𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗼  𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶  𝗵𝗮𝘀  𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿  𝗳𝗲𝗹𝘁  𝗰𝗼𝗼𝗹  in  his  life.  on  red  carpets,  he  is  awkward  and  glitchy,  in  press  conferences  and  interviews,  he  stumbles  over  words  and  almost  shuts  down  completely,  he  feels  as  if  he’s  an  old  computer  from  the  90s  being  forced  to  function  in  this  decade  of  flashy  and  cutting-edge  technology.  so  he  has  to  try  to  play  it  cool.  it  does  not  come  naturally  and  it  is  painstakingly  obvious.  so  when  his  old  current  childhood  crush  asks  for  time  away togeter,  even  if  it  just  tonight,  he  almost  looses  his  footing.  but  he  nods  his  head,  shrugs  his  shoulder,  “  of  course  —  don’t  worry,  i’ll  protect  you  from  those  monsters.  ”  he  smiles  (  am  i  smiling  too  much  ?  ),  he  places  a  hand  on  the  small  of  her  back,  lightly,  gentle,  as  if  afraid  it  would  scare  her.  “  let’s  go,  it’s  just  this  way.  ”

molly notices the touch almost immediately — light against the small of her back , careful in a way that makes something tighten unexpectedly in her chest . but she doesn't move away , and only tightens her hold on her drink as she lets him guide her through the blur of the noise and bodies , arm brushing his as they slip past a table of rowdy strangers . " i must be special tonight ... " she says quietly after a moment , glancing up at him from beneath long lashes , " having my own personal bodyguard " there's teasing there , soft and dry around the edges . gaze drifts towards the back exit , small grin lifting her lips as she thinks about the words before they fall from her lips , " although if this gum bench gives me tetanus i'm blaming you personally . "

@championstarters

nicole raised a sculpted brow , failing to hold back her amused laughter . " mhm ... a polar bear , in what woods exactly ? " . she reached over gently to lift the cast , inspecting it as if judging evidence at a crime scene . " you know , back in miami i met guys who lied about yachts ... nightclub ownership ... even had a guy claim he was related to pitbull " she tells him as hues continue to scan the area before they lift at a pause , gaze finding the male , " but you ? you're the first to lie about fighting a bear " she grins , fishing a pen from her bag to sign the cast , adding her name with the little flourish of a heart . " there . now if people ask whose signed it you can say a super hot cheerleader took pity on you after your near death horseback riding accident " a pause and a teasing tilt of her head , " unless you wanna stick with the bear story . it's kinda cute ... in a delusional way . "

" they haven't ? " emerson asked as she looked around the room , a puzzled look pulling at her soft features . not many of them had hit on her but that was because most of them knew her daddy signed their contracts . " trust me , the night is young and this room is full of man sluts , the time will come , they are easy , the ones that weren't wifed up in college anyway . "

in melodramatic nature , the femme let's out a soft sigh , expression still one of disappointment . " i mean ... it's not even that i want to fuck them , i'd so say no ! " a slight distortion of the truth , " but i at least want the option to be able to reject them , you know ? " a pause , as if contemplating her next move , before she quickly attempts to shake it off . " whatever ... you're coming up to sing with me , right ? "

nicole's grin only widened at that , head tilting as she looked down at her drink like she was suddenly reassessing it . " a victoria's secret display ? weirdly specific " she laughed softly , leaning a little bit closer as she nudged his arm with hers , " and for the record , i do not ruin lives for fun . accidentally ? maybe ... but never on purpose " another sip follows , slower this time , glossed lips lingering round the straw before eyes lifted back to his over the rim of his glass , " besides ... " she dragged the word out slightly , playful smile tugging at her mouth , " for somebody acting personally victimized by one little sip , you didn't exactly hesitate to lean in and try it . "

people looked at him and saw one thing . it had been his truth for as long as he could remember . adored when his temper suited them and judged the second it didn't . before now he hadn't thought to let it bother him , at least not in a deep sense but these days , since his life had been uprooted he couldn't help wondering why ? he'd never even done anything to the pretty little figured skater . " oh i don't know , you could put your big girl panties on and perhaps as me to step aside rather than run right into me and act like im the one here with a problem . "

