisper. “I got it all wrong, didn’t I?” She let out a sob as her body trembled. Her fingertips pressed firmly against his skin.

“Loren, fuck. No. No.” William spoke into her hair. “You did not cause any of this. This was never - none of this was your doing. I need you to understand that.” William’s words were gentle but firm. “What else could you have done with all of that shit that was sent to you?”

It took a moment before Loren responded. “I don’t know, William,” she sniffled.

“I should have thought - I should have maybe thought to mention that interview stuff to you, just so you understood why I said what I did. It’s no excuse but I’m so used to these questions but - I’m not used…used to having someone in my life that I needed to explain this stuff to. I hope I’m making sense?”

Loren nodded her head.

William continued. He could feel Loren’s body beginning to loosen up in his arms as he pulled her a little closer. “The rest of it. I mean, some of the stuff I had planned to sit down with you once we were together and just sort of hash out, like - my past…"single" activities…in the offseason with a girl here and there.” His voice was soft as he spoke, stroking Loren’s hair as her sniffles began to subside.

“The two weeks you were with me - Loren, I was just - amazed - you amaze me - and how great that time together was, and I knew I wanted to - want to - whatever the fucking label is - be together, be in a relationship, date you - whatever it’s called. So I figured we’d have all the serious talks once I got back…but then all of this happened.”

Loren’s hands dropped down to his lower back, her forehead still resting against his chest.

“I know - or I feel like I’ve been the one that’s sort of fucked things up, more that a few times with you…and I know I suck when it comes to saying the right things…but I am so sorry, Loren, for the all of the shit I have put you through. I’ve made a lot of mistakes and a lot of shit decisions that I regret.

William paused, wanting to allow Loren to say something, but she remained silent, save for the odd sniffle. She stood still, absorbing William's words. She believed that they were genuine and heartfelt. His apology began to diffuse the pain of the past month, offering a glimpse of the regret he carried for the months that preceded this moment.

When she did finally speak, he wasn’t expecting her response. “You really need to wear a shirt—I’ve got tears and…other stuff all in your chest hair,” she said, her voice congested.

He released her body temporarily and grabbed some cotton pads nearby.

Loren tried to conceal her face a little as William pulled her back towards him. “I’m a fucking mess,” she said, embarrassed. “Yes, I’m a ugly crier too.”

William cradled Loren’s face in his hands, his thumbs gently brushing her damp cheeks. He leaned in, his forehead pressing lightly against hers. “There’s nothing about you that comes close to ugly -- you’re absolutely beautiful.”

Loren let out a small laugh, shaking her head as her hands rested on his chest. “I’m a puddle - nothing like smeared mascara and tears all over your chest to impress you,” she muttered, dabbing under her eyes and then swiping the pad across William’s chest.

“I can handle the mascara, the tears… and hmmm - whatever else you’ve got going on here,” he smiled. “Anything to make things right again, I’ll do, Loren.”

She reached around William’s shoulders, and he responded by wrapping his arms around her body, lifting her up and turned to set her on the counter. His hands fell to her hips as he positioned himself between her legs.

As he scanned her face, his expression became more reflective. “I’ve missed you so much. I don’t want to rush you so whatever you feel - whatever you want to do, just tell me, okay?”

“I’ve missed you too - so much, William.” Loren looked at him, her eyes soft with a hint of regret. “I know we need to talk - a little - or a lot more about things, but I’ve gotta get Gary back.”

William squeezed her hips - he tried to think of a way for her to stay with him. “I guess it would be shitty if you just let Kathy handle Gary on her own,” he said as he answered his own internal question. “What about tomorrow?”

Loren toyed with the gold chain around his neck. “I’m having Benny and Alice for Thanksgiving. I think he’s mentioned it to a couple other guys but they might do something else - it was up in the air, last minute kind of thing.”

“So - like turkey and stuff?” William smiled coyly. “I like turkey,” he hinted playfully.

“You’re welcome to come up, if you want to. There’d be enough to feed an army of Nylanders - knowing how much you guys like to eat,” Loren smirked. “If Alex is around and wants to, he’s more than welcome to come too.”

“Pablo and Banksy?” he asked.

She nodded. “Especially those two.”

Loren glided her hands down the front of his chest. The only thing on her mind was her mouth on his. She leaned forward, and brushed her lips against his. The kiss started softly but quickly deepened as the past unresolved emotions funneled into their longing for one another.

His hands found her waist, pulling her closer as their connection ignited.

William’s hands found their way under her jersey, he slowly pulled away slightly from their kiss and looked at the jersey again, shaking his head.

“We really need to get you a new fucking jersey - and not one with Matthews on the back.”

Loren raised her eyebrows. “McCabe?”

William chuckled and shook his head.

“Wait - “ Loren darted upwards muttering last names of the Leafs roster.

William raised an eyebrow as he nodded his head. “Ahhhh - I see it now…you’re using me to get to….”

“Pacioretty?”

William laughed his iconic laugh. He was truly dazzled by this woman.

Loren cocked her head to the side, her voice soft but teasing. “Nylander - I always sort of liked him. But he’s super hard to get.”

“Not if you ask nicely,” William countered with a smirk, leaning in closer. “And maybe if you agree to model it for me sometime, throw on those stilettos and the garters we just talked about, and I can definitely get you a Nylander.”

[starshine-hockey-girl]

Shamelessly bragging about myself....

I did all of this in 3 years..... 2 are WIPS but still

My first and only HRPF

3 part series.... complete

Taylor Swift inspired

Miro fluffy one shot

Tyler Seguin WIP

Tyler Seguin Stand Alone

25 chapter series.... still in progress

25 part series ... still in progress

The spinoff series..... still in progress

[puckinginsane]

Baby Love Updated

Chapter 7 : Tyler’s First Father’s Day

Wattpad

ao3

[cixrosie]

Dream Boy

Summary : In which the sweet dream boy you saw freshman year turns into Your dream boy sophomore year

You and Gavin first met a Umich your Freshman year in the first week in one of your many classes you had together . But you first saw Gavin at freshman orientation and immediately had a crush on him . You and Gavin basically had almost every class together . You can't lie he was hot and sweet but you didn't want to get in a relationship as this was your start to college and you knew most college guys that were freshman were just looking to hookup .

Over the first couple months after meeting Gavin you had gotten close, you guys had had study dates even though both of your friends you brought along to make it less date like told you they were just third wheeling and it was indeed a study date . You brought one of your friends from your theater class and Gavin brought one of his teammates from the hockey team .

After that you and Gavin got even closer now from the study dates you were now going to each others events you invited Gavin to your showcases and he invited you to his hockey games and sat with the other girlfriends . This went on for the rest of the year .

Then the day you had been dreading since you met Gavin had come the last day of classes , which meant not seeing Gavin as often due to summer break and you hated that .

At least for now you didn't have to think about that because there was one big event left : The Umich Hockey End of Year Party which the hockey team . Gavin had invited you saying that is was one last big hangout with all the guys and your friends to hand out before you left as his friends and your friends had kind of meshed into one big group. So as your leaving your last class you are texting Gavin and he let you know the dress code is just umich colors .

Later that night about an hour after the party started you are almost done getting ready. You decided to wear a dark maize tube top and blue shorts with a university of Michigan jacket but left it unbuttoned in the front . Just as you were putting on your shoes you got a text from Gavin :

Gav 🥰 : where are you I don't see you ? 😢

You : im done getting ready im heading over now lol

Gav : ok see you , when you get here park next to my car

About 10 minutes later you arrive to the frat house and park nexts to Gavins car . The house pretty crowded but thats to be expected with an end of year party . You enter the house and the sound of music and laughter fills your ears . You look towards the kitchen and see Gavin and his hockey teammates and some of the girlfriends laughing and drinking so you head over.

" hey Y/N's here " Ethan yells drunkenly , that makes Gavin turn towards you at the speed of light . You both make eye contact and it holds and you can feel the shift in your relationship. You had started to notice it about a week ago the subtle touches around your waist , the excuses made just so he can hold your hand and now this something is shifting and you aren't complaining

After coming back to reality and hear Ethan still screaming about the house reaching capacity but I couldn't really make it out since he 1. was drunk off his ass and 2. You couldn't stop staring at your boy . You can't believe your referencing him as your boy but you are and you love it

You and Gavin are still making eye contact but you are saying so many words his eyes are saying " come here " your eyes are saying " come get me " but both are saying " you feel it too" at this point Gavin has had enough and as you continue staring at his eyes as your standing against the counter he comes over to you trapping you in between his arms , " come to my room with me yeah" he asks . You nod your head as you look up at him.

He grabs your hand as he leads you up the stairs and his teammates see and they start whooping and whistling and you definitely hear Luca yell " Finally " you laugh as Gavin continues to lead you up the stairs to his room. You finally get to Gavins room and he ushers you in with his hand dangerously close to your ass which makes you smile and make your heart flutter a she closes his door .

Gavin walks to his bed as he takes off his shoes and sit on the edge . You stay back towards his door and lean on it as you both make eye contact . " c'mere pretty girl" he says. You walk over and you see him spread his legs open to accommodate your body , as you fit perfectly between his legs he holds the back of your thighs and pulls you as close as possible , he pulls you with so much strength you have to hold onto his shoulders , after you catch your balance you wrap your arms around his neck and stare into his eyes.

He inches his lips closer and closer as you say "Gav" in a breathy tone " I know baby I feel it to" " what are we now" you question " You're mine and I'm yours if you'll have me " he says. Thats all it takes for the damn to break and for you to crash your lips onto his , he groans as you quite literally take his breath away . He moves his hand from the back of your thighs to you waist as he pulls you so you're now straddling him and from there his hands move to your ass pinching and pulling which you take as a sign he's enjoying himself among other things .

After a while you pull away to catch your breath. "wow' you both say at the same time you laugh and blush as you hide your face in his neck. He then lays flat on his back as he takes you down with him so you're now laying on his chest . He laughs as you still blush with your face in his neck. " don't blush now baby you literally shoved your tongue down my throat a couple minutes ago" this makes you groan as he laughs even harder , that beautiful laugh you love so much .

After you both settle down and change out of the party clothes and into pajamas and for you thats just Gavins clothes you both cuddle up on his bed as he choses some random show to watch. The room fills with silence until Gavin says " its always been you since the day we met our first week of class " You look at him from his chest and smile as you say " its always been you too Gav ever since I saw you in freshman orientation " " But we didn't even meet yet we met a week later during the first week " he cocks his eyebrow " exactly my dream boy ive had a crush on you since I saw you during freshman orientation " . Gavin smiles as he leans down to connect your lips for the sweetest kiss you've ever had .

