#mc17

Sidney walks like he always does, calm, focused, like none of this is new. The cameras, the staff, the way people subtly shift when he passes, it’s all just background noise.

“Stay close,” he throws over his shoulder, barely looking.

You almost smile because some things never change.

“I’m here,” you reply, a little quieter than you mean to.

You’ve done this before, walked the hallways next to him but not really with him, watched him become someone else the second he steps toward the ice or toward a teammate.

He doesn’t hover around you as much as he used to either. But there’s still something in the way he gives you one last look before he turns away, like a final check, like he’s making sure you’re good before he lets himself put on his Captain persona.

Down the hallway everything is moving fast. There’s players, staff, equipment, guys hauling bags that look heavier than they should be. Voices overlapping in different accents and languages, all carrying the same edge of competition.

You try not to stare, try not to feel like you don’t quite belong here, even though you technically do. You’ve always belonged to his world. You’ve been by his side for everything.

“Locker room’s this way,” he says, gesturing for you to follow. “You can hang back if you want. It’ll be busy.”

“I’ll stay out of the way,” you say.

“Stay where you’re comfortable.” He corrects. “You know the setup.” Then he disappears into the chaos, leaving you standing by yourself.

You decide to take a little walk, not straying too far, but just wanting to get the lay of things. As you turn a corner, adjusting the strap of your purse and not really paying attention, someone runs straight into you, hard enough to knock you back a step.

“Shit—sorry—”

A hockey bag swings slightly between you and the guy who just walked into you, the bag strap still slung over his shoulder. You steady yourself, looking up, and immediately recognize him.

He’s Macklin Celebrini, and he looks just as surprised. Like he expected to run into a wall or something, not you.

“Sorry,” he repeats, shifting the weight of the bag off his shoulder a bit. “I didn’t see you.”

“You’re good,” you say, brushing it off, though your heart’s beating a little faster now.

He nods quickly, but he doesn’t leave. There’s this half-second where he actually looks at you and something in his expression changes. Recognition, maybe, or confusion.

“You’re—” he starts, then stops himself, like he’s not sure if he should say it.

You don’t help him, just raise one eyebrow slightly.

He lets out a small breath, almost laughing at himself. “Sorry. I just—” His grip tightens a little on the strap of his bag. Then, more carefully, “You’re with… him, Crosby, right?”

It’s subtle. The way he carefully says your dad’s name, like it carries weight.

You glance past him for a second, your dad’s reemerged from the locker room and is now a few steps ahead, talking to someone, not paying attention to you. You look back at Macklin.

“Yeah,” you say simply. That’s all you give him.

But he still nods, like that confirms everything he needed to know.

“Right. Yeah. Okay.”

He shifts his weight, like he should keep moving, like he knows he should. But he doesn’t, he lingers just for a second longer.

“Sorry again,” he says, softer this time.

You shake your head. “It’s fine.”

And it is, but something about the moment sticks anyway. The way he looked at you, it wasn’t the way everyone else does when they realize who you are. Not impressed. Not awkward. He was curious. Like you don’t match whatever he expected. You don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing.

“Everything okay?”

Your dad’s voice pulls you out of your thoughts.

You turn, catching up to him in a couple quick steps. “Yeah. Just ran into someone.”

He glances back briefly, instinct more than anything. Macklin is already gone, just another player disappearing down the hallway.

“Alright,” your dad says, easy. “Stay with me.”

You nod. And that’s all he says, he doesn’t think twice about it, doesn’t notice anything. And he definitely doesn’t see the way you glance back once more before turning the corner.

Or the way, somewhere down the hallway, Macklin does the exact same thing.

⊱ —————- °.•　⋅ʚ♡ɞ⋅　•.° —————— ⊰

The restaurant is packed full of the entire Team Canada hockey team, coaches, staff. Everyone is laughing and talking over each other. The smell of garlic bread and fresh pasta, the soft candlelight reflecting off polished tables, the clinking of glasses…it’s all a little too much. Too loud.

You take a deep breath and shift in your chair. “Excuse me,” you say to your dad, setting your silverware down. “I think I’m gonna run to the bathroom quick.”

He glances at you and nods. “Alright, don’t be long.”

You give him a small practiced smile and slip out of the restaurant. The cool night air hits your face as soon as you step outside, and you let out a quiet sigh of relief. You don’t head toward the bathroom at all, you just need a minute, a quiet spot to breathe.

The balcony you step out onto is empty, the city lights stretched out below looking like a bunch of tiny stars. You lean against the railing, letting the soft night air chase away the tightness in your chest.

And then the door opens behind you.

“Oh. Hey.”

You turn to see Macklin leaning against the doorway a few feet away, team Canada gear still on.

“Well, this doesn’t look like the bathroom,” he says, a small grin tugging at his lips.

You raise an eyebrow. “Were you following me?” you ask, joking, though your voice carries traces of mock accusation.

“No!” he says quickly, holding up his hands. “I just… saw you leave. Well, I was worried, I guess. You looked…uh, I don’t know, like you needed a minute.”

You study him for a second, and a quiet laugh escapes you. “Huh. Concerned hockey player, isn’t that a little out of the norm?”

He chuckles, shrugging like he’s embarrassed and confident at the same time. “Maybe. You just looked like you might vanish into the night.”

You roll your eyes, smiling, then glance back at the city, trying to focus on the lights instead of the way Macklin’s presence somehow is making the night feel warmer.

He's walks closer, leaning against the railing too now, and then he adds after a pause, “I mean…I get it, honestly. I thought I could handle it, but, holy shit. That table was loud.”

“Understatement of the year,” you mutter, letting your shoulders relax a little more.

He glances at you, like he wants to say something more, then shakes his head. “So… how do you do it? All these years, Olympics after Olympics, big dinners, all eyes on your dad…” He gestures vaguely back toward the restaurant. “You just…survive?”

