#went over to one of the hockey houses with my little tea mug expecting a small group and a nice conversation

[theguardianace]

man i wish i didnt get so Blegh in public

[onlydreamofmysoul]

Gingerbread (Ficmas #1)

Here we go!!! Ficmas day one! Super excited about this - I’ve never done ficmas before! As promised... a little sweet competition!

Characters and their world by @lumosinlove “Is everyone ready?” Celeste asked, standing around her kitchen, looking at the room nearly overflowing with hockey players and their loved ones. “Leo and I are the judges. The rules are simple, you all have to build a gingerbread house, everything you need is right in front of you. The best looking one wins, okay?” 

Remus grinned and nodded, nudging Sirius excitedly. They had everything - including the gingerbread premade by Celeste herself, so even if it looked like a disaster it was sure to taste amazing. Not that theirs would look anything less than fantastic.

On second thought, maybe a group of highly competitive athletes working against each other instead of with each other was a bad idea.

“Okay guys!” Leo called as he hopped up to sit on the counter and oversee the proceedings. “You have one hour. Your time starts.... Now!”

Remus grinned at Sirius, and then they set to work.

Logan knew watching Leo be all authoritative as a judge while he just had to watch would be hard. He didn’t know it would be torture. He was teamed with Adele and Katie, but Adele had to keep hitting his arm to get his attention.

“Logan,” She warned. “I want to win. Now are you gonna focus or not?”

Logan shook his head. Leo could wait. He had a competition to win. “Oui, sorry yes I’m good now.”

Adele nodded, apparently satisfied and Katie drew their attention back to her when she started bouncing in her seat. 

“Allez!” She said, her eyes wide, “Tremzy come on I wanna get to the part where I can eat it.”

Logan chuckled but obliged her, obediently holding pieces of gingerbread in place at the girls’ command as the icing dried.

“Okay, no pressure or anything, but your name’s Noelle so I’m expecting you to dominate this Christmas thing.” Thomas said, only partially jokingly as Noelle carefully piped the outline of their ‘windows’. 

“Um, excuse you Thomas Walker,” She replied, “What does it look like I’m doing?”

“Okay, but hear me out,” Thomas started as he picked up a piece of gingerbread, and started piping green spikes on it. “We should have pine trees in front of it.”

Noelle looked at him like he was losing his mind. “Babe, it’s a gingerbread house.” She said slowly as if it were a foreign concept.

“I know!” Thomas said, excitedly waving his hands and as he did, his pine tree went flying through the air and landed in Kasey’s hair. 

Kasey turned around very slowly and looked around menacingly, reaching up and pulling the biscuit out of his hair, leaving green splotches and crumbs in its wake.

“Who?” He ground out, and Thomas looked around with a shocked expression. “I have no idea! Noelle? Did you see anything?”

Noelle bit down her laugh and shook her head. “Non. Maybe it was one of the kids?” She said, looking over at Logan’s table to where Katie had more icing on her than the house. Kasey followed her and his vision softened. He nodded once and turned back around, Thomas made another tree and held it up to Noelle.

“They’ll never see it coming.” He said, finally finishing his statement. Noelle rolled her eyes, but in the end, there were a ton of palm trees in their ‘garden’. 

Finn was with Pascal and Marc, all of them particularly competitive and set on winning except there was one little problem… None of them had ever actually made a gingerbread house before.

“I think it goes like this?” Marc said, tilting his head as he stuck two pieces together, the icing going everywhere. He let go and they all held their breath while the biscuits stood for about ten seconds before collapsing so slowly it was actually a little sad. 

“I say we give up and just eat everything.” Finn proposed. Marc nodded, Dumo looked like he was going to put up a fight, but one glance at their gingerbread wreckage had his shoulders slumping. He reached out and broke off a bit of biscuit, popping it into his mouth with a grin.

“At least it tastes good?”

“But we didn’t make-” Marc began.

“Shh.” Finn cut him off with a playful wink. “At least it tastes good.”

Kasey’s hair was green and that had been a problem but then Alex promised he’d wash it out himself later that night and well, those words along with the little wink Natalie sent him had Kasey pretty okay with the whole situation. He sat there, smiling softly as he listened to Alex and Natalie chat away while Kasey did all the actual work, creating quite a nice gingerbread house, thank you very much.

Kasey grew up with his dad baking every Sunday and he’d always help. He wasn’t ashamed to say he was quite handy with a piping bag, and Alex was watching with wide eyes as Kasey piped ‘snow’ on the roof.

“How-” Alex stuttered, his eyes focused on Kasey’s hand.

Natalie bit down her smile. “He likes to keep people guessing.”

“I… I’m not complaining.”

“Like what you see O’Hara?” Kasey asked, unable to stop himself from teasing the other man. Alex was as prone to flushing a deep red as his brother, but Kasey found Alex looked a lot boyish when it happened to him.

“I definitely like what I’m seeing.” Alex replied, before cheekily dipping his finger in the icing and smirking at Kasey as he ate it. 

