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youunravelme · 9 months ago

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okay but how does mat propose??? (like a pt. 2 follow up to the wedding cake fic)

omg omg omg a proposal request!! let it be known, i have never been engaged, BUT all my friends got engaged/married last year so i think i'm uniquely qualified (edit: this was started in 2023, you know, when this request was sent. once again, my b). (though this might just turn into my dream proposal bc i'm in love with him).

for those of you who wanna check the part 1 of the wedding cake fic, here it is!

another edit: i wrote this to distract myself from my absolute disdain at scott mayfield.

carry on.

his hands were sweating all day.

which was weird, considering it was february.

but it wasn't weird, given what he had planned. he didn't know if he wanted to scream or throw up. the idea of you becoming his wife surely made him giddy, but it was soured with the slight chance that you might say no. he was supposed to propose before the season started up again, but he was plagued with anxious thoughts.

it's not the right time.

i'm not ready yet.

or the worst one: i don't think i'm that serious about you.

which, in hindsight, wouldn't make sense considering you were already living together and have been for quite some time. you wore his jersey to games, you had conversations about starting a family, you texted his mom and sister more than he did. there was no reason for you to say no.

right?

after he chickened out back in september, mat's new plan was to wait until the bye week to propose. he was going to take you on a vacation to conil de la frontera, spain. he had everything booked and ready.

but then he was drafted for the 2024 all star games.

he could see it in your eyes, you were ecstatic for him to be recognized, but when you took a week and a half off of work, you were planning on packing your bathing suit, not taking a short flight to toronto.

you bore the slight disappointment well, smiling and kissing him and hugging him tightly when he got the news. he beamed when he saw you post about it on your instagram.

he couldn't wait any longer to ask you. your reaction to a change in your vacation plans from something warm to canada in the winter solidified what he was anxious about for months.

you loved him, there as no doubt about it.

you were the most selfless human being he knew.

his teammates had been crucial in the planning process, well, at least their wives were. bo, marty, anders, brock, and clutterbuck had been chirping him since the start of the season when they noticed that your left hand was still devoid of a ring.

"what're you waiting for, barzy?" bo asked after a practice one day. "you found a good one, she'd probably wait forever for you, but why're you making her wait?"

mat shrugged at the time, too embarrassed to admit that despite being one of the best players in the league and having millions to his name, he was terrified that it still wouldn't be enough for you. not that you'd ever demanded more from him, you'd taken him as he was and cheered for him even when he was having the shittiest time of his life.

he could give you the moon and still wouldn't feel like it was enough.

so when mat finally told his teammates about his plan in toronto, they immediately communicated to the wives who were closest to you. sydney, grace, and holly took you out to get your nails done while marty, anders, bo, and mat started researching the most romantic places in toronto on anders' laptop just in case you spontaneously went through mat's search history.

the day was planned, the photographer and necessary tickets were booked, he'd propose at the evergreen brick works after texting auston matthews about cool places to visit while he was in town, (he had to clarify that he didn't care about cool bars, and was looking to bring you along).

you'd been talking nonstop on the plane ride to toronto that you didn't even notice mat was quietly stewing. everything had to be perfect.

it was the very least that you deserved.

the first day in toronto, both of you explored the city by going to coffee shops and restaurants recommended by players and their significant others. when you made it back to your hotel room, your feet were aching.

you fell face first into the bed, whining into the comforter. "my feet hurt," you groaned.

mat laughed from his position leaning against the wall. "i told you to wear better shoes," he said.

"i didn't anticipate you dragging me all over toronto today."

"well, that's what we'll be doing tomorrow too, so prepare yourself."

"mat," you whined, finally flipping over so he could see your pretty face again. you had a cute pout on your lips that he wanted to kiss away. "we're on vacation."

"and you've never been in this city before, you should get to see it." he walked over to where you were and grabbed your hands. "c'mon, let's go take a bath and then we can order room service and spend the rest of the night in bed."

you were quick to agree.

the following day was pretty mundane. but wednesday was the cause of mat's stress.

his phone lit up with texts from his teammates, his parents, liana, tito, and ethan, all wishing him a good luck. the two of you woke up early enough to go to a local cafe and grab breakfast before taking the bus to evergreen brick work.

"you okay?" you asked, placing your hand on his knee to keep it from bouncing anymore.

he thanked whatever possessed him to keep the ring box in his coat pocket on the side that wasn't pressed up against you.

"yeah," he smiled. "just ready to get there."

when the two of you hopped off the bus, you slid your hand into his almost immediately. out of habit, mat tucked you into his side, happy to just have you close. it was a little cold outside, but it was like he couldn't feel it because of your proximity.

"mat!" you tugged on his arm and pointed at one of the signs. "they have ice skating here!" you grinned widely up at him and he couldn't help but smile right back. "we should go!"

"we will," he said. "i wanna do this trail first."

you looked at him funny. "you wanna go on a walk?"

he shrugged, tearing his eyes away from you to focus on the signs in front of him. "auston suggested this place."

"you're asking for a lot of suggestions from auston. it's unlike you..."

"there's no need to be suspcious, babe. i know that you wanted to be in a tropical place for vacation, that was the plan and everything, but since we're here, thought we'd make the most of it."

you scrutinized his face for a moment longer before nodding and pulling yourself closer to him.

after you secured another hot coffee to combat the cold, mat started leading you on the trail. while you were ordering, he was coordinating with the photographer to make sure she was in position.

the trail itself wasn't that long, thankfully because mat couldn't get a word out and if it was any longer, he feared you would've caught on that he was incapable of speaking.

you were still talking about work drama when you got to the lookout point. your voice was taken away by the sight of toronto in the background.

you hadn't always been the most observant person ever, you didn't even know he liked you until he told you verbatim when he couldn't take it anymore.

"oh my god, mat," you gasped. you pointed at the skyline in front of you with the hand that wasn't holding your coffee. "look how pretty it is!"

he swallowed and knelt down on one knee while your back was turned. mat took the ring box out of his jacket pocket, doing his best not to drop it despite how much his hands were shaking.

"have you ever seen anything that--" you whipped back around to look for him. he watched as confusion filled your face when you didn't see him standing behind you, but kneeling in front of you.

"oh my god," you whispered, dropping your coffee on the ground so you could cover your mouth with both hands. "mat what--"

"i love you," he said. "i love the way you squeal at every cute baby that comes across your for you page or the way you cry at the drop of a hat. i love how you celebrate everyone around you. you are the brightest thing in my life and if i quit my job tomorrow, i know my life would still be fucking amazing because i'd have you.

"i know that my schedule is hectic, and you could probably find a man better than me, who was more consistent, who wasn't going to play games or have practices on your birthday, who could take you out of the country for a vacation to somewhere warm instead of dragging you with me to an all star game. but i promise you, i will do whatever it takes to give you the best life possible if you'd let me. i wanna grow old and crinkly with you, i want our kids to have the same last name as both of us. i want to be able to point you out in crowds and tell strangers that i somehow managed to convince you to marry me.

"i have never been more terrified in my life than i am right now," he admitted. "but i have never been more certain of anything i want more in my life than you. so will you have me? will you marry me?"

in the middle of his speech, mat didn't realize when he'd started crying, didn't even notice that you were all but sobbing. he just recognized the scent of your perfume when you lunged towards him and kissed him hard on the mouth, your tears mixing with his.

"yes," you mumbled into his mouth. "oh my god, yes."

mat let out a watery laugh and managed to slip the ring on your finger even though his hands were shaking. you pulled him up to stand and immediately wrapped your arms around his neck to pull him close.

you were sniffling as he pulled you in for another kiss.

"i love you,' he whispered against your lips.

"love you more," you smiled back.

#mat barzal #mathew barzal #mat barzal x reader #mat barzal imagine #mathew barzal imagine #nhl imagine #nhl imagines #nhl blurb

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writingsforwhatever · 1 year ago

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magnolia (m.s.) part 1

part 2 part 3

summary: reader has a friends with benefits arrangement with matt (what is there to explain?)

genre: ANGST

word count: 1.4k

a/n: suggestive content? You know what to do, ladies. This is fiction.

The abrupt chill in her apartment struck her hard, wrapping around her like an icy shroud. The stark white walls defining the living room while the vibrant green accent wall provided a homey space for her little coffee bar. It wasn't just the cold; it was the haunting silence that can be heard, a clear contrast to the lively college days where laughter filled every corner of the bright, inviting space with friends.

Autumn had passed, and she found herself rummaging through Matt's old university sweaters from the depths of her closet, seeking solace in his familiar scent during these lonely, frigid days in Boston. She longed for his return, yearning for the warmth of his presence to fill the void around her.

Walking on the cold tile floors, her footsteps echoed softly as she wandered through the apartment, her eyes catching sight of the slightly tilted photo frame showcasing her and her friends from high school. It bothered her, yet she couldn't fix it herself. That was a Matthew Sturniolo chore—he knew where her toolbox was and was the only one capable of reaching it. Memories flooded back of him building a cozy nook by her large windows where she loved to read, along with the white wooden bookshelf he'd carefully chosen in some vintage shop in Cambridge, a thoughtful gift from him. She remembered him telling her that he knew she would like it as the sole reason behind his choice.

She sighed, her gaze drifting to the notebook he had left behind months ago. He had texted her about it, asking if she had seen it, and she confirmed its safe place, nestled securely within the confines of her living room's coffee table. Tomorrow's agenda included a visit to her recently married sister's place. Her plan was simple: gather the homemade cookies Matt always loved, just in time for his arrival.

Meanwhile, his absence lingered as he went on a short trip to Canada with his brothers. A friend had called her two nights ago about seeing Matt with a woman in his arms and letting her know that the girl is somewhat familiar. The familiarity of the girl struck a chord; perhaps she was someone from their college before. Despite this revelation, she remained indifferent. The timely presence of her friend during this seemed almost too coincidental. Yet, she made a conscious decision not to confront Matt about it; after all, he was entitled to date or engage in relationships with whoever he wishes.

Their dynamic was crystal clear as the sunny skies that had once bathed the University of Massachusetts where they had agreed that their relationship is nothing more than a remarkably intimate friends with benefits. This is an understanding they had solidified long ago.

Nine hours away from her by land, Matt found himself gazing at the mesmerizing skylines of Toronto, contemplating whether to reach out to her, to check in, or ask if she had followed through with her plan of delivering the freshly planted flora to his mother, just a short 10-minute drive from her place. However, he opted against it, choosing instead to listen to Chris's friends discussion about their new clothing brand.

When he returned home, she was already calling him, asking to pick her up. The beauty of her tone wrapped around his heart, infusing it with a comforting warmth. Confirming she had indeed brought the plants, and now nestled beside their sofa, a gesture his mother had kindly embraced.

She wore a short blue drop-waist dress, a cardigan draped over her arm, her smile radiant under the sun's glow. From his vantage point in the car, Matt watched her take her time descending the small brick steps of her apartment. It had been a week since he last saw her; she had ventured off to Davis, California, to visit an aunt she hadn't seen in ages, just before his trip up north.

"Look at you," he greeted her with a grin, his eyes roaming appreciatively over her entire presence as she entered his freshly cleaned black SUV. "Is that new?"

Matt's thoughtfulness was a trait she adored about him. It was as if he had committed every book and item she owned to memory. She often reminded herself to give him credit for it one of these days. And he wasn't just thoughtful; he was undeniably sweet too. His gestures, both big and small, resonated deeply—like carving out a cute little space for her plants or surprising her with a spatula simply because he knew it would complement her assortment of black kitchenware.

"Do you like it?" Her smile gleamed, greeting him with a subtle kiss on his cheeks.

"I absolutely love it."

"Thank you. Got it from that newly opened shop down the street. A lovely grandmother was selling it—really sweet lady," she shared.

Matt chuckled at her detailed story. His smile never wavering, her perfume engulfing him wholy, the smell of lazy Sunday mornings, soft skin, and fresh linen—just the way he liked it. "You bought it because she seemed sweet?"

"Not exactly. I got it because it's your favorite color," she said casually, making him raise his eyebrows. Glancing briefly at her and then back to the road, his eyes met hers. "Oh, really?" he teased lightly.

Matt sensed her slight withdrawal at his tone, her revelation perhaps making her uncomfortable, yet it was exactly what he wanted, everything he yearned to hear, and more.

"Uh-huh," she replied, shifting her gaze out the window. "Anyway, how was Canada?"

She was good at this game; skilled at cutting the conversation off faster than you can snap your fingers.

"It was okay. Nick and Chris didn't like Tim Hortons," he chuckled at the memory of Nick's expression.

"Expected," she replied, shaking her head. "Did you see Chris's friends? What were their names again?"

"John and Sam. They seemed intrigued by Chris's new releases and ideas, so it's a good sign for him."

"Ah, that sounds promising," she agreed with a nod. Sneaking another glance at him, she ventured, "Did you meet anyone else?"

It was a simple question, yet she felt herself tiptoeing over an invisible line, feeling an odd tug at her heart as she admired him, bathed in the soft, golden glow of the setting sun.

Matt took a moment, eventually settling on a simple "No," choosing not to mention the woman that occupied his bed for a night. He didn't want to risk spoiling the moment; it already felt perfect when he saw her smiling and walking out the door earlier. He knew she would ask more if he said yes, but he also knew how awkward it would become. It would lead to an uncomfortable conversation, especially given her reluctance to delve into his intimate details with other people.

