#devils hockey

"It's nothing I have seen and enjoyed before." Jack states following y/n around as he tries to talk her into giving into how he wants to start their day, or even end their day, maybe even have a midday shower.

"I have to have an everything shower, Jack and that's not something you should ever see. It's not pretty. In fact I have to shower just to shower off from the everything shower." Y/n sighs as she gathers up her laundry.

"Baby, there's a drought...in California."

That even earns Luke's attention from the kitchen.

"We live in New Jersey...and there is no a drought." Y/n points out trying not to laugh while Jack groans in frustration.

"Can you just get in that shower? Please?" Jack pouts but y/n only moves to the laundry room and Jack moves with her unwilling to relent.

He just wants to see his girlfriend naked in the shower. He's not sure why he has such a need for it for it's all he can think about

"I'm going out! Feel free to use that opportunity so I don't have to hear anything when I'm back!" Luke exclaims through the apartment while y/n jut about curses him for his exit. Not that she blames him, no one wants to hear their sibling getting at it with their partner.

"I'll handle the laundry. You get in that shower." Jack states making y/n sigh at him fighting a smile before Jack pecks her lips and manages to grab a handful of her ass. "Come on...what can I promise you so you let me get my way?"

Y/n laughs at the fact Jack doesn't bother trying to sweet talk her, mainly because he knows y/n is going to give him what he wants in the end.

"Please? Pretty please?" Jack pouts kissing her between each word while y/n practically rolls her eyes into the back of her eyes.

"Fine, but you have to deal with the fact I'm in my most unattractive state." Y/n sighs before he kisses her again.

"You don't have an unattractive state. But whatever you say, so long as it gets your ass in that shower." Jack states giving her ass a tap. "Go go. I'll put the laundry in."

"You're such a nerd."

Y/n laughs as she rushes to the bathroom and Jack makes no secret of his celebration that he's getting what he wanted.

Jack rushes the laundry throwing it in with some detergent before he rushes to the sound of running water and practically feels explosive with excitement. He'd been pestering her for near on an hour.

The California drought was really a fight for anything he could think of.

"Oh you are so gorgeous." Jack groans seeing y/n holding her hand under the water waiting for it to warm up a little bit, completely naked and exposed to his gaze.

"Are you coming in?" Y/n asks as she finally steps in and he doesn't waste time pulling off his own clothes before he gets in with her.

"How did I end up with the most perfect woman on the planet?" Jack sighs happily as his hands hold her waist and he begins kissing her. "I wish there was a way to tattoo seeing you like this in my head."

"So you can get hard in the middle of a game." Y/n laughs before being pushes till she's pushed back against the cold shower wall making her hiss a little and try to arch her back away. "Christ."

"You are so special to me." Jack whispers making her hum before she accepts a deep slow kiss.

His kisses move down her wet skin, teeth grazing and catching her ski before finally he's finally low enough to slide his hand up her legs up her leg, hooking up her knee to lift it onto his should, kissing her inner thigh while y/n's chest heaves with anticipation.

Suddenly y/n's priority of her everything shower is a distant thought.

The moment Jack's tongue dives into her and y/n bites her lips to muffle her moan.

"Jack." Y/n moans making him smile against her pussy but he doesn't stop for a second. "Jack..."

His name is like a keep going button every time it rings through the room. His fingers come up to join his tongue, his fingertips brushing the spongy walls of her pussy with each stroke making y/n moan out, the leg still supporting some of her weight begin to tremble at her orgasm approaches with furious speed.

Jack looks up just in time to feel it rush over her, a wetness practically splashing his face as y/n moans loudly, back arching and head dropping back as her chest rising and dropping at as she rides out the high, her hips grinding down onto his face.

Only after y/n has slowly came down from the high, Jack remains with her leg over his shoulder and one hand on her other thigh just to keep her from toppling over though eventually he pulls her down to sit with him close to the running water while y/n lies against him.

Jack gets to work washing her hair having to somewhat drown himself in order to lean back and wash the shampoo from her hair before he puts the condition in letting it sit a bit.

"You ok?" Jack asks softly hoping enough time has passed for her to just deal with it.

"After that I'm so good, might need to just have the everything shower tomorrow though...we can stand up right?"

"I only kept us sat because you were so quiet and didn't fight me about it." Jack laughs while y/n smiles lightly at him before he gently sits her up and moves to his feet then pulling her with him.

"So was this what you wanted from the shower?"

"Yes. Exactly what I wanted." Jack nods with a proud grin while y/n just shakes her head.

Eventually they're scrubbed clean and as cleaned up as they're going to get before Jack jumps out wrapping himself in a towel then grabbing one for y/n and wrapping her in it.

"I don't think we helped with any droughts with that shower." Y/n comments making Jack turn red a bit. "You're so cute when you're needy."

Jack doesn't bother to deny it since honestly, y/n knows she can be pretty clingy when the mood suits her too so it's really just him reciprocating the behaviour in his won way. Even if he's a little relentless. Some women might not like it, but it's not a boundary crossed for y/n. Really she was just putting off the shower because she had plans for it today and as it came to be, he ruined those plans in the best way.

But now the mental prep has to restart for the everything shower tomorrow.

"I'm hungry." Y/n mumbles after they've dressed.

"I'll text Luke to grab something on his way back. Unless you want something specific? We can go out and grab some food or go to the store." Jack states making y/n look at him for a beat. "Sorry, too many options. I should know better. I'll just get Luke to grab us something, he's on his way back anyway."

"Clearly he knows us too well if he's timed it that perfectly...You two stalking each other whenever you're out the apartment is always going to be so funny."

It’s really obvious that Luke likes her more than a friend, but Y/N doesn’t notice because her eyes are always on Jack. Luke tries not to get jealous when he sees Y/N with Jack especially when he knows Jack doesn’t feel the same way, but why can’t she look at him the way she looks at him.

What does Jack have that he doesn’t have? Luke always has his eyes on Y/N, but her eyes are always on his big brother.

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Now in high school the crushes are still there. Y/N was over at the Hughes house doing homework in the kitchen with Luke. They were sitting at the kitchen table. Luke has all of his focus on his homework, but Y/N kept getting distracted by Jack playing catch with a football with three of his friends outside.

This is Jack’s final year of high school and then he’s off to the NHL and it will just be Luke since Quinn, the oldest brother, is already playing in the NHL for the Vancouver Canucks. Don’t get Luke wrong, he’s going to miss Jack when he leaves, but maybe with him gone Y/N will start to have eyes and attention on him.

Luke’s mechanical pencil just ran out of lead which made him curse silently. “Hey Y/N do you- “Luke started to ask but cut himself off when he noticed Y/N looking out the glass door at Jack.

She looked at him with a lovestruck like stare. Luke glanced out the door at Jack who was lifting his shirt up to wipe the sweat off his face. Luke looked back at Y/N, whose face was completely flushed.

 “Y/N!” Luke said in a stern tone. “Yeah.” Y/N said without taking her eyes off Jack. “Do you have an extra pencil or pen?” Luke asked, trying his best to hide his annoyance.

Y/N ignored him as she watched Jack catch the football and throw it back at one of his friends. Jack started to laugh at something one of his friends said. “Y/N!” Luke said, raising his voice a little which got Y/N’s attention. “Oh, yeah! Hold on!” Y/N said.

She picked up her book bag off the floor and sat it onto her lap. She unzipped the front pocket and got out a mechanical pencil. “Here.” Y/N said handing him the pencil. “Thanks.” Luke said taking the pencil as she zipped back up the pocket and put her book bag back down onto the tile floor.

They went back to doing their homework till the door to the back yard opened. It was just Jack. His brunette hair was damp from his sweat and his cheeks were red from all of the running he was doing.

“Fuck! It’s hot out there for an October day.” Jack said as again he used his shirt to wipe the sweat off his forehead. Y/N couldn’t help but get all fluttered by the sight of Jack’s stomach. “Hey Jack.” Y/N said in a flirty like tone. Luke couldn’t hold back from rolling his eyes. “Hey Y/N.” Jack said with a kind smile. He was already outside with his friends when Y/N showed up.

“What do you want? We’re trying to get some homework done!” Luke said before Y/N could do anymore flirting. Luke looked at Jack with annoyance. “Relax Lukey boy!” Jack said, which annoyed Luke even more. “I just came in to grab the boys and I some water.” Jack told him. “I’ll get them for you.” Y/N said quickly standing up from the chair she was sitting in. She almost tripped on another chair on her way to the fridge, but she quickly recovered.

Y/N probably knows the Hughes house better than her own since she spends most of her time at the Hughes’s than her’s. She grabbed four water bottles and walked back over to the brothers.

“Here you go.” Y/N said handing the water bottles to Jack with the biggest smile. “Thanks.” Jack said taking the bottles from her as he returned a smile which made Y/N’s heart melt. Besides Jack watercolor eyes, his smile his what Y/N loves the most. “You’re welcome.” Y/N said as she played with the end of her ponytail. Luke knew that when Y/N played with the ends of her hair it was a sign of her flirting. That’s how well he knows her.

“Can you leave so we can get back to work.” Luke said to his brother in a snappy tone. He wasn’t doing a very good job hiding his jealousy. At least this time. “Okay, dorky.” Jack said nudging Luke with his elbow which earned him a glare. Y/N let out a flirty giggle.

Once Jack was back outside Y/N took a seat back down at the table. When she looked at Luke, she could tell something was bothering him as he glared down at the paper in front of him.

“Is everything okay?” Y/N asked with concern. “Nothing, just stuck on this one question.” Luke lied.

 Of course, he didn’t have the courage to tell her the truth. Why can’t he just get the confidence to tell her the truth. Tell her how it drives him up the wall when she flirts with Jack. Tell her that he wants her to have eyes only for him. Tell her that Jack doesn’t feel the same way she does. But how could he tell her that without hurting her feelings. Y/N has had this crush ever since the first day she met Jack.

“Oh, do you need my help?” Y/N asked him. “No, I think I got it now.” Luke answered. “Okay well I’m here if you need me, Lukey.” Y/N told him picking her pencil back up and went back to working on her geometry homework.

Luke hates it when people call him by his childhood nickname but when Y/N calls him it warms his heart.

--------------------

Now adult’s Y/N and Luke do completely different careers. Luke plays hockey for the New Jersey Devils with Jack, which is one of the best things ever while Y/N is a wildlife rehabilitator. She helps nurse animals back to life and then send them back into the wild once they are healthy.

Even though they went into different paths they continued to stay in touch. But recently Y/N moved to New Jersey to work for the local zoo rehabilitation center. She told Luke that she will be attending his game that is happening tonight.

Luke was in the locker room getting ready. He was trying on his skates when Jack walked up to him. “A little birdie told me that Y/N will be at the game.” Jack said with a smirk on his lips. “Maybe tonight will finally be the night to tell her how you feel.” Jack added, which earned him a shrug from Luke.

“What’s the problem?” Jack asked as his smirk faded away. “What if she’s still hung up on you?” Luke asked as all of his attention was on making sure his skates were tight enough. “Then I’ll let her down easy.” Jack told him.

Jack took a seat right down next to him. He wrapped an arm around his brother which made Luke stop what he was doing with his skates, but he still wasn’t looking at him.

 “Luke, you’ve been head over heels for this girl for years. Ever since you two were teenagers.” Jack told him. “She deserves a guy like you and the only one that can make her realize that is you.” Jack added.

 Luke knew he was right, but he still didn’t have the confidence to tell her. Jack always has confidence when it comes to talking to girls or telling them how he feels about them. Jack can just walk up to a girl and smile at her and she’s like putty in his hand. Maybe that’s why Y/N always looked at him the way he looks at her.

“Okay.” Luke said with a nod looking over at Jack. “That’s my boy.” Jack said patting Luke on back a couple of times which made him jerk forward.

 Jack stood up and walked back over to his cubby so he could continue to get ready for the game.

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Luke was on the ice doing his warmup routine. He was skating around the ice hitting pucks into the empty net. The Devils are playing their rivals, the New York Rangers. The Devils and Rangers have been rivals for decades. Anytime these two teams face off it’s always a very physical game.

Luke went to gather all the pucks out of the net when he heard a voice call him by his nickname. He looked over behind the Devils bench to see Y/N in the front row with both her hands flat on the glass.

She has on a red Devils jersey with black jeans on. Her hair was up in a high ponytail so when she turned around Luke could see that she was wearing his name and number on. When Luke saw that she was wearing his jersey his heart rate sped up. This is the first time she’s worn a jersey with his name and number on it. Seeing her wearing that has made Luke feel confident.

He smiled as he gave her a wave once she turned back around. “Good luck!” She mouthed to him with a smile. “Thank you.” He mouthed back to her. She gave him two thumbs up and then took her seat.

When the game finally started it only took three minutes for Luke to score the first goal of the game, which he had never done before. After getting mobbed by his teammates he looked up into the crowd to see Y/N jumping up and down with excitement as she clapped her hands.

Every time Luke was on the ice he was everywhere. The Rangers players couldn’t stop him. Luke had the best game of his professional career. The final score was 6-1 and Luke scored two of those points and had two assists.

Y/N gave him confidence during the game. He’s hoping to keep that confidence so he can finally tell her what he’s been holding in for years.