Natalie laughed at them both as she leaned in and kissed the sugar dusting Alex’s lips. Kasey raised an eyebrow, but kept looking at what he was doing, until Alex was standing next to him.

“Open up.” Alex prompted, holding his icing coated finger up to Kasey’s lips. Kasey made eye contact with Natalie for a split second, before doing as instructed, smiling into the kiss Alex gave him after.

“Chocolate was always my favourite.” Alex said with a sigh as he sat back down, Natalie placing her feet in his lap as she shamelessly ate the sweets they needed to decorate. Kasey glanced up to see Leo already looking at him.

“Redheads.” Leo mouthed with a shrug, “Gotta love em.”

Leo had to admit, sitting back and watching the world devolve into chaos was quite entertaining. He could still taste the gingerbread Finn had given him, their house looking more like it had been hit by a hurricane instead of like someone had actually tried to, you know, build it. Logan’s little team was doing a whole lot better, it was looking a little messy but Katie was doing a lot of the icing and well, there’s only so neat kids can be, try as they might. 

Leo’s heart melted as it always did when he would watch Logan with Dumo’s kids. He was just so good with them and they adored him in turn. One of the spare bedrooms in their apartment had been the designated spot for where they would keep presents until they were able to give them out, and Leo was fairly sure half of the room’s contents were just Logan’s presents for the little Dumais’.

“Are rookies even allowed to be judges?” Thomas queried as Leo passed and Leo had fun getting to act all haughty. Thomas looked particularly suspicious and Leo didn’t miss the correlation between the green icing he sported and the little patch of colour in Kasey’s hair. Leo filed that little bit of information away for a day he could really use it.

“Do you think it’s a good idea to get on a judge's bad side, Talkie?”

“Hey, you love me!” Thomas protested and Noelle shook her head. 

“No, but he loves me.” She said looking at Leo and winking. “You’ve got to stay on the good side of your future in-laws.”

Leo felt himself flush even as Logan twisted in his seat to look at them. “Tricheuse!” Logan cried. “Leo baby don’t listen to her, she just wants to win.” He stuck out his tongue at Noelle.

Leo abandoned Noelle and Thomas to crouch next to Logan, smirking. “Am I not marriage material Tremblay?”

Another time, earlier in their relationship maybe, Logan would have scrambled to reassure Leo, probably tripping over his own words so many times nothing actually coherent came out. Now though, Logan just smiled at him lazily.

“The most. I just mean she loves you either way, I think there’s literally nothing you could do that would make her not like you.”

Leo kissed him on the cheek before laughing as Katie wrapped her arms around him. 

“Salut Katie!” He said, standing up to throw her in the air, Katie shrieking with laughter before Leo set her back down on her chair. Leo stood up and began to move away, but not before he missed Katie unintentionally chirping Logan, “Leo throws me high.” She said in a serious tone as Leo snorted his laughter, shaking his head as he moved away.

Regulus hadn’t been sure about building a gingerbread house with Nado and Kuny - he didn't really know them and as a general rule, he didn’t like to spend too much time with people he didn’t know. But Dima got on with them really well and Dima was his friend so here Regulus was, building a gingerbread house in Pascal Dumais’ house. Two snakes in a lion's den.

“Are you sure that will hold?” Regulus found himself asking sceptically as Kuny attempted to build a several story building. Gingerbread house - more like gingerbread mansion if Kuny had his way.

Nado answered instead just nodding his head. “Of course.”

“Fair enough.” Regulus conceded, happy to sit back and watch the proceedings. He glanced around the room, still not quite sure where he fit into this chaotic little familial like team, but happy to be here all the same. More than happy to see nothing but pure joy on his brother’s face. Hope because maybe Regulus could find that kind of happiness here too.

“D’accord!” Celeste called, clapping her hands. “Okay everyone step away from your tables, your time is up!”

The team piled into the sitting room as Celeste and Leo judged all the gingerbread houses. Sirius and James sat on the floor, with Harry playing happily with them. Remus and Lily sat snugly on the couch above them, both nursing mugs of tea and heads bent together as they caught each other up on the events of the last couple of weeks. 

Finn and Logan were having an arm wrestling competition in the corner and most of the others piled around to watch them, all yelling for someone. Logan won, Finn hanging his head in shame and then they were both immediately challenged by the rest of the team, Logan battling (and losing quite dramatically) to Katie. 

Leo and Celeste came back into the room, looking quite smug as they held up a cardboard trophy.

“We have the winner,” Leo said to get everyone’s attention and the sudden hush that fell upon the room was quite comical. 

“Drumroll!” Thomas cried and the room was filled with the rapid thuds of everyone slapping their hands against the nearest object.

“And the winner is…” Celeste drew out, “Katie, Adele and Logan!”

The trio jumped up, hugging and high fiving. 

Logan stood up on a chair and pressed his hands against his chest in gratitude. 

“Thank you, thank you,” He joked, wiping away a fake tear. “We’ve been dreaming about this for, mon dieu, I don’t know how long.”

