#toronto maple leafs x reader

[cuteandhughesy]

Crawling Back To You | Matthew Knies

summary: the 5 stages of realizing you're falling in love with your boyfriend’s best friend (college!au).

19.9k (…whoops)

warnings: enemies to lovers | the slowest of slow burns. like seriously buckle up | emotional cheating? kinda not really? | thoughts of infidelity | drinking | intense make out scene | kind of a unfinished ending (sorry in advance) | suggestive scenes and dialogue | read at your own discretion

a/n: this idea randomly popped into my head before bed a few weeks ago and I immediately knew I had to write it. this is for the knies girlies (like yours truly) who can’t help themselves but fantasizing about him—I see you and I got you.

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Prologue

lucas' arm around your hips is a firm pressure, guiding you through the crowded frat house like he's done many times before. you let him easily, smiling at friends as you pass by them.

your boyfriend doesn't really notice anybody else—too busy looking for his friends in the chaotic crowd. his fingers flex around the dip of your hip, squeezing you reassuringly. "you look nice babe."

he's told you that already tonight—when you'd showed up to his door so you could walk to the frat party together—which, is only down the hall from your door—regardless though, it's nice to hear. you tilt you head back to look at him, eyes lingering over his too-sharp jaw and icy gaze. "thanks lucas."

he hums softly, not looking at you as he continues to make way through the sea of sweat covered bodies. you sigh gently, gnawing on your gloss coated bottom lip, gaze flickering away from your boyfriend.

you and lucas have been dating for almost half a year—which in hindsight isn't that long, but when you're in university and spending every waking minute with a person, it soon feels like a lifetime. you met him in the mailroom of your shared apartment complex during the beginning of last term, and hit it off almost immediately.

lucas was flirty, and so sweet that it felt like your teeth were decaying. he was smart and played on the universities hockey team—it was hard not to fall for him. but as your brief honeymoon phase came to a close, lucas started to get a little...dull.

he doesn't make your heart race, and he doesn't  have your stomach swooping with his stare or touch, and most of the time it feels like he doesn't have the time for you. but it's fine, because he's your boyfriend, and you care for him. it's just a bit...boring, and unfulfilling.

"babe." he starts again, glancing down at you. "were you able to book off that shift? the one during next game day?"

you frown, stopping in your shuffling steps. "lucas, I already told you that I couldn't."

your boyfriend stops as well, turning towards you with deeply furrowed eyebrows. "you did?"

you sigh, a bubble of irritation rising in your chest. "yes. this morning before class."

"seriously?" he all but huffs, dropping his hands from your waist. "I wanted you there."

"and like I told you this morning, there's nothing I can do about it." you've flushed with annoyance, looking at your boyfriend with a perplexed expression. it feels like you've been going in circles about this damn shift for days—and somehow everytime, lucas makes you feel like an asshole about it. you literally work at the arena, and as only 1 of 3 staff members for the concession stand, getting your shift covered was practically impossible.

his eyes flash with something similar to annoyance. "it feels like you don't even want to watch me play, y/n."

your eyes quickly dart around the room, gulping gently as you make sure nobody is watching the exchange between you and lucas—one that feels like it's on the tipping point of turning heated. your gaze flickers back to his, crossing your arms defensively. "are you seriously going to start this here? in front of everyone?"

despite your words, nobody is paying attention to the two of you—too drunk or high or both to have the awareness they needed to realize what's going on between you and the hockey teams assistant captain.

lucas sighs gently, eyes softening as he takes in your closed off, hard expression. "look," lucas grabs the sides of your face, holding you in place. "i'm sorry, okay?" your eyes drop, mind still reeling with annoyance about the whole situation. lucas thumb runs along your cheek, "we can talk about it later."

there's nothing to talk about, you think. i've already told you.

he leans in, searching for a kiss, but you turn your head just before your lips connect—lucas planting an unexpected peck to your cheek.

from a room over, matthew knies takes a sip of his beer, a smile pulling at his lips as his teammate loudly tells the group about his latest tinder date adventure—new flash, it went horrible. his teammate, gabe, wasn't the kind of guy you wanted to date, and after hearing all these different stories about how his dates went, matthew can't help but feel sorry for these girls.

sean, another member of the minnesota hockey team, nudges his elbow into matthew's side, subtly pulling his attention away from gabe and his loud mouth and comical expression—currently acting out how he'd opened the car door during said tinder date.

matthew's brows raise, looking at the tan complexion of his friend. "what's up?"

"looks like there's some trouble in paradise, huh?" sean then shifts his eyes out of the room, down into the even more crowded foyer and kitchen. matthew's eyes can't help but follow, landing upon his roommate, and another teammate of his, lucas.

but he's not alone—you're with him. matthew swallows roughly, eyes narrowing at the sight of you. he watches as lucas grabs your face, stroking the highest part of your cheek with his calloused thumb. there's a few rushed words exchanged between you, ones that matthew has no chance of hearing over the bustling party.

sean continues, rubbing his hand over his stubble. "what do you think they're fighting about?"

matthew watches as you dodge his friends kiss, your expression full of exhaustion and annoyance. he looks away from you, eyes finding sean's deep chocolate ones  "probably something lucas started."

sean snorts. "probably—dude doesn't know what he's got."

matthew hums dismissively, taking an aggressive sip from his beer bottle. the tangy liquid fizzles against his tastebuds, the alcohol already making him feel lighter. he can't help the way his eyes find you again, watching the tail end of whatever argument you'd been in the midst of.

lucas pulls off you, a tiny roll of his eyes. but he wraps his arm around you again, pulling you further into the house and in the direction of the living room.

at the sight of lucas, a few of the guys get distracted, attention pulled from gabe and his ridiculous performance—all of them hollering in the blondes direction. the smile comes easy, and he releases you in favour of greeting everyone, bringing them into a side hug before slapping the muscle on their back.

you do your best to plaster on a smile as a couple of the guys girlfriends greet you warmly—madison, you closest WAG friend squeezes your arm from the couch beside you. you briefly wonder if she's seen the tiff you've just had with lucas.

but no, you can't think like that, if you do it'll just make you more anxious than usual. you gently shake your head, snapping yourself out of your own pity. you stand awkwardly beside the couch while lucas completely disappears into his friends, cheering and laughing as they all talk about their latest win. you blink again, this time to hold back unshed tears.

"hey girl, you wanna sit down?" another one of the wags asks you, her gentle, honey laced voice filtering through the noisy room. "you look a little out of it."

you laugh gently, blinking rapidly. "I don't think there's anywhere to sit." your words stem from truth, and as you glance around the collection of mangled, worn leather couches and stained lazy boys, the space is limited. you desperately wish lucas was a doting boyfriend—pulling you into his lap and pressing a reassuring kiss against the junction of your neck.

"you can sit here." his voice cuts through the air like a knife, sending a usual shiver through your body. you hadn't even realized matthew knies was here—but you should've suspected it when you didn't hear his usual rerun of new girl in his and lucas' shared apartment.

your eyes flicker to his, and then towards the sliver of space between him and sean. the couch is most definitely sticky, and the foam is practically spilling out the cushion—the sight has you squirming. parties have never been your thing, and you've never been one to be overly social—much preferring the silence and comfortability of your own space. if you were to go out on your own terms, you'd often opt for local bars or eateries, which usually provide a more relaxed and tone downed party atmosphere.

but lucas likes frats—so here you are. your eyes find matthew's again, and immediately you're feeling a familiar pull in your chest—one that always seems to tug in the presence of your boyfriends best friend. it's not that you hated matthew knies...it's just....he is one of your least favourite people to be around.

you're not sure when it started, but the combination of his cocky attitude and the way he seemed to always be pushing your buttons with that stupid smirk on his face, just has your blood boiling.

and you really try your best to ignore him, but as soon as his pestering starts, you just can't help but bite back.

he's looking at you with that slinky pull to his plump lips, likes he's expecting you to decline his offer and just turn tail and leave—which you are desperately trying not to do.

matthew's one eyebrow raises, almost like a challenge. "you scared or somethin', y/l/n?" he takes a slow sip of his beer, adam's apple bobbing roughly under his clean shaven throat. he licks his lips, catching the lingering liquid. "I dont bite."

the use of your last name—how it so easily slips through his lips like a song—has you biting down, your teeth practically cracking under the intense pressure. all your earlier irritation has been quickly redirected to matthew, and you eye him pointedly. "doubtful."

his smirk widens.

you shoot a glance towards lucas, but to your disappointment he still hasn't realized you're standing alone—sitting comfortably between teammates and sipping from a mysterious seltzer can. slowly, you look back towards matthew, who's grin has yet to falter.

he pats the space between himself and sean, two slaps against the leather as he wordlessly invites you over.

you can't help the way your eyes roll.

sean watches the entire ordeal like a damn soap-opera, eyes darting between you and his friend next to him—hiding his amused smile behind the neck of his beer bottle.

with a gentle sigh, you make your way towards them, wordlessly taking a seat between the two athletes with an awkward cough. immediately you're warm, the combination of the crowded house and being squished between two large men sending you into a heat flash.

although, matthew may be more of a boy than a man, but you digress.

"want a drink?" he asks you—the smirk evident simply in his tone. your eyes dart to the side, finding his flushed face.

"of what?" you question sharply.

his brows raise in amusement. "anything you want." matthew laughs once, a breathy sound that has you squinting. "there's lots of options—this is a party, y/l/n."

there's that nickname again—the condescending tone dripping from his tongue as he calls you by your last name. you grit your teeth, "that's not my name."

"I mean...It is." his eyes flicker with something you don't recognize, lip twitching as his smile widens. "you're always so wound up."

you stiffen, and you can hear sean hiss quietly beside you. matthew's looking as smug as ever, fiddling with the damp, shredded label of his drink. you let out a scoff, "no i'm not—you're just annoying."

"sure." he nods condescendingly just as he lifts the neck of his bottle back towards his mouth, plump lips expertly caressing the opening and tipping the liquid into his mouth.

you watch him move—your bubbling annoyance clear. you watch behind the rim of the bottle as his smirk returns, and that has you blinking, quickly averting your gaze. "don't you have other people to bother?"

you hear his beer hit the table as he places it down, clearly done with it. "am I bothering you?" matthew chooses to avoid your question, like usual, which has you rolling your eyes for the umpteenth time.

"I personally find this really entertaining." sean interrupts, leaning closer towards you. a half smile takes over his dark complexion, and he gets further into your space, wide, amused eyes dancing between his teammate and you. "you guys fight like you're a married couple."

you head snaps his his direction so fast you neck muscles tighten up. "what does that mean?"

matthew snickers, which immediately has you attention again. "seriously, have a drink or something — you fucking need one."

"excuse me?" your voice comes out sharper than you intended, but you're too far gone to care. you're really not in the mood to deal with your boyfriends best friends cocky personality, or his infuriating mannerisms and ridiculous smirk. "literally what makes you think you can say things like that to me? god, what's crawled up your ass."

"alright, alright," he interrupts, one of his large hands raised in a mock surrender. "just chill out, I'm not trying to ruin your night."

without knowing what else to say in that moment, you look away—eyes pinched and lips held together tightly. you grab sean's half full can of cherry liquor—right out of his loose grip—and down the rest of it.

he makes a noise of protest, but you don't even care. the alcohol already has you feeling better, the affects settling deep in your belly and further warming your exposed skin—you've always been a light weight. you cringe at the flavour, letting the last sip linger on your tastebuds before fully swallowing.

"fuckin jesus, y/n." sean grumbles like he's annoyed, but his eyes tell a different story. "that rilled up huh?"

you turn your back towards matthew, facing sean and his girlfriend completely. the latter is talking intently with another one of the girls—completely oblivious to the tension brewing next her.

matthew's eyes linger on your exposed back, your cream silky top dipping low enough to expose the base of your spine. he tongues his cheek to mask the grin, slowly trailing his eyes back upwards. "you're such a baby." he says knowingly, leaning in close enough that his words tickle your neck. "turnin' your back to me."

without looking at him, you huff. "you're so insufferable." you break composure, turning back in his direction. your irritated expression is still lingering, looking at matthew like you're trying to incinerate him with your eyes. "you suddenly care about me or something?"

"you wish." his response is quick—teasing.

sean snorts, clearly enjoying this much more than you could ever.

"do you seriously think you have that much of an impact on my life?"

"I know I do." matthew laughs. "you're really cranky today."

"and you need to shut the fuck up-"

"alright, you two." sean speaks again, looking almost scared as he eyes the both of you curiously. "better stop before people start getting the wrong idea."

you don't even have the brain capacity to think about what he could mean with that insinuation. you shoot off the couch, "i'm done here anyway." you mumble hastily, immediately making your way across the small living room. you weave your way through the few people standing in the middle of the space, lingering and chatting too enthusiastically for your liking.

the other couch comes into view quickly, and you spot lucas just as fast. your arms are crossed as you walk up to your boyfriend, lips already pulling in a irritated pout. the silk of your top suddenly feels too cold—too exposing—and you just want to go.

"lucas." you get his attention, "I'm going home."

his attention is pulled away from his teammates, eyes flickering over your figure once. "you okay?"

"ask your roommate." you spit. "he's fucking infuriating."

lucas grin, rolling his eyes. "you are so dramatic, babe. just come sit with me."

a couple of his teammates snicker at his words, attempting to cover their amused smirks behind their drinks—but you catch them.

"i'm not dramatic." you start, exasperated. "and no, I'm going home."

he runs a hand over his face. "kay, i'll see you later."

"whatever." you grumble, turning away from your boyfriend. you make your way back through the sticky frat house, narrowly missing the beer spilling over solo cups as drunk university students slosh around, smashing drinks together in cheers.

the early spring chill sends you into a shivering state almost instantly—the night cold stinging your skin harshly. it's only when the noise and echoing bass fade into a dull hum that you start to cry, sluggishly walking down the sidewalk as you continue the short walk to your apartment complex.

thoughts of matthew's snarky remarks and stupid smirk are plaguing your mind—sending you into a flurry of anger and vexation. replaying the interaction in your head has you scoffing out loud, muttering irritatedly like a clinically insane person.

and then there's lucas and his rude dismissal of you—his girlfriend for fucks sake. that and the way his teammates snickered at the brief moment of bickering between you just has you spiraling even deeper.

you close your apartment door louder than you intended, kicking off your shoes quickly.

your roommate, cora, looks up from her spot on the kitchen barstool, slowly slurping her mouthful of cheap ramen noodles with her brows raised in concern. "how was the party?"

all you can muster is a growl, opening to cupboard above the sink in search of a glass. your grab the first one you see, immediately filling it up with absurd flavoured tap water.

she snorts into her bowl, shoving some more noodles into her mouth. "what happened?" she questions between her chews.

you finish the water with a loud gulp, placing the empty glassware on the counter. "matthew happened."

his name alone makes cora roll her eyes, but there's a tiny grin that she can't even hide. your roommate is well used to the hostility that lingers between you and your down the hall neighbour. "just ignore him."

it's something that's been said by cora hundreds of times—it seems that anytime you're with lucas, you're coming back with a scowl and a new story about his roommate instead. "you know he only messes with you because you give him a good reaction."

you huff, stealing the fork out of cora's bowl and serving yourself a bite of her beef favoured noodles. they're not long made, and the heat slightly burns your tongue. you hiss through your teeth, "he's hard to ignore when he's up my ass whispering in my ear about how i'm 'such a baby'" you attempt at lowering you voice to mimick the athletes, and that has her grinning, taking back her fork for another bite.

"you two are so weird." she slurps a noddle noisily, "like there's some weird sexual tension or something."

"cora!" you huff, eyes comically wide as you look at her with nothing short of perplexity.

"what?" she laughs, all but innocent. "he's hot!"

"I have a boyfriend." snatching the utensil again, you twirl the prongs through the lingering food. your face begins to heat up, something that feels like embarrassment crawling at your chest. you clear your throat, praying that cora doesn't catch your burning cheeks as you chew some more food. "besides, even If I was single i'd never date someone so...arrogant."

"whatever you say." cora teases further, tucking herself further under her extra large hoodie. you know your friend is only playing around, and there's no malicious intent with her digs—so you let it slide, even though the mere thought of dating matthew knies has your stomach dropping, making you feel nothing less than nauseous. 

"I need to take these jeans off before I explode." you whine, quickly changing the subject. you already start unbuttoning the denim as you make your way down the hall, rounding into your warmly lit bedroom in search of your favourite pyjamas.

you soon swap your party, beer smelling attire for an oversized, stained hoodie and sleep shorts—throwing your hair back and popping your glasses on. already, you're feeling much more relaxed than when you first got home. "wanna watch an episode of stranger things?" you call through the apartment, already grabbing your throw blanket.

"yeah!" cora calls back, "can you bring me the niall horan blanket from your room?"

you snort a laugh, doubling back to your bed and pulling the fuzzy, 2011 one direction throw into your arms. it's been a staple piece ever since you met cora in your freshman dorm, and you learned your new roommate from wisconsin was just as obsessed with the former boyband as you are.

you make your way back into the living area of the small student apartment, your slippers slapping the floor obnoxiously as you do. "can you grab me a coke?" you ask cora as you pass the kitchen nook.

two knocks interrupt you, the sound echoing through the wooden door that separates your apartment from the hall. you jump slightly, the unexpecting thumping catching you off guard and making your heart leap.

cora eyes the clock—almost 1 a.m. her gaze skips back to you, frozen in place with the fridge wide open. "are you expecting anyone?"

"no." you swallow, making you way to the door. "are you?"

she almost snorts. "definitely not."

skeptical, but curious, you grasp the chipping bronze handle. you're hoping it's lucas—lucas who has hopefully come to his senses and has left the party in favour of giving you an apology. with a gentle shrug, you turn the handle and pull the door open in one swift motion.

matthew is there, leaning against the door frame in all his smug, infuriating glory. at the sight of you opening the door, a small smirk grows on his face, and in that moment you think the universe must be against you—because what the actual fuck.

"hey." he says simply, his stupid smirk growing impossibly wide. "glad to see you're not dead in a ditch." your brows begin to furrow, and he continues — much to your dismay. "saw you leave the party all stompy."

you're almost speechless, at a loss for words as you blink up at him. "it's almost 1."

"very good." he snickers, like he's congratulating you for knowing the time. you want to punch him in the mouth and get rid of that insufferable grin.

"can I like, help you or something?" you question roughly, crossing your arms over your hoodie. it's a bit awkward considering the mountain of blankets in your arms, but you manage. "i'm kind of busy."

matthew peers behind you, looking into your very much empty apartment. he sees cora, still lingering in the kitchen—watching the exchange like it's a SNL skit with a tiny, amused smile on her face.

he meets your hard eyes one again. "I don't think you are, actually." he licks his bottom lip slowly, an action that seems instinctual. "are you going to be neighborly and invite me in? or just keep standing and staring."

a scoff leaves your mouth, but before you can protest, cora speaks up, her cheery voice making your heart drop. "come on in, matthew—don't mind the mess." she kicks some loose shoes out of the way, subtly pushing you to the side as well.

matthew smirks at you again, stepping into the small foyer of your apartment. you tear your gaze away from the tall boy, sending your roommate a slightly panicked look.

she just shrugs, looking back at matthew quickly. "i'll let you two chat—i've gotta get the pillows..and...stuff, from my room."

pillows and stuff? her excuse is just sad, but before you can stop her, cora is turning on her heels, practically skipping down the hall and into her messy bedroom.

now alone, you look back at your boyfriend's friend with raised brows. "so? what is it?"

something flickers across his face, and before you can register it, he sighs. "listen, i've come to say i'm sorry for tonight. I was an asshole."

"an asshole is one way of putting it." you scoff, arms crossing tighter. you pause, eyeing his seemingly sincere expression. with a sigh, you falter slightly, "but thanks."

his smirk is back. "welcome." the formality is mumbled through his plump lips, and you swallow roughly at the lazy grin.

"anything else?" you hum pointedly.

matthew shakes his head. "nope." he reaches behind his broad back, grabbing the doorknob and turning it. "i'll be seeing you around i'm sure."

you watch as he opens the door, the fluorescent lights of the hallway illuminating your dim apartment. you kiss your teeth, a reluctant nod following suit. "oh, i'm sure."

he snickers. "goodnight, y/l/n."

your face falls—a bubble of irritation quickly rising once again. you don't say anything, watching through the corner of your eyes as matthew walks down the hall to his and lucas' shared apartment.

he shoves the key in the lock, and just before he walks inside, matthew shoots you one more stupid smirk that sends your head reeling.

you click your apartment door shut, and as soon as it does, your forehead hits the flat surface, an angry groan leaving your chest.

STAGE 1: Confusion

"can I get three tequila sunrises, please?"

the burly bartender behind the counter sends you a curt nod, turning on his heels as he grabs three empty glasses to begin making your drinks.

the bar is crowded, more crowded than your usual visits, but it is a saturday night and this is the closest place to drink from campus—so it’s business doesn’t come as a shock. you look around the room, eyeing the sea of students and young adults alike—all smiling and dancing together as they down shots and sip their respective drinks.

your eyes find your small table, seeing cora chat happily with your mutual friend, rachel. you'd all been in a deep conversation about your psychology midterm results when you'd slurped up the last bit of your drink—cora already fiddling with the ice cubes at the bottom of her glass.

with a pout from rachel and a plea from your roommate, you slid off the high stool and begin sneaking your way through the bar. you sigh gently, turning your attention back to the busy bar, watching as the bartender works around his co-workers in their hectic environment.

"hey." his voice has you stiffening. slowly, your gaze flickers to your right and that's where you see matthew, leaning against the sticky bar top in his usual stupid way.

you frown, glancing over your opposite shoulder to see if he's talking to somebody that's not you—maybe a teammate or your boyfriend who has magically decided to show up tonight.

matthew snickers. "yeah. i'm talking to you."

you look back at him sharply. "why?"

he shrugs, his index finger tracing one of the raised splits on the wooden bar top. "just saying hi to a friend."

"a friend?" you question, one breathy laugh passing through your stained lips. your gaze turns pointed, looking at matthew with a mixture of confusion and annoyance. "we're not friends."

"no?" he hums lightly.

you shake your head once, firmly. "I think you're forgetting how you know me."

"we live in the same apartment complex." his smile has returned at full strength, sending your chest contorting in a way that makes you angry. he's trying to rile you up, you know that by now, and even if you didn't, that grin on his stupid chiseled face gives him away—he's up to no good.

you make a face of faux innocent, mouth falling open to form a small, perfected 'o'. "oh, so that's how you know me?" your face falls, and you grab your wallet off the bar top. your hands are slightly shaky, and definitely clammy due to the adrenaline and irritation running through your veins—it's all so infuriating.

you turn to leave, but matthew's hand encloses around your wrist, stopping you. your head snaps back so fast that for a moment your vision blurs—and you have to blink quickly to clear it.

"c'mon, y/l/n, i'm trying to play nice." his grin falters slightly, looking down at you with a gentle expression.

it makes you even angrier. "well, I don't want you to play nice."

matthew squints playfully, leaning further down into your space. "kinky."

your eyes widen to unfathomable size, and your skin flushes all over. it's exactly the reaction matthew wanted to pull from you, and his eyes twinkle with amusement as he watches your face further contort into an expression of disbelief and frustration.

you take a few shaky, shallow breathes, trying your best to not yank your hand away and high tail out of the bar completely. "I have a boyfriend." despite the firm town of your voice, your words are quiet, only for the two of you to hear.

matthew's brows shoot up. "okay, I don't know how stupid you think I am, but I know you have a boyfriend—I live with him. i'm just being a dick."

you can't help the way your eyes roll. no shit. it's like matthew finally realizes the gentle grip he's still got around your wrist, and he drops your arm rather quickly upon realization. matthew brings his hand back to his side, fingers flexing as he tries to shake off the unknowing sensation. he clears his throat, eyes not leaving yours as he continues. "speaking of, where is lucas? thought you'd be up his ass tonight."

you hesitantly tuck your wallet under your arm, holding it to your side. after all, you're still waiting for drinks, and you're not going to let matthew drive you out of the bar before you can deliver them. "like you said," you huff, "you live with him, so you should've noticed he was home tonight."

matthew's lips drop in a small frown at your words, because no, he doesn't remember seeing lucas after they passed each other on the way to the bathroom that morning.

the tattooed arm of the bartender comes back into your peripheral vision, and he slides theee glasses in your direction. "here's your drinks."

you quickly menover your black wallet back into your hands, pulling out a $20 bill and passing it to the rather attractive tender. "thanks." he nods, tucking the money into his waist apron before turning away, attending to one of the many awaiting customers.

you look back towards the athlete at your side, who still hasn't taken his gaze off of you, and send him a sarcastic smirk. "wish I could say it was nice seeing you matthew, but i've never been a liar." you grab two of the glasses, frowning gently as you realize you can't quite grip the third. you place them down, attempting another time.

"oh wow good one, y/l/n." matthew laughs breathily, watching as you continue to struggle with three, condensation coated glasses. "are you going to ask for help now?"

you snort, "i'd rather eat glass than ask for your help."

you look like a lost puppy—one of the glasses pressed between your arm and boob, and the other one clutched awkwardly in your hand. your fingers barley reach around it, and it looks like a disaster waiting to happen.

"jesus christ, just—" matthew mumbles, reaching towards you and taking both glasses from you. and because he's annoying and has the hands of a giant, he scoops the third glass off the bar, holding the three together.

he looks at you triumphantly, which makes you want to kick him. "must you be so proud?"

"I must." he chimes. matthew finally looks away from you, which has you letting out a breath you hadn't realized you've been harbouring. his eyes filter through the crowd, brows pinched together. "where's your table?"

on cue, cora's distinctive laughter fills the room. "never mind I can hear your roommate." he begins walking in the direction of the table, maneuvering through the room like he owns it—which induces an annoyed eye roll from you. watching the crowd practically part as they see him coming through is even more infuriating.

you follow behind him, trying your best to keep up with his long strides. "her mouth is almost as loud as yours!" you smile with faux enjoyment, looking up at his side.

you merely miss getting bumped by some hammered frat guy, too busy yelling and terribly singing along to the shitty (but addictive) pop music. you miss the glare matthew sends the strangers way before he looks down at you, a smirk on his face. "seems like a match made in heaven then."

"or hell." you hum.

he laughs tauntingly. "don't be jealous."

"why would I be jealous?"

"took you long enough!" cora shouts, teetering on hammered—she's been pregaming since 5.

you watch rachel's eyes trail to your side, and immediately she's lighting up. "oh and you've brought a friend."

"not a friend—just a nuisance."

matthew laughs, too loudly for your liking, brushing past you to step onto the platform where your friends sit. "think that's the nicest thing you've said about me, y/l/n."

if your eyes roll one more time tonight they're surely to get stuck. "don't you have something else to do, knies?"

cora takes the glass from matthew's large hand, batting her lashes up at him like a damn cartoon character. she immediately takes the straw into her mouth, chewing on the plastic. "thank you matthew."

he turns back to you with a smug expression. "see, y/l/n, that's how you're supposed to respond when someone does something nice for you."

"oh well— I can't wait for the day you do something nice for me!" you clap your hands together like an exaggerated cheer, stepping up the the platform as well. you almost bump into his chest, underestimating just how close matthew was.

he just smirks, eyes slowly flickering down your body.

you swallow. "okay, you can go now."

