#utah lb

[paladin--strait]

Prompt 15 with Marino?

guys? - john marino

the floorboards creak beneath me as i silently walk back to my bedroom, some lights in the lake house are still on, but those people won't raise any questions as to where i'm coming from. my room is right across from jack and luke's, so my steps have to be even quieter.

just as i'm opening my door, i hear a door open behind me. i take a deep breath, hearing jacks voice behind me. "hey, why are you up?" he asks and i look back, his brows furrowed and his head tilted in confusion.

"just went to get some water, don't worry." i say with a lighthearted laugh.

"then where is it?" he asks, crossing his arms as he leans against the doorframe, cocking a brow. luke comes in view behind him, wondering what's going on.

"i didn't bring it with me, i just got some and put my cup in the sink." i save it, taking a deep breath. "you act like i'm having some secret relationship and i'm sneaking back in."

except that really is what's happening. john's been sneaking me in his room for the past four nights, pulling me into his arms under his comforter, the bed warm and covered in his scent. sometimes he'll let me sleep, and sometimes we just talk quietly.

"okay, i believe you." jack says, telling me goodnight and retreating back into his room.

-

luckily, that hasn't happened again for a few days, though i have been more careful now. tomorrow is john's last day at the lake house before he leaves to go home and see his parents, so obviously i'm gonna spend a little more time with him tonight than usual.

i'm not sure how, but john and i have managed to keep our relationship a secret for five months, the sneaky facetimes and text messages going right over my brothers heads.

although, i did try to break the news to them once. i told them i had a boyfriend, but not who it was. obviously, they freaked out. so a few days later, i told them we broke off our relationship and we're no longer seeing each other. i hate lying to jack and luke, but john and i just don't know how to tell them.

anyways, i'm laying in john's bed now, his arm around my shoulder as i'm tucked into his side. there's a movie playing on the television, the volume set low so we can talk. his hand plays with my hair, twisting it and wrapping it around his fingers.

i feel his chest rise and fall as he sighs, his voice cutting through the quiet room. "i can't believe i'm leaving tomorrow...i'm gonna miss you, more than you'll ever know."

i smile softly, my eyes dropping with the weight of tiredness. "i'm gonna miss you too. i'm just glad we've been able to spend some kind of alone time while we were both here, even it was just for a few hours."

he chuckles at my words, leaning in to peck my forehead. "me too. i'm gonna facetime you and call you and text you everyday, you know? you better let me know when the guys go to sleep so we can call."

a nod comes from me, along with a yawn. "i will, don't worry."

"you should get some sleep, i'll wake you up later." john whispers, his soft voice almost instantly putting me to sleep as he tells me some stories about the team back in utah.

all is well as i sleep in his arms, until his eyes soon begin to droop as well. against his own will, john too, begins to fall asleep.

-

i wake up to the sun shining down on me, and a feeling of being watched. there's arms wrapped around me tight, and a face tucked in my neck. i gasp softly, john fell asleep. it's morning, all the guys will see me leave. maybe i can jump out the window?

i'm torn out of my thoughts of escape to banging on the door. i jump, hitting john to wake him up. "johnny! have you seen y/n? also, your ride is here!" it's luke, and i shake john more, his deep sleep not helping in the moment. "i'm coming in since you're not responding!"

my head whips to the opening door, luke's eyes widening in shock. "uhm, guys? what's going on here?" he asks, his arms crossing and brow cocking, and i can't help but think about how much he looks like jack right there.

"john...john...!" i whisper, smacking his arm. he finally wakes, sitting up slowly. he looks down at me, his curls a mess, his eyes red and droopy.

"what? why are you still here...?" he asks, yawning. i smack him again, my head gesturing to luke and now jack who are standing at the door. "oh, hey guys..." he laughs awkwardly, a head coming up to rub the back of his neck.

the room is silent for a moment, the tense awkwardness sensed so far into the lake house that it draws more people, ethan edwards and jamie drysdale making their way up to see what's going on. ethan's eyes widen when he sees us, and he backs away, pulling jamie with him.

jack pushes luke further into the room and shuts the door behind him. "you're lucky we like you." jack says, crossing his arms like luke. speaking of luke, he looks over at jack with both brows raised. "well, at least i like you." jack says, changing his mind from luke's expression.

"listen, i don't mind that you two are together. i had a feeling you two had something going on when i saw how excited you two were to see each other. but what i am upset about, is that you two hid it from us." luke says, breaking the silence.

i sigh, looking over at john then back at them. "i'm sorry. we were just worried about how you guys would react. especially you, luke. since john is your best friend, i was nervous you'd be upset with him."