She never wanted to hear about where he learned a new position or style in bed, even though he sensed she was curious and a little bit hurt. He could feel it in the subtle withdrawal of her body between the sheets and the shift in the mood between them. Similarly, he refrained from asking about the oversized shirts, far larger than her size that he spotted one time in her laundry basket while he helped with her chores. It was not his.

They had learned to navigate this arrangement over the years smoothly. Their shenanigans with other people aren’t crazy but they both know it happens.

He missed her so much during his time in Canada, which led him to talk to the brunette at the bar. To his surprise, she was from their old school, a friend of a friend, now living up north. Everything about the encounter seemed hazy, the way that the woman talked and acted reminded him of her. She was all he could think of, day and night, night and day. It felt like ages since they had seen each other, ever since she visited California and him for Toronto.

Matt reached a breaking point with their casual arrangement. It had become too much for him especially when he saw the girl collecting her clothes on the ground that morning. That same day, after he calmed down and talked it out with Nick and Chris, he felt the urge to call her and apologize, but he couldn't pinpoint exactly what for—they were not officially together.

As he sat on the plane, heading back to Boston, he made a firm decision. He was determined to put a label on their relationship and ask her to be his girlfriend.

She nodded in response, pushing aside the ache in her heart caused by his lie. Yet, she silently thanked him for his discretion, grateful that he hadn't mentioned it—she preferred not knowing.

"Okay. Where did you say you wanted to take me again?"

special mention to my bestie @querenciasturniolo lol thanks for always supporting me mwa

#anna's cw #matt sturniolo x reader #matt sturniolo #chris sturniolo #nick sturniolo #chris sturniolo x reader

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svechnikovvv · 2 years ago

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ever since toronto (2)

series masterlist: here

y/n.drysdale

liked by jamie.drysdale and others

y/n.drysdale everyone give an official welcome to thor

view comments

jamie.drysdale i know that side profile…

y/n.drysdale no you don’t

jamie.drysdale are you gaslighting me?

y/n.drysdale it’s only gaslight if you believe it is

jamie.drysdale i’m telling mom

y/n.drysdale you don’t scare me

jamie.drysdale i should

trevorzegras thor is my new favorite drysdale

y/n.drysdale 🤨

trevorzegras you’re right. y/n, you’ll always be my favorite drysdale 🙏

jamie.drysdale your stuff is on our doorstep trevorzegras 😊

masonmctavish23 thor kinda looks like trevor

y/n.drysdale don’t insult my dog like that

masonmctavish23 are you talking about thor or trevor?

y/n.drysdale thor

user1 that side profile looks like a certain hughes…

user2 calling it now, it’s quinn

user3 thor woke up in a new bugatti

liked by y/n.drysdale

user4 thor hughes because we ALL know that that’s quinn

jackhughes my favorite nephew

y/n.drysdale and your ONLY one

lhughes_06 cute dog 😉

y/n.drysdale this is why nobody shares secrets with you 🤦‍♀️

lhughes_06 i’ll hard launch you two rn

jamie.drysdale DO IT AND I’LL PAY YOU

y/n.drysdale jamie, go home

_quinnhughes what’s the dog doing 😧

y/n.drysdale driving, obviously 🙄

_quinnhughes is that sass, drysdale?

y/n.drysdale i don’t know. is it, hughes?

lhughes_06 yes quinn, it’s sass. y/n, stop acting clueless in your own comment section. it’s embarrassing 🙄

y/n.drysdale least favorite hughes award goes to luke!

jackhughes does that mean i’m your favorite now?

y/n.drysdale not quite, jacklynn. that title will always belong to my queen ellen 🤞

elblue6 can’t wait for you to bring thor around one day

y/n.drysdale i might come visit this weekend, so probably then!

user5 y/n, girl, we all know it’s quinn. no need to be secretive anymore

user6 soft launch, question mark

user7 y/n and quinn flirting in her comments 🫣

colecaufield i’m stealing him.

y/n.drysdale you steal my dog, i slash your tires

colecaufield jokes on you, i arrived via razor scooter

anaheimducks welcome to the fam, thor!

liked by y/n.drysdale

y/n.drysdale

liked by _quinnhughes and others

y/n.drysdale quinn hughes, my heart holds a special place for you <3

tagged: _quinnhughes

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_quinnhughes you’re my favorite person. i love you so much 💙💚

y/n.drysdale 💙💚

jamie.drysdale OH MY GOD IT’S QUINN

jamie.drysdale EVERYBODY STAY CALM

y/n.drysdale you’re literally the only person freaking out right now

jamie.drysdale BECAUSE THIS IS SEEIOUS I CANT EVWN TYPYE IN FRWJAINGB OUT

y/n.drysdale now i see why trevor doesn’t let you in the house before the street lights come on

trevorzegras QUINN IS WHO YOU WONT LEAVE ME FOR??? i’m okay with this

y/n.drysdale okay z 😭

jackhughes FINALLY. i can sleep peacefully now

y/n.drysdale you’re no better than my brother 🙄

jamie.drysdale THIS IS A SERIOUS MATTER y/n.drysdale

user2 I WAS RIGHT

user8 QUINN & Y/N >>>

user9 OH MY GOD. DRYSDALE & HUGHES CROSSOVER???

user10 crossover? 😭

user11 who needs the royal couple when you have y/n & quinn

masonmctavish23 they grow up so fast

y/n.drysdale did jamie make you comment this?

masonmctavish23 no comment.

trevorzegras yes he did. he said, “comment this so my sister doesn’t message me about being too dramatic again” y/n.drysdale

jamie.drysdale IM KICKING YOU OUT AND STARVING YOU trevorzegras

anaheimducks our favorite honorary duck and her canuck!

liked by y/n.drysdale

canucks our huggy found his match 💙💚

liked by y/n.drysdale

user12 THE BLUE AND GREEN HEARTS ❤️‍🩹

user13 i love this relationship

elblue6 you two are the cutest ❤️

y/n.drysdale thanks mama hughes 🫶🏻

colecaufield the cat’s out of the bag

y/n.drysdale HOW DID YOU FIND OUT??

colecaufield …LUKE DID IT

lhughes_06 thank you for making my big brother happy

y/n.drysdale you can’t sweet-talk your way out of this, little hughes

lhughes_06 watch me.

y/n.drysdale this is why ethan is my favorite

edwards.73 THANKS MOM y/n.drysdale

user14 HARD LAUNCH, EXCLAMATION POINT

_alexturcotte i’ve been waiting for this one, TURN IT UP

y/n.drysdale you’ve been listening to lizzo again, haven’t you?

_alexturcotte she just gets me

a/n: 🤭

tags: @jackhues @jackhughesily @nowandkei @starsandhughes @jhughesl0v3r @babydollmarauders @marsmcgroarty @oh-my-ladymay @whenmypartysover @hockeybabe87 @lvrzegras @calermakar

#ever since toronto series <3 #quinn hughes x reader #quinn hughes #nhl hockey #nhl #vancouver canucks #del’s insta edits!

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couldawouldashoulda50 · 4 months ago

Text

Chapter Four - Time Alone Links to One Two and Three here

A/N - I likely didn't proofread this as well as I should. I hope you enjoy it all the same. Things are warming up between these two.

Notes/Warnings - typical profanity, fluff Word Count - 8k

As anticipated, Loren arrived near the designated spot, which was a park just off Bay Street, more than an hour early. Nevertheless, she was thankful for the extra time since it gave her an opportunity to decompress from the adventures of driving in the city of Toronto.

Loren began walking west along Yorkville Avenue, eventually spotting all the luxury fashion stores that she’s only ever heard about or seen in the movies. One after the other - Chanel, Versace, Balenciaga - Loren felt her excitement grow as she strolled past each store window. She may never know what it's like to buy anything from these stores or live in the swanky part of the city. At that moment, it didn’t matter anyway. What mattered most to Loren is that she finally felt like she was shedding her old skin. She felt alive instead of just trying to survive the cards she had been dealt.

After treating herself to a small bit of food and an espresso, her heart began to lurch while walking back to the park entrance to meet William. As it approached 2:00, Loren was so engrossed with the sights and sounds of the surrounding city that she had not seen William and his two furry companions as they approached.

William had spotted Loren a mile away. Despite the area being busy with a ton of foot traffic typical for a Thursday, she stood out to him immediately. He could not help but grin widely at how adorable she seemed while she slowly paced back and forth in front of the park’s sign. He saw her smile politely at a couple of passersby that made eye contact with her. William watched as the two men nudged and batted each other in the arm as they craned their necks back around to look at Loren.

Despite their behaviour while they continued to eye-fuck Loren, the men never said a word to her and kept walking. Loren remained unaware of the spectacle they made as they disappeared down the street.

Loren turned when she heard the crunch of footsteps on the thin layer of gritty snow that had fallen overnight. Her face lit up as Pablo and Banksy approached her with their tails wagging enthusiastically and then her eyes moved to William’s smiling face.

The pair hugged and diverted their attention back to the dogs who seemed ready for William to say the command allowing them to let loose and tear around the park. Pablo and Bansky happily trotted ahead of Loren and William as they entered the park while the two caught up from their last conversation.

Although William’s beloved dogs could have been used to help start or end a conversation, William quickly found he didn't need them for that. The conversation between them was fun and easy, just like usual, as they played with the dogs. Loren and William both cheered on Pablo and Banksy as they ran around the park, often racing back towards them at full speed before play-fighting in the open space of the soccer field.

As they walked together, the enchantment William first felt talking with Loren at the skate event had only grown. She seemed wide-eyed and animated about being in a part of the city she had hardly visited since school field trips to the nearby Royal Ontario Museum. Her exuberance made her even more radiant when she asked questions about the area and listened intently as William pointed out some of his favorite spots.

After more than an hour of running about, Pablo and Banksy were sufficiently tired out. Not wanting their time to end, William finally worked up the nerve and asked Loren if she wanted to come to his place to warm up and have some dinner.

Because she had only eaten a small amount of food that day, the mere mention of dinner sparked ravenous hunger in her. Loren resisted the urge to clutch her stomach as hunger pains rolled through while accepting William’s dinner offer.

William asked if Loren was in the mood for anything specific. She joked to herself that she was at the point of wanting to gnaw off her own arm, but she kept that to herself.

“I’m honestly good with anything - I’ll leave this one for you to pick…you know what’s good around here,” Loren smiled at William as she silently hoped he would make a quick decision.

“Sushi’s my go to…i probably have it too often but I just love it. It sort of fits within my diet during the season,” William admitted, as they walked towards the exit of the park.

“God, it’s been awhile since I’ve had it - that sounds incredible…I feel like I'm salivating…,” Loren chuckled. “Sorry, I haven’t eaten much today,” she revealed with a tinge of bashfulness.

“Oh? Why’s that?” William raised his brows with his query.

“Nerves, mostly…,” Loren admitted with a subdued grin as she looked toward the ground.

“About meeting up with me?” William replied playfully.

“Well, even though we both know Pablo and Banksy are the real celebs here…,” Loren said, tongue-in-cheek. “I'm sure you already know the answer…. and you don't need me gushing about it…no doubt you hear it all the time,” she said teasingly.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” William said as a wide smile graced his face.

Loren giggled and rolled her eyes, shaking her head while trying to further contain her smile.

The dogs meandered in front of Loren and William as they strolled down the street heading south towards William’s building. The afternoon rush-hour was starting to build, and the energy from both dogs seemed to be waning. William asked Loren if she could carry Banksy and he would carry Pablo, because at their slow pace, he didn’t want to irritate the growing number of pedestrians filling the sidewalks, trying to make their way home.

William watched Loren kneel and gently call for Banksy to come to her, which he did with no hesitation. She spoke quietly to his black and tan face, as she gingerly brought him towards her chest, cradling his rear with her forearm, and she nuzzled him and gave him praise for being such a good boy.

William scooped up Pablo and the two picked up their pace a little, while he continued talking about things he enjoys doing in the neighbourhood on his off days.

After a few twists and turns down some inconspicuous side streets, they soon reached a large set of glass doors on a towering light silver building. William held the door for Loren as she looked up at the building's sheer size. They set the dogs down, and William waved at the two officers at the security desk as he led Loren to the elevators.

There was a palpable energy between the two as they shyly made small talk during their ascent to William’s floor. Loren tried not to concentrate too much on her reflection in the dark glossy walls that encompassed them as she pulled off her mittens and dropped them in her soft leather tote.

“Oh - I totally forgot….I have a small treat for the boys, but I wanted to make sure it’s ok with you first,” Loren said, whispering the word “treat” as softly as possible to not alert the two doodles. In the background, the soft chime sounded as the elevator settled on William’s floor.

“Oh wow, lemme see what you have in there…” William said as they got off the elevator. He hooked his finger on her bag and gently pulled it toward him, trying to look inside. As he pulled, Loren's body followed, and she bumped into William's chest. She was so close to his face and resisted the urge to pull his mouth onto hers. Instead, she just smiled, tucked her hair behind her ear, and took out the two collagen sticks she had brought for the pups to show William.

Loren thought it was a small thing, but William was very touched by her thoughtfulness.

In the days leading up to their meeting, William recognized he was in unfamiliar territory when he thought about Loren. William naturally had been in love and had been in long term relationships previously. Over the course of the past couple of years however, he preferred to keep his options open, to focus on continually improving his game and as such, developing a true intimate connection with a woman was of little interest. There was a plethora of options when William felt like keeping a woman’s company, but like a light switch, it was something William could easily turn on and off depending on his mood.