"anything else?" matthew questions, brows raised expectantly.

"what?" you breathe through your teeth.

his smirk grows. "i'm waiting for a thank you."

you exhale through your nose, eyes briefly flickering closed for a passing moment. when they re-open, matthew doesn't falter, if anything he looks even more cheerful. "thanks." you grit out.

"you're so welcome." he shoots you a quick wink, waving goodbye to your friends before he steps off the platform, making his way back to whichever group of loud cronies he'd been with before he started pestering you.

"you two are so ridiculous." rachel laughs into her glass before taking a hearty sip—her eyes not once leaving you.

you whine, taking your original seat next to cora. "i'm one more interaction away from transferring schools."

cora groans loudly. "oh my god."

the conversation thankfully shifts after your dramatic remark, and the rest of the night seemingly goes by in a flash. you actually end up dancing for most of the evening, sandwiched between cora and rachel as you all scream song lyrics and laugh with one another. it's nice and refreshing—thankfully taking your mind of him.

you end up feeling more tired than you expected soon after, the combination of drinking, dancing and being at school since 10 that morning is taking its toll on you. "i'm gunna head out." you tell cora, leaning in close so she can hear you over the bassy one direction throwback.

"what?" she pouts, her hazy eyes wide. "I don't want you to go!"

you laugh gently, accepting the hug as she throws herself at you—stumbling over her own two feet in the process. "i'm tired." you admit. "do you and rachel wanna come with me?"

"no! the night is still young." cora looks at you like you're crazy for even suggesting that.

"okay party animals." you bid another goodbye to both of your friends, ordering and uber for yourself before stepping outside. you're hoping the chilled air will sober you up a little bit—because the last thing you need is to fall asleep in an uber, or worse, get sick.

you sigh gently, swaying on your feet as you stand outside the bustling bar. strangers and traffic are steady, providing a surprisingly comforting atmosphere.

the door creaks open behind you, the inside chaos growing louder for a split second until the threshold is closed once more. instinctively, you glance over your shoulder, and the sight has you groaning. the universe must be praying on your downfall, because there he is. "seriously? are you stalking me or something?"

matthew's brows raise, his hands shoved in his jean pockets as he walks towards you. "that doesn't even make sense—you've already seen me tonight…”

his words have you scoffing, and you turn your head away from him as you grumble frustratedly. "fucking...whatever."

he doesn't respond immediately, and the night life is the only sounds heard. ever impatiently, you check the uber app again, praying your ride is almost here—but they're still 5 minutes out.

"where are your friends?" matthew's voice interrupts your peace.

"why?" you question with hesitance, your glare pointed as you look towards him.

he laughs briefly, although it sounds more like a scoff. "god, you're so tightly wound! i'm just trying to make conversation."

you're taken aback for a moment, blinking quickly as you take in his words. with a quiet, irritated sigh, you look away from him once again. "you really don't need to."

you peer down the road, praying you see the uber that somehow has magically sped through time. matthew scoffs again. "why don't you like me?"

"besides the obvious?" you question condescendingly, eyes not leaving the road in front of you.

"sure, besides the obvious."

you spin on your heels, which in hindsight isn't the smartest decision because your stumbling dangerously. matthew's eyes widen in concern for a moment, but you catch yourself before he has the chance to reach out. you eye his flexing hands with anger, a grumble leaving your stained lips. "you're just, ugh! insufferable."

his brows raise. "i'm insufferable?"

you nod. "yes."

"really?"

"yes, matthew! god this, what you're doing right now is quite literally the definition of insufferable. like, if you looked up the definition a video of this interaction would play." you breathe roughly, gesturing between the two of you like a crazy person. at some point during your rant, you'd stepped closer to him—close enough that you have to tilt your head back to properly look at him.

matthew's lips slowly contorts into a smirk, one that sends your blood boiling. "you're such a nerd ."

you laugh in disbelief. "que the insults!"

his eyes change then, his smirk dissolving as a more serious and intense expression takes over his face. matthew licks onto his bottom lip, gaze pointed. "it's wasn't an insult."

your breath hitches, catching in your throat as you watch him…watch you. before you can say anything—do anything—the sound of tires screeching to the curb has you pulling away.

the passenger window rolls down, and a middle aged man come into sight. "uber for y/n?"

"yeah, that's me." you say quickly, walking away from matthew as fast as your feet allow you, and practically jumping into the running car, as soon as the seatbelt is clicked into place, the uber is moving, sending you falling back against the seat.

you watch through the window as matthew looks at the retreating car—not talking his eyes off the vehicle until you're nothing but a set of break lights in the distance. you swallow roughly, blinking away the flurry of emotions pulling and pushing at your chest.

STAGE 2: Shifting

almost a week has passed since your...interesting? annoying? pointless? conversation with matthew outside the bar, and you thankfully haven't seen him since.

which is surprising considering you've been at his apartment almost every night with lucas. as much as you hate to admit it, and as much as it makes you angry, you were curious about his whereabouts. anytime you'd been cuddling with lucas on the couch, watching some shitty show he liked—your mind would wander, and anytime there'd be any noise in the hall, you'd wonder if it was him.

where was he? what's was he doing? is he avoiding you? but no, because matthew loves pissing you off too much to just avoid you...right?

you curse yourself everytime matthew pops into your mind, quickly distracting yourself with whatever task you could get your hands on. like right now, ruffling through the snack display on top of the counter at work.

the arena is extra cold today, and as your arms touch the metal basket containing the various chips and crackers, you shiver—not even the team branded zip up around your torso is helping.

"y/n," the floor manager, jason pops into the booth. "we need some more pineapple. can you get some from the players kitchen please? just the frozen stuff for smoothies." his voice is hopeful, looking at you with a playful glint in his eyes.

you sigh gently, kissing your teeth as you turn to look at him. "sure."

he smiles in your direction, but just before he leaves, jason doubles back. "oh! and a few protein bars, i'm starving."

"sure." you nod curtly.

"and while you're there, grab me a green juice?" this time at least jason manages to look somewhat guilty, his grin almost doubtful.

you almost find it amusing, and you raise your brows as so. "why not."

jason cheers. "you're the best."

with that you make your way out of the room, not fully shutting the door behind yourself as you know your arms will be too full to use a handle when you come back. the walk to the players section of the facility isn't a long one, and it's only a few minutes until you're entering the 'smoothie room' — as you like to call it.

it's always in pristine condition, and you almost feel guilty for simply breathing in there. quickly, you grab everything you need from the room, including the bag you'd filled with frozen pineapple and some nasty smelling green drink for jason.

with your arms full, you leave the room and begin making your way back to the snack bar. you round the corner into the most open part of the corridor, expect this time it's not empty, and around 10 of the guys have started kicking the ball around—a pre-game warmup that a lot of them liked to participate in.

you plan to just sneak through, keep your head down and try to not too badly interrupt the ritual—for lack of a better word. timidly, you begin making your way towards the rowdy group, eyes focused as their voices get closer and closer.

the sound of the soccer ball smacking against the wall has you freezing, and before you know it the inflated ball is soaring towards you. you don’t have a chance to react, and it hits you right in the chest, sending everything you'd been previously holding scattering to the floor.

embarrassed and irritated, you sigh, crouching down as you begin to attempt and salvage the mess at your feet. an all too familiar pair of running shoes appear in your vision, coming to a squeaky stop as they approach. "damn, you alright?"

you look up, squinting from the glow of the fluorescent lights lining the corridors. like you thought, it's matthew. his expression almost resembles one of concern, which has you pulling a disgruntled face.

he's slightly breathless, running around and kicking a soccer ball at you must be the cause. he's alive, you think reluctantly.

you look away from him, grabbing the two bottles of green juice and tucking them under your arm. thankfully, neither plastic bottle cracked when they hit the tile.

he sighs roughly, and you can practically hear the roll of his eyes. matthew slowly bends down as well, grabbing the astray protein bars from the ground. "good talk." he mutters condescendingly.

your eyes dart up, a scoff tumbling past your lips. the audacity of matthew to be annoyed with you is just beyond comprehension. "sorry i'm not in the mood for small talk with you matthew after you just kicked the ball at my chest—i'm going to have to throw this fruit out now, thanks."

the pineapple is a wet, spilled mess across the floor. the bag had split when it dropped, and the ball has smooshed the fruit as it fell with it. you're not even sure what to do about the mess—looking at it hopelessly.

"I didn't kick anything at you, but sure it's my fault." he grumbles, looking at you once again.

"really? then who did?" you tone is dripping with doubt, looking at matthew with nothing but exasperation.

"ask your perfect little boyfriend." matthew immediately looks like he regrets his words, eyes widening momentarily before his gaze darts away from your face.

"my perfect little boyfriend who's also your friend?" you scoff.  "god, touch some grass matthew." you know it's a terrible rebuke, and the way matthew smirks in disbelief following your insult has you feeling even more irritated with your choice of comeback.

you don't dwell on it much longer as the sound of somebody else approaching you both captures your attention. you look up just as lucas joins you, standing behind matthew with a tiny grin. "hey! babe you okay?"

you stand up, clutching the drinks to your chest. "fine." you nod.

lucas smiles again, moving to wrap you in a hug. it’s awkward, with your arms pushed against your chest and the green juice pressing into your boob uncomfortably. he kisses your head quickly. "sorry, we were all just messing around and I didn't see you."

your face falls, and you pull back from your boyfriend. "it was you?"

"yeah." he repeats, looking anything but guilty. "said I was sorry."

you unwrap yourself from his hug, stepping back. the whole conversation with your boyfriend has rubbed you the wrong way, and even if he didn't mean to kick you with the ball, his apology wasn't enough of a sincere gesture as you would expect from someone who supposedly loves you.

"I gotta get back." you say quietly, eyes downcast as you further back away from your boyfriend. instinctively, your eyes flicker towards matthew's tall stature. you both hold eye contact for a moment, unknown words lingering in the air between you.

you blink, picking up pace as you walk through the hall.

jason beams as he spots the pile of protein bars in your hands, taking two along with his green juice before skipping out the room. trying to shake off the weird feeling from the interaction with matthew in the corridor, you get back to work, organizing the fridge in preparation for tonight's game—you know how much the minnesota students love their alanis, and you need to make sure that fridge is fully stalked.

there's a good 5 minutes of silence, nothing but you, your thoughts and the loading of the fridge—until there's a knock at the open door.

you look over you shoulder, and there matthew is again. you don't know what to say because you don't know why he's here or what he wants. is he here to gloat? to apologize? to taunt?

matthew takes your silence as an invitation, stepping into the snack booth with a neutral expression. he's still dressed in his sports clothes—a team branded sweatshirt with matching shorts overtop compression pants, completed with his backward basball cap. it oddly suits him, and your stomach drops at the realization of what you've just done.

you kinda sorta checked him out.

"here." matthew interrupts your thoughts, clearly unaware of your wandering eyes and the inner turmoil happening in your brain. he walks further into the room, and that's when you see it—a bag of pineapple clutched in his hand.

in your rush to leave the corridor, you'd completely forgotten to run back and get more fruit.

"where do you want me to put it?" he questions.

"uh," you hum lightly, eyes moving around the room for some available space. it's kind of a mess in here, and you really need to get your shit together before you open. "just beside the coffee machine for now."

matthew does what you ask, putting the frozen ziploc beside the kureig on the side counter. he doesn't say anything else, and walks out the room without so much a second glance in your direction.

you bite your inner lip, knawing the soft skin as you blink furiously— trying to collect your whirlwind of thoughts. above all, you're angry. angry that you were hit with a ball, angry that matthew was right about who kicked it, angry that lucas gave you a shit apology, and that matthew didn't even attempt to annoy you when he'd brought you the pineapple.

—

lucas presses a chaste kiss to your mouth, pulling you into his chest on the outskirts of the lit up courtyard. around you is busy, lingering students and staff members alike chat and walk through the space with an upbeat pace.

every year since you've been attending the university of minnesota, the hockey team and staff members would host a barbecue and movie night in the schools courtyard. it was always an amazing turnout, and for only $5 dollars to get in and get something to eat and watch a throwback film (this year being freaky friday), it was quite the rage. plus, the money went to a fundraiser that helped public schools in the area have breakfast. so it’s a win win.

so not only do you go with the intent of supporting the youth of neighbouring schools, but your boyfriend is one of the co-organizers of the event. so of course you show your face.

which brings you back to the current moment, pouting up at lucas with the best puppy-dog eyes you can manage. lucas sighs gently, running his hands over your jean jacket covered arms. "don't give me that look."

you don't let up, but your lips begin to form into a grin. "what look?"

"the look you're doing right now." he laughs once, squeezing your biceps tightly. "you know I have to be all over the place, babe. I can't just stand with you."

your exaggerated, playful pout quickly changes into a real frown—even though you don't want to show that emotion. because lucas is one of the co-organizers of the event, he's got lots of duties to attend to while the event is happening. so although you're technically here to spend time with your boyfriend, you'll barley get to see him.

plus, cora is sick and had no choice but to stay back at the apartment and watch re-runs of friends, and rachel wouldn't be able to come until the movie starts—coinciding with when her shift at work ends.

"I know but..." you trial off, taking your bottom lip into your mouth anxiously. you've never been a huge fan of crowds—especially when it's tightly gathered in a confined space—and the idea of having to be alone right now is rather daunting. "can't I just help you? like just go with you?"

lucas sighs again, eyes flickering out to the crowd around you. the smell of cheap burgers and hotdogs are already filtering through the air, providing the most perfect early spring atmosphere for the evening. he meets your eyes once more, "it just won't work like that. hey, you'll be okay."

he kisses your cheek, doing his best to reassure you, but you still feel down. "right, okay."

"get yourself a drink and just chill—i'll find you when I can, okay?"

you send him a closed mouth smile, breathing through your nose in a gentle exhale. "okay."

with that he turns away, quickly moving through the lingering crowd as he makes his way into the courtyard. you huff lightly, looking around the sea of people to see if you recognize anyone—literally anyone you can stick with until rachel gets there. but nobody is there.

you eventually follow the crowd, entering the lit-up courtyard. it's decorated in various streamers and balloons representing school colours, along with a spread of beanbags and camping chairs set up for the movie. it looks really good, and even though it's not the warmest temperature due to the night sky, the collection of bodies and decor have the place feeling cozy.

you spot a long table through students, full of what seems to be drinks—various waters, juice and sodas lining the gray fold away surface. you sneak your way through, eyeing the options before inevitably deciding on water. caffeine will just make you anxious, and your favourite juice flavour wasn't an option.

in your peripheral vision, you see a member of the hockey team standing on the other side the table—presumably keeping track of beverages and taking payments. without properly looking up you begin shuffling through your clutch, "how much for the water?"

"it's free."

the all too familiar and cocky voice of matthew knies has you freezing. slowly, your eyes creep upwards, only to be met with the light eyes of his. he'd been the hockey player in your peripheral, and you curse yourself for not noticing sooner.

his brows raise, anticipating a snarky remark. but much to his dismay you turn away, walking back through the crowd and away from him.

he turns to mitchell, one of his teammates, patting his shoulder quickly. "mind watching the table for a sec—gotta do something." matthew doesn't even wait for a response before he's following you, easily making his way between the bodies crowded around.

matthew catches sight of you off to the side, seemingly unaware that he’s hot on your trail. he approaches you swiftly, getting your attention as he speaks. "you're like really bad at the whole socialization thing."

your eyes widen briefly, watching as he casually leans against the nearest table.

"maybe I just don't want to socialize with you." you retort, eyeing him pointedly before taking a slow sip from your water bottle.

matthew smirks. "that's mean."

"don't care." you answer, looking back out into the yard.

a beat passes. "you come alone?" matthew questions, seemingly curious.

you cross your arms. "sort of."

"sort of?" matthew parrots, eyes briefly scanning the crowd. "what's does sort of mean?"

you look at him again. "well I came with lucas, but he's busy so now i'm here...with you." the last part has you pulling a face, scrunching your noise is displeasure.

he snorts. "don't pretend like you don't enjoy my company."

"enjoying isn't quite the word i'd use to describe how I feel about you and your company." you retort lightly, brows pulling tightly.

matthew sucks his bottom lip, containing his grin. "okay, so why aren't you mingling? this is supposed to be a event of socializing."

"I'm not a fan of mingling." you tell him earnestly, clearing your throat in a moment of venerability. "or crowds. besides the fundraiser, I only come for lucas."

"yeah crowds aren't for everyone." matthew's genuine tone has you taken back, and you eye with an almost shock like gaze. "sorry that you're dealing with it alone."

you feel weird—why does the sincerity in his voice make you tingly? "well," you begin. "i'm not alone because you've insisted on coming over here to annoy me."

his smirk is back. "it is my specialty."

you laugh a real laugh, a very brief moment of quiet joy that takes you by surprise. the way his eyes twinkle and smirk widens at the sound of your giggle goes unnoticed by you.

"babe." lucas voice calls out, jogging up to you and matthew. "hey." he greets, pulling you into his side and kissing your temple. "I got a minute, thought i'd see what you were up to." his eyes flicker to matthew's. "see you've found a friend."

matthew's eyes don't leave you, waiting and watching for your reaction to your boyfriends words. you swallow gently, "he was just keeping me company."

"she's not a fan of crowds—thought i'd take a few minutes from work to make sure she's settled." this time when matthew speaks, he's only looking at lucas, and you don't miss the underlying message in his words.

lucas seems oblivious to the hostility underlying his teammates admission, a smile overtaking his face. "anyways, I gotta get back. gunner was telling me about this new club out on main—i'll catch you guys later."

as soon as your boyfriend is out of ear shot, you send matthew a furious glare. "what was that?"

"what was what?" he questions innocently, eyes yet to meet yours again.

"i'm not stupid, matthew, you were trying to..I don't know? like one up lucas by insinuating he's a bad boyfriend for not spending time with me. what the fuck." you spit angrily, gaze tinted with fury.

"I'm not insinuating anything, i'm simply just calling it as I see it." matthew retorts.

you breath a shocked laugh. "what the fuck is wrong with you? you're lucky he didn't catch on to your stupid little coded message." you take a breath, arms tightening over your chest. "he's your friend—why are you trying to ruin that?"

matthew takes a step towards you. "like I said, i'm just calling it as I see it."

"bullshit." you chime. "what's it to you that lucas is busy tonight and he's not able to spend time with me? seriously."

his brows raise, an amused expression on his face. he knows he shouldn’t argue with you, especially when what he wants to say will only further upset you—but he can’t help himself. "he's too busy to spend time with you, yeah? but tell me why we're in the same job position and I haven't left your side since I saw you. so call whatever you want bullshit, but the real bullshit is the guy standing next to his teammate doing absolutely nothing but making you look stupid."

matthew's words have you pulling back, face faltering. you feel emotion clawing at your chest, flushing your skin a rosey pink as the embarrassment and anger about the situation hits you all at once.

his face flashes with remorse, looking down at you with a lingering guilty gaze. his mouth opens slightly, as if to speak—but nothing comes out.

"fuck you." you hiss quietly before turning on your heels and leaving. everything in your body feels like it's on fire, walking through the courtyard with a determination you didn't even realized you had. you can feel matthew's eyes boring into your retreating figure, but you don't dare turn around and look.

he's right—god, he's fucking right. matthew not only calling out your boyfriends shitty behaviour but your obliviousness to the truth about the situation, stings you hard, and you didn't know what else to say or how to react besides the way you did.

you’re even angrier about the fact that even within the little attention matthew had given you tonight, was more than lucas had all day—and the time matthew spent at your side in the bustling courtyard, had your anxiety about the crowds fizzling.

STAGE 3: Denial

the sound of basketball shoes squeaking against the polished wood of a court has always been one of your least favourite things. it's a high pitched, constant sound that has you cringing every time.

you eyes flicker up towards the scoreboard—it's almost half time. it's a relief, and you are almost giddy at the fact that the stupid squeaking while be on a momentary pause.

lucas squeezes your thigh, right over your jeans. you look over at his gently, met with the sight of his curious grin. "what's up babe?"

you shrug, "just watching the timberdogs!"

"it's the timberwolves." he corrects you, eyes twinkling with amusement. you laugh it off, looking back out into the basketball court, eyes following the players as they zip back and forth on the length of the floor.

lucas' dad has always been super into basketball—like more that the average person. he's got a room in his childhood home that's designed to resemble the minnesota timberwolves court, as well as a plethora of jerseys and seasons tickets for every year.

you're not sure why his dad couldn't make it to this game—lucas had told you in the car on the way to the game but you'd been too distracted with everything else going on inside the vehicle to truly pay attention. maybe he was sick? it also could've had something to do with his car breaking down? you don't recall—but regardless, the tickets weren't being used, and they were offered to lucas.

you assumed it was just two—because lucas didn't have any siblings, and you would think it was just his parents attending these games. but no, there's four tickets, because it was always a group of 50 year old men attending together.

so what you hoped was a date night between you quickly turned into a little group outing with your respective roommates. which wouldn't of been such a problem if you weren't still reeling about the last conversation you had with matthew—in the courtyard when he practically called out your entire relationship.

the reminder makes you shift in your chair, angling yourself away from matthew even further. you can hear him sigh to himself, and out of the corner of your eye you watch as his leg bounces up and down with a feverish pace.

it's annoying—more than the shoes on the court. you huff, turning to look at him. "can you stop moving, it's distracting."

he turns to his head. "how is it distracting?"

"i'm trying to watch the game." you retort.

matthew's brows raise incredulously. "you've been watching anything but the game since it started."

"that's not true." it is true, and his call out has you feeling even more infuriated than when you first got to the arena. "I love basketball."

"sure you do." he nods, unconvinced. "instead of watching me then, get back to watching your timberdogs." matthew messes up the name of the NBA team on purpose, teasing you with your own fuck-up.

you huff. "you are so-" the sound of the buzzer echoing loudly throughout the court silences you, whatever insult you'd been conjuring up dying on your tongue. the players begin filling off the court as halftime begins, leaving the crowd to begin freely moving and walking throughout the stands and hallways—replenishing snacks and/or drinks.

on the opposite side of matthew, cora leans forward, looking at you with wide eyes. "hey! i'm going to get another coke. do you want one?" her voice is loud, and even still it's barley heard over the rowdy crowd.

"yes please." you smile. your roommate nods in understanding before getting up, making her way down the row of seats before disappearing out of sight—leaving you with only lucas and matthew.

matthew snickers—mostly to himself—eyes downcast as he fiddles with a loose thread on the knee rip of his jeans. "didn't think you were capable of such manners."

"didn't think you were capable of such big words! woah, i'm impressed." your face falls, words dripping with sarcasm as your annoyance builds higher and higher.

you shoot a look towards lucas, but are only met with the sight of him engaged in his phone—playing fucking candy crush of all things—completely unaware of the tension rising between you and his friend.

"of course your impressed." matthew insists, "everything I do impresses you."

the lingering crowd around you seems even more roudy than before, but your too enthralled with matthew to even look away and glance around. despite the noise, you can hear him fine—too fine, if you're getting specific. 

your mouth drops, a tiny puff of disbelieved laughter leaving you. "oh so we're back on the 'y/n is obsessed with matthew train.'"

matthew slowly leans closer to you, his elbow nudging yours on the tiny shared armrest between your seats. his cologne invades your space—something clean like fresh laundry mixed with a spicy cinnamon. it's almost intoxicating, and you're left frozen in place.

"we never got off that train." his words are dripping with a teasing undertone, licking his bottom lip slowly.

a hand nudges matthew shoulder from the row of seats behind yours—gathering his attention. curious, you turn as well, finding a guy seemingly only a few years older than you, looking down at you both with a sheepish grin. "you guys are on the jumbotron."

both your heads whip back around, darting up towards the jumbotron hanging from the exposed ceiling of the court. much to your horror, you and matthew are on the screen—the image framed in a heart filter with 'kiss cam' scribbled across the bottom.

you and matthew both flush—although your heat is definitely more visible, trailing down your neck and appearing in splotches over your exposed chest. "no." you say, making a cut off motion beside your neck with your perfectly manicured nails. "we're not together."

it's no use— the jumbotron can't hear your pleas. matthew shakes his head, joining in on your attempt to get the camera off you both. through the screen you see matthew shift his attention to you, which has you whipping around to look at him. his gaze is almost soft—curious, maybe.

suddenly the crowd gets louder, their unison chants echoing through the building. "kiss kiss kiss!"

the commotion finally has lucas looking away from his phone, and at the sight of what's happening in front of him—his face falls. his brows furrow slightly, gaze switching between the jumbotron and the both of you—staring at one another.

lucas quickly grabs your face, turning you away from his roommate and planting a messy kiss on your lips. your eyes widen slightly, but eventually flutter closed—allowing your boyfriend to move his lips along yours.

matthew swallows roughly, looking away and back towards the screen. the camera has since shifted, showcasing you and lucas in the last lingering moments of the bruising kiss. the crowd cheers, but as soon as you pull away from him, the couple on the jumbotron changes.

lucas expression shifts, lips pulling into a frown as he pulls away from you—his hand quickly retreating back into his lap. "why didn't you nudge me?"

your mouth open and closed quickly, "I-I don't know."

"you don't know?" lucas's tone is quite, but firm, clearly unhappy with the situation that just transpired—even though nothing really happened.

you shrug, and blush once again, but this time is purely from embarrassment about the scolding from your boyfriend. "no, the crowd was looking and I just, I tried to say no but the camera wasn't hearing me. are you seriously mad at me?"

your eyes quickly flicker around the immediate area, making sure nobody is outwardly eavesdropping on your hushed argument.

"should I be?" lucas retorts, pulling your attention back to him. he's looking at you curiously, tinged with something that seems like hope as he waits for your response.

you swallow roughly, once shake of your head following. "no."

lucas exhales shakily, the corner of his mouth sliding into a grin. "okay," he mumbles, throwing his arm over your shoulders. "then i'm not mad."

you allow yourself lean into him easily, but your mind is a whirlwind of confusion and a million unknown feelings, and when you try and even begin to understand them, you're just left more confused.

the crowd begins filtering back into the arena, finding their original seats as the halftime clock begins winding down—the third quarter approaching quickly. cora comes back down the isle, squeezing past outstretched legs as small apologies spew past her lips.

you catch her eye, and her smile grows. "a coke for you." the posh, royal tone she often uses comes to a slow halt, passing you your drink as she eyes your somber expression.

you take the plastic cup. "thanks."

cora gives you a knowing look—one that says your sudden shift in mood will be discussed later in the comfort of your shared apartment. you're not sure why you're dreading that so much.

just as the buzzer sounds throughout the arena again, signaling the resumption of the game, your eyes flicker back towards matthew again. his jaw is tight, and you can see the tendons moving under his skin as he grinds his teeth together. matthew's leg is bouncing again, faster than before—his gaze locked on the court.

it's a longer glance than you intended, but you can't help yourself—something inside you is unwilling to look away.

that dreadful noise of shoes on the polished floor pulls you away, your nose scrunching as you inwardly cringe at the sound.

quickly, matthew's eyes flicker to you—only to be met with the side of your face. he watches gently as your face drops from the previous tight pull, your smooth skin stretching over your perfectly shaped nose.

the puffiness of your lips and the lingering blush on your cheeks, and the way your hair cascades down your back in the most delicate blowout...matthew can't help the way the faintest grin ghosts over his face.

the rest of the game thankfully goes by quickly, and before you know it you're all back in lucas’ car, making the drive back to your apartment located near campus. thankfully cora and lucas fill the lingering silence with pointless conversation—you and matthew only chiming in when necessary.

you don't know what exactly happened, but you know something has shifted. you don't know what it means, or what will happen because of it—and that has you feeling really weird.

as soon as you're back in the comfort of your own apartment, cora smacks her purse down on the counter, gathering your attention with the harsh sound. "what's going on with you?"

your shoulder deflate. "I don't know."

she frowns, walking further into the apartment where you've decided to flop dramatically on the couch. your pants pull uncomfortably around your waist, and the button is digging into your belly pouch like nobodies business.

cora sits down beside you, facing you with curious eyes. "did something happen at the game? it felt like when I went to get the drinks, I missed something."