“You weren’t this dramatic when you won MVP!” Sirius called from the back of the room and Logan winked at him before continuing. “I think Adele had the idea that secured our win though, Adele?”

The girl dashed to the kitchen and came back with their little gingerbread house, the outside entirely lined by little gingerbread people. 

“We made the team!” Katie said, bouncing on her toes. There was a rush as everyone came over to have a look and before long, everyone was grabbing their figurine and eating them.

“Goodbye little Thomas.” Talkie said mournfully before biting its head off.

“Hey, maybe now I can give myself head.” Leo muttered to Finn, who promptly choked, spitting crumbs everywhere as he flushed a deep red.  

Remus leaned back into Sirius as they munched on their biscuits. 

“This is fun. We should do it again next year.”

Sirius wiped the crumbs from his lip and tightened his hold on Remus’ waist. “And the year after that, and they year after that, and the ye-”

Remus giggled, twisting in Sirius’ arms to shut him up by kissing him. “Yeah, baby. I’d like that.”

[hockey-fics]

Prove You Wrong ~ Travis Konecny 

Summary: Growing up your older brother and his best friend Travis spent a lot of time picking on you. But it was never enough to stop you from developing a childhood crush on Travis. Now that you’re older you’ve come to realize that those feelings never really went away. 

Requested: Yes. Number 12 from the prompt list. 

Word Count: ~2,442

Warnings: Language

“Travis,” you mutter as you walk into the kitchen, clutching an empty mug in your hand. 

“Y/N,” he replies with as much fake distaste as you had given him. “What are you doing here?” he jokes. 

“It’s my parent’s house,” you comment, picking up the kettle from the stove and filling it with water before returning it to the stove. The entire time you can feel Travis’ eyes on you, watching you move around the kitchen as he leans against the island countertop. “Where’s Ryan?” 

Your older brother, Ryan, had been best friends with Travis growing up. Being in the same classes and on the same hockey teams was never enough for them, which meant Travis had spent enough hours in your family home to allow you to grow unreasonably close to a boy who you never actually chose to spend time with. Being a couple years older than you most of your time with Travis had been spent with him and your brother teasing you relentlessly. But, having an older brother meant you had developed a thick skin, able to deal with their attacks with relative ease. What you weren’t as able to deal with were the feelings you developed for Travis. He was your first real crush, the kind you were embarrassed to have, when it was humiliating to admit you liked a boy. When the mere mention of you having a crush on someone would bring a redness to your cheeks and a defensiveness to your voice. So you never admitted it, even as you got older. Because it was easier to put on the front that Travis was just your older brother’s annoying friend. At least then there was no chance that he could reject you. Being rejected by a stranger or a friend was one thing, being rejected by someone so close to your family was a whole other ocean to navigate. 

“On the phone with his girlfriend, something about figuring out plans for Christmas,” Travis says with a shrug. “Get me a water, will you?”

Scoffing you look over at him, taking in the grin on his face. Nothing about him had changed in the years he had been gone, he was still just as determined to get under your skin. “You’re standing right there,” you state, gesturing towards him, noting the equal distance you two had to the fridge. 

“And you’re right there,” he points out.

“You’re a dick,” you mutter under your breath, walking the few feet to the fridge. Only because you needed to get the milk for your tea anyway, at least that’s what you were trying to convince yourself. You weren’t going to do whatever he demanded, although you couldn’t shake the feeling that you just might have been willing to do it anyway. Because those feelings you had developed as a ten year old still lingered, resurfacing every time your brother talked about Travis or when he came back into town to visit. Grabbing a bottle of water you turn around, tossing it through the kitchen with more force than necessary to get it to Travis. 

“That’s not how you should treat your guest,” Travis scolds, opening the bottle and taking a drink. 

“You’re not my guest. In fact, when are you leaving?” you retort, pulling out the carton of milk and heading back towards the stove to take the kettle off the element. 

“Are you trying to kick me out?” Travis asks, pretending to be offended by the suggestion. You remain silent as you pour water into your mug, dropping a tea bag into it a moment later. “You got nothing else for me?” he asks. With your back to him you can hear the familiar teasing tone in his voice, not needing to see him to tell he had a smug look on his face. “It’s because you’re in love with me, isn’t it? You can’t joke about not wanting me here because you really love it.”

This causes you to spin around so fast you splash scalding water over the edge of your mug, spilling it all over your hand. “That’s not true,” you manage to get out before wincing in pain. Setting the mug down you flick your hand to get some of the liquid off. “Fuck,” you whisper. 

“Jesus,” Travis mutters, hurrying over to you. “Come here,” he states, his hand wrapping around your forearm as he pulls you to the sink. You’re so caught off guard by his sudden change that you aren’t even aware of what you should be doing till Travis turns on the cold water at the sink and forces your hand under it. A couple second pass in silence, your eyes fixed on Travis’ hand wrapped around your arm and his eyes on you. “You’re a shitty liar,” he says, breaking the silence. 

“What?” you croak, looking up into his eyes. “Lying about what?”