You tilt your head, considering. “I don’t know. You kind of just… learn to blend in. Pick a spot, look like you belong even when you don’t feel like it.”

He nods slowly. “Sounds like a skill.”

“It’s a survival skill, I had lots of practice,” you say with a half-smile.

There’s a pause, and then he smirks, glancing down at the railing between you. “Well…you make it look easy.”

You glance at him, caught off guard. “Is that a compliment or a warning?” you ask, teasing lightly.

“Depends,” he says, shrugging. “Do you take compliments?”

You laugh softly, shaking your head. “Sometimes.”

He grins, and for a second, it’s just the two of you. No team, no cameras, no legacy looming over either of you. Just Mack, leaning against the railing, and you, right next to him, sharing a quiet moment in the middle of a chaotic night. And for some reason, the culmination of all of it makes you decide to open up.

“You know, people see my last name and think they know me. But no one really does. This,” you gesture vaguely to the balcony and the night beyond it, “this is the only part that feels like it’s mine. It’s peaceful.”

He nods, understanding without needing more explanation. “Yeah… I totally get that. People expect so much from you out there. On the ice, or in the spotlight reflecting off your dad, and sometimes you just want a break. Somewhere you don’t have to be anyone’s version of you besides your own.”

You glance at him, caught off guard at how thoughtful he sounds. “You make it sound easy to take a break,” you say lightly, though you know it isn’t.

He shrugs, grin playful but eyes serious. “Easy? No. But…easier when you find someone who doesn’t expect all of that from you. And apparently,” he glances at you, “you’re good at being… just you.”

You laugh softly, shaking your head. “Careful, you’re stacking compliments tonight.”

“Maybe I am,” he says quietly, “but it’s true and you know it.”

The quiet hum of the city lingers around you both, a comfortable pause stretching just long enough that you almost forget the chaos waiting inside. You start shifting on your feet slightly, the cool breeze finally getting to you.

“I should probably head back inside,” you say lightly, tucking a piece of hair from your face back behind your ear. “But…I think maybe I’ll run to the bathroom first. That way you can go back in ahead of me. Don’t want my dad thinking we’re sneaking out together or anything.”

He smirks knowingly. “Ah… strategic. I get it.”

“Exactly,” you reply with a teasing grin. “You understand without me having to spell it out.”

He laughs softly. “Yeah… don’t worry. I won’t blow your cover. Don’t fall in.”

“I’ll try not to,” you reply, rolling your eyes playfully, though the smile on your face betrays how good it feels to have him understand without needing a full explanation.

He gives a short nod, leaning back against the railing. “Go for it. I’ll head in first. Don’t take too long, I like your company.”

You grin, giving him a little wave before slipping back toward the restaurant entrance. He smirks, eyes following you for a brief second before he turns and heads back inside, leaving you a few steps behind. You duck into the bathroom quickly, taking a deep breath.

When you slip back inside the restaurant, the warm air pleasantly hits you again. Laughter and conversation swirl around you, and for a moment, it feels like you’re rejoining a completely separate world. Your dad is still talking to one of the coaches, completely caught up in conversation, so you slide back into your seat at the end of the table. You tuck your hands in your lap, fidgeting lightly, trying to fade into the background, just another body among the team.

And then you see him. Macklin. Across the table again, in his seat. He catches your gaze and gives you a small nod, the tiniest acknowledgment of the conversation the two of you just had. For a moment, just long enough for the world to blur a little, it’s just the two of you. A quiet, private moment, even in a crowded room.

He looks away quickly, back to the conversation with the guy next to him, but the corner of his mouth quirks up in that same easy, teasing way he does. No one else notices.

Dinner finally winds down and plates are cleared, glasses clinking one last time, and the room slowly shifts from loud and chaotic to the exhausted, post-meal high of a team who’s ready to call it a night.

Your dad stands, clapping a hand lightly on the back of one of the coaches next to him. “Alright, everyone. Big day tomorrow. Let’s get some rest.”

You follow the motion toward the exit, your dad telling you something about having a conversation with a coach, so you hang back, letting the crowd thin. Your stomach is still fluttering from the food, the noise, and the tiny stolen moments with Macklin.

Out of the corner of your eye, you spot Mack lingering near the doorway, he catches your gaze, a small grin spreading onto his face.

“Heading out?” he asks quietly as you fall into step beside him.

You shrug, glancing down at your shoes. “Yeah…trying not to get swallowed by the crowd.”

He smiles. “Fair enough. I’ll make sure you survive the hallway stampede.”

There’s a pause as the two of you walk in the quieter part of the corridor, shoulders almost brushing but not quite. It’s subtle, just enough to feel like a shared secret.

“Hey,” you say, a little quieter than you mean for it to come out, “thanks for… you know… stepping out with me earlier. The balcony.”

Mack laughs quietly, shaking his head. “No problem. Good to have a little calm before the storm.”

“Yeah. I liked it.”

He smiles softly, the electricity from earlier still humming. “Me too.”

Your dad and the team are already a few steps ahead again, talking and laughing, oblivious. You let Macklin step into the elevator, waiting for your dad.

“See you tomorrow?” he asks quietly, leaning against the elevator wall.

You grin. “Yeah… see you tomorrow.”

And with that, the doors close, leaving you alone for a moment, just long enough to think that maybe, for the first time, you’re not just Crosby’s kid. You’re yourself. And Macklin sees that.

⊱ —————- °.•　⋅ʚ♡ɞ⋅　•.° —————— ⊰

3:43pm. Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena. Canada vs Czechia.

The puck drops and the arena comes alive. You’re seated with your dad’s family, close enough to see everything clearly, far enough that cameras don’t linger on you for too long. You’ve done this before. You know where to look, how to sit, how to react without drawing too much attention. You’ve been to major games with your dad before. You know the rhythm of it.