"I was on the kiss cam." you breathe.

"okay?"

"with matthew."

"oh." she is momentarily taken back, blinking three times quick as she digests your words. cora is very much used to your and matthew's supposed hatred for one another, even though she's never believed it. but the look on your face at the game isn't adding up to just 'being on the kiss cam with matthew'.

cora's brows pull tightly, creating a deep wrinkle between them. "what else happened?"

"I think," you start, voice dropping as if you weren't the only two people in the room. "I think matthew wanted to kiss me."

her eyes widen to an unfathomable size. "what?! how do you know?"

your mouth opens, a sharp breath passing through your lips. "I just....I don't know, there was something about the way he looked at me. am I being crazy?"

instantly cora shakes her head, a gentle frown on her face. "no. the eyes never lie."

your expression droops in a mixture of confusion and fear, eyes beginning to glaze with emotion as you look at cora.

she continues, "and if he tried to kiss you, what would you have done?"

"I don't know." you exhale shakily.

you hear your roommate coo gently, wrapping her arms around you in a much needed hug. your eyes pinch shut, holding onto cora's arm as you continue the embrace.

you are so screwed.

—

how lucas managed to drag you to another loud and obnoxious frat party is honestly beyond you, but there you were—doing your best at mingling and letting loose while lucas was off doing god knows what with his teammates.

rachel thankfully ended up being at the party, and as soon as she ran up to you and made herself known—you didn't leave her side. which in hindsight maybe wasn't the best idea.

you love rachel, truly, but she's never been the best influence—especially when alcohol is involved. one minute your sipping your first seltzer, and the next you're stumbling over, 10 drinks in and screaming chappell roan lyrics like nobodies business.

which means right now you're hammered, sluggishly walking through the busy frat house as you attempt in finding your boyfriend. because drunk you is clingy—and a little horny—and all you want is the warm touch and attention of a man.

unaware, drunk bodies bump into from both sides—too caught up in the party atmosphere to even notice you. it makes the journey a bit harder, but somehow you haven't managed to fall on your ass, so you'll count that as a win.

"y/n?"

the sound of your name has you blinking, looking around the room until you locate the culprit. matthew's hand touches your exposed shoulder, grabbing your attention. his brows pull together, and he bends his knees slightly so he's able to properly look into your eyes. "hey are you with me?"

you blink. "your eyes are like really pretty." a fit of giggles follows your slurred admission, tumbling forward slightly as you clutch your belly.

matthew's hands steady you easily. the combination of your shitty balance and surprisingly playful and kind words tells him all he needs to know about your current state—you're drunk.

"where's lucas?" he asks you, beer can abandoned on a side table beside one of the terribly stained couches lining the makeshift sitting area. matthew eyes you again, "or did you come with cora?"

you shake your head. "cora's a loser and had to work—so here I am."

he can barley understand you due to the slurred, sluggish string of words, but he catches the jist of it. "so you're alone."

"no..." you retort, huffing like you're annoyed. "lucas is here. wait! have you seen him?"

"not for hours." matthew tells you. "I think you need to go home though."

you whine a protest, shaking off the hand he'd still had on your shoulder. matthew isn't having it, and before you can register what's going on, he's grabbing the meat of your biceps, guiding you to the couch before sitting you down.

"hey!" you huff, falling back against the cushions—wow, for a frat couch it's really comfortable.

"i'm going to find lucas, okay? stay here." matthew tells you firmly before walking back into the heart of the crowd, on a mission to find your boyfriend. it's actually not a hard task, and he's only looking for a minute or two before he spots lucas—in the back corner with a couple guys from the team and some mystery girls, all laughing and passing around a joint.

"hey," matthew starts firmly, grabbing the groups attention. lucas brows pull, taking a slow drag from the joint resting between two loose fingers.

"lucas man, y/n needs to go home—she's practically black out."

lucas groans, passing off the joint to the blonde girl closest to matthew—the same girl who's been eyeing him since he walked up to the group a few moments ago.

"fuck, man. I forgot she was here."

his word have matthew's jaw ticking, eyes squinting pointedly. "you forgot your girlfriend was here?"

lucas, ever oblivious, doesn't catch the irritation lacing his roommates words, and he only shrugs nonchalantly before taking a hearty sip of beer. he looks at matthew, a hopeful glimmer in his eyes. "listen, I'm still having a good time. can you like, take her home?"

matthew can barley hold back a scoff. "seriously?"

"i'd really appreciate it." lucas says. "I can trust you, right?"

that really rubs matthew the wrong way, because what the actual fuck is he even trying to insinuate with that comment. before he can bite his tongue, matthew's anger comes boiling to a point. "yeah, because i'm not some no good boyfriend who's spending his time doing drugs and flirting with 18 year olds while my girlfriend is alone and vulnerable."

lucas blinks, taken back—but matthew doesn't care. matthew sends one more harsh glare towards him before leaving the area, weaving back through the party.

when he reaches you again you're practically sleeping, holding your knees to your chest and using them as a pillow. your face is squished, your blinks slow.

"we're going." matthew tells you, gently nudging your knee.

you groan, lifting your head. "where's lucas?"

"he's not coming."

"oh." you sigh, blinking with unshed emotion. your hair is wild, like you've been sweating and running your fingers through it all night—which you have. and if matthew wasn't so frustrated with his roommate right now, he'd probably tease you about it.

matthew helps you off the couch, wrapping his arm around your waist to provide you with some stability as he guides you both outside.

the fresh air is shocking, sending you into a fit of shivers almost immediately—despite the mid may warmth. thankfully it's not a long walk back to the apartment, and matthew only has to stop with you twice because you claim you're going to throw up—spoiler alert, you don't.

you stumble out the elevator, tripping over your own two feet. matthew grabs the back of your tank top, halting you back up. "okay, slow down."

"but i'm tired." you whine, head falling back dramatically.

"you're gunna be real tired when you smack your face off the ground and end up in the ER." matthew let's go of your shirt, but takes ahold of your wrist, practically pulling you down the hall towards your apartment door.

"I don't want to go to the ER." you tell him, eyes widening with panic.

matthew's almost amused, sending you a small smirk over his shoulder. "okay, then let's get you inside."

"okay." you nod in agreement. thankfully the door is unlocked, because matthew didn't even want to start asking you about the whereabouts of your keys while you're this obliterated.

you sigh happily, kicking off your shoes messily before stumbling through your dark apartment. blindly, matthew finds the switch beside the door, flickering on the overhead light.

as soon as the room becomes illuminated he located you again, lounging half on the couch. he moves towards you, his smirk growing. "that's not your bed."

"it's not?"

he stifles a laugh. "no."

you whine again, head lolling to the side dramatically. "can you take me there?" your arms extend out towards him, resembling a mummy. "please. don't be mean."

matthew gulps gently, but takes ahold of your hands, pulling you back into unstable feet. "i'm not mean." he tells you, letting go of your hands. it proves to be a mistake because your immediately falling backwards.

matthew curses, grabbing you before you hit the couch and pulling you back up. you laugh, feeling very much like a ragdoll. you look up into his eyes, "you are too."

"you're mean too." he says, wrapping an arm around your hips and looping his fingers through your belt loop. he begins walking you both down the hall, "you're the one who calls me names."

you gawk loudly. "i'm only defending myself, matthew."

"whatever you say, y/n." he hums playfully. "which room is yours?"

you tell him that it's the room at the end of the hall, and allow matthew to continue guiding you to your bedroom. he nudges the half open door with hip, opening the threshold completely.

he drops you to the bed, and you go easily, falling against the unmade pile of blankets with a smile on your face. "where are your pyjamas?"

you lazily point towards the tall dresser next to the door. "top drawer."

matthew nods, pulling it open and immediately stifling through the jam packed drawer. he manages to pull out a t-shirt and plaid pants—ones he's seen you wearing at his place before. he tosses the items beside you. "think you can manage that?"

you sit up quickly, a lazy scoff falling past your lips. "yes." you grab onto the pyjamas, and before anything else your eyes widen, glancing back to matthew. "turn around."

matthew snickers at your tone—obviously he was going to turn around, but seeing you get so worked up over it has him left amused. he turns on his feet, broad back facing you as he looks into the dark hallway—patiently waiting for you to change.

you begin taking off your tight, alcohol sticky clothes, desperate to get into something comfortable and climb under the blankets. you lift your shirt over your head, and the momentary lack of vision has you stumbling, falling into the chair beside your vanity.

you hear matthew's quiet snicker. "shut up." you grumble, pulling on the pyjama shirt.

"didn't say anything."

"you thought it." you retort. eventually you get into the pants as well, and immediately climb into your bed. the sound of your delightful sigh and ruffling sheets have matthew peeking over his shoulder, making sure you were decent.

once he sees that you are in fact dressed, he faces you again. "do you need to be sick?"

you pause, is if you were assessing yourself to find an answer. a beat passes, "don't think so."

he hums doubtfully, walking towards your vanity and taking ahold of your tiny trash bin sitting underneath. you'd emptied it that morning, so there was nothing but a makeup wipe and a few q-tips in the bottom from when you'd gotten ready. matthew puts it beside your bed. "just in case you're lying."

"excuse me," you huff, squinting pointedly. "I don't lie."

he ignores you, picking up the stuffed zebra sitting on your bed, wedged between the pillow and the headboard. matthew snorts, examining the matted fur and scratched button eyes of your most prized possession. "awh, who's this little guy?"

you push up, snatching your zebra from his hands and bringing it to your chest. "don't touch ross with your filthy hands."

"his name is ross?" matthew snickers as you cuddle the stuffed animal, rubbing your cheek against the top of its head.

you nod. "yes."

"cute." he hums.

your eyes feel heavy with sleep, and it has you falling back towards the pillows, your beloved ross smooshed against your face. matthew swallows gently, watching the way your breath begins to even out and your blinks become slower.

"goodnight, y/n." he whispers.

matthew walks out your room, slowly shutting the door behind him—but just before the latch click, you mumble his name. it has him pausing, slowly pushing the door open once more.

you're looking towards the door lazily. "can you stay with me.”

matthew's face falls, swallowing roughly at the sight of you—laid out on your bed, completely relaxed and pretty. you don't even know what you do to him, and it drives him insane. he sighs. "no. I can't."

you pout, a breathy wind blowing past your dry lips. "pleaseee...lucas never stays with me."

the mention of your boyfriend has matthew scoffing, the conversation they'd had earlier coming back to him in a angry wave. "lucas is a dick."

he's expecting your to scold him, so matthew is surprised when your gentle giggles float through the room. "such a dick." you slur in agreement.

a moment passes, and your quiet giggles slowly die. wordlessly, your hand comes out fromunder the covers and pats the spot beside you—inviting him on your bed.

matthew's breath hitches, but he doesn't walk away. matthew softly shuts the door before walking back through your room, stepping over stray shoes and your discarded party clothes on the way to your bed.

"I don't bite." you grin teasingly.

matthew can't help the smirk that makes its way onto his face. "doubt it."

your smile mimics his, and that has matthew getting onto your bed, sitting atop the covers and leaning his upper body against your plush headboard.

it's only a few more minutes before your gentle snoring is heard throughout the room, a tell tale sign that you've fallen into a deep sleep. matthew watches you for a moment, letting the peace linger between you—a peace that has never been between you before.

matthew's eyes begin to feel heavy, and before he knows it, your soft snores are lulling him to sleep.

STAGE 4: Ignorance

when you woke up the following morning, you were in a state of confusion, still dealing with the lingering affects of alcohol and trying to re-collect your memories from the night before.

with a groan, you got out of bed, shuffling down the hall and into the living room. thankfully, cora is still sleeping after he late night shift—so you're in complete silence as you pour yourself a hefty glass of ice water.

it comes back to you in flashes, each blurry memory worse than the last—rachel convincing you to have another drink, followed by another, the loosing rachel at the party and having to walk through the house while hammered. then matthew is bringing you home, without lucas for a reason you don't recall—matthew in your room, changing behind his back, him touching ross...you pleading for him to stay.

your breath hitches—a mixture of embarrassment and hangxiety hitting you at full force. then you feel yourself panic, your stomach dropping. had you even checked beside you this morning? was your boyfriends best friend still in your bed?

you quickly—much quicker than you should be moving when you're that hungover—make your way back down the wall, sheepishly peeking into your bedroom.

he's gone. and that makes you feel worse than before.

you don't see him for the whole day, and then the next day comes and you still don't run into matthew knies. not in the hallway of your apartment building, and certainly not in the elevator. you don't see him at school, or even at the hockey rink. the one time you spend the night at your boyfriends, matthew is nowhere to be found. almost two weeks pass, and you haven't seen him at all.

it's making you anxious, and not only can cora tell—sending you looks of pity anytime you're making dinner together—but lucas can tell something is up with you too.

anytime he'd ask, you'd brush it off with a easy excuse—you're tired, or you have a headache—but it was never believable, and it was becoming repetitive.

did you say something to him? did you do something to him? you're reeling with possibilities of what could've happened between you and matthew knies to have him actively avoiding you.

but honestly, you're no better, and after a few days the anxiety of it all was getting to you—and you begin actively avoiding him as well. you  call in sick to work anytime your shift is during a game, and you've only spent time with lucas if it's at your apartment. you leave early for class with the hopes of avoiding running into him, and you stay behind late for the same reason.

it was exhausting but you couldn't help it.

so when cora texted you this afternoon about meeting up for lunch between her classes, you easily agreed. wednesday's were your free days, with no classes to take up your schedule—moping around your apartment while dealing with the mess of emotions in your head wasn't your most ideal choice of productivity.

so with only an hour until cora's lunch gap, you strip out of your pyjamas, tossing on your robe before making your way to the bathroom. you throw your hair up, only intending to wash your body and hopefully clean off any lingering lazy and anxious energy from your skin.

you sigh, pulling back the floral printed shower curtain. immediately, you scream, jumping backwards as the sight of a large, brown spider that greets you—scurrying up the walls before slipping back down.

your eyes begin welling up with tears as dry sobs rack your body—of course there's a fucking gigantic spider in your bathtub.

you rush out the bathroom and make a beeline for the front door, pulling it open with the upmost urgency. you don't even close it, speed walking down the dimly lit hallway until you're at your boyfriends apartment.

your knocks are frantic, perfectly capturing the emotions your feeling. thankfully it's only a few moments of your panic stricken knocking before the handle turns, the door opening to reveal not lucas.

matthew's taken back at the sight of you—hair piled on top of your head with a makeup stained robe around you, bare feet on display. quickly, his eyes land upon your face, and the sight of your tears and pale skin has him faltering. "what's wrong?"

you swallow roughly, a few tears trailing down your blotchy cheeks. "I went to take a shower, and there's a huge fucking spider and i'm so scared of bugs—I don't know what to do, I need help." you're a babbling, sniffling mess, eyes darting between matthew and back down the hall.

"it's okay." he says quickly, stepping out into the hallway. "i'll kill it, okay?"

you nod, blowing out a shaky breath. "okay." for as long as you can remember you've had a crippling fear of any and all creepy, crawly insects. something about the way they scurry around quickly, unable to know what it's thinking and what it's planning to do to you, never fails to leave you shaking.

your fear has completely taken over your body, and it's the only reason you're able to speak to matthew knies without remembering the past few weeks between you—or rather, the lack there of.

you follow him back to your apartment timidly, trialing behind his broad shoulders like a lost puppy. he breathes gently as he enters, grabbing one of the extra shoes at the front door—the spider killing weapon of choice, clearly.

"it's in the tub." you mutter, eyes darting down the hall. matthew nods, walking towards the bathroom like he's not about to battle the eight legged beast residing in there.

he pulls back the shower curtain further, and you peek around his bicep—locking eyes with the creature. you shiver, a disgruntled moan leaving your mouth. matthew looks back at you. "sure you wanna watch?"

in all seriousness, you nod. "I need to know it's dead."

"okay," he hums, grip tightening around your floppy, strappy sandal. the spider is still crawling around, attempting to escape over the lip of the bathtub but inevitably falling back down.

it's definitely not as big as you described it, but matthew doesn't even dare bring that up. at least, he won't until the spider is gone and you're returning back to a normal heart rate. he brings the shoe up before quickly bringing it back down, but before it can be smooshed, the spider scurries away.

you squeal once again, eyes filling with salty tears as you grip matthew's arm—hiding your face is the soft material of his sweater. "its moving!"

he has a hard time stifling his laugh, looking down at you with an amused expression. "why are you cryin?"

"i'm scared." you mutter, fingers digging into his arm muscle. "hurry up and kill it—oh my god, i'm going to be sick."

matthew rolls his eyes, the action laced with fondness rather than irritation. "well I can't kill it if you're holding onto me for dear life." he watches the way your eyes dart towards the grip on his bicep, and you quickly release him, taking a small step backwards.

now with his arm free, he approaches the tub again, and this time when he brings the sandal down, it finds the spider, smacking the unwanted insect with a sickening plat.

you practically gag, wringing out your hands in disgust at the sound.

matthew looks at you again. "you good?"

hesitantly, you nod. "yeah."

thankfully matthew cleans up the remnants of the spider from your white tub with some toilet paper, eliminating any disturbing evidence of its existence.

as he does, and your frantic state comes back down to normal, you come to the shuddering realization of what's happening—matthew, the man you haven't since since your impromptu sleepover, is standing in your bathroom—all while you cry and stand naked under a robe.

he flushes the paper down your toilet, the hallow flush echoing through your ears. matthew turns back to you, sending you a closed mouth, awkward smile.

you hate this—this isn't the matthew you know. you hadn’t realized how much you missed his annoying remarks and infuriating smirk until you no longer had them. you're panicking again, expect this time it's because you don't want him to leave and you never see him again.

you clear your throat, stepping in his path. "I haven't seen you."

his brows pull tightly, eyeing you up and down curiously. "what do you mean?"

"you've been avoiding me." you huff, nerves settling low in your belly. you’re not even worried about how desperate you sound, and you play with the string of your robe with nervous, trembling hands.

"only because you've been avoiding me." he retorts firmly.

"what?" you breathe roughly—exasperated. even though you so badly want to say that you haven't, it would be a lie. you have been avoiding him, and clearly he's caught onto the fact. so you decide to play coy, and somewhat petty, crossing your arms. "i'm literally with you right now."

matthew snickers. "not by choice."

"and since when have I ever spent time with you by choice?" you question lightly.

matthew's almost playful expression falters, and a more serious look blossoms over his features. he swallows gently, adam’s apple bobbing prominently. "since you've never decided to walk away."

your mouth opens, nothing but a hitched breath coming out. you blink once, and then again, feeling nothing less than speechless from matthew's words.

his eyes dart over your face, taking in your seemingly surprised reaction. he too blinks roughly, shaking his head slightly as if he didn't mean to say that aloud. matthew clears his throat once, "i'm sorry for being all weird these past couple weeks," he pauses, eyes finding yours, "I just didn't want to make you uncomfortable."

you frown. "you didn't." a gentle, shaky laugh leaves you, "if I'm remembering correctly, I begged you to stay."

his lips quirk upwards in a smile, "more like pleaded."

"okay!" you laugh in amused disbelief, covering your eyes with a still shaking hand. "don't remind me."

"but you see, this reaction is going to make me remind you at every possible opportunity." matthew teases, reaching towards you until his fingers gently brush yours, moving your hand away from your blushing face.

your eyes flicker back to his, smile falling as you blink up at him. you gulp gently, feeling your stomach swoop with a combination of emotions—nerves, confusion, fear, denial...need.

matthew's eyes slowly trace over you face, lingering on your damp lips before reluctantly tearing his gaze away. but he can't help but to drink you in further, admiring your exposed neck and collarbones—the fuzzy peach housecoat and the crazy hair—the silver initial necklace hanging around you, dangling above your sternum like the perfect accessory. it's all so new and so you.

your gazes meet again, and this time you sigh, a breathy noise that shoots right through matthew.

you blink, and without knowing what to do, you look away, back towards the shower. "how do you know there's no more spiders?" you question timidly, an awkward, unsure laugh following.

matthew holds onto his sigh, turning back to the bathtub. he puts his hands on his hips, stepping closer. "hello? anybody here?" he directs into the shower, looking around the porcelain white walls comically.

you smile fondly just as he looks back to you. "no more spiders."

something is seriously changing between you and matthew, and that makes you feel even more anxious than before. as you finally shower—speedily because you're still scared of the possibility of more creatures—and get ready for lunch, you can't help but wonder.

the what ifs and possibilities all involving your boyfriends roommate are very prevalent in your head, even as you begin to walk to a local campus cafe. as soon as you sit down, you're spilling your guts to cora.

no, you think, you can't like matthew because it's wrong—it's crazy. you're in a relationship, and a few months ago you hated him...at least, you thought you hated him.

and as you expressed it all to your friend, she listened with nothing but love and understanding. when you eventually stop your panicked ramble, cora sighs, looking at you like she just knows.

in that moment you know—the eyes never lie.

STAGE 5: Breaking

you scan the page of your textbook carefully, reading the history material in the hopes of applying it to your research assignment—but your mind is in a million other places.

since you've come to the realization 3 days ago that you have some sort of feelings for matthew, you haven't stopped thinking about him. you're still not sure what it is exactly you feel, so in all honesty you don't feel guilty about it—at least, not yet.

you blink, focusing your eyes as you attempt at reading the same paragraph again. the library is thankfully empty, meaning there's nobody to provide any type of distraction—the last thing you need is another distraction.

well, you're not completely alone, lucas is sitting across from you, typing away on his laptop as he attempts at starting his assignment that was due tomorrow. god, just thinking about that stresses you out. his legs stretch out underneath the table, invading your space, as well as his things spread across the tabletop—providing little to no breathing room.

all day there's been a lingering, awkward energy between you and lucas. he's been unusually quiet, and anytime he did talk to you it was quick and uninterested. unfortunately you've been too busy within your own head to notice the sharp glances he's been sending you, and the way his lips pull into a frown anytime you'd make a sigh of frustration or worry.

it was constant—and lucas was at his breaking point. as you have to restart the scentence again, a tiny huff leaving your lips, he shuts his laptop, the heavy click echoing throughout the library.

you look up quickly, brows pulled together as you eye him. "you okay?"

he huffs in disbelief, "your mind is like somewhere else recently—it feels like you're just a host of a body. it's like you don't even want to be with me." lucas tone is dripping with frustration, sounding nothing less then condescending and irritated.

you blink quickly, taken back from his sudden outburst. slowly, you put down the pen you'd been using to follow along with the words, eyeing lucas with a confusing tilt. is he joking? the last person who should be complaining about anything like this is lucas.

his face stays stern—looking at you like he's just watched you kill his dog. he's not joking.

you scoff quietly, but the disgusted tone is more than prevalent. "seriously? that's rich coming from you lucas. it feels like you haven't wanted to spend time with me for the past three months."

"that's not true." he retorts quickly, crossing his arms over his broad chest.

"is it not?" you question sarcastically.

"no!" lucas practically shouts, leaning on the table as he eyes you wildly. "you sound stupid right now."

the remark that you had dies on your tongue, mouth snapping shut. your jaw clicks as it tightens, anger coursing through you at lucas' insult. "how come you didn't take me home at that party a few weeks ago?" you question softly, a knowing look in your pointed gaze.

he wasn't expecting that, and it has him flattering slightly, leaning back as he blinks two quick times. lucas runs a hand through his unruly, light hair, tugging at the root in frustration—trying to think of answer.

"I don't know...fucking seemed like matthew had it under control." he swallows, pausing for a moment. "why does it matter?"

his admission give you confirmation you hadn't realized you'd been looking for. you laugh in disbelief, "yeah, well it seems like matthew is the only one who cares about me."

it was a low blow, one that has lucas' anger rising rapidly—but it was your truth, and you know that now.

"yeah too fucking much." he snarls.

"sorry that he cares about me—unlike you."

lucas jaw tightens, eyeing your face with a look you've never seen before. "we need to break up."

you look at him with disbelief and disappointment, your lip beginning to quiver. "so you're not even going to deny it? not even going to try and fight for me?"

this conversation has taken a turning point you weren't expecting—at least not today. there's nothing but anger between you, but yet you're not upset about being broken with. you're upset because you feel stupid, and everything you've feared about your relationship is true. lucas may love you, but he doesn't care about you.

his eyes flicker with something unknown, and he sighs, "I don't think you want me to."

you close your textbook and shove it into your bag, pushing off the table as you hastily get to your feet. "you're a dick." you don't wait for his response, leaving the library with your heart in your hands.

you push open the grand doors, and immediately you're enveloped in rain. you curse, tightening the hold on your book bag as you begin speed walking in the direction of your apartment. it seems that the rain only gets harder as you go, pelting against your skin like mini bullets and completely soaking you.

it's the cherry on top of everything, and you can't wait to get home, strip completely naked and cry in bed.

the sigh of relief is loud as you finally get back to the apartment building, walking into the lobby like a wet dog. you make a b-line to the elevators, not making your usual stop in the mail room—something that was habit anytime you'd come home.

you wring your hair out between your hands, the water hitting the elevator carpet with a small plopping noise. thankfully, it doesn't stop and you make it up to your door without any interruptions.

you sniffle away the emotion creeping up your chest, stepping out into the dimly lit hallway. you only make it a few steps before a door is opening, distracting you.

it's lucas and matthew's apartment, and our steps the latter, gym bag slung over his shoulder. you come to a slow stop without meaning to, looking at him with a soft, yet curious gaze.

his eyes dart to you, but as soon as he sees the state your in he's moving, stepping closer to you with a worried expression. "woah...you okay?"

just the caring tone of his question has you welling up with tears, and it feels like everything is crashing down on you all at once. the confusion, the anger, the heartbreak, the lust, the curiosity...it's all there, drowning you.

you shake your head, mouth opening and closing unsurely. "I-I don't...i'm so." your voice is shaking, and you're borderline hyperventilating as you attempt at getting a coherent sentence out.

matthew lets his gym bag slip off his shoulder, hitting the ground with a hard thud. he takes ahold of your biceps, squeezing the fleshiest part firmly. "take a fucking breath, y/n, you're gunna make yourself sick."

closing your eyes, you take a few deep breaths, attempting to calm yourself down from the sudden emotional attack set upon yourself. it takes a minute, but eventually you feel yourself begin to relax, your heart rate slowly creeping back down.

you let your eyes flutter back open, meeting the concerned ones of matthew. your brows pull tightly, a nervous gulp following. "why are you looking at me like that, matthew?" your question is barley above a whisper, as if you were almost scared of the response.