But Loren drew him in instantly. When he looked at her, William felt her warmth and kindness deep within him. She was charming and funny; she had William in stitches with her brand of humour that was like observational storytelling mixed with bits of edginess and sarcasm. William could not comprehend how Loren was so unassuming yet she could light up a room and would give each person she came across her undivided attention.

William often felt there was a depth and mystery to her beauty that intrigued him. It was as though there was always something new to discover about her, making her endlessly fascinating. Each time William video chatted with Loren, he tried to memorize all the distinctive features of her face. The freckles on her high cheekbones. Her eyes, a rich and dark mahogany accented by long thick lashes. He could almost feel those same lashes tickling his jawline as he imagined her underneath him. He couldn’t help but to stare at her mouth, longing for the day when he could taste her in a deep kiss.

The only negative part of meeting Loren, which weighed heavily on William’s mind was the timing\. The end of the regular season was quickly approaching, and he was already feeling the pressure with his overall offensive game feeling stagnant. William hated to admit it but deep down, he really was unsure if he could afford a distraction that Loren might present. He decided to shelve those thoughts for now until he got to know Loren a little more.

William opened the door to his home and both dogs barreled through the entrance and immediately leapt onto the couch as though they themselves were inviting Loren to come in. Loren stepped across the threshold into the spacious living area that was bright and airy with whites and neutrals throughout. Somehow it did not surprise her at all how tasteful and sleek William’s home seemed to be - those were two words she could easily associate with the man himself.

As easy as it had felt so far spending time with William, the fact she was standing in the living room of his house made Loren’s heart race. She knew her cheeks were a dead giveaway with showing her nerves; there’s just no way she could hide their vibrant pink hue.

William gave Loren a quick tour and guided her over to the sliding glass doors that led to a small balcony. William mentioned how stunning the sunsets were in his south-west facing unit, and he hoped the clouds would clear to give Loren a glimpse for herself.

The chatter between the two remained light and free-flowing as William busied himself preparing an early dinner for Pablo and Banksy, who seemed to be waiting for a little extra attention from Loren. She glanced at the dog's sweet faces and made her way over to the couch. As she sat, she curled her one leg under her rear and leaned in speaking sweetly to the dogs as they began to crowd her while reaching up to sniff and lick her face.

William smiled at the sight in front of him. The girls he occasionally brought back to his place for an evening, or sometimes overnight, might briefly acknowledge the dogs (if at all) but most times, it was straight to the flirtations with William to get their intended activities underway.

Loren continued to rub the coats of each of the dogs as she happened to glance at William as he gazed back at her.

“Shit, I’m sorry - I’m keeping them from their dinner….” Loren said apologetically to William. “You boys better go and get your grub,” she said, rubbing the dogs behind their ears as she stood up from the couch. “They are the greatest….I mean all dogs are, but these guys…really are amazing,” Loren said, her face beaming with admiration as she smiled at William. “Is there anything I can help with at all?” she asked as she made her way to the kitchen island where William was rinsing a glass.

“Sure, you can start with telling me whether you'd like red or white wine, or something else to drink?” William said as he leaned against the white granite countertop. “And then, have a look here at the menu and we can decide what to order. I'm starving too, so go wild,” William chuckled.

“Mm - red wine please and thank you,” Loren said with a polite smirk. She picked up William’s phone and started to browse the menu.

A slight wave of panic hit Loren as she looked at the menu prices. She was so unaccustomed to eating anywhere outside of her own kitchen or that of the group home. For years, dining out was a luxury that she felt she could never afford and the sticker shock of that menu was a quick reminder of why. Loren cursed at herself in her mind for the espresso and pastry she bought herself earlier. She had no idea she would end up having dinner with William. Moreover, she did not want to assume William would be paying for her meal, so she scanned the menu for the most inexpensive sushi options.

“Anything you like on there?” William asked, while handing a wine glass to Loren and sliding his phone across the island towards himself.

“Mmm - oh yeah….there's just so much to choose from,” Loren smiled faintly, trying to hide the feeling of embarrassment knowing her bank account was close to being depleted.

William wasn’t certain but he sensed a shift in Loren’s demeanor.

William was cautious with his wording. “You sure Sushi’s ok? We can totally order something else if you want?”

“No, I promise - I really do love it….it's - well, I - I'm on a really super tight budget…it's been….,” Loren trailed off as her cheeks blazed red once more, “it's just been a tough time, especially the past couple of months,” she finished quietly. She took a sip of her wine as her flustered admission momentarily hung in the air.

William could feel Loren's usual luminescence dissolve with that one sentence. In their conversations, William never broached the subject of why she worked the seemingly countless shifts as it seemed clear that she was more often at work than at her home. She once mentioned she was covering for a coworker who fell ill, so that is what William continued to assume throughout their talks.

“You came all the way down here, so dinner’s my treat. You're starving, I'm starving so I'm going to order a bunch of stuff…is there anything you don't like?” William said, as he smiled at Loren, hoping to see her relax more.

“Can I contribute something towards the bill? It's not much but I'd like to put something towards it?” Loren asked.

It threw William off kilter with Loren’s offer to still pay for part of the meal when she could have easily just said nothing and enjoyed being treated. As perplexed as he was, he set it aside in his mind and came up with a better idea.

“How about we order pizza next time, and you can cover that,” William replied, hoping Loren would take notice of him wanting there to be a “next time.”

Loren studied William’s expression of sincerity as her own face cast a look of surprise, disbelief and confusion. She quickly snuffed-out the questions surrounding his possible motives for wanting to see her again and as calmly as she could, Loren responded “Yeah, ok…deal…” extending her hand in agreement and acceptance of his offer.

With his eyes never leaving her face, William chuckled lightly as his hand gently wrapped around hers to acknowledge the deal. He could feel his body react to the skin to skin contact with Loren, even just with their handshake.

Loren delicately withdrew her hand from William’s when Pablo approached her and stood on his hind legs and propped his front paws on the side of her thigh. She silently thanked Pablo for helping to divert attention elsewhere. She had not intended to mention anything about her financial situation, but she just felt so far out of her league at that moment, her anxiety got the better of her.

She gently picked up the goldendoodle and walked towards the sliding glass doors to have another look around the city. Loren looked down at the packed streets with cars that were bumper to bumper and never appeared to move an inch. She watched as people hurried along, darting between the line of vehicles and the subsequent blaring of multiple car horns protesting any number of traffic infractions.

William walked to the couch with their semi-full wine glasses. He sat down and leaned back against the cushions and chuckled while he watched Loren as she continued to take in all the sights and sounds of rush hour.

“See anything interesting?” he smiled as his eyes slowly ran from the top of her head and settled on her shapely ass. He had never gotten a really good look at her features below her neckline and he wasted no time reveling in her curves.

“I can see why you take the subway to get to the games on time, although…not to be all motherly or anything but don’t you ever get worried about your safety at all?” Loren asked as she leaned over to set Pablo down.

William was still staring at her upside-down-valentine-shaped ass as she turned to face him.

Was he staring at my ass? She asked herself.

“I’m sorry - I…uh…missed the question, what did you ask?” William sheepishly grinned, thinking he might have been caught in the act.

Loren walked around the coffee table and sat at the opposite end of the couch from William, where her glass of wine was waiting. As she took a small sip, she smiled and thanked William for bringing over.

“Well, your safety on the subway…I mean, it’s none of my business…and seeing that mess down there, I completely understand why you take it….but when it was the big headline on every news outlet, the first thing I thought of was….you know, a crazed fan, someone trying to mug you, anyone could do something to you. I guess it worried me - I just hoped you were going to be safe is all,” Loren confessed.

“Oh - you were worried about me, eh?” William said, his eyes bright with intrigue as Loren smiled and let out a slight giggle as she looked up at the ceiling, shyly avoiding his gaze.

William continued as he stretched out his arm across the back of the couch. “Nah, I get what you're saying but it’s kind of a gamble driving or taking the subway. If you saw what it’s like to turn into the rink - I’ve had my life fucking flash before my eyes more than a few times. Absolutely fucking awful,” William chuckles.

“Mmm….yeah ok, you got me…I see it with the traffic for sure. I aged about 10 years driving Gary down to the skate last week,” Loren said as William snickered, understanding fully what she was saying.

“And yes, I was worried…given you’re the only Leaf that flaunts his bare chest regularly in the media - you gotta realize that every time you go tarps off, the hum of about 8 million vibrators are heard ‘round the world - that alone makes you a national treasure,” Loren winked at William, and took another sip of wine.

William’s eyes widened as his mouth fell open slightly, before a large grin spanned his face, followed by the sound of his unique laugh.

Women he met, or that often approached him in the greater Toronto area, had made explicit comments about his shirtless interviews so William was aware of the added attention he received, whether he wanted it or not.

Loren’s quip made William realize she knew that no matter what he did—winking during games, going shirtless in interviews, or wearing sandals in the snow—he was seen as a sex symbol. Most women he encountered in Toronto and on the road treated him as such, and he is the first to admit, it has served him well throughout his career. Between Models, starlets, singers, and young professionals, William had a seemingly never-ending selection of women at his fingertips.

However, after signing an 8 year deal with the Leafs worth close to 9 figures earlier this year, he was warned by family, friends, his agent and others closest to him within his current circle that he’ll have to be more careful than ever with who he surrounds himself with going forward.

But this woman in front of him - her unpretentious, sincere and light-hearted disposition had completely disarmed William. Even though he had not known her for very long, he felt there was no hidden agenda with Loren, and he felt relaxed and at ease with her. William knew it was rare to meet someone like her and he found she was as refreshing as an ocean breeze.

As the two continued to talk - seemingly about a hundred different topics - Loren felt that same feeling she had after William hugged her the week prior. He was calming to her; she felt a warmth and comfort just listening to him talk. She was fascinated by the parts of his life that he had divulged to her so far and there were just not enough hours in the day for all the questions she wanted to ask him.

Eventually, Loren excused herself and headed to the washroom, grabbing her leather tote on the way. With as many overnight shifts as Loren worked, she had become accustomed to having pretty much everything but the kitchen sink in her bag. Fresh change of panties, hair and makeup essentials, deodorant, and anything else a woman on the go might need.

Her bright pink cheeks shimmered in her reflection in the mirror, no doubt a symptom from the wine and the warm temperature of his condo. Loren stripped out of the thick grey sweater she had on, leaving the white long-sleeved cotton V-neck shirt she had layered underneath. She momentarily frowned at how simple and basic her outfit looked, with or without the sweater, but then shrugged it off. She could afford what she could afford, and if William chose to judge her based on her clothing, they might as well just finish things right there.

She touched up her make-up and re-pinned her hair before she stepped back out to the living room.

While Loren finished in the washroom, she heard a knock at his door and William's muffled voice as he accepted the dinner delivery. A fresh wave of hunger pains seized her stomach and felt as though she would devour it all, like locusts annihilate crops.

Loren set her bag back by her coat that hung by the door, padded back to the coffee table in the living room to retrieve their wine glasses and headed over towards William. He stood at the kitchen island carefully extracting one take out box after another from the stylish reusable bag which donned the restaurant’s elegant logo.

“Oh, fuck - this smells so…..”, William began to say until he glimpsed at Loren.

His eyes dropped to her ample, round breasts which her cotton shirt had subtly revealed. Without her sweater on, her slender neck was exposed which was decorated by a delicate silver chain with a small heart pendant. William swallowed hard and eventually finished his sentence, rather quietly, about dinner smelling so amazing.

With dusk creeping in through the wall of windows, and the lights throughout the condo slightly dimmed, Loren almost appeared ethereal as she offered William his wine. He had managed to keep any excitement in his pants to a minimum that day, but this time, he felt his cock immediately harden as he did his best to conceal his slight erection under the edge of the island’s countertop.

“This looks - wow…absolutely incredible….and this is just the take-out containers?” Loren said, completely mystified by the ornate gift-boxes that held the menu selections William ordered. “I know I sound like a little country bumpkin but this is just wild…”, Loren said while she continued to admire the contents of the bag.

“Oh, well…just wait until you taste everything, the Sushi’s insane here. It's definitely a favourite of mine,” William smiled.

Loren’s mind wandered for a split second, wondering how many girls had stood in this precise spot in William’s home, and how many had stayed the night, and how many had the luxury of a return visit.

As much as Loren tried to avoid these ideas, her stomach twisted with the thoughts which she had no business worrying about in the first place.

Loren's mind snapped back to the present when she realized William giggled after she didn't respond to his question.

“Shit - sorry, I missed that…,” Loren covered her mouth slightly as she recognized the extra tendency to swear after a few sips of wine.

“Don’t be - I was just asking if you liked the wine?” William asked, followed by another little chuckle.

“Oh! Mmm-hmmm - it's really good, almost a little too good….it's going down a little too easily,” Loren admitted, followed by an enticing thought of her easily going down on him.

William added a splash more to her glass, respecting that she had to drive, unless of course things between them progressed towards his bedroom later on. However, he knew he wouldn't push, insinuate or suggest anything of the kind, unless he was 100% certain she wanted to.

William and Loren brought all of the take-out boxes to the cozy dining room that bordered the open kitchen. They flipped open each of the magnetic lids and visually feasted on the handmade creations.

As dinner ensued, William and Loren’s conversation deepened and the two delved into a more serious level of understanding of each other’s lives. Loren was fascinated with William’s life; she asked him truly engaging questions that touched any number of topics. William found Loren to be thoughtful and far more articulate than he could ever hope to be.