“About not being in love with me.”

Rolling your eyes you reach over and shut off the tap, yanking your arm from his hand. “Get over yourself, Travis.” Turning around you begin to head out of the kitchen.

“Just admit it, Y/N.”

“There’s nothing to admit, I’m not-,” you state defensively, pivoting around and flinching in surprise when you find Travis standing directly in front of you. 

“Not what?” he asks, with a tone that you can’t recognize. It’s not his normal tone and it’s definitely not the teasing tone you had grown so used to. His voice is quieter, hushed almost. Like whatever was happening in the moment was only meant to be heard by you two. 

“Not in love with you,” you whisper, finishing your sentence with a feigned confidence. Because you had to fake it. Had to pretend he wasn’t right about that. You were in love with him, you had been for some time. When your stomach filled with butterflies every time your brother mentioned him. When you secretly wished he didn’t live so far away and could come back to visit more often. When you dumped your tea down the sink in the bathroom to have an excuse to come down in hopes of running into him. It was because you were in love with him, it didn’t matter how much you continually denied it to yourself and to the world, you were in love with Travis Konecny. 

Travis doesn’t say anything in response. A response enough in itself for a guy who never let you off the hook without some kind of comment, usually something at your expense. “I’m going back upstairs,” you mumble, taking a step backwards like you were backing away from a dangerous animal before turning around and nearly running up the stairs to your room. Closing the door you walk to your bed, sitting down on the edge of it and staring at a blank space on your wall, trying to sort through what had just happened. 

Eventually a knock on your door draws you back to the fact that everything that just happened in the kitchen was in the past, that no matter how many times you go over it in your head you can’t change the outcome. “Yeah?” you call. 

Your door is pushed open and Ryan sticks his head in, eyes scanning the room as if he was expecting to see something more than what he was getting. “Have you seen Travis?”

Narrowing your eyes you nod your head slowly. “Yeah, sort of. A little while ago, why?”

“He was just going to hang out while I was on the phone, but I think he left,” Ryan explains, though he seems just as confused about the explanation as you were. “I’ll text him,” Ryan tells you, pulling out his phone as he leans against the door frame to your room. “What did you guys talk about anyway?”

Your heart begins to race, mind running at a million miles an hour to try and come up with something. Travis was right about a lot of things this afternoon and when he called you a shitty liar he was right about that too. “I don’t know, nothing really. He was just being annoying. I wasn’t down there long.”

“I thought I heard you guys talking for awhile,” Ryan states, eyebrows raised as he waits for you to say something. 

“Not that long,” you say, doubling down on your answer. “How long is he in town for?”

“Just a couple days, he got a few days off for the holidays,” Ryan tells you. “Why do you care?” 

“I’m just asking, okay? Am I not allowed to be curious?” you snap, arms folding over your chest. 

“Alright, chill,” Ryan mutters, eyes widening. “I’m going downstairs, you clearly need some space.”

A couple days pass and despite there not being much mention of Travis with the activities of Christmas taking over the household your mind always seems to circle back to him. Growing up people had teased you about having a crush on Travis, your brother, friends, even your parents. But that was one subject Travis himself had never touched before. 

Sitting in the living room under a few blankets you stare at the television screen, engrossed in the movie playing in front of you. It was boxing day and while the rest of your family had decided to fight the mayhem of boxing day shopping you had decided to stay home, preferring the comfort of the couch over the chaos of the stores. A sudden knock on the front door causes you to flinch, not expecting any visitors. Pausing the movie you unfurl yourself from your cocoon of blankets, walking to the front door and pulling it open. 

“Travis,” you comment in surprise. “Ryan isn’t here right now.”

Travis jams his hands into his jacket pocket, looking shockingly sheepish standing in front of you. “I know, he told me he was going out.”

“Oh,” you say, unsure of what that meant and simply needing something, anything, to say to urge Travis to explain further. 

“Can I come in?” Travis asks, gesturing inside as he looks at you hopefully. 

Nodding you step back, letting him walk through the front door. “Yeah, sure.” Shutting the door after Travis you remain standing with your back to him, facing the door as you try to compose yourself. It’s just Travis, you tell yourself. The same Travis who made fun of you for getting good grades in school, who refused to let you play mini sticks with him and Ryan when you were a kid, who teased you about your hair when you got bangs that one time in eighth grade. 

“Tell me I’m wrong about it and I’ll leave,” Travis says. You know exactly what he’s talking about, but that doesn’t stop you from pleading ignorance. 

“Wrong about what?” You turn back around, facing him now as your shoulder blades brush against the closed door, keeping your distance from Travis. Because every inch between you made it just a little easier to keep your heart rate steady. 

Travis groans in response, shaking his head. He knew and you knew that you were pretending not to know exactly what he was talking about. He’s quiet for a few more seconds before stepping forward, closer to you. And your heart begins to pound, heavy enough you’re almost sure you can hear it. Your palms get  clammy, and you brush them against your thighs. You’re not even aware that you’re pulling back till you feel the cold front door pressed flush against your back. “Travis,” you mutter, eyes searching his face for some kind of motive. “I-I...I don’t...I’m not in love with you.”