"like what?" he breathes, not once breaking eye contact.

it's almost intimidating, but it's also confirming of so many things. but of course, you're hesitant—heck you're scared and nervous and so unsure about what's going on between you. your brows are still drawn together, creating a tiny indent in the middle of your forehead.

matthew has to fight every urge in his body to not run his thumb over the indent to smooth it out.

"like...like you fucking care about me. like you want me." you answer firmly, eyes frantically moving around matthew's face as you attempt at gauging his reaction.

he doesn't release the hold on your biceps, his gaze turning completely soft. "y/n." he says your name knowingly, fingers gently running up your arms. that’s his answer.

"matthew." you exhale shakily, distracted by the gentle pressure of his fingers on your skin. "you're making me all..."

"all...what?"

"confused." you say honestly, looking up at him with the most vulnerable expression he's seen.

matthew swallows roughly, jerking his hands off your body like you just told him that's he's burning you. "i'm sorry"

the soft, hopeful look on his face doesn't falter, and if anything it increases. "no," you shake your head, "stop."

"what? stop apologizing?" he questions with a frown.

"no," you repeat, "stop looking at me like that."

a moment passes before he speaks again, his words laced with desire— stressing his words. "I can't."

another beat of silence, nothing but the hitching breath of both and you matthew to be heard. you lick onto your bottom lip, "lucas and I...we broke up."

"you did?"

you only get one nod out before matthew rushes forward, grasping your face like he's been waiting for the opportunity since he was put onto the earth. you tilt your head back instinctively, and it's just timed as matthew leans down to kiss you.

the kiss is instantly desperate, the clashing of lips and teeth alluding to so. your tongues glide across each others like second nature, elevating the kiss to a higher, more intense level. it's exhilarating—it's right.

you sigh into his mouth, trembling hands reaching up and grabbing onto matthew's wrists—keeping him against you. you've completely forgotten that you're soaked from head to toe, and how you've just had a fight with lucas that lead to a break up...it's all lost in matthew.

his hands slide farther back, fingers intertwining with your wet strands of hair. it's a gentle and welcoming pull, and you can't help but sigh in pleasure.

matthew follows suit, groaning into your messy kiss. it's been months and months of tip-toeing around one another, too scared to admit the truth in fear of ruining everything and everyone else along the way. but now it's just you two, and matthew can't help but moan at the thought.

the elevator doors slide open, and you’re both pulling apart instinctively at the sound.

but as lucas stands there, jaw ticking with anger as he stares at you—you know it's too late, and he's just seen you making out with his friend. or better yet, he's seen his friend making out with his newley ex-girlfriend.

"are you two fucking serious?"

your mouth opens, but nothing comes out. it looks bad, you know it it does—mostly because it is bad. you've been thinking about matthew for much longer than you care to admit, and the first thing you did after getting broken up with is run into his arms—letting matthew kiss you like you're both horny teenagers.

"lucas..." matthew trails off, turning to his roommate with a guilty laced hesitation.

but lucas is only looking at you, that same disgusted smirk on his face from the library. "can't even remember the last time you kissed me, but yet the first thing you did after leaving the library was make out with my roommate. I didn't realize you were such a slut."

you inhale sharply, tears quickly welling up in your eyes.

matthew rushes forward, and before he can logically think of the consequences of his actions, he punches lucas square across the face.

"matthew!" you gasp, moving towards the two men with concern pulling at your face. "no."

he doesn't hear you, looking at lucas as he clutches his jaw. matthew's gaze narrows, shaking out his hand. "don't fucking talk to her like that."

your ex-boyfriend laughs in a mixture of shock and disbelief, stretching his jaw out before he looks back at you. lucas doesn't say anything else, turning and leaving down the buildings stair well.

you're shocked, embarrassed and guilt ridden—your watery gaze locked on the empty space lucas was only moments ago occupying.

"y/n?" matthew questions gently, snapping you out of your own head.

you blink hard, shaking your head. "i'm sorry, I just need some space." you turn away from matthew before he has the chance to answer—mostly because you're too scared that if he begins to speak you'll crawl right back into his arms.

matthew watches you walk away, and all he can do is stand there, focused on your fleeting figure as he slip into your apartment—your lip trembling without another glance in his direction.

his face is contorted, not in anger, but in a look of concern. guilt flashes across his features, and he can't help but groan, running a palm over his face in frustration. did he just loose you for good?

you shut the apartment door behind you, and the tears begin falling down your face at a rapid pace. your lips tug into a frown, a sob wracking through you as you lean back against the door.

cora rounds the corner at the sound, her eyebrows pulled in concern. "what's wrong?" she breathes, rushing towards you.

"I did something terrible." you admit through your stuttering gasps, looking at your roommate with a million different emotions.

"honey..." she coos, wrapping you in a hug. your tears intensify as cora squeezes you in the embrace, and you bury your face in her shoulder to mask your desperate cry.

Epilogue

“god miller! just kiss me already!”

“no, not like this!”

you groan, falling into the couch cushions. the scene on the tv illuminates the room, the late afternoon sun hidden behind the blackout curtains you’ve had drawn since this morning.

nick and jess from new girl have not only been giving you entertainment all day while you mope around, but they’ve also been stupid cute and in love—it makes you want to die.

you’ve only been two places since the chaotic ending to last night; your bed which you cried in all night, and the couch which obviously you also cried on. you keep running through the events of yesterday—the breakup with lucas, finding matthew in the hallway, borderline confessing your feelings to him…kissing him. it felt good—so so good.

but just like that it was snatched from you, and the guilt riddling your body is just nerve wracking and wrenching. while you were kissing matthew, the last thing you were thinking about was lucas, and the possibility of him finding you both like that wasn’t even in your mind. but it happened and now everything feels like a mess—and you feel like an awful person.

you’ve clearly hurt lucas—that much was evident in the awful things he said to you. when you told cora everything last night, eyes stinging with tears and snot dribbling from your nose, she was quick to remind you that lucas never treated you good, and that no matter what he shouldn’t of said that to you.

your phone buzzes against your thigh, making you sit up—brows furrowed in question.

lucas

are you home?

you pause the tv quickly, all while reading the text over and over again as you try and make sense of it. what does he need? does he want to talk? is he going to yell at you? is he simply just curious? does he want to fix your relationship?

you hold your breath as you shakily type your reply.

y/n

yea

you exhale as it goes through, and in habit you bring your thumb to your lips, nerves consuming you as you begin gnawing on the skin around your nail.

your phone buzzes with an incoming message again.

lucas

can I come talk?

you swallow, sitting up straighter as you read his message. this can’t be good, you think—you’ve done nothing positive in the last twenty four hours that warrants a civil talk with your ex. you desperately want to ignore him—throw your phone across the room and get back to new girl on the tv.

a show that you only started watching because it’s matthew favourite—your brain reminds you. you look down at your phone again, thumbs hovering over the keyboard as you contemplate.

you deserve not only closure, but happiness—not matter what.

y/n

sure

you barley have a minute of speed running the apartment, picking up the empty tub of ice cream and what feels like hundreds on snotty tissues from your crying, before there’s a knock at your door.

even if you didn’t know he was coming over, would could tell it was lucas by the weight of the knock. it was soft, almost hesitant—like he wasn’t sure if he wanted to actually be at your door. it always sounded like that.

before you back out, you pull open the door, revealing yourself to a deadpanned face lucas who’s standing with his hands shoved in his pockets. he gulps, eyeing your figure briefly. “can I come in.”

you nod reluctantly, stepping to the side to create enough room for him to slip inside your apartment. lucas sends you a forced smile as he enters, moving through your place like he’s done many times before.

the door shuts with a gentle click, but the room is so tense and quiet it sounds like a bomb. you follow suit, walking into the living room where lucas stands stagnant—eyeing around the apartment with an unsure expression. suddenly his eyes meet yours, “did you cheat on me?”

“no.” you tell him. “I would never cheat…on anybody.”

he sniffs, the sound annoying and disgusting—it’s like he’s trying to stay calm. “but you like him, right? you like matthew?”

you’re so used to trying to please him that you want to stay quiet—because you know if you admit your feelings for his friend, everything is going to completely change…more than it already has. and as lucas looks at you now, his gaze nothing but knowing, you decide you’re done trying to hide from him.

“I do.” you confirm. “but nothing ever happens, and…I didn’t even know when these feelings started. i’ve been so confused for the longest time, and I was scared because I didn’t want to disappoint anyone.” you pause, wringing out your trembling fingers as you collect your next thoughts. “but i’m sick of doing things for everyone else…and I need to let myself be happy—whatever that ends up being.”

lucas stay silent for a moment, but you can see his mind running a mile a minute. his eyes dart all over you, analyzing your face and body language—you’ve never seen him look at you so intently, and it has you wanting to shy away.

he sighs, eyes flickering to yours. “I’m sorry, y/n—for everything.”

your shoulders deflate, and you feel the emotion you’ve been suppressing since lucas texted you coming back to the surface. “thank you. i’m sorry too.”

“can I give you a hug?” his hesitance is evident, looking at you like he’s unsure of your response—how you’ll react. looking at him right now, you can’t be mad at him. not about your relationship, the breakup or the name he called you in his rage. lucas is a good guy, you know that—he’s just not the guy for you.

“yeah.” you breathe. “i’d like that.”

lucas takes the three steps of distance between you, wrapping his arms around your shoulders as he brings you into his chest. your hands find place around his waist, holding him against you in a wordless goodbye. his cheek rests on the top of your head, a comforting gesture that has your eyes flickering shut.

he takes a deep breath—his words quiet as he speaks. “I think we met for a reason, y/n. and that reason is matthew.” you feel lucas swallow against you, like he knows what he just said is the final nail in the coffin—everything starts now. “have you noticed how he looks at you?”

you pull back, and watch as the corner of his lips begin to turn upwards—the faintest smile growing. lucas may not like it, but he’s accepted it, and it’s feels better than anything you could imagine. your own smile begins to show, and you nod. “I have.”

matthew knies was an enigma—a giant, infuriating mystery that you never expected to entangle yourself in. but if there’s one thing you’ve learned in the past few months, it’s that you’re easily intrigued, especially when the enigma has always cared for you, no matter how rude and stupid you acted towards him.

perhaps you never hated matthew, but rather the way he made you feel. you hated the idea of being in love with him because you had a boyfriend, so you'd turn into an easily irritated girl, who secretly wanted nothing more then the attention of the boy down the hall. the boy who was more of a boyfriend than lucas could ever be. the boy who you don't hate, but love.

of course, there’s still the lingering feelings of confusion and nervousness—because you don’t know where you and matthew will go from here.

but later in the day, on you way back from your evening class, as the elevator doors open to your floor and matthew stands there—a grin growing on both your faces at the mere sight of one another…you think you have an answer.

───────── ౨ৎ ─────────

playlist

every breath you take (i'll be watching you) by the police

pushing it down and praying by lizzy mcalpine

wrong by zayn

your needs, my needs by noah kahan

do I wanna know? by hozier (cover)

each time you fall in love by cigarettes after sex

if I can't be with you by olivia obrien

I would by one direction

[nylwnder]

little secret

a/n: hiiiiii bbs, sorry for the long gaps between fic drops for this series, life hates me and sometimes i just dont have the time to write </////3 or the motivation which is worse. waahhhh!!! HOWEVER, i was gifted some free time the past month, and because i love you guys so so much, i birth to you all: my first am34 fic <333333

pairing: auston matthews x fem!reader

warnings: SMUT! sex toys (lush toy), edging, fingering, p in v, unprotected sex, overstimulation, cockwarming, swearing, auston being in loveeeeee, secret relationship, confession of feelings

word count: 3.4k

taglist: @shoot-the-puck , @lukepangburn118, @eastoncowan , @boqvistsbabe , @sweetiet , @p1tstop , @occasionallyaurora , @laurenairay , @fallinallincurls , @andrea9 , @dylpickle4791 , @biznastysloneshift12 , @dramatic-queen

series masterpost

the vibrating feeling in between your thighs made you grip the edge of the counter top, almost dropping your drink. a moan escaped your throat as the pressure increased, your legs bucking before you felt yourself coming close to the edge.

“please please oh please” you mumble quietly but then the vibrations disappear all together again. you take a deep breath with a little whine.

you walk back to the couch, setting your small snack on the coffee table. watching as the leafs began to make it back out to the ice for the third period. knowing the teasing would take a break for the rest of the game unless he so happened to have his phone on the bench too.

—

it all started with a birthday present. a more mischievous gift for a relationship that's just freshly bloomed in the last few months. but your relationship is open and free and gratifying like that.

it was a small, curvy, hot pink toy. one that has devilish capabilities with the mere connection to a phone app. auston knew you would love it, and you also knew he would use the toy to its fullest potential—edging and overstimulating your folds as much as he can. and you do in fact love it, so it isn't surprising that you obliged when he handed it to you this afternoon. a mischievous grin on his face.

“need you to put this on for me, baby” he mentions gently, handing you the toy.

you take it in your palm, already imagining the impending feeling between your thighs. “when would you play with me though?” you ask, pondering the thought on how he’d manage in front of the team, nevermind the coaching crew.

he grins again, “i'll find a way. just need you to be a good girl and keep it in until i come home okay?”

you nod, biting your lip.

“i'll be nice, i promise” he mentions with a kiss to your cheek before a kiss to your lips.

—

unless his idea of nice was having you edged every single fucking time his finger began to play with the controls of the toy, then he was in fact nice. you were flustered, frustrated, being edged to reach any sort of release. you squirmed and whined as it tickled the bundle of nerves inside of you again as the team prepared for press. ready to discuss the well earned blowout win against the ducks, and the sixth hattrick of the season for auston.

you couldn’t deny it, auston looked so good out there on the ice—working the puck around bodies like nothing. and it made your heart swell that during the intermissions he couldn’t help but take the time and think of you, play with you, but oh did you want him home. in your arms so he can do you right.

you weren't even sure if you were overstimulated, even though he's been playing with you on-and-off for the past three hours and a half, you just wanted to cum. and oh god please on his cock.

—

auston kept his interview short and sweet, wanting to make it home earlier than usual despite the attention and requests regarding another outstanding performance. he wanted to get home to you.

the boys noticed his eagerness to skim through the usual routine, poking around and asking him if he's got a girl waiting at home. he gave a low smile, not discussing further than that. they didn't know about you yet. nobody knew.

being your boyfriend, he wasn't thrilled about the public eye getting a glimpse of you just yet. sure, he wants to take you out to a fancy dinner, hold your hand while you're walking home from the movies. of course he would want to show you off to the boys just so they can chirp him about how he landed you. but you were too special. too soft, kind and sweet. too perfect, he thought. he didn't want anyone to say otherwise, anyone to try to ruin you. the day will come when they know your name, sure. yet even when the moment arrives, when everyone finally lays eyes on you, he knows he’ll still be a protective force. always. if that means you’re his little secret for now, then so be it.

right now, you were all his. without anyone knowing. his warm soul. his dripping core. the one that he wants… no. he needs. right now. so badly.

—

when he got home his belongings were quickly discarded to the side. auston relishing in the warm and soothing atmosphere you have created out of his apartment, his senses welcomed by the sweet smell of you. the house always felt empty those nights you couldn’t be with him. your presence had brought a light to the home that it never had, that none of the other flings managed to spark.

he noticed your lounge pants laying near the couch in the living room. your slippers discarded on the other side. he moved forward to grab them, but placed it back down when he noticed your shirt near the entrance of the bedroom. a smile grew on his face.

a few steps forward granted him a beautiful view—his favourite view—the sole reason why he rushed through the toronto night traffic.

you sat at the edge of your bed in a satin lingerie slip. your hair was messy in that pretty way that framed your face, the way that made aus bite his lip in admiration. your lips softly pouted a “missed you.”

your legs slowly opened apart, showing your arousal from the night sopping through the fabric of your underwear. auston gave a low groan, and licked his lips.

“need you. so bad.” you whine.

he walks towards you, and you instantly wrap your legs around him to connect your lips. his grip on your hips yanks you higher onto the bed, allotting him space to get on and tower over you. you nip on his lip as you both break for air.

“you were mean” you murmur. he smirked, “i promised you i'd be nice, that's why i'm gonna make her feel so much better” he says, cupping your dripping core.

you whimper, “please”

his fingers hook on your panties, pulling them down and throwing them to the side. he reaches for the tail of the lush toy, making sure to gently pull the rest of it out. you squirmed at the emptiness, aus seeing the way your entrance clenched around nothing.

“you did s’good, baby. taking it like a good girl” he mutters in your ear as his lips attach to your neck. his wet kisses mixed with his nipping move down to your collarbone, then to the tops of your breasts.

he makes sure to keep his work up until he knows purple and red marks will litter your skin in a couple of hours. making it difficult for you to hide them everytime you leave his apartment. god forbid your friends see them. you're not in the mood to be forced to disclose any more details about your boyfriend. you just wanna keep living in this little bubble the two of you have managed to keep.

not yet. just a little longer.

“mmm, you looked so good out there baby” you manage to mutter. trying your best to not get lost in his kisses but sometimes it's just too hard.

you can feel his smile against your skin. “thank you” he says, kissing on top of his mouth’s handiwork before grabbing you by the hips and bringing you to sit down on his lap.

“your sixth hattrick. not everyone can do that” you speak again, smiling, running your fingers through his hair at the nape of his neck.

his smile didn't leave his face, leaning in to kiss you tenderly. “…nevermind the fact that this was your second back-to-back hatty” you say against his lips.

this time he begins to blush, in what you think is quite literally the most beautiful way possible. you can't help but to kiss him again. he looks down while squeezing your hips before looking back up and letting out a light chuckle. “we gonna keep talking about it or are you going to let me celebrate with you? hm?”

it's your turn to flush a bit. embarrassed you may have been discussing something in a situation where you shouldn’t even be talking in the first place. but you couldn't help it, you wanted to give him all the possible affirmations you could.

“m’sorry” you reply, wrapping your arms tighter around his frame, endeavouring in the taste of his mouth once again. you can feel the mint from the gum he was chewing on the drive back home. it relaxes you.

one of his hands stays pressed on your spine, scrunching the material of your night slip between his fingers, while his other hand travels down. his large palm shamelessly grabbing your ass, moulding your flesh to the shape of his fingers. your skin quickly heats up again and your mind swirls over the rhythm of his tongue against yours and the bulge growing beneath you. aus presses you down, hard, against his clothed lap, it feels like he's already fucking you. but it's the illusion of his fingers bluntly sliding between your folds and pressing over your opening, stirring a good moan out of you.

he sticks in a finger and you subconsciously bite down on his lip. he hums before sticking in another and you accidentally do the same thing again. there's a burning feeling between your thighs, perhaps you are overstimulated after all. but that's not stopping you. you still want him to help you to that finish line that he so cruelly didn't let you reach.

he pumps in and out a bit, making sure you’re wet enough. that was surely a fact, with the way your juices covered his fingers so exceedingly. anticipation continued to build inside of auston, causing the bulge between his thighs to strain against his dress pants. hes been thinking about you the whole night, and your pussy even more.

you untug auston’s shirt, allowing you to unbutton his pants. he helps you pull them off of his legs, while you take off his shirt from his sculpted chest. you run your fingers down his torso, following the lines that shape him. his lips connect to your neck, immediately finding your pulse point. you grind down on him and he allows a groan to escape his lips and echo in your ear. you smile.

“can i take this off?” he asks, tugging at your slip.

you nod needily, the cold air hardening your nipples at the exposure. auston can't help but groan again, yanking you up so he can attach his lips to them. you whine sharply, feeling the tip of his cock nudging near your entrance as well.

he releases your one nipple with a “pop”, sinking you down on his length before you can even make out a sound.

“m’fuck” you mumble, your body ablaze.

“god you’re truly the most beautiful thing i’ve ever seen” he says. holding your hips back to get a good look at you.

“auston…” you whine at him, blood rushing to your cheeks again in slight shyness. however your walls clench around him.

“let me compliment you.” he laughed, helping your hips sway against his lap. left, right, up and down, it all felt exactly how you wanted. perfect.

your cunt was soaking wet. the sounds the two of you make where your bodies connect is unholy. auston’s fingers have a tight grip on your love handles, trying his best to keep himself together for you. he chose to focus on littering whatever skin he can reach with more marks, making sure you remember you’re his when you wake up tomorrow morning.

with all the emotions and sensations it truly doesn't take you long to feel the addictive feeling deep in your stomach again. eyes fluttering shut, mewls escaping your pink plump lips, boobs swaying gracefully with your movements, it's like a scene out of a dream the way your walls have a snug grip on auston’s cock. shes perfect, he notes to himself.

he holds you close to him, before moving you to lay down on the bed. he pushes his hands under your thighs and lifts your hips. the position slides him even deeper. makes his cock push up into you, into that spongy part inside that forces your eyes to roll back even more. your thighs begin to tremble.

“take me so good baby, s’like you were made for me.”

“i am.” you respond, because he’s made you honest. in the delirium of him, you’re saying what you’ve had buried inside of you for the past months, waiting for moments like this. with the way he makes you feel it's impossible not to think this way. my god, you’re sure you love him.

with your breathing heavy, recovering from your high, auston groans against your lips––pumping himself into you like a man fueled by pure hunger. the warmth of his cum spilling into you makes you all the more lightheaded.

you grip at the nape of auston’s neck, bringing him in for a kiss. both of your lips already hot pink and puffy. but the need to ground each other is so strong.

the euphoric feeling of relief from your earlier pent up frustration begins to make your body soften. your head felt more vulnerable and you couldn't suppress the words any further. “aus..” you say, kissing his lips before looking him in the eyes. he gives out a small hum in acknowledgment.

“i-i love you. i really do.” your hands squeeze the ends of his hair in anticipation of his response.

did you know that a 6’3, beefy, sassy hockey player can feel butterflies? cause auston is pretty sure he just did. a smile crept up from the corners of his mouth and overtook his entire demeanour. you couldn’t help but reciprocate it.

“yeah?” he asks softly.

you nod, auston’s hands moving to drop your legs and grip your sides instead.

“i love you too, baby.” why wouldn't i? you're too good to be true.

a feeling of bliss overtakes your body. pent up emotions finally all out on the table. its been a lovely set of months now and perhaps you both are ready for that next step.

both of his hands interlock with yours, moving your arms up and over your head. the grip is snug and safe. you can picture holding hands in the cold weather, his palm big and warm enough that you don't need mittens like you used to.

his lips meet yours in a slow gentle kiss. your cheeks blush at the thought of kissing auston straight from the locker room, or his lips leaving a peck on your forehead as you two wait for a table at a restaurant.

the little things.

a whimper leaves your lips, an angelic sound, and an unconscious reaction to auston’s kisses. you can feel auston twitch inside you. so in response, you rock your hips upwards.

“there she is,” he smirks down at you, “there’s my fucking dirty girl.” he notes the dreamy glint in your eye, “you want some more, huh?” you bite your lip, nodding. auston pulls out, just for a moment and your pussy aches at the cruel feeling of emptiness.

kneeling in front of you, aus guides you to turn to your side, straddling one of your legs and grabbing the other one to curl around his side. he aligns himself to your entrance and pushes in without hesitation, already missing the warmth of your wet walls. he continues with his sharp thrusts, one of his hands moving to play with your breasts, rolling your nipples in between his fingers. moans fill the space in the room, and slips of his name fill in the gaps.

the stimulation you feel is so fucking good, for lack of better terms. in contrast to his earlier teases, his thrusts don’t seem to stop anytime soon and you couldn't be any more grateful. your cunt clenching around him so tight that auston hisses, groaning deeply. he shakes his head as if he can’t believe it.

“you’re fucking purring angel, like i didn’t just cum on your pretty pussy. what am i gonna do with you, huh?”

his words make you cry, looking up at him with doe eyes, urging him to bring you to that beautiful edge. “fuck dontstop–so close–so close–” you mumble out quickly. searching for his hand laying on top of your breasts, you tangle your fingers around his again, he squeezes them lovingly. your cheeks fill with a blush tint.

“didn’t plan on it, baby.” he says, making his other hand move to your clit, pressing to rub circles around it, then triangles and then squares and then fucking diamonds. god you didn’t know you just wanted him to keep going and drive you through that burning feeling inside of you.

and so he does, eliciting more sounds from your soft lips along with shivers down your body. he whispers to you how beautiful you are in your ear, while he cums in your sweet cunt once again. you’ll never get over that feeling.

auston grabs you close as he flips the two of you, allowing him to lay down on the pillows, your body sprawled on top of him. his cock still snug in you. you softly hum, this position letting both of you settle down from your shared highs. aus feels your smell calm him, the faint scent of your floral shampoo steadying his breathing, his heartbeat relaxed. he has never felt so safe, so comfortable.

he didn’t want you to move, not even dare to leave this warmth the two of you have created. he's used to getting up after a sexual endeavour like such, two people going their separate ways, hell he's even urgently guided girls out the door. but you? never. if he could keep you here, with him–just him–forever, he would.

you felt auston slowly get soft inside you, and you took that as a queue to take a quick trip to the bathroom to clean yourself up. trying to detach yourself from the soft and gentle embrace of your boyfriend was hard, you didn't want to leave him.

“where are you going?” auston asks, grabbing your waist as you sit up from his chest.

“just the bathroom.” you mention, getting further up and feeling him slip out of you. you let out a small instinctive whimper to the loss. you notice the pout in his eyes, “i’ll only be a minute, don't worry.”

auston was hesitant to let go of your hand, missing the soft feeling contrasted to his rough hands, despite the fact they aren't as calloused as they could be. you smiled at his clinginess, it truly was a compliment. you got up and swiftly made your way to the bathroom mats, as the cold floor sent a quiver up your body. after cleaning yourself up you looked at yourself in the mirror while you washed your hands. you could see the love marks appearing around your breasts, not an uncommon place to find them. aus makes sure to leave new ones each time they start fading.

you make your way back to the bed, seeing auston settled in the sheets. he looks at you with genuinity. a twinkle in his eye. love pouring out of his tender gaze. your skin grows hot. you smile and drop your head to his shoulder once you reach him. “you should see the look on your face”

“what?” he asks curiously.

you look up at him, after wrapping your legs around his own. “you look absolutely smitten.”

he smiles. “good.” he exclaims. proud.

you are quick to get soothed back into his pool of warmth, along with his hand running against your back. here and there reaching the top of your bum, before making its way back up.

you think about your shared confession from earlier. the weight of those immense feelings towering over the two of you gone. all the opportunities and possibilities at your fingertips. “so when do you think i’ll get one of those cute playoff jackets the wives and girlfriends get?”

“you want one?” auston asks, you can hear the smile in his words, if you chose to lift your head you would probably see the smirk too.

“yeah,” you reply, playing with the fingers on his other hand. “i want to be at every game.”

“i’ll make sure you’re the first to get yours then.” you now chose to look up at him, your own happiness radiating across your face. “promise?” you ask, lightly giggling.

“promise.”

“good.”