the sardonic scoff that leaves her is sharp under her breath , lips pressing into a thin line at his words as fingers tighten around the empty glass in hand . " asking you to do anything wasn't exactly high on my list of desires " the blonde shoots back quickly , stubbornness lacing her words despite the faint warmth that creeps up the back of her neck at how irritatingly attractive he was up this close , gaze flickering over the small section of water soaked into his shirt before baby blues return to his face , " and maybe if you hockey players spent half as much time paying attention as you do throwing your weight around , people wouldn't have to dodge them . "

nicole let out a laugh at that , " aggressively pink ? " she repeats , before pointing at him with the obnoxious little umbrella that had been sticking out of her glass , " you're being dramatic , it's not that bad . besides ... " a momentary pause to allow herself to take another sip , " i feel like if i was a drink , this is exactly what i'd taste like " she states , slightly tipsy state responsible for silly notions to come out her mouth as playful grin appears , " so does that mean i look like i should come with glitter and a warning label , hm ? "

︵ིྀ ⠀ ♡ ⠀۪ ⠀𖥻   🛻 ㅤ      "  coming  home  with  you  tonight  ?  "  tone  teasing  as  voice is low.  familiar  arms  wrapped  around  her  waist, as hips sway against him to the song playing.  "  guess  that  depends  on  whether  i've  forgiven  you  yet,  "  amusement  settling  easily  across  her  features  as  she  nurses  the  drink  in  her  hand,  gaze  fixed  on  the  stage ahead.

" forgiven me yet ? " he laughs softly against her ear as grip tightens just enough to be distracting while he rocks with her to the music , " you always say that like you're actually gonna mean it by the morning . " smugness settles easy in his tone , chin resting briefly against her shoulder , " — give it a couple more drinks , another night in my bed ... and suddenly i'm not such a terrible guy anymore , again . "

𝗮𝗹𝗹  𝗵𝗶𝘀  𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲  𝗵𝗲  𝗵𝗮𝗱  𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗻  this  absence  —  an  absence  that  was  never  named  but  consumed  him  all  the  same.  and  now,  she  has  materialised,  live,  present,  a  woman  of  gold  and  easy,  languid  light,  beside  him.  him,  the  hot  rain  in  april,  the  blanket  of  sky  with  not  a  single  star  in  sight.  it  is  uncanny.  the  moretti  boy  can’t  help  his  sweating  palms  —  he  shoves  them  in  the  pockets  of  his  jeans.  “  uh,  ”  he  clears  his  throat  and  shrugs  his  shoulder,  “  i  need  to  brush  up  on  my  karaoke-donation-night  rules  but  i  know  there’s  a  bench  out  back  with  about  a  hundred  gums  stuck  underneath  it  if  you  were  looking  for  some  fresh  air. ”

molly let's out a quiet breath at the mention of fresh air , fingers tightening slightly around her drink , " a hundred gums ? " she echoes , a faint smile pulling at glossed lips . " you're really selling it to me here . " gaze flickers toward the crowd before settling back on him , " still ... " the blonde says softly , " i think i'd survive the gum bench longer than this " a beat of a pause , " you'll come with me , though ... right ? otherwise i'm pretty sure i'll get ambushed by a drunk karaoke enthusiast ... or worse , a hockey player . "

they'd crossed paths more than once over the last 10 months . shared ice time and all that and for the life of him mason couldn't figure out what he'd done to earn the blondes scowls . not that he cared . he didn't care about anyone not liking him . " i should ? you walked into me short stop not my bad here . "

soft features harshen with a furrow of brows , equal parts irritated at his snark quip in response and confused by choice of words . honestly ? the femme had no good excuse for her dislike towards mason . no reason for the scowls she gives , or the way she rolls her eyes any time they have to share the ice . at least , none that don't involve quick judgement and assumptions made . " well you were in the way " molly is quick to return , baby blues practically glaring up at him , " how was i supposed to get round you without bumping into you when you're in the way ? "

" i would honest to god rather donate half my salary than get up on that stage . it's not happening , i don't care how much you pout at me . "

" and here i was thinking that you'd dedicate a song to me " the femme teases menacingly in response , the feigned pout of disappointment paired with the pleading look of doe eyes . a look aylin had used on the male far too many times . " you know , for the good old times . "