andrei svechnikov (pt. 2)

mat barzal

brady skjei

martin necas

william nylander

gunnar’verse

sidney crosby

miscellaneous players

tyler seguin

champagne buzz down to my toes* (12.1k) new year’s eve in las vegas gets out of hand when you meet tyler, a gorgeous stranger in the club

where reality has long been forgotten (6.2k) cherry clifford had 10 years to heal from her relationship with tyler seguin. turns out that wasn’t long enough and her world is thrown off its axis when she sees him again in the er at mass general

cole caufield

four weddings and a funeral (11.4k) it’s the summer of weddings and just as you’re dreading going solo to them, your brother’s best friend, cole caufield, offers to be your date. it’s the perfect solution, too bad you’ve been madly in love with cole for years and your heart can’t seem to grasp the concept of a fake date.

brock boeser

you look like you love me* (2.7k) you’re nothing but the nanny for brock’s daughter until one night all the lines get blurred

matthew tkachuk

giddy up* (1k) you watch matty compete in the saddle bronc competition at the calgary stampede

sean durzi

don’t you want me like i want you baby? (5.5k) lizzie arnold decides to surprise her best friend for christmas, but she could never have imagined how the holiday season would shake out

mikko rantanen

It’s basically an all-expenses paid vacation and god knows they don’t get enough vacation.

Frank breaks the news to Abby, who’s less than thrilled about solo parenting for a week. She scowls and pouts and Frank makes promises about a family vacation that he knows he won’t keep.

Mel tells Becca that she won’t be around for a week, that she’ll miss their Friday movie. But Becca’s okay with it, happy to spend time at the center and in her apartment, asks if Mel will find a California boy to kiss.

“Maybe,” Mel says, thinking about the boy she kisses in Pittsburgh and will continue to kiss in California. She doesn’t feel guilty about it, even though maybe she should.

Frank picks her up on the way to the airport, grinning despite the obscenely early hour. His hair is floppy over his forehead, dark circles under his eyes and his wedding band glints on his ring finger. “Brought you a coffee,” he points at the cup holder.

“Thanks,” she smiles softly, tired herself. Easy, since he’s done it a million times, Frank leans over the center console and cups her cheek to bring her face in for a kiss that Mel melts into. It’s so easy to melt into Frank. Too easy.

It’s a surprise when Dr. Abbot meets them at the airport, wheeling both his and Samira’s bags. She and Mel make eye contact and Samira just shrugs, a faint smile on her lips when she says, “he was really interested in the panel on the treatment of veterans in long term scenarios.”

Mel isn’t going to say anything about the beard burn on Samira’s jaw. Just like Samira isn’t going to say anything about the way Frank is standing way too close to Mel, his hand on her lower back while they shuffle through the security line.

Girl code.

When they board, Mel has a window seat and Frank has a window seat. Abbot shoots one look at Frank and says, simply, “swap with me, Langdon.” He flashes his boarding pass and Frank is all too happy to swap seats, taking the middle seat next to Mel and leaving the window seat for Samira. His knee knocks against Mel’s as he settles in, clicking the seatbelt around his waist and propping his elbow on the armrest.

“Do you want the window?” Mel asks quietly, her noise cancelling headphones on her lap, ready for use.

“Nah, middle’s fine,” Frank replies, bumping her knee on purpose. “I don’t want to disturb you when I have to use the bathroom.”

“And your back?” Mel asks, reaching her fingers out to brush against Frank’s thigh. He captures her pinky with his.

“Again, fine,” he says, eyes dancing. “I’m fine, right here, next to you for a million hours.”

“The flight is only five hours,” Mel lifts an eyebrow.

Frank shrugs. “Time stops when I’m with you,” it’s cheesy as fuck but he doesn’t care. Mel makes him feel cheesy.

She bumps his shoulder with hers and they settle in. The flight passes with snacks and drinks and movies and Mel’s hand in Frank’s. She shifts and rests on him, using her sweatshirt as a pillow. Frank wishes the flight were longer.

——

The hotel is attached to the convention center - a Marriott, Hyatt, who the fuck knows. It’s on his credit card but there will be a reimbursement. The line item on his statement isn’t a concern, Abby knows he’s here for a conference. Abby doesn’t know who’s here with him.

Part of Frank just wants to rip the bandaid off and tell her, plain and simple, “I’m in love with Mel King.”

The smarter part - aware of his probation and sobriety and custody concerns - simply checks into the room and grins when he’s told it’s a King-sized bed.

He’s the last to check in. Abbot and Samira and Mel are lingering, waiting for him.

“What room are you in?” Frank asks the group, looking right at Mel.

“618,” Mel says, holding up two cards. “Samira and I are sharing.”

Less than ideal, Frank thinks. And then Abbot swipes the key card from Frank’s hand.

“Didn’t book a room,” Jack says slyly and surely he doesn’t think he’s sharing with Frank? But nope, he turns to Samira and smiles, “looks like we’re in room 510.”

Frank lets out a “huh?” and Abbot laughs, “keep up, Langdon. The girls checked into their room, you checked into yours. Everything’s how it was booked, right?”

He drags out the word and Mel bites her lower lip, key cards still held up between two fingers. Samira rolls her eyes at him and it finally clicks.

Oh.

“Right,” Frank says slowly, taking a card from Mel. He salutes Abbot and Samira with it. “See you guys at dinner. Come on, Mel. I’ll walk you to your room, ‘cause I’m a gentleman.”