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[goldfades]

𝐈 𝐂𝐇𝐎𝐎𝐒𝐄 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐌𝐄, 𝐑𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐆𝐈𝐎𝐔𝐒𝐋𝐘 ─ MK²³ AM³⁴

TRACK 9 ─── GUILTY AS SIN?

TTPD CELLY MASTERLIST !

౨ৎ ─ summary | your high-school sweetheart versus the rookie, who are you choosing?

─ word count | 3.5k

─ warnings | NSFW under the cut! read at your own discretion. lots and lots of very naughty thoughts, p in v, rough sex, thinking of a diff person while being with another, loveless/one-sided relationship, masturbation (girl's DOWN BAD), pretty much nothin else?

─ ev's notes | YAYAYAYA, FINALLY A HOCKEY FIC FOR MY HOCKEY GIRLIES STARRING THE BEST MAN KNIESSS!!!! oh and auston <3

YOU FORCED A SMILE AS Auston pulled you closer into his chest, looking out to the camera's lens, your stomach twisting in anxiety at the sight.

The Leaf's had won the game by a startling 8 points, the whole stadium practically jumping with excitement. You practically feel the excitement from the fans as it reverberated through the air. The roar of the crowd was deafening, blending with the pulsating music and flashing lights of the stadium.

You tried to match Auston's enthusiasm, but underneath the forced smile, a whirlwind of emotions churned within you. Being thrust into the spotlight alongside Auston Matthews, the star player of the Toronto Maple Leafs, was both exhilarating and overwhelming.

As his girlfriend, you were no stranger to the attention that came with dating a professional athlete, but it was harder than people thought. You were just a trophy wife to the fans, his high-school sweetheart ─ to them, you were just Auston's girlfriend, no substance or individuality of your own. People assumed they knew everything about you simply because of your association with him, but the truth was far more complex.

You glanced up Auston, his eyes shining with triumph as he waved to the cheering crowd. Despite the victory, his expression was tinged with something else, something you couldn't quite decipher. Was it relief? Satisfaction? Or perhaps a hint of exhaustion from the intense game?

Lost in your thoughts, you barely noticed the cameras flashing around you, capturing every moment of celebration. But amidst the chaos, Auston's hand found yours, grounding you slightly.

As the crowd's cheers gradually subsided, Auston leaned in close, his voice barely audible over the residual hum of excitement. "Relax,"

You couldn't help but furrow your eyebrows at his words as you swallowed, averting your gaze from your boyfriend. That was all he could manage to say?

You just bit your lip, continuing to smile for the cameras before it was eventually time to leave for the afterparty. The car ride was silent like usual, barely exchanging any small talk before you eventually reached the club they were going to.

Auston opened your door and you wrapped your arm around his as you walked into the club, not even bothering to get in line ─ you were quickly ushered past the velvet ropes by the bouncers, who recognized Auston immediately. The pulsing music and dimly lit ambiance of the club enveloped you as you made your way to the VIP section, surrounded by a sea of faces, each one eager for a glimpse of the hockey star in their midst.

You plastered on a smile, nodding politely at the occasional well-wisher who approached, but inside, your mind was elsewhere. Eventually, Auston left you to go greet some of his friends as you sat at the bar, twirling your straw in your fingers.

That's how it always went ─ pose for the cameras, plaster on a fake smile and then when all the cameras were turned off, Auston's attention was elsewhere. It happened so often, you didn't even manage to be hurt by it anymore, that feeling had faded away long ago.

Sometimes you wonder where it all went wrong, or even if it was wrong.

You'd been with Auston since you were both fifteen years old, you remember the exact moment it had happened. Auston had harboured a crush on you since middle school and he'd been trying to prove himself worthy of you since then, Auston had always loved a challenge, and you were certainly that.

It was fun, and exciting and new all at the same time. When he eventually asked you out, he'd wore you down (but he knew you enjoyed his persistence), you'd accepted the offer with a smirk.

As time went on, your relationship with Auston became a whirlwind of highs and lows, victories and defeats, but always with him at the center of your world. You'd finished your school in Toronto, where he eventually got drafted. You supported him through his hockey career, celebrating every goal, every win, and comforting him through every loss and he did the same with your academic pursuits.

However, it felt different now. As the honeymoon phase had ended slowly, the excitement and the high slowly simmered down into nothing. You both still cared for each other deeply, of that there was no doubt, but it was as if you had grown comfortable, maybe too comfortable.

You found yourself longing for the passion and unpredictability that had defined the early days of your relationship, but it was nowhere to be found. You began to wonder if you had wasted all your youth on a dying relationship, if maybe it wasn't meant to be like everyone had always told you. And yet, the mere thought of breaking up with Auston was almost inconceivable.

After all, you and Auston were the high school sweethearts of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Your relationship was celebrated by fans and media alike, held up as a shining example of young love in the spotlight. The pressure to maintain that image, to live up to the expectations placed upon you, weighed heavily on your shoulders.

You knew if you walked away, you would be crucified ─ you had already been labeled as a gold digger to some, and and leaving Auston would only fuel those rumors further. The thought of and the thought of adding "heartbreaker" to the list of labels attached to your name was almost too much to bear. The scrutiny and judgment from fans, media, and even friends and family would be relentless.

The pressure to maintain the facade of a perfect relationship, even as cracks began to form beneath the surface, felt suffocating. You couldn't help but feel trapped, suffocated by the expectations placed upon you by the public, by the media, and even by Auston himself. He relied on you to be his rock, his constant source of support in a world that often felt chaotic and overwhelming.

How could you possibly abandon him now, when he needed you more than ever?

However, there was one thing ─ or more specifically, person ─ who kept you sane in your world of pressure and expectations.

"Are you good?"

His voice snapped you from your thoughts, your gaze shifting to his blue eyes. His lips were curved into an amused smile and soon, your expression mirrored as he took a seat next to you.

"Hey, Matty." The nickname fell off your tongue so perfectly, so sweetly, you almost tasted it. His gaze lingered on your face as he chuckled, ushering the bartender toward him.

"Hey yourself," Matthew replied, his voice warm and familiar. The tension that had been weighing on your shoulders seemed to ease in his presence, replaced by a sense of ease.

As Matthew ordered a drink from the bartender, you couldn't help but steal a glance at him. His easy smile, his relaxed demeanor ─ everything about him felt like a breath of fresh air in the suffocating world.

"Did you like watching the game?" He asked, his tone amused as you let out a groan. He knew how you felt about hockey, and he never missed an opportunity to tease you about it.

"You know me too well," you replied with a laugh, shaking your head. "I think I'll leave the hockey to you and Auston."

"It'll grow on ya," he responded as he took a sip of his drink. It'd been almost a decade, you're sure it won't grow on you now.

However, it was slightly more bearable now that you had someone other than Auston to cheer for. "Maybe,"

"Hey, wanna go get some actual food? There's a pretty good cafe down the street, I'm craving some waffles." Matthew's voice came out soft as he glanced toward you, a sweet smile playing on his lips.

"Waffles? It's almost one in the morning, you sure they're still open?" You responded, an amused tone in your voice.

Matthew shrugged, his smile widening. "Only one way to find out, right? And even if they're closed, we can always find somewhere else to grab a bite."

You nodded as you quickly downed your drink, feeling the burning sensation go down your throat easily. You put down Auston's card on the table before you followed Matthew out of the bar and into the cool night air. The streets were quiet, the noise of the city faded into the background as the two of you walked side by side.

As you made your way towards the cafe, you couldn't help but steal glances at Matthew out of the corner of your eye. There was something about him, something that made you feel alive in a way you hadn't felt in a long time.

Matthew's hand subtly moved to your hip, pulling you closer to his chest as you felt your breath hitched. You looked up at the younger brunette with a smile, only to met with a cocky smirk. You just scoffed as you shook your head, a nervous laugh leaving your lips.

He squeezed your hip, sending a shiver down your spine as his touch ignited a warmth within you. Despite the coolness of the night air, you felt a heat spreading through your body, fueled by the electricity of his touch.

As you walked together, the distance between you seemed to shrink with each step, until you were practically pressed against each other, the warmth of his body seeping into yours.

Matthew's smirk only widened at your reaction, his eyes twinkling with mischief as he leaned in closer, his breath ghosting over your ear.

"Can't resist me, huh?" he teased, his voice low and husky.

You rolled your eyes playfully, but couldn't suppress the flutter of excitement that danced in your chest at his proximity. "Oh please," you retorted, trying to sound nonchalant despite the rapid beating of your heart.

"How would Auston feel about you gettin' all cozy with me, huh?"

The mention of your boyfriend made you snap your eyes open, sending him a glare. You let out a laugh at his audacity, shaking your head. But as you glanced up at Matthew, his gaze unwavering despite your glare, you couldn't help but feel a sense of recklessness stirring within you.

Maybe it was the late hour, or the adrenaline coursing through your veins, but the idea of breaking free from the constraints of your public image was undeniably tempting.

"Maybe Auston needs a little reminder that he's not the only one who can keep me on my toes," you quipped, a mischievous smile playing on your lips.

Matthew's smirk widened at your words, a flicker of something unreadable passing through his eyes.

"I think I can handle that," he replied, his voice low and husky. You laughed as he kept his gaze on you, his blue eyes never leaving yours. "He'd beat my ass, you know? For getting all close with his girl."

"Do you care?" The question rolled off your tongue with a hint of defiance.

With a shrug of his shoulders, he met your gaze head-on. "Not really," he admitted, his voice steady despite the intensity of the moment. "I mean, he's not all that."

"Oh come on," you laughed as he shrugged again, laughter leaving his lips as well. "Really?"

"Oh absolutely, I can take him." Matthew shrugged as if it was really nothing, as if Auston wasn't the damn captain of his team.

You felt your stomach twist in something you hadn't felt in a while as you bit your lips, the thought of someone fighting for you was very thrilling. Auston never really bothered ─ he always knew he had you in his pocket, forever (in his mind, really) and he'd only gotten relatively jealousy in the early days of your relationship. You were sure that the mere thought of you leaving him had never even crossed him mind, it was as if you were branded by him.

As you walked alongside Matthew, his casual demeanor and confidence in the face of Auston's status as the team captain sent a thrill coursing through you. It was a stark contrast to the complacency you had grown accustomed to in your relationship with Auston ─ the sense that he took you for granted, secure in the knowledge that you would always be by his side, not even realizing he's losing you with each passing moment.

And as the two of you arrived at the cafe, the scent of waffles and coffee enveloping you in a warm embrace, you couldn't help but feel grateful for the unexpected turn the night had taken.

──

Auston's cock drove into you roughly as he pushed your head further into the counter, echoing moans leaving with each deep thrust. Your eyes were shut as his head fell back in pleasure, the feeling your tight cunt bringing him pure bliss.

However, your mind was anywhere but on him. As you shut your eyes, you kept visualizing Matthew's dark features ─ his dark blue eyes, his chiseled jaw and the way he gripped you closely, the way Auston used to. You felt guilty but you couldn't help it, you truly couldn't.

"Oh, fuck." Auston's voice ran out but you quickly drowned it out, letting out your own moans.

You kept imagining it; Matthew's hand instead of his, his cock driving into you instead of his, and especially his sweet and reassuring voice instead of Auston's silence. And instead of you being bent over the edge of your kitchen counter, you were facing his pretty face as he fucked you.

"Oh my god," you didn't even know what you muttering at this point. "Fuck, please, please make me cum," your whines made Auston push your head further into the counter, his thrusts becoming deeper as he panted above you.

The image kept repeating in your mind; Matthew's sweaty face above yours as he fucked into you, his thrusts more meaningful but just as deep.

A few more deep thrusts and you were cumming, hard ─ you were sure that this was the best orgasm you'd had in a while, maybe even ever (that was probably the high talking). Before you could scream Matthew's name, your hand covered your mouth. You were crying out in pure pleasure, not a thought in your pretty little head except for Matthew and his cock.

You weren't sure when Auston had came in you because the next thing you know, his large chest is collapsing on top of your back. His beard scratched your neck as he pulled you out of your fantasy, your stomach twisting in a familiar sense of annoyance. Auston kept pressing prickly kisses on your shoulders and neck as you sighed, pushing up to the counter so he could get off.

Auston pulled out slowly as you winced, feeling the cum drip down your legs as you started thinking straight again. He turned you around for a sloppy, quick kiss before he pulled away with a smile, his hand cupping yours.

"Was it that good, baby?" Auston laughed as he took in your disheveled appearance. "I haven't heard you scream like that in a while, I missed it."

"Yeah," you let out breathlessly as you subtly shifted out of his embrace. "I feel sticky, I'm gonna go shower."

"Great, I'm gonna head to the gym. You makin' dinner?" He called out as you began walking away, that sense of annoyance still in your veins. "I miss your cooking, you know."

"If you were here more often, maybe you wouldn't miss it so much." You didn't mean for your voice to come out so bitter but it did, and it of course didn't go past Auston. "I'll make dinner," you quickly added you turned to meet Auston's irritated expression.

"I thought I fucked all the bitchiness out of you," he spoke with a hint of annoyance, his brows furrowing as he regarded you with frustration.

You bristled at his comment, the resentment simmering beneath the surface threatening to boil over.

"I'm sorry," you replied, your voice tinged with exhaustion. "I guess I'm just tired of feeling like I'm always the one waiting around for you."

Auston's expression softened slightly at your words, a flicker of guilt crossing his features. "I know I haven't been around as much as I should," he admitted, his voice tinged with remorse. "But you know how important hockey is to me."

But what about me? Aren't I supposed to be important, too? "I know. It's okay, I'll make dinner."

"Great, baby. We'll talk when I get home, I love you," Auston's voice came out soft, his words a mixture of reassurance and affection.

But as he leaned in to press a quick kiss to your forehead, you couldn't shake the nagging feeling of dissatisfaction that lingered in the pit of your stomach. You watched as he left the apartment, your legs still shaky from your previous activities that now left you hollow.

After your hot shower, your mind kept lingering to Matthew. His beautiful face and his scent sent you into insanity, almost. With trembling hands, you reached for your towel, wrapping it around your body as you tried to push aside the rush of emotions threatening to overwhelm you.

But no matter how hard you tried to distract yourself, the image of Matthew's smile and the warmth of his touch seemed to haunt you, drawing you in like a moth to a flame.

As you stood in front of the mirror, your reflection stared back at you, a silent witness to the turmoil raging within. You couldn't deny the pull you felt towards Matthew, the way he made you feel alive in a way you hadn't felt in years.

But the thought of betraying Auston, of breaking the vows you had made to him all those years ago, filled you with a sense of guilt and shame. You had built a life together, a life that seemed so perfect on the surface, and the idea of tearing it apart was almost inconceivable.

But was it, really inceivable? Was it really that bad? Was it really so terrible to want something more, something that fulfilled you in a way that Auston never could?

And as you thought about Matthew, about the way he made you feel alive and seen in a way Auston never had, you couldn't help but wonder if maybe, just maybe, there was something more out there for you.

The thought of Matthew made you feel hot again, feeling the familiar sense of desire in the pit of your stomach. You let out a sigh as you fell back on your bed, your head falling back as you shut your eyes and began imagining him. The doubt slowly dissipated to the back of your mind as your hand began sliding down your thighs, down to your folds and to your sore cunt.

You knew your fingers could never fulfil you like Matthew's could've, not to mention his cock. Your head fell back as you reenacted what you thought he would do to you right here, your legs beginning to shake.

"Yes, Matty," you whimpered as you felt tears began to form in the wrinkles of your eyes. "Fuck, fuck, fuck, please."

You could never get enough of Matthew and his beauty, it wasn't just in his physical appearance, though that was undeniable. It was in the way he made you feel alive, the way his presence sparked a fire within you that had long been dormant.

You couldn't get enough of him, couldn't quench the thirst that burned within you for his touch, his affection, his love. He was like a drug, addictive and all-consuming, and no matter how hard you tried to resist, you found yourself craving him more and more with each passing day.

Your fingers began moving deeper and quicker, as you kept drawing closer to the edge faster at the mere thought of Matthew. "Matty, please. Fuck, please," your whines were loud, they echoed through the walls of your room as your back arched.

"I'm cumming, I'm cumming, fuck," you cried out as you came for the second time that night to only the mere thought of Matthew touching you. This was a new-time record, no one has ever made you cum this hard and you managed to do it with just a thought.

Your chest rose and fell with each breath that you took, trying to regain your consciousness. And the more you began to think about the mess that you inherently had created, the less you cared about the outcome. You couldn't spend the rest of your life with someone who you no longer truly loved, the way you did with Matthew.

The thought of continuing on in a loveless marriage, trapped in a cycle of routine and obligation, filled you with a sense of sorrow and anxiety. You wanted to choose yourself, for once in your entire life, you wanted to be selfish.

You wanted him, all of him. His presence, his touch, his love ─ it was like a lifeline in a sea of uncertainty, a beacon of hope in the darkness that surrounded you. And as you lay there, lost in your thoughts, a sense of determination coursed through your veins.

You chose him, no matter how terrible they'd treat you.

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↳ thank you for reading all the way through, as always ♡

[prettytoxicrevolver]

4 + 1 | Auston Matthews

wc. 2.6k

four almosts between you and Auston Matthews and then one finally. (a best friends to lovers fic)

dedicated to the lovely @tonyspep! I hope you enjoy your winter fic exchange my love :) and of course thank you again to @wyattjohnston for putting the fic exchange together!!

FOUR

“Auston!!” you yell out from the kitchen. 

You turn and lean against the counter, waiting impatiently for Auston to make his way over. You cross your arms, sporting a pout on your lips when he walks in the room. 

“What’s up?” 

“Can you grab my mug?” you ask, pointing to the mug sitting on the top shelf of your cabinet. 

Auston had barged his way into your apartment tonight, insisting he hadn’t seen you in forever and that he needed a break from his annoying roommates. You of course took pity on him, inviting him to stay the night even though you knew that meant several hours of your heart beating uncontrollably. 

For as long as you’ve known Auston, you’ve had the biggest crush on him. It wasn’t a secret, everyone on the Leafs knew, the wags, your friends, everyone but apparently Auston. You tried to play it off like it was fine, like it didn’t physically hurt to be in the same room as him, like you were fine with just being best friends for eternity. 

Auston takes two steps closer, reaching above your head with ease and grabbing the mug from the shelf. He holds it up to your face and tilts his head with a mischievous smile on his lips. He’s always adored how much shorter you were. He took any chance to tease you about it, this was definitely no different. 

“This one?” 

“Thank you,” you start to singsong but when you reach for the mug, Auston holds it above your head instead. You roll your eyes, knowing what game Auston is playing and you want to smack that smug smile off his face. 

“Aus,” you plead. 

“Gotta pay the price darling,” he murmurs, turning his cheek and tapping it with his free hand. 

Your eyes scan over his features, the stubble that coats his cheek and the soft crease of his eyebrow. Your pulse pounds in your veins and your heartbeat is so loud it could be heard all the way over in Vancouver. You think for a moment, how easy it would be to just tilt his head, press your lips to his and sink into the feeling. 

Auston’s eyes flick over to yours and the eye contact shocks you back into the moment. You lean up and press a quick kiss to his cheek, your body vibrating head to toe in nerves from the action. 

“There you go darling,” he places the mug on the counter, sending a wink in your direction before turning and walking away. 

THREE

“You’re aware I have a guest room, right?” you ask Auston as he flops down on your bed face first. 

“Of course. But your bed is comfier,” he responds, sitting up and looking at you with that million dollar grin on his lips. 

Of course that was only half the truth when it came to Auston’s explanation. Your bed was comfier, but he liked being close to you. Liked the possibility that maybe, in the dark hours of the night, he would make a move. Liked that if something happened and you regret it, the morning could wash away all worries. Liked being close to you in the most intimate way he could possibly think of. 

“Mhm,” you respond, throwing a pillow at Auston’s head but he ducks away with ease unharmed. 

You walk into the attached bathroom, getting changed into shorts and one of Auston’s leafs shirts and brush your teeth before making your way back out to your bedroom. Auston sits up in bed, back against the headboard, eyes scanning his phone. He looked like a Greek god, muscular, his face chiseled in all the right ways, soft smiles and warm looks. One look from him and you start to think you can fly. 

“That’s where that shirt went?” he asks and you’re snapped out of your entranced gaze. 

“You have a million of these,” you say, climbing into bed and pulling the covers close. 

“I’ll just steal it back,” he says shrugging and your jaw drops feigning shock.

“You wouldn’t dare.” 

“Try me,” he says, winking at you before turning over and flicking the light off. 

“Goodnight Aus,” you say, finally slipping fully under the covers and welcoming sleep despite your rapid heartbeat. 

Your eyes slowly flutter open, your vision taking a moment to readjust to the morning light causing you to blink a couple of times. You instinctively start to shift in bed but you’re quickly stopped by a weight on you. You blink a couple of more times and it takes all of your willpower not to gasp when you realize. 

Auston is fast asleep next to you, chest rising and falling in a soft pattern, his hair tousled, a soft smile on his lips. You follow the groove of his figure, spotting one arm slung lazily over your hips and you quickly realize your head rests on the other outstretched one. Your legs are tangled and you feel every inch of him pressed against you in the most delicate and intimate way possible. 

You drag your eyes back up to his face and are met with the softest brown eyes you have ever seen. The look Auston was giving you could only be described as truly, madly, deeply, crazy, in love. Anyone in the world would look at this scene and clearly see two people who will love each other till the world's end. 

For a moment, Auston’s whole life flashes before him. Waking up next to you, going to practice, coming home to you, seeing you wear his jersey at every game, starting a family with you. The whole image makes the smile on his lips grow wider and his heart soars when you begin to smile back. 

“Good morning,” you whisper, hoping the words don’t break whatever spell has been cast over the two of you. 

“Mornin’ angel,” he responds and the pet name sends your heart into a flurry. 

You watch as Auston’s eyes flicker from yours to your lips and you realize quickly how close the two of you are, faces only an inch or so apart. Austo can’t help but think of how easy it would be to close the gap, be connected from end to end. Finally feel whole. 

And then his alarm goes off. 

You both disentangle yourselves and get ready for the day, this morning staying on your mind for a while. 

TWO

“Please?” Knies begs with those big blue eyes that make you say yes to anything. 

“Ugh fine,” you respond, finally giving in. 

“First rounds on me!” he shouts, leaning down to press a kiss to your cheek before dragging you towards where his car is parked at the stadium. 

You head to the bar that the Leafs frequented, Kniesy had been begging you to go to a home game and then out to one of the bars afterwards for weeks now. It was hard to turn him down over and over but you finally caved. How could you say no forever to a boy that carried the same energy as a golden retriever? 

“She’s here!” Matt yells when you enter the bar and you’re rewarded with the patrons yelling back in praise, even if they didn’t know you. 

Knies takes your hand and leads you to the back where you’re met with a packed Leafs group. Players and wags alike sit in the circular booth but your gaze lands on Austin like it always does. He sits at the edge of the booth, a look on his face like he had been considering bolting since he got there. However, when the two of you make eye contact a soft smile crawls to his lips and he seems to relax back into his seat. 

Matt takes the last spot leaving you standing awkwardly in front of everyone. You inch to the side, hoping to get away with just standing for a bit before grabbing a drink and coming back but Will has a better plan. 

“Darling, just sit with Auston,” he says, gesturing to your best friend. 

Your head cocks to the side in confusion and without a word, Auston reaches towards you. You instinctively take a step closer to him and his hands wrap around your waist and pull you down onto his lap. You try not to gasp at the closeness as Auston pulls you close and nudges your arm up to rest around his shoulder. 

The movements all seemed second nature to Auston, not even thinking about what he was doing before you were planted firmly on his lap, cheeks flushing pink at your body pressed against his. Mitch grins mischievously from across the booth at his best friend and when you’re not looking Auston shoots him a stare that says “back off”. 

You’re surprised you haven’t blacked out yet, a pleading glance thrown to Mitch, the only person on the leafs to know about your crush in Auston. He shrugs and your face heats up causing you to push it into Austons shoulder without realizing how much worse it was going to get when you closed that space. 

“You okay?” he murmurs and you try not to shift as butterflies swirl in your stomach. Ever the gentleman, you couldn’t help but think. 

“All good,” you whisper, eyes trailing over his features. 

You wanted to lean forward, whisper in his ear all the things he was making you feel. Follow it up with kisses pressed along his sharp jawline until you reach his mouth, and finally feel whole. 

“(y/n)!” you hear Kniesy call and you yank yourself away from where you were leaning even closer to Auston than before. 

“Come dance!” 

ONE

You sit in the tunnel at the Scotiabank Arena, twisting the sleeves of Matthews jersey that floods over your frame. You had been waiting down here with the other wags, mostly talking to Steph and glancing at the locker room area every few minutes. Finally, players start to emerge and one by one you watch them pair up and head out. 

“Angel,” you hear Auston’s smooth familiar voice greet you and you look up smiling at him. 

“That’s not my jersey,” the statement comes out as almost a question, but when he spots the number 23 on your sleeve, an unreadable look crosses his features. 

“Yeah it’s,” you start but you’re quickly cut off by Matt coming out of the tunnel. 

“Princess!” he calls, rushing over and picking you up in his arms, pressing a quick kiss to your cheek. 

You had been on a couple of dates with Matthew recently, the younger boy asking you out a little after that night you went out to the bar with him and his other teammates. You said yes, despite your massive crush on his assistant captain and prayed that somehow he would help you get over your feelings for Auston. It wasn’t fair, but Matt was sweet and funny and someone you knew forever. If anyone could get you to stop thinking about Auston, it should be him. 

“You’re?” Auston asks, pointing between the two of you when Kniesy finally sets you back down on the ground. 

“I was going to tell you,” you rush out, like you had any reason to really explain to Auston what you and Matt were. The words should have been a dead give away of your true feelings. 

“Don’t fuck this up,” Auston states, pointing at Matt with a threatening finger. 

“Aus,” you start to plead but he shakes his head. 

“I don’t care if we’re on the same team, if you hurt her, if i hear about so much as an argument, I will beat your ass. Clear?” 

“Crystal,” Kniesy says, slipping an arm around your waist and pulling you close to him. 

Auston watches as Matt pulls you away and it takes all of his strength not to rip you out of his arms and hold you close. Not to rush over and tell you that watching him with Matt made him physically ill. Tell you that he really truly does mean every single word he just said. Tell you that he would protect you to the ends of this earth. But instead, his nerves beat him, forcing him to watch you walk away with Knies’ jersey on your back. 

AND ONE

“Go away!!” you yell, ignoring the knocks on the front door of your apartment. 

“I have a key ya know!” you hear Auston yell back and you cross your arms, purposefully sinking further back into the couch. 

“Fuck off!” 

Unfortunately, Auston is not deterred by your use of curse words. He uses his spare key, swinging the door open to your apartment and letting himself in. You listen as his steps get closer until he’s leaning over the couch and you’re looking at his face staring down at you. 

“Yes?” you ask and Auston frowns when your voice gets quiet. 

“Scoot,” he says, forcing you to sit up and pushes you over until he can take a seat next to you on the couch. “What’s wrong?” 

“Nothing,” you state, shrugging your shoulders in hopes that the action stops Auston from continuing his questioning. 

“Bullshit. What happened?” 