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After the game was over Y/N joined Luke and Jack at a bar with some other Devils players to celebrate the big win. Luke was at a standing table with Y/N while Jack was at the bar with their teammates.

“You kicked their asses!” Y/N said with excitement pouring out of her. Luke let out a chuckle at her excitement as he took a sip of his beer. Y/N was drinking a cocktail.

 “You know what? I’m buying us a couple round of shots.” Y/N told him. “You don’t have to do that.” Luke told her. He’s not that big of a drinker like Quinn and Jack who can sometimes go all out. Jack is usually the one that can get crazy, especially after a big win.

“C’mon Lukey!” Y/N said in a whiny like tone. “You were the player of the game! It’s okay to let loose!” Y/N added. She looked at him with a puppy dog like look which he always falls for. “Okay but only one round.” Luke told her which made her let out a squeal of excitement. “I got you!” Y/N told him with a wink as she grabbed her purse off the table and made her way to the bar.

Luke shook his head as he took another drink from his bottle. When Y/N got to the bar Jack was there but instead of ordering the shots she immediately started talking to Jack.

Luke knew that they were probably just saying hi to each other since they hadn’t seen each other in years but as time passed Y/N continued to talk to Jack. It looked like Y/N had completely forgotten about ordering the shots and started to flirt with him. At least that’s what it looked like to Luke.

He at first thought he was just overthinking till Y/N put her hand on Jack’s shoulder as she laughed at something he said. Luke immediately felt jealousy burn through him.

“Fuck this!” Luke hissed having enough. He chugged the rest of his beer and slammed the empty bottle down on the table which made it shake. He surprisingly didn’t break the glass bottle.

He angerly made his way out of the bar which Y/N noticed. She excused herself from Jack and his teammates as she quickly made her way outside. “Lukey!” Y/N called out to him. “Leave me alone!” Luke snapped as he walked towards his car. Y/N was taken a little back from his shift in mood. What the hell happened while she was gone.

“What’s wrong?” Y/N asked really concern about him. She’s never seen Luke like this before. Luke came to an abrupt stop which made Y/N almost run straight into his tall figure. Luke has always towered over Y/N but ever since college he has really grown tall. He is taller than both his older brothers.

“I thought you were getting us shots?” Luke asked, turning around to face her. “I was.” Y/N told him which made his scoff. “Really because it seemed like to me you were flirting with Jack.” Luke said with frustration. “Obviously nothing has changed.” Luke snapped. “What the hell is your problem?” Y/N snapped back.

Why is he acting all mad towards her all sudden. She couldn’t help but start to get pissy by this sudden change in mood.

“Nothing.” Luke said, shaking his hand as he looked anywhere but her face. “No! Something is bothering you because you wouldn’t be acting like this for no reason!” Y/N told him in a stern tone.

Luke didn’t give her an answer as he clenched his jaw. She knew he was hiding something and she’s not leaving him alone till he tells her what has happened to make him all mad.

“Luke!” Y/N said again in a stern voice. She was starting to lose her patience. “I’m your best friend, you can tell- “Y/N said but before she could finish her sentence Luke finally spoke. “I’m fucking in love with you alright!” Luke confessed with anger and frustration looking at her. Y/N could feel her whole body go into shock.

“Y-you love m-me.” Y/N stuttered since she was in shock. “It doesn’t matter.” Luke said shaking his head. “Yes, it does!” Y/N said taking a step towards him. “No, it fucking doesn’t.” Luke hissed as he clenched his jaw so tight he felt like he could break his teeth.

“For fucking years I’ve had these feelings for you, but you always had your eyes for Jack.” Luke added finally just letting all of his feeling out.

All the jealousy and annoyance were coming out of him. If this was a cartoon, he would have steam coming out of his ears. It felt good to get all of this out, but he knows he’s kept it in for way too long. Instead of this confession making him feel better it only made him angrier.

Y/N felt the opposite as tears started to appear in her eyes. She felt like she’d been a shitty friend towards a boy who has been by her side ever since the day they met. Whenever Jack was around, she would ignore Luke and have all of her attention on the middle brother.

She meant to say hi to Jack but instead she got caught up in the conversation that Jack was having with his teammates and then the teammates were asking her questions, and she was just being nice. She knew she just fucked up big time.

“I’m surprised you didn’t wear his jersey.” Luke mumbled as he unclenched his jaw. “Lukey!” Y/N said with a sob as tears started to pour down from her eyes. “Don’t call me that.” Luke said, turning around to his car.

Y/N knew she just fucked up her whole relationship with him. Once he got into his car she wiped away her tears and walked back into the bar.

Luke watched her walk back into the bar from his side mirror. He sighed as he started his car up and drove out of the parking lot.

--------------------

It’s been a week and Luke has ignored Y/N’s calls and texts. When he got home to his apartment after their fight he couldn’t help but feel like a total dick for snapping at her like that.

That’s not how he wanted to tell her how he felt about her. It’s his fault he spilled his anger and jealousy out on her. He knows he just ruined his chance with having anything more with her. Jack is wrong, she doesn’t deserve a guy like him. He just told her how he felt way before this he wouldn’t have gotten all angry.

The Devils are away for tonight’s game. The team is in Montreal playing the Candiens. Y/N got home from the zoo just in time for the game to start. In between commercials she heated herself up some leftover pizza. Since Luke has been ignoring her watching his games is the only way she can see him.

 A fight broke out during the game which didn’t surprise her but what did was Luke started to fight with an opposing player which was really out of character for him. He’s the one that tries to stop the fights or just stays out of them.

She couldn’t help but feel like Luke is pouring his anger out on the ice. She’s the reason why he’s been so angry this week and now it’s effecting his game on the ice.

When the game was over Y/N decided to send a text to Jack asking when they were going to be back home and Luke’s address since she knew if she texted Luke, he would’ve just ignored her. She gave up on texting him a couple days ago.

It took Jack a little while to text back but when he did, he gave her the answers she wanted. The team should be back by the early hours so she decided that she would stop by Luke’s place after she gets off work tomorrow.

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For the first time in her life, she felt nervous to talk to Luke. What if when he answers the door, he just slams it in her face. What if he tells her to go fuck off and tell her to never talk to him again. If he does any of that she won’t blame him.

When she got to Luke’s door she immediately knocked on the door. She decided to just rip the band aid off. When the door opened there stood Luke. He had bags under his eyes, but it didn’t look like he had any bruises, or he was in any physical pain. When he fought that player, he was the one that was doing much of the punching and hitting.

“Hi.” Y/N said with softness in her voice. “May I come in?” Y/N asked, again just ripping the band aid off. Luke answered with a nod as he let her walk inside his apartment.

 Y/N took a seat on the couch while Luke closed the door. “I want to talk about the other night outside the bar.” Y/N said as Luke sat down next to her. “We don’t have to.” Luke said with a tired sigh as he ran a hand through his dark and messy curly hair. “Yes, we do.” Y/N told him in a stern voice. Luke let out another sigh as he gave her a nod.

“I’m so sorry for ignoring you growing up.” Y/N said with sincere. “Yes, my crush on Jack was crazy and out of control but I promise that the crush is far gone.” Y/N told him. “I got distracted when I said hi to him because of what he was talking about with both of your teammates and then they were asking me questions just trying to get to know me, but I can totally understand why you thought I forgot about you.” Y/N explained to him the whole misunderstanding.

“The main reason I moved here was because I wanted to be with you.” Y/N added as she played with the end of her ponytail twirling it around her index finger. “What do you mean?” Luke asked.

“The time we spent apart made me realize that I have feelings for you.” Y/N confessed as Luke’s eyes went wide in surprise. “Y-you like m-me?” Luke said stuttering the same way she did when he told her about his feelings for her. “Yes.” Y/N said with a nod. “I wanted to tell you the other night, but I couldn’t find the words.” Y/N added.

“You know what.” Luke said taking one of her hands. “Let’s just forget about that night and start over.” Luke told her. “Okay.” Y/N said with a nod.

You hadn’t complained, though. There was something peaceful about being here, far from the usual noise of daily life. Switzerland in the summer looked almost unreal. With its endless green slopes, tiny wooden chalets scattered in the distance, and snow still clinging to the faraway mountain peaks.

The gravel path crunches underneath your hiking shoes as you walk slightly ahead of your family. Your parents and siblings are a few steps behind you, debating which trail leads to the waterfall marked on the map.

“Are you sure it’s this trail?” your dad asks from behind you.

“That’s what the sign said,” your mom replies.

Your sister groans dramatically. “We’ve been walking for twenty minutes.”

You smile to yourself and keep moving forward, enjoying the quiet. A breeze moves through the valley, carrying the distant sound of cowbells. You slow your pace, letting the quiet settle around you. A wooden sign marks the entrance to a narrower trail that winds deeper into the national park. You step onto it without thinking much, assuming your family will follow. You reach a bend in the trail where the path narrows slightly.

At the exact same moment someone rounds the corner from the other direction. You both stop abruptly.

“Oh—sorry!” you say quickly, stepping back a little.

The guy in front of you had clearly been just as surprised. He pauses for a second, then smiles, brushing a hand through his dark hair.

“No, that was my fault too,” he says. His voice is warm and relaxed, like someone who’s just enjoying a quiet day outside.

You glance at him briefly while stepping aside to give him space on the trail. He looks like any other hiker you might see here. He was wearing simple hiking shorts, a dark T-shirt, and a small backpack slung over one shoulder. There’s something familiar about his face, but you can’t place why. Maybe he just has one of those faces that look like someone you’ve seen before.

“Nice day for a hike,” he adds.

You nod, glancing around at the mountains towering above the trees.

“Yeah, it’s beautiful here.”

“Are you visiting?” he asks.

“Yeah. My family and I are on vacation.” You gesture vaguely behind you where their voices are still echoing faintly through the forest. “They’re currently having a serious discussion about a map.”

That makes him laugh softly.

“I know that situation.”

“You too?”

“All the time,” he says with a grin.

There’s a small pause, but it doesn’t feel awkward. Just quiet and peaceful, filled with birdsong and the rustle of leaves overhead.

“What about you?” you ask. “Do you live around here?”

“Kind of,” he says. “I grew up in Switzerland. I come back during the summer whenever I can.”

You glance out toward the mountains again. From this angle you can see a distant peak still covered in snow, even in July.

“Honestly,” you say, “I would too. If I grew up somewhere like this, I’d never want to leave.”

He smiles a little at that.

“Yeah… it’s pretty hard to beat.”

Footsteps crunch on the trail behind you.

“There you are!” your sister calls out.

You turn just in time to see your family finally catching up. Your parents stop when they notice the stranger you’ve been talking to.

Your dad gives a polite nod, “Sorry if we’re holding up the trail.”

The guy shakes his head quickly. “Not at all.”

Your mom smiles kindly. “Are you hiking alone?”

“Yeah, just enjoying the park for a bit,” he says.

Your family doesn’t seem to recognize him either. To them he’s just another friendly person on the trail.

Your sister glances between the two of you with a small smirk.

“Making friends already?”

You roll your eyes.

“We literally just almost ran into each other.”

“That’s one way to meet someone,” she teases.

The guy chuckles quietly.

“Well, I’m glad we didn’t actually collide.”

“Same,” you say.

For a moment everyone just stands there, the forest quiet around you except for the soft wind moving through the trees. Then he shifts his backpack slightly.

“I should probably keep going,” he says. “The trail gets really nice further up.”

“Thanks for the tip,” you reply.

He gives you one last friendly smile before continuing down the path past your family.

You watch him disappear around the curve in the trail.

Your sister nudges your arm immediately.

“Cute hiker,” she whispers.

“Oh my god, stop,” you mutter.

Your parents are already focused on the map again, debating directions like nothing happened.

Meanwhile, somewhere further along the trail, the friendly stranger you just met, who happens to be Nico Hischier, continues his hike through the quiet Swiss mountains.

And you walk on with your family, completely unaware that the guy you just chatted with is actually a professional hockey player. To you, he’s simply the nice stranger you bumped into on a sunny trail in the mountains of Switzerland, for now at least.

The trail continues deeper into the forest after that encounter, winding slowly upward along the mountainside. Your family resumes walking, the earlier moment already fading into the background of the day. Gravel crunches beneath your shoes as the path climbs higher, and every so often the trees thin out enough to reveal breathtaking views of the valley below.

You glance back once, almost without realizing it. But the stranger is already gone, the bend in the trail hiding him completely.

“Come on,” your mom calls. “If we keep stopping, we’ll never reach the lake.”

You turn forward again and keep walking. The hike becomes steeper as you move farther into the national park. Tall pine trees surround the path now, their branches stretching high above you and filling the air with the scent of resin.

The silence here is different from city quiet. It’s full of small sounds. Birds calling from somewhere deep in the forest. The rustle of leaves. The distant ringing of cowbells drifting from farms somewhere far down in the valley. You breathe in deeply, letting the mountain air fill your lungs. This is exactly the kind of vacation you needed.

About twenty minutes later, the trail opens into a wide clearing. The trees pull back suddenly, revealing a meadow filled with wildflowers and tall grass swaying gently in the breeze. Beyond it, the mountains rise dramatically, their rocky slopes glowing in the midday sun. In the centre of the clearing sits a small wooden bench near a trail marker, and someone is sitting there. You recognize him immediately. The same dark hair, the same relaxed posture. He’s leaning forward slightly with his elbows resting on his knees, a water bottle loosely held in one hand. It was the stranger from earlier.