“Bullshit,” Travis replies quickly, a slight annoyance in his tone as he steps closer. “Just admit it.”

“No,” you snap, doubling down as you stare up into his eyes, a fiery sensation radiating through your body as you press your back harder against the wall, desperate for the steadying of the cold metal. 

Suddenly Travis is closer to you than you think he’s ever been, at least in this way. His one hand lands on the door just above your shoulder, the other cupping the side of your face. And it’s so different you’re not sure how to react. Because he’s not wrestling you to get the remote from your hand or tackling you during an overly competitive neighborhood game of capture the flag. “Do you want me to stop?” he asks, leaning down, his eyes glancing up and down from your lips to your eyes. 

You’re breathing heavier now, a jittery sensation in your stomach. “No,” you whisper, so quietly you yourself can barely hear it. But Travis doesn’t miss it. He brings his lips to yours and you feel an electric tingling run through your body. Kissing him back you bring your arms from where they were tensely pressed by your sides up to his shoulders, one hand sliding behind his neck. Your lips begin moving faster, with more force. Like you were trying to make up for every time you wanted to kiss him before but held back.

Pulling back a few minutes later you look into Travis’ eyes for a second before noticing the smug grin on his lips. “What’s that look for?”

“I just like proving you wrong,” Travis tells you with a smirk. “I knew you were in love with me.”

A sinking sensation hits you as you pull your arms back from him, placing your hand on his forearm and pushing it away from you. “That...that’s what this was about?” you stammer, feeling a tightness in your throat as the threat of tears encroaches. Travis had never made you cry before, through all the teasing of your childhood he had never made you cry then. You couldn’t let him make you cry now, no matter how much more this hurt than anything else he had ever done. “You would really do this just to mess with me?”

“No, Jesus, of course not,” Travis states quickly, shaking his head. He brings his arm back towards you, wrapping it around your waist. “You really think I would do that?”

Shrugging you stumble forward into him as he places pressure on your lower back. “Well, why else are you doing this?”

“Because I feel the same way, Y/N,” he huffs, as if needing to say it out loud was almost too much for him. 

A small smile spreads on your lips as you blink away the remnants of tears in your eyes. “You’re serious?” you question, unable to truly believe that the feelings could be mutual. 

Travis nods before he leans back down to kiss you again, taking away any lingering doubt that the feelings weren’t mutual.

[fanfics-for-the-hockey-fan]

Detour in Life - Connor McDavid

Notes: This was not a requested story, just one that popped in my head one day while I was at work. Hope you enjoy! I didn’t have a chance to edit it, so I hope there aren’t too many typos.

I heard the crunch of metal on metal that pulled me out of my daydream. I was busy thinking about how to make the team better, I couldn’t take another season with the same results. I must have been so busy trying to think of new ways to get the team to have success for the season that I didn’t realize the lack of space between my car and the car in front of me so I rear ended them as I was coming to a stop for a red light. “Shit, just what I don’t need.” The car in front of me pulled off to the side, so I did the same and grabbed the baseball cap I kept in the car before going out to see the damage I had caused.  I there wasn’t much damage on my truck but the back of the SUV I had hit was all crunched in. I watched as the driver stepped out and I froze, I would recognize that red hair anywhere. “Teagan.” It came out in almost a whisper but she must have heard it because her stunning blue eyes locked with mine. I could have gotten lost in her eyes if she didn’t look away as soon she could looking down at the damage I did to her car. 

“Damn.”

“I am so sorry, I didn’t realize how close I was when I applied the breaks. Let’s exchange insurance and I can call a tow truck for you.”

“It’s just cosmetic damage and I have to get going.” 

“Are you sure?” We were starting to gather a crowd and I didn’t need a story going around that I hit someone’s car and then did nothing about it so I was also trying to keep my head down while trying to looking into Teagan’s eyes.

“Yeah, don’t worry about it. I just really have to go. It was good seeing you Connor.” She was in her car before I could say another word. Knowing that there was nothing else I could do, I got back in my car and drove home. I hadn’t seen or even thought of Teagan in years but now that she was in my mind, she was all I could think about. We had met my first in Edmonton and we had fallen for each other quickly, but I realized that I needed to focus on hockey so I broke it off before I went home for the off season. 

The decision to end our relationship was one that I regretted but I knew it was the best for my hockey career and my team. My mom was devastated when I told her we had ended it, I didn’t have the guts to tell her it was my idea to end it. Getting home I couldn’t stop thinking about Teagan, I needed to see her again and I needed to apologize for how I acted all those years ago. 

As I laid in bed and still couldn’t think of anything else but her. I decided that I would stop by her house the next day, if only to convince her to exchange insurance information. I was hoping she was still living at the same place she was when we were dating, but it was decided I would go see her tomorrow after practice.