But this feels different. Because this time it’s not just your dad out on the ice. Macklin is out there too. And he’s on the first line. With Connor McDavid and Tom Wilson. And he’s the youngest player on Team Canada. You feel the butterflies in your stomach before the puck even hits the ice.

A few minutes in there’s a penalty on Czechia. Power play, but nothing comes from it. Your dad wins a battle along the boards mid-period and sends a quick pass into transition. You clap instinctively. That kind of play doesn’t show up on highlight reels, but you know how much it matters. You’ve always known. Canada keeps playing, the clock ticking down, and you’re growing increasingly restless. The period is almost over when Connor gets an assist to Mack.

You don’t even process it at first. Then you see him, Macklin, turning away from the net. His hands are up. Connor McDavid is skating toward him, yelling something. Your chest actually tightens and you feel like you’ve stopped breathing.

He tipped it. His first Olympic goal. He is the youngest player on Team Canada and he just scored their first goal at the fucking Olympics. And he did it with five seconds left in the period.

You’re on your feet before you realize it. Screaming, loud, and you don’t even care. Your hands are in the air, heart racing, face lit up completely unfiltered.

And Mack sees it. Not your section, not just the crowd. You. In the middle of all the chaos, his eyes find yours. It’s quick, just a split second, but it’s undeniable. His grin shifts, just slightly wider. Just slightly softer.

Like he knows exactly who that reaction was for. Everyone else might think it was for the team, for Canada, but he knows.

Canada leads 1–0 going into intermission.

In the second period your dad picks up a secondary assist. Quick puck movement but Sidney reads it perfectly and threads it through the traffic. You stand again, proud this time in a different way. Applauding him with a steady, familiar pride that’s lived in your chest your entire life.

He doesn’t look up at the stands, you know he knows you’re there. He knows you’re cheering.

The game continues in Canada’s favor, 5–0. The win is sealed. The crowd starts to rise before the clock even runs out. And when the final horn sounds, you’re on your feet again.

And this time you don’t hold back. You clap hard, cheering for Team Canada, for your dad, for the shutout, and for Macklin.

As he passes by your section with the team he looks up again. This time you don’t even pretend to tone it down. You’re smiling, clapping, eyes bright, proud. Proud of your country and your dad…and him.

His gaze catches and lingers a fraction longer than it should. Then he taps his stick once on the ice before turning back toward center. No one around you notices. Your dad is shaking hands on the ice. The team is celebrating.

you missed him. You couldn't travel with him to Italy, so communicating with him was a thousand times harder, and you miss him. You see him on tv, on the news. You see how well he's doing, and you can only leave him messages because most of the time he's with the team or sleeping. You even try to talk to Will, or his family, to see if anyone knows anything more than you, but they're all in the same boat.

until the opportunity arises, the afternoon before the big game.

anyone would think the players would want to avoid any distractions, sticking to their rituals, their training, their rest. Wanting to be 100% for the most important day of their careers. And that's exactly what Macklin was trying to do.

or something like that.

because he couldn't help it, he needed to call you, even though it was too early for you. He needed to talk to you, to hear your voice to calm his anxiety, his excitement.

the phone rang once, twice, until you finally answered, your voice still a little sleepy. You sat up slowly in bed, trying to fully wake up.

“hello?” you asked. And he just closed his eyes, enjoying the sound of your voice a little too much, his heart pounding. He wanted to catch the first flight to see you, even if it was just an hour before he had to be back.

“how are you?” he managed to say, his voice sweet from the other side. And you recognized his voice immediately, so your eyes lit up; you couldn't help but smile as you gripped your sheets a little too tightly.

“Mack,” you said, your voice now softer and more awake. “I'm fine, it's so good to hear from you.” He smiled even more from the other side, though you couldn't see him. “How are you? i thought you'd be resting.”

“i'm fine, i just needed to hear your voice, even if it's just for a little while.” “Yeah?” “yeah, i was feeling anxious and needed some peace,” he confessed, making you feel a flutter in your stomach, while heat rose to your cheeks, making you feel a little shy.

“well, i’m glad i could help in some way,” you replied, your voice a little shaky. “I’ve missed you so much, Mack,” you confessed this time, sighing, leaning back against the headboard of your bed as you felt him stir on his side.

“me too. I need you here,” he said in a lower tone, almost a whisper. And something about his tone felt different, like a chill running through your body, making your legs clench together slightly. “You always know how to make me feel better, and i feel a little jealous seeing all the players out with their families, visiting the place.”

“well, i think i know where we’ll go this summer, i guess,” you joked, though your voice came out almost as a whisper, enjoying the short laugh that escaped his lips. “I need you here, all the time, though i also enjoy seeing you succeed. I celebrate every single one of your goals.” He laughed once more, imagining it.

“yeah? your neighbors must hate you now,” he said playfully, to which you smiled once more, feeling the warmth flood your body now that you were hearing him for the first time in days.

“they’re gonna hate me even more when you get back,” you said, slowly moving a hand under your pajama pants, still unsure if it was the right thing to do. “Oh? and why is that?” he asked, though something in his tone told you he already knew the answer.

“well, because we’ll have to celebrate when you bring the gold home,” you replied, slowly running your fingers over your pussy, covered by the fabric of your panties. “You left me here all alone, Mack,” you whimpered, a little sensitive when you touched your clit.

and on the other side, he sighs, touching with some force the bulge that’s starting to form in his pants since he heard the change in your voice. Because he knows you perfectly, and he knows what that change means.

“i wish i were there, celebrating every victory with you,” he confessed, massaging his cock through his clothes, imagining the scene of you on the other side, your hand between your legs, playing with your pussy while you waited for him.