He looks up when he hears footsteps approaching. For a brief second, surprise flashes across his face. Then he smiles again.

“Well,” he says, standing up slightly. “Guess we’re taking the same route.”

You laugh softly, “I guess so.”

Your family spreads out across the clearing, grateful for the chance to rest. Your dad immediately sits down on the grass while your mom begins digging through the backpack for snacks. Your sister wanders toward the edge of the meadow to take photos of the mountains. Meanwhile you end up standing near the bench again, only a few steps away from the stranger.

“You weren’t kidding about the trail getting nice,” you say, looking out at the view.

“It gets even better a little higher up,” he replies. “There’s a lake maybe forty minutes from here.”

You glance toward the path that continues climbing beyond the clearing.

“Forty minutes doesn’t sound too bad.”

He shrugs slightly.

“Depends how fast you hike.”

You grin.

“That’s true.”

For a moment the two of you stand there quietly, both looking out at the mountains. The wind moves through the meadow, making the tall grass ripple like waves. You still can’t quite shake the strange feeling that his face looks familiar somehow, but you’re pretty sure you’ve never met him before.

“Are you hiking the whole trail today?” you ask.

“Probably,” he says. “I’ve got the time.”

“That must be nice.”

“It is,” he admits with a small smile.

Your mom suddenly appears beside you, handing you a granola bar. “Energy break,” she says.

“Thanks.”

She glances briefly at the guy next to you, giving him a friendly nod.

“Nice weather for it today.”

“Perfect weather,” he agrees politely.

Your mom smiles and then heads back toward the rest of your family, leaving the two of you alone again near the bench.

You unwrap the granola bar, taking a bite as you look out across the meadow.

“So do you hike here a lot?” you ask between bites.

“Whenever I’m back home,” he says. “It’s a good way to relax.”

“Yeah, I can see that.” You nod.

There’s something about the mountains that makes conversations slower and calmer. Neither of you seems in a rush to fill the silence. After a moment he gestures toward the path ahead.

“Are you guys going to the lake too?”

You glance back at your family. Your dad is studying the map again. Your sister is lying in the grass staring up at the sky. You turn back to him.

“I think that’s the plan.”

He nods thoughtfully.

“If you want, I can show you the easier route once the trail splits. It’s not marked very clearly.”

You raise an eyebrow.

“You offering to be our guide?”

“Just trying to prevent you from getting lost,” he says with a small grin.

You laugh.

“That might actually be helpful.”

At that moment your sister suddenly jogs over, clearly having noticed that you’re still talking to the same guy.

“So, you meet again,” she says, clearly amused.

“Apparently we’re hiking the same trail,” you reply.

She looks at him curiously.

“I’m guessing you’re local then?”

“More or less,” he answers.

Your sister nods thoughtfully.

“Well, if you know where the lake is, you’re officially the most valuable person on this trail.” He laughs quietly at that.

“Where are you guys visiting from?” he asks.

You brush a strand of hair away from your face.

“The Netherlands,” you say. “We wanted mountains for once.”

He smiles slightly at that.

“Yeah… you definitely came to the right place for that.”

You laugh.

“That’s what my dad said when he booked the trip.”

Your sister nods dramatically. “Back home the biggest ‘hill’ near us is basically a bridge.”

That makes him laugh.

“I’ve heard that before.”

Meanwhile, your parents begin packing up the snacks and standing again.

“Ready to continue?” your dad calls.

You glance at the stranger.

“So… lake guide?”

He stands from the bench, adjusting the strap of his backpack.

“Lake guide.”

And just like that, the quiet hike through the Swiss mountains turns into something slightly more interesting. Together, you start walking again, following the trail as it climbs higher into the bright green hills of Switzerland. Beside you walks the friendly stranger you bumped into earlier, a guy whose name you still don’t know.

The trail leaving the meadow grows narrower as it winds deeper into the mountains. The grass slowly disappears, replaced by rougher ground scattered with rocks and patches of alpine flowers. Small purple and yellow blossoms grow stubbornly between stones, and every so often the wind carries the faint scent of wild herbs through the air.

Your family follows the path in a loose group, but without really planning it, you end up walking beside the stranger again. He walks easily, like someone who has hiked these trails many times before. His steps are relaxed but steady, and every now and then he glances around at the mountains like he’s quietly appreciating them all over again.

You try not to stare, but the earlier feeling returns that strange sense of familiarity you can’t quite place. Maybe he just looks like someone you’ve seen on TV once.

“So,” he says after a few minutes, “how long are you staying in Switzerland?”

“Two weeks,” you reply. “We’re moving around a bit. A few days here, then another village further south.”

“Nice,” he says. “First time here?”

You nod.

“Yeah. My parents wanted something different this year. Usually, we go somewhere with a beach, but this time they decided we needed mountains.”

He glances toward the valley far below the trail.

“Well… this is definitely mountains.”

You laugh softly. “Yeah, I think we succeeded.”

Behind you, your parents and sister have fallen slightly behind again. Your dad keeps stopping to take photos of the scenery, and your mom is carefully navigating the uneven rocks.

Your sister calls out dramatically, “Why is everything uphill?!”

The stranger chuckles. “That’s kind of how mountains work.”

You grin. “Don’t tell her that. She’s still in denial.”

The trail curves around a large rocky outcrop, and suddenly the trees thin out again. This time the view is even more impressive. The forest drops away, revealing a wide valley filled with green slopes and tiny clusters of chalets that look like miniature houses from this height.

The sky above the mountains is an endless, bright blue.

You slow down without meaning to, taking it all in.

“Wow,” you breathe.

He stops too, glancing out over the view.

“Yeah,” he says quietly.

For a moment neither of you speaks. The wind moves across the mountainside, stronger up here, lifting strands of your hair and rustling the grass along the edge of the trail.

“You’re lucky,” you say after a moment.

He looks at you. “Why?”

“You grew up with this,” you say, gesturing toward the mountains around you. “Where I’m from everything is… flat.”

He smiles slightly.

“I’ve been to the Netherlands once.”

You blink in surprise.

“Really?”

“Yeah. Very flat,” he confirms.

You laugh.

“That’s the most accurate description of my country I’ve ever heard.”

Your family finally catches up to you both. Your dad immediately stops again to take more pictures.

“This view is incredible,” he says.

The stranger nods politely.

“It’s even better at the lake.”

Your sister groans.

“You mean we still have to climb more?”

He gestures toward the trail that continues upward along the ridge.

“Just a little.”

You lean closer to your sister.

“See? Official mountain expert says we’re almost there.”

She squints suspiciously at him.

“You’re not secretly leading us up another hour of hiking, right?”

He laughs.

“I promise. Not that far.”

The group starts walking again, though the pace is slower now because the path has become steeper. The ground is uneven, and occasionally you have to step over roots or climb small rocky sections of the trail. You notice the stranger instinctively slowing his pace slightly whenever the trail gets tricky, staying close enough that your family can follow easily. At one point your mom almost slips on a loose rock, but he quickly points out a safer step just ahead.

“Try that one,” he says.

“Thank you,” she replies gratefully.

You glance at him.

“You do this a lot, don’t you?”

“Hike?” he asks.

“Yeah. And guide lost tourists.”

“Only sometimes.” He smiles.

Another bend in the trail appears ahead, partially hidden behind a cluster of tall pine trees. The sound of water becomes faintly noticeable now.

You tilt your head slightly. “Is that the lake?”

“Almost,” he says.

Your sister immediately speeds up. “Finally!”

You follow just a few steps behind her, curiosity building with every step. The sound of water grows louder as you round the last curve in the trail. The lake appears suddenly, like something out of a postcard.

Crystal clear water stretches across a small mountain basin, reflecting the sky like a mirror. Snow-dusted peaks surround it on all sides, their reflections shimmering on the surface. Near the shore, smooth stones line the edge where the water gently laps against them. The whole place feels quiet and untouched, like a hidden secret in the mountains.

“Oh my god.” Your sister stops dead in her tracks.

Your dad lowers his camera slowly, clearly impressed. Your mom just stares at the water. You walk a few steps closer to the edge of the lake, completely amazed.

“This is… insane,” you whisper.

Beside you, the stranger smiles slightly as he watches your reaction.

“Told you it was worth it.”

You turn toward him with a grin.

“Okay, yeah. Best guide ever.”

He laughs softly.

As the sunlight sparkles across the clear alpine water, your family settles along the quiet shore of a hidden lake high in the mountains of Switzerland. Standing beside you is the friendly stranger who helped you find it.

The lake stays peaceful for a long time after you arrive. Your family spreads out along the rocky shoreline, settling down as if you’ve discovered a secret place meant only for you. Your dad immediately starts taking photos from every angle possible, crouching down by the water and walking along the edge to capture the mountains reflected on the surface. Your sister takes off her shoes and carefully dips her toes into the water, only to yelp loudly a second later.

“It’s freezing!” she shouts, hopping backward onto the rocks.

You laugh as she shakes her foot dramatically.

“Well, it is a mountain lake,” the stranger beside you says, clearly amused.

You glance at him, smiling.

“Did you ever actually swim in it?”

“Once,” he says. “Never again.” That makes you laugh harder.

The two of you sit down on a large flat rock near the shore, watching the sunlight shimmer across the surface of the water. The wind is a little stronger up here, moving across the lake in soft ripples that distort the perfect reflections of the peaks above.

Your parents are talking quietly a few meters away while unpacking sandwiches from their backpack. Your sister is still cautiously poking the lake with one foot like she’s testing its temperature again.

It’s calm and peaceful. Somehow it feels like you’ve known the guy sitting next to you longer than just a few hours.

“So,” he says after a moment, resting his arms on his knees. “What do you think of Switzerland so far?”

You glance around the lake again, taking in the mountains surrounding it like giant walls of stone and green.

“I think I’m going to be very disappointed when I go back home.”

He smiles slightly.

“That bad?”

“Well…” you say, shrugging. “Back in the Netherlands our biggest ‘nature adventure’ is biking through fields.”

“Nothing wrong with that.”

“True,” you admit. “But it’s not exactly this.”

He follows your gaze across the lake.

“No,” he agrees quietly.

Your family soon finishes eating, and after spending nearly an hour enjoying the view, the group eventually decides it’s time to hike back down before it gets too late. The walk down is easier and faster, and the conversations become lighter. Your sister spends half the time joking about the freezing lake, while your dad keeps stopping to point out different mountain peaks he recognizes from the map.

The stranger, who introduced himself earlier as Nico, walks near you most of the way down. At some point the trees grow thicker again, and the afternoon sunlight turns warmer as it filters through the forest.

When you finally reach the lower trails again, the paths begin splitting in different directions.

Your dad pulls out the map once more.

“Alright… which way now?”

Nico glances at it briefly.

“If you’re heading back toward the village, this trail will take you there faster,” he says, pointing toward a wider path.

“Perfect,” your dad replies.

You all start walking again, and after another twenty minutes the forest slowly opens into a small alpine village. Wooden chalets sit scattered across the hillside, their balconies overflowing with bright flowers. The air smells faintly like fresh bread and grilled food drifting from nearby restaurants.

Your sister immediately perks up.

“Okay, I’m starving now.”

“Same here.” Your mom laughs.

Your family slows near the small village square, looking around at the cozy restaurants and cafés lining the street. Wooden signs hang outside each one, and small outdoor terraces are filled with people enjoying the warm evening air.

Nico stops walking beside you, glancing toward one of the restaurants further down the street.

“My family’s actually meeting for dinner tonight,” he says. “At one of our favourite places here.”

You look at him curiously, “Oh?”

He hesitates for a moment, then adds, “If you guys don’t already have plans… you’re welcome to join us.”

You blink in surprise.

“Oh, we couldn’t—”

“It’s really no trouble,” he says quickly. “They won’t mind at all. And the food there is really good.”

Your parents exchange a quick look.

“Well… that’s a very kind offer,” your dad shrugs with a small smile.

Your sister grins immediately.

“Good food recommendation from a local? I’m definitely in.”

You elbow her lightly, but Nico just laughs. A few minutes later you’re walking down the village street together.

The restaurant he leads you to is beautiful—an old alpine building with dark wooden beams, warm lights glowing through the windows, and flower boxes overflowing with bright red geraniums. Soft music drifts out from inside as people sit at outdoor tables enjoying dinner.

“This place is amazing already,” your sister whispers.

Inside, the restaurant feels warm and lively. The scent of grilled meat, fresh bread, and herbs fills the air, and the low hum of conversations creates a cozy atmosphere.

Nico scans the room briefly before spotting a table toward the back.

“There they are.”

You follow his gaze. Four people are already sitting there: a man and woman who look like they could be his parents, and two others who immediately stand when they see him approaching. The guy looks almost identical to Nico, just slightly older, while the girl beside him has the same dark hair and bright smile.

“Nico!” his mom, Katja, says warmly as he reaches the table.

He leans down to hug her briefly.

“Hi, Mom.”

His dad, Rino, stands as well, shaking Nico’s hand before pulling him into a quick hug. Then Nico gestures toward you and your family.

“I met them hiking today,” he explains. “They’re visiting from the Netherlands.”