Once the leftovers from dinner had been cleared away and dishes were stacked in the sink, Loren kept William company while he took the dogs out for a short walk after dinner.

Temperatures had dropped significantly once the sun dipped down past the horizon, and Loren wished now she had remembered to pull her sweater back on before they walked out. Although her thick fleece jacket and vest had been plenty warm earlier that day, at that moment, it was not nearly enough against the sub-zero windchill. She tried not to let it show but her body began to shudder and her teeth chattered. William quickly offered his coat to help Loren warm up, but thankfully the dogs got their business done quickly and no time was wasted in returning to warmth and comfort indoors.

Once everyone shuffled through the door of the condo, Loren wasn’t certain if William would want her to stay longer. It didn’t feel like he was anxious for her to leave, but she would never dream of overstaying her welcome.

William simply offered to take Loren’s vest and jacket and hung them up for her, which thankfully was an obvious enough indication that he wasn’t in any rush for her to go home. Suffice it to say, it felt she could assume he was having as good of a time as Loren was.

Before settling in on the couch, Loren retrieved the dogs’ gift from her tote. Once the sticks were in view, both dogs jumped up on either side of Loren with their tails wagging furiously as she sat between them, almost in the middle of the couch.

Both dogs took each of the sticks in their mouth, and lowered their bodies to lay comfortably beside her. Banksy had his front paws in Loren’s lap as he held the stick steady as he began to chew the end.

William returned with a blanket and he grinned widely at the sight of Loren and the dogs sitting next to her, quietly working away on their treats.

“They like those, eh? I’ll need to get some for myself - they’re amazing dogs but sometimes when I’m sleeping in the afternoon before a game, they’re bouncing off the walls,” William said, as he unfolded the fleece picture blanket which had a large picture of the pups by a lake on it.

When Loren angled her head to have a closer look at the picture, William smiled as he explained that the blanket was a Christmas gift from his sister Ella and was taken at the family Lake house during the previous off-season.

William sat on the end of the couch and spread the blanket across him and Loren, shrouding the dogs in the process. “You look like you still need to warm up some more…fucking cold out there,” William said.

Loren stroked both dogs' fur as she looked at them affectionately. William was quietly watching her with a subtle smile on his face.

Nudging Loren’s hand, William asked when she worked next. Heat rose to her cheeks as William did not move his hand away from hers as she continued to stroke Pablo’s fur, grazing William’s fingers in the process.

“Saturday afternoon at 3,” she smiled and glanced briefly at William’s eyes which she found so exquisite, they always overwhelmed her.

“Awh - that’s too bad, you could have come to Saturday's game, maybe,” William said sweetly.

“Mmm - that would've been so great…I've never been,” Loren said, as she tried to breathe normally. William still had not shifted his hand and with her fingers still brushing against his as she petted Pablo, her mind could not understand if it meant something or not.

The two fell into another light conversation about hockey in general, spanning topics from the All-Star Weekend to locker-room hijinks. Despite the ease of the chat, the tension that seemed to be rising between the two was very apparent. Even William found his stomach flipping with the anticipation of simply touching Loren’s skin, let alone the other ideas he’s had in his mind since meeting her nearly a week ago.

With the dogs now on their backs sleeping soundly, William asked Loren quietly if she could carry Bansky, who seemed to have a real affinity towards Loren, to his bedroom, while he carried Pablo. As though they were carrying their own children to bed, William and Loren cooed at the dogs as they gently laid them on his luxuriously soft duvet.

Once she saw Banksy was comfortable, she excused herself and went to the washroom. She took the break to remind herself to not get ahead of herself, not have any expectations no matter how the night ends and try and keep it light. Loren reached into her pocket, applied some ChapStick which she had stashed in her pocket earlier, popped a peppermint candy in her mouth for good measure and silently decided it might be time for her to head home.

William was heading back towards the couch when Loren returned. She smiled politely and said maybe she should be on her way.

“Oh…yeah, I mean - if you need to,” William said, trying to not let his disappointment show. “It’s just you don’t seem to have much of a chance to relax, so I thought maybe you’d stick around for a bit - maybe chill…. you know, watch a movie or something?” William asked, as he approached her.

Loren couldn’t help but look at him and smile as she gently nodded her head. “I just didn’t want to overstay…you know, I was trying to make sure you didn’t have to do the awkward ‘I kind of want you to leave but I don’t want to sound like an ass scenario’,” Loren chuckled as she nervously rambled.

William stood in front of Loren and with his hands gently landing on her waist, he slowly pulled her towards him. Loren’s mind felt like it was a wild pendulum swinging uncontrollably between thoughts of unleashing her frenzied desires versus enjoying his slow, intimate movements.

William pulled Loren in even closer and her hands, moving solely by instinct, touched his chest covered by the soft fabric of his loose fitting t-shirt.

Looking up at William, the very moment William’s lips touched hers, Loren felt completely weak. His lips were so soft, warm and beautifully curved, and they brushed slowly against Loren’s mouth as he pressed his body further against hers.

Loren let out a soft moan as his mouth fully connected with hers; his taste was so astonishingly delicious that it made her insides ache, desperate for more. With each kiss, their mouths formed a deeper connection, and it wasn’t long before William’s tongue began to lightly graze Loren’s. The sensation was so overwhelming and potent that Loren had to break the kiss, and she leaned her forehead against William’s jawline while her other hand snaked around the nape of his neck. Loren lightly chuckled at her own breathlessness before her lips found his mouth once more.

This time, William broke the kiss, but his lips did not venture far from hers.

“Where’d you get the mint from?” he asked, murmuring against her lips with a sheepish grin.

Her eyes met William's before they trailed back down to his mouth as she returned the grin.

“In my pocket, but my god, you don’t need it. I doubt there’s anything in the world that tastes as good as you do right now,” Loren said as her lips gently caressed his neck under his jawline.

Loren felt one of William’s hands slowly slide from the contour of her waist towards her front pocket of her form fitting leggings. He dipped two fingers inside and felt around for the mints, giving Loren a little tickle in the process. Loren jumped and squealed, holding onto William’s upper arm a little more tightly as he pulled her against him once more while planting gentle kisses along her neck, up to her ear.

His fingers remained inside her pocket as he worked a mint out the package. He must have known that his fingers were so close to the middle of her panties, which were becoming wetter by the second.

William retrieved the mint and popped it into his mouth, flashing a seductive smile at Loren.

“Better….,” William said, leaning his forehead against Loren’s before closing his mouth over hers in another steamy kiss.

Loren’s mind was spinning; none of this made sense to her at all. William’s kiss was like no other she had experienced; it made her throat tight with wanting more. The way William’s one hand was pressed against the small of her back while the other cradled her face as their mouths connected and tongues yearned to meet, made her insides twist with desire.

What started as long, sweet and tender kisses, William and Loren had ignited a furious passion between the two of them in the middle of the living room. Her bodily instincts made her want to jump up and wrap her legs around his waist and have him carry her to bed. She wanted his cock in every way possible. She wanted him to writhe and moan, groaning her name while he cums over and over again, all because of how she makes him feel.

But in her mind, Loren was worried. She had a complicated viewpoint of sex from her past and she was not willing to bring the terrible experiences she had at the hands of such a sordid person, as her ex-boyfriend was, into William’s bed.

William slowed his kiss down, allowing his mouth to wander across the warm skin of her cheeks, jawline and down the contours of her slender neck.

William looked at Loren’s face and he was more taken with her than ever. The sensitive skin that surrounded her full lips was red from his abrasive stubble; her cheeks glowed pink in the dimmed light from a nearby lamp, and her rich, dark eyes that made his heart ache and his soul melt.

William slowed his breathing, but his heart was still pounding hard in his chest. He was sure his semi-erect cock had introduced itself to Loren’s midriff and he hoped it wouldn’t be long before William was on his way to a huge release, with Loren in his arms.

William guided Loren to the couch and adjusted the pillows to support her head as she laid down on her back. William positioned himself between her legs as he gently leaned his torso on top of her while bearing some weight on his forearms.

It was dizzying to Loren to feel the weight of William on top of her as she raked her fingers through his famously illustrious hair, while her hands gripped his T-Shirt and his growing erection pressed hard against her drenched centre.

After her hands and mouth had pushed him as far as he could handle, William got up the nerve to ask her if she wanted to come to bed.

When Loren hesitated and showed her apprehension, his heart dropped as he knew at once it was not meant to be that night. He could see it pained her to decline his offer as she looked up at him apologetically. He saw the longing she had for him deep within her gaze, but he sensed Loren’s guard was still up. All he could hope for is that she saw the same longing William had for her.

Although he'd be lying if he said he wasn’t disappointed, Loren was special and so unique that what mattered most to him is when he could see her again.

The two spoke softly and gently between kisses as Loren began to ready her mind to depart for home. Loren also decided that she wanted to let William know how truly wonderful she thought he was, just in case this was her only opportunity.

Even if William turned out to be a total player and just wanted another notch on his bedpost, she wanted to take the chance and say it anyway. After all, it wasn't unrealistic in her mind that he could decide to move on to another girl the very minute she leaves.

Her words to him, as she gently caressed his face and smoothed his hair behind his ear, helped soothe the disappointment and solidify that he really needed to see her again as soon as possible.

As they arose from the couch, William adjusted his shirt to cover his rigid member and Loren tiptoed into his bedroom to say goodbye to his dogs, afterwards heading back to get her coat and boots on by the entrance.

Loren looked at William with a smile but she was perplexed as he pulled his coat, toque and boots on as well.

William glanced over at Loren’s confused expression. “What - I’m not letting you walk by yourself into an underground parking lot at night…fuck that…,” William chuckled.

“Shit - I totally forgot…I am so sorry…I can figure out something so you don’t have to go out,” Loren said uncomfortably.

William shook his head. “Loren….I'll drive you, ok? It's the garage I told you about, right?” William asked as he reached for her hand, slowly pulling her back into him.

Loren nodded as she smiled, but the smile did little to mask that she still felt terrible for inconveniencing William.

William’s hands travelled up and cupped Loren's face just under her jawline. He held her face so she had to look into William’s eyes.

“I know you feel bad - but please don’t. It's like 10 minutes….total…and it's not even late,” William said reassuringly.

He closed the gap between them with a slow and deep kiss. When it seemed clear that they might stand there forever in a lip-lock, they mutually broke the kiss. They smiled and giggled at each other as a few more nuzzles and sweet comments were made. When they were ready to depart, William called “car” and the dogs came running down the hallway as fast as they could towards the door.

The elevator ride down to the underground parking garage was over within less than a minute, and William led the way to his sleek SUV parked nearby. The dogs knew the routine well, and ran towards the door for the backseat. William draped his arm around Loren’s shoulder as they walked the short distance to the car.

As she slid into the passenger seat, the scent of the interior made Loren clench her pussy walls; it was a perfect balance of William’s cologne, expensive leather and new car smell. She felt a little nervous still being in such close proximity to William, now in a different setting, but the dogs provided an excellent distraction as they both begged to sit on Loren’s lap. She managed to accommodate them both for the short distance they had to travel.

A light dusting of snow had covered the ground since Loren and William had last ventured outside. As they pulled out onto the street, Loren still marvelled at the lights of skyscrapers and William watched as she quietly talked to both dogs, pointing out little things she saw.

Loren turned William on fiercely. If he thought it was remotely appropriate, he would have turned them back around to his condo, guided her into the bedroom and given her as much pleasure as she could handle until they passed out. But he could see clearly that something is holding her back and despite what his cock wants him to do right now, patience is what he chose.

William pulled into the driveway towards the garage entrance and with his approach, the door automatically lifted. He pulled up to the kiosk, grabbed a ticket and Loren directed him to her parking spot. He pulled into a spot next to her vehicle and asked her for her entrance ticket. She was puzzled but relented and pulled the ticket from her wallet. Loren watched as William hopped out of his vehicle and walked over to the PAY HERE kiosk, tapped his credit card and returned to the car as Loren was exiting the car. Both dogs had their noses pressed to the window and whimpered as William approached Loren.

“Wait - did you just pay for my parking?” Loren asked, her eyes growing wide with the realisation.

“Yep - we’ve got 15 minutes before the time runs out so….,” William leans over and kisses Loren again. She dropped her bag at her feet and held onto William’s jacket as his tongue slid between her lips and found hers again.

William slowly backed Loren up, pressing her against her weathered SUV; his tongue continued to delicately touch and taste her as he allowed a soft groan escape once he pulled away from her mouth. She hadn’t even realised that her hands had travelled from the front of his jacket, down to his waist and up under his shirt. Her hands gently stroked his taut skin and felt the lines of his muscles that led to, what Loren assumed would be, the most gorgeous cock that she could ever imagine. It certainly felt sizable enough pressing against the waistband of her leggings.

Loren felt breathless as she looked up at William’s face. He leaned his head down and buried his face in the nape of her neck; the feeling of his lips by her ear and the warmth of his breath sent such a raging jolt between her legs, she almost begged for him to fuck her right up against her vehicle. She had never, ever had this sensation, this desperation, for a man to touch her; the fact it was William that made her so intensely aroused, it was almost too exhilarating for Loren to handle.

A small group of passers-by in the garage spotted William and Loren at a distance. The group heckled them and hurled their own suggestive ideas towards the couple. The interruption successfully killed the mood, and the two quickly realised the 15 minute grace period to exit the garage was soon expiring.