“oh, i celebrate every victory, Mack,” you sighed, rubbing between your folds, then playing with your clit, enjoying the electricity that coursed through your body, making you arch your back, whimpering.

and that confession only fueled the flame, because now he can imagine it so clearly. Your fingers buried in your sweet pussy, reaching your sweet spot, but not going as far as he does, while you frown and have to compensate, rubbing your clit, playing with your nipples. Anything to achieve even the smallest amount of pleasure he can give you, while you replay the clip of his goal over and over, while he smiles and celebrates.

feeling proud because he's yours, while you wet the bed you share with him, waiting for him to return while you fill your sweet hole, imagining it is his cock, thrusting again and again inside you, making you feel so full, so satisfied.

even buying toys, trying to find something similar to him, without success, having to improvise.

oh, what Macklin would give to see you like this, needy, rubbing yourself as if you were in heat, celebrating his goals, the victories he gives his country, while you can only watch him, wanting him to be there with you.

and you hear him grunt and whimper from the other side, fueling your desires, making you pull down your clothes before you can think twice, leaving your dripping pussy in view, ready for when you start rubbing skin to skin.

“Mack,” you whimper, making him pull down his pants, freeing his cock, which springs, completely swollen, hard, its tip dripping and its length full of veins, as well as his arms, his hands...

god, you imagine his thighs trembling, like when you lick him, playing with his tip while he tries not to thrust hard into your throat, making his legs spasm, his arms swell a little from the effort, and his veins stand out in his hands when he gives up, grabbing your hair with one hand, forcing you to swallow everything, drowning you in his cock.

the memory makes you grip the sheets tighter, sliding two fingers inside your hole at the same time he starts masturbating, immediately with intensity, squeezing as if it were your tight cunt, receiving him, molding to his size.

and he imagines how tight you must be, despite the toys, despite playing with your cunt almost every day. He knows how tight you can get, and he imagines coming back, sliding in your walls, opening you so hard you feel like you'll break, with your cheeks wet and your hole swallowing him.

you both moan with the thoughts that come to mind, and soon Mack starts talking to you, filling you with sweet words, with guidance, while you insert another finger into your cunt, trying to simulate what he makes you feel.

and he makes you imagine scenarios, remember sensations, moments, and you can't help it, you get on your knees, taking your fingers out of your pussy to grab his pillow, putting it under your body so you can ride it, feeling the fabric brushing against your sensitive body as you roll your hips.

you can't help it, you need him there, and you tell him so, between moans and whimpers. You tell him how much you need him, with his cock inside your sweet pussy, filling you with his cum, making you feel so good.

you tell him how much you miss him, how proud you are, while you hear him moan, getting more and more sensitive as he masturbates, moving his hand so fast you can hear him.

until you both reach orgasm at the same time, sighing and whispering words of love to each other, feeling your bodies relax and your souls heal after all this time apart.

macklin celebrini. freshman. forward. 6". vancouver, b.c. previous team: chicago steel.

all of it was practically ingrained into blaire's brain by now. seeing the words chicago steel flooded her memories though and how all of that really wasn't that long ago. she stared at mack's headshot, his little cheeky smile still swimming in her mind.

she scrolled further down to read his stats. it didn't surprise her that he was already dominating the ice as a freshman and was already up 7 goals since the season started. he had been one of the most watched players since shattuck.

at the top of the page was a link directing her to the live game that must've been on. BOSTON UNIVERSITY VS. MERRIMACK ON NOW!

blaire really should've been studying. she hardly even understood what was happening in the class with the exam, but her finger navigated to the link anyway. a new window opened and it took a second to load, but the bu boys appeared on her screen a moment later in the middle of the 2nd period.

the figure skater paused her music and switched her headphones to connect to her computer so she could hear the commentary. her eyes subconsciously looked for mack and she found him almost instantly. his 71 flew down the ice with his line in tow. the way he passed the puck was so distinct she could almost picture the two of them back in chicago and he'd make her do drills with him for fun.

he was so good. maybe even better than back in chicago. the collegiate training was definitely working him and sharpening up his skills. blaire sat wordlessly watching her computer, in a bit of awe even.

the regret of breaking up with him climbed higher in her chest. her hand twitched by her phone as if her mind was telling her to text him and break their no contact.

"hey, blaire," a voice broke her from every thought. her head snapped up and one of her figure skating teammates smiled beside her. reality came crashing back down.

"hey, lindsey," the dirty blonde managed a smile. she watched her friend's glance flick to her computer and then her eyebrow raised a little, "are you watching hockey?"

"uh, yeah. kind of. wanted to take a break from studying for a few minutes," she shut the computer before lindsey could get a closer look at what hockey game she was watching.

she hadn't really told her friends much about mack and she kind of wanted to keep it that way. "i didn't know you were into hockey," lindsey didn't think much of it though as she walked around the table to sit down. blaire flushed.

"yeah, my brothers were kind of into it and i mean i see them sometimes when i'm practicing," she said casually.

"oh, cool. cool. maybe we'll go to a game or something sometime," lindsey smiled. blaire just nodded and was relieved when her friend laid off the subject.

while she opened her computer to do work, blaire opened hers to the game. bu was up by 2 and she heard the commentator mention something about mack scoring both of them. she also found aiden on the ice.

breaking up with mack meant losing the relationships she made with his siblings. that hurt almost as much as the break up because they became blaire's siblings too. when her oldest brother stopped reaching out, aiden took her under his wing. now it just felt too awkward to talk to him after everything. even talking to charlie felt weird for the girl, so she just..didn't.

blaire watched the rest of the game for the next hour. she didn't even manage to click back into her lecture notes because she was too distracted by the game and mack scoring another point and assisting with the final one that secured their win. a soft smile sat on her lips watching him celebrate with his teammates.

she itched to text him, but she had a bit more self restraint than that. when the live stream ended, blaire finally got back to studying but her mind wasn't cleared from the boy she just watched have the time of his life on the ice for two hours.

