In which . . . Sweetheart gets hurt when skating with Matt.
Hockey!Matt X Ballerina!Reader
Warnings- nothing just fluff!
youโre standing by the boards in borrowed skates, gripping the edge so hard your fingers are probably going numb, while matt watches you from a few feet away like he already knows how this is going to go.
โyou good?โ he asks, one brow raised.
you look over at him, instantly defensive. โyes. stop looking at me like that.โ
โlike iโm gonna fall.โ
he lets out a quiet laugh. โyou are gonna fall.โ
you roll your eyes and push off anyway.
it takes all of two seconds for it to go wrong.
your foot slides out from under you, your balance completely gone, arms flailing in a way that is definitely not gracefulโnothing like ballet, nothing like the way youโre used to moving.
not hard enough to seriously hurt, but enough that your knee stings and your palms scrape and your pride takes the biggest hit of all.
for a second, everything justโฆ stops.
then you hear his skates cutting across the ice.
โheyโhey, look at me,โ matt says as he drops down in front of you, already pulling his gloves off, his whole expression changed. softer. focused. worried. โyou okay?โ
you swallow, forcing a laugh that doesnโt come out right. โiโm fine, i justโโ
โdonโt,โ he cuts in gently, hands finding your arms, steadying you before you can even try to move. โdonโt get up yet.โ
โiโm okay,โ you insist, but your voice is quieter now. smaller.
your knee throbs when you shift, and it doesnโt help that there are a couple of his teammates nearby, glancing over, definitely watching.
heat rushes to your face.
โmatt, iโm fine,โ you say again, this time trying to push yourself upโ
โโฆhey,โ his voice drops, softer now, something almost like concern slipping into it. โeasy.โ
you blink fast, biting the inside of your cheek.
you wanted to try. you wanted to be good at itโeven just a littleโbut instead youโre on the ice, shaky, embarrassed, and suddenly your eyes sting in a way you really donโt want him to notice.
โi said iโm fine,โ you mumble, but it comes out weaker than you meant it to.
his hands tighten slightly on your arms, not roughโjust grounding.
your gaze drops, shoulders pulling in just a little as you try to blink it away, but your eyes are already glassy.
โheyโno, no,โ he murmurs immediately, shifting closer. one of his hands moves up, gently tipping your chin so you have to look at him. โdonโt do that.โ
โiโm not,โ you whisper, even as your voice wobbles.
โitโs okay,โ he says, quieter now, thumb brushing lightly under your eye before anything can actually fall. โitโs just the ice. nobody gets it right the first time.โ
you let out a shaky breath, half laughing, half not. โi looked so dumb.โ
โyou didnโt,โ he says right away.
he huffs, softer this time. โokayโyou did a little.โ
you groan, dropping your forehead forward like you want to disappear, but his hand is already there, catching you gently before you can.
โhey,โ he says again, almost a coo now, voice low and warm in a way youโve never heard from him. โdonโt hide from me.โ
โeveryone saw,โ you mumble.
โi donโt care about everyone.โ
his thumb brushes your cheek again, slower this time.
โyou think i havenโt wiped out on this ice?โ he mutters. โfirst time i tried, i ate it way worse than that.โ
you peek up at him. โyouโre lying.โ
you sniff a little, still embarrassed, but it eases something in your chest.
he nods once, then shifts, hands sliding down to your waist.
โcโmon,โ he murmurs. โi got you.โ
before you can protest, he lifts youโeffortless, like you weigh nothingโbringing you off the ice and setting you carefully by the boards.
your arms instinctively wrap around his shoulders for balance, and for a second youโre really close.
he doesnโt comment on it.
just steadies you, one hand still firm at your waist.
โsit,โ he says softly.
this time, you donโt argue.
he crouches in front of you, immediately going for your skates, fingers quick and practiced as he starts loosening them.
you watch him for a second, still a little quiet.
โโฆi wanted to be good at it,โ you admit, voice small again.
he pauses, then glances up at you.
โi fell in like two seconds.โ
โyeah,โ he says, tugging one skate loose carefully. โand you still got back up.โ
โyou didnโt let me.โ
you huff softly, but thereโs no real heat in it.
he pulls the skate off, way more gentle than you expected, setting it aside before moving to the other one.
his hand brushes your ankle, steady and warm.
โdoes your knee still hurt?โ he asks.
his jaw tightens just slightly.
โokay,โ he murmurs. โweโre icing it when we get home.โ
he shrugs like itโs obvious. โyeah. iโm not letting you limp around.โ
you try to hide the small smile that tugs at your lips.
โyouโre being dramatic.โ
he glances up at you again, unimpressed. โstill counts.โ
you donโt argue this time.
instead, you just watch him finish taking off your skate, careful, focused, like nothing else matters right now.
โโฆthanks,โ you say quietly.
he doesnโt answer right away.
just stands up in front of you, then reaches out without thinking, brushing a piece of hair away from your face.
โnext time,โ he says, softer now, โiโll stay closer.โ
you tilt your head. โso i donโt fall?โ
but his hand lingers just a second too long.
like heโs not just talking about the ice.
a/n- happy sturniolo saturday (2 more fics coming out hopefully!)