Note: HIIII I haven't written anything in a while but im back with this sweet piece for Gavin . As always requests are open send them my way if you have them

Im tagging my favorite people on this app who ive read phenomenal fics and AUs from and are overall great people and my mutuals . feedback's appreciated but done feel like you have to ok bye <3

@sc0tters @lennysfridge @yankstrash @heavenlyhischier @sweetestdesire @thatintrovertedwriter @starry-hughes @drewsbuzzcut @bedsyandco @slafkovskys @theywantedplayer @bitchinbarzal @babydollmarauders @nicohischierz @nicohersheys @sunkissed-zegras @uluvjay @letsgetrowdy43 @mirrorballmcgroarty @ilyasorokinn @hischierdevils @jackhues @swissboyhisch @perfectlysaltycat32

[drysdalesworld]

PHASE TWO — always trust the match maker (jamie’s version)

part one

pairing: jamie drysdale x reader

genre: fluff (lots of it tbh)

word count: 4.8k+

warning(s): trev getting too smug about being cupid, georgie being (*forcefully*) dragged into trevor’s ideas, reader cannot skate in this part so if you can please just pretend 🙏, meddling trev, confessions of love (FINALLY JESUS), mentions of parties + alcohol, & a teeny tiny makeout sesh (BOOMSHAKALAKA)

note: decided to replace the gifs with pictures bc they seem more aesthetically pleasing to my eyes & are a little summary as to what will/may be in the fic <3 brittany is an oc that i made up for the plot who is mason mctavish’s girlfriend. also, thinking of doing a bonus chapter/part 3 inspired by “meet the parents” but idk 🤷‍♀️ let me know if you’d like that! (or i could do a poll for it) sorry that the ending is a little rushed, i was just so excited to get it out <3

“You know she can’t skate, right?”.

If looks could kill, Trevor Zegras would be six feet under at the moment.

Georgie didn’t understand the man’s fascination with getting her roommate and his teammate together. She could see the attraction they shared but would rather not meddle with it. Trevor and his want of being involved in everything is really shining through in this current moment.

“That’s perfect! Jamie’ll be right there to swoop in and save her from falling. See? My plan is perfect, Gigi!” Trevor exclaimed, eyes shining with excitement and anticipation.

His current plan for ‘phase two’ of his plan to get you and Jamie together included the family skating event that the Anaheim Ducks were hosting later in the week and since neither Jamie nor Trevor had family in California, it was a perfect idea to recruit you and your roommate as their plus ones for the night. He’d pair himself up with Georgie while Jamie was paired with you. It was perfect in his eyes. Nothing could go wrong and that night would be the night where everything fell into place and the both of you would finally get together after bearing witness to the mutual pining and obliviousness.

“Y’know this isn’t a rom-com movie, right?” Georgie scoffed out, eyes rolling and head shaking as she did so.

“I’m well aware thank you,” Trevor sassed, copying the actions of the woman in front of him. “You have nothing to worry about. She’ll be in great hands. Jamie won’t let her fall or anything”.

The woman across from him only hummed and crossed her arms over her chest, not fully believing in the blue eyed man. Whatever he’s planning, she thought, better be good. Poor girl deserves a break.

———

“You know I can’t skate, right?”.

The question seemed to hit Trevor in the face, eye nearly twitching in agitation.

“Yes. I’ve been made aware of that”.

“So why do you want me to go to your family skate so bad?”.

The blue eyed man nearly wanted to rip the ends of his hair out in frustration. Why couldn’t you just say yes without any questions? It was a simple question that required a simple answer.

“You can practice your skating skills! Everyone should at least learn how to skate one time in their life. Plus, neither Jamie or I have family in California and it’d be nice for you and Georgie to tag along,” he replied, internally on his hands and knees begging as he asked you.

“I’ll fall,” you retorted, arms crossed against your chest.

“Jamie or I will be there to catch you. Hell, if you want Mason to do it, I’ll make sure he will. Just…please come”.

Trevor’s words only caused you to sigh out, nerves already bunching in your stomach at the thought of stepping on the ice. It’s not that you haven’t skated before. It’s just that it’s been years since you have and even then, it was only your third time ever skating. You didn’t want to make yourself look like a fool and fall straight on your face.

“Promise?” You asked.

“Promise,” Trevor nodded.

“Don’t make me regret trusting you, Zegras”.

“I’d never. Scouts honor!”.

You had a feeling that you were going to regret agreeing to skating with Trevor. And you’d be proven right exactly four days after this interaction.

———

“If I slip and die, I’m going to haunt your ass!” You shrieked, hands out in front of you as you wobbled on the sleek ice, trying to balance yourself.

The force of laughter that left Jamie’s lips nearly knocked the both of you over, skates slipping back and forth on the ice as you tried to balance yourself once more.

You don’t know how you were in your right mind when you agreed to Trevor’s family skate idea. You immediately regretted it the minute you stepped onto the ice and nearly face planted. He had managed to catch you last minute, hauling you up as he laughed at your state, declaring you ‘Bambi on ice’.

You had been handed off to Jamie when Trevor decided to help Georgie, even though she had a lengthy history of skating and could manage on her own. He practically dragged you over to the Canadian before lightly shoving you into his frame, clinging onto Jamie’s outstretched arms as you cursed the Zegras boy out.

“You’re doing great so far! Just focus on what’s in front of you,” Jamie replied, the sweetest smile on his face as he continued to grasp your hands in his own. You were surprised he could still feel his hands from how tight you were gripping them. “It’s always hard the first couple of minutes on the ice. But it gets better as time goes on”.

“Says the professional skater”.

He grinned at your statement, eyes never straying from yours as he did so. You did have a point. Jamie had has ample time to refine his skating skills whereas you barely even touched the ice growing up.

“Okay, you got me there. But trust me. The more time you spend on the ice today, the easier it will be next time,” he added, eyes quickly darting behind him to make sure no one was behind him as he continued to skate backwards.

“Next time? Oh no! No. There will not be a next time! This is the only time I will be stepping on the ice,” you retorted, shaking your head.

Jamie only shook his head in response, grin still plastered on his face as the both of you continued to glide across the ice.

“It won’t be if Trevor has anything to do with it. Now, you’re doing great! Just keep bending your legs,” he replied, hands tightening their grip on yours ever so slightly.

A scoff was the only response to escape your lips as you continued to focus on skating properly, desperate to not fall on your face.

———

“So, how was it?”.

Hours had passed and you were all skated out, Jamie practically carrying you off the ice as you complained about how much your feet hurt.

A glare was shot in Trevor’s direction. His usual, stupid grin on his face as he plopped himself right next to you as Jamie untied your skates for you. (You had protested much on the fact. But he insisted on untying your laces for you. You could not refuse him after he practically pouted at you to let him.)

“I’m killing you when we get home,” you replied, massaging your foot once it was free from the tortuous confinement of the ice skate. “I can’t feel my feet, Trev!”.

“She did pretty good. Better than I expected,” Jamie commented, gently placing the other foot onto his thigh, fingers deftly untying the laces.

You let out a gasp of shock, gently nudging Jamie’s forehead as you pouted, “You have no faith in me at all!”.

The onyx haired man only chuckled at your response, shaking his head a little to fix his locks as he continued to aid you in getting out of your skates.

“From what I could see, you did well, babe” Georgie piqued, skates already off and tennis shoes on her feet. Her piercing eyes glared at Trevor for a second before returning to you, softening a bit.

You mouthed a ‘thank you’ to her, a gentle smile on your face.

“All right,” Jamie murmured, softly taking your foot out of the unlaced skate and placing it on the ground underneath him. “You’re all ready to go!”.

“Thanks, Jimmy!” You spoke, stretching out that foot as you wiggled your toes and tried to relieve yourself of the soreness.

Trevor shot Georgie a look, something that neither you or Jamie noticed. The man wiggled his eyebrows a bit, earning an eye roll and a smack to the shoulder from the woman in front of him.

“McTavish is having a little get together later tonight if y’all are interested in joining,” Georgie commented, very discreetly kicking Trevor’s shin, earning a yelp from him.

“Oh, right! Something about starting the new season off with a bang or whatever,” the brunet added, rubbing his shin. That’ll definitely bruise.

“We should definitely go!” He continued, trying to gauge you and Jamie’s separate reactions to the suggestion.

You looked a little unsure, sparing a quick glance to Jamie as he absorbed the information given to him. Parties were never your thing to begin with. But it always managed to be fun if a certain Ducks player attended.

Jamie shrugged, hand still loosely holding onto your ankle, “Sure!”.

You nodded in response, a smile gracing your features as you looked at Georgie in confirmation.

“Great!” She exclaimed, hands clapping together as she ushered you up, ankle now becoming cold as Jamie’s hand slipped from it. “Us girls will get ready while you two do whatever. Just don’t forget (Y/N)’s drinks this time”.

Georgie shot a hard look at Trevor when she finished her commentary, glaring at him once more before she handed you your shoes and turned your back towards the two boys.

The blue eyed man only rolled his eyes and scoffed, arms crossing over his chest.

“She’s right. Don’t forget it,” Jamie added, including his, in Trevor’s opinion, unwanted input.

“I won’t, lover boy,” Trevor scoffed, ruffling his friends hair before getting up himself, phase two already beginning to circle in his brain.

———

The ‘little get together’ Mason was throwing was, in fact, not little.

If you had to guess, you would say there were at least thirty people squished in Mason’s apartment. Every person there either seemed to be a player or a friend of a friend. You didn’t recognize most unfortunately.

People were bumping into one another as they mingled their way through the crowd to get somewhere else or greet another friend. It was overwhelming to say the least. And it didn’t help that once you stepped through the door, Georgie excused herself to go to the bathroom and left you by the overflowing coat rack Mason had stationed by the entrance to his apartment.

You were close to turning around and leaving the party when you heard someone shout your name—Trevor.

“And where do you think you’re going, missy?” He asked, two alcoholic beverages in hand. “You’ve barely been here thirty seconds and you already want to leave,” Trevor continued, tsking at you.

“This isn’t a little get together, Z,” you shouted, the music and loud talking in the small space making it hard to hear what Trevor was saying.