His parents greet your family kindly, clearly welcoming even though they hadn’t expected extra guests. But before anyone can fully sit down, the older guy, Luca, leans back in his chair and grins.

“Oh wow.”

Nico immediately sighs. “What?”

His brother gestures between you and Nico.

“You went hiking and came back with a whole group of people?”

The girl beside him laughs.

“That’s actually impressive.”

Nico rubs the back of his neck. “They got lost.”

“We did not get lost,” you protest, though you’re smiling.

His sister, Nina, tilts her head, studying you with clear amusement.

“So, you met him on the trail?”

“Yes,” you say.

She exchanges a look with her brother.

“Oh, this is great.”

“Don’t start.” Nico already knows what’s coming.

Luca grins wider.

“What? I’m just surprised.”

“Surprised about what?” your sister asks curiously.

“That Nico actually talked to strangers first,” Luca says.

You laugh, “He didn’t talk first. We almost walked into each other.”

Nina gasps dramatically.

“A meet-cute in the mountains.”

Nico groans, leaning back in his chair.

“Seriously?”

His siblings are clearly enjoying this far too much. His brother pats him on the shoulder.

“Hey, whatever works.”

You can’t stop laughing now, and even your parents are smiling at the playful teasing. Nico shakes his head, though you can see he’s trying not to laugh too.

“Please ignore them,” he says quietly to you.

You grin. “I don’t know… I think they’re pretty entertaining.”

Across the table, Nina leans toward you slightly.

“Trust me,” she says conspiratorially, “this is the most interesting story he’s brought home all summer.”

Nico immediately covers his face with one hand, and the entire table bursts into laughter while the warm lights of the restaurant glow softly around you in the evening air of Switzerland—the family from the Netherlands unexpectedly sharing dinner with the friendly stranger from the mountain trail and his teasing siblings.

The restaurant grows busier as the evening goes on. Warm golden lights hang from wooden beams across the ceiling, and the quiet sound of conversations blends with soft music playing somewhere near the bar. Outside the windows the sky has begun turning darker, the last light of sunset fading behind the tall mountains surrounding the village.

Your family and Nico’s family sit together around the long table, and what started as a slightly awkward introduction quickly turns into an easy, lively dinner.

Plates begin arriving one after another with fresh bread still warm from the oven, bowls of salad with herbs that smell like they were picked just minutes ago, and large plates of traditional alpine dishes. Melted cheese, roasted potatoes, grilled meats, and vegetables fill the table until there’s barely any space left.

Your sister stares at the food in awe.

“Okay,” she says quietly, “this might be the best dinner of the entire trip.”

Luca grins, “It probably is.”

Your dad raises his glass slightly toward Nico.

“Thanks again for inviting us.”

“No problem,” Nico replies easily.

The conversation slowly flows between both families. Your parents talk with his parents about travel, about the difference between life in Switzerland and the Netherlands, and about hiking trails and small villages in the region. Meanwhile, the younger group at the table drifts into their own conversations.

You find yourself talking mostly with Nico and his siblings. Luca leans back in his chair, clearly still amused by the situation.

“So, you literally just walked into each other?”

“Almost,” you say.

“Sounds like something out of a movie,” Nina adds with a playful smile.

Nico immediately shakes his head. “It wasn’t like that.”

“Sure.” Luca smirks.

You laugh, shaking your head.

“I promise it was very un-romantic. We almost collided on a narrow trail.”

“That’s still a meet-cute,” Nina insists.

Nico groans quietly while you and your sister laugh.

After the teasing settles down, the conversation becomes more relaxed. Nico asks about life back home about Dutch cities, cycling everywhere, and how flat everything really is.

“Seriously,” Luca says at one point, “there are no mountains at all?”

“None,” you confirm.

Your sister nods dramatically, “If you see a hill, people take pictures.” That makes everyone laugh again.

As dinner continues, the plates slowly empty and the table fills with glasses and crumbs of bread. The atmosphere in the restaurant becomes louder as more guests arrive, but your table feels strangely comfortable, like you’ve all known each other longer than just a few hours. At some point Nico’s dad glances at his watch.

“Well,” he says, leaning back in his chair. “It’s getting late.”

Your parents look at each other and your mom nods slightly.

“We were just thinking the same thing.”

Your sister groans dramatically, “Already?”

“You’ve been hiking all day.” Your dad chuckles.

Across the table Luca stretches slightly.

“Some of us still have energy.”

Nina nods in agreement. “Yeah, the night is still young.”

Your parents begin gathering their things from the table, and Nico’s parents do the same.

Your mom turns toward you.

“We’re going to head back to the hotel.”

You blink. “Already?”

“You can stay if you want,” she says casually. “Just don’t stay out too late.”

Your sister’s eyes immediately light up.

“Wait, really?”

Your dad shrugs with a small smile.

“You’re on vacation.”

Nico’s parents exchange an amused look.

“We’re heading home too,” his mom says to him and his siblings. “But you can stay in the village if you want.”

Luca grins immediately.

“Well… there’s a bar down the street.”

Your sister looks at you with excitement.

“Oh, we’re definitely staying.”

Within a few minutes the parents are saying their goodbyes. Handshakes and friendly smiles are exchanged, and both families promise that it was lovely meeting each other.

Your dad pats Nico on the shoulder before leaving.

“Thanks again for showing us the trail.”

“Of course,” Nico replies.

Soon the older group disappears out the restaurant door into the cool evening air. And just like that, it’s only the five of you left at the table.

For a moment there’s a quiet pause. Then Luca leans forward with a grin.

“So,” he says, looking between you and your sister, “who’s ready for that bar?”

Your sister immediately raises her hand. “Absolutely.”

His sister laughs. “Perfect.”

“You don’t have to come if you’re tired.” Nico glances at you.

You shake your head quickly, “No way. After today? I’m definitely not going back to the hotel yet.”

He smiles slightly at that.

The night air feels cooler once you step fully outside the restaurant. The warmth from inside fades quickly, replaced by the crisp mountain breeze that drifts through the narrow streets of the village. Overhead, the sky is already dark, but unlike back home in the Netherlands, the stars here are incredibly clear. Without the glow of big cities, the sky above the mountains seems endless, scattered with thousands of tiny lights.

For a moment the five of you just stand there on the cobblestone street. Soft music spills from one of the nearby bars, and the quiet murmur of people enjoying the evening drifts through the warm yellow light of streetlamps.

Luca stretches his arms above his head.

“Well,” he says, glancing down the street, “I vote we go there.”

He points toward a cozy-looking bar a little further along the road. It has a small terrace with wooden tables and strings of warm lights hanging above it. Laughter and music spill out every time the door opens.

“That looks perfect.” Your sister grins.

Nina nods in agreement, “Yeah, it’s a good place.”

You glance at Nico as you all start walking.

“So… does this kind of thing happen to you a lot?” you ask.

He looks at you, slightly confused.

“What do you mean?”

“Meeting random tourists on mountain trails and bringing them out for drinks later.”

Luca immediately laughs loudly from ahead of you.

“Oh definitely not.”

Nico sighs, “Thanks.”

You smile slightly.

“I’m just curious.”

He glances down the street before answering.

“Honestly? Today was… kind of random.”

“Good random or bad random?”

He looks at you again, a small smile forming.

“Good random.”

You feel your cheeks warm slightly but look away quickly as you reach the bar.

The place is lively but not overly crowded. Inside, the walls are decorated with old wooden skis, vintage photographs of the mountains, and shelves of local drinks. A few groups of people sit around tables laughing and talking while soft music plays in the background. You all grab a table near the window.

Your sister sits down first and looks around excitedly.

“This place is so cool.”

Luca nods, “It’s one of our favorites when we’re back home.”

A waiter comes over, and everyone orders drinks, simple ones, nothing too fancy. Soon glasses are placed on the table, reflecting the warm lights of the bar.

For a while the conversation stays light and easy. Nico’s siblings quickly pull both you and your sister into their conversations like you’ve known each other for years. They tell stories about growing up here in the mountains, about school, about ridiculous things Nico did when he was younger.

“You should hear the story about when he got lost during a hiking trip,” his brother says.

Nico immediately shakes his head.

“No.”

His sister is already laughing.

“Oh yes.”

Your sister leans forward excitedly.

“Please tell me.”

Nico rubs his face with one hand.

“This is going to be embarrassing.”

His brother ignores him “So he was like… twelve, and our parents thought he was hiking with friends—”

“I was not lost,” Nico interrupts.

“You absolutely were.”

Everyone laughs as the story unfolds, and by the end even Nico is smiling despite himself. You notice something during all of this though. Even while everyone is talking, Nico’s attention keeps drifting back toward you. Sometimes it’s just a quick glance when you laugh at something his siblings say, or when you’re telling a story about your trip through Switzerland so far.

At one point your sister gets pulled into a conversation with his siblings about places in the village to visit. Which leaves the two of you momentarily quieter.

You swirl your drink slightly and look over at him.

“So… earlier today you said you come back here in the summers,” you say.

“Yeah.”

“But you don’t live here all year?”

He shakes his head slightly.

“No. I spend most of the year somewhere else.”

“Where?”

He hesitates for half a second.

“In North America.”

You raise an eyebrow.

“That’s pretty far.”

“It is.”

“What do you do there?”

For a brief moment he looks like he’s deciding how to answer that. Before he can speak, his brother suddenly leans over the table dramatically. “Oh, here we go.”

“Don’t.” Nico immediately groans.

You look between them.

“What?”

Luca grins mischievously.

“You still haven’t told her?”

Nico gives him a warning look.

“Told me what?” you ask, confused.

Nina bites back a smile.

“You really don’t know, do you?”

Now you’re even more confused. “Know what?”

Nico leans back in his chair, clearly realizing there’s no stopping this now.

His brother points directly at him, “He plays hockey.”

“Okay?” You shrug slightly.

All three siblings stare at you.

Luca blinks, “…Okay?”

“Is that surprising?” You tilt your head.

Nina bursts out laughing.

“Oh my god.”

Nico just watches your reaction quietly.

“You play hockey in North America?” you ask.

“Yeah.”

“For a team?”

“Yeah.”

You think for a moment.

“Professional?”

He nods slightly.

Your eyes widen a little.

“Oh.”

There’s a pause. Then you say honestly, “I have no idea what that means.”

Luca nearly chokes on his drink. “You’re serious?”

You nod.

“I’m from the Netherlands. Hockey there means field hockey.”

That somehow makes the entire table laugh even harder.

Nico shakes his head, smiling now.

“Honestly… that’s kind of refreshing.”

You grin.

“Sorry to disappoint everyone.”

Nina wipes a tear of laughter from her eye.

“This might be the first time someone has no clue who he is.”

Nico lifts his drink slightly toward you. “Well… I like it.”

And as the laughter settles again, the five of you continue talking late into the night—just a group of new friends sharing drinks in a cozy village bar beneath the quiet mountains of Switzerland.

The night continues to stretch lazily around the bar. Warm lights, soft music, and the faint smell of wood smoke from the fireplace make the room feel cozy, almost like a hidden corner of the world. You sit across from Nico, laughing at something his sister just said, when you realize you’ve hardly noticed the time passing.

His siblings, on the other hand, are fully aware. There’s a subtle, mischievous gleam in both of their eyes whenever they glance at the two of you. Every so often, one of them nudges the other under the table or leans over to whisper something in a conspiratorial tone, obviously plotting something you haven’t figured out yet.

“You know,” Luca says casually, leaning back and pretending to look around the room, “it’s really nice that you two met today.”

You glance at him, trying to read his tone, but he just smiles innocently. Nico, meanwhile, raises an eyebrow and looks at you, clearly curious.

“You mean the trail?” you ask, smiling slightly.

“Exactly,” Nina chimes in, grinning. “Funny how a small bump on a narrow path can turn into… well… this.” She gestures vaguely between the two of you.

Nico lets out a small laugh, shaking his head. “I don’t know if I’d call it anything yet.”

“Oh, he’s playing it cool,” his brother says dramatically. “Typical.”

You glance at Nico, who smirks faintly, and you can’t help but laugh too. It’s not mocking just a quiet, easy smile that makes the air between you feel lighter.

The siblings clearly aren’t giving up. They start steering the conversation in ways that naturally bring the two of you together—asking Nico to explain parts of the trail you walked, having him help you choose a drink from the menu, and telling stories that highlight his quirks, his humour, his laugh… small things that make him seem more approachable, more human, and, frankly, impossible not to like.

“Remember when he slipped on that rock near the waterfall?” Nina says, leaning in conspiratorially. “I thought he was going to fall into the stream.”

“You didn’t,” Nico protests. “It was fine. I caught myself.”

You laugh, shaking your head. “Sounds dramatic to me.”

“Exactly the point,” his brother says, winking. “He’s humble, but you see the real him when he’s not trying to be perfect.”

You notice Nico glancing at you more often now, the faint smile tugging at his lips whenever you laugh at something his siblings say. The teasing isn’t mean, it’s playful, a little nudge in your direction. It’s clear they’re working together, even though you haven’t fully realized it yet.

“You know,” Nico says quietly, leaning closer so only you can hear, “I think they enjoy this far more than I do.”

You glance at him, raising an eyebrow. “Enjoy what?”

“The fact that they’re trying to get me to talk to you,” he says, a small smile tugging at his lips.