***

Pulling into the driveway of a large two story house in suburban Edmonton, it was Teagan’s grandparents house but she had lived there when we were dating so I was really hoping that she still lived there. I smiled as I saw the car I had smashed into yesterday was in the driveway in front of my car, I had the right place. I did frown a little at seeing another car parked next to it, maybe it was just a friend. Knocking on the front door, I heard music playing inside and I smiled while l remembered how much Teagan loved music. When the door opened and Teagan was standing there, looking shocked to see me. “What are you doing here?”

“I felt bad about yesterday, I think we should exchange insurance for the crash yesterday.”

“I told you it was fine, really.” I was about to say something when I heard small footprints running towards us and then a small body running into the back of Teagan legs. 

“Momma! Up! Up!” Teagan smiled down to the young boy and picked him up, allowing me to get a clear look at his face. Shit. I must have said it aloud because the little boy’s eyes widened and he ‘whispered’ to his mom. “He said a bad word.”

More thundering footsteps came towards us and I spotted Teagan’s best friend running towards us, freezing when she spotted me. “Teagan, I can take him. If you two need to talk.” Jessica didn’t acknowledge me after her initial shock of seeing me. I watched as she took the small boy, whispering to him and causing him to giggle as they walked away before Teagan stepped out on the porch with me.

“I have a son.”

“Yes.”

“Were you ever going to tell me?”

“I came over the night you broke up with me to tell you.”

“And yet you didn’t.”

“No, because you would have stuck around when you didn’t want to be there. We might have lasted until he was born and then you would have resented me and him, I only wanted people who wanted to be there. You didn’t. You told me I was a distraction and a child would be a big distraction.”

“I deserve to know that I have a son! I missed out on part of his life already, I’m not missing out on more.” I watched as her featured hardened, any light leaving her eyes. 

“No you are not. He is my son and you are just some guy to him. You don’t get to make demands. Your name is not on his birth certificate.”  

“I’ll get a lawyer, I’ll sue for custody.” Teagan let out a cold laugh and shook her head at me.

“And what judge would agree that you are a good fit to be his parent when you are always on the road? You don’t share a home with anyone who could care for him when you are on the road.”

“I’ll figure it out.” I didn’t care that she had a point, I was mad and wanted my way.

“Get off my property.” I froze, staring at Teagan. “I said get off my property. Now. Before I call the police.” I knew she was serious, she would call the police and I couldn’t have a story like that getting out. I just walked away, getting in my car and driving home. This day went completely differently than I expected, I had a son. I was a dad. As soon as I got home I dialed the number of someone I knew I would be able to help.

“Connor?”

“Mom, I need your help. I messed up.” I spent the next 20 minutes telling my mom everything that happened, from breaking up with her to her kicking me off her deck. As I talked to my mom I was pulling at my hair and pacing my apartment, I was upset with myself with how I handled things. By the time I was done speaking I was exhausted and collapsed onto my sofa, if anyone could fix this it was my mom.

“Oh hun, I’ll be on the first flight out tomorrow. We can figure this all out together.” We get all the details worked out and I hung up with my mom feeling a little bit better. If anyone could fix this, it was her.

Teagan’s pov

Seeing Connor two days in a row shocked me and threw me off of my normal routine. Luckily Wyatt didn’t seem disturbed by his appearance yesterday, he went down for his afternoon nap easily. I was going over some work emails in my office when the doorbell rang. I hurried to the door, hoping that Wyatt slept through the noise. In my rush to get to the door before they rang the doorbell again and woke Wyatt, I forgot to look at who was there. Opening the door, I froze when I saw Connor’s mom standing there. “Kelly, come in.”

“Thank you. And I’m sorry about my idiot son.” I let out a little laugh as I closed the door behind her bluntness about Connor.

“I should be used to it by now. Would you some coffee or tea?”

“Tea would be great.” Nodding I guided us to the kitchen, putting a kettle on the heat before grabbing out two mugs and some tea to choose from. “So, you have a son. I have a grandson?”

“Yes, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I did try to tell Connor again a few months into the pregnancy.”

“What happened hun?” The kettle started whistling so I pulled it off and got our tea ready before sitting across the table from her. I didn’t realize how much I missed Connor’s mom in my life until she showed up today. My parents had died in a car accident when I was young,  my grandparents taking me in. My grandmother had then passed away when I was a teenager so it was just myself and my grandfather for the longest time.

“When I was three months pregnant my grandfather passed since that was the last of my family was gone. I didn’t want Wyatt to not have any family so I called Connor, several times and he never answered. I took it as a sign to just focus on what I could control.” I shrugged and took a sip of my tea. “I should have called you if nothing else, just because things with Connor didn’t work out doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be able to know about your grandson. I’m sorry.”

“You have nothing to apologize for, you did what you felt was best for you and your son.” We were quiet for a minute before Kelly spoke again. “Can I meet him?”

“He is napping right now, he usually sleeps for an hour in the afternoon. But I can show you a picture of him.” She nodded and I moved to a seat closer to her so I could show her pictures on my phone. 

“He looks just like Connor at that age. How old is he?”