Trevor sheepishly shrugged. “It was!” He exclaimed, “But then Brittany wanted to bring some of her friends and then they wanted to bring some of their friends…”.

You only shook your head, snatching the familiar labeled beverage in his hand and cracking it open before he finished his sentence.

“But hey, Jamie’s here!” He excitedly shouted, a wide smile spreading on his lips. “He’s back in Mason’s room! I left him there to get you since Georgie texted me that you guys were here”.

A small blush crept onto your cheeks at the mention of the defenseman, warming up your face. Trevor had taken that reaction as a sign to grab your free hand and drag you to Mason’s room, squeezing his way through the numerous bodies littered across the room.

“It should be more peaceful in there,” Trevor commented, turning his head a little bit so you could hear him. He knew how you got with large enough crowds and had personally asked Mason if you could stay in there for a majority of the time so you wouldn’t be overwhelmed. (Not that getting you into Mason’s room with Jamie was a part of his plan, of course not!)

Once you had reached the pearl white wooden door, Trevor had quickly ushered you in before closing the door behind himself, trying extremely hard to keep a straight face so as to not blow his cover.

Jamie was seated on Mason’s bed, elbows on knees as he was scrolling through whatever app he had on his phone. His dark hair had fallen forward due to the position, causing Jamie to have to push back the strands to get a good look at whoever walked into the room.

A smile broke onto his lips once he saw that it was you. “Hey,” he spoke, turning off his phone and throwing it to the left of him, the device making contact with the soft pillows.

“(Y/N/N) here tried to run. But, I caught her in time before she could make an escape. You’re welcome,” Trevor praised himself, giving a little bow to Jamie and you.

You rolled your eyes and took a sip of your beverage. “Oh, why, thank you so much, Trev!”.

Only a wide grin was Trevor’s response to your quip, teeth on full display as his blue eyes twinkled with an all too familiar look.

But before you could question what he was up to, a loud knock came from behind Mason’s bedroom door, catching the attention of all three of you in the room.

The door opened to reveal Lukáš Dostál, one of the Ducks goalies. He had a sheepish smile on his face as he called out to Trevor, telling him that Mason needed him real quick before slowly backing away from the door frame to allow space for the center player to get through.

“Alright,” Trevor spoke, clapping his hands together, or at least as much as he could with his beer in hand. “I must depart. So, I’ll leave you two alone. Don’t miss me too much now”.

A fake laugh escaped your lips as the boy exited the room, the loud slam and click of the door echoing throughout the room. Trevor shot you a small wink just before he completely disappeared behind the door.

“He’s up to something,” Jamie commented, eyes squinted at the door, gaze lingering on the general area Trevor stood just moments prior.

“I was about to say the same thing, Drysdale” you murmured, non dominant hand on hip as your dominant one still held your cool beverage.

“You’d think we’d have a sixth sense for this,” he chuckled, fingers raking through his dark hair. “With all the shit he pulls, you’d think we’d be better at recognizing when he’s up to something”.

You smiled at his comment, nodding with what he was saying as you took a sip of your drink. Trying to pinpoint what exactly Trevor was up to was always a hard feat—something that you hadn’t quite mastered yet even after all these years of knowing him.

“He’s sneaky. Too much for his own good sometimes,” you spoke, flopping onto Mason’s bed, cup already emptied and discarded somewhere amongst the room.

Jamie only hummed in response as he felt your weight dip the mattress, the force of it nearly forcing him backwards, his left hand going behind him in order to stop himself from crushing you.

From his position, Jamie could see every faint freckle on your face and every birthmark that painted your skin. You were wearing a black baby tee that had two pink magic eight balls positioned as cherries, tied by a ribbon on the very front. The necklace that held your first initial laid in the middle of your chest, moving up and down with each breath you took. The jeans you were wearing hugged your figure perfectly. Your eyelids were gently closed and from time to time, he could see your eyes move underneath the lids. Your hair splayed around your head like a halo, shining in the overhead light. To Jamie, you looked like an angel sent from above—so pretty and kind and captivating. He couldn’t believe he had met you when he did. He felt so blessed to get the privilege to be in your life, in whatever way you deemed appropriate.

“Trevor’s special. In more ways than one,” Jamie chuckled.

His comment made you laugh, your head thrown back against the sheet as your legs lifted up to your chest as they kicked instinctually from laughter.

Your reaction made Jamie smile and blush, blood rushing up his neck to his cheeks, dusting his face a light pink color.

“I’m surprised we’re still friends with him,” you wheezed out. “With all the shit he’s pulled, he should’ve been blocked a long time ago”.

Jamie chuckled and nodded in response.

His heart was beating extremely fast, something it did regularly when Jamie was in your presence. He also had a hard time breathing too, but who wouldn’t?

A comfortable silence had settled between you two. You still laid down on Mason’s bed, eyes delicately closed and breathing steady as you tried not to fall asleep on the comfortable mattress.

The loud chatter of those outside Mason’s bedroom was only an afterthought as the two of you continued to bask in the comfortable silence. The domesticity of it all made Jamie’s heart lurch and his mind race. It wasn’t an entirely domestic scene, but it was enough for him. You are always enough for him.

The man wasn’t going to lie about how he knew about Trevor’s “masterful plan”. He had figured it out quickly after he heard his roommate mumble to himself about how his plan failed after that one party at their shared apartment. Confiding in Georgie only proved Jamie’s suspicions right—the redhead practically spilling every thought and plan Trevor had come up with in an attempt to get the two of you together. Jamie had nearly died at Georgie’s confession. That was the only confirmation he needed to pull up his bootstraps and finally work up the courage to confess to you. And, of course, Jamie knew of Trevor’s idea of throwing you two in a room together in hopes of the two of you getting together.

“(Y/N)?”.

So, here goes nothing.

“Can I tell you something?”.

That question piqued your interest.

You opened your eyes and sat up, faces inches away from Jamie’s face as his eyes never left yours. Your cheeks burned pink from the proximity and you found yourself cursing at your low tolerance for alcohol. Another reason why you much preferred the colorful, fruity drinks many alcohol brand names created. You didn’t need much to feel the effects.

“Yeah. What’s up?” You asked, shifting yourself a bit so all of your weight wasn’t put onto your arms, leaning a little forward.

Jamie’s mouth suddenly went dry, the words caught in his throat as his brain tried to scramble for something—anything to say.

“Should I have not said that about Trev?” You wearily asked, worried he took what you said about his best friend to heart. “Because I didn’t mean that! He’s a cool guy, really! Can be a bit annoying, but I’d never block him. Unless he did, like, something incredibly stupid like—”.

“No.” Jamie simply stated, it coming out more as a croak than a word. He cleared his throat before continuing.

“No. It’s not about that. I honestly agree with everything you said”.

That granted Jamie a smile of yours that he so desperately loved seeing on you. He copied your smile, licking his lips before then.

“It’s just—Damn. I didn’t think it’d be this hard,” he whispered, head slightly shaking as his eyes darted from place to place, nerves tingling throughout his entire body.

“What? That what would be hard, J?” You softly ask, hand coming up to gently grip his bicep in a comforting grasp.

The skin you touched felt like it was on fire to Jamie. Every time you touched him, sparks erupted underneath his skin. It always felt nice. Like it was supposed to happen. Like you were supposed to be touching him.

“I’ve thought day and night about this nearly every day since I met you. Do you remember that? Trev was so excited to introduce you. He was practically buzzing off the walls with excitement,” Jamie begins, his own hand gravitating towards yours that still grasped his bicep, gently wrapping around your wrist.

You giggled at the memory. Trevor had been excited to introduce the two of you. He was dead set on Jamie being the one to rid you of your relationship disappointments. The man had commented many times how his friend and roommate Jamie could be your one. You very much doubted that statement. You had given up at that point. But the second you locked eyes with Jamie Drysdale, all bets went out the window. He was so sweet and so gentle in speaking with you and shaking your hand. You were sure if angels walked the Earth, Jamie was one of them. That night, after leaving the café Trevor brought you to, you had realized that the center hockey player was right about Jamie being the change for you. But you still had doubted that something as kind, as beautiful as Jamie would fall for someone like you.

“Trevor wouldn’t stop talking my ear off about all your little quirks,” you commented. “He told me about your sleep talking and how you always watch the Mighty Ducks series whenever you don’t feel well”.

“Of course he did,” Jamie snorted. “What didn’t he tell you.”

You only smiled in response as you waited for Jamie to continue whatever he was saying beforehand. The butterflies in your stomach swarming and hurriedly batting their wings. You weren’t sure what Jamie was trying to say. You just hoped that he wasn’t going to abruptly end the friendship you two had.

“Trevor had mentioned some things here and there about you. Honestly, I wasn’t sure who I was going to meet that day from how little he mentioned you. He refused to tell me anything and insisted that I actually talk to you to find out more about you. Which, I guess, I should thank him for because then I probably wouldn’t have connected with you the way I did.”.

“It’s forever sketched into my brain—that day. I remember how cold it was that morning and how you walked in with only jeans and a jacket on while I had too many layers on to count. I think my lungs stopped working the minute you walked through the café doors and we locked eyes. I nearly spilled my drink.”.

You both chuckled at that. You had a feeling of where this conversation was going to go and your brain nearly started to overheat from how hard you were thinking and trying not to just blurt out how you felt to him. You never got those long confessions from those you were interested in. And since you were now getting that, you didn’t want to interrupt and ruin the moment. So, you stayed quiet and silently urged Jamie to continue.

“I know it’s cliché to say, but I’m pretty sure I loved you the moment I saw you. Everything about you intrigued me. Everything about you was so enchanting and I couldn’t stop myself from being greedy and wanting to get to know you better. I don’t even think Trevor spoke to us once during the entire three hours we were there. It was hard having to leave and part ways. I wanted to spend more time with you.”.

“I called my Mom later that night and told her everything. She laughed at me and told me that something similar happened to her and my Dad. That I should keep you as close as I could. I’m pretty sure even she could tell that I was already taken aback by you. It was that night that I knew no one else could compare. I mean, it took you, what, five seconds to break me out of my shell and have me talking the entire morning. You were special for some reason and you’re something that I cannot imagine letting go.”.

“So, I guess what I am trying to say is, I think—No. I know that I’m in love with you. And I have been since Trevor uttered your name,” he finished.

Unshed tears gathered in your waterline, threatening to spill over as you took in what the man you had held so close to your heart for so long just confessed.