You laugh softly, feeling a warmth spreading through your chest. “I… had no idea.”

He shrugs slightly, still smiling. “Apparently it’s a team effort.”

Nina suddenly leans back, pretending to be bored but clearly enjoying herself. “Team Cupid,” she whispers under her breath, nudging her brother and your sister.

Your sister snorts quietly. “Best job ever.”

The rest of the night continues in a similar rhythm. Nico’s siblings and your sister continue to subtly prod the two of you together—making jokes that force eye contact, telling stories that involve shared experiences from earlier in the day, or casually leaving gaps in the conversation so the two of you fill them together.

You notice how natural it feels. There’s no pressure, no awkward pauses, just easy conversation, laughter, and a quiet sense of connection that grows with every story, every glance, every smile.

When you finally step outside into the cool mountain air again, the bar behind you buzzing with music and chatter, you realize the siblings aren’t done—they’re walking slightly ahead of you, nudging Nico every so often, whispering things that make him laugh or roll his eyes.

And when he finally turns to you as you walk side by side down the quiet street, his smile is soft, a little shy, but completely real.

“You know,” he says quietly, “your family and my siblings, they’ve got way too much fun at my expense.”

You grin. “I think they’re just trying to make sure you and I actually talk.”

He laughs, shaking his head. “I think you’re right.”

The small village has grown quieter by the time you leave the bar. The music fades behind you as the door closes, replaced by the softer sounds of the night settling over the mountains—distant laughter from another terrace, the faint clink of glasses somewhere further down the street, and the cool breeze drifting through the narrow lanes between wooden chalets.

Above you, the sky is unbelievably clear. Back home in the Netherlands you rarely see stars like this. Here, high in the mountains of Switzerland, the sky stretches endlessly, scattered with bright constellations that feel close enough to reach.

For a moment the five of you just stand outside the bar, adjusting to the cooler air.

Your sister stretches dramatically.

“That was such a good night.”

Luca nods. “Agreed.”

Then, without warning, your sister suddenly grabs Nina’s arm and blurts out loudly “Okay wait—this whole day is insane!”

And the two of them immediately start talking over each other in pure excitement.

“I know!” Nina says, laughing. “You met him on a trail!”

“And then dinner with both families?!”

“And now we’re here!”

Your sister looks back at you and Nico, eyes wide.

“This is literally the most random vacation day ever.”

Luca chuckles beside them. “Honestly, yeah.”

The three of them keep chatting excitedly ahead of you, their voices animated as they walk down the softly lit street together. They’re not trying to be subtle about anything, they’re just genuinely amused by how strange and fun the day turned out.

You and Nico naturally fall a step behind them.

The village at night feels calm, almost peaceful compared to the lively bar you just left. Wooden balconies with flowers hang above the street, and warm yellow lamps cast soft light across the cobblestones.

You glance ahead at the others.

“They bonded really fast,” you say.

“Yeah,” Nico replies, smiling slightly. “My siblings do that.”

“My sister too, apparently.”

Up ahead, your sister is enthusiastically telling a story while Nico’s siblings laugh, the three of them clearly getting along like they’ve known each other longer than just a few hours.

You hear Nina say, “Wait, you have to come back in winter sometime.”

Your sister immediately responds, “Oh my god, imagine skiing here.”

You smile a little at that.

“They’re already planning future trips.”

Nico laughs softly.

“That sounds about right.”

For a few moments you and him walk quietly, the sound of your footsteps echoing lightly along the street. The breeze carries the scent of pine from the forests surrounding the village, and somewhere nearby you can hear a small stream running through the town.

“So,” you say after a moment, glancing at him, “do nights like this happen often for you here?”

“Not really,” he admits. “Usually, it’s just family dinners or quiet evenings.”

“And random hikers?”

He smiles slightly.

“That’s new.”

You laugh.

“I still can’t believe today happened.”

“Same.”

Up ahead, your sister suddenly turns around while walking backwards, still talking to Nico’s siblings.

“Hey, are you guys coming?”

“We are,” you call back.

She grins and turns forward again, continuing her conversation with them like nothing happened.

You look back at Nico.

“They’re definitely enjoying this.”

“Yeah,” he says. “But I think it’s just because today turned out unexpectedly fun.”

You nod, glancing up at the stars again.

“It really did.”

For a moment neither of you says anything, but the silence isn’t awkward, it’s comfortable, the kind that happens naturally after a long day filled with too many unexpected moments to count.

The group continues walking through the village for a while, following the quiet streets that curve gently between wooden chalets and small gardens full of late-summer flowers. The night air feels cool but comfortable after the warm atmosphere of the bar, and the mountains loom dark and peaceful beyond the glowing village lights.

Your sister and Nico’s siblings are still talking animatedly ahead of you, comparing stories about school, travel, and random vacation experiences. Every now and then you catch bits of their conversation drifting back toward you, followed by bursts of laughter, but after a few turns through the village, you reach a small square with several paths branching in different directions.

Nico’s brother slows down first.

“Alright,” he says, looking around. “We should probably head home before Mom texts us.”

His sister nods in agreement. “Yeah, it’s getting late.”

Your sister glances at you.

“Oh right, we’re supposed to go back too.”

You hadn’t even been thinking about the time. For a moment the group gathers under one of the streetlamps, the warm light casting soft shadows across the cobblestones.

“Well,” Luca says, smiling at you and your sister, “it was really nice meeting you both.”

“Yeah,” Nina adds warmly. “Today was fun.”

Your sister immediately hugs them both like she’s known them longer than a few hours.

“Same here!”

You laugh softly and say your goodbyes too. After a few moments, the siblings start heading off down a side street together, still chatting and joking with each other as they go. Your sister walks a few steps with them, then turns back toward you.

“I’ll go with them to the corner,” she says. “Our hotel is that way anyway.”

You raise an eyebrow slightly but nod, “Okay.”

She gives you a small knowing smile before jogging to catch up with them. And then suddenly, the street is quiet.

It’s just you and Nico standing under the warm glow of the streetlight. For a moment neither of you speaks. The village feels calmer now, the night deeper and quieter without the earlier laughter and conversations surrounding you. Somewhere in the distance, a faint bell rings from a church tower, marking the late hour.

You glance down the street where the others disappeared, then back at Nico.

“Well,” you say softly, “that was… a really good day.”

He nods slowly.

“Yeah. It was.”

The air between you feels different now quieter, but also a little more focused. Like the whole day has been building toward this calm moment.

You shift slightly, leaning one shoulder against the wooden railing beside the path.

“I’m glad we almost ran into each other on that trail,” you add.

He smiles at that. “Me too.”

There’s a pause. Just a moment where both of you seem to be thinking the same thing but not quite saying it yet. Nico takes a small step closer.

“I was wondering something,” he says quietly.

You look up at him.

“What?”

He hesitates for just a second, like he’s deciding whether to say it. Then he asks softly, “Would it be okay if I kissed you?”

Your heart does a small, surprised flip. For a moment you just look at him under the warm streetlight, the quiet village around you and the stars bright above the mountains. Then you smile.

“Yeah,” you say.

He moves a little closer, gently, like he’s making sure you’re still comfortable. One hand rests lightly near your arm, and when he leans in, the moment feels slow and calm instead of rushed.

The kiss is soft, and a little unexpected after such a long, random day. But it also feels right. When you both pull back slightly, you can’t help smiling.

“Okay,” you say quietly, half laughing. “That definitely wasn’t part of my vacation plan.”

He laughs softly too.

“Mine either.”

For a second you both just stand there, still close, the quiet street stretching around you.

Then he says, “I was also wondering… if you’d want to meet again tomorrow.”

You raise an eyebrow playfully.

“Another random hike?”

“Maybe something a little less accidental this time,” he says with a small smile. “There’s a really nice spot near the lake higher up in the valley. Or we could just walk around the village.”

You think about it for approximately half a second.

“I’d like that.”

His smile grows slightly.

trevorzegras: the way buddy’s CHOWING on his foot is crazy

_quinnhughes: you managed to convince jack to go outside?? on a hike?? in the sun?? in the outdoors??

jackhughes: why r u such a hater

trevorzegras: no. 1 opp fr

userone: PICKLES (Y/L/N)!!

jackhughes: despite nearly dying on this hike, i actually enjoyed myself. thanks for taking me out ig babe

usertwo: the most monotoned comment i have ever read

youruser: “thanks for taking me out ig babe” boy, do you want to rephrase that comment?

lhughes_06: ooohh, rowdy’s in trouble!

jackhughes: thank you so much for taking me out on a hike babe! i enjoyed spending time with you 💗

youruser: of course bb!! 🤭

trevorzegras: jackhughes WHIPPED 🫵🏻

lhughes_06: remember when he didn’t even want the cat & complained nonstop about him & all the fur he left behind?? no?? just me??

userthree: not luke calling out jack lmao

usertwo: but pickles is so cute!! how could he NOT like the cat 😭

userfour: pickles being an outdoor cat just makes sense to me. like, he just gives off those vibes

nicohischier: jack wouldn’t go near pickles for MONTHS after (y/n) got him

tmeier96: wouldn’t touch him with a ten foot pole at first

pally_18: but when (y/n) had to rush him to the vet for an emergency, you bet he cut practice early & left luke stranded at prudential while he rushed to the vet

jackhughes: opps. all of you.

jackhughes just posted!

liked by elhughes, lhughes_06, & others

jackhughes: for all of you who doubted my tolerability of pickles

tagged: mister.pickles & youruser

( loading comments ! )

youruser: the last pic of him as a kitten just brought tears to my eyes, they grow up so fast 😭

lhughes_06: you sure he tolerates you? you get more scars & bruises from the cat than you do on the ice

userone: 😳

nicohischier: jack hughes, cat dad & professional hockey player

usertwo: i like how he put cat dad before the fact that he’s a professional athlete 🤣

elhughes: see, i told you you’d come around!

userthree: jack’s just being exposed in everyone’s comment sections 😭

jackhughes: mommm

yourbestie: don’t be fooled. it took pickles & jack MONTHS to actually like each other enough to sit in the same room together

dawson1417: just a reminder, i am free to cat sit WHENEVER needed 😊

yoursibling: the cutest cat ever!! 🫶🏼

youruser just posted!

liked by nicohischier, njdevils, & others

youruser: jack totally loves the cat. don’t let him tell you otherwise

tagged: jackhughes & mister.pickles

( loading comments! )

userone: i knew there was no way that jack didn’t cuddle pickles. he’s too cute not too

usertwo: we love the character development

trevorzegras: told you he just needed to accept his role as cat dad

userthree: there’s no way 😭

_quinnhughes: pickles looks pissed that jack’s holding him in the first pic lmao

lhughes_06: he looks more concerned that its jack holding him rather than (y/n) lol

userfour: poor jack catching heat left & right 😂

njdevils: jack hughes, the best cat dad there is

jackhughes: mister pickles is a decent cat, i suppose

youruser: oh, please. you literally cried yesterday because he hissed at you for the first time in weeks while you were trimming his nails

jackhughes: it was RUDE

trevorzegras: dude, he’s a CAT

He sighs, tilting his head back against the headrest for just a second before refocusing. “Yeah. One of those nights.”

You nod, biting the inside of your cheek. It’s always one of those nights when he calls you. When he shoots you a text—Can’t sleep. You up?—and you tell yourself you shouldn’t answer. That you shouldn’t slide into the passenger seat of his car at 1 a.m. That you shouldn’t let him drive you through the city like you’re something fragile he doesn’t quite know how to hold.

But you always do.

The streets are mostly empty this late, just the occasional cab or someone stumbling out of a bar, but Nico keeps driving, like there’s somewhere he wants to go but hasn’t decided yet.

Or maybe he just doesn’t want to take you home.

You steal a glance at him. He’s still in his post-game suit, tie gone, top buttons undone. There’s a hint of exhaustion in his face, but his hands on the wheel are steady, strong.

“Did you even shower after the game?” you tease, trying to lighten whatever this is.

His lips twitch. “Are you saying I smell?”

“No,” you say, even though there’s a trace of sweat, cologne, and something distinctly him lingering in the air. “Just wondering how desperate you were to get out of there.”

He exhales through his nose, shaking his head. “Didn’t feel like staying.”

He doesn’t say why.

But you know.

You press your head against the cool glass, watching the lights smear against the dark sky. “You played well.”

“Did I?”

“Yeah. You always do.”

He doesn’t respond right away. Instead, he shifts gears, and the low growl of the engine fills the silence. You swear his fingers tighten on the wheel again.

“Not always,” he mutters.

You turn to look at him, but his gaze is locked on the road, jaw tight. There’s something unspoken in his words, in the way his grip flexes, in the way he won’t meet your eyes.

You know this version of Nico—the one who carries the weight of a whole team on his shoulders, who never lets himself falter, who never gives himself enough credit. You’ve seen him like this before. But every time, it makes something twist in your chest.

The car hums beneath you, the city stretching out in every direction. Neither of you say much, but that’s always how it is. Nico isn’t the type to fill silence just for the sake of it, and you’ve learned to be okay with that.

But something about tonight feels different.

He drives with one hand on the wheel, the other resting against his thigh, fingers tapping lightly—like he’s working through something in his head.