TWO.

of course, macklin made the canadian world juniors team. blaire didn't even doubt he wouldn't. he played some of the best games back at bu for the first half of the season, his spot was already secured by week 1.

she read up on the stats of the other teams and saw how good some of the u.s. players were. a lot of them were coming from boston college—some of bu's biggest rivals so she wondered if mack recognized or knew any of them because of it. the canadian team had good players too though. a lot of them had just gotten drafted a few months ago.

it was way to early to be awake and this was probably another stupid idea, but blaire wanted to see him play his first game. she blinked the sleep from her eyes, hardly registering that it was 6 in the morning as she opened her computer and found the live stream of the game.

she made sure the volume was down so she didn't wake up her dad or brother. they were just starting with national anthems and introductions when the stream booted up. blaire found mack almost immediately even though she didn't know what number he was wearing. his face was just recognizable and familiar to her.

he sported 17 for the tournament which was his lucky number. he looked confident and ready to play some hockey for the next week and a half.

maybe she was reading too much into things, but he hardly looked phased from the breakup. his smile was always big and joyful like nothing was ever bothering him and in a way, it kind of hurt blaire the tiniest bit.

she didn't have any right to be upset though, but she thought just maybe it'd take him less than 4 months to move on.

but who was she even kidding? she broke up with him yet here she was watching one of his games for the 5th time.

when the game finally got underway, mack was front and center doing the face off. playing center was his main skill and what got his team the most goals. she watched as he flew across the ice with the puck, passing it down his line to stay open. blaire's eyes flew with him, never even taking a glance away from his 17.

he played like he could feel her watching him through the screen, so sharp and so efficient. whenever she was in the stands back at shattuck or chicago, her presence seemed to boost the boy's performance a hundred times better.

during halftime, blaire got up to the use the bathroom. it was now 7, still way to early to be awake during winter break. she shuffled down the hallway to pee and brush her teeth. when she finished, her brother's door opened at the same time she was walking back to her room.

carter raised his eyebrow seeing her awake this early. "you're not an early bird," he mumbled.

the dirty blonde rolled her eyes. "and what are you doing awake?"

"peeing," he hummed.

"me too."

carter still stared at her and in the quiet of the upstairs, he heard the faint sounds coming from her computer where her bedroom door was cracked open. his glanced flicked that way. "are you watching hockey?"

"no."

"then why does it sound like hockey?"

"uh..i don't know," blaire really couldn't lie her way out of this one. her brother pushed her door open wider, squinting at the video playing on her computer. they were still at half time and the timing really couldn't be worse because they were showing macklin doing his halftime interview.

the girl internally face palmed. shit.

"are you..watching world juniors right now?" carter looked at his sister. blaire's face had guilty written all over it. "i thought you guys broke up?" he asked when she didn't respond.

"we did. we are. we're still broken up. i just..i dunno.."

"you just.."

"i know it's stupid," blaire mumbled. "i just..i don't know. am i not allowed to watch him succeed still from afar?"

"no. you are. have you tried reaching out to him?" carter raised his eyebrow. blaire flushed and then shook her head.

"no, that's taking it too far. i just..i don't know. it's like me checking in on him every now and then. just to make sure he's doing okay."

mack was talking about how the game was going so far, a bit sweaty and a little out of breath while he spoke. he looked so good.

blaire quickly erased that thought from her brain.

"tell me again why you guys broke up?" the younger blonde wondered.

"we just..we were going in different directions. we were literally gonna be across the country from each other. i didn't wanna..i wanted to save ourselves the hurt for when long distance got hard. i wanted to..leave before he could leave me," her voice quieted at the last part. it sounded so, so stupid to think that way, but after her mom dying and mason walking out too..it was all blaire knew.

she had to save herself this time around.

"blaire...you know not everyone is gonna just leave you. sometimes people do wanna stick around," carter said softly.

the figure skater's expression twisted like he was calling her out and in a way, he was. she just hated when he did. "mack and i were just..it was fun while it lasted. i mean have you even seen him now? i wouldn't be surprised if he already got in another relationship with some cool boston girl."

carter scoffed, but he didn't say anything. "i'm gonna pee and go back to bed. tell me if he wins when i wake up again," he left her be.

blaire shut her door, breathing out and mulling over her brother's words. he wasn't judging her, but she could feel everything he wasn't saying and how ridiculous this all probably seemed to him.

maybe she should just reach out.

but she couldn't. she wasn't going to. instead, blaire got herself comfortable in her bed again to finish the second half of the game that canada did in fact win. she chalked it up to her being the good luck charm while watching.

some of the canadian players skated by the camera and waved, shouting out their families back home or something. when blaire saw mack skate by her breath caught in her throat. he was all smiley, a bit sweaty, but the happiest she's ever seen him. he waved with both hands and mumbled a "let's fucking go!"

she couldn't help but smile seeing him so happy. they may have been broken up, but that didn't mean she wasn't gonna cheer him on from the sidelines still.

THREE.

"are you just dragging me along to this so you can see mack?" carter raised his eyebrow, his gaze flicking to blaire's where she stared ahead while driving down the freeway. the dirty blonde flushed but didn't meet her brother's questioning look.

"no. you like hockey. didn't you say you wanted to go to the draft?"

"like yeah but i don't care that much," carter shrugged. blaire huffed. he was always trying to make things more harder for her. "well, i thought it'd be fun for us to hang out since you never come to the states. it'll be fun."

"i am more than excited to hang out with you, but i also know you and you're gripping the steering wheel so tight your knuckles are white. are you sure i'm not also here to be moral support because mack's in your close proximity for the first time since you guys broke up last year?"

the thing about little brothers was that they always called their siblings out in the worst times. blaire eyed him as a warning. "stop."