“2, he will be three in December. He reminds me of Connor sometimes with his facial expressions, and he is drawn to the ice.”

“Just like Connor.” I gave a small smile, knowing that she was here for a reason. 

“I am assuming he dropped you off?”

“Yes, he was hoping I could convince you to speak to him again.”

“Call him, I am willing to try again.” As she was calling him, I went upstairs to get Wyatt up from his nap. He woke up with a smile on his face and I knew I needed to move past my anger with Connor so that Wyatt could meet that part of his family. “Wyatt, there is someone I want you to meet downstairs.”

“Who momma?”

“Your grandma.” That perked him up, I caught him as he jumped on me. Walking downstairs I answered all of his questions about his grandmother so by the time we walked into the kitchen where I left her. I watched as she introduced herself to Wyatt who immediately took to her, hugging her and climbing from my lap to hers. A knock on my door that I knew it was Connor made me look at Kelly. 

“Wyatt, do you want to help me make some cookies?” I thanked Kelly quickly before going to the door, seeing Connor standing outside looking cozy in his sweatshirt.

“Hi.”

“I’m sorry for being an ass yesterday.”

“I should have tried harder to tell you about Wyatt.”

“His name is Wyatt?”

“Wyatt Frederick Allen.” Connor’s smile was warm, not the harsh look he had yesterday. “I should have tried harder to tell you I was pregnant, that you were going to be a father.” 

“I should have never broken up with you, I thought that things would go better than they did that year. I was supposed to come in and win a Cup for this city and we didn’t even make it to the playoffs.”

“For being such a hockey head you really are an idiot. This team was garbage for years before you, it was the reason they got you. And they had so many first overall picks before you and yet they were still able to get you, that means they have more issues than just talent. I know all of this and I barely follow hockey.”

“I know, just at the time I felt like I couldn’t control anything in my life and I freaked out. Then I realized that the one thing I could control was my relationship with you, so I panicked and broke up with you. Because I am an idiot.”

“I will not argue with that.” He laughed at that, sitting next to me on the porch swing. We talked for a while, catching each other up on what had happened in the few years since we were dating. I mainly talked about Wyatt, catching him up on how Wyatt was basically a carbon copy of him.

“Could you ever find it in you to forgive me? Maybe even date me?”

“Wyatt is my first priority.” I needed to think with my head and not my heart, that was screaming for me to say yes and just kiss him. I hadn’t dated since him and honestly I wasn’t sure I ever would.

“Mine too, I want to be apart of your lives. Both of your lives. I get that you are a package deal, and I am all in if you are.” I really wanted to jump in with both feet but I knew that I couldn’t I had to think about what was best for my son.

“Let’s start with you getting to know Wyatt, if that goes well we can go from there. I want to say yes, I really do. But I need to take everything between us really slow. I haven’t seen anyone in a romantic manner since you and I need to take it slow. But I also need you to know that I will protect Wyatt with my everything, from anyone in your life if I have to.”

“I agree with everything you say. I will take all of this at whatever speed you and Wyatt want, I just want to do it with the two of you.” 

“Ok, I’m willing to try.” His smile made me smile and I knew that we could do this. And we did, over the next couple of months Connor and Wyatt got closer and we grew as a family. Then we started to date and a year later, Wyatt and I found Connor at home down on one knee with an engagement ring. The wedding was a year after that and just after Connor’s 5th birthday we found out we would be having a little girl joining our family. So it wasn’t the ideal growth path but it was ours and it was perfect for us. 

Request are open!

[sinbinzimms]

The Unexpected

When Jack is released from the rehabilitation center and moves back home, Alicia isn't sure what to expect.  [Things after the overdose from Alicia’s POV]

(ao3) 

(quotev)

When Jack is released from the rehabilitation center and moves back home, Alicia isn't sure what to expect. Bob distances himself because he thinks that what happened is somehow his fault, even though Jack assured him that it wasn't. So Alicia does a lot of the talking when they visit him. And even when they're not visiting him, she finds that she's leading the conversations at home too.

She expects Jack to isolate himself; he's always been one to want alone time when he's upset.

She expects little outbursts, because she knows he can get overwhelmed easily in stressful situations, and the past six months have been the most stressful of his life.

She expects him to try and find something hockey-related to fill his days with, so she's unsurprised but still happy for him when he finds the pee-wee team.

What she doesn't expect is to find him in the basement more than once, settled in front of the old TV, watching home videos. There are ones of him running around barefoot outside in the summer, only three or four, squealing while Bob chases him and Alicia laughs behind the camera. She watches from the stairwell, unnoticed, as Jack slips another tape into the VCR. This time she's in front of the camera, and she remembers when Bob took the video. Jack is perched on her hip, just under a year old. There's music playing in the background, something from the eighties, and she's swaying along to it. When the chorus starts again, she has Jack's hand in her own, and she starts dancing with him. She spins, and his head is thrown back and he's laughing that little baby belly laugh that melted her heart every time she heard it. She can hear herself singing along too, and it's pitchy but she doesn't care, because Jack -- the Jack on the floor in front of her -- is humming along to the song quietly, and she feels her heart melt again. Even after all these years, he can still melt her heart, but he can also make it ache like nothing she's ever felt.