“Me and Matt broke up? I mean we weren’t dating seriously in the first place and I broke up with him but I mean it just sucks Aus I haven’t had a boyfriend in forever and every time I meet a really nice guy and start to date him something happens and I feel like I always fuck it up or,” 

“Woah!!” Auston exclaims, grabbing your hands in his so you pause your rambling to look at him. 

“Any guy that breaks up with you is a massive fucking idiot,” he says and you can’t help the laugh bubbling up from your throat. 

“I’m serious!” he continues and the words are so intense you stop to look at Auston. 

“You deserve someone who makes you feel like you’ve been struck by fucking lightning.” 

Your eyes search his for a moment and find pure sincerity. As much as Auston was praying that person was him, he loved you so much that he knew he could live if you felt that way for someone else. As long as you were happy, like over the moon in love, giddy, singing in the rain, huge cliche type happy, he was happy. He lived for you. He lived for your smile. 

“Auston?” you finally ask and he moves closer at the sound of his name. 

He leans in, one hand coming up to carefully cup your cheek and his eyes stay locked to yours to make sure what he was doing was okay. His thumb brushes over your top lip, causing them to separate before settling on the top of your cheek. Your hand lands on his thigh, squeezing lightly and moving closer as Auston’s other hand slides to your other cheek. 

His eyes flicker between yours and your lips before he finally leans in, connecting the two of you head to toe like you always should have been. The kiss is short and sweet at first, but when Auston tugs you closer you find yourself moving to straddle his lap and the kiss deepens. When there's no more air left between you two you part and the smile that rests on your face is surely there to stay for eternity. 

“Lightning, huh?” you ask and Auston grins, pressing his lip to yours once more. 

[jackhues]

karma - auston matthews

notes: this is based off of @matthewshisch's idea (karma is the guy on the leafs)! so s/o to her <3 also, reader is a singer :)) AND gif not mine !

likes are good, reblogs are better!

being a celebrity meant that no matter what, one thing would always be a fixed thing in your life. and that was the rumours.

one week you were dating a new guy. the next, you were engaged to some kid from your hometown. the next week, you were back with your ex.

no matter what, the dating rumours always flew around you. maybe the fact that you never made it public with anyone fuelled those even more. whatever the case, it was funny reading them.

especially when you thought about what you had planned for tonight.

a knock sounded on your door, followed by a familiar voice, "did someone order some flowers?"

you couldn't help the smile growing on your face as you made eye contact with auston in the mirror.

you were in your dressing room at the stadium, getting ready for the opening night of your multi-month tour. you'd worked hard to get to where you were now -- one of the most successful female artists in the world.

and right there by your side, supporting you for the past year, was none other than auston matthews, your boyfriend. you'd met at a leafs game years ago, but he'd only reached out to you just over a year before. ever since then, the two of you kept your relationship under wraps for the most part, doing your best to just enjoy your time together without the media's comments.

you'd talked about going public before, but for the most part, decided to let life take it's course. of course... tonight would be a pretty big surprise.

"hi, you made it," you got up from your chair, sinking into his arms for a hug.

"i wouldn't miss this for the world," he responded, placing a kiss to the top of your head. "it's my girl's big day. first tour in almost three years. nothing's gonna stop me from being here."

you grinned stupidly to yourself, finding auston's words so comforting and sweet. even after a whole year, he managed to make you feel giddy.

"i'm really happy you're here," you whispered, pulling away. "oh! i've got a surprise for you, but i can't give it to you right now. i'll give it after, okay?"

"a surprise for me?" auston repeated. "it's your day."

"hush, i wanted to do it," you said.

another knock sounded on your door, and your assistant, jenny, poked her head in. "y/n, we've got to start in ten. let's go. auston, mark's got your seat saved. head over quick, or someone'll spot you."

"that's not a big deal," auston waved it off. "if someone spots me, they spot me. it's not the end of the world."

"well, fact remains, we need y/n right now," she said. "c'mon, you can have her back when she's done her show."

"i'll see you soon," you kissed auston, before following jenny out to your position.

you adjusted your earpiece, waiting for the lights to dim. as soon as they did, the platform you were standing on moved higher, allowing you to enter directly on stage.

the lights turned back on, and the crowd went wild.

"let the show begin," you whispered to yourself.

---

"'cause karma is the thunder," you sang, "rattling your ground. karma's on your scent like a bounty hunter. karma's gonna track you down."

the crowd waved their flashlights in the air, following you as you continued dancing to the beat of the song, singing along. getting closer and closer to the surprise you planned for auston.

"step by step from town to town," you continued. "sweet like justice, karma is a queen. karma takes all my friends to the summit..."

you paused for half a second, allowing production to ready themselves and for the crowd to pay attention to the small change.

"karma is the guy on the leafs, coming straight home to me!"

you stomped on the mark, blue sparklers going off on either side of the stage -- matching with the colour of your dress and the leafs' colours.

the crowd screamed as you continued your performance, losing their minds at the confirmation that you and auston were dating.

"cause karma is my boyfriend," you locked eyes with auston in the crowd, noticing him smiling widely to himself as people nearby recorded the interaction. winking at him, you continued your song, "karma is a god."

the crowd continued chanting throughout the song, no one truly getting over the lyric change you'd done.

you had a feeling there were gonna be rumours about this for a while.

---

tags : @woodruff-edwards , @austinbutlerscaresme ,  @svechnikovvv ,  @hockeyboysarehot , @emptyflowerpots ,  @mysticaldonkey , @lam-ila ,  @babydollmarauders , @starjoyyy  ,  @kjohnson-91 , @gavinbrindley, @hischierdevils , @jackhughesily  , @panarin10 ,  @equallyshaw ,   @power2myheart  ,  @lynnismypseudonym , @beccaiscold , @akengii , @nowandkei , @cinnamonpancakes , @mitchymainer , @lifeofpriya ,  @marshmallow-babe, @hughesx3 ,  @emsully2002  ,  @starsandhughes , @huggy-hischier73 ,  @doglady5678 , @thatoneblog , @exonct07 @hughesmedicine , @qwanelledingele , @mindless-rock , @ireadthensuetheauthors , @huggy-hischier94, @slaythehousedownboots , @diary-of-jj

join my main taglist!

[brainddeadd]

Just Because

Joseph Woll x fem!reader

buying something because it made you think of them

The air was thick with anticipation as you made your way to the arena, excitement bubbling within you. Joseph was coming home from an away game, and you had a little surprise planned for him. While he always brought you gifts from his travels, this time, it was your turn to spoil him.

You slipped into a small gift shop near the arena, scanning the shelves filled with various items. Your eyes landed on a sleek, black hoodie emblazoned with the team’s logo—something you knew he’d love. After paying, you carefully tucked the bag under your arm and headed to meet him.

As you arrived at the arena, the energy was palpable. Fans were milling about, and you could see Joseph’s towering figure as he signed autographs and chatted with supporters. Your heart raced with excitement as you made your way through the crowd, spotting him finally turning to leave.

“Hey, you!” you called out, waving enthusiastically.

Joseph’s face lit up as he saw you. “Hey! What are you doing here?” he asked, his voice full of warmth as he approached.

“I wanted to surprise you,” you replied, holding the gift bag behind your back with a teasing smile.

“Me? You’re always the one being surprised!” he chuckled, his curiosity piqued.

You reached out, handing him the bag. “Open it!” you urged, your eyes sparkling with excitement.

Joseph looked surprised, but he slowly pulled the hoodie out of the bag. The moment he saw it, his jaw dropped. “Wow, this is awesome! You didn’t have to get me anything,” he said, his voice filled with awe as he examined the hoodie.

“I know, but I wanted to,” you replied, feeling a warm blush spread across your cheeks at his reaction. “You always bring me something back from your games, so I thought it was time I surprised you for once.”

“I’m honestly blown away,” he said, a smile spreading across his face as he slipped the hoodie on over his jersey. “This is perfect! Thank you.” He pulled you into a warm embrace, the scent of his cologne wrapping around you.

“You’re welcome! I just thought you deserved a little something special,” you said, your heart swelling with happiness as you felt his strong arms around you.

Joseph pulled back slightly, his expression softening. “You always know how to make my day better. This means a lot to me,” he said, his eyes locking onto yours.

You smiled, feeling a rush of affection. “I’m glad you like it.”

He chuckled, playfully nudging you with his shoulder. “You’ve set the bar pretty high now. Just wait until next time—I’m going to have to step up my game!”

You laughed, excitement bubbling between you. “Bring it on, Woll. I’m ready for the challenge.”

With a newfound spring in your step, you both headed towards the parking lot, hands intertwined, feeling the warmth of the moment linger long after the gift was given.

[swissboyhisch]

Halloween Surprise

Pairing: Matthew Knies x Marner!Reader

Summary: The team's Halloween party seemed like the perfect time to reveal to everyone who you were dating.

Word Count: 2546

Warnings: Alcohol, blood, a little bit of 18+ content towards the end.

THE MASTERLIST JOIN THE TAGLIST HOCKEY DISCORD

Halloween. Your favourite holiday by far. Growing up, your parents decorated the house with tons of decorations and your mum always went all out with family costumes. When you moved to Toronto to live with your older brother and his girlfriend, you were always in charge of organising the Halloween parties or costumes. 

And nothing changed. As soon as it was announced it was Mitch’s turn to host the team’s Halloween party, he came straight to you. It was your job to organise everything but luckily, since Mitch will be busy with the start of the hockey season, Steph is more than happy to help you. It would give her something to do. And it means the two of you can spend more time together. 

First thing was to create a list of people who would get the invites. Then organise a time and place for the party. Mitch and Steph said they’re happy to have it at their place instead of hiring out a place. Due to game schedule conflict, the party was going to take place on the Friday before Halloween.

Once the who, what, when and where was decided, Steph and you designed the invites and sent those out as soon as possible. Next was the entertainment. You had a couple Halloween Playlists from previous parties you had hosted so you just said you would bring your audio system and set it up around the house and use Spotify. Food wise, Steph said that she was thinking the two of you make the food the couple days leading up to it. She loved to cook, and you loved to bake so it was the perfect pair. Drinks were just going to be bins with cans of alcohol and soft drink in them and pitchers of cocktails. Then it was just costumes for you guys and decorating the house and backyard.

“What are we going to dress as?” Asked Mitch as he joined the planning party of you and Steph on the couch. 

You just smirk, “You two are going to be a ken and barbie variant. It fits so perfectly.”

Steph let out a squeal of excitement. It really was perfect for them. “Oh my god, yes!”

“And Auston is going to be Alan. A permanent third wheel.”

“What are you going to do?”

“It’s a surprise,” You retorted to your brother. As a fashion major, you had an endless number of options. But one in particular was the number one choice. It wasn’t hard but it was a fun one. “You’ll see at the party.”

Then it was onto planning the couple’s costumes. For Steph, you were thinking of a cute pink satin dress that stopped mid high. Low cut but not as low as you could go. A pair of cute white heels and white accessories. Her hair is in waves with pink makeup and hints of silver. A white clutch to top it off.

Mitch, luckily, will go with whatever you choose. Which is going to be matching pink pants, a white button down not fully buttoned and a pink satin scarf in the pocket. That will be made from the same fabric as the dress. His hair will be styled and maybe you can convince him to have a little makeup on.

Auston was a little harder, but he was going to be dressed in blue pants that are the same as Mitch’s and shirt striped like Alan’s sweater in the movie. A permanent third wheel who you question their involvement in a relationship.

You lived in an apartment in the city, close to where you work. Since Mitch and Steph got married, well a bit before that, you managed to find an apartment and skedaddle out of there. So, you found yourself the night before the party organising your bag full of your costume to take over to Mitch’s place early in the morning. It was late but it had to be done now and you had gone to the game against the Stars.

Your apartment's buzzer going off surprised you. No-one was expected. When you peaked at the camera footage, the familiar boy dressed in the same suit as earlier was standing there waving at the camera. You were quick to let him in and eagerly await his arrival. 

“Hey,” Matt greeted as you let him into your apartment. Pressing a kiss to your lips. “What are you doing?”

“What am I doing? What are you doing here at this time of night?”

He shrugged off his suit jacket and hung it up on your coat rack, “Was on my way back to John’s from the arena and thought I’d stop in.”

“And does John know where you are?” You question. 

“Yes, I told him,” Matt whispers, his lips brushing against yours softly. His warm breath mixes with your own. “Don’t worry your pretty little head.”

You had to shower so despite Matt already showering at the arena he took up the opportunity to join in on your naked task. The two of you took a little longer than necessary but it was all in good fun. Now you were cuddled up in your bed with Coraline on the tv.

“Seriously?” Matt chuckles when he sees the movie title card. 

You just shrugged innocently, “it’s a favourite at this time of year.”

“This time of year?” He laughs harder knowing the truth behind that statement. “You mean any time of year.”

The next morning you were up early regardless of Matt’s whining when your alarm went off. The brunette tried to keep you in bed a little longer, but you wanted to get ready and head over to Mitch’s. The boys had a morning skate so you knew Matt would have to get up anyway. No sympathy from you.

“I’ll see you tonight. You have your costume right?” You mumble. 

Matt hums, pressing a reassuring kiss on your lips. “Yes, I have everything. I get dressed then just have to style my hair and splatter some blood from that bottle over my face and hands.”

“Perfect.” You pressed a kiss to his lips one final time and headed out the door. “Lock up on your way out!”

Steph and you had done most of the cooking and baking yesterday. The big decorations were already done as well, just the main decorations and little bits and pieces were to be put in place. 

The drive to your brother’s went quicker than you expected. But it was welcomed as you and Mitch crossed paths; him heading to practice and you arriving. He gave you a quick hug before you retreated into the house where Steph was eagerly waiting.

“Let’s get this started,” She says excitedly, pressing play on her phone.

Halloween themed songs started playing through the music system you guys had set up the previous day. You two finished off the food first giving it time to rest and cool. Then onto decorations. Starting with the inside, you decorated the entryway, then lounge room and dining room before finishing with the backyard.

“I think we are finished,” Steph states happily, looking over the pair of you’s hard work.

With a glance at your phone, it was 3pm. Perfect time to slowly start to get ready. “I’m gonna go have a shower and start getting ready.”

“Good idea.”

You went straight to your old room that had an ensuite and started to lay out your outfit. A pair of black booty shorts, a black lace corset bra, a blood splattered white button down and a pair of fishnets. That was the basis of your costume. Then a mask that was the same as Matt’s, both lighting up blue.

First things first, shower and prep first before starting on your hair. Then onto make-up, pretty simple, before getting into your costume. The last touch was blood splattering over your make-up. When you finished getting ready, you went downstairs to make a cocktail for Steph and yourself.

“Oo, what’s on the menu?” Steph questions as she comes downstairs in her costume.

“You look so good!” Steph did a twirl for you. “Ah, I picked the perfect costume.”

At the mention of that, Mitch came down solidifying the choice. He was the perfect Ken. Complimenting Steph’s barbie. When he came into the kitchen, he looked you over. Looking at your costume. “What are you?”

“From the purge,” You answer. You poured two cocktails into nice glasses and slid it over to Steph. “Cheers to another successful Halloween.”

“Cheers.”

When you took your first sip, the doorbell rang. Mitch went to greet whichever teammate had arrived first. And knowing the team, it’s either Mitch’s boyfriend (Auston) or the captain and his wife.

“What’s up little Marns?” Auston greets as he presses a kiss to your cheek. “I like the costume.”

“Thanks Aus.”

The group all enjoyed the music that was playing and the alcohol while waiting for others. Soon Will and his girlfriend arrived dressed as Fred and Daphne from Scooby Doo. Penny joined the other two girls drinking cocktails while the boys sat around outside chatting.

“So, are you still talking to that guy?” Steph asks.

Penny immediately turns on you. “Guy? What guy?”

“Uh,” You stutter. Steph was the only person to know you were talking to a guy. But she didn’t know who he was. “Yeah, I’m still talking to the guy.”

“Who is he?” 

You shrug and go to answer the door as an excuse to leave the conversation. The person knocked at the door again as you walked down the hallway. 

“You will tell us sooner or later,” Steph calls from the kitchen.

The door opened to reveal Matthew, dressed exactly how you envisioned. God, he looked so good. Even with the blood splattered all over him. The brunette lifted his mask and smiled down at you. Well, more like smirked. 

“Heya babe,” he muttered, making sure to peek over your shoulder before pressing a kiss to your lips.

“Hey, you look good!”

“So do you.”

You shut the door behind him and lead him through to the kitchen. As soon as Steph took in Matthew’s costume, she knew exactly who you were talking to. Her eyes lit up as she ran to hug the boy. It was the first team event for Steph to meet the rookie player.

“Hi, welcome to the team,” Steph rushes out excitedly. She looked over the pair of you and your matching costumes. “How are you liking Toronto?”

“I have a good guide,” He replies, sending a small smile to the girl beside him.

“Where’s the captain?” Mitch asks when he sees Knies. 

You waited for your brother’s reaction but it seemed like it wasn’t clicking. Oh well, it will make sense at some point in his golden retriever brain. 

Matt shrugs, “He and Aryne were waiting on the babysitter.”

“Ah, come join the boys out back,” Mitch suggests, already making his way outside again. 

Steph lets out a chuckle, “We’ll see if it clicks for him at some point.”

Matt just shrugged again and kissed you once more and made his way to join his teammates outside on the patio. When the backdoor shut, Steph and Penny both turned and gave you a look.

“The rookie? Really?”

“He’s cute,” You argue.

The pair both agree with a laugh and start to ask you a billion questions. When did you meet him? Where? What was your first date? At the arena before a preseason game. Then he took you out for a late-night meal at a diner.

Soon the house was full of team members and staff dressed in every type of costume you could imagine. Funny, scary, awesome, iconic. You name it, someone is dressed in it. Everyone was mingling and snacking on all the things you and Steph had made during the week. 

“Hey,” Matt greets as he comes up to you talking to Aryne. 

Aryne smiled at the two of you dressed up together. “I love the costumes.”

“That was all her,” The brunette grinned. He pressed a kiss to your temple but soon was interrupted by a yell.

“What?!” You turn to where Mitch was standing with William and Auston. “No way.”

Steph was quick to drag Mitch inside, with the other two of the trio following suit. Luckily not many people had seen the scene created. Knowing your brother, if you and Matt delayed the conversation any longer, he’d come and drag you too in as well. 

“Let’s get this over with,” You mutter, slipping your hand into Matt’s.

As soon as you stepped foot into the living room, Mitch only paid attention to the joint hands. “Oh no, no, no.” He speeds up to you two and separates you both. “Not for the life of me are you dating a hockey player.”

“Come on Mitch.”

He shook his head. “No. I told mum and dad I’d protect you when you moved out here with me.”

“Mitch, I’m not 18 anymore. I’m a big girl. I can date who I want without your permission.”

Knowing he wasn’t going to convince you, he turned on Matthew. He got up in the rookie’s face. “And you! I told you that my sister was off limits!”

Matt couldn’t get in a word before you stepped in and pushed your brother a step back. But he was quick to pull you into his side. 

“Mitch,” Steph murmured.

“I’m serious about her,” Matt spoke up. “She’s perfect. Smart, beautiful, talented. She’s not your sister, she’s just her own, amazing person.”

You teared up. That last point he said was an insecurity you had shared with him. People only want to be with you because of your brother. “Matty.”

“She’s my person,” Matt stated. Making sure to look your brother in the eyes to convey how serious he was. 

“Let them be Mitch,” Auston chuckles, “They like each other. If he hurts her we can beat him later.”

“Fine,” your brother huffed. 

You skipped up to him and hugged him. “Thanks Mitchy. Love you!”

Without another word, you intertwined your fingers with Matt’s and dragged him to your old room.

“Door stays open!” Mitch screams when he realises where you were going. 

You didn’t listen to your brother’s order though. Matt made sure to slam the door loud enough for your brother to hear it over the music. When the door was closed, Matt immediately pulled off your mask from the top of your head before kissing you hard. 

“God you look so good,” He groaned “And your ass in those shorts.”

After making sure the door was locked, you pushed Matt onto the bed. First piece of clothing to come off was the button down. Revealing the lacy corset for all to see. For Matt to see. 

“Damn baby.”

You giggle and dance along to the faint sound of ‘I Put A Spell On You’. Matt grabs your hips guiding you close and flipped the script, making you on the bed and leaned over you. His hand gripped onto your hip as he rubbed his hard dick against your pussy. You let out a quiet moan which only spurred the man on more.

“Yeah, I’m gonna make you scream,” He smirks.

Matthewkniews posted on Instagram!

Liked by mapleleafs, johntaveres and others

matthewknies: What a killer halloween 🔪 tagged: y/nmarner

user: Holyyyyy. This was not on my 2023 bingo card

mitchmarner: Still not over this

y/nmarner: did I ask for your opinion?

stephmarner: be nice you two

user: KNIES OMG

user: new kink unlocked Liked by y/nmarner

TAG LIST

@findapenny @mp0625 @hischierhaze @11zegras @lvrzegras @francesfarhadi @cixrosie @daisysthings

[ifimdreaming]

Any chance you could write some fluff about taking care of Matthew Knies after his concussion?

blurb!

you're supposed to be resting

matthew knies x reader || fluff

summary: basically eaxctly was was requested, and matthew is very stubborn

author's note: im so sorry this took so long! ive been super busy lately

word count: 1k

-

you didn't even have to open the front door before you could hear the sound of the tv playing, you knew matthew was watching the leafs play. Having supposed to be essentially on bed rest after his concussion, it infuriated you to know he wasn't taking it completely seriously.

You told him you werent coming over until later so you knew he wasnt expecting you, but you couldnt stand knowing he was home alone, probably not taking care of himself like he should be

You open the door and see matt click the tv off immediately. He looks over at you with a knowing look and you shake your head back at him. After closing the door behind you, you kick your shoes off and head to the kitchen to put away the food you bought for the weekend. 

“Hi baby, you're here early…” matthew says finally 

“What are you doing?” you ask, seeing as he is sitting on the couch with no tv on

“Im…uh” he starts, “don't lie.” you say, breaking him

“Fine, I turned the game on. But I swear I was only going to watch for a minute. It was killing me.” 

You roll your eyes and head over to sit beside him on the couch. You knew it killed him not to be able to play tonight, let alone attend the game. But he was under strict rules not to watch any screens or devices, as to not worsen his concussion. 

“I know matty” you say as you sit right next to your boyfriend, cuddling into his side and lifting your legs to rest bent on his lap. He wraps his arm around you, pulling you tighter and resting his hand on your butt

“How about i distract you” you suggest, knowing it would eat him alive anyway, just listening to the game and not being able to watch

“Hm. i like that idea” he says, leaning his head back against the couch and closing his eyes tightly. You could tell the brightness of the room was irritating him

“Hey! how bout we go upstairs and cuddle, yeah?” you knew if you suggested he lay down in a dark room without you he would not be very happy about that. He hated this recovery period, so honestly the most effective method in helping him recover was treating him like a little kid and making things sound like the best idea ever. 

“Id love that” he says, lifting you up with him bridal style as he stands up from the couch and starts heading towards the stairs. 

“Wait! Pit stop!” you say pointing towards the kitchen and he turns on his heels

“On it” he says, obeying your demands as he carries you towards the kitchen

“Freezer please!” you say and he heads towards the freezer door. You open it and pull out an ice pack for his head. Matthew rolls his eyes, knowing you were slightly tricking him into getting the ice for himself

“Ok lets go bud.” you say sharply as you pat his chest, not giving him any time to complain 

you place the ice pack at the back of matts neck, holding it there as you head upstairs. When you reach the bedroom you swiftly turn the light off as you pass by the door, making sure the room is perfect in aiding matthews injury.

“I know what you're doing you know” matt says as he places you down on the bed

“What? Coming over to cuddle with you?” 

“Mm more like coming over to take care of me?” he says, mocking your voice and making you crack a smile. He sits beside you in the dark room as you lie in his bed, and wait for him to join you

“Well you were literally doing everything you shouldn't be doing when i walked in sooo…”

“I've been lying down all day long!” he says exasperatedly, knowing you're right 

“Well I'm here now. and I want to cuddle. So we're gonna lie down some more mkay?” you say sassily as you reach in front of you, trying to find him in the dark. You find his chest and pull him towards you by his shirt, urging him to give in to you

Matthew took this as an opportunity to place a kiss on your lips, catching you off guard. After a moment, you lean into the kiss and matthew scoots closer to you, closing the space that was between you both

Matthew passionately grabs you by the waist as he leans over your body, kissing down your neck, making his way to your chest

You pull his face up to yours and he fights to bring it down again

“Matty!” you whine and he continues kissing you cheeks after leaving bruises on your neck

“You're supposed to be resting.” you say with a laugh and he sits up on his elbows, hovering over you, and you can just tell there is a smirk on his face. 

He places a gentle kiss on your lips, ignoring your previous statement. 

“This is not resting” you say as you press your pointer finger to his lips and you can feel his smirk grow against your finger. You're trying really hard not to sound like a babysitter, but are still trying to look out for him

“Ok fine” he sighs out as he collapses beside you. With his body off of yours, you take this as an opportunity to reach down to the end of the bed and find the ice pack that was left there, swiftly placing it behind his head.

Without a word he turns his head to look at you with squinted eyes. Even in the dark, you can just see the annoyance plastered all over his face. You hold in a laugh as you adjust his pillow, continuing to care for your injured boyfriend. 

He helps you adjust the sheets as you both get undr the covers. Regardless of his feigned annoyance, you knew matthew did appreciate you and what you were doing for him. 

“Ok ok ok” Matthew says, stopping you as you are still adjusting his ice pack. he pulls you in beside him and you immediately place a hand under his shirt, moving your hand up and down his chest. Something you always did to comfort him.

 He begins placing kisses to the top of your head as you cuddle in beside him, relaxing completely under his touch

-

-

[kiss4chuu]

⋅˚₊‧ ୨ request rules ୧ ‧₊˚

⋅˚₊‧ ୨ general rules ୧ ‧₊˚

↳ we only write romantic, platonic, age regression, fluff, angst, and semi-nsfw. no full nsfw content.

↳ we write in oneshot, headcanon, social media, and multi-character form. for multi-characters, the limit is 4-6.

↳ lgbtq+ relationships are fully allowed and encouraged, this includes polyamory.

↳ cross-fandom and au’s are allowed.

↳ we won’t write ships, unless it’s in a polyamorous pairing.

↳ mental abuse, physical abuse, and abuse in general within a pairing is not allowed. topics of it, however, are allowed.

⋅˚₊‧ ୨ fandoms ୧ ‧₊˚

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— sweet home

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— squid game

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↳ front man

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↳ circle, triangle, and square guards

© kiss4chuu | no reposts

[hockeybabe]

Don’t Chirp My Girl | M. Knies

Pairings: Matthew Knies x gf!reader

Summary: Pastrnak say some not so great things about you to your boyfriend and your boyfriend isn’t having it.

Warnings: pastrnaks a dick, protective Knies, swearing, pure fluff, making out in a car, illusion to smut

Word count: 879

Note: saw this and was like yes sir 🫡

Out of all the people for Pastnak to go after he had chosen your boyfriend. The two of you had been dating for almost two years and you decided, as this being Matthew’s first full season, you’d go to as many games as you could. 

