#not tagging them bc i figure at this point iykyk

[alpineshift]

an incomplete list of professions I'm putting jacknico into in my ongoing kit of ‘what if one of them weren’t an NHL player, how will they meet and what would their relationship be like?’

Jack's a hockey player (and most definitely wearing the C):

Corporate Nico who's Jack's neighbour and is incredibly disgruntled by Jack's weird hours and occasionally noisy af team gatherings at his place.

Working points include Nico being politely huffy and Jack always running out on their arguments bc he's going to be late for practice

Jack's incessant need to sing in the shower and Nico constantly overhearing him bc they share a wall (amongst other accidental noises)

At some point Nico wins some kind of corporate recognition prize for his Hard WorkTM and it's...VIP Devils tickets. And a meet and greet with the captain AKA his own neighbour that he regularly beefs with. Imagining Jack finding out it's Nico before the game and gets a dick trick that night out of spite? The unrelenting desire to show off a bit for his grouchy hot neighbour? And Nico has to begrudgingly admit Jack played really well

At some point also maybe Jack's out on IR and Nico just. Accidentally-not-really looks after Jack bc they "dislike" each other, but he doesn't want Jack to actually suffer. Classic finally getting to know each other phase iykyk

Suit designer Nico, who's introduced to Jack through one of the Swiss guys and begins to exclusively style Jack over the course of his years as a Devils player

Jack having to get suits resized and custom made every year bc his ass is incredible and Nico is not immune to said ass

Nico is always complimenting his figure and Jack is losing his mind bc he's obsessed but also firmly believes Nico is just being so professional

Jack always flexing his suits online with flirty captions and tags Nico and Nico has such a crush but also firmly believes Jack just really appreciates his work and this is His PersonalityTM

At some point after they get together Nico designs the WAG playoff jackets and Jack tells him he has to make one for himself too. Cue blushing.

Kindergarten teacher Nico who simply Does Not Care for hockey (or hockey players) who has to host the Devils school visit for his kids

The kids adore the players. Especially Jack, who is very good with the kids. He's super sweet and very engaged and stays late hanging out with them

Obligatory Jack chatting/being flirty with Nico and asking who his favourite player on the Devs is. And Nico going "Honestly I think I prefer football." And Jack's all oh! I also love watching football with my brothers at UMich-- and Nico's like "European. European football."

Luke just about killing himself laughing watching Jack try and fall flat on his face again and again while he attempts to flirt with Nico

But now that Nico's met Jack it feels like a dam has been opened and Nico is somehow seeing Jack everywhere. Grocery store. Harbourfront parking lot. Bus stop ads. Farmer's market. On his goddamned uber eats app promo. He can't escape.

One of Nico's students draw him and Jack together and point it out to him going "Are you guys getting married?" and Nico is like...at this point, who knows. I am at the universe's mercy

Just cutesy goodness everywhere. This is such an overdone trope and I love it.

Also - continuation of the reporter!Nico AU why not

Also just them fucking nasty in this AU cause why NOT.

Nico's still Captain of the Devils. Jack's doing other Hot Girl Shit:

Classic Michigan cottage owner/renter Jack who hosts Nico once during bye week and suddenly Nico is making time during the offseason every year to visit

Beautiful potential for there to be "Jack almost became an NHL player too but didn't bc of xyz reason" and it gets angsty

I imagine Quinn and Luke still play in the NHL but the dots literally never connect for either of them Nico doesn't mention he plays professionally for the NHL and Jack doesn't keep up with anything hockey except for his brothers' stats and to know they're not injured

Summer romance clichés everywhere. Nico catching sight of Jack sunbathing all the time, boating everywhere. Minor problem at the cottage and Jack comes over to fix it, impressing Nico. Nico talking about Switzerland and just really endearing Jack to him.

When Jack eventually warms up to Nico he invites Nico out to the town summer festival and it's not not a date. But let's just say Nico doesn't wake up in his own cabin later that night.

Also potential for the worse blowout fight when Jack does realize who Nico is. Angst! Angst!!

Will Jack ever go to see Nico play a game or will he hide away from the hockey sphere forever? Will they ever forgive each other? Stay tuned

Tennis player!Jack

I halfway jokingly assigned Jack to tennis during the Olympics and now even if it's short I want him to compete in it and I want Nico to sit in the stands with his shades on and cheer Jack on in the offseason. That's it, really.

Indulgent idea of novelist Jack being the author of Nico's favourite book series

Maybe it's a series Nico started reading when he was younger, but went on hiatus bc Jack took a break

It comes back in full swing when he's Captain now and it's Nico's go-to road trip series. He gets a full secret profile on like an online bookclub to enthusiastically yap about it

Meanwhile Jack is a secret Devils fan - fave player #13 - and has a burner twitter acct where he gushes about how good of a player Nico is online.

I didn't think super ahead in this au but I'm sure they will somehow cross confusing paths at some point. I just want book nerd Nico and enthusiastic online fan Jack.

ALSO. What else could be said about underwear model Jack AU?

Becks has to nurse his forbidden knowledge for like an entire season until Luke sits him down one day and goes "Buddy. It's fine. It's not that big of a secret" and Becks is like oh thank god. I thought my head was going to implode. And Luke is like "However if you do sell Jack and Nico out to the media I will be preemptively ending your career. But you're a good kid, so I'm not worried. Anyway, nice chat!" And Becks is about to shit himself.

Side note - for a while I did not realize there was a Becks on the devils LOL

Or - this time Nico is the one who gets papped with a guy and it's not immediately recognizable as Jack (he cut his hair for a shoot or something) and the rookies are besides themselves thinking Nico is cheating on Jack or something (assuming at some point they also learn the truth). It's shenanigans.

An eventual boyfriend reveal? To put the rookies out of their misery? Jack finds the whole thing hilarious.