She doesn't expect him to come downstairs some mornings, still in his pajamas, with bags under his eyes and messy hair, like he's been rolling in his bed all night -- which she knows he has. Those mornings, she makes sure to clear her schedule of what she can, and make herself comfortable on the couch with a mug of tea and a book, slippered feet propped on the coffee table. She puts on some soft music, and she waits. Jack will usually root around in the pantry, pulling out a few crackers and get a glass of water, and join her on the couch. He'll stay at the opposite end of the couch, making his way slowly through his glass of water before he starts nodding off. She knows he has restless nights -- ones where, no matter what, he can't make himself fall asleep. So she puts her mug and her book down on the coffee table at her feet, and she beckons him closer. He lays his head in her lap, and she reaches for her book again. One hand combs his hair away from his face, and the other one holds the book. She hears his breathing even out, and she lets herself look at his face. She could see what the past months and even years of hockey and anxiety and medications had done to him, she could still see the little boy from those home videos, head thrown back laughing, and it gave her hope for his future.

She really doesn't expect Jack to tell them that he's decided to go to college in America, the same university that she went to. He wants to major in history, he says, and they have a hockey team there, and he's already applied and is waiting for a reply. Of course, Bob and Alicia support him, because he's found something that he's excited about, and he has a light in his eyes that they haven't seen in so long, and even though it's faint, it's still there. When he moves down to Samwell, his parents are there helping him move into a dorm. He'd been down there for a tour, but it was his first time living away from home since rehab, and they were all worried, despite Jack telling them that he was fine, he's an adult, he can handle it. Bob goes out to get some coffee, and Alicia runs to the restroom, all of them needing a break from lugging boxes to the room from the car. She comes back to the room quietly to find Jack on the bed, head in his hands, shoulders tense. She taps on the door quietly, letting him know that she's there. He doesn't acknowledge her until she pulls him into her arms. He pushes his face into her shoulder, wrapping his shaking hands around her back. She feels him breathing deeply, trying to calm himself down, and she rubs her hand across his back, the other one smoothing the hair on the back of his head. Eventually, he's breathing evenly, and Bob still isn't back. He rubs at his eyes, and assures her that he's okay, and he'll be fine, he just had to get it out of his system. She nods along, but already promises herself that she and Bob are going to make it a habit to call at least every few days.

She doesn't expect her son to have a friend called Shitty, but when they help him move into the frat house, there he is, moving in right along with him. She meets more of his teammates too, and Bob treats a few of them to lunch, on him. Alicia loves Shitty, he's funny, and he makes her son happy, and he understands Jack's situation and doesn't bother him about rumors like other guys on the team used to, and that's really all she could ask of any of Jack's friends.

She doesn't expect to be talking to the general manager for the Providence Falconers at his graduation, but she's a lovely young lady who has so much faith in Jack that he'll be good on her team, and Alicia trusts that she's right. She tells her about the graduation day traditions from her days at Samwell after the ceremony when they're all on the quad, and she watches Jack saying goodbye to his friends. She's seen such an improvement in him from the days when he started, and she's so happy for him and proud of him, but she also worries what the NHL will do to him. But when she sees him talking to Bob, and how the light is back in his eyes right before he dashes off back towards the frat house, she knows, somehow, that he'll be okay.

She doesn't expect that, on one of their Skype calls months later, he confesses two things. He confesses that he and Kenny had a fling in Juniors, and he confesses that he's been seeing one of his old teammates -- the small one, the baker, do you remember him? Alicia is over the moon, and she can tell by the light in his eyes that he's happy with Eric, and that's all she's ever really wanted for Jack. She loves Eric already, because he's sweet and she adores his accent and he makes some of the best desserts she's ever had.

She expects that Jack will get better after the overdose, but she could never have dreamt that he would be this happy, with a group of incredible friends that bring out the best in him, and a loving boyfriend who makes him happier than he's been in his life and that he's so serious about and so in love with. She didn't expect that he would be a successful NHL player after the rumors and the rehab, but he's a fan favorite and he loves his job and the guys he plays with, and he's even working on coming out to the team about him and Eric.

She didn't expect everything to be perfect for him, but somehow it is.

A/N: I don't think this is like anything I've written before? So I hope it's decent and y'all like it! This was mostly just an excuse for me to write about my Jack and Alicia post-OD headcanons in one space lmao. I imagine that in the home video they were dancing to Rick Springfield and the soft music Alicia put on in the sixth paragraph was The Goo Goo Dolls. :')

Feel free to like and reblog (both are appreciated!) or send me an ask! (I try to reply to all asks!) Please check out some of my other works!

Please note: this work can be found on other websites such as Archive of Our Own under the screen name talkingtoangxls.

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters used in this story nor the webcomic that they come from. All rights go to Ngozi. Not affiliated with Ngozi or Check, Please!.