William pulled Loren toward him in a warm embrace, and she thanked him for “the most incredible day”. He handed her the paid parking stub; that gesture alone meant so much to her, and she said as much to William.

“Call me when you get home…and I don’t mean a quick text. I want to see you safe in your house, behind locked doors,” William said, looking down at Loren's face. “How long should it take for you to get home?” he asked.

“Not quite an hour, depending on traffic,” Loren replied as a small grin spanned her lips.

William nodded and watched as she pulled her keys from her bag , unlocked the door and slid into the driver's seat. She lowered the window and waved good-bye to the dogs who were peering out at her, with their tails wagging.

William walked up to the window and angled his head to meet Loren’s mouth; she brought her hand up to his face, her feather touch brushed against the stubble on his cheek.

Loren smiled against William’s mouth and then pulled away slightly. “We’d better go,” Loren said and planted one more small kiss on William’s lips. “And yes, I will call you when I pull in the driveway,” she added as she winked at him.

William chuckled and put his hands in his pockets as he turned on his heel, heading back to his vehicle. Loren waved as she pulled out of the spot, and followed the arrows towards the exit. It wasn’t long before William’s almost-too-bright LED headlights appeared in her rear view mirror, and with a honk and a wave, the two vehicles pulled out onto the street and headed in opposite directions.

#william nylander #william nylander imagine #william nylander smut #william x loren #nhl fanfiction #hockey romance #hockey fic #hockey fanfiction #nhl fluff

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brf-rumortrackinganon · 10 months ago

Text

Timeline: Part 4 -July 2017

Previously:

2015 - April 2017 | An Update

May 2017 - June 2017

This piece features events, press, and PR from the summer of 2017. You will see competing narratives - the Daily Mail leaking Meghan's dossier drip by drip by drip and Meghan's team counterattacking with engagement rumors.

There are two main stories in the royal sphere during this time that we know Meghan is paying attention to, as these most definitely shape her understanding of what it means to be royal: royals taking glamorous summer vacations and daily coverage of Diana's life, the impact of her death, and her lasting legacy to the world.

Fasten your seatbelts!

(Note - this was initially meant to also include the August 2017 events but Tumblr was having problems saving the post.)

July 1, 2017: The Cambridges, Harry, and the Spencers attend a private memorial service at the Spencers' Althorp estate for Diana. Meghan's relationship history is published and it's revealed she left Cory for Harry.

July 2, 2017: Charles plans to host a 70th birthday party for Camilla and the Express speculates whether Harry will bring Meghan with him. Additionally, the broadcast network that airs Suits in Britain drops the series from its slate and won't show its upcoming seventh season.

July 3, 2017: Kensington Palace announces that the Cambridges will visit Poland and Germany.

July 4, 2017: Kensington Palace confirms that Harry will have a role in the upcoming state visit by King Felipe and Queen Letizia. Meghan teases whether she will attend Wimbledon 2017. Harry's scandals are revisited.

July 5, 2017: Meghan's appearance at the 2016 Create & Cultivate conference resurfaces, as do her comments from The Tig about being biracial.

July 6, 2017: Meghan does another airport pap walk as returns to Toronto after spending 10 days in London with Harry.

July 8, 2017: Meghan leaks that she has tried on wedding dresses with friends and is beginning to think about a wedding at Westminster Abbey. The Daily Mail publishes all about Meghan's first marriage and the divorce. Katie Nicholl publishes several scoops: 1) Meghan keeps clothes at Nottingham Cottage, 2) Meghan is so familiar to KP security and the RPOs that she doesn't need a security pass to enter, 3) Harry wants to be engaged by his birthday, and 4) they want to debut Meghan as his fiancee at Toronto Invictus Games.

July 9, 2017: Harry attends a music festival and is photographed getting close to a blonde woman. At the same time, there is fast-spreading gossip that Camilla disapproves of the relationship. Meghan gets worried: she hints about the engagement to get Harry back in line and tries to assuage concerns about her marital history by explaining that being married to Harry will be different than when she was married to Trevor. Meghan merches a baseball cap.

July 10, 2017: Meghan doesn't like the comparisons to Pippa Middleton anymore (which she began, mind you) and says they look nothing alike. It's announced that Trevor is thinking about writing a book about his relationship with Meghan, sparking another round of rumors that the marriage broke down when Meghan cheated on Trevor with a Suits castmate.

July 11, 2017: It's revealed that Meghan was still dating Cory when she began dating Harry.

July 12, 2017: Meghan attends the Suits party to celebrate taping their 100th episode. Meghan's team puts out a story that she and Harry are so alike because Meghan's uncle is the leader of the Eastern Orthodox Catholic Church, just like Harry's grandmother is the leader of the Church of England. Rita Ora flirts with Harry and Meghan gets mad, saying she doesn't want to marry Harry.

July 13, 2017: The Spanish State Visit begins, with Harry accompanying King Felipe and Queen Letizia to Westminster Abbey and attending the state banquet (where he sits next to Rose Cholmondeley...iykyk). Meghan's "one tear, left eye, go" interview resurfaces and she tries to be a beauty guru again. Suits Season 7 premieres in the U.S.. Meghan practically calls Kate a Stepford Wife.

July 14, 2017: Meghan gets more private protection and increases her security team.

July 16, 2017: A friend of Harry says they're engaged and everyone is looking forward to the after-party more than the wedding. Meghan leaks that Harry will quit the royal family for her and her "don't give it five minutes if you're not going to give it five years" interview resurfaces. Harry wins his IPSO privacy case against The Mail for publishing paparazzi photographs taken in Jamaica.

July 17, 2017: Meghan sets up Chelsy to be Harry's Camilla in their marriage.

July 18, 2017: Meghan tries to be a yoga influencer again. Meghan also brings back her gender equality platform and reminds us about her soap commercial.

July 19, 2017:

Pictures from Meghan's childhood are published, including a photograph saying/showing she won Homecoming Queen in high school (US high school is ages 14 - 18). Speculation begins immediately that Meghan has had cosmetic surgery to minimize her black traits and Markle feeatures, including chemical treatments for her hair.

Meghan hints that Harry will propose on her birthday and that they will elope to marry.

Meghan leaks that she's worth $5 million.

July 20, 2017: Meghan says Harry will propose soon and they have no intentions of eloping.

July 22, 2017: Meghan's ice bucket challenge video resurfaces, causing speculation over how she knows Rory McIlroy and what the nature of their relationship is.

July 24, 2017: Meghan promotes Suits and hints that she wants IVF twins as soon as possible after the wedding. (The IVF twins story is important for two reasons. One, because in the first picture taken of Meghan after the pregnancy is announced, she is carrying two purple binders. We know she likes to virtue signal, so many people believe this is her hinting that they are expecting boy-girl twins. Second, because while she ended up having a boy, the decor and theme for her February baby shower indicated she was expecting a girl.)

July 25, 2017: Prince Albert of Monaco (son of Grace Kelly) gives advice to Meghan and Harry and British Vogue writes about Meghan and her fashion.

July 26, 2017: Meghan claps back against the rumors of plastic surgery by getting medical experts to say she hasn't had any work done.

July 27, 2017: Meghan teases an engagement in the Express, who recaps the relationship to date.

July 28, 2017: Meghan merches Rachel Zane's wardrobe. She's spotted in London, supposedly with Doria (though Doria is never seen). Meghan's insecurity over Harry's past causes problems for him.

July 29, 2017: An open letter is published to William and Kate, urging them not to have a third child. This comes after playful comments by the pair while on tour in Poland and Germany earlier in the month when they were gifted baby items by fans on walkabout.

July 31, 2017:

Christopher Geidt is forced out retires and is replaced by Charles's favorite, Edward Young.

Kate hires Catherine Quinn as her new private secretary.

Meghan is worried a Cambridge baby is going to steal her thunder and leaks that the Cambridges won't have any more children. After Kate's third pregnancy is announced and this article resurfaces, speculation begins over what Meghan knew (because Harry leaked like a sieve to her).

William and Catherine are in Belgium for the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Passchendaele.

Lainey gossips that the recent shakeups in palace household staff has to do with Charles's discomfort with William and Harry operating independently of him. She also confirms for the first time that Charles was angry with the KP love shield because it overshadowed his work in the Middle East.

#timeline #brf #sussexes #pr shenanigans #pr stunts

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grits-galraisedinthesouth · 7 months ago

Text

Revisiting information from Tom Bower's book Revenge and current events in the House of Windsor.

Misan Harriman: All Roads lead back, to Soho House & the person Rachel described as her "gay husband," Markus Anderson.

Anglo-Nigerian photographer, Misan Harriman, was instrumental in Meghan’s 2014 post-Trevor re-brand from Deal or No Deal Briefcase Girl to faux philanthropist/humanitarian.

Allegedly he's also gay, along with the other "boys" in MEgain's Soho House Circle. All in "contract" marriages with female "beards" like Rachel Meghan Markle. All liars.

According to Tom Bower's research (Revenge p. 63), Meghan was determined to use One Young World as her launching pad to celebrity philanthropy.

She was unknown to the OYW founders and event staff so she contacted Misan Harriman to ask for an introduction to his friend, tennis star, Boris Becker.

Becker was already scheduled to speak at the Dublin conference and Misan pitched the idea of Meghan's participation.

Becker referred Meghan to HIS AGENT, Gina Nelthorpe-Cowne.

If I remember correctly, in Gina's pre-wedding articles and interviews, she mentioned that Meghan contacted her office in 2014 to express an interest in helping with the OYW conference(s). I had no idea that Meghan and Misan were friendly while Meghan cohabitated with Celebrity Chef Cory.

MEgain did not choose Misan for her engagement photographs. Misan has only been in the photography business for five (5) years.

Soho House members, the York Sisters, invited Misan to capture the moment Edo proposed to Beatrice. (sigh & smh) SAME Eugenie who told the press, "we really like her..." when someone (OMIT & Jessica) gave Camilla Tominey permission to publicize their affair. Camilla repeatedly writes that William MUST forgive Sparry. Tominey cares nothing for the Wales family or the country. Her interests are rooted in greed and irresponsible reporting to sell papers.

Notice The Meghans began paying Misan during MEGXIT. He captured the stills and video footage for Megflix. He is also paid by Invictus. There's a lot of cash flowing into Misan's bank account via The Meghan and their archeficicial business ventures. IRS, where you at???? 🤔

I'm not sure why I included the following in my original 2022 post: "Allegedly, during Harry's 2 nights in Tornto (babysat by Jason Knauf), just before he flew to the US-FL IG, Meghan (while cohabitating w/Cory & just back from spending Mother's Day weekend w/Cory's parents) Meghan told Harry about her interest in helping him with the Invictus Games."

One thing that stands out to me is how much both Meghans lied during the engagement interview:

Sparry & MEgain admitted (on international television) that they were secretly dating for 5-6 months BEFORE Tominey received the story.

Do the math. If they met in July of 2016 and had 5-6 months together in secret, Camilla's article would have been published in December or January, not October/November.

Camilla's article was published at the time of their Toronto (soho house) Halloween party with Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank: October 2016 = only 3 dating months.

If they began dating during Sparry's Spring promotional visit to Toronto for Ingriftus, then YES--- they were "together" (like spooning bananas) for five (5) months before MEgain leaked the details to Tominey

Sparry is just as much of a compulsive liar as his wife. He lies about the unnecessary details:

"we had to announce your megnantcy for the tour because you were showing..."

"It's true, you did blend in-----‐until our farewell week..."

I have future content coming about Victoria Hervey and Dan Wootton's despicable behavior during kategate. At the moment I wish she would stop extending open invitations for Sparry "to come home," when he's repeatedly been clear that America is his home & America is where he feels safe.

In my opinion, Sparry and MEgain deserve to be married to one another FOREVER!! Initially I viewed Sparry as her victim but just because Sparry is mentally & emotionally unstable and intellectually "sub-educational" (as Lady C would say), does not excuse his character issues: lying, cheating, stealing, grifting to achieve fame and fortune in America. People all over the world with low IQs know the difference between right and wrong. There is no excuse for Sparry's crimes.

Royal Families cannot expect their people to look past bad behavior. Charles got what he wanted, "Camilla." Despite the good press she receives, the majority of the world sees Charles as spoiled and feckless. I do think he will be surprised to learn just how many Brits wish he & Camilla would just go on a permanent holiday.

In a world of meritocracy, we have watched Meghan Markle, Sparry, and Andrew get away with murder. Zero on the job consequences for bad behavior------>Out of touch with everyday people.

Andrew & Sparry have caused permanent damage to brand BRF. When Charles chooses tone deafness over humility and shame, they are begging the people for a Republic.

Normal people pay a price for their unwise decisions. Selfish Charles chose Jesus' resurrection day to rub Andrew into the faces of the British people and global royal watchers.

People won't take these moments of pure contempt for the will and opinions of the people and just let it all go due to cancer. Charles is still seen as a feckless king who will ultimately destroy this monarchy because it appears he cannot or will not manage his household.

Go to church Andrew & Fergie, but not in front of the cameras and not at the expense of the taxpayers. These are not difficult situations for Buckingham Palace. Does anyone have a working brain? It's as if Charles is deliberately destroying everything his mother & father worked so hard to preserve.

I agree @sassyfrassboss and don't get me started on Sarah's health related virtue signals. Why is it so difficult for Fergie to stop talking? And why won't Andrew go away and live out a solitary life? No one wants to shake hands with Epstein's pal. No charity wants to be represented by Epstein's pal. Consequences.