"i'm not trying to poke at you, b. i'd be freaked too if my ex was most likely getting drafted to the city i went to school in. that's like..weird fate or some shit," carter laughed lightly.

the girl grimaced. when she heard carter put it that way it did..sort of..seem like fate was trying to bring her and mack back together. truly, what were the chances that the san jose sharks had the 1st overall pick and mack was most definitely being drafted 1st? slim.

she just..she needed to be there. she needed to hear it live with her own ears that he was getting drafted to the san jose sharks. plus, the tickets were cheap and they'd be hidden somewhere in the upper deck where no one could even make out their faces.

lindsey told her that if mack did get drafted to san jose then maybe blaire needed to take it as a sign to get back together with him. those words had rooted themselves deep in the dirty blonde's mind for the past month now because what if she did get back together with him?

what if she let her walls down and let him back in? what if she pushed all of her fears aside and told herself that he wasn't gonna walk away from her like everyone else in her life did?

she shook the thoughts away for now as they rolled into the massive parking line. blaire hadn't been to vegas often, but she forgot how showy everything was. big lights reflected off the tall, shiny buildings and there was always something going on. she kind of liked it.

the crew directed her inside and now came the true test—finding a parking spot. she made carter be her second set of eyes as they rode down the rows and rows of cars.

"wait, i see one," carter pointed to an empty spot 20ft away.

"perfect," blaire hummed, speeding up a little to claim it before another car took it from her.

once they were parked, the siblings headed towards the non immediate family guest entrance. "so like..what made them wanna build this?" carter glanced up at the large, screen filled sphere.

blaire giggled, "good question. to be unique?"

the security scanned their tickets and checked blaire's purse before letting them through. inside was even crazier as people rushed around to find friends, family, food, or their seats. on the floor, blaire saw all the tables for the different nhl teams. the screen was flashing different photos and videos of the prospects. it was all so huge and a bit overstimulating, especially with the screen stretching towards the ceiling.

carter led the way to their seats high in the upper deck with the players' extended families. blaire hardly recognized anyone, but they all looked excited to see their player walk the stage soon.

"see? cool, huh?" the figure skater nudged her brother.

"yeah, it's pretty cool. i just can't really comprehend the concept of a building like this," his eyes flicked across everything.

"honestly, me neither."

blaire kept an eye on the crowd and any familiar faces. all the prospects must've been closer to the stage with their families because she didn't see any family that belonged to mack yet.

she did see who she was pretty sure was samy hughes. sometimes her and samy would cross paths back when she used to skate more frequently and they'd talk a bit. she probably didn't really remember blaire though because she was older than her. all blaire really knew from instagram was that she played at the university of michigan for soccer and was dating will smith who got drafted last year and played for boston college.

from the corner of her eye, carter snapped some photos on his phone and a tiny smile crossed blaire's features. he'd always say he wasn't impressed or wasn't having fun, but she knew deep down that he was and was loving every second. she didn't poke him about it though, not wanting to embarrass him.

the camera crew on the floor started booting on their feeds of the prospects. on the big screen, they feed came through and each player shyly/nervously waved. they might've looked confident and relaxed, but blaire knew they were definitely internally freaking out. mack always told her how nervous he would probably be when he got drafted.

she watched for him and after a few more boys, his familiar face came up. blaire swallowed, studying his calm demeanor and cheerful smile to the camera. his hair was tamed and his navy suit was pressed and fitted to his body. he looked so good.

"for someone who's gonna be the 1st pick, he looks pretty nonchalant," carter mumbled with a tiny laugh.

"he hides his emotions well," blaire hummed.

"do you think you're gonna try to talk to him?"

her gaze shot to his like he was insane. "uh..no. i mean, once he gets drafted he'll probably be swept away until like after. plus, i don't..i don't even know what i'd say. hey i drove all the way to vegas to watch you get drafted? congrats? that's next level weird ex girlfriend behavior," blaire shook her head and her brother scoffed. he liked scoffing when she made statements like that for some reason.

"it's not weird, b. you're not a weird ex girlfriend. you guys have history. you were friends before all of this anyway," carter shrugged.

the older girl didn't entertain the thought anymore. she just dropped it and carter seemed to take the hint so he didn't ask again.

the draft host came out twenty minutes later to kick things off. he kept things light and cheery to get the crowd going before introducing the san jose shark officials to the stage. blaire clasped her hands together, sucking in a nervous breath—once his name rolled off their tongues it was going to be real and he was going to be in her city.

"for the first overall pick of the nhl draft, the san jose sharks are proud to select macklin celebrini."

the entire sphere erupted in loud hollers and cheers. everyone around them was clapping and on their feet. blaire and carter quickly stood, clapping too. the video came back up and it showed macklin hugging all of his family before heading down the aisle to the stage.

someone took his suit jacket for him before he headed up the small steps. he sported such a wide and proud smile. blaire's heart squeezed. this was all he used to talk to her about when they were younger and how he dreamed of walking this stage when he was finally old enough. she would sit and listen to him and it would make her so happy how bright his face got anytime he talked about things like this.

now he was finally living it.

when he put on the jersey, the crowd got louder. they posed for a picture before he got ushered off the stage to get all of the media and pr done backstage.

it was over as fast as it started, but blaire's heart was still pounding in her ears.

macklin celebrini in san jose. she really couldn't believe it and a part of her wondered if he had ever looked her up here and there and knew he'd be coming to her college city.

it was a bit embarrassing how butterflies erupted in her stomach at that thought. right next to those butterflies though was the reality and every nagging thought she tried to stand up to. he'll walk away from you. he'll find someone better. he won't stick around because no one does. he'll leave you like your mom did. he'll never talk to you ever again like mason does.

no matter how hard blaire tried, she just couldn't escape those anxious thoughts. they were a part of her. they protected her from anything bad ever happening again.