Jamie too had small tears gather at the corner of his eyes. His heart pounded against his chest as he tried to slow his breathing down. He poured his heart and soul out to you and he only hoped that you matched his feelings back.

“Oh, Jamie,” you whispered, voice full of emotion. “I too have loved you since the moment we met. I think I had a harder time coming to terms with it. I had some rocky relationships in the past that made me feel inadequate for love. For the longest time I thought I was only made for half assed love and the kind of love that made me feel empty when it was over. But, meeting you has changed everything. Meeting you has rewired my brain in so many ways that I can’t begin to tell you the impact you’ve had on me. Just you alone have made me believe all over again. You make love seem not as scary as I thought”.

By the time you reached the end of your sentence, Jamie had tears running down his pale cheeks. He knew of your less than satisfactory relationships and hoped that one day, he could change your mind. He didn’t think he’d actually achieve it as just your friend. He only hoped that he’d be able to do more as your partner.

Silence fell over the two of you again as you both sat there in a warm touchless embrace. Jamie’s hand still gripping yours. Eventually, he moved your hand from his bicep up to his lips, delicately kissing it before placing it on his cheek as he leaned into the soft flesh of your palm.

“I feel like that was really cheesy, no?” He whispered, a giggle falling from his lips.

You could only giggle and nod in response, leaning forward to rest your forehead against his.

Your eyes met, both wet from the tears shedded. An unspoken question (Can I kiss you?) was asked between the two of you, a simple shake of your heads was the only confirmation you needed before leaning in and pressing your lips together.

Jamie’s lips were so, so soft that it made you want to cry all over again. His cologne was more pungent now that you were lip locked. The smell made you feel dizzy, your closed eyes not helping the slight vertigo sensation you felt. His unoccupied hand went to your cheek to pull you even closer, the need to become one ever so present in the air.

Your other hand went up to his soft locks, desperately tugging at the ends, making Jamie shudder at the feeling. You tried to get closer to the man, but the position the two of you were in was not ideal.

But, before you could pull away and climb into Jamie’s lap, the door to Mason’s bedroom slammed open, scaring the two of you away from each other.

“Holy shit! Yes!” A voice shouted, the owner jumping up and down as they squealed and shrieked in excitement.

“Trevor, what the fuck?!” You screamed, now lying on the bed sideways from the scare you received.

“I did it! I finally did it! You guys kissed! I am the ultimate matchmaker, bitches!” He continued, ignoring the glares he was getting from the two of you.

As Trevor began to dance in celebration in front of Jamie and you, you peeked a look at the man you just kissed only to see him smirking as he gazed at you.

But, the only thing you could do was shake your head and urge yourself forward, locking Jamie into another kiss.

“Ew! Hey, I’m right here! Just because you’re together now does not mean I consent to seeing you two eat each other’s faces,” Trevor exclaimed, a small smile on his face as he teasingly tsked at the two of you.

The only response to his comment was your middle finger as he slipped through the door again, careful to lock the door as to leave the two of you some peace and privacy.

———

( “So, did they do it?” Mason asked, feet propped up against the small table placed in front of his couch.

The Ducks player had originally been against Trevor’s “plan” but had ultimately agreed when he got sick and tired of Jamie moping around like a lost puppy after someone mentioned your name.

The smirk on Trevor’s face said it all.

“Good, hopefully he’ll stop looking like a lovesick fool every time someone mentions her,” he added, sipping his beer. “But you owe me big time, Zegras! I just don’t let anyone use my bedroom for their matchmaking plans”.

Trevor only saluted his teammate, uttering a sir yes sir! before practically skipping his way to Georgie to spill the beans.

Mason shook his head as he watched Trevor go, thinking about how much of a clean day tomorrow will be, headache already forming at the thought. )

[ladylooch]

What It's Like to Lose You - [Sidney Crosby]

Summary: Nora and Sidney were on the same page until a miscommunication brings to light feelings that were buried in the dark. What happens when Nora asks a superstitious Sid to shift his plans?

Word count: 5.7k

Main Trope: Hurt/Comfort

Based on: Lose you by Jordan Davis

+ + + 

Baby, I don't wanna know what it's like to lose you

+ + + 

12 years ago this week, two 25 year olds were meeting for the first time in a Pittsburgh restaurant. Nora had been rushing in through the open doorway. Sidney had been walking out on his phone, and boom, two worlds collided. They both got up unscathed from their collision, but their worlds never separated again. It was a chance encounter out of a Rom-Com, including a spilled purse, bumping heads, and a number exchange that she is still slightly convinced was purely apologetic. 

Sid insists that Nora was the prettiest girl he had ever seen and it had nothing to do with the way her forehead was badly bruising despite the ice pack she was given by the restaurant. On their first official date, she still had the bump on her forehead and Sid spent the whole night blushing every time his hazel eyes raised to it. 

“I can’t apologize enough.”

He tried though.

Despite being a professional hockey player, he maintains that’s the worst injury he’s ever given someone. 

But bruises heal and Nora came away with an amazing man, so she still sees the night as a smashing success. Sid’s usual, knowing smile tells her that under all the teasing and apologies, he feels the same.

Every few years, they head back to that restaurant to recreate the better parts of the evening including the meal, drinks, and 6 layer chocolate cake. It started off as a standard reservation over the years, but as Sid and Nora have been together longer, their desire for privacy has grown. The last few times they have celebrated, Sid has rented the roof top level of the restaurant out for them. They have their own private staff, a warm fireplace, soft candle light, and apparently this year, a million white rose petals lining the floor.

Once off the elevator, Nora pulls her gloves off, thanking the hostess for accompanying her up the stairs. 

“Sid?” She calls out, not seeing him within the room. She continues walking, focusing on the outdoor balcony where his wide shoulders come into view. He is dressed up tonight in a simple black suit. His back is to her but white puffs of his breath float around his frame as he looks out over the Pittsburgh skyline. Circling him is various sized, white candles with more rose petals and additional vases of white roses. The combination of the white petals, yellow-ish candles, and the dark night are picturesque Penguins colors. The vision is romantic, including Sid’s nonchalant stance in the center of it all.

Nora pauses at the door, taking in the stunning sight. There is no table near him, so the display feels strangely out of place. 

Oh my…

Is he proposing!? 

Sid reaches a hand into his pocket, fiddling with something in there then pushing out a heavy breath like he is anxious.

Holy crap, he totally is!

Adrenaline and excitement shoot through her body at the prospect of what is about to happen. Sid and Nora have talked about marriage extensively over the years. They talked about waiting until he retired, or his latest contract was up. But then he re-signed another contract they weren’t sure was coming in Pittsburgh. He can see this being his last one. They’ve agreed over the years to avoid the distraction of a wedding or babies while he is still playing, but knowing this chapter is dwindling must have provided comfort to him.

 Now, he is proposing early to give her time to plan the wedding.

This is perfect! She can get things together in the next few years, slowly, build it into a magical weekend. They can invite all their friends and family- all Sid’s current and former teammates too. The inn on their lake back home will be an idyllic venue. She can see it now, walking down the wooden steps to the dock where Sid waits for her- stoic and reserved but with huge heart eyes only for her.  

He really surprised me, she thinks as she fluffs her hair, ensuring none of it is tucked into the collar of her jacket. He was also weirdly insistent that she had her nails done and was wearing the new dress she bought last week on their trip to the mall. Plus, he has always loved the idea of spoiling and surprising her for their proposal. Doing it early and on such a special night, at a special place, is exactly the way to accomplish that. 

“Hey stranger.” Nora says, shaking slightly as she steps out onto the rooftop patio.

“Hey beautiful.” He grins widely at her approach. He crosses the distance between them, meeting her in the middle. “Was just checking out the city from this view. Come look with me.” He encourages her forward, careful of the candles and flower petals. His hand rests on the small of her back, warming her through her coat. Once fully inside the circle, he leans forward, kissing her cheek, then turning her chin to kiss her more fully. 

“Am I late?” She wonders as they step through the path together.

“No, I’m early. Meeting was done sooner than I thought, but I didn’t want to rush you away from work.” He kisses her temple. She turns, puckering her lips and he gladly presses his there. “Mm, I missed you today.”

“Me too. The days have been long lately.”

“Yeah.” Sid inhales heavily. “Hopefully tonight makes up for that.” Nora smiles, then lets him turn her shoulders at the exact angle he was at. “Look at how the river glows from the lights at this angle.”

He is subtle with his adjustment, almost making her think he isn’t attempting to him sink down to one knee beside her. Nora plays along. She points out various places they love that she can see from here. The place she lived when they met and how terrible the parking garage situation was. Her last office building that she had the luxury of an office with floor to ceiling windows. PPG Paints Arena isn’t far from here either. As she talks, Sid steps behind her, wrapping an arm around her stomach and pulling her in close to his body. His heat radiates off her, keeping her warm despite the bitter chill in the air tonight.

The wind suddenly whips particularly hard, almost knocking over a row of vases and candles.

“Damn, this is kinda a fire hazard.” Sid murmurs. Nora’s heart begins to pound in her chest. 

Maybe this is it… 

“Yeah, but it’s really nice. So beautiful and romantic.” She motions to the flowers and candles.

“Isn’t it? A guy proposed to his girlfriend before I got here. They asked if they should take it down, but I said it was pretty and we could enjoy it. Brings a lot of light into the room, no? I’ll have to take notes.” 

Oh… Oh.

Mortified, Nora closes her eyes, groaning slightly.

“Oh my god, you’re not proposing?” She breathes out.

“Wouldn’t that be funny?” Sid laughs, genuinely, like it’s some big joke to infer from where they are standing that might be happening.

Except it’s not a joke to Nora. Not at all. Because something she didn’t plan on when she walked in here, had morphed into the plan, and now it’s being ripped right from her fingers in a way that feels like a sucker punch to the gut. Gradually, Sid realizes he shouldn’t be laughing when he takes in the disappointed look crossing her face. His smile slides off his face as he steps back from her, hands in his pockets. He shows them to her, empty hands palm side up. 

“Wow, that was really stupid of me to think you were doing that.” She blinks, clearing her throat. Her hurt is visible to Sid. She can’t mask it. It’s too big right now and the added layer of fresh, unexpected disappointment makes him shift uncomfortably.

“Wha…” Sid sighs heavily, rolling his shoulders slightly forward to enclose them together as the wind continues to whip.“Babe, we’ve been on the same page about this… when I retire we can take those next steps.” 