"i'm sorry too, i feel the same way as y/n and i can assure you all i will take such good care of her." he says, grabbing my hand and holding it. "to be honest, you two can both hate me, but i'd still love y/n."

my eyes widen a bit, my head slowly turning to loom at him. "you love me...?" i whisper, my voice and expression full of surprise.

he nods with a smile, looking into my eyes. "i've loved you since the day i met you. you're kind and fun, always looking out for others and you're beautiful...you're just, you. and nobody could ever take your place." he looks back over at luke and jack, "so if you two want to hate me, then hate me. but you can't take me away from her."

john's voice is stern, standing his ground. jack and luke look at each other, like they're silently communicating with each other. jack nods, and luke nods too.

"okay, we're fine with you two being together. but absolutely no more secrets, got it?" jack states, wagging a finger at us. john and i nod, happy smiles on our faces. "also, john your uber has been here for like twenty minutes and i'm pretty sure he's left by now."

john sighs, "well, i'll have to call my mom and let her know i'll be a few more days."

"why? you can call another uber, you know?" i laugh, rubbing his knuckles with my thumb.

"i know, but i want to spend more time with you now that we're not a secret anymore. we finally don't have to hide."

"oh yuck!" luke says, leaving the room. jack follows, his loud laugh echoing down the hall. john and i laugh too, looking at each other.

it's quiet for a few minutes, then i break the silence. "john?"

"hmm?"

"i love you too." i smile, looking over at him instead of down at the blanket. he smiles, pecking my lips and pulling me in for a hug. we lay back on the bed, his arms wrapping around me.

the next few days are so much happier, less awkward and less stressful. everyone seems to have perked up since we finally got caught by jack and luke, with trevor claiming that he already knew. (he didn't.) i end up going back with john to his parents house, getting to meet his family and enjoy being with them too.

our lives have been so much better since we were finally able to tell people, our instagram posts and stories full of each other. it's a few weeks deep into the season, the devils and UHC are finally playing. the jersey i'm wearing is a mash of all of their numbers. one of the utah wags was able to make me one, excited for the mash up of colors and fan bases.

the diamond ring rests on my finger, shining under the arena lights. since i moved to utah with john, we've only grown closer in our time together. he proposed to me a few weeks ago, after winning a game and getting announced first star for his two goals.

john is the best fiancé i could ever ask for. he always takes care of me and our pets, always buying us gifts. my brothers are supportive of course, calling every day to make sure he was treating me right.

i couldn't ask for a better life. my fiancé is amazing, my brothers are awesome, the utah wags are so kind, and my mental health is at an all time high. all because of john.

[periodicavocation]

reino: love you, baby. reino: say in the mic, say it in the mic, tell me you love me. kerf: yeah, I did, I did, I do, reino: you did? kay, perfect. [kerf wins the face-off] reino: arghh, love you a little less.

panthers @ utah | 07.01.24

[marcandreyuri]

Clayton Keller returns to the bench and picks up two points on the night after taking a puck to the face 01.20.25 vs Jets

[chimaeracrew]

May I offer you an egg in these trying times?

[kell9r]

he’s so tinyyyyy little baby :( ignoring that haircut but it’s endearing..

[jackieexxo]

Listen, I hardly watch either team. But this? Iconic.

[timoluke]

they are making nachos on the utah pre-game like it's a morning talk show

[annieqattheperipheral]

thank you. I am just a lil confused

[imgonnaeditstuff]

[ravenpawraas]

Did you know that Mikhail Sergachev has his own household and help to his teamates?

Sergachev helps the team with eggs during the outbreak of avian flu in the USA... Yes 😅

Due to the epidemic, there is a shortage in the country and a sharp increase in the price of chicken eggs. Farmers are forced to slaughter livestock in order not to spread the disease.

Mikhail have their own chicken coop. He said that he shares eggs with his Utah partners.

"I just have a lot of eggs. When I get 24 or 30 of them, I start handing them out to my teammates. Of course, I feed my chickens well. I take care of them. Eggs are in short supply now, so the guys appreciate them more," Mikhail said.

[periodicavocation]

in other news, apparently mammoth is unofficially officially going to be the name . along with tusks as the short form

[marcandreyuri]

A black eye, 12 stitches and a goal for Kells 01.23.25 vs Wild

[chimaeracrew]

Victory tastes so sweet with these two 🩵🤍🖤

[kesoyotes]

Karel Vejmelka nearly getting into a goalie fight I really have seen it all

[jackieexxo]

Kessel-king I was not familiar with your swag 👑

[timoluke]

OT?? This game started at 10pm be so fucking serious