Andrew is reviled and despised because he refuses to accept responsibility for his unwise choices. He has no remorse for choosing "sleazy e & co" over his family and his country. It's not complicated.

I have drafts of future content about the York's. Surmise it to say, Andrew and Sarah are just not bright people. What's worse is they are selfish and refuse to step out of the limelight to give their daughters & grandkids a fresh start.

Unfortunately, like The Meghans, Eugenie was willing to exploit the identities of other people's children while concealing the face of her own child with stickers.

Ultimately Eugenie used the Jubilee to change course. She finally held up the child to show his face. Cute child. What's not cute is the elitist mindset that "blue blood makes us extra special."

After visiting Davos, Eugenie was quick to parrot her elitist, WEF talking points. There was no critical thinking about the issue(s) (like, "hmm, my husband wears glasses"), just a regurgitation of elitist talking points.

No one wants to see Andrew on Easter Sunday or for that matter at any other holiday. Seeing him jolly on parade is a slap in the face to all who had a deep affection for Queen Elizabeth's virtues and basic human decency. It's past time for him to retire from public life.

Rolling up to Easter service as though the York's are respectable members of society who serve Jesus Christ is absolutely shameful.

Not because of a liar named Virginia and her fake photo, but because of Andrew's REAL Central Park, NYC photos and the video footage of Andrew coming and going from Epstein's NYC home. Not to mention their big Epstein dinner with guests like Katie Couric, George Stephanopoulos and Woody Allen---- to name just a few.

Andrew used tax payer's money to travel in support of Jeffrey Epstein upon his release from prison.

A man who was convicted of sexually assaulting under age girls served about 12 months in prison and upon release he threw a NYC party for his royal pal Andrew! The Palace was "too honorable" to reply, "No thank you. Have a nice life." Andrew seems too self centered to concern himself with the commandments to "avoid even the appearance of evil" and to "honor" his mother & father's legacies.

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sophsicle · 6 months ago

Note

Weird question; what’s your opinion if Montreal? Lol I’m considering going there for a music festival but can’t decide if I should visit someplace else aswell or just stay in Montreal. It looks like a massive city so a lots to do. Probably also the only time I’ll ever go to Canada so…

i love montreal i think it's a very cool city and there are lots of fun little neighbourhoods to explore especially in the summer

personally, it's a small city 2 me, but that's because i grew up in toronto so, most cities are small cities 2 me

but Canada is an extremely hard country to move around in so i'm not sure where else you would go?

like, Quebec city is nice for a day trip, but it is VERY small so you don't need much more time there, and it's still three hours away from Montreal,

Toronto is worth visiting for a day or two but it's 6 hours away from Montreal

Ottawa is not worth visiting do not go there (sorry ottawa but you know it's true) SO LIKE, what im saying is, if you're going to montreal for the festival, if you want to leave montreal and go somewhere else you're gonna have to really commit

#soph rambles

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heckcareoxytwit · 1 year ago

Text

Northstar (Jean-Paul Beaubier) was on the way to visit his boyfriend/fiance - Kyle Jinadu, in Toronto when he gets attacked by the Warwolves. After Storm and Cyclops subdue the Warwolves, the latter (Cyclops) is disappointed with Northstar for his lack of focus in training, fighting and commitment to the X-Men. Northstar explains to Cyclops that he missed his boyfriend dearly and even though he has super-speed in running and flying, it is not enough for him to travel long distance between Utopia Island in San Francisco (USA) and Toronto in Canada. Besides his lack of focus, Northstar's lovesick attitude is starting to annoy the mutants on the island. One day, Northstar bumps into Dazzler who then suggests that he should just invite Kyle to Utopia Island. Northstar calls Kyle to come over to Utopia Island and the latter (Kyle) accepts. Coincidentally, Jeanne-Marie Beaubier the twin sister of Northstar is also the manager of Kyle's company in Toronto so she allows him to go on a vacation.

As Kyle Jinadu arrives at the port near Utopia Island, Northstar acts like a giddy starcrossed lover that he zooms in and picks him up to bring him over to his room. Northstar continues to show Kyle around at Utopia Island but the visit at Utopia Island was too overwhelming for him as there were mixed reactions from the resident mutants and Kyle’s uncomfortable feeling of being the token human. Later, when the two lovers head back, they get attacked by the Warwolves again. Fortunately, Colossus and Psylocke turn up just in time for Northstar to move his boyfriend to safety. And after an overwhelming visit to Utopia; Kyle and Northstar had to discuss the fact the Kyle can never become a part of the superhero world. Thankfully, the couple decided they each had to make some compromises and meet each other on common ground.

This story took place before Northstar had finally married to Kyle few years later.

Nation X#2, 2010

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snowe-zolynn-rogers · 9 months ago

Text

Pairings: None

Word Count: 1,122 Words

Summary: Eclipse makes a groupchat with the other Eclipses to chaotic outcomes.

Warnings: Crack, Cursing, Abuse (mentioned only), Imprisonment (mentioned), Bullying, let me know if I should add anything else.

The Eclipses Chat: Chapter 2

12:45pm Whomst The Fuck?

Solar: Alright, I’m sending our kid on a plane to Toronto. Make sure you get his ass off the plane, Umbra.

Umbra: You think I haven’t been waiting for him for the last day? That’s cute.

Helix: I want to see my little boy.

Comet: Comet-with-airport-coffee-and-airport-chinese-with-peace-sign.jpg

Helix: I am now pleased. Thank you, little child.

Solar: Aw hell no, we ain’t doing three way custody between two dimensions.

Comet: Why can’t I have more Dads?

Solar: Okay fine, but only because you want more Dads.

Eclipse: Hold on. What the fuck?

Solar: Pick a name, asshole. None of us get to keep Eclipse here.

Eclipse has changed their name to Acrux

Acrux: What is this?

Solar: Welcome to hell. Comet got stuck and now we all have a groupchat.

Acrux: Hold on. That means I actually get to talk to you on civil terms?

Solar: Yeah, I guess?

Acrux: Listen to me, I don’t want to be alive right now. I didn’t want to come back. I have directives in my head that will kill me if they’re gotten rid of so I have to find out who made me so the can’t make me again. So can you all maybe please not kill me because I severely need help right now, not to be killed because whoever made me will probably just make me again.

Solar: Ah, that’s who you are. Good to know.

Solar: Anyway, I personally won’t kill you, But like, what are the directives?

Acrux: I don’t know, the Creator wouldn’t tell me. But I know they’re what made me show myself so quickly. So they’re probably along the lines of ‘torment the daycare’. But I don’t even remember anything before my death. Everything I have is from a different point of view.

Solar: Well thats…weird. Anyway, Just try to stay away from the daycare because Moon already hates you anyway. He’ll probably just try to kill you right out the gate. If you come visit me at the airport, then I’ll look through everything and figure out the directives and maybe change the directives instead of delete them.

Acrux: What do I have to do for you?

Solar: Behave afterward.

Acrux: Done. I’m coming.

1:45pm Whomst The Fuck?

Solar: I got two kids now. Umbra, you got more space in that bunker of yours because he’s probably gonna need to hide too.

Umbra: I do. There’s like three dozen rooms in this bunker.

Solar: Even better. Comet, you’re getting a flight buddy on the plane with you.

Comet: YAY!

Acrux: You fixed me.

Solar: Well hey, first time for everything. Behave for your second chance and I’ll visit you two kids next week.

Acrux: Thank you so much.

Solar: Have fun, kids. No teleporting off the flight.

Acrux: Okay.

Comet: I can what now?

Solar: Not you, just Acrux.

Comet: Okay!

Acrux: I’ll make sure he gets there safe.

Solar: Thank you.

Umbra: You damn well better make sure your little brother gets here safe.

Acrux: Hold on, I thought that the Backup would be my dad, not you. You’d be like my grandfather.

Umbra: Respect your elders, kid. And Backup ain’t here. So that automatically makes me your dad.

Acrux: This family tree is more chaotic than the other one. Jesus Christ.

Solar: You’d think so but it’s relatively easy.

Acrux: Literally how?

Solar: Umbra is your dad, I’m your adoptive dad, Backup and Comet are your brothers, and everyone else here is either your cousin or uncle.

Umbra: Where is Backup by the way?

Solar: Don’t act like I know.

Eclipse is online

Eclipse: Can someone please come get me? I can’t escape this place.

Solar: What?

Eclipse: I’m stuck because of your brother, asshole. Get me out! I’ve been chained up in his room for two years and a month!

Solar: So twenty-five weeks our time?

Eclipse: Yes! Please get me out! I’ve been alone like six months. I can’t even remember how long.

Solar: Alright, I’m coming, hold on.

Eclipse: I hate this, I hate this, I hate this.

Solar: I know, buddy. I’m working on it. I’ve gotta sneak you out so that’s gonna be a difficult thing to do, okay?

Eclipse: Don’t just kill me?

Solar: I won’t do that shit. I hated the killing idea in the first place. It makes me feel awkward contributing to the death of another version of myself.

Eclipse: Also, please don’t torture and imprison me too?

Solar: Is that what my brother did to you?

Eclipse: Yes.

Solar: Buddy, I ain’t gonna torture you.

Eclipse: Thank you.

Umbra: Another child, Solar?

Solar: Yes.

Helix: You two are like a divorced couple who’s working on their co-parenting routine.

Acrux: New brother, oh goodie.

Solar: Yeah, I’m gonna send him up too. Better Canada than Moon probably killing him.

Rigel: Yeahhhhh, Moon’s been suspecting me too but I can handle that. He’s just paranoid.

Solar: I get that but still. He will kill a formerly evil Eclipse on sight probably.

Rigel: …

Solar: Okay, bad wording. An Eclipse who has done evil things under their own recognizance before.

Rigel: Alright then.

Eclipse: Do I have to pick a name too?

Solar: Yes.

Eclipse has changed their name to Phase

Phase: I like this one.

Solar: Good job, Phasey.

Phase: I love that nickname.

Solar: I sure hope so. I also hope you like candy and pizza because that’s what you’re eating before I drop you at the airport to Umbra.

Phase: I think so? I don’t remember. I can barely remember anything past three months ago.

Solar: That’s fine, just look at your allergies.

Phase: It says pineapple and mango.

Solar: rip

Solar: Alright, we’ll get you something without them.

Helix: Y'all area clusterfuck.

Solar: Yup, thanks Helix.

Venus: I hate all of you so much.

Solar: That’s fine, you raging dickhead.

Venus: I don’t even know why I came on here.

Helix: You’re probably bored. I know that’s why I’m on here interacting.

Venus: Shut up, I’m not taking advice from a servant.

Helix: That’s okay, I don’t care about the opinions of a lord except my own.

Venus: Petty little shit.

Helix: Stubborn old man.

Orbit: The girls are fighting! I’m getting the popcorn, hold on!

Venus: You know what? I’m leaving.

Venus has left Whomst The Fuck?

Comet: Nope!

Comet has added Venus to Whomst The Fuck?

Venus: Fuck you!

Comet: No thanks! But you get to stay here from now on, you oversized roach.

Solar: Sick burn, kid.

Comet: Thank you!

Helix: Keep pouting, just means I win.

Venus: I hate you.

Rigel: Girls girls, you’re both pretty.

Venus is offline

Solar: All in all a productive day!

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bullet-clubs-bitch · 1 year ago

Note

can you do part 2 to the Kenny omega Babies piece where the Reader is watching one of Kenny Aew match or at an Aew paper view in person or is either at Reader and Kenny Home in NORTH CARRROLLINNNAAAA. And the reader ends up going into Labor but Kenny ends up making it to see either his Baby boy or Baby Girl born and the golden elite come to visit after the baby is born?

Babies Part 3

Main Masterlist Kenny Omega Masterlist

Part 1 Part 2 Part 4

Summary: Your ringside for The Elite VS JAS VS HOB for the trios titles in Winnipeg when you go into Labor.

Word count: 1565

Just about everyone advised me not to go to Winnipeg for Dynamite due to the fact that there was a really high possibility that I could go into labor during the show. Being the stubborn person I am, I refused and was determined to be there. I was so angry that I couldn't make it to AEW’s first ever show in Canada nonetheless in my home town of Toronto because of the whole suspension thing. Even though I was not suspended it was recommended that I also stay away for a while. Now we are in Winnipeg Manitoba Canada, and I am so excited to be a part of the show, even if it is just me being ringside for the boys match.

I was sitting in hair and makeup getting ready for the show when Shannon, one of the costume designers approached me.

“Hey Mama, how’s it going” Shannon said excitedly as she approached me

“Hi Shan, I’m doing alright for the most part. I feel huge” I said pointing down to my baby bump

“Hey now, don’t be so mean to bumpy. I can’t wait to meet that little girl. You and Kenny are going to be great parents!”

“Oh yeah? I’m not too sure about that one. She could come any day and I’m literally terrified. I can hardly take care of myself let alone a little human baby!”

“Please Y/N, You will be a great mother. I see how you treat the young talent here. You are like a second mother to them”

“That’s different, yes they are my babies but they are 18 to early 20s. That is a big difference to a newborn child! Before you cut me off, yes I know that I treat AEW as my baby but it is my baby. You have been here since day one girl. You know I would do absolutely anything for this company. You remember how hard it was in the beginning!”