Nora’s hazel eyes focus on the edge of his suit lapel. The sharp line curves and bends with the tears swimming in her vision. She purses her lips together.

“I know.” She says measuredly, working overtime to keep her voice steady. “But I saw all this and thought…” She pauses, putting her tongue between her lips for a moment to gather her courage. She looks around at the restaurant. With fresh eyes, Sid does the same. His face suddenly falls into recognition. In a last moment of foolishness, Nora meekly says, “You could still ask?” The words trail off at the end. Sid’s eyes slide away for a moment, then come back to hers, questioning.

“Why?”

“Why not?” Her breathing starts to increase, making quiet gasps. Sid looks down again, dropping their gazes as he shakes his head. Then he shrugs awkwardly like that’s all he has to say. A man of so many words and now he has none.

Achingly, she straightens her shoulders. This gets Sid’s eyes to raise back to her again. His search hers, finding them shimmering from her tears and the golden candle light. 

“I…” He tries. 

“You don’t have to say anything. It would probably be best if you didn’t.” She nods as she says it. She looks around the roof, trying to memorize the scene and let it go all at the same time. A perfect proposal- the night, the spot, the man- but none of it is hers. Even Sid isn’t, not really. He still belongs to something else. Something that he puts above her time and time again, but tonight she can’t swallow that reality and not burst into tears. “I’m gonna go.”

“No, babe. Please?” Sid tries tenderly. His fingers reach for hers, threading through her left hand. The emptiness of her left ring finger is heavier than if it had a 5 carat diamond on it. “Let’s just sit down and have dinner. We can talk.”

“About what?” She stutters out as she shakes her head. “This is never really up for discussion, Sid.” Her bottom lip wobbles and she thinks this might be when she loses it for real. Her lips tilt down into a crumbling frown. 

“What are you talking about?”

“I have loved you every moment of the last 12 years of our lives together. But at what point, are we fooling each other and ourselves? Partnership is about compromise. And I’ve done a lot of it over the years for you.” She closes her eyes. “Never once has it been about me. Now I’m asking for it to be. For a minute, so I can be honest and say that I need you to reconsider. I need… something more permanent. Something that tells me that we are building a future together. That this isn’t going to be 12 years of wasted time and suddenly you’re off to the next thing. Because sometimes it feels that way. Like I’m for now and not forever.”

“How can you say that?” Sid scoffs, shaking his head at the absurdity. “Where is this even coming from?”

“Because I don’t have anything permanent from you except your word. I only get pulled into the spotlight with you for the big moments, Sid. Otherwise, it’s like I’m not even here. Because you’re shielding me or whatever it is that you tell me and yourself to make this out like it’s for the best for both of us and not just you.”

“I know this is a lot to ask.”

“Do you!?” Nora’s voice shakes like an earthquake now as her teeth chatter together. “Because until this moment, you’ve barely acknowledged that. It shouldn’t have to be like that. I shouldn’t be on the verge of leaving and you’re telling me for the first time that this all matters to you.” 

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know you felt this way.” Sid answers quietly. “I thought we were on the same page.” He repeats again. 

“I want this, Sid.” She motions around at the rooftop. “I want us to start taking steps, not just talking about making plans. I- I want get engaged. Soon. We don’t have to get married right away, but I want to have a ring on my finger by the end of the summer. Can you agree to that?”

It’s a simple comprise, Nora encourages herself to stay strong.

Sid’s gaze back to her is haunting. And she knows before he says a word. It’s such a big change and that’s his biggest fear when it should be losing her.

“I don’t know, babe. There are so many unknowns with the next few seasons.” Hockey. Of course. His mistress calls to him every time and he will always answer. Until he can’t anymore. As long as he does that, she will never come first.

So while his answer isn’t a resounding no, it’s also not a yes, and suddenly that becomes a deal breaker. 

“Even if I can’t live like that?” She breathes out. Internally, her brain begs for him to pull a trick play, change his mind, anything that can save them at the last second. That he will come through for them like he has for his team countless times on the ice.

But Sid says nothing. In that silence, is everything she doesn’t want to hear but needs to. 

Nora watches his jaw tighten, highlighting his cheek bones and turning his features anguished. Her head lists to the side and she blinks, looking away from him. Her face collapses into the numbness that flows through her veins.

“Well at least I know where I measure up in all this now. Exactly where I always have. Second.” 

“Nora, babe…” Sid’s eyes close at her words, but she doesn’t stick around to see the sincere apology when they open again. It wouldn’t make a difference to her anyway.

Instead, she does what she should have done years ago now and leaves.

+ + 

Cause people break up, fall in and outta love

But giving this up is something I just won't do

+ + +

87 missed calls all from one number. 

The annoying irony of that floods over Nora’s body as she continues punching numbers into a spreadsheet.

It would be just like him to leave it at that too… His lucky number, never mind how annoying it is to have her phone ring 87 times in the last few days. 

After what happened on the rooftop, Nora went home. She beat Sid there, threw a packed bag into the car then numbly navigated her way back to a hotel downtown. It’s where she has been since then, working from the room because she can’t bare to go into the office. How can she show her face anywhere in this city right now?

“Fuck.” She mutters when her phone dings again, this time signaling another voicemail. She taps aggressively at the backspace button on her keyboard, going back to the spreadsheet to be sure she enters the numbers in correctly this time. Then she grabs her phone, switching it onto Do Not Disturb so she can actually get some work done today. She doesn’t have time for someone who doesn’t have the balls to commit. 

She doesn’t want to hear his apologies either. Or anymore of the “I didn’t know.” Because maybe that had been true before this weekend, but he does know now. Her expectation was pretty crystal clear in their conversation. She told him before she left the roof top exactly what she needed and he didn’t follow through. If he wants to twist that into whatever he needs to so he can sleep at night- well, it’s not her business anymore.

Call it what it is. You gave him an ultimatum.

One that he hasn’t addressed in any of his attempts to contact her.

Nora’s eyes lift off her laptop, sliding out the window to take in the skyline. Across and over a few buildings is the rooftop her and Sid were on. The candles, flowers, and vases are long gone, but she can still envision the flickering of the burning wicks in the wind. A shiver trails through her, down her spine and making her arms explode with goosebumps. 

Did 12 years end on that rooftop? Did it slip through their fingers in a moment of misunderstanding they won’t overcome?

A freight train of sadness rocks her body. Her head falls back to the chair behind her and burning tears gush down her cheeks. She sobs silently for a few moments, until her brain forces her to gasp for breath. Her fingers clutch at her chest with one hand; the other closes her laptop screen. 

Who is she kidding? She can’t work in these conditions. Not when the best thing that ever happened to her might be gone forever.

She scrabbles her hands over the clutter on her desk to clutch her phone. She swipes at her notifications, scrolling through all his phone calls and voicemails. She listens to a few of them, mouth crumpling at the deep sadness in his voice as he asks her to call him back. In one of them, his voice cracks and he weakly clears his throat. 

“I love you. More than I know how to say and I’m wrecked here, babe. Please call me.”

She can’t listen to anymore of that. It’s too sad. 

Nora walks over to the bed, sinking down on the edge of it. On her lock screen is still a picture of her and Sid on her birthday last year. Sid organized an incredible surprise party for her with her family and friends, despite the Penguins having an away game. He flew everyone in- paid for their lodging, all the meals, and spa days for the girls too. He covered it all so that even in his absence, she would feel loved and spoiled on her day. At the end of the night, he flew back separately from the team to surprise her too. The picture captured her excited glow at getting him in her arms for her birthday, even if it was only for an hour. 

He found a way to make it work for them. 

Just like he’s trying to do now.

Nora navigates back to her notifications, swiping through until she gets to her messages. Out of all the phone calls and voicemails he left, there were only two text messages, both in the last hour.

I want us to fix this. I can’t lose you.

Followed by a simple request. 

Come home, babe. Please don’t give up on us.

His desperate pleas dissolve her into tears again. She puts the phone face down on the bed, falling back onto the fluffy, hotel comforter. It soaks up her fresh tears as she grapples with going home and facing him, knowing it she does, and he won’t budge, she still may lose him forever.

What the hell is she going to do?

+ +

And I don't wanna give you a reason to leave me

I never wanna feel that freedom that people say they find

+ + + 

On Saturday, Nora grabs a coffee on her way out of downtown to her and Sid’s house. It’s in an expensive gated community that feel stuffy, but necessary for their privacy. Even though Sid has been making millions since he was 18, he still doesn’t seem to fit with the older, country club types that occupy most of the houses in the neighborhood. She much prefers the families and easiness of Nova Scotia. But they need a different level of security here so chalk their home up to another one of those compromises.

On the steps of the brick, colonial house with white trim, Sid sits, waiting for her. He stands up, hands in his pockets when he sees her car approach. Damn it, even when he’s sad he still looks gorgeous. Nora clicks the button on the garage door, easing her Porsche into her place beside Sid’s Range Rover. 

She doesn’t have a chance to open her door, Sid is there already, popping it open and holding his hand for her to get out. She ignores it, sliding out on her own power. Sid brushes it off with a smile as a greeting, then clears his throat.

“Hi.”

“Hi.” She says back.

Nora moves around to the back of the car to grab her big tote with her wallet, phone, keys, and work laptop. She hesitates at her suitcase remaining in the trunk. She isn’t sure what to expect from this conversation. All she knows is she owes him the opportunity to talk. And she has some things she wants to say too. But Sid grabs the suitcase out of the car assertively then they head into the house together. Sid puts her bags on the entry way bench. She takes off her sneakers and tosses her coat onto a random hook before heading for a glass of water. 

Sid follows behind, but giving her space to move without him breathing completely down her neck. Nora rests her butt against the counter across the room from him. He looks exhausted, disheveled too, with bags under his eyes hinting at a lack of sleep. Explains why he has looked so out of place on the ice the past few days. She feels a pinch of guilt then shrugs it off. This isn’t completely her fault. She has some blame in this, but so does he. They both allowed things to get to this point, getting lost along the way. This is their chance to get back on the tracks or walk away. 

At the last thought, tears spring into her eyes.

“Do you want to talk here?” He finally asks after clearing his throat.

“No, we should sit down.”

Sid nods, extending a hand out towards the living room. She takes her water with her and he trails behind again, keeping his distance. She hates it. He seems so far away. How will they bridge this gap?