When they got into the playoffs, you made it your mission to be at every game. You were born and raised a hockey fan, knowing every single thing from wrongs to rights. And for the past two games, the leafs weren’t doing what they normally did. Auston wasn’t playing tonight, which meant Matthew would have more ice time.

That made you truly happy knowing you’d see your boyfriend more on the ice. As of now, it was the third period, and the game was still tied at 1-1. Things in the playoffs were another level. They were more intense, and the players weren’t having it with each other.

From the glass seat you were at, you could see Pastrnak staring right back at you with a creepy look on his face. The whistle blew and before you knew it; they were playing. Your thumbs twiddled with each other as you watched the two teams battle it out. 

Swayman was able to stop the puck before it reached the net, allowing the refs to stop play and just like always, Boston and Toronto were going at it. However, this time it was your boyfriend and Pastrnak. Pastrnak was pointing over at you while saying something, making Matthew lose his shit. 

You could barely make out the words Matthew was saying, but you could see him push Pastrnak before saying, “that’s what I thought.” You shivered slightly at the look on your boyfriend’s face as the game continued. He’d never looked so angry at someone’s words. 

It was common for chirping to go around in hockey, it what caused fights. But it was also wasn’t uncommon for rookies to have their loved one's being called out. 

As the game made its way to over time you sat at the edge of your seat watching as John skated fast to Swayman, attempting a shot, but it slid past him and two players, leaving the puck all by itself and an open net. You watched Matthew skate up to it, flicking the puck into the net, and the sirens blazed. 

You shot out of your seat banging on the glass and give high-fives to the little leaf fans around you as the Boston ones flipped you off and said random shit, making a smug smirk grace your lips. You had followed Steph through the crowd as you both made your way to the team's tunnel. 

You watched as Matthew came out of the change room first with a smug look. He was happy, but in his eyes he was clearly annoyed. You sigh knowing that it’d be a long drive home. He had greeted all the partners before parting ways with his team. “He’ll get over it.” Max said to you before you followed him to the parking lot. 

“So,” you started. “You gonna tell me what happened?” You asked, getting into the passenger seat. Matthew only bothered to give you a grunt as he continued to drive to the apartment. “Jesus Matthew! Are you really not gonna say shit?” You cried out as his silence drove you crazy.

Matthew’s grip on the steering wheel tightened as his knuckles turned white. You couldn’t lie, the sight turned you on, but he was mad and with mad came silence and built up emotion. “Matt, pull over.” You told him, sternly. Matthew looked over at you before pulling off to the side of the road. 

You unbuckled your seat belt, climbed over the console and sat yourself in Matt’s lap, your back resting on the wheel. You took Matt’s face into your hands, forcing him to look at you. “What’d he say?” You ask again. “I don’t wanna talk about it.” He grumbled. “So what, you’ll bubble this anger up till Thursday and then what? Take it out on the guy! It’s fucking hockey, baby! Shit happens.” You cried out, hoping to get your words through his thick skull. 

“He said you’d leave me for someone better in the end.” He mumbled, making your heart stop. “I pushed him and told his to not start and he thought wrong for trying me.” He said, snuggling his head into your neck and placing a kiss on your collarbone. “Well, who the hell would be someone better?” You asked, making his head perk up. 

“Cause I’ve got the best guy I’ve met in a while. And he makes my fucking world.” You said with a big smile, making him smirk. “Oh, really.” He whispered, pulling you closer. You were pulled up into his bulge, making you whimper, shutting your eyes slowly. “Yeah, he’s got this goofy, uh, smile and he, um, he wears the number 23.” You breath out as he placed wet kisses on your neck.

“The number he’s going to ruin me in.” You moan. Pressing your lips onto his. His hands ran up your back, pulling you closer than possible. Your lips meshed as his tongue explored your mouth. “Get in the back.” He said in a husky voice. 

[cuteandhughesy]

Adore You | William Nylander

summary: 5 times fans were more excited about meeting and seeing you rather than your boyfriend, william nylander.

4.1k

warnings: SFW! pre-established relationship | fluff | suggestive comments | fans

a/n: based off this request, I hope anon enjoys it as well as you!! I found this style of fic (5+1 esque) was the best way to write this type of fic - so hope you don’t mind :)

link to masterlist

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one: coffee shop

williams hips press into you from behind, urging your further along the line in the cozy toronto cafe. it's a reminder from you boyfriend to pay attention to the moving line, rather than gawking at the large lit up menus hanging behind the counter.

william leans down, pressing a sweet, chaste kiss to your cheek. "you know what you're going to get?"

you whine slightly, clearly undecided. the weather is finally cooling off for the fall seasons, and the autumn themed flavours are very enticing. apple cider, cinnamon, pumpkin, chai....it's all overwhelming.

he laughs at your indecisiveness, used to your inability to make decisions regarding drink related matters, which he always makes fun of you for - obviously.

"what are you getting?" you question, your head falling back to hit your boyfriends chest. the angle allows you to look up at him gently without losing the the press of his hips on your ass.

"i'll probably just get my usual tea - that, and the bran muffin looks really good."

you scrunch your nose in disapproval of his flavour choice. "I don't like bran."

he laughs, "good thing you’re not having any."

you gawk at him, and the sight of his playful eyes shining down at you has you feeling even more appalled. "what If I want some?"

"you'll have to suffer." he shrugs against you, once again moving you forward in the line. you're now only three people away from the cash, and the smell of autumn drinks has become even stronger.

you eye up the menu again. "i'm going to try the cinnamon apple latte - but I kinda want whipped cream, do you think it would be good with whipped cream?"

it's williams turn to pull a face. "no, probably not babe."

"should I get hot chocolate then?"

"hi, sorry," the timid voice of a younger teenager is heard to your left, and instantly your attention is turned away from the confusing menu and over towards the girl. you can tell with you and your boyfriends attention on her, the girl is even more nervous, but she continues on. "is it okay if I can get a picture?"

you smile automatically. you are always so amazed by how much these young kids love your boyfriend and the sport he's built his career in. although it was common for fans to approach william, especially downtown, it was always a nice surprise when it happened.

you move towards her. "I can take the picture if you'd like."

she smiles wearily. "I was hoping you'd be in the picture too, I love you both so much. my mom can take the picture."

you notice now that the girls mom is standing just behind her daughter, a hopeful expression on her face. you wave warmly towards the older woman.

it wasn't uncommon for you to appear in the background of fan photos with your boyfriend, sometimes even being at williams side in a quick snap of a picture, but nobody had ever asked or wanted you to be in the photo on purpose.

obviously you agree, smiling warmly into the camera. in a friendly manner, you loop your arm through the girls, making the photo feel and look more natural and welcoming. on the other side of the teenager, william smiles, slightly bending his knees to look more in line with you and the fan.

his long, muscled arm reaches all the way around behind the girl, and his hand rests soothingly on your back. the fan is extremely thankful, her and her mom happily expressing their gratefulness with sweet handshakes.

when the fan reaches out to you and embraces you in a warm sweet hug, you just about melt.

"how cute was that?" you whisper towards your boyfriend, watching as the two return to their table with what seems like her grandparents, all of them smiling because of your gesture.

"very sweet," william agrees. "you're my little celebrity."

you laugh, gently smacking the back of your hand against his bicep playfully. william's smirk changes as you both approach the counter. the young cashier greets you both kindly, and william immediately orders his tea and a cranberry muffin - you knew you could crack him.

you finally settle on a hot chocolate, your love and craving for whipped cream too strong to ignore. after all, you can get your fall flavoured drink another time.

once you're both home and william headed to the rink for his afternoon practice, you check twitter - your favourite app for social media, gossip source and news. it isn't much scrolling before you find the picture you'd taken earlier with the teen girl.

the on photo caption, which was clearly screenshotted from an instagram story, praises you and how sweet and kind you were in the meeting at the cafe. the comments are so encouraging and nice, filled with compliments directed at you.

the fan interaction was the beginning of many fan encounters with you, and if you didn't know otherwise, you'd think you were the nhl superstar over your boyfriend. 

two: puck for a braclet

during warmups it wasn't very often william would notice or pay attention to fan made signs. he wasn't doing it on purpose, but it was hard to get out of such a focused mode while he was on the ice.

but this night, william just happened to have the urge to stop and take a quick look around the crowded rink. most signs weren't anything special, and a lot were directed at other members of the leafs roster.

a neon pink board automatically caught his eye, and he finds a beautifully decorated sign held by a group of teen girls, all of them giddy as they bang at the glass to try and grab his attention.

the signs reads 'nylander #88 - can we get a puck for a friendship bracelet for you girlfriend.'

the thought of you instantly has him beaming, and without much consideration he scoops two pucks off the cold ice, gliding over to the boards.

he tosses the rubber discs over the glass, which are successfully caught by the two teenagers. in return, they excitedly throw the friendship bracelet over to william. it's a pink braided band, with butterfly charms twisted into the rope. william already knows you'd love it.

from up in the family box, you watch the interaction fondly. although from that high up in the arena, you can't read what the sign says. it isn't until the exchange is displayed on the jumbotron you can properly see the neon pink bristol board.

you watch william skate over to the bench, passing the bracelet off to one of the trainers. they exchange a few words before the trainer jogs off and down the leafs tunnel.

steph marner and aryne tavares are instantly cooing, and steph frowns playfully, wishing mitch's fans would give her gifts as well as just their dog.

you don't really listen to the two girls though, too busy pulling up your text thread with your boyfriend.

you better keep my bracelet safe for me

you send the teasing text just as the leafs finish the warmups and make their way back into the dressing room for the last couple minutes before puck drop.

after the game, before he could even attempt at giving you a greeting kiss, you ask william for the bracelet - wanting to see the sweet gift up close. it was yours, after all.

you gasp, admiring the handmade jewellery with wide eyes. "oh my god, this is the sweetest thing ever - I love my fans." the last part of your sentence is teasing, and it's successful in making william smirk with amusement.

right before gabriella mcCabe makes her way over to you - a usual occurrence after games - you slip the pink bracelet onto your wrist, admiring the charms under the dim lighting of the players hallway.

gabriella, like the mom she is, insists you two pose for a post-game picture, claiming 'you both look so cute and your outfit and new bracelet is to stunning to not capture.'

you end up posting the photo to your instagram story - capturing your and williams matching, bright smiles. the picture is you turned into your boyfriends side, with your hand resting comfortably on his suit jacket, displaying the fan-made friendship bracelet.

you caption it, 'new addition to my jewelry collection ft.my kind boyfriend who exchanged some frozen pucks for the friendship bracelet'

the picture, as well as the video captured interaction between the fans and william go viral in the online hockey community, and the love for you only amplifies from there.

three: autographs

william gathers your attention softly, the 2-1 loss from tonight's game still weighing on his shoulders. although a loss was always devastating for the team, loosing to the bruins was always an extra sting - regardless of how hard the leafs faught.

you look over at him from the passenger seat, just catching his eyes as he shoots you a glance. his blonde hair is such a beautiful contrast to the dark interior of his car, and you're momentarily distracted by his handsome profile.

"kniesy just texted and said there's a couple fans outside, so i'm probably going to stop to say hi and sign some things, you okay with that?"

you love your sweet and caring boyfriend, even after a rough game and long day, he's still willing and wanting to bring happiness to others. you smile gently, reaching over the centre console to gently caress the side of his stubbled cheek, your thumb stroking his cheekbone soothingly. "of course, baby."

he turns the wheel to pull into the exit lane of the scotiabank underground parking unit, and while he waits for the gate to lift, william turns towards you, a grateful expression on his face. "okay, baby, i'm sorry I know how tired we both are." he takes ahold of your hand, pressing a chaste kiss to your palm before returning his grip to the steering wheel.

"don't apologize, I love that you want to interact with your fans." you say sincerely.

once william is securely out of the parking garage,  he turns off to the side road where a small group of fans are gathered, all desperately trying to gather the attention of nhl players. william puts his car in park, and rolls down the window, letting fans have an opportunity to start interacting with him.

you watch your boyfriend display nothing but pure enthusiasm and kindness while interacting with his fans, offering nothing but laughter and smiles as new people approach him, asking for autographs and pictures. the somber mood from loosing the game seemingly seeping away as the interactions continue.

a few fans spot you in the passenger seat, and offer polite waves and greetings. now that you've become more of a recognizable hockey girlfriend online, fan interactions were more common, and you were used to strangers waving at you now.

a young teen boy approaches the open window, timidly asking your boyfriend to sign his hat and for a picture. as william signs the iteam, you notice a young girl with the teen, presumably beside her older brother.

you make eye contact, and you wiggle your fingers in a wave like motion, a smile on your face.

she waves back excitedly, which has laughter bubbling up your throat.

then the little girl, who can't be any older than 7, looks up at your boyfriend, who is chatting with the teenage boy and his father. she pokes william's arm.

her dad scolds her for the rude interruption, but it falls on deaf ears. her tiny hands are holding onto the window, and she smiles a gapped tooth smile at your boyfriend. "is that your girlfriend in the car?"

william laughs at her bluntness and the way she points at you with one blue painted fingernail. he shoots you a glance over his shoulder, meeting your gaze. "it is my girlfriend."

she hums, "she's pretty."

"I know right."

you and william, along with the siblings father laugh at the young girl, basking in her innocent interest. her brother mumbles something about feeling embarrassed, which further adds to your amusement. the conversation doesn't last much longer, and the amount of fans left waiting is dwindling down.

it's a groups of teenagers next, who unlike the last boy, are not shy at all. they immediately start chatting with your boyfriend like they've been friends for years, and william eats it up. he signs various jerseys and leaf memorabilia for the boys, and each one of them takes a selfie with your boyfriend as well.

just before they leave, one of them pauses. "yo, can we get a group photo? and can y/n be in it too?"

you didn't think they noticed you at all, to be honest. which fair enough, you think, you too would also be too interested and distracted by william nylander to notice anybody else in the vehicle. but apparently not.

william turns to you, asking if you mind being apart of a group picture with a group of rowdy, loud teenage boys. you appreciate him asking you as he'd never want to put you in an uncomfortable situation, but you don't mind and agree warmly.

william helps you get into the photo, and as you lean over the centre console, he wraps his arm around your waist, essentially bringing you further over the console. your leather jacket doesn't provide much movement, but you manage to look normal in the photo thankfully.

soon after, william bids goodbye to the fans and pulls his car back onto the main highway. once at a comfortable driving pace, he reaches towards you and gently grips your thigh over top your black jeans. "thanks again for not minding stopping for fans."

you look over at him, smiling at him even though he's focused on the road. you squeeze his hand on your leg. "i'll never be upset with you for wanting to meet and make your fans happy."

"honestly I think they were more excited to meet you, especially those teenagers." william makes an unamused face, teasingly voicing his faux jealousy towards the group of boys wanting you in their picture.

you giggle, interlocking your fingers with your boyfriends. instead of his hand on your thigh, you bring it into your lap, holding your interlocked hands there. "what can I say? i'm a hit."

william shakes his head, an amused grin taking over his face. "yeah yeah."

later when you're home, doing one last scroll of your phone before bed - william and the dogs already snoring beside you - you notice that steph has sent you an instagram post.

when you open the dm thread, you are met with the same group of teenage boys you and william took a picture with - the picture posted to one of their accounts. the caption makes you giggle, reading 'met a superstar smokeshow after the game and nylander was also there.'

steph's dm is accompanied by her mimicking the caption in a teasing matter, and you respond with a million dollar sign emojis.

you like the post and lock your phone. you turn, attempting to cuddle your space heater of a boyfriend but are denied by one of the dogs, his cold nose digging into your neck as he nuzzles into you.

you're so excited to show william the instagram post, ready to tease him by proving that you are in fact the superstar.

four: twitter mania

for your boyfriend, playoffs were always so serious and important, and even though william always managed to joke around and have fun, that didn’t mean he wasn’t feeling the pressure.

for you, playoffs meant dressing in the most fun, stylish outfits and getting tipsy with the other wags. not to say you weren’t always feeling stress and pressure for your boyfriend, and you of course desperately wanted him to have a successful run- but the outfits were your favourite part, providing you with control over something playoff related.

your post was innocent enough, capturing you posing in front of your large mirror on the back wall of your and williams shared closet. the outfit was the main star of the show, and you made sure to push away all your clothes left sprawled over the ground so nobody would be distracted by them.

you’re wearing the team branded playoff bomber, the shiny, satin material catching the light in your closet perfectly. you’ve paired it with a full white outfit, a mock neck long sleeve that you’ve tucked into a pair of high waisted, mom style, white jeans. accompanied with your all white sneakers, you look very sleek and put together, especially with your hair slicked back into a curled, high ponytail and minimalist jewellery (with your now many fan made friendship bracelets).

your mirror selfie had been screenshotted off instagram and uploaded to twitter, where fans immediately started praising you.

user1 omg she’s so stunning

user2 forget willy, I need y/n

user3 the outfit is everything

user4 best wag jackets and best wag

user5 obsessed with her

user6 beautiful.

user7 she’s is so iconic

user8 look at all those friendship bracelets - she’s such a cutie

user9 we really started a new friendship bracelet trend in the nhl wag community

user10 yeah but only the leaf wags can rock them the way they do

user11 y/n is everything

and the comments continued through hundreds of replies. your instagram story was shown the same love, with fans liking the story and replying. you made sure to like and respond to every sweet message, thanking them all for the unconditional love and respect.

five: the jumbotron

unlike the first couple games of the playoffs, your outfits had become very…unique. you couldn’t help yourself and you let the superstitions from when you were first dating william come back to take over. when he’d play in sweden, you’d always deck yourself out in team memorabilia, and often you’d get into colourful face paints to complete the look. william loved it and always said your support was his lucky charm.

as you both got older, and william became a more serious member of the leafs team and the organization, you toned down your outfits for games, choosing - more sleek, professional style.

but with the boys trying to push the series against the bruins to a game 7, you knew you had to fall back into your old superstitious ways. you’ve got on williams black jersey, and you’ve paired it with black leather pants to try and maintain some dignity. you’re hair is down this time, but you caved and painted a sparkly blue maple leaf on each of your cheeks.

it was definitely a more controlled and toned down version of what you used to do back when you and william started dating, but the look was still fun and calmed the superstitious urges.

you and tessa, who you’d also convinced to paint a sparkly leaf on her cheek, chose to sit with the crowd for the game, something you’d rarely do now that you had a more online presence. william was always nervous of the idea, especially because the fans can get so rowdy this time of year, but you promised you’d be fine with tessa, and the fans are more focused on the game than you.

between periods, the media team was having a die-hard fan cam, moving through the arena and displaying some unique fan outfits and looks on the jumbotron. you and tessa were watching, sharing laughter as various ages were excitedly repping leaf themed outfits.

and then, you and tessa are suddenly looking at yourselves on the jumbotron. you laugh loudly, hiding your face briefly in tessa’s shoulder. the fans get loud, cheering excitedly as your names and titles are displayed at the bottom of the jumbotron. you both wave, smiling at the outpouring love from the jam packed arena.

for the rest of the intermission, you get fans coming up to you in clusters, asking for pictures with you and tessa. you both oblige happily, smiling with glitter cheeks as you pose with mostly little girls and teenagers.

once the crowd dies down, you pull out your phone and text william.

I was on the jumbotron with tessa and the fans loved it- im coming for you and your career honey 😉

you giggle to yourself, pocketing your phone as you’re not expecting a response until the game is over. throughout the rest of the game (which thankfully was won by the leafs), fans would come up to you both, expressing their love and asking for selfies - including carlton the mascot, which was posted to the leafs instagram captioned, ‘some of carlton’s favourite fans.’

it was all very sweet and surreal and even now, you can never fathom the amount of joy and support fans of the leafs express for you.

bonus: the amazon prime documentary

you and william make the familiar walk down to your favourite cafe, both dogs weaving around your legs as you trek hand and hand with your boyfriend.

this time is different than the last, as the amazon prime camera crew was following behind you, capturing william in all his domestic glory.

he squeezes your hand, “know what you’re going to get this time?”

this time you nod definitively. “I’m getting a hot chocolate with whipped cream, it’s been too good to change.”

william nods with a hum, “i’m getting a muffin.”

“cranberry?” you question hopefully as you remember the burst of flavours melting on your tongue the last time william got the cranberry flavoured treat.

he shrugs, “if that’s what you want.”

you squint up at him playfully. “such a kiss ass infront of the cameras.”

william laughs his usual cackle, because you know him too well. instead of answering, william lets go of your hand in favour of wrapping his puffy coat covered arm sound your shoulders, pulling you into his side.

one of the dogs bumps into your legs, which sends your knees buckling slightly. he can’t help it, he’s excited with all the attentions he’s been getting today and now that you’re not showering him with love, the puppy is confused.

you huff gently, thankful for william’s grip on you, otherwise you would’ve probably tumbled to the ground from the force of your dog. “we really need to start bringing leashes.”

he chuckles, “they’re fine.”

“no babe, they need a leash.” you insist gently, watching the way the dogs drop to the ground beside you, rolling around the melting snow as they jaw at one other playfully.

william knows you’re right, but will never admit defeat. instead he pulls you closer with a sneaky smirk, and he leans down, pressing a series of quick kisses all over your face.

the camera captures the whole interaction, from the way you giggle at the tickly feeling of williams beard on your face, to the way you finally give in, pressing a chaste kiss to his lips right before entering the cafe - both dogs happily at your feet.

months later when the amazon prime documentary goes public, the clips of you and william go viral. fans obsess over the cafe walk clip, often taking the video, adding sweet romantic music over it and captioning it with something kind and wishful.

there’s a few other clips in william’s episode that included you - ones that you had even forgot they filmed. you watch back as you warmly embrace willy after a game, right after another loss to the bruins. you watch his body language shift hugely, looking more relaxed and full of relief as you soothingly rub his back, the dogs of course prancing around your and william’s legs.

another clip captured the two of you watching football on the couch, cozy under the blankets after a filling dinner. the room was dim, and the dark lighting combined with william’s warm body and long tiring day, you’d been caught sleeping against your boyfriends arm - on camera.

you watch with embarrassment, looking at yourself seemingly slumped with your messy hair and fuzzy lounge attire. in the clip, william points to you with a teasing smirk, alerting the camera crew to your sleeping state. “she can fall asleep anywhere, I swear.” his voice is quiet, trying not to wake you.

the producers voice is also a soft whisper. “is this kind of evening a reoccurring thing?”

william nods slowly. “absolutely. y/n always insists on picking the movie, promising to not fall asleep, but like every night, here we are.”

the camera moves towards the tv where the first 30 minutes of legally blonde are still playing, a movie that yes, you had begged william to watch with you.

the fans love that video more than any of them, and for the first month after the prime documentary, your social media is filled with you dozing against william’s arm.

without meaning to, you completely overshadowed william in his own documentary episode. it’s not like you did anything for that result, the fans had absolutely obsessed over you and your relationship that it’s all the posted and talked about - even over william yelling at his own teammates.

you were clearly the fan favourite, but william can’t be upset because you’re also his favourite person, so he understands why his fans love you so much.

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a/n: make sure you check out my other william nylander published works and stay tuned for more william nylander !

[nylwnder]

run your mouth

a/n: back with the second last drop!!! of course i had to include my boy bunts in this series <333 who am i without my twin??!! currently working on the last fic and can’t wait to get that out to you guys :) loves u and enjoy bbs!

pairing: michael bunting x fem!reader 

warnings: SMUT, bratty!reader, brat taming, mocking, fingering, oral (f! recieving), p in v, unprotected sex, technically exhibitionism, bunts doesn’t play for the leafs anymore (but still hanging out with the boys), swearing

word count: 2.7k

taglist: @shoot-the-puck , @lukepangburn118 , @hawkeyefierce , @boqvistsbabe , @sweetiet , @p1tstop , @occasionallyaurora , @laurenairay , @fallinallincurls , @andrea9 , @dylpickle4791 , @biznastysloneshift12

series masterpost 

the lights were bright and colourful, decorations hung around the walls and tables, cocktails flooding the room, snacks upon snacks with laughter and love being shared with each other. 

it was new years eve, therefore unsurprisingly celebrated at the marner residence. you were mingling with the rest of your friends on the arm of your boyfriend and known “greasy rat” michael bunting. it was the first christmas with bunts not playing for toronto anymore, however connections and bonds grow deeper than contracts and trades. so regardless of where you might be living right now, toronto is your home. and you were grateful to be spending your time with the group of people you feel most connected to. 

later on in the night, some of the boys wanted to challenge each other in a game of pool. the rest of the wives and girlfriends stayed chatting in the living room with some glasses of wine. you took your cup, however you felt a hunch that you could have a bit more fun as a spectator for the game.

michael has had lingering touches on you all night, and you were starting to get more needy the more he spoke to the others. so what was a way to motivate him into fulfilling a need before the night ends? perhaps, you felt like being a little bratty today!

you sit on a couch in the game room, watching auston make sure the table is set up accordingly. the boys began barking at each other, teasing the other about who will win. they decided to play in pairs at first. auston with mo and bunts with willy. mitch was going to play, but he was chirped out of the group before he could even grab a stick. you giggled. 

the first round wasn’t too bad. michael was carried by william’s strategic movements and consistent straight shots. you chose to make sure you praised willy as much as you could. you could notice the way bunts would hold his cue tighter, it only ignited you more. 

however, auston and morgan put up a good fight, and got a two for one shot to win the game. that's when they decided to break off into individuals, mo and willy first—willy winning—and now aus and bunts, meaning you were ready to continue running your mouth.

music buzzed in the background from the other room. bunts is lining up his shot. you crossed your legs together, watching with a mischievous grin, sipping your drink. 

“alright boys, watch and learn. ‘bout to end this game right now.” bunts says.

you snicker, “please! you’ve been saying that for the last ten minutes. just take the shot already, you self-proclaimed pool shark.” the boys giggle.  

bunts pauses to glare at you “you wanna hop on this table and try your luck, or are you just here to run your mouth?”

you smile, already finding yourself under his skin. “why would i ruin this perfectly mid game with my superior skills? this tragedy is way more fun.”

“she’s got a point, man. you better not scratch this twice in a row. again.” mo says, finding himself betting on the underdog whilst reminding him of his faults. it made you giggle. 

bunts straightens up in defense, “okay, first of all, those scratches were tactical. second—mo, didn’t you just miss a straight shot last game? sit down.”

willy laughs, “yeah, but at least he didn’t call it ‘tactical.’ you’re just making stuff up now.”

“‘tactical scratches’ is that what we’re calling choking these days?” you chirp again. 

bunts smiles, “keep chirping, babe. the more you talk, the more i’m convinced you’ve never touched a cue in your life.”

“oh, i’ve touched a cue. i just don’t need to overcompensate for my lack of skills like some people.”

auston laughs,“she’s ruthless, man. you sure she’s on your side?”

bunts grabs the chalk, rubbing it dramatically on his cue “oh, she’s on my side. she just likes to act tough in public so she doesn’t seem too obsessed with me.”

you scoff. “obsessed? honey, i’m only here because the good snacks ran out, and watching you lose is free entertainment.” you smirk, sitting back and taking another sip of your drink. 