You shift in your seat, pulling your coat tighter around you. “Where are we going?”

Nico exhales, glancing at you briefly before turning back to the road. “Nowhere. Just… driving.”

It’s not an answer, but it’s the truth.

You watch the way the streetlights reflect in his eyes, the sharp line of his jaw when he clenches it. He’s tense. Maybe from the game, maybe from something else. You wish he’d just say it—whatever’s on his mind.

Instead, you ask, “You ever gonna let me drive this thing?”

His lips twitch. “Not a chance.”

You smirk. “What, don’t trust me?”

“I don’t trust anyone with my car,” he says, side-eyeing you. “Especially not you.”

You place a dramatic hand over your heart. “Wow. I’m offended.”

His low chuckle fills the space between you, something warm slipping into the tension. It makes your chest tighten. Because this is how it always goes—this push and pull, this unspoken something between you.

You wonder if he feels it too. If it keeps him up at night the way it does you.

You turn toward him, studying his profile. “You okay?”

He doesn’t answer right away. His jaw shifts, fingers flexing slightly against the wheel. “Yeah. Just—” He exhales sharply. “Long night.”

You nod. You know what he means, even if he won’t say it outright.

There’s something about Nico—something about the way he carries everything so quietly, so carefully. Like he doesn’t want to let anyone see the cracks. Like if he lets go for even a second, everything might come apart.

And maybe that’s why he called you tonight.

Maybe that’s why you came.

The car slows as he pulls off onto a quieter street, the glow of the city fading behind you. You glance at him, brows furrowing. “Why’d you stop?”

His hands tighten around the wheel. “Just—don’t wanna take you home yet.”

And god. You shouldn’t feel your pulse jump at that.

But you do.

Your breath catches for half a second.

It’s not like he hasn’t said things like this before—things that toe the line of something more. But tonight, it feels different. He isn’t smirking, isn’t teasing. He’s just looking at you, fingers still curled around the wheel like he’s trying to decide if he should let go.

You shift in your seat, watching the way his throat bobs as he swallows. “Okay,” you say softly.

He nods once, as if settling into the decision. Then he cuts the engine. The sudden quiet is deafening.

For a moment, neither of you move. The streetlights cast sharp shadows across his face, highlighting the curve of his jaw, the tension in his shoulders. You think about how many times you’ve been in this car with him—how many times you’ve told yourself it doesn’t mean anything.

But sitting here now, the air thick with something unspoken, you can’t lie to yourself anymore.

“You ever gonna tell me why you call me when you can’t sleep?” you ask, voice barely above a whisper.

Nico’s fingers flex against his thigh. His gaze flicks to you, then away again. “I dunno,” he mutters. “Just… easier.”

“Easier than what?”

He shifts in his seat, one hand raking through his hair. His jaw clenches for a beat before he exhales. “Than being alone, I guess.”

Your chest tightens.

It’s an admission, but not the one you want.

You glance at the city outside, at the blurred neon signs and empty sidewalks. “That’s all this is?” you ask, hating how quiet your voice sounds.

Nico doesn’t answer right away. Instead, he reaches for the dial, turning down the music that had been playing softly in the background. The quiet stretches between you, heavier than before.

And then—

“I don’t know what this is.”

The words are barely more than a murmur, but they hit you like a punch to the ribs.

Because that’s the thing, isn’t it? This thing between you has never had a definition. It’s late-night drives and stolen glances. It’s his hand on the small of your back when no one’s looking. It’s a text at 1 a.m. and an empty passenger seat that’s always waiting for you.

It’s nothing.

And yet it’s everything.

“You wanna figure it out?” you ask, pulse hammering in your throat.

Nico turns then, really looks at you. His gaze is darker now, more intense. His lips part slightly, like he wants to say something, but he doesn’t. Instead, his fingers tighten around the gear shift, like he’s grounding himself.

Like he’s trying to stop himself from doing something he shouldn’t.

But you don’t think you want him to stop.

The air inside the car is suffocating now, thick with everything neither of you are saying.

Nico’s fingers tap against the gear shift—once, twice—before he exhales sharply and drags a hand over his face. “You know it’s not that simple.”

Your chest tightens. “Isn’t it?”

He doesn’t answer. Just stares at the windshield, his jaw locked, something unreadable flickering across his face.

And you get it. You do. He’s Nico Hischier—captain, leader, the guy who carries more weight on his shoulders than anyone realises. He can’t afford distractions, can’t afford complications.

But you’re right here. And he’s the one who keeps pulling you closer.

You shift in your seat, suddenly restless. “You always do this,” you mutter, shaking your head.

His gaze snaps to yours. “Do what?”

You let out a humourless laugh. “You call me in the middle of the night. You pick me up. You drive me around like you don’t wanna let me go—but then you sit there like this is some impossible thing.”

His jaw tightens. “You think this is easy for me?”

“I don’t know, Nico. You tell me.”

Silence.

A muscle ticks in his jaw, his fingers curling into a fist against his thigh. And then, suddenly, he moves.

Not away from you. Closer.

His hand lifts, just barely grazing your knee before stopping. Like he’s not sure if he should. Like if he touches you for real, there’s no taking it back.

Your breath catches.

“You think I don’t want this?” His voice is low, rough. Nothing like the careful, measured way he usually speaks.

Your pulse thrums against your skin. “Then why—”

“Because if I start something with you, I don’t know if I can stop.”

His words crash into you like a punch to the stomach.

Because this is it, isn’t it? The reason for all the late nights, all the stolen glances, all the times he’s looked at you like he’s already thinking about regret.

He’s been holding back.

And now, you’re not sure if he wants to anymore.

You shift, the space between you suddenly too small. “Then don’t,” you whisper.

Nico swears under his breath, his head tilting back against the seat like he’s at war with himself. His fingers flex again—like he wants to touch you, like he needs to.

And then—finally—he does.

His hand slides over your thigh, slow and deliberate, fingertips pressing into the fabric of your jeans. Not enough. Nowhere near enough.

Your breath shudders out of you. “Nico—”

His name on your lips is all it takes.

The next thing you know, his hand is cupping your jaw, his thumb brushing against your cheek. He’s close now, so close you can feel his breath against your skin. His eyes flick to your lips, dark and unreadable.

“You sure about this?” he murmurs, voice barely above a whisper.

You don’t even hesitate.

“Yeah,” you breathe. “I’m sure.”

Nico doesn’t waste another second.

The second Nico closes the space between you, it’s like something snaps.

His lips press against yours—firm, searching—like he’s trying to make up for all the times he’s held back. His hand slides from your jaw to the back of your neck, fingers threading into your hair, tilting your head just enough to deepen the kiss.

And god, you feel it everywhere.

The slow drag of his mouth. The heat of his palm against your skin. The way his other hand tightens against your thigh, fingertips pressing in like he’s anchoring himself. Like if he lets go, this whole thing might disappear.

You reach for him without thinking, fingers curling around the lapels of his suit jacket, tugging him closer. He lets out the faintest sound—a low hum against your lips—and something about it makes your stomach flip.

Nico pulls back just enough to look at you, his breath uneven. His forehead rests against yours, eyes dark, searching.

“You don’t know how long I’ve wanted to do that,” he murmurs.

Your fingers tighten around his jacket. “Then why didn’t you?”

He swallows, his thumb brushing along your jaw. “I don’t know. Because I’m an idiot, maybe.”

His voice is quiet, almost like he’s confessing something he shouldn’t. And you feel that—feel it in the way his fingers linger against your skin, in the way he looks at you like you’re something he’s afraid to lose.

But there’s no hesitation now. No more unspoken words, no more pretending. Just the weight of his gaze, the warmth of his touch, the heat building between you.

Your hand slides to the back of his neck, fingertips brushing against the soft hair there. “I’m not gonna go anywhere, you know,” you whisper.

Nico exhales sharply—like you just made a decision for him. And maybe you did.

Because the next thing you know, his lips are on yours again, hungrier this time, his hand slipping under the hem of your shirt, fingertips grazing bare skin. A shiver rolls down your spine, your breath catching as he presses just a little closer, his body warm and solid against yours.

This is new, but it isn’t.

It’s every late-night drive. Every lingering glance. Every time his fingers brushed against yours just long enough to make you wonder if it meant something.

And now, you know.

Nico’s lips move to the corner of your mouth, then lower, skimming along the edge of your jaw. His breath is warm against your skin, sending a slow, burning ache curling through you.

“You have no idea what you do to me,” he murmurs against your neck.

Your breath stutters, fingers tightening in his jacket. “Then show me.”

His grip on you tightens. “Careful,” he warns, voice rougher now, lower. “I don’t think you wanna test me right now.”

But god, you do.

You tilt your chin, letting his lips drag lower, just enough to make your pulse trip. “Maybe I do.”

Nico groans softly, his forehead dropping to your shoulder for half a second, like he’s trying to rein himself in. But then he exhales, pressing one last kiss to your skin before pulling back just enough to meet your gaze.

His eyes are darker now, his expression unreadable.

“Get in the backseat,” he says.

Your breath catches.

He watches you for a beat, waiting. And then—slowly, deliberately—he leans in, lips brushing against your ear.

“Now.”

And you don’t even think about hesitating.

Your pulse hammers in your throat as you move, the quiet click of your seatbelt unfastening echoing through the car. Nico watches you the whole time, his gaze heavy, unrelenting. There’s something electric in the air between you—something charged, buzzing under your skin.

You push open the door, stepping into the crisp night air for only a second before sliding into the backseat. The leather is cool against your legs, but the temperature shift does nothing to settle the heat curling low in your stomach.

And then—Nico is there.

The door shuts behind him, sealing you both inside this space that suddenly feels much smaller. The city outside is nothing but a blur of neon and darkness, but in here? It’s just him.

He doesn’t say anything at first, just looks at you—the kind of look that makes you feel like you’re the only thing that exists. His jaw is tight, his breathing a little uneven, like he’s still deciding if he should let this happen.

Like he’s still holding on to that last shred of restraint.

But then you shift slightly, the movement pressing your thigh against his, and that’s all it takes.

Nico moves.

One hand finds your waist, the other tilting your chin up before his mouth crashes against yours. This kiss is different—desperate, all restraint gone. His hands tighten against you, fingers pressing into your skin like he needs to feel you, needs to prove that you’re real.

You let out a soft gasp, and he takes advantage of it, deepening the kiss until your head is spinning. His body is solid against yours, warmth seeping through the thin fabric of your shirt, and god, you want to be closer.

Your fingers find the buttons of his dress shirt, tugging the fabric loose, and Nico exhales sharply against your lips. “You’re gonna be the death of me,” he mutters, voice rough, strained.

You smirk against his mouth. “Good.”

His answering groan is low, barely audible, but then his lips are trailing lower—along your jaw, down the column of your throat. His hands slip under the hem of your shirt, fingertips grazing bare skin, and you shiver, your breath stuttering.

Nico pauses, just for a second, his lips hovering over your collarbone. His breath is uneven, his grip on you firm but careful. Like he’s giving you a chance to stop this.

Like he needs to hear you say it again.

You tilt his chin up, forcing his eyes to meet yours. “I want this,” you whisper. “I want you.”

That’s all it takes.

Nico’s restraint snaps completely, and he’s on you—lips, hands, everywhere. His mouth finds yours again, hungrier this time, and you lose yourself in the feeling of it. The heat, the urgency, the way he touches you like he’s been waiting for this forever.

And maybe he has.

Nico kisses like he plays—all in, completely focused, like there’s nothing else in the world but this. But you.

His hands slide under your shirt, fingertips dragging over bare skin, slow and deliberate. He’s not rushing—he’s taking his time, like he’s memorising the way you feel beneath his touch.

And god, it’s almost too much.

Your back hits the leather seat as he leans into you, his weight pressing against yours, warm and solid and so damn good. His lips trail lower, grazing the sensitive spot just beneath your jaw, and you feel the shiver roll through you before you can stop it.

Nico notices.

“You’re shaking,” he murmurs, his breath hot against your skin. His tone is somewhere between teasing and concerned, but the way his fingers tighten on your waist tells you exactly what it does to him.

You exhale sharply, your hands fisting in the fabric of his half-unbuttoned shirt. “Not my fault you’re—” You break off with a gasp as his lips press just below your ear.

Nico smirks. “That good?”

Cocky.

You roll your eyes, tugging him down into another kiss, letting your teeth scrape against his bottom lip just enough to make him groan. “Shut up, Hischier.”

His laugh is low, rough. “Make me.”

Challenge accepted.

Your fingers push the rest of his buttons undone, dragging the fabric over his shoulders. His skin is warm beneath your hands, his muscles tensing slightly under your touch. He lets you explore for a moment, but then his hands are on you again, gripping your hips, pulling you flush against him.

And damn, he’s strong.

Your head tips back against the seat, breathing uneven, and Nico takes full advantage, his lips finding the curve of your collarbone. His hands slide lower, thumbs brushing just beneath the waistband of your jeans, and a sharp gasp escapes before you can stop it.

The sound of it goes straight to his ego, because he lifts his head, his lips ghosting over your ear, sending a shiver sparking through your body. "You make the prettiest sounds," he murmurs, voice a low rumble that sinks right down into your core.

You open your mouth to retort, but the only thing that comes out is another gasp as his hand slips lower, fingers skimming along the inside of your thigh.