FOUR.

it was definitely such a bad decision to go to the game—like close to one of the worst decisions blaire has made—but she hadn't even looked mack up in months. this was progress. plus, it wasn't like she wasn't allowed to not go. the san jose sharks were an extremely popular team and everyone in the bay loved them. it would be weirder if she didn't go to at least one game.

the week had been long after two exams and being away the weekend before for a competition, so blaire deserved this. she needed to get out anyway.

it wasn't like she would even be looking for him anyway. most days it slipped her mind that he was in the same city again...

but sometimes she went to the grocery store kind of hoping she'd run into him or at least catch a glimpse of him from afar.

beside the fact, lindsey was excited to go and they managed to get blaire's roommate maya to tag along. lindsey called it a "girl's night" and blaire definitely needed one of those. she'd been so wound up with exams and skating that she couldn't really remember the last time she took a breath to slow down.

the girls got seats in the lower bowl fairly close to the glass. lindsey was excited that she could see everything and talked maya's ear off about the player positions and the plays so she had a brief understanding of what was happening. the sharks were on the ice warming up and checking out the fan posters.

blaire's eyes subconsciously flicked around for mack's 71. she found him on the other side of the ice with one of the other rookies and samy's boyfriend, will. they were laughing and smiling at one another, probably passing jokes.

when they skated around the rink and when they got closer to blaire's section, the girl shrunk further down in her seat. she ducked her head down, looking at her phone as they skated by. someone nudged her leg, "is that him?" lindsey whispered.

blaire's eyes peaked above the other people's heads. she watched mack get further and further from their section. "uh, yeah," she mumbled.

lindsey's gaze went back to him like she was studying him. "are you trying to like..talk to him?"

"oh, no. no. no. we're not..it's not like that anymore. we haven't talked in like a year and a half," the dirty blonde mumbled.

"okay. just wondering. if i were you though, i'd be dying to get him back," lindsey chuckled.

the figure skater found his 71 again. he was now shooting pucks at the other net. it was hard to deny the way her stomach flipped seeing him this close again. she just brushed her friend's comment off and luckily, lindsey dropped the subject for the rest of the night.

the sharks were down 2-1, but mack had been playing his best all night. for being a rookie, he fit right in with the vets and glided across the ice like he owned it. he was fast, pushed back hard, and never hesitated when he had the puck in his possession. blaire was more than impressed with how much skill he's gained since last watching him play for boston.

samy's boyfriend was also really good and they were like a dynamic duo when they were on the ice together. she wondered if she was anywhere in the crowd.

after the 2nd period, blaire got up to use the bathroom and get a snack. the line wasn't too long, so she leaned against the wall and scrolled her phone. she felt someone else press against the wall behind her. blaire shifted so she wasn't taking up as much space—when she looked over her shoulder to see who it was, she paused.

samy stood behind her also on her phone. the figure skater flushed, debating if she should say hi. it'd been a long time since her and samy interacted so she didn't know if she'd even remember her. blaire decided to push her luck anyway.

"hi, samy," she caught the older girl's attention. samy's head snapped up. "hi," she smiled, scanning blaire's features and the recognition slowly came.

"wait, you look really familiar," samy said.

"i think we used to be at the same competitions from time to time and at the rink when we were younger. i'm blaire. i figure skate," blaire explained. she watched samy's eyes widen like a light bulb going off.

"oh my god. you're right. i do know you. it's been so long. how are you? you go to school around here, right?"

"yeah, santa clara university. i'm good. how are you? how's soccer?"

"it's been so great. i love it at michigan. you probably know this, but i'm here for will," the brunette grinned and blaire nodded. "yeah, i figured. how is he?"

"he's good. he's finding his footing still, but he's really liking it. he's got his friend mack figuring it out with him," samy giggled.

blaire stilled at the mention of mack. of course samy would know mack by now. she debated bringing up the history, but the line moved and it was blaire's turn for the bathroom. "that's really good, i'm glad. hey, it was good running into you. let me know when you're in san jose again. i'd love to catch up more," blaire squeezed her arm.

samy quickly nodded, "of course, yes. wait, let me get your number."

the girls exchanged numbers before blaire waved goodbye. she went into the stall with a smile. if she couldn't reconnect with mack, then at least she could reconnect with an old friend. and maybe connecting with samy would connect her back to mack at some point.

the sharks lost the game 2-1, but they still put on a good effort. blaire could tell mack was disappointed as he skated down the line congratulating the other team for the win. his head hung lower and his expression was more set than when he was more cheery before the game.

"if we go now, we can catch the bus back to campus," lindsey nudged her shoulder.

blaire collected her things and watched as mack disappeared down the tunnel as she followed the crowd out of the stands. maybe the good luck only worked when she was watching him through the screen.

THE 1 TIME SHE WAS ACTUALLY CHEERING HIM ON FROM THE SIDELINES

the arena was packed with fans from across the world as the announcers introduced team canada and team slovenia in the first round. the players skated on and people were on their feet cheering them on. they waved their home country flags high and proud.

in the mix, blaire waved her own canadian flag and hollered until her throat was sore. beside her, charlie and aiden were also screaming at the top of their lungs for their number 71 down on the ice. when he came out, their section got louder. his parents brought cardboard cut outs of his head and pressed them against the glass.

the brunette skated by, smiling wide and waving to all of them. blaire grinned, watching as he did a lap and came back around the next time, specifically looking at her. he tapped his stick against the glass three times which was his way of acknowledging her when he was on the ice. it was their thing since shattuck.

the dirty blonde blushed deeply. she sported his san jose sharks jersey she just insisted her brought on the trip and paired it with a canadian hockey hat just so people knew who she was rooting for. on her left, charlie nudged her shoulder. she met the younger girl's smiling gaze.

"it's good to have you back," her words warmed blaire's heart.

"it's good to be back."