“I hate that we are here.” Nora starts honestly, sitting down on the couch while Sid opts for the leather chair to her right, being considerate of her space.

“Me too.” Sid nods, clasping his hands together in front of himself.

“I’m…” She struggles to find the word. Embarrassed? Upset? Sad? What word would she use to describe the utter agony in her body the last few days. How does she tell him what it’s awaken in her? How it’s unshielded her from a truth she didn’t realize was there which is that she isn’t okay with this arrangement anymore. “Disappointed and I guess, feel let down by you too. I’ve tried to reason those feelings away the last few days, but they’re not going away, Sid. What they have awoken in me isn’t going away either.”

“I understand.” He responds. 

“I’ve loved our life together. But more than the life and all it comes with, I love you so much.” She pauses, feeling her throat expand with a huge lump, blocking her from saying more momentarily. “But I’ve given up a lot and I haven’t asked for much from you. I know what my role is and some of it is to make life easier for you so you can focus on other things. But fundamentally, we are suddenly at a crossroad where it is unfair for me to continue this way without having my cup filled in return. I don’t want to always be the only one compromising anymore. I want us to rise up as a team.”

“I want that too.” Sid nods his head. She pauses.

“Sid, I know you. You are stubborn as hell.” She looks down at her water glass, swallowing thickly before she says this next part. “And I’m not going to beg you to love me enough to marry me. I don’t deserve that. I’m not going to trap you into something you don’t want to do either.” Sid shakes his head, rubbing his long fingers across the deep groves in his forehead.

“I love you more than a piece of paper.” He responds.

“It’s not a piece of paper. It’s a commitment. A bond. One that is very important to me.” She snaps. Sid raises up his hands in retreat. 

“I’m sorry. Fuck, that came out wrong. I know it’s a commitment. I know it’s important to you. It’s important to me too. I promise. I want to marry you. I want to be your husband and call you my wife.” He sighs, face becoming determined as he stares at a spot on the floor. “I heard you.” Sid starts off again, softer. “I heard every word you said last week.” His hazel eyes are soft and earnest. She nods. “I wish I could go back and do that day differently. To save you from my pure stupidity. I didn’t think that moment through like I should have. Didn’t consider what it would look like to you. I’m so sorry. You deserved better than that.” 

“It was really nice. Gorgeous. All of it.” She insists to him because it was. “I would have loved that to be…” She trails off with a shrug.

“If I could go back… I’d get down on one knee, babe. Planned or not planned. The second you walked through the door, you were so stunning, literally took my breath away and I thought, ‘I can’t believe I get her for the rest of my life.’ She picked me. That should have been our moment.” He sighs heavily. “I wasn’t prepared at all. Then things unraveled fast. I felt backed into a corner.” He says quietly. “It flipped that switch in me that makes me a great hockey player when the game is on the line, but a terrible partner when you needed reassurance.” 

Nora understands this completely. She knows him, recognizes now that fierce competitiveness that drives him isn’t always something that can be turned off. He is built different than other people. That’s why he has known success at every level. In a high stress moment, he leaned into what he knew which was to push back until the playing field tilted more in his favor. 

“I didn’t snap out of it soon enough.” He shakes his head. “I’ve had plenty of hours to replay that moment and it’s different every time. I want to give that to you, but I can’t. All I can do is try to fix this.” He twists his fingers together, cracking his knuckles. “I don’t want to know what life without you looks like. I don’t care to know that level of emptiness. You’re not second. There is you, then everything else. I obviously haven’t been treating you that way. And I’m going to change that. Immediately.” 

He stands up, rubbing his palms on his jeans as he comes to crouch down next to her legs on the couch. He puts his hands on the outsides of her thighs, then moves them up to her hips. His thumbs rub circles into her abdomen on either side, cradling and holding her while maintaining distance if she wants to shove him away. She doesn’t. Instead she glides her right hand into the sleeve of his sweater to hold the bare skin of his forearm.

His eyes search hers, looking for permission to keep going before he continues with one more big inhale.

“I have your ring. I’ve had it for 8 years actually. I don’t know if that makes you more angry with me or less, but I want you to know that I’m not reacting to what happened. I’m repeating what you already know, but I’ve had this plan for us.” She pauses, not expecting to hear he purchased the ring so long ago. “It’s the oval one from the ring shopping we did. You loved it, glowed even when I slid it onto your finger. It was so clearly the one, just like you are for me, baby.” He licks his full lips. “Am I still the one for you?” 

She nods, tearfully. Of course he is, that’s what has made all of this so hard. The thought of having to do life with him has been unbearable.

“Then marry me.” He whispers. The words are light, floating through the air as individual letters and wrapping around her body in a way that soothes the sting of the million, horrid cuts in her heart. The words fill in the gaps and so does his touch where he kneels down in front of her, grabbing her hands in his.

“Marry me, baby. Not because you asked for me to do this on the rooftop last week. Not because it’s always been part of a plan we keep talking about like after my career is over, we somehow really start living. Marry me because we are it for each other. Because we love each other more than all the other circumstances that could keep us apart. Because if it’s not you, I don’t want it. Not a single fucking thing about marriage, or babies, or building a life with someone.” Misty tears are obvious in his eyes as he brings her hands up to his mouth, kissing across her knuckles. “Marry me, please, because loving you for the rest of my life is the only thing I’m fully sure about.” 

Nora pulls her hands from Sid’s and runs them up his chest to his shoulders. She grips the side of his face and neck, sniffing from her hot tears. He holds her arms at her biceps, keeping her close.

“They could take it all from me. The medals, the cups, the MVP awards. Even the C on my chest. But not you. You’re the piece of me I can’t lose.”

Nora pushes out a huge exhale because she feels like she is going to combust by the way his words fill her up with love.

“Of course, I’ll marry you. You’re all I’ve ever wanted, Sid.” She murmurs, then pulls him to her on the couch so she can kiss his plump lips. Their kiss is desperate, yearning, filled with relief and promise and apologies in a way only true partners can replicate by coming back to each other.

“Still? Even though I’m such a fucking idiot?” He mumbles into her lips.

“Yes. I love my fucking idiot.” She insists, smiling under his kiss.

Sid breaks away from her mouth, resting their foreheads together, stretching his thumb across her left cheek bone. 

“That’s good. Cause I put down four deposits on four different dates for us at the inn you love back home.” He tells her. Nora pulls slightly away to look into his eyes.

“W-what?” 

“Yeah. One at the end of June. One in the beginning of September. One during the holiday break. And one during the Allstar break.” She recognizes that all of those dates are within the next year. None of them are after his contract expires, or years down the line when retirement is surely their life. They’re all within 12 months of this exact moment.

“Oh… Are you comfortable with that?”

“Yes. I’m dead serious about marrying you. We know where. We have your ring. We have each other. I’m just as sick of waiting as you are. I’ve already taken up too much of our time setting limits on our love that aren’t fair to us. I’ll make it up to you. I promise. If you tell me you want a baby right now, I’ll give that to you too.”

“Slow down.” Nora shakes her head.

“Slowing down.” He nods. “Sorry, I just got really excited about seeing you with a baby. Maybe a girl? Not that I don’t want a boy but-”

“Sid!”

“Sorry… yes. I’m done talking about babies. But you would look so sexy pregnant. Okay! Shit. I am really done now. I’m going to grab your ring so I stop talking.” 

“Are you flustered?” She laughs as he stands up, heading towards the stairs.

“Yeah, a little bit.”

“Never thought I would see the day…” She trails off, standing up and following him to their room. He comes out of the closet with the black, velvet box from Harry Winston. Sid pops it open, carefully pulling the ring out. Then he gathers Nora’s fingers into his hand, nudging it up her fourth one. When it stops in place, he grins at her. 

“I love this as much as I did that first day.” She murmurs, holding her hand up to his chest to watch the diamonds sparkle against the black fabric of his sweater. Sid’s fingers curl around hers. 

For the past few days, the world has lacked color and light. Now, in their home, in each other’s embrace, the colors begin to illuminate, more vibrant than they were before. Nora knows she’s lucky. Their love isn’t perfect- it has ugly bruises and scars as it tends to after 12 years of loving each other hard. Those imperfections doesn’t make it a bad thing. 

After all, isn’t this all anyone really wants? To be loved so fiercely, so unconditionally, that it feels hopeful even in the darkest moments. To be able to lean into what you know and pull each other out of it. To dream of better days, but then pull on your hiking boots and rise up through what you need to in order to get to the top again.

Maybe it won’t always be that simple for them in the future. After all, hockey has been Sid’s love since long before he met Nora. When he loses that for good, they will need to shift again. 

Maybe that’s why they are currently going through this dip. To give them an example of working through it together as a team, like they are right now too.

No winners, no losers, just teammates.

+ +

Baby, I just wanna make this last

Me over us puts you in the past, and I don’t wanna know.

+ + + 

More hockey fics of mine are here for your enjoyment

[fiapartridge]

so that fic about another guy flirting with hazel got me thinking…. let’s turn it up a notch 😌

somebody from another team flirts with hazel WHILE she and beckett are officially dating 🤭

robbers -> beckett + hazel 🏹🦢💌

"she says, babe, you look so cool..." robbers, the 1975

pairing: beckett sennecke x hazel summary: when one of the players from the san jose sharks tries to flirt with hazel, beckett goes haywire... warning(s): lots of cursing LOL, fighting, blood (brief) author's note: i feel like beckett wouldn't hurt a fly but anything for his girl 💋 wc: 1.12k

Beckett didn’t like a lot of things in life: long division, beans on toast, spam calls from stupid telemarketers, and, oh, yeah, guys trying to take his fucking girl. 

It was a Friday night and the Anaheim Ducks were face-to-face with the San Jose Sharks. The score was 0-2 after the first period. The Ducks hustled down the tunnel, anger laced in their blood as they tried their hardest not to break a twig. It was the first game of the fucking season and so far, they were blowing it. The cheers from the crowd died down after the first Sharks’ goal, and even more so after the second. Everyone’s energies were draining—their confidence, too.

And the cherry on fucking top? Quentin Musty was flirting with Hazel—Beckett’s Hazel. He watched them talk outside the locker rooms; the way he stood next to her, his arm beside her head as she nodded along to something he said. It made Beckett’s blood boil. It should be him who’s all over her right now; who’s receiving her attention, her tiny smiles, and blushy cheeks.

He wanted to bash Quentin into a wall—especially when he watched the boy’s hand slowly move to her hair, sweeping a strand of hair from her face.