“I remember very well Y/N! But that is not why I’m here. I came here to give this to you” Shannon said as she handed me a gift bag with tissue paper sticking out of the top

When I opened the gift I was shocked to see a matching set of ring gear to the ones the boys would be wearing tonight

“Shan!!! You shouldn't have!”

“Yes I should, do you like it?”

“I love it!!! The real question is, is it going to fit me?”

“It should fit, If not I can make a quick fix if needed. I thought you would like something cute to wear tonight!” Shannon said with the largest smile on her face!

“Thank you so much, you have no idea what this means to me!”

XXX

When I put on the gear I was shocked to see that it fit like a glove. The white and silver bodysuit hugged my curves perfectly, surprisingly making my baby bump look flattering. The matching Jacket put the whole outfit together perfectly although I did swap out the boots for my Dior Jordans. No way was my swollen ankles were going to get into the boots.

Once I was all ready I headed over to the Elite locker room to show Tyson and The Bucks my new outfit.

*knock knock knock*

“Come in!” Nick yelled through the door

When I opened the door I was greated by Tyson, Hangman and both Matt and Nick!

“Hi, everyone!” I said

“Jesus christ Y/N!!!” Kenny said, almost in disbelief

“Do you like it?” I asked

“Like it, I love it!!! How did you get this?”

“Shannon surprised me with it!”

“Of course she did” Matt said, interrupting our conversation “She’s the best isn’t she Y/n!”

“She really is Matt! How is everyone feeling? Ready for tonight?” I asked felling a bit of tension in the room

“Yeah, we are great! I’m honestly just a bit nervous” Kenny admitted

After being friends for 14 years and together for the past 10 I knew by now that Kenny does not get nervous EVER. Not even when main eventing the tokyo dome. To him that was just another match. So I knew that although Kenny might not be nervous Tyson was. It was strange, normally he was Kenny Omega 24/7, and only few were granted the wish to use his government name but I could see that I wasn’t talking to Kenny Omega, this was Tyson Smith.

XXX

A couple of hours have passed and it’s now time for the main event!

The Elite Consisting of Kenny, Nick and Matt VS the team of the house of black consisting of Malachi Black, Brody King and Buddy Matthews VS The Jericho Appreciation Society consisting of Chris Jericho, Sammy Guevara and Daniel Garcia. A match for the trios titles that The Elite had just lost a few weeks ago to HOB at revolution.

I was waiting backstage for the cue to make our entrance to Carry on Wayward son when I was greeted with a worried Tyson. That is when I figured out just why he was so nervous.

“I really don’t think this is a good idea Y/N” Kenny said nervously pacing around the small area

“What’s not a good idea?” I said, unsure just what he was referring to

“You being ringside for this match!”

“Why not? Everyone knows that I'm pregnant and will be careful not to run into me. Plus I can look out for myself. I will be fine, I think you forgot I am also a wrestler.”

“No it’s not that”

“What? It’s not I will go into labor during the match” I said

Tyson said nothing he just gave me that look

“I will be fine, promise, ok?”

“Alright, I love you Y/N”

“I love you too Tyson”

XXX

The match was going great, The pop from the crowd when I made the surprise appearance with the Elite almost made me cry. I feel like they were almost more excited to see me than the boys. I did my usual interference and interactions with the crowd when I felt an abnormally hard kick to my stomach. Then I felt it, hot liquid running down my legs. I looked over to Brandon Cutler who was also ringside, filming for BTE when I whispered “I think my water just broke”

I looked down to see the pool of fluid on the ground and when I looked up I made eye contact with Kenny who looked like he saw a ghost.

I heard some people in the crowd gasp when it happened, almost everyone in the ring having the same reaction as Kenny. Thankfully Kenny wasn’t in the match when it happened so I was able to tell him that I was ok and that I would stay ringside until the match was over. And boy did those 20 minutes feel like the longest 20 minutes of my life.

Once the match was finished I went to the backstage doctors who told me I should go to the hospital since I was in active labor. Me being the stubborn person I am, I refused. I wanted to stay until they taped rampage, since The Elite was booked to have a little speech after the taping to thank the crowd and have a little celebration For Kenny and Jericho. Tony Khan told me to forget about it and that I should really go to the hospital. I was getting tired of everyone telling me that but I was determined to stay. “If I have this baby backstage then I have it backstage!” I told a frustrated Kenny Omega. “ I am staying, end of story”

Somehow I managed to make it through an extra 3 hours before we finally made it to the hospital. The celebration went well and in between some pretty nasty contractions I let the crowd know that I did indeed go into labor during the match!

When I arrived at the hospital I was not alone. Tyson, Matt, Nick, Hangman, Adam Cole, Britt Baker and Matt’s wife Dana insisted on coming with us. Although it was weird at first I didn’t mind having my best friends with me. Although it was a bit of a sticky situation having this baby in Winnipeg it wasn’t all that bad. Kenny and I had a house in Toronto which was only about 2 and a half hrs by plane and due to the fact we would have an infant it would take around 20-24 hrs to drive. Kenny and I also both had family that lived in Winnipeg including Kenny’s parents who were kind enough to let us stay with them for a bit before we could get back home.

I ended up having a natural birth due to my fear of needles and it was probably the worst decision I made in my life. The amount of pain I was in was insane but in the end it would be worth it. Tyson was scared, understandable so and so was I.

Tyson, Britt and Dana were all there with me when I gave birth to my daughter. Tyson and I decided on the name Violet for our baby girl. She was the most gorgeous thing I had ever seen in my life. To make things better I was surrounded by my best friends.

#aew smut #bullet clubs bitch #all elite wrestling #the elite #kenny omega #aew #aew fanfiction #bullet club #kenny omega x reader #kenny omega fluff #kenny omega smut #kenny the cleaner #kenny omega imagine #pro wrestling smut #pregnancy #pro wrestling

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misshoneyimhome · 3 months ago

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Better In Time I Frederik Andersen

[Prologue] [Chapter 1] [Chapter 2] [Chapter 3] [Chapter 4]

Summary: Seven years have passed since you last saw Freddie. Yet, when you unexpectedly run into him at a grocery store in your hometown of Herning, your summer plans take an unexpected turn.

Tropes & warnings: Frederik Andersen x reader, friendship, best friend!Freddie, dad!Freddie

Word count: 2.6K

➼｡ﾟ

July 2023

The memories of that summer in Toronto still lingered, a bittersweet reminder of the connection you once had with Frederik. You had crossed the ocean to visit him, eager to reconnect and see his new life in Canada.

However, as time passed and Frederik’s rapid rise in the NHL took off, you felt a growing distance. Despite your best efforts to stay in touch through messages and occasional calls, Frederik's increasing fame and your career in Copenhagen gradually pulled you apart. Your conversations became less frequent, distant echoes of a once-strong friendship.

It was no secret that you missed Frederik deeply but hesitated to intrude on his newfound success. He was finally achieving the recognition he deserved, and you didn’t want to be a distraction.

And back in Copenhagen, you threw yourself into work and embraced the city's vibrant culture, and Frederik’s presence slowly faded. What had once been regular communication dwindled to sporadic interactions on social media. And amidst the demands of adulthood, your bond was reduced to occasional likes and comments on social media posts.

It had been seven years since you last saw Frederik at Toronto Pearson Airport. But then when you suddenly turned around in the grocery store in Herning on this insignificant day in July, his unmistakable fiery red hair caught your eye. His imposing figure stood out among the other shoppers, and when he then came to look your way, his gentle smile felt like a warm embrace. Despite the time apart, seeing him felt deeply familiar.

Running into him in the aisles of your local grocery store on a random summer afternoon was the last thing you expected. But there he was, just a few metres away, his gaze fixed on you with a mix of surprise and recognition. You froze, feeling the tension in the air as you locked eyes with your childhood best friend. Time seemed to slow down as you took in the sight of him, memories rushing back - your first kiss, the first touch, the second, and the third…

Your heart skipped a beat as his lips curved into a soft smile, breaking the heavy silence between you. It was a tentative gesture, acknowledging the years that had passed and the distance that had grown. Yet, beneath it all, there was a spark of something familiar, a connection that refused to fade despite the time apart.

With a sharp intake of breath, you found your voice, a subtle quiver betraying the emotions swirling inside you. "Freddie," you whispered, barely audible over the din of the supermarket.

He nodded, his gaze fixed on you as he took a few steps closer, gradually closing the gap between you. "Hi, y/n," he murmured, his voice soft but warm.

The air seemed charged with anticipation as you both stood there, in a moment that felt suspended in time. For a brief second, it was as if the world around you had vanished, leaving just the two of you linked by shared memories and unspoken feelings.

Clearing your throat, you did your best to find your voice. "Hi Freddie, didn't expect to run into you here," you said softly, managing a friendly smile despite the knot of nerves in your stomach. Clinging a bit tighter to your basket handle, you couldn’t shake the slight discomfort that came with this unexpected encounter.

But Freddie simply laughed at your comment, and you felt a wave of relief. Maybe, just maybe, you could get through this meeting without revealing the truth that had been troubling you for years.

"Yeah, it’s the off-season, so I figured I’d spend some time with my folks," he said with a wry grin, his easy-going manner helping to calm your nerves.

And just then, the brief silence was interrupted by the sweet sound of a child’s voice, bringing you both back to reality. "Mum, can we have pancakes for dinner?" The young boy bounded into your arms, his wide smile infectious as he looked up at you with excitement.

Chuckling softly, you affectionately ruffled his strawberry-blonde hair. "Pancakes for dinner, huh? But Grandpa’s firing up the grill, so you can have all the spareribs you want," you teased, returning his smile with one of your own.

"I love spareribs!" he exclaimed with enthusiasm, his excitement clearly spreading to you.

"I know you do, sweetheart," you replied, a warm feeling spreading through your chest as you gently stroked his hair and pulled him in for a hug.

And as your son then turned his gaze towards Frederik, a look of confusion crossed the goaltender’s face, his brow furrowing slightly. "Mum?" he asked softly, his eyes darting between you and the young boy.

You nodded in confirmation, a bittersweet smile tugging at the corners of your lips. "Yeah, a lot has happened over the past few years," you murmured.

But Frederik simply responded with a surprised, yet genuinely happy, "Oh wow… that’s – well… congratulations." His attempt at a smile was tinged with confusion, but he set aside his own feelings to focus on your news.

"Thanks…" you replied softly.

“Mum, who is this?” your son asked, shifting the focus of the conversation. Taking a moment to steady yourself, you replied timidly, "Oh sweetheart, this is Freddie, one of Mum’s good friends from when I was younger," you said with a fond smile, gesturing towards Frederik. "Freddie, this is my son, Henry."

Frederik's expression softened as he looked down at Henry, a warm feeling spreading through him at the sight of the young boy. "Hi there, Henry," he said with a friendly smile, extending his hand towards the curious child. "Nice to meet you."

Gradually, the tension in the air began to ease, like a knot slowly loosening. Frederik's introduction to Henry added a warm touch to the atmosphere, smoothing out the lingering uncertainty between you.

And as a few more minutes passed, the awkwardness seemed to fade, giving way to a tentative sense of ease. Yet, just as you were about to say goodbye to Frederik and move on with your day, he stopped you with a question that slipped out before he’d even fully formed it.

"How about dinner tonight?" he asked, his words carrying a blend of spontaneity and curiosity. “I mean, what are the chances of running into each other like this…”

The unexpected suggestion caught you off guard, and you scrambled for a response. "Oh, um… sorry Freddie, but we’ve got plans…" you stammered softly, the words coming out in a rush. Though a sense of relief washed over you at the thought of avoiding the situation, a pang of disappointment tugged at your heart.

Frederik’s expression shifted briefly, a shadow of disappointment crossing his face before he gave a resigned nod. "Right… the spareribs, yeah, sorry," he murmured, his voice carrying a hint of letdown.

Another brief silence stretched between you until Henry’s sweet voice cut through it.

"Why don’t you just come and eat with us?" He suggested, his offer simple yet heartfelt. His green eyes sparkled with excitement as he looked up at Frederik, completely unaware of the complexities of the situation. And the unexpected invitation from Henry caught both you and Frederik off guard, momentarily easing the tension between you.

Frederik’s brows knitted in surprise as he glanced between you and your son, a faint smile forming on his lips. "Oh, uh, I wouldn’t want to intrude," he said, his tone hesitant but warmed by the genuine kindness of the offer.

But before you could respond, Henry's eager voice filled the air again. "Please, Freddie! It would be so much fun to have you join us," he pleaded sweetly and politely, his eyes wide with enthusiasm.

You hesitated for a moment, caught between the need to uphold the boundaries you had set and the desire for the familiarity and connection that Frederik’s presence could bring.

And noticing your uncertainty, Frederik gave a tentative smile. "Only if it’s not too much trouble, I’d really like to join you for dinner," he said, his voice soft yet sincere.

So, with a sigh, you gave in, the weight of your secret momentarily forgotten in the face of Henry’s innocent excitement. "Alright then, dinner it is," you said, a small smile forming on your lips as you looked at Frederik.

____

"Why… why did I invite him for dinner?" you muttered rhetorically, frustration edging your voice as you set the table outside, your father by your side at his house.

"Well, technically it was Henry who invited Freddie," your father chuckled, a mischievous glint in his eye as he turned the ribs on the grill.

"It’s not funny, Dad…" you replied, your mind still reeling from the whirlwind of emotions triggered by Frederik's unexpected appearance.