Your head falls back again, and he takes advantage, pressing his lips against the exposed skin of your throat. He’s barely even touching you, and it’s already making you lightheaded.

“Nico,” you breathe, your fingers finding the back of his neck, trying to pull him closer.

“Hm?”

Nico smiles against your skin, his thumb rubbing small, slow circles against the sensitive skin on your thigh. Not quite high enough to give you what you want.

Tease.

Your hips shift involuntarily as his touch skirts higher, and he chuckles softly, ducking his head to press his face against the side of your neck. You can feel the heat of his breath against your skin, the way his body is still barely touching yours, and somehow, it’s already driving you crazy.

“You’re not getting impatient already, are you?” he murmurs, his teeth grazing your earlobe.

"Shut up," you mutter, but the words come out more breathless than you mean them to. You can feel him grinning against your skin, and goddamnit, you hate that he’s smug about this.

His thumb rubs another lazy circle just at the inside of your knee, his lips skimming over the hollow of your throat. It should be impossible that he can make you feel this much with so little touch, but his fingers are setting your nerve endings on fire, making your thoughts blur together around a single word: more.

"Patience is a virtue, you know." The smirk in his voice is evident, and you have half a mind to smack him for it.

"I’m not exactly known for my virtues," you retort, but the words falter as his hand skates just a little higher up your leg, and god, you’re sure he’s playing with you now.

"Clearly."

His lips move to the other side of your neck, nuzzling against the sensitive skin just below your ear. You shiver when his body presses against yours, sending a slow, burning ache coiling through you.

His thumb teases over the seam of your jeans, tracing mindless patterns as he hums against your neck. "You always this impatient?"

"Only around you, apparently," you grumble, your grip on his shirt tightening as he chuckles softly.

The sound of it rolls over you like a wave. You hate that you love it—how affected you are just by his touch, his voice, his goddamn proximity.

His teeth graze the spot just below your jaw, and a sharp gasp escapes you. You can feel the smirk against your skin, the way your body reacts to his, and you just know he’s enjoying this.

"That so?” His voice drops an octave lower, sending a shock of heat down your spine. “Guess I should feel honoured then, hm?"

And goddamnit, he’s cocky. You want to wipe that stupid smirk off his face, but all you can manage is a muttered curse as his thumb moves again. It stays there, just teasing, and you swear you almost whine.

He hears it—of course he does—and he chuckles again, the sound of it rumbling against your skin.

"You know, if you want something, you should ask nice

Your retort dies on your tongue when his thumb finally starts moving again. His lips are on your throat, pressing open-mouthed kisses that are somehow too much and not enough all at once.

You’re barely holding it together, and he knows it. You can hear it in his voice, see it in the way his gaze keeps darting to your face, like he’s just waiting for you to crack.

“Ask nicely for what? This?” You mutter as you press your hand against the front of his dress pants to palm at his already hard cock, teasing him back.

His hands tighten against your waist on reflex, a low sound escaping him. The smirk finally disappears, replaced by a look of pure heat. It only makes you want to tease him more.

"Tease," he mutters, his grip on you tightening as you push him back against the leather seat. You brace a hand against the headrest, trapping him there, and his eyes darken as your thighs slide into place on either side of his thighs.

"You’re playing with fire," he says, but the warning is half-hearted at best. You watch a muscle in his jaw twitch when your hips shift, grinding down against him.

"Maybe I like it that way."

You lean down, catching his bottom lip between your teeth, grinning when his breath stutters at the contact. Then he’s kissing you, his hands sliding down your thighs, gripping with enough force to make you moan against his mouth.

He groans at the sound of it, and you can feel him growing harder beneath you. You press your hips down on purpose this time, and his fingers dig into your thighs, pulling you flush against him.

You’d give anything to see his self-control break for good.

This time, you can’t even hear his words in the rush of blood in your head. You’re all too aware of his hands on you, the way his body is hot and taut beneath yours, how he’s reacting to every tiny movement of your body.

But then he’s shifting, flipping you suddenly so you’re on your back, back pressed against the leather seat. He’s on top of you now, his body pinning you down, and you let out a little sound of surprise.

You open your mouth to speak, and your breath catches as he grinds his hips against yours—hard and deliberate. You’re fully aware of how he feels, of how much this is affecting him just as much as it is you.

"Are you gonna keep being a tease," he murmurs, his lips finding your jaw, "or are you gonna take what you want?"

He drops his head, lips dragging down your throat, and it takes all of your self-control not to arch up into him.

“Are you?”

You can feel his smile against your skin, smug, confident—cocky. He shifts slightly, grinding into you again, and you can’t help the gasp that escapes your lips.

"You wanna find out?"

“Yeah,” you can’t help but breathe out.

The smirk is back on his face, growing wider as his fingers skim beneath the hem of your shirt. You inhale sharply at the touch, goosebumps sparking across your skin, but he doesn’t stop there.

He tugs the fabric up, just enough to expose your stomach, and then his lips are on your skin—slow, teasing kisses across your ribs.

You shiver, your head tipping back against the leather. You can’t seem to think straight with Nico’s lips on you like this, his body pressed against your as he kisses and nips at the sensitive skin of your ribs.

Your hand slides into his hair, gripping the strands, earning a low groan against your stomach. He looks up then, his gaze dark and heavy, and god, you’ve never wanted anyone more.

He’s hovering just above your hip now, his nose skimming along the skin as his fingers dip under the waistband of your jeans. The feel of it makes you shiver, but he’s being too damn careful, his movements deliberate, like he’s trying to be good.

You don’t want him to be good.

You want him to crack.

You lift your hips slightly, desperate for any friction against your skin, but Nico’s hand presses you back down, a barely audible “patience” escaping him.

He’s still teasing, and you’re slowly losing your mind.

"You’re not being fair," you say, and his low laugh vibrates through you. You can feel the curve of his smile against your skin as he tugs gently at the button of your jeans.

"Not being fair would be me leaving you like this," he murmurs, teeth scraping over your hip bone. "You know, see how much longer you’d last."

You bite back a curse, your pulse racing at the thought. He hasn’t touched you where you want him yet, but every graze of his fingers has you reeling.

"You wouldn’t do that," you tell him, your breath catching despite your best efforts.

He hums noncommittally, his fingers undoing the button of your jeans now. He slips them off your hips just enough to expose a thin strip of your underwear, and this time a curse actually does fall from your mouth when his thumb skims along the edge.

His breath is hot against your skin. “You sure about that?”

You open your mouth to argue, but your words dissolve into a strangled gasp as his thumb brushes against your clit, and god, you swear your brain short-circuits for a minute.

He’s always had this kind of effect on you, but here in this car, barely hidden from the outside world, it’s more powerful than ever.

He murmurs something you don’t quite catch, and then his mouth is on your hip again, your hands grasping at nothing now, looking for something to ground you to reality.

His thumb presses back against you, a little firmer this time, and your breathing is almost too unsteady now. You try to form a coherent thought, but it’s impossible when he’s everywhere, lighting up every single nerve ending in your body.

His other hand grips your hip, holding you in place as his thumb moves in maddening, lazy circles, and you’re pretty sure he’s torturously, painfully aware of how much you want him.

“You’re already so worked up for me,” he murmurs, shifting to mouth at the spot just below your navel. “So goddamn sensitive.”

“Shut up,” you manage, but the words come out more strained than you mean them to, and you’re pretty sure he can tell.

He chuckles again, low and smug, and you want to wipe that stupid look off his face. But then he presses his thumb down against you again, just a little bit harder this time, and your thoughts go blank, replaced by a string of half-formed curses.

He’s driving you insane on purpose now, his thumb still moving in those torturous circles. You want to press against him, to relieve some of the desperate ache building inside you, but he’s still pinning you down and he’s not letting you.

The worst part is, he’s enjoying this, the cocky bastard. He’s doing it on purpose.

“Please,” escapes your mouth, and to your horror, it comes out as a whine.

He laughs softly against your stomach, and the sound of it makes you shiver all over again. This is borderline cruel, and he obviously knows it. “Please what, sweetheart?”

You bite back a frustrated curse, your hips involuntarily bucking up, searching for more.

“You know what,” you say, and this time your voice is more strangled, raw with need. “I swear, if you don’t—”

“If I don’t what?” he responds, feigning innocence as he nips at your hip again. His thumb is still moving maddeningly slowly, and you swear you’re going to combust if he keeps this up.

“Jesus, Nico—”

“What if I want to just tease you all night?” he murmurs, his mouth on your stomach again. “See just how desperate I can make you before you lose it completely?”

“Don’t really have time for that in a fogged up car parked in an abandoned car park,” you gasp out, tugging at his hair again.

He chuckles again, and the sound of it makes your shiver. He’s enjoying this far too much.

“True,” he concedes, but the deliberate motion of his thumb doesn’t change. “And it’s damn cold out here.” He tugs gently on your jeans. “Maybe we should take this somewhere else.”

“Absolutely not,” you scoff. “I swear if you don’t get inside of me soon—“

Nico goes still for a second, his fingers tightening on your hip. Your words take every last bit of his self-control away.

“That what you want?” he asks, his voice dark and low.

“You already know the answer to that.”

“I wanna hear you say it.” It’s a command, but the words are ragged, edged with a desperation that surprises you.

“Yes, it’s what I want.”

His hands tighten, and he’s suddenly everywhere, all at once. He lifts his head, looking down at you. Your breath is uneven, and you’re sure you look a mess.

“You’re sure?” He asks again, his gaze flickering over your flushed face, searching.

“Nico…please—“

He doesn’t need any more than that.

Everything happens fast, the sounds of unzipping and clothes being pulled off almost too loud in the cramped space. He shifts, pulling you onto his lap, and you shiver at the feel of his skin against yours.

Nico’s hands are on your thighs, fingers pressing into the flesh, and the position you’re in makes your breath hitch. You’re straddling his lap, your body pressed flush against his, and it’s too damn much.

His mouth is on your collarbone now, his teeth scraping at the skin, and you can’t hold back the whimper that escapes your mouth.

You’re pressed so close that you can feel every movement, every breath. You’re hyper-aware of the way he’s reacting to you, the way his fingers curl into your thighs with enough force to leave bruises.

He’s leaving marks all over your skin, everywhere his mouth can reach.

“Nico—“ you try to say, but his hips move up on purpose, and the rest of your words dissolve on your tongue as he swiftly, but slowly pushes his cock into you.

His lips are back on your neck, his teeth grazing the skin, and you shiver. His hands are on your hips again, moving in slow circles as he guides you to move against him.

He’s driving you out of your goddamn mind, and he knows it. He’s doing it on purpose.

Your head falls back against the window, your breath catching as he repeats the motion, grinding his cock into you again.

“You’re so goddamn sensitive,” he murmurs against your throat. “I could make you cum just like this, if I wanted to.”

The words make your walls clench around him, and my god, he feels it. He groans softly, the sound muffled against your skin.

He’s all over you, hands on your hips, your waist, fingers digging into flesh. You’re already so sensitive and he’s only just started.

You shift on his lap, your fingers gripping his shirt again as you tilt your head, searching for his mouth.

The change in angle lets his tongue slide into your mouth, and you moan against his lips, a sound you’re not sure you even recognise as your own.

He swallows the sound, the movement of his hips growing rougher now, and you swear your head is swimming.

His hand moves between your bodies, making you all too aware of his fingers moving against you, your breathing getting faster, shallower, as he moves against you.

“You’re already so wet,” he says, right against your ear, and the sound of his voice makes your stomach clench. “I bet you’re close, huh?”

You manage to shake your head, not quite trusting your words right now. You’re too far gone, the feel of his body and his hands and his goddamn mouth overwhelming you to the point of not being able to form words.

He can probably tell, judging by the smirk against your throat. “No? Are you sure about that?”

His fingers move again with purpose, thumb pressing down against you, and you can’t help the moan escaping your mouth. Goddamn him and his stupidly talented fingers. He knows exactly what to do, exactly where to touch, exactly how to make you squirm. And he’s enjoying every damn second.

He tugs your earlobe with his teeth, his voice right against your ear. “Come on, sweetheart,” he murmurs, “let go for me.”

The words almost do you in, but you’re stubborn, and you’re determined to hold out for as long as possible just to make him keep going. “Not yet,” you gasp out, your fingers gripping his shirt.

“Not yet?” He hums softly, his thumb doing an even slower, more deliberate circle. “I don’t know, sweetheart, you’re already squeezing and leaking all over my cock.”

His words make you shiver again, and damn him, he probably feels it. “I’m not that close,” you insist, but it sounds weak even to your own ears.

He’s laughing softly now, the sound low and ragged against your throat. “Liar.” His teeth scrape along the line of your collarbone.

There’s no point in denying it anymore—he probably knows more than you do at this point. You’re right on the edge, your body coiled tight, and he’s enjoying that fact a little too much.

You’re gripping his hair hard now, desperately trying to hold on to some sense of control. His thumb is moving faster, and every tiny movement makes your body shudder. You’re so damn close, the edge of that blissful oblivion within reach.

“Nico—“

“That’s it, baby,” he murmurs, his voice just as strained as yours now. “I wanna hear you. Let go for me, sweetheart.”

“You…you too…” you manage to practically whimper out.