“Bro, get the fuck off of her!” Beckett shouted, walking towards them as Hazel immediately stepped back. 

To be honest, Hazel was tired of Quentin talking to her the entire time, only standing there so she could see Beckett before the intermission was over. She nodded absentmindedly to all of his stupid advancements, hoping that he would take a hint and leave her the fuck alone. And when his hand touched her hair, she immediately felt her body recoiling, moving to step away from the guy. 

The boys from both teams rushed out of their locker rooms to watch the scene, Mason scrambling to grab Beckett before he could throw himself at Quentin. Mason’s arms wrapped around Beckett, Trevor coming in to help as they dragged him away from the other boy.

“Chill, bro,” Mason said, throwing Beckett into his stall. “Leave that shit on the ice, okay? You want to fight him? Do it over there.”

Trevor stood in front of the fuming boy. His hands rested on his hips. “What the fuck even happened, man?”

“He was fucking out there flirting with Hazel,” he exclaimed angrily. Now he was upset over the terrible period and this stupid ass situation. “I’m not gonna let him talk to my fucking girlfriend like that.”

Trevor shook his head. “Take the high road, alright? He’s just tryin’ to get under your skin. Just—don’t get mad at Hazel, okay? She looked a little shook up after that.”

Becket sighed, resting his head back against his stall before closing his eyes. “Fuck. D’you think she hates me?”

Leo joined the small crowd forming around Beckett’s stall, a cool towel wrapped around his neck as he shook his head. “Nah. For some reason, that girl could never hate you,” he chuckled.

Before everyone knew it, intermission was over, and they were back on the ice for the second period. Beckett stood on right wing, Trevor center, and Ryan Strome on left wing. And luckily for Beckett, Quentin Musty stood right next to him as a left winger. 

“Got a little heated back there, huh, Becky?” Quentin smirked during the faceoff. 

“Just get off my girl,” Beckett said, brushing him off. The only thing he cared about was that fucking puck. He wasn’t going to let a guy named Musty get to him.

“Your girl?” Quentin chuckled. “Not what she was saying when I was on her a couple minutes ago.”

Beckett shook his head, his grip tightening on his stick. Take the high road, alright? He’s just tryin’ to get under your skin.

“Maybe next time,” Quentin looked at Beckett. “Put that bitch on a tighter leash.”

Throwing his stick, Beckett lunged at Quentin. His fist striking directly at his jaw as the crowd gasped, not expecting a fight to happen before the puck was even in play—especially not a fight from Beckett fucking Sennecke.

Hazel stood up from her seat in the media room where she was working on graphics for the Ducks’ Instagram story. She watched from the TV that hung in the corner of the room, Beckett’s fist repeatedly hitting Quentin’s bloody face as the referees tried their best to break them apart. Her heart beat rapidly as she ran out the room and towards the tunnel. Everyone watched her run through the halls, trying to get to Beckett.

And when she saw him, a bloody lip and a stupid smile on his face, she wanted to rip him to fucking shreds. “Beckett,” she called, his head whipping to face her. “What the fuck just happened?” 

He walked slowly to her, grabbing her hand as she rolled her eyes. “He was talking shit about you, okay?”

“Yeah, well now you’re thrown out of the game,” she scoffed. “This is the first game of the fucking season. Now everyone’s gonna think you’re fuckin’ Matt Rempe or some shit.”

“Hey, I’m tall, but I’m not that tall,” he chuckled.

“Beckett—”

“I know, I know,” he sighed, rubbing his forehead. “It was just—the fucking things he was saying. I couldn’t let him get away with it, okay? Not when,” he stammered. “Not when they’re about you.”

Sighing, Hazel anxiously met his gaze. “What’d he say? ‘Cause I swear to you, I didn’t say anything to him, okay? I didn’t even want him next to me! He just kept getting closer,” she panicked, thinking he would be mad at her.

“Hey, hey,” he smiled. “I’m not mad at you. I know you didn’t do anything. Thank you for not doing anything,” he whispered. Pausing, he sighed again. “He called you a bitch. ‘Said I should hold you on a tighter leash.”

Hazel gulped, her heart plummeting. “Oh.” No one’s ever said that about her. Did he think she was some sort of slut?

Noticing her pull away from him, he held onto her tightly, pressing her against his chest. His chin rested on her head as they swayed side to side. “Hey, no one thinks anything bad about you, especially me, okay? It’s okay.”

Looking up at him, Beckett held her cheeks, his thumbs wiping the tears from her eyes. “Thanks for sticking up for me” she smiled softly. “You looked really cool by the way. I kinda dig the cuts,” she smirked, brushing over his wounded face. 

“I should get into more fights then, huh?”

“If you get into another fight I will personally beat your ass,” she grinned before sighing. “Thank you.”

He smiled, pressing a gentle kiss to her hand. “Anything for the princess.”

taglist! @bunbunbl0gs @crazy4smitty

[dearstvckyx]

𝐛𝐨𝐲𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝

𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐞𝐬

𝐥𝐮𝐧𝐚 𝐡𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐱 𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐨 𝐡𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐫

𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 ➜ 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞

Location: New Jersey

Liked by njdevils and 19,572,194 others

thelunahughes ‘I lose my mind when it comes to you I take time with the ones I choose And I don't want to smile if it ain't from you, yeah’ 💗 my 13

tagged nicohischier

view all 6,382,194 comments

njdevils: mom and dad?

⟶ thelunahughes: 😭 devils!

jackhughes: disgusting

⟶thelunahughes: WDYM YOUR THE BIGGEST SUPPORTER

⟶ jackhughes: LIARR

dixiedamelio: love this for you ☺️

⟶ thelunahughes: LOVE THIS FOR YOU TO 😉😉

⟶ dixiedamelio: STOP OMG

ninahischier: Ich liebe und vermisse euch beide

⟶ thelunahughes: Ich liebe dich !!!

_quinnhughes: did… did the devils account just call you mom and dad?

⟶ thelunahughes: i dont know anymore quinny 😀

edwards.73: YOU TWO JUST GO TOGETHER

⟶ thelunahughes: RIGHT

⟶ lhughes_06: THEY ARE ANNOYINGLY CUTE

⟶ thelunahughes: deal with it lukey 😙

Translate:

Ich liebe und vermisse euch beide - I love and miss you both

Ich liebe dich - I love you

[slafastri28]

Adam Fantilli - Roll Jackets Baby

You were seated at the draft waiting for it to start. You were sitting with your boyfriend’s family with him at your side, talking to him and his brother when you felt your phone buzz in your purse. It was your brother calling to Facetime,

“Oh boy, what does he want?” your boyfriend Adam teased. You rolled your eyes and picked up. 

“Hey Rut,” you said.

“Hey sis, hey Luca, Adam,” he said.

“Rutger.” Adam answered sternly. 

"Lookin sharp fellas," he smirked.

“What’s up bro?” you asked, he knew you were here so why would he call you.

“Just wanted to remind you that you aren’t going to Anaheim with Adam and you are stuck at Mich with me and Luca,” he flashed an annoying smile that you wanted to slap off his face.

“I’m not a little girl anymore you can’t boss me around,” you sassed him. 

“Mom and Dad said I have to look out for you while I can so, you are stuck at Mich,” he snapped back. 

“Can I say something,” Adam asked. 

“Go ahead babe,” you smiled causing Rutger to gag through the phone. 

“I really don’t think I’m going there, I don’t care if I’m not second, I just think I’m going to Columbus,” your boyfriend shrugged. 

“Is Columbus okay Dad?” you groaned to your brother on the phone.

“Shut up Y/N, I’m not trying to sound like a parent, as your older brother-” you cut him off. 

“Older by two minutes,” you rolled your eyes. 

“Still older, anyways I have to look after you,” he smiled, “and Adam it’s not you it’s her, have fun in Anaheim buddy.” With that last part, you hung up on him and put your phone back in your purse, you felt it buzz again but you ignored it.

“He’s so annoying sometimes,” you laughed. Adam’s face was serious though, he sat there looking straight ahead not even cracking a smile at what you said. You turned to look at Luca who was as confused as you are.

“Adam?” Luca said, no response. 

“Adam? What’s wrong?” you said resting your hand on his. His fingers locked with yours as he looked over at you. 

“I don’t want to go to Anaheim, I don’t want to leave you, I don’t think we can do that long of a distance, at least I’m only a 4-hour drive away rather than a 4-hour flight,” he said as he broke eye contact with you. 

“Adam you don’t seriously think I’m gonna listen to my brother,” you said.

“You won’t, but you should, you have to finish school, look babe this will be a new experience for both of us, but whatever happens I will always try my best to be there for you and make time for you and you know that I love you,” he said looking back up and taking your other hand. 

“But-”

“No buts, whether Anaheim or Columbus I will make time for you, it will be hard on us, but worth it in the end,” he kissed your cheek and let go of your hands facing back forward as the draft was starting. You looked back at your phone to see several messages from Rutger.

Sis, I’m sorry

Sis pick up

Fine don’t pick up whatever hope he ends up in Anaheim

I didn’t mean that, I mean I did

Fine ignore me stay mad

Draft is about to start…

You read through the stream of messages laughing at your brother. You smiled leaving your phone out in your lap so you could see more of Rutger’s commentary. You patiently waited as the first pick was announced, no surprise that it was Connor. Anaheim was on the clock and you were getting nervous, you felt your phone buzz in your lap and looked down. 

Why are they taking so long it’s obvious who they should pick. You were getting even more nervous, then you saw the pick was in. You and Adam looked at each other squeezing hands tightly, you looked over at Luca who had a little bounce in his leg.

“We are proud to select from the SHL Leo Carlsson,” with that announcement you let out the biggest sigh of relief, you and the Fantilli boys exchanged smiles. You put your phone back in your purse not wanting to deal with Rutger’s response, knowing him he was definitely upset, but you would rub it in his face when you got home. Quickly the third pick was put in place by Columbus. All three of you had smiles on your face as the team approached the stage. 

“The Columbus Blue Jackets are proud to select from University of Michigan, Adam Fantilli.” As the applause began you stood up with tears starting to form in your eyes, you were so proud of your boy. You held Adam tightly,

“I love you so much,” you whispered in his ear as he was letting go,

“I love you too,” he said as he made his way to his brother, he continued to his parents then went and approached the stage. You couldn’t pull yourself together, Luca rubbed your back as you wiped the tears from your face and the running mascara. Once that was over with you looked at your phone and saw more messages waiting from your brother. 