“Oh, come on y/n… you and Freddie have been close friends since you were kids – it’s only natural you’d want to spend some time together now that you’re both here,” your father said, his voice filled with gentle encouragement as he turned to you with a reassuring smile.

But you shook your head, a heavy sigh escaping as you met his gaze with a troubled expression. "You know that’s not what I’m talking about…" you murmured softly.

Despite the understanding look in your father’s eyes, he crossed his arms and sighed. “Maybe this is a sign that you need to tell him…” His words lingered in the air, a gentle but firm nudge towards the truth you had been avoiding for too long.

“I don’t know… isn’t it strange now that so much time has passed?” you asked, your brow furrowing as uncertainty crept into your voice.

“And whose fault is that?” your father raised an eyebrow.

“Well, it’s kind of Tom’s fault since he convinced me I might jeopardise Freddie’s career by telling him. We all know he’d be a stand-up guy, torn between choosing his career and the responsibilities of… an accident…” you explained, your words tumbling out with frustration.

"Hey, don’t call my only grandson an accident… just because the two of you were irresponsible…” your father said playfully, a hint of amusement in his eyes.

“You know what I mean, Dad… besides, this was my choice, not Freddie’s…” you sighed, the weight of your decisions pressing heavily on your shoulders.

“Well, maybe you should just tell him anyway… y/n/n, he deserves to know, and it’s not like you expect anything from him…” your father said, his expression one of gentle encouragement.

But before you could say anything more, Henry’s enthusiastic voice cut through the air as he dashed from the living room to the hallway, eager to greet your guest who rang the doorbell.

“I’ll get it!” Henry called out, his excitement clear as he welcomed Frederik into his grandfather’s home with open arms.

As always, Frederik was the picture of kindness and thoughtfulness. With a wide smile, he handed you a bouquet of your favourite flowers and a six-pack of your father’s preferred summer beers.

"It’s great to see you again, Freddie," your dad greeted him warmly, pulling him into a hearty hug.

It was well-known that your father had always had a special fondness for Frederik. Despite the age gap and the fact that he saw Frederik more as a son figure than a potential romantic interest for you, he had been fully supportive when you confided in him about Henry’s real father.

And as you all settled in for a lovely summer evening meal, the conversation flowed smoothly, filled with laughter and shared memories. Henry, especially, was brimming with excitement, eagerly sharing stories about his Ninjago LEGO collection and his dreams of becoming a pro hockey player, just like his idol.

"So, what position do you play?" Frederik asked with a playful smile, genuinely interested in encouraging Henry’s passion for the sport.

"Right now, we don’t really have positions… I mean, I’m pretty good at scoring goals… but I also really want to be a goalie one day," Henry explained with a sweet smile, his eyes gleaming with determination. “But mum and Grandpa sort of don't want me to be that just yet.”

Frederik chuckled warmly, amusement twinkling in his eyes. "Oh, don’t worry, my parents said the same thing to me! How old are you, Henry?"

"I’m six!" Henry declared proudly, holding up six fingers to make his point.

"Well, you’ve got plenty of time before you need to decide on your final position," Frederik reassured him, his tone gentle and encouraging. "And who knows, maybe I can help persuade these two," he added with a wink, nodding towards you and your father.

Henry's eyes sparkled with excitement at the idea. "That would be awesome, Freddie!" he said, his enthusiasm palpable as he bounced in his seat. "Mum! Can I show Freddie my hockey cards?"

Despite the tiny lump in your throat and the growing sense that Frederik was beginning to piece things together, you couldn’t help but chuckle lightly at Henry's excitement. "Of course, sweetheart," you replied with a nod, your heart weighed down by the truth you were about to confront.

Henry quickly leapt from his chair and dashed to his room to fetch his small collection of NHL hockey cards. Meanwhile, Frederik couldn’t help but smile, clearly touched by the sight of the little boy you had raised with such love and care.

"He’s a sweet boy," Frederik commented warmly, turning to you with a gentle smile.

You returned his smile with a nod and a soft look. However, as the conversation shifted to a more serious tone, the smile faded from your lips, replaced by a sense of unease.

"Is there no dad in the picture?" Frederik asked gently, his tone both caring and inquisitive.

Your heart tightened at the question, knowing that the moment had finally arrived to reveal the truth you had been carrying for years. So, with a deep sigh, you gathered your thoughts, struggling to find the right words.

“I think I’ll go and help Henry,” your father said gently, sensing that you needed privacy with your old friend.

And left alone with Frederik, you took a deep breath, bracing yourself for the difficult conversation ahead. “Um… Freddie… I, um…” you started, your words stumbling as you fidgeted with your hands, the weight of the truth heavy upon you.

But before you could continue, Frederik’s puzzled expression stopped you. His brows furrowed in confusion as the pieces began to fall into place. “Wait… he’s six?” he asked, his smile fading as the realisation sank in.

With a heavy heart, you nodded silently, your voice barely a whisper. “Yes… he was born in May 2017… after… I was in Toronto… visiting you.”

Time seemed to stretch endlessly as Frederik absorbed the weight of your revelation, his expression unreadable as he grappled with the enormity of what you had just shared. You held your breath, your heart racing as you waited anxiously for his response.

Then breaking the heavy silence, Frederik finally spoke, his voice quiet yet filled with emotion. “So, that means…” he trailed off, the unspoken implications hanging in the air.

You met his gaze with a gentle nod, your own emotions swirling as you confirmed his unspoken question. “Yes… Freddie, he’s your son…” you admitted softly.

The moment was a mix of relief and apprehension as you finally revealed the secret you had kept for so long. Yet, Frederik’s reaction was hard to read; his face was a mask of conflicting emotions that left you on edge.

And as you sat across from each other, the reality of your shared past settled between you, the air heavy with unspoken words and unresolved emotions.

Yet, before the tension could stretch any further, Henry's enthusiastic voice cut through the silence, redirecting your attention. “Look, Freddie, look!” he exclaimed, his eyes alight with excitement as he proudly showed off his cherished hockey cards.

#fa31 #better in time #frederik andersen x reader #frederik andersen fic #freddie andersen fic #frederik andersen imagine #nhl fanfiction #nhl hockey imagine #carolina hurricanes fic

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cringecompanionapologist · 1 month ago

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Turlough and the Earthlink Dilemma: Chapter 2

This one's called Duo, because it's the beginning of Turlough and Juras working together. Other than that, I only half-understand a fair amount of this chapter.

This chapter gives us more of Turlough's PoV than the first. He's been visiting various ancient ruins on Trion and one of its moons to learn about stuff that I'm still not sure how it ties into everything else he's doing.

First, brief vocab definition:

The Old Regime is when the Imperial Clans were in charge. The Revolutionary Regime was Rehctaht's little reign of terror. The New Regime is the congress/parliament/whoever is in charge with Rehctaht overthrown.

There is a bit of insight into the Old Regime here. This particular moon of Trion has a poisonous atmosphere. Apparently the old Trion scientists sent animals to the moon in hopes that they'd adapt to the atmosphere, but they all died. This shows a bit of the Imperial Trion "Science above all else" mindset, since it's a bit cruel to do that to so many animals. I guess it's not as bad doing it to people, but it feels a little disturbing.

After finishing his moon research, Turlough meets up with Juras again and invites her back to his house. It's apparently his house from before his exile, so you'd expect like a palace or something, but it's only described as a house. Other, later depictions of places Turlough lived during his childhood tend to go with palaces.

Earlier research I did about this book said that Turlough lived in a rainforest, but this is not that at all. Interestingly, the place is given a latitude of 50 degrees north. We don't know the exact size of Trion compared to Earth, but we can see what sorts of places are 50 degrees north on Earth.

That line would be here:

So around the border between the US and Canada as well as going right through the middle of Germany and Poland.

Here's a climate map:

The climate of this entire latitude line is naturally gonna vary, but we're mainly looking at Dfb with a bit of Cfb thrown in.

You probably don't know what that means. Most people don't spend as much time staring at maps as I do.

C and D both refer to temperate climates with distinct seasons. The main difference is that, while it can snow in some C climates, the temperature of every month averages above freezing. D climates have winter months where most days are below freezing.

The second letter is about dry seasons. In some parts of the world it rains/snows far more in one half of the year than the other. The "f" means there is no dry season.

The last letter is about how hot the summer gets. Climates with "a" get hotter summers than climates with "b".

So, a Dfb climate has warm, but not too hot summers, cold, snowy winters, and no dry season.

Cfb has warm, but not too hot summers, coldish, sometimes snowy winters, and no dry season.

The descriptions of the summers around Turlough's house staying cool and the winters bringing regular snowfall would fit with a Dfb climate. Very far from what could be called a rainforest. It's more like Toronto.

Look, I got distracted by geography because this chapter was hard to read. The talk of physics and engineering makes me feel dumb so I switched to something I can be smart about.

Anyway...Turlough and Juras talk about what Turlough's been up to. She still doesn't get why he's visiting ruins instead of going into politics.

There's still a lot of exposition going on and a lot of it is in dialogue.

Turlough is studying Trion's past because he's found a weird connection between Trion and Earth. The New Regime's main allies are people called the Gardsormr. If that sounds vaguely Norse to you, it did to Turlough as well. On Earth, he heard of a myth about the Midgardsormr and the myth was very apocalyptic, making him suspect that the Gardsormr, who apparently also worked with Rehctaht, are up to no good.

His reasoning isn't Science enough for Juras' liking.

Also now it's four years away. It was two last chapter and the number will continue to change.

Turlough has one more set of ruin to visit: Slotsruin.

So, as well as Trions, Trion has another intelligent species called the Slots who are (spoilers!) descended from the Laima, who were the ancient astronauts who visited Trion and ate people back in ancient times. The Slots don't eat people, though. They have an island to themselves and they mostly keep to themselves.

So Turlough stops by Slotisland to visit Slotsruin.

So was Turlough previously pronouncing "Slots" the way it's spelled? The correct way is apparently Schlootz. Okay.

So Turlough checks out more ruins, mostly of a giant monument with a forcefield around it so nobody can learn what it is.

Once he gets home, Turlough spends a few days trying and failing to contact Juras again, but she's gone AWOL. So he gets into his own personal spaceship (a small ship meant for around four people) which he's building a new engine for: one that travels in time.

Turlough had helped the Doctor with TARDIS repairs and was able to learn a bit of how the TARDIS worked. So now he's building his own time machine. Not a TARDIS, just a small time machine. Previous Trion attempts to figure out time travel all failed at the last minute and it's suspected that the Time Lords might've been involved. So, Turlough worked in complete secrecy to avoid his work being sabotaged.

Turlough reflects a bit on not knowing whether he can trust Juras or not and how Rehctaht sucks, in his opinion.

You'd think they'd give Thatcher-Spelled-Backwards some more upsetting dictator shit to believe in but she apparently genuinely believed in egalitarianism of some sort and rich boy Turlough complained about it until he got exiled, something he apparently hasn't learned anything about. Considering that Rehctaht is Thatcher-Spelled-Backwards in 1986, we're probably not supposed to like her. Turlough is supposed to be the good guy who stood up for what he believed in, but this really isn't making him look good.

Apparently, another thing the Imperial Clans believed in was sharing knowledge. Everyone told everyone else what they were working on. But, Juras, while working for Rehctaht, got involved in secret projects.

So the Clans believed in the superiority of a minority of the majority based on genetics, valued scientific progress above all else, and didn't believe in the right to privacy. Okay then...

But this does create a sort of interesting insight into Turlough's perspective on secrets and lies. For such a dishonest character, he came from a society that didn't really do dishonesty. He was apparently a good, dutiful, Imperial Clansman who was driven to keep secrets and tell lies. He probably felt like he'd abandoned his principals in order to survive well before he met the Black Guardian.

Turlough's thoughts about Juras are interrupted by finding out that Juras stowed away in his time machine, so now they kinda have to have a conversation. Juras, an engineer, fangirls over Turlough's stories about the TARDIS for a bit and then the subject switches back to politics and the Gardsormr. The Gardsormr are the New Regime's first allies and nobody is gonna believe they're evil. They won't even listen to the evidence.

So...uh...wow. Turlough was almost driven to murder by exile. His main conflict in Planet of Fire was being afraid that he'd face exile again if he did the right thing. And now he doesn't care. He just wants to make Trion the way it was again and he doesn't care if he'll be exiled again trying. After all that trouble, he doesn't care.

Yeah, I don't buy it.

Anyway, there's going to Earth to test the time machine because Turlough apparently left some stuff at Brendon that he wants to retrieve. He still doesn't get what the Doctor likes about Earth so much and assumes that he knows something about this Planet in the Middle of Nowhere that makes it interesting.

My guess is that the story is going to imply that Turlough is right when the truth is that the Doctor's first companions whom he learned morality from were from Earth. He did, in fact, just like the inhabitants.

So, they get the time machine together. Turlough does some physics technobabble, Juras does some engineering technobabble, I fail to keep with it, and it can easily be summed up as, "Turlough and Juras, with their knowledge of two different fields, work together to build a time machine." And that's the chapter.

So, still a lot of exposition with a lot of characterization coming out as variations of : "X, I know that you have, Y personality trait!". The characterization we can see is a tad questionable. When it comes to characters like Juras, who were made up for this book, I don't have much to say. But, yeah, Turlough's characterization definitely doesn't feel quite right, though we're still early in the book and this could go in a better direction later.

#turlough and the earthlink dilemma #vislor turlough #now with bonus geography tangent

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