“okay take the shot already kid.” mo says. 

bunts points at the men in front of him, “you better hope i don’t win this game. i’ll make sure you guys never live it down.”

from the angle in which you sit, you have a deep feeling the ball will bounce too much off of the edge and miss the pocket completely. 

bunts takes the shot. the ball indeed bouncing off the cushion and narrowly missing the pocket. you and the guys erupt into laughter.

“yeah, pool shark eh? more like a goldfish in a kiddie pool.” auston says, grinning with his head steady on the tip of his stick. 

bunts straightens again, “big words from the guy who didn’t wanna play against me when we came to town.”

“i wasn't feeling well dumbass” auston remarks, poking your boyfriend with his stick. 

“sure…” bunts says, smiling. 

willy smirks, “don’t drag us into your weak game, bunts. you’re doing just fine embarrassing yourself without our help.” you grin at his words. 

“you make a great point, willy! you should listen to him michael, he did carry you in the pairs game anyways.”

michael grins, “alright, alright, keep it coming. just remember, i only let you guys talk this much ‘cause i’m nice. otherwise, you’d be crying right now.”

the boys scoff and you couldn’t help but do the same. “crying? maybe from laughing too hard.” you say, moving your empty glass to the side. your boyfriend shoots you another playful glare. 

it was now auston’s shot. he began to line himself in an angle that felt the most comfortable for him as well as guaranteeing enough of a push from the cue-ball to sink. and so he does. the sweet sound of a clink and the swish of the ball falling in the pocket, also known as the sweet sound of victory. 

morgan pats bunts on the back. “don’t worry, bud. not everyone is cut out for this.” the rest of the boys giggle again and bunts smiles as well. its all playful banter at the end of the day. however not everyone gets let off so easy. 

once the girls from the other room call everyone to get ready to watch the ball drop, you get pulled by your waist into michael’s frame. the door closing behind the boys. 

“may i help you?” you inquire with sass whilst raising an eyebrow. 

his hands snake tightly around your waist, pulling you snug against him. the tips of his fingers falling low and laying at the top of your ass. 

“why do you always need to give me a hard time?” 

“why are you so easy to chirp?” 

he gives out a low chuckle, amused by the way you always manage to keep up. 

“you gon let me go?” you ask, however not eager to escape his embrace. 

“not till you apologize”

you hum, “you're asking for a lot from me, big boy.” he grins again, and you can't help but reciprocate it. he grabs you tight and lifts you onto the pool table, spreading your legs with his own. your stomach flutters in anticipation. 

“just because you-” you were cut off by michael’s lips against yours. god, you’ve been waiting for him to shut you up. his lips move naturally with yours, nipping at your lip to allot space for his tongue to slip in. 

the more the two of you engaged in this silent conversation, the more your body felt like it was on fire. your dress suddenly too warm and too tight, heat creeping up your chest and neck as you licked into bunts mouth, tasting the alcohol on his lips. whines began to escape you whenever you would break for air. nails denting his skin, an urge for him to not continue the teasing foreplay. your dress straps have fallen down your arms, dress scrunched up, exposing your thighs. 

with one last kiss, michael fell to his knees. your hands immediately go to his hair, combing your fingers through his strands and tugging the more you feel his breath hover over your core. he looks up at you, his stupidly soft eyes asking for permission. his nose so close to your clit, breathing in your scent, his lips kissing the wet patch on your cotton fabric. “got you wet already huh?”

“god, please” you beg, feet on his shoulders, his fingers rolling down your panty, shoving it in his back pocket to keep it safe and sound. michael’s hands grab the skin on your thighs to hold them far apart, his head slotting in between. 

bunts began agonisingly slow, tongue licking stripes up and down your folds, then licking circles around your needy clit. you were whining, pleading for him to hurry up but you figured you deserve the punishment. “you taste so good baby, all wet for me” you give out a huff. 

“want more?” he asks, “is my baby needy?” the tone is playfully mocking you, which makes you smile internally. however, externally, his nose bumped into your hole so perfectly your face scrunched and your moan was your only answer. 

he took that as his answer, two of his fingers slipping into your entrance and instantly feeling your pussy constrict around him—that was enough of a confirmation. his mouth sucks and nibbles on your cunt, releasing it when a pop before latching himself around it again. his digits moving in and out at such a speed, it was all, so much and yet just what you wanted. 

your heels dug into michael’s shoulders and back, you grabbed a striped ball that was near you on the table, your fingers tight around it. really just looking for anything to ground you, the wash of euphoria beginning to overcome you. he gave you praises but they were lost in the air, your ears only hearing the noise coming out of your arched body. 

you soaked his fingers, before he pulled them out to replace it with his tongue probing your entrance. he licked you clean and made sure to suck on your clit just a bit more gifting him with a whimper and a kick from your foot, the fresh sting of overstimulation evident. 

bunts brings his fingers to your mouth, he taps your chin bringing your attention back to him, making you open your mouth. your tongue swirled around them, making sure you suck them clean. the taste of yourself giving you a buzz. bunts smiles, pulling you closer to the edge, you can feel his bulge against your thigh. you palm it, hand rubbing over the fabric of his pants. he lets out a low moan, grabbing your waist and enveloping his lips with yours. 

“is this what you wanted all along? to fuck you here on this table? in mitchy’s place? everyone outside that door, capable of coming in at any moment?” there’s a dark shine in his eyes that matches the glossy layer of your juices smeared all over his lips and chin, the small droplets evident in his small scruff.

“maybe” you say, your fingers tugging at his pants, looking at him with a pair of doe eyes. 

he grins again, unbuttoning his pants and taking his cock out of its constraint. he wraps your leg around him, your hand reaching to give him a few strokes, pre-cum around his pretty pink tip. he aligns himself to your entrance, and your hand reaches for his forearm while he slips in. “shit” you utter, head lolling back. 

he gave a few long thrusts, indulging in the feeling of your warm wet walls wrapped around him. bunts looked down, seeing the way his cock is covered in your slick every time he slips out of you, you felt him twitch inside you. 

“i nearly ruined them,” he grumbles, sucking a bruise into the soft skin of your neck. your foggy brain remembers how this started. 

he smirks—its bait, hes trying to reel a remark out of you but hes also making it too hard to do so. not with the way his cock is balls deep inside you on a pool table in his teammates house, a room yet still clearly decorated by his wife. you still manage to scoff, so he decides to mock you some more. “what, too fucked to run your mouth anymore? yeah kind of like you better this way, don't you think?” 

you would have continued with your bratty little comments, but, right now, you’re too focused on the feeling of his rough hand pressing circles on your enlarged clit. too focused on the wet of his mouth spreading over your breasts, his teeth running over you ever so gently, forcing you to whine back.

“i’m gonna ruin you though, that's for sure” he says with a smile as you fall back to lay down on the pool table, pushing your hips forwards with a hearty thrust. then another. and then another. 

you shove your hand in your mouth, not necessarily eager to have someone eavesdropping or walking in to discover the two of you. bunts tries to pull your wrist away from your face, “no baby, you were making so much noise earlier, don’t shut up now” 

your entire body rocked against the table as he bucked up into you, “bunts,” you uttered breathlessly as he stretched you out at a rhythm that was both so slow yet so hard at the same time.  

“oh my god, you feel so- so-…” you swung your hand above you to grip on the edge of the table, your head right beside the cue-ball, your fingers accidently pushing a stick and hearing it clink against the hardwood floor, “fuck!” 

“i feel so what, huh?” he teased your blissed-out babble, “so hard? so big? so good?” his thrusts began to grow more selfish, the lewd clapping of hastily exposed skin echoing and seemingly overpowering all the other noises that vibrated throughout the house, “you like how this cock fills you up to the fucking brim, do you?”

you bite down on your lip, mumbly noises escaping you as a response. your body is on fire, the pressure in your lower belly reaching a peak. one of his hands clutches to your hips to keep you still while he fucks the light of you with unbridled passion. you can feel every inch of your body vibrating to the sound the two of you make. your breath comes out forced in short breaths. “i’m gonna— fuck!” you manage out. you’re squeezing him so hard. 

you finally hear loud noise coming from deeper inside the house, thankful the group is preoccupied. its new years, you reminded yourself, your head still a foggy blur. you hear counting, but not until it's muffled by the pounding of your heart. 

bunts shares that last thrust that tips you over the edge. your walls flutter and contract around his cock as you reach the top of your climax. your eyes roll back. michael follows right after, spilling all of himself inside you while you ride that tide that makes your vision blur and ears ring. thats when the two of you hear cheering and laughter radiate throughout the house. your body feels electric. michael relishing in the bliss. 

your hand seeks his, and he wraps it around yours immediately, tightly. your breathing becomes steady and you begin to sit up, bringing your boyfriend closer into your frame, a more than necessary hug. he gives a low giggle into your shoulder, happy to give you a cuddle. almost yearning for your soft side after your earlier scolding. 

“happy new year!” you exclaim, however your voice more quiet and raspy than you anticipated. michael’s other hand moves to your cheek, a smile plastered on the man’s face. 

“happy new year, babe!” he exclaims, equally as soft and intimate. you smile back, your familiar afterglow shining all over you. bunts isn't anything but grateful at this moment. to have you to start the new year, nevertheless the way the two of you entered it. best new years eve hands down, he states to himself. even if he lost both pool games. 

“i hope your first new year’s resolution is to not be such a brat” bunts mentions playfully, quirking his head to the side. 

you chuckle. “but i like the way you tame me” 

michael grins. “there are pros to it. but maybe lay it off around the guys?”

“that's the best part!” you say, smirking. 

“you don't quit, huh?”

“yeah, i love you too” 

[ enjoyed reading? join my taglist! : click here <3 ]

[misshoneyimhome]

This prompt screams William “seeing the love marks they left on their partner later and getting turned on all over again remember how it got there in the first place” 😭😭

Oh absolutely, love! That is so William 😜 Even though I feel like I’ve written this before… oh well, that won’t stop me from doing it again 🤭 I had several ideas fir this, but I was in a soft mood - so, who’s ready for some lazy, soft morning lovemaking with our boyfriend, wn88?

Tropes & warnings: William Nylander x reader, established relationship, morning sex, Smut 18+, unprotected sex (p in v - please, remember to wrap it up)

Word count: 2.1K

➼｡ﾟ

Adore me, hold me and explore me I William Nylander

The warm morning sunlight filtered through the curtains, casting soft golden rays across the room. You stirred under the covers, the soft sheets tangled around your naked body, and the tell-tale ache in your neck—a mix of tenderness and thrilling satisfaction—reminded you of the night before. A lazy smile curled your lips as you shifted closer to the warm, firm, naked body beside you, your fingers brushing against William’s chest. His skin felt like silk over muscle, the steady rise and fall of his breathing a comfort.

He was already awake, lounging against the pillows, the phone in his hand forgotten as his gaze settled on you. The tousled blonde strands of his hair caught the sunlight, making him look impossibly soft and radiant, though his blue eyes held a mischievous glint that hinted at anything but softness. 

“Morning,” you murmured, your voice husky with sleep. As you moved under the sheets, your body brushed fully against his, the warmth of his bare skin sending a shiver down your spine.

“Morning, älskling,” he replied, his voice deep and melodic. He set his phone aside and shifted closer, his hand reaching up to brush a strand of hair from your face. His fingers lingered, trailing down your cheek to your neck, where he paused, his thumb ghosting over a particularly tender spot, and his smirk widening.

You froze slightly under his touch, the gentle pressure of his fingers that made last night’s memories flood back with vivid clarity. The way his mouth had teased and claimed you, the way his hands had roamed your body like he was memorizing every inch of it—it was all still etched into your skin, and clearly, he had noticed.

His lips quirked upward, his smirk growing wider. “Hmm,” he hummed, tilting his head as if in contemplation, his thumb brushing lightly over one of the faint marks. “Looks like someone had a good time.”

You swatted his hand away, laughing softly as you tried to hide your growing blush. “Oh, stop it. You’re so full of yourself,” you teased, though the smile tugging at your lips betrayed you.

William chuckled, his voice deep and rich, as he shifted his weight to lean closer. “Come on. You don’t like seeing the proof?” His tone was playful, but the way his eyes darkened hinted at something much more dangerous.

Your heart raced under his gaze. “It’s not like I can exactly hide them, thanks to you,” you replied, trying to sound annoyed but failing miserably.

“Good,” he said, his voice dropping to a husky whisper that made the room feel even warmer. “I wasn’t trying to hide anything.”

Before you could respond, he leaned down, his lips grazing the marks on your neck, the soft touch sending shivers down your spine. “You don’t remember how these got here?” he murmured; his breath hot against your skin.

You swallowed hard, unable to suppress the wave of heat that surged through you. Oh, you remembered. You remembered how he’d kissed you last night like he couldn’t get enough, the way his hands gripped your hips as if he were anchoring himself to you. You remembered his breathless laughter against your neck, the sound of your name rolling off his lips like it was the only thing he cared to say.

“Of course, I remember,” you whispered, your voice almost too soft to hear.

William pulled back just enough to meet your eyes, his own glimmering with a mix of playfulness and desire. 

“Good,” he said simply, his grin widening. “Because I’m not done with you yet.”

And before you could respond, his lips were on your neck again, his kisses slow and deliberate as he trailed over each mark. You felt his body shift against yours under the sheets, the weight of him pressing you back into the mattress. The heat of his skin against yours was overwhelming, and when his teeth grazed the sensitive spots, you couldn’t hold back the soft gasp that escaped your lips.

“Will…” you whispered; your voice shaky as his kisses deepened. His body pressed closer, the sheets rustling around you as his slowly growing hardness brushed against your inner thigh. The heat of him sent a rush of electricity through you, leaving you breathless. His warmth enveloped you, his touch purposeful and unrelenting as his hands roamed your skin, caressing every curve like he was rediscovering you all over again.

His lips lingered on your neck, trailing over the love marks with a mixture of tenderness and hunger. “Mmm,” he murmured against your skin, his voice low and thick with desire. “I think we can make a few more of these…” 

Your fingers tangled in his hair, pulling him closer as your body arched into his. The sensation of him pressing against you, firm and insistent, made your pulse quicken. His hands slid lower, gripping your hips as his kisses travelled to the hollow of your collarbone, his teeth grazing the sensitive spot that made your breath hitch.

“Will…” you tried again, but the words dissolved into a soft moan as he shifted between your legs, forcing them apart as he aligned his length with your core under the sheets. The growing tension between you was palpable, each touch drawing you closer to the edge.

Then his lips found yours, capturing them in a kiss that was both demanding and full of reverence. His hands gripped the sheets on either side of you, the intimacy of his body against yours—the way his skin felt against yours, the weight of him pressing you deeper into the mattress—was intoxicating, moments blurring the lines between where he ended, and you began.

Your breaths mingled as his lips left yours, trailing down your jawline and back to your neck. Each kiss was slow, deliberate, as though he wanted to memorize every inch of your skin. His lips lingered on the marks he had left, the heat of his breath making you shiver as his hand slid from the sheets to your thigh. His touch was firm yet tender, his fingers spreading warmth wherever they roamed as they gripped your hip, anchoring you securely to him.

“Willy…” you whispered, your voice trembling with anticipation.

He paused for a moment, his forehead resting against yours, his blue eyes searching yours for permission, for connection. The intimacy of his gaze made your breath hitch, and you reached up to cradle his face, nodding softly as a small smile graced your lips.

With painstaking care, he pressed his cock against your entrance. The sensation was overwhelming—a mix of anticipation, heat, and the kind of vulnerability that only came with trust. Slowly, purposefully, he began to push inside you, his movements careful as he watched your face for every reaction.

The stretch was delicious, a perfect blend of ache and fullness that made your fingers tighten in his hair. A soft moan escaped your lips as he sank deeper, his body fitting against yours like a puzzle piece. His grip on your hip tightened slightly, grounding you as he stilled for a moment, letting you adjust to the sensation.

“This feels good?” he murmured, his voice low and husky, tinged with concern despite the heat in his eyes.

You nodded, your hands sliding down his back to pull him closer. “It’s perfect,” you whispered, your voice breathless but certain.

A soft smile played on his lips before he leaned down, kissing you deeply, his body beginning to move with a slow, deliberate rhythm. Each thrust was measured, unhurried, as though he wanted to savour every second, every sound you made, every tremor of your body beneath his.

The friction, the heat, the sheer closeness of him—it was intoxicating. Your legs wrapped around his waist, pulling him deeper as his movements grew more confident, more insistent. His lips never strayed far from yours, alternating between soft kisses and whispered words that made your heart race even faster.

“You’re amazing. And you’re mine,” he murmured against your skin, his voice rough and full of adoration. “I fucking love the way you feel… the way you let me love you.”

His words sent a fresh wave of warmth through you, and you arched into him, your hands clutching at his back as his rhythm quickened. The world around you faded into a blur of sensation—the sound of your breaths mingling, the way your bodies moved together, the undeniable connection that bound you in that moment.

As the tension built, your body responded instinctively to his, your nails grazing his shoulders as waves of pleasure began to crest. His name slipped from your lips in a breathless whisper, your voice trembling with the intensity of the moment. His gaze locked with yours, his blue eyes filled with a mixture of tenderness and desire, the connection between you tangible and electric.

The rhythm of his movements deepened, deliberate and unrelenting, as he felt your body tighten around him. The sensation made him groan softly, his breath hitching as his own restraint began to waver. His hands gripped the sheets on either side of you, his knuckles white with the effort of holding back, determined to keep you teetering on the edge a moment longer.

“Willy…” Your voice broke, your body arching into his as the pressure became almost unbearable. “I’m gonna—” The words dissolved into a moan, your breath stolen as the pleasure overtook you, sending a ripple of sensation through every nerve.

He felt the change, your body trembling beneath him, and the way you clenched around him pushed him dangerously close to his own release. “That’s it, come for me, baby,” he murmured, his voice strained but soft, a reverence in his tone that made your heart swell even as your body was consumed by the overwhelming waves of pleasure.  

His movements faltered slightly, his own control slipping as the intensity of your release pulled him under. His head dipped, his lips finding the curve of your neck as he groaned against your skin, the sound low and guttural as his own climax surged through him. His hands left the sheets, one sliding to cradle your face while the other gripped your waist, holding you close as he poured himself into you completely.

For a moment, the world seemed to stop. The sunlight painted golden patterns across the room, your breaths mingling as your bodies remained entwined, hearts racing in unison. His forehead rested against yours, his eyes fluttering shut as he caught his breath.

“You’re amazing,” he whispered, his voice barely audible but filled with sincerity.

Your fingers traced lazy patterns on his back, your body still humming with the aftershocks of your shared intimacy. “I know,” you teased, your voice soft and playful despite the lingering haze of satisfaction.

A chuckle rumbled through his chest as he pulled out of you, his movements slow and deliberate, as though he wanted to prolong every second of your closeness. He shifted, pulling you into his embrace under the sheets. His arms wrapped around you, strong and protective, his chest a solid warmth against your back. His body moulded perfectly to yours, the sheets tangling further around your legs as he nestled into you.

“I’m never letting you go,” he murmured, his voice soft but resolute. His lips pressed a tender kiss to your temple, the warmth of his words sinking into your skin as surely as his embrace surrounded you.

You tilted your head slightly, a teasing smile playing on your lips. “Is that why you mark me?” you asked, your tone light but laced with affection.

“Of course,” he replied without hesitation, his voice tinged with pride. One of his hands moved, his fingers brushing gently over the fading marks on your neck. “You look perfect like this… with my marks on you. It’s like a little reminder that you’re mine.”

His words sent a shiver through you, the possessive edge tempered by the tenderness in his voice. You turned in his arms to face him, your eyes locking with his. The intensity of his gaze, the way he looked at you like you were the most important thing in the world, made your breath hitch.

“I don’t think I could ever forget that I’m yours,” you said softly, your hand reaching up to trace his jawline.

He leaned into your touch, his lips capturing yours in a kiss that was slow and filled with promise. When he pulled back, his smirk returned, playful but still full of adoration. “Good,” he said, his thumb brushing over your cheek. “But I think I’ll keep reminding you anyway.”

You laughed softly; the sound muffled as you buried your face in his chest. His arms tightened around you, pulling you even closer. The warmth of his skin, the steady rhythm of his heartbeat, and the weight of his love wrapped around you like a cocoon.

And as the morning sunlight continued to filter into the room, you found yourself perfectly content, safe and cherished in the arms of the man who had left his mark on your heart as much as your skin.

[prettytoxicrevolver]

"i was sort’ve hoping you needed me.  is that selfish? " and Mitch Marner is trying to comfort the reader after he heard they were upset about something

You never missed a game.

Unless it was absolutely necessary, or the game wasn’t at home, no matter what, Mitch could always count on the fact that if he needed a pick me up he could spot his best friend wearing his number in the stands with a smile on their face and an encouraging thumbs up to quickly follow.

So, when Mitch spends the better part of the game against the Islanders wondering where you are, he can’t even focus on the fact that this should have been an easy win. But the team loses 3-2 and he’s still thinking about you.

“What’s up?” Auston asks when Mitch bumps into the doorframe on the way into the locker room.

Auston spots the thousand yard stare from miles away and can’t help but feel concerned for his friend. He figured Mitch would respond with some answer about you and he worries what has happened between the two of you that has Mitch so distracted.

“(y/n) wasn’t at the game tonight,” Mitch replies and Auston tilts his head in confusion.

“And?”

“She never misses a game, Aus.”

Auston leaves it at that, knowing Mitch won’t change his mind for anything. Even though Auston could see there were probably a million reasons that weren’t life threatening to make you miss the game.

However, Mitch has never been good at thinking straight when it comes to you. You were his best friend. His girl. His world. He needed to make sure you were okay before anything else.

So, that’s how Mitch finds himself sitting in front of your apartment door and ringing the bell obnoxiously like he paid rent. Inwardly, Mitch was panicking. He had no idea what he would find when the door opened and that’s what scares him. He needed you to be okay. And if you weren’t, he needed to be there for you whether you wanted it or not.

“Mitch?” you question when you swing the door open to find your very anxious best friend standing there.

Mitch doesn’t say a word, he dives towards you, wrapping you up tight in his arms and carrying you further into your apartment after shutting the door behind him. He sets you down on the ground but keeps his firm grip around your waist as he explains.

“You didn’t come to the game,” he states like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“Oh I,” you start, trying to think of a reason to explain but fail. It suddenly occurs to you that just because you missed one home game with no explanation that warranted so much anxiety on Mitch’s end that he had to come see you.

“That’s why you came?” you ask quietly.

“I was sort’ve hoping you needed me,” he murmurs awkwardly and your head jolts up to look at him. “Is that selfish?”

“Not selfish at all,” you respond and Mitch looks at you with hope in his eyes. “It’s sweet. And correct.”

Mitch smiles softly at you, hauling you back up and into his arms. He carries you until you’re sat in your bed with him by his side, ready to listen to anything you had to say.

[jackhues]

Any chance you could write an imagine about taking care of Matthew Knies after his concussion? It would be so cute

he'll be okay - matthew knies

note: idk how i feel about this, but like it's not bad.

gif not mine!

"no phone," you reminded matthew.

"i know," he groaned.

you dimmed the lights in the tavares' basement, making sure there was nothing that would aggravate matthew's concussion.

after a hit that happened in the first period, he was taken out of the game. the medical team had him under concussion protocol for a few hours, before finally confirming it.

you'd driven matthew back to the tavares house, where you were going to stay with him for a few days to take care of him, and were now making sure there wasn't anything that would hurt him more.

after double checking everything, you began to unwrap your dinner that you didn't get a chance to eat before.

"oh that's bright," you heard matthew's voice from the room, causing you to rush over.

matthew stood in the doorway, scrunching his face up and looking away.

"what's wrong?" you asked. "are you okay? do you need something?"

"no, no," matthew put a hand up. "i'm fine. the room's just really bright. but that's okay, i was just startled."

you bit your cheek, "you sure? you don't need anything?"

"i'm sure," he promised, giving you a smile.

you stood in the doorway, making sure matthew made his way to the bed without falling in the dark. once you were sure he didn't fall on his face, you closed the door behind you, returning to the living room to finish your dinner.

you finished eating your dinner, looking up at the sound of a knock.

john stood in the staircase, "how's he now? did they diagnose it?"

you nodded, "yeah, it's a concussion. they're saying it's minor for now, but because it's a head injury, he's not allowed to do anything or it might get worse. he went to sleep now, so hopefully the rest helps."

john sighed, running a hand down his face.

you understood his frustration perfectly.

"concussions get worse before they get better," he reminded you. "if he gets worse tomorrow, if you need help, tell me. i'm just upstairs... and, y/n. he'll be okay."

you smiled, "thanks."

he nodded, heading back upstairs.

you sighed to yourself, looking at the room where matthew was sleeping.

"he'll be okay," you agreed.

-

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[brainddeadd]

Heyy!! I was wondering if u could write a Joseph woll smut with the prompts 4 and 16 from ur smut scenario list pls. **Totally cool if u don’t want to** btw love ur stories❤️💙

Joseph Woll x fem!reader

4) Slow sex while one or both are injured

16) Accidental i love you’s during sex 

Nonnie, my lovely, I love writing smut, but this just felt like it needed a fade to black cute ass scene.

Thank you for the love 🤍 I'm glad you like my writing!

Joseph sat on the edge of the bed, carefully peeling off his shirt, wincing as the movement pulled at his sore shoulder. It had been a rough game, and though the trainers had given him the okay to rest at home, the bruises and stiffness were starting to settle in. You stood nearby, watching him with concern, but also a gentle warmth in your eyes.

"You sure you’re okay?" you asked softly, stepping forward to stand between his legs, your hands gently brushing his hair back from his forehead.

He gave you a reassuring smile, though it didn’t quite mask the discomfort on his face. "Yeah, just a little sore."

Your hands moved to his shoulders, gently massaging the tense muscles as you stood there, feeling the heat of his skin under your fingers. The room was quiet, just the soft hum of the night outside and the sound of your breathing filling the space.

“Let me help you relax,” you whispered, leaning down to kiss his temple.

Joseph’s breath hitched slightly, his hands instinctively finding your waist, pulling you closer. “You’re already helping.”

Before long, you found yourself lying beside him, bodies pressed together as you moved slowly against him, careful not to aggravate his injuries. Every touch was deliberate, your lips brushing against his with a tenderness that made his pulse race. His hands roamed over your skin with the same careful consideration, as if he didn’t want to rush anything, didn’t want to miss a single second.

The slow pace was intoxicating, a gentle rhythm that allowed you both to savor every moment, every small gasp, every whispered word.

“I love you,” Joseph breathed out suddenly, the words tumbling from his lips in a moment of vulnerability.

You froze for a heartbeat, your eyes meeting his. The confession hung in the air, thick and raw, neither of you sure what to say next.

But then, your lips curved into a soft smile, and you leaned down to kiss him again, the answer clear in the way you moved against him. "I love you too," you whispered against his mouth, the words slipping out like they’d always been there.

The rest of the night unfolded in that same slow, deliberate way—each kiss, each touch carrying more weight, more meaning now that the truth had been spoken. And though his injuries kept things gentle, the connection between you both was stronger than ever.

As you lay together afterward, your limbs tangled in the sheets, Joseph pressed a soft kiss to your forehead, his thumb gently tracing circles on your back. Neither of you needed to say anything else; the quiet comfort of the moment was enough.