C’mon pick Smith pick Smith

DAMN IT

Stop crying you got what you wanted, yeah you’re crying on TV 🫥

Whatever congrats Adam, you still aren’t going to Columbus

They had one job

You showed Luca the messages causing him to chuckle, the two of you tried to come up with a clever response, but you couldn’t wait to rub it in your brother’s face. 

I WIN YOU LOSE RUTTY!

ROLL JACKETS BABY!

He hated that nickname you made for him, you knew he would be mad, but he wasn’t he was smiling at his phone from wherever he was watching knowing that his “little sister” was the happiest she had ever been. 

The rest of the day was boring until you got to see Adam again. You made your way with the Fantillis to where he was waiting for you. He hugged his parents once again, then Luca, and lastly you. Adam scooped you up and spun you around, as you cheered.

“You knew it, Adam, you really did,”

“Just a gut feeling,” he said putting you down but keeping his arm around your waist still keeping you close. The two of you sat down in the box you were in, while everyone else was busy talking.

“You sure I can’t come to Columbus with you?”

“One day Y/N,” he smiled as he pressed a kiss to your lips,

“One day,” you said taking a breath of air before your lips found his again.

_______________________________

I'm so happy he's on the jackets

[uluvjay]

Prompts 80 & 131 from the smut list (I believe it’s the 2nd list) w/ Nico plz!! Maybe it’s photoshoot/media day & reader is the photographer & goes to fix his hair & make small adjustments to his gear etc. while it’s happening

80. “What? Does that feel good?”

131. “Oh don’t mind me, I’m just enjoying the view”

Nico Hischier x secret relationship! Reader

Warnings?; smut, relationship is secret because reader is the team photographer, hand job(m receiving), oral(m receiving)

Sorry for any error! Hope you enjoy

—

Today was a busy day for the New Jersey devils, the season started in three weeks meaning all the media needed done was being taken today. Four media girls had been split up and each given an even group of guys to work with.

You had Jack, Luke, Nico, and Jesper. You didn’t mind working with any of these guys, especially Nico as he was your boyfriend.

There weren’t many people on the team that knew about your relationship but of course Jack did so he didn’t hesitate to tease you about it the whole time you worked with him today, media was annoying to him so he decided to annoy you.

After a good four hours of working with the other three guys it was finally Nicos turn to come into the little media room they had you in. You were thankful it was just the two of you in the room because after a summer full of Nico you were missing your man.

There was a knock on the door before you looked up and seen your boyfriend entering the room. “Hi honey” he greeted you after shutting the door.

“Hi Ni” you replied with a smile as he came over and gave you a kiss on your head.

He waited for your instructions before doing anything, not wanting to mess anything up.

“Okay so first we’re going to take pictures of you in your jersey, so take off your T-shirt and throw your jersey on” you told him pointing to the jersey resting on a little table in the room.

You should have been setting everything up while he got changed but you couldn’t help but stare at his back muscles flexing as he moved, and admire the healing scratch marks on his back from a few nights ago.

“I can feel you staring” he said turning around with a smirk.

“I was admiring my art work, now shush and go sit” you told him

“Yes ma’am” he saluted you before taking a seat.

You got your camera ready and began to take pictures of his front but a piece of his hair was out of place and it was driving you crazy.

“Wait, lean down here for a second” you told him before setting your camera down and making your way to him and fixing his hair.

“Am I runway ready?” He asked with a laugh

“Damn straight you are baby” you laughed with him.

You got the front and back shots of his jersey before having him sit down for his headshot, but before you could even press the button that stupid piece of hair was messed up again.

You let out a groan before once again putting your equipment down and making your way back to him again. As you stood between his legs fixing his hair he ran his hands over your body before letting them rest on your ass.

When you leaned back a little to double check his hair he pulled you right back to him.

“Nico! I have to take your picture” you laughed as he began to kiss your neck.

“Pictures can wait, need you” he said and grabbed your hand to guide it to the bulge in his work out shorts.

“Baby we can’t, your to loud” you laughed and stepped back a little.

“What if I promise to be quite?” He asked giving you puppy dog eyes.

“Fuck fine! But be. Quiet.” You told him before he pulled his shorts and boxers down just enough for his hard dick to pop out.

“Ohh you poor thing, look how swollen your tip is” you teased him and you looked down at it.

“Baby please” he whined

“So impatient” you grumbled before spitting in your hands and slowly jerking him off at.

“Ohh shiitt” he moaned quietly, head thrown back.

You sped up a little watching as he bit his lip to keep himself from crying out to loud. You moved your other hand into his pants to pull his balls out and slowly massage them as well but his hand quickly shot to grab your wrist as soon as you began.

“What? Does that feel good” you mocked him

“Yea-fuck you know it does” he groaned as you began to work him slowly. You just laughed before dropping to your knees and putting him in your mouth.

“Holy shit!” He moaned out a little too loud at the contact of your warm tongue.

You pulled off him with a pop and scolded him for his loud outburst. You put him back in your mouth, taking him as deep as you could and holding yourself there for a moment until you needed to come up for air. You took a deep breath and began to bob you head back on his cock, your hand working what wouldn’t fit in your mouth.

“Your mouths so good” he moaned out in a hushed voice.

“Fuck my face Nico” you told him and watched his eyes light up.

He put a hand on the back of your head and used the other to guide his cock into your mouth before applying it to the back of your head as well.

His first few thrust were soft but they quickly sped up and he was telling you he was close, “shit gonna come down your throat” he told you and he looked down into your eyes.

One last hard thrust and you felt warm liquid run down your throat. He moaned before slowly pulling out of your mouth and tucking himself away as you cleaned around your mouth up.

“What?” You asked as you felt his eyes intensely on you.

“Oh don’t mind me, I’m just enjoying the view” he replied with a smirk.

[hockeyforbabes]

amber at the winter classic just in the wag jacket and beanie and connor is obsessed and loves skating around with her

Winter Classic

Master List

^^^edited image by me

"Ow not so tight!" Amber complains.

"They've got to be tight to protect your ankles," I remind her while I tie up her skate, "Ok other foot."

She switches her feet and lets me tie up the other one with no complaints this time.

"God you look good," I say with a smile taking her in as I stand up from tying her skates.

She gives me an appreciative smile and takes my hands, letting me help her stand up. Slowly, we walk to the rink, and I do my best to keep her balanced.

I take a step out on the ice first and hold her hands, "Ok just remember to go slow and bend your knees."

Cautious she takes a hesitant step onto the ice and flails a little when she wobbles but I quickly reach out to hold her steady.

"Connor Bedard I swear to God if you let me fall again..." She threatens.

I can tell she is getting frustrated with her inability to stay steady on the ice but I can't help the smile on my face. Her little yelps every time she starts to slide and the way her brows are furrowing in concentration are too cute.

This isn't her first time at a family skate event with me but her skating hasn't improved. Unfortunately, our first time skating together I wasn't prepared for how uncoordinated on the ice she would be and I let her fall. She was fine but she hasn't let me forget it.

"Baby, I've got you," I assure her wrapping my arms around her waist.

"That's what you said last time and I ended up on the ground," she glares at me.

She's just so cute I can't help but laugh, "Actually we ended up on the ground," I correct, "remember I cushioned your fall when you took us down."

"It was your fault though, you weren't holding me tight enough," She argues but her tone is light.

I pull her in closer to me holding her tight so there is no space between us as I skate us around, "Is this better?"

"Much better," she says finally smiling at me and placing her hands on my shoulders.

I pull her around the rink for a little bit as she gains her footing on the ice. We stop every now and then talking to some of the players and their kids. After she seems a little more comfortable I shift so now I'm behind her but I still hold her tight.

"Connor," She warns when she wobbles a little from me shifting.

"I know, I've still got you," I smile then lean in close to whisper, "just wanted to get a better look at the jacket."

I've seen her with my name and number on her back countless times at this point but I still get a little giddy every time. I wouldn't call myself possessive but I can't help how happy it makes me when she wears my name and everyone knows she is my girl. Today she is wearing a long cream parka with my name and number on it that the WAGs designed and got for all the girls.

After we had been official for a few months one of the players ' wives reached out to me for Amber's number so she could be included in the WAG stuff. Amber was apprehensive at first but she has grown close to a few of them and she always jokes about loving the "free swag".

"Have I mentioned how much I love this jacket?" I say still keeping my voice low.

"Oh, just a few times," she grins, "You just love me in anything that shows I'm yours."

"Sue me, so what if I want everyone to know you're my girl," I say leaning in to kiss her.

She turns her head to the side so I land on her cheek, "Connor there are a lot of cameras here," she says gesturing to all the media.

I groan knowing she is right. We are public with our relationship now and are proud to show each other off but we aren't big on PDA. The stupid photographers at every event make it hard though because sometimes I just really want to kiss my girlfriend.

"I don't care right now, you look so beautiful in the jacket and I'm so happy you are here. Just one?" I plead.

She looks around and then sighs, "Fine you can have one."

As soon as she says the words my lips are on hers. The kiss is simple and fairly PG but it feels good to finally get to kiss her. I can hear an increase in the camera shutters but it doesn't matter right now. After a moment we pull away but I don't let her out of my arms.

"Instagram is gonna go crazy with that picture," I joke.

"I'm sure they've already gotten plenty of pictures of you holding me too," she points out.

"So what? Everyone can know we are gross and in love, I don't care," I respond spinning her around.

"Oh my God what has gotten into you Connor," she says unable to contain her laughter.

I shrug, "I don't know I'm just really happy right now."

Grabbing her hands we continue our skate and I continue staring at her. Watching her wave to the wives and my teammates, her nose turning red from the cold, her giggles at the kids running around almost knocking people over. I'm so obsessed with this girl it's insane.

Soon I have to do media for tomorrow so I drop her off at the rink exit with a small kiss on her forehead.

"I just have a few interviews I have to do and then I'm all yours," I say not wanting to leave her.

I'm sad to leave her but I know I'll see her in just a little while. She goes off with the other WAGs and helps wrangle in some of Foligno's kids.

I keep watching her on the sidelines until I hear the boys call for me. "Bedsy get that dopey grin off your face and come do this interview."

Author's note <3

This request was fun to write and I loved making the social media post for it. Remember to feel free to send in requests, I love the inspo.

[puckinginsane]

Tyler is always so animated