WormwoodArtemisia

I can't describe all the emotions I'm going through...

Me. I'm both. At the same time. Whenever I look at him.

And when I'm not directly looking:

Me, me and me!

Overwhelmed, ecstatic, dreamy...

And this as well—

Thank you so much, honey—for sharing your art, for being here with me and for loving our Krampus so much as well!!! 🥹🫂💚🥂🥳😏

It's your favorite story: a hockey game, too many drinks, a rowdy crowd chanting and cheering, and a chance encounter.

Johnny hadn't been there when you arrived, when you'd sat in your ticketed seat and snuggled close to your friend, sipping overpriced beer and discussing which player was your favorite. You barely felt it when he took his seat, but you could hear him cheering.

He was the kind of fan you've always loved sitting next to, the one that knows exactly the right time to start a chant and never seems to manspread too far into your space. You were too busy discussing which player looked the best pressed up against the glass to feel him looking at you, and you didn't even spare him a glance when you got up to refill your drink during half.

Honestly if you and your bestie hadn't stolen to the bar to have a shot before heading back to your seats with your beer, you may not have even stopped joking with her long enough to coo at him to let you through. Even then it's not that you get a good look at him, as much as you notice how tall he is. Tall and broad shouldered, with biceps you could sink your teeth into.

Too bad you notice how handsome he is almost as quickly as you notice he's wearing the opposing team's sweater. It very nearly ruins him, but you like the lopsided smile he throws you as he stands to let you pass —you like the way it softens the blue of his eyes— too much to let something like that stop you.

"You're rooting for the wrong team," you grin, alcohol bubbling in your blood just on the right side of tipsy. Just enough liquid courage to tease the cute guy in the seat next to you as you sit down.

His smile widens and you feel a reflection of the motion on your own face. No ego on this one, no hurt feelings from a little flirting, just a fond look and an indulgent smile. It makes your heart patter in your chest.

"Maybe you should come over tae my side, already sittin' next tae me, could share the sweater." He pats his lap and you roll your eyes.

You turn back to your friend, leaning close to giggle against her as she begs you not to spill the drinks.

"He's trying to be cute," you whisper loud enough for him to hear.

"I am cute!"

You grin, feel your cheeks crease with the force of it. He is cute. You like cute, and your friend is giving you a look that says 'don't you dare,' which means you absolutely should dare.

"We're having a private conversation," you turn to tell him, just as your face lights up the center ice screen a bright red heart tracing its way around you and him. The crowd around you erupts and you start to turn to see what the commotion is.

Johnny sees it before you do, his eyes and hands faster than yours; you just barely register 'wait that's me' before he's grabbing you and then the world narrows in to a single perfect point.

Big warm hands slide over your cheeks, cupping your jaw to turn you back towards him, pressing ever so lightly to tip you. His nose bumps yours even with the directing —perfectly imperfect as every first kiss should be— and you giggle, feeling the pull of his smile as his lips press against yours. Softly, just enough that you could pull away if you wanted to; you really don't want to.

You throw your arms around him and make him kiss you properly, pushing in to feel the chap of his lips and the slight exhale as he leans into you. Relief relaxes his shoulders and you melt into each other.

Then his lips part and, oh. Something sparks, lighting up warm in your chest, and tingling down the tips of your fingers. The slide of his lips fits so deliciously well against your own, unhurried and indulgent. Pressing and parting again and again, following wherever you want to lead. Another soft smile when your teeth catch his lip. Distantly you hear the crowd cheer a second time, but he doesn't pull back. He kisses you, and kisses you, and kisses you.

Warm and giddy: your fingers twisting in his jersey; his big hands sliding to cup your neck; the peak of his tongue, there and gone when you open a little too wide, disturbing the perfect dance you'd fallen into. The crowd cheers a third time, and you pull away to stare at the screen.

Are you still on the kiss cam? Don't they have anyone else to cut to?

"Are you two finally coming up for air?" Your friend asks.

Oh no, you're not still on the cam, they cut back to you. You're the "someone better" that they have to cut to.

"Oh my god," you groan.

"Ah think Ahm in love with you," Johnny says, you glance back at his kiss reddened lips and dreamy eyes. He looks good like this, and you swoop in for another kiss, which he eagerly reaches for.

Until your best friend yanks you back by the neck of your sweater and you make a rather undignified choked sound that kills the kiss cam.

"Vibe killer," you hiss at her. She makes a face and you stick your tongue out at her.

"You don't even know the guy's name." She reasons. It's a good reason, but easily remedied. You look at kiss cam guy.

"Ahm Johnny," he supplies.

"That's Johnny," you pass it along just to watch your friend roll her eyes. She's not mad, but you know well enough that one of you has to be responsible or neither of you will get home.

"Ok, well, don't blame me if you end up on Youtube," She tells you, settling back in to watch the game.

"Yeah, yeah, I'll remember you when I'm famous." You tell her. She snorts and steals your beer to top up her own.

You don't care, more worried about snagging Johnny's phone to punch in your number with a little kiss next to your name than ending up online.

Which you do. "Kiss cam make out" goes semi-viral, with thousands of people watching your movie moment. You only know because Johnny shamelessly sends you the video alongside the dinner reservation details for your first date.

Nikolai pretended to be john if you couldn't tell. he knew ur name bc he snatched ur wallet LOL