“You want us to cum together?” He asks, and the low raspy sound of his voice in your ear only spurs you on more. You’re nodding, not trusting your words in the slightest.

His mouth finds yours again, his tongue sliding into your mouth, hot and desperate. He’s holding on to whatever control he has left, his body taut under yours, and you realize he’s already close.

You shiver at the thought. You want to cum together, want to push him over the edge with you. Just thinking about it sends an extra jolt of heat through you, making you gasp against his lips.

“Please,” you manage to breathe out, your voice ragged and broken. “I’m so close, I—“

“I know, sweetheart.” His mouth finds the spot just below your ear again, nipping gently. “God, I know. I’ve got you, okay? Let go for me.”

His thumb is moving again, faster than before, and you can’t hold on anymore. You’re right on the edge, the sensations all too much, your body trembling as you cum hard. You’re saying his name, a litany of broken syllables, and he’s murmuring something against your ear but you can’t quite make it out.

You’re still shuddering through the aftershocks when you feel him twitch inside you, his hands grasping at your body as he cums deep inside you.

You lay against him for a moment, both of you trying to catch your breath, the air in the cramped space heavy and thick.

His arms wrap around you, his breathing slow and steady again, his lips brushing against your forehead. You’re still trembling, your heart still hammering in your chest, but you’re too blissed out to form words.

Nico’s arms tighten around you, his fingers tracing lazy circles on your back. “You okay?” he asks, his voice soft.

You manage to nod, your head still against his chest. “Yeah,” you breathe out after a minute. “Just…give me a minute. My brain is still rebooting.”

He laughs softly, and you can feel the vibrations reverberating through to you. “I might have done a number on you, huh?” He sounds unfairly smug, and you pinch his arm in retaliation.

“Don’t get too cocky.” You’re grumbling, but there’s no real annoyance behind the words. He’s right, and you damn well know it.

“Me?” He feigns innocent surprise, his hand slipping down to the small of your back. “Me? Cocky? Never.”

You roll your eyes, but you’re too relaxed to be truly irritated with him right now. “Yeah, yeah, laugh it up.” You press a kiss against his chest, your fingers tracing lightly over his skin.

He hums softly, his fingers sliding up to your hair, playing with the strands absentmindedly. He’s still caught in that lazy, relaxed state, content in the quiet afterglow.

You’re silent for a moment, just enjoying the sound of his breathing and the steady beat of his heart beneath your ear. “I should probably move,” you say finally. “This car is starting to get cold, but I don’t think I’m quite capable of moving on my own yet.”

He laughs softly, and you feel the sound all the way to your core. “It is getting pretty cold,” he agrees. “We should get out of here.”

He starts to shift, moving to sit up. His hands slide to your hips, gently lifting you off his cock.

You shiver as your bare skin hits the cold air, and Nico grabs his jacket, wrapping it around your shoulders. It’s a little too big, but it’s still warm with his body heat, and you pull it tighter around yourself as he pulls your panties and jeans back into place.

He pulls his own boxers and dress pants up, his shirt rumpled from where you’d been groping at it earlier. His hair is a little mussed, too, and the sight of it makes you smile. It’s nice to know you managed to wreck his composure, even if just a little bit.

He catches you looking, and a smirk spreads across his face. “Enjoying the view?”

You were someone that absolutely hated the spotlight. You hated the feeling of eyes on you, the knowledge that every move you make is being observed and analyzed.

You flew under the radar all through school, until college. You managed to become valedictorian of your program, earning a highly sought after position with a company based out of New Jersey.

The city has always brought a sense of anonymity to you that you’ve enjoyed. The ability to be a stranger everywhere you go brings a certain comfort to you.

That is, until you met one of the most well-known men in Jersey.

You first met Luke at an event your company was hosting in partnership with the Devils to present them with a hefty donation for a new practice facility. You had tried to get out of going, suit and tie events not being your typical scene, but your boss informed you that you were required to attend.

Even wearing the most plain dress you could find, you caught the attention of none other than the team’s rookie defenseman. You had tried to politely make your exit, but Luke was too intrigued by the pretty stranger in the corner.

The two of you had spent the rest of the night talking, despite the feeling of every eye on you as Luke lead you back to a table. The two of you exchanged numbers at the end of the event, Luke inviting you out to a game. He offered to give you a ticket, but you informed him that your company had rink-side season seats, courtesy of the GM after the donation.

You attended games regularly after that night, blending in the sea of red with Luke’s own Jersey on your back—another perk of the large donation— while also chatting with Luke nearly every day over text, which eventually morphed into phone calls, then facetime calls when he was on the road.

Four months after your initial meeting, Luke decided to make it official and put a label on your relationship.

You had worried about the unwanted attention that came with being a ‘WAG’ as you learned the other significant others on the team were nicknamed, but your feelings for Luke were greater than any discomfort you may experience.

Now, though, looking at the hoard of photographers that are stationed around the rink, your anxiety begins to spike a little.

“Honeybee, I promise it’ll be fine. They probably won’t even focus on us, anyways. They’ll want a few shots of me and Jack with mom and dad, but it’s likely they’ll be too busy on the guys with kids to even notice you’re with me,” Luke reassures you, crouched in front of you while tying your skates.

Today was family skate day for the team, Luke having asked you weeks ago to participate with him.

You agreed, despite your limited ability to skate, thinking it was just going to be the players and their families, no media presence. When you arrived with Luke this morning, however, and you saw the photographers trying to get pictures through the windows of Luke’s BMW, you realized you were wrong.

“I’m just nervous, Luke,” you tell him quietly. “I know if they release pictures of you with a girl during family skate it’s going to be the next big hockey gossip topic, and then it’ll feel like I’m under a microscope.”

Luke’s soft eyes look up at you, sensing the nervousness in your own.

“I know, sweet girl. But I promise, I’ll have Tom talk to the media and tell him to withhold any pictures of us together, if that makes you feel better?” he offers, picking up your now skate clad foot off of his knee and placing it on the padded floor.

You think about the offer, but realize it would still cause unwanted attention on you. You don’t want to be difficult, just invisible.

“No, I don’t want to overcomplicate things. It’s fine. Like you said, I’m sure they’ll mostly focus on everyone else,” you smile down at him, watching his own grin overtake his face.

“Well then, it’s time we finally get you acquainted with the ice. I have a feeling you’ll be seeing a lot of it in your future,” he winks, standing to his full height and holding a hand out to help you off of the bench.

He helps you walk over to the entrance to the rink, steadying you after every wobble. Once you reached the gate, you hesitate, halting your movements.

“C’mon, Honeybee. Go with me?” Luke asks you, already having stepped on the ice.

Thinking about what this means once more, and the huge step it is, no only onto the ice but in your relationship, you hesitate for only a few seconds.

“Only if you hold my hand,” you tell him, your words going deeper than just ice skating.

“Always,” he responds, tugging your hands towards him when you step onto the ice, shakily keeping your balance.

“Well, look at you, Wallflower, out here skating with the big dogs,” Jack calls out, skating up towards you and Luke.

Looking over to give him a short smile, you try to keep a majority of your attention on not falling over as Luke slowly pulls you towards him as he skates backwards.

“Figured it can’t be that hard if you do it all the time,” you tease him back, the two of you becoming close friends over the course of yours and Luke’s relationship.

Jack, as rambunctious and rowdy as he can be, is one of the people who works the hardest to keep you out of the spotlight, other than Luke, of course.

On the rare occasion you decide to tag along for team outings with Luke, Jack will act as your own personal body guard, perfectly hiding you in-between him and Luke anytime there’s a flash of a camera or a squeal of a fan.

“Oh, yeah, make fun of the professional. Let’s see you do this,” Jack makes a big show of skating backwards while swiveling, then executing a very poor jump, but still managing to land upright on his skates.

You roll your eyes at him, only glancing up for a few seconds at a time, trying to keep your eyes on your own feet.

“Alright, Jack, that’s enough showing off. Give the poor girl a break,” you hear Ellen scold her middle child as her and Jim skate over towards the three of you, hand in hand.

“Hey, she started it. I was just trying to defend myself,” he holds his hands up in surrender.

Luke guides you over to one of the short walls, allowing you to hold onto it for support for a second, giving you a break.

“Don’t act like you have to have a reason to show off, it’s just your natural state,” you tease Jack again, earning a laugh from the rest of the group.

“You got me there,” Jack doesn’t argue, shrugging his shoulders in agreement.

“Jack! Luke! Over here!” you hear a voice yell, turning to look at the photographer a few feet away from you, leaning over the wall with his camera pointed in your direction.

You feel the spike of anxiety in your chest, attempting to scoot further down the wall to separate yourself from them, but nearly losing your balance.

Luckily Luke was right there to catch you. “Hey, it’s okay. They’ll just get a few pictures of our family together and then move on,” he assures you once he makes sure you’re steady enough to be left alone.

You watch as Jack and Luke position themselves in just the right way that you’re completely hidden behind them, the added bodies of Ellen and Jim only ensuring your hidden state.

The photographer snaps a few shots of the family before giving a thumbs up, looking down to check the quality of his pictures.

You let out the breath you were holding in, sagging a bit at the relief of avoiding any unwanted attention.

“See, told you there was nothing to worry about,” Luke skates over to you again, leading you away from the wall.

“Luke! How about a shot of you and your lady!” the same photographer yells out, causing your relaxed state to turn rigid in a heartbeat.

“Nah, man. No pictures for her today. Just me and Jack,” Luke replies, skating to stand in front of you, blocking you from the camera pointed at you.

“Oh, c’mon, man. The fans will love it!” the photographer tries again, attempting to move positions to catch a glimpse of you.

“He said, no, man. Go get some shots of Cap or something. She doesn’t want her picture taken,” Jack skates up, standing in front of both you and Luke.

The photographer rolls his eyes, agitated at the loss of a good picture opportunity. “Fine, whatever,” the man huffs, turning and walking towards Nico and his family.

“Thanks, you guys,” you mumble out, embarrassed at the interaction.

“I told you, no pictures if you don’t want them,” Luke turns to face you, taking your hands in his once again, pulling you out further onto the ice.

The rest of the skate goes smoothly, no more unwanted attention from the photographers, just you and Luke and his family skating in small circles and having a good time.

Towards the end of the skate, you start bringing your gloved hands up to rub at your red nose, the chill of the ice finally getting to you.

“You cold, Honeybee?” Luke asks you, knowing how chilled you get, even when wearing layers like you were right now.

“Yeah, it’s a little chilly in here. Not that you’d know,” you tease your boyfriend, gesturing to his full set of pads and jersey he was wearing. Not to mention his tolerance for the cold anyways.

He leads the two of you over towards the benches, leaving you leaned against the wall for a second before returning with something in his hands.

“Here, take my jacket, I don’t want you catching a cold,” he tells you, draping your favorite plaid jacket of his over your shoulders.

You put your arms through the large sleeves, loving how you were now engulfed in the smell of his cologne.

Thanking him, you lean up to give him a small kiss, not caring who was watching, lost in your love for your boyfriend.

“Alright, let’s get you out of these skates and back into your normal shoes before people start filing in for warm ups. I have a game to play and you have to get to your seat so you can watch your hunky boyfriend do his manly job of hitting people and chasing a piece of rubber on ice,” he tells you, causing you to laugh at him, bringing a hand up to ruffle his curls.

After helping you remove your skates, and pouting until you give him a good luck kiss, Luke shoos you away so you can make your way to your usual seat, Jim and Ellen opting to join you at the glass rather than sitting in a box with some of the other player parents.

The boys ended up winning their game, Luke coming straight out of the locker room after the game and picking you up in a celebratory spin, claiming you have to go skating with him before every game now.

You laugh at his superstitious self, grabbing his hand and walking towards the exit of the rink with him to join the rest of the team for celebratory drinks, not wanting to bail on Luke after such a game.

Weeks later, when you see an article containing the pictures from the family skate event, you click on it and scroll through the various snapshots.

You find yourself smiling at all of the family pictures of Luke’s teammates, enjoying how happy the guys are to have their wives and kids with them on the ice.

Scrolling all the way to the end of the article, you find yourself stopping on a couple pictures in particular, the familiar pit of anxiety forming in your stomach.

The last two pictures in the article are pictures of you and Luke. The first was taken when he was zipping up the jacket he gave you, the two of you looking at each other with so much fondness you could feel the love radiating from the picture.

The second is when you were craning your neck to give Luke a small kiss, the picture captured right before your lips touched, both of you smiling at the other with the same fond look in your eyes.

Your immediate reaction should have been a level three meltdown, your picture out there with Luke, officially, in an ESPN article of all places, but you were surprisingly calm. You should have been screaming and angry, having specifically told the photographer no pictures, but you couldn’t find that anger within yourself.

The pictures showcased yours and Luke’s love for each other so well, you wanted copies of them for yourself. Suddenly you didn’t care if people knew your name, or your face. You could care less if you were front and center on every hockey gossip page in existence.

All you cared about was the amount of happiness you saw on Luke’s face in the pictures, and how deeply you felt about him.

So, when Luke called you an hour later, panicked and telling you he was in the process of getting them taken down, you told him it didn’t matter. They didn’t need to be taken down, because you didn’t care if you had to stand naked in the middle of the rink during puck drop at his next game, you just wanted people to know you loved him with every ounce of your being.