—

canada never let up any goals the entire game. instead, they scored 4 and slovenia couldn't manage to get it back in either of the periods. when the timer ran out, canadian fans jumped up. the boys tackled one another in excitement and celebration. people started waving their flags again and the whole arena was screaming red.

charlie was jumping on blaire's shoulder. the girls started jumping around together, a wave of happy emotions taking over the crowd.

mack came back to the glass with the biggest smile. his family shouted congratulations at him, but the only person he was looking at was blaire. she touched her hand to the glass, sending him a loving smile. he pointed to her and then showed a puck he was hiding in his hand meaning he was going to toss it over to her.

she reached up as it flew over the glass. it landed in her hands a second later and when she met mack's gaze again, he was already looking at her still. it was too loud to hear what he was saying, so instead, he pointed to the tunnel meaning he'd meet them all in the lounge when he was changed and done with press.

blaire clutched the puck close to her. she used to have a collection of these whenever mack won a game. he'd toss her a puck and then she'd go home to write the date and what game it was so she'd remember.

she couldn’t wait to start her new collection.

they waited in the family lounge for another hour before the door opened and mack came in. blaire hung back, letting his family hug him and congratulate him first. she loved seeing how happy they were for him and their praise had him glowing.

when they stepped back and mack found blaire's gaze, he was going to her instantly. she was in his strong arms in seconds. he held her close, pressing his face into the crook of her neck. he breathed her in. "i'm so proud of you," she mumbled.

"couldn't have done it without you," mack hummed.

"you definitely could have. i was just the added bonus," she giggled. the hockey player pulled back a bit to see her face, pushing some loose strands of hair away from her face. "definitely not. you'll always be my good luck charm."

her stomach flipped in a good way. he pressed a soft kiss to her lips, not caring that his entire family was still in the room. blaire blushed deeply, indulging his kiss for a few moments before gently pushing him away. aiden whistled and blaire saw charlie smack him on the arm.

"keep it pg," the older boy teased.

"shut up," mack muttered.

they laughed. blaire missed the banter and all the teasing from his siblings. it was so good to be back. instead of watching quietly from the sidelines, she could watch loud and proud now.

+ 1 BONUS OF MACK WATCHING BLAIRE FROM THE SIDELINES

honestly, it was probably for the better that mack never looked blaire up on anything because he'd been scrolling google and instagram for the past thirty minutes now reading about her recent competitions since starting college. he just couldn't close the tabs even if he wanted to.

after figuring out san jose had the first draft pick this summer and hearing all the talk about him getting picked first, he remembered that blaire was committing to a college out west—he just couldn't remember if it was the one in san jose.

when he saw her name up in the headlines and being named one of the best skaters on the team his stomach flipped. she was ranked 5th in the country and 1st at santa clara university after taking over the highest freestyle program score since 1999.

a soft sigh escaped his lips as he watched past clips of her meets back. she was always the best in his eyes, but she definitely had gotten even better since starting college. she glided seamlessly across the ice and her turns were perfect.

mack didn't really believe in the whole "it's fate" stuff, but he was kind of starting to knowing that him and blaire had a good chance of being in the same city again. maybe this could be his chance to get back together with her.

they broke up because of the distance but now that there wouldn't be anymore distance..

the hockey player tried not to get his hopes up. he hadn't even talked to blaire since a year ago and he wouldn't even know what to say if he did see her again.

hi? how've you been? why did you break up with me?

the brunette shook his head. he needed to stop reading up about her before aiden or charlie bursted in unannounced. he went to click out of the tab when he saw santa clara was actually in an active meet at washington state university.

against his better judgement, mack clicked on the link. it opened a new tab on his computer and the stream booted up to the women's freestyle currently happening. one of the girls from washing state was on and it looked like she was doing well. her score was pretty high already which meant she hadn't missed much and was going for the higher scoring jumps.

mack saw the list of girls on deck and he immediately spotted blaire's name right after this one. he definitely shouldn't have been watching this, but he couldn't tear his eyes away. the washington state girl finished strong and waved up to the crowd before skating off.

the camera panned to blaire taking her lap onto the ice.

mack hadn't seen her on anything since breaking up, so he studied her closely. she looked the same maybe a little older? still the same girl he's known since they were kids though. her expression was set and he watched as she took a few deep breaths to calm her nerves.

when she tapped her skates against the ice and patted her thighs twice, the boy grinned. he once knew her pre performance ritual by heart and tended to do it in the stands with her whenever he was at one of her meets. he was glad to know it hadn't changed since.

the music started and blaire began. anytime mack watched her skate he was amazed at how graceful she moved. it always seemed like it took no effort for her to do those crazy jumps and dizzying spins.

blaire was basically mastered in all of the triple jumps, so her maximum point values were higher than a lot of the other girls competing. being so trained in the triple jumps always got her further ahead in the scoring because not many girls attempted triple jumps. the last time mack knew, she was trying to get her quad axel.

he watched her land 3 of the 7 she needed to complete. anytime she leapt off the skate, mack held his breath in fear that she'd fall if he even so breathed.

in her 4th jump, the boston forward could tell she was gearing up to attempt the quad axel. not many women had the quad axel just because of how hard it was and how many spins were needed for it to count. mack held his breath when she lifted off the air and the commentators went silent.

he counted her revolutions in his head.

when he counted 4.5 her skate touched back down almost effortlessly. there was a slight wobble, but she didn't tumble at all. even through the video, mack could hear the crowd erupt into heavy cheers.

"holy shit," he mumbled in disbelief.

he couldn't believe she could do it now.

her score flew higher even with minor deductions.

for her last 3 jumps, she kept it simple to not risk any more points. when blaire finished the entire program, her jaw dropped at the fact that she landed her quad axel. mack couldn't help but clap for her through the computer.

she skated off the ice, jumping into her coach's arms and waving down to her teammates who were running to congratulate her for landing everything cleanly.

the boy flushed seeing her so happy.