#nolan patrick story

[dogwittaablog]

i do love that despite nolan no longer being with the flyers for some time now he still has his gritty post on his instagram

My guy deleted one of the most ground breaking pics off his feed which was of him and Teeks at Claude Giroux’s wedding captioned “what a wedding date.” BUT GRITTY WILL STAY. POINT BLANK PERIOD, NO QUESTIONS.

#GRITTY IS THE ONLY THING THAT MAKES THE FLYERS RELEVANT #YOU CANNOT TELL ME OTHERWISE #THE STORY OF HIM ALLEGEDLY PUNCHING A KID TAKES ME OUT ALL THE TIME #AND NOLAN EVEN DEFENDING HIM ON A LIVESTREAM #HAHAHAH #GOOD TIMES #NOLAN PATRICK #NOLPAT #TRAVIS KONECNY #GRITTY #NHL #PHILIDELPHIA FLYERS #dec '23 subs

[out--of--ordinary]

Idk why but this stance is giving action figure

#theyre collectibles ! #my nolan doll will need to be changed into his no. 19 orange and black alt jersey outfit asap tho #im the cleaner from toy story ill brush their hair and sharpen their little skates make em look real nice #listen im not even sorry i blame the devils insta for posting this pic earlier today and my brain immediately pictured that nolan pic #its passed midnight im letting the intrudive thoughts win #im afraid to put these in their actual tags 👀 #after receiving an ounce of validation i am No Longer Afraid i am so brave i want to be Seen #nolan patrick #nico hischier #hockey

[imperatorrrrr]

having only recently really delved deep into the Nico/Nolan lore and obviously already in deep with the Nico/Jack stuff.

I need fic about the Nolan - Nico - Jack of it all. How does Jack feel about Nico’s Nolan romance? How does Nolan feel about Nico’s new golden boy?

(and how does poor Jesper Bratt feel because he’s lived through all of it)

#Nico Hischier #Nolan Patrick #Jack Hughes #Jesper Bratt #New Jersey Devils #I don’t see this becoming like a throuple scenario #I just like the narratives #NandN dominated the story and kept on giving us so many tidbits #With the vacationing together and the still all over each other’s Instagrams #Nico and Jack are giving us taking on an entire hockey team on their backs and willing it to succeed #They’re building something together a home a team hopefully a championship a dynasty #Does Nico have a type? #Nico’s like oh shared life experience? let’s do some romance #so many tropes so many stories #so many ways to intrepret it #and that isn’t even getting into whatever the fuck happened ASG 2020 with TK #Text

[loverjareau]

people i’d like to know better: tag game (except the questions are different and mostly hockey-themed because i’ve already done it!)

who i was tagged by: @longliveyamo

player that got me into hockey: jamie drysdale!! love you forever, jimbo 🫶🏻

player you like because of their narrative: i could pick literally any member of the 2015 draft class, but i feel like i have to go with my boy nolan patrick and his pretty, flushed, cursed-by-his-own-body face

goalie/forward/defenseman: goalie!!! i will ride with those prank-playing plant-parent-status rollercoaster-tycoon-ambassador weirdos until i die (especially wollie, sway, and demmer)

player i would let meet my parents: let’s be real, none of them, but i think i’d pick nathan mackinnon just for the shock on my dad’s face

current favorite team: the triangle of ‘we could win the cup but we’ll scrape into the playoffs by the skin of our teeth’ that is philadelphia/toronto/new jersey

who i’m tagging: @capsvsducks @eliolikesapricots @vr00m-vr0om

#hockey #jamie drysdale #nolan patrick #nathan mackinnon #i’m a person fan more than a team fan #i’ll ride with any team that has a sob story and hot men

[jostyriggslover96]

Story Updates & Life Updates

So I posted a while ago about the struggles I’ve been having in 2022 with covid and injuries from a car accident. I was finally in a place where for the first time in months I felt inspiration to write….but I guess in 2022 the tough times keep rolling. My family got some challenging news this week that’s honestly tough to swallow. As much as I love writing, I just need to be more and more present there.

Thank you to everyone who has read my writing and enjoyed it. This isn’t saying goodbye to my Jamie Oleksiak story or Nolan Patrick story by any means. It’s just putting them on hold for longer so I can be there for the people who need me. Seriously thank you so much for all of the kind messages and support I get here. Messaging with so many of you keeps me going. I’ll still be around…just maybe not as present for a while.

#jamie oleskiak #jamie oleksiak imagine #Nolan Patrick #nolan patrick imagine #story updates #my writing #we’re really doing this #obvious

[wyattjohnston]

here we are! finally with the masterlist! all the thanks in the world to the 39 people who signed up for the exchange and the lovely D who came in as my saviour and wrote a pinch hitter fic without even being signed up

please read all the fics below, so much love and care was put into them and they all deserve your attention. a reblog if you can would also be incredible.

please respect all warnings at the beginning of fics. if a fic has been marked as smut or 18+ and you are younger than, do the right thing and do not read it.

keep your eye out for the winter fic exchange 2k24 sign up post. if you want me to let you know when it's happening you can click here.

the summer fic exchange 2k23 masterlist

Buffalo Sabres

Jeff Skinner

gotta trust how you feel inside by @laurenairay for @ nhl-stories

Tyson Jost

i should've fought harder by @butgilinsky for @ typical-simplelove

a Devon Levi fic was written by @waysicouldhave for @ jackhues but they have since deactivated.

Carolina Hurricanes

Andrei Svechnikov

Every Summer Has a Story by @comphy-and-cozy for @teokka

HATE HATE HATE by @luvmmarner for @ comphy-and-cozy this is a multi-chaptered fic, so keep an eye on it!

How Long? by @lifeofpriya for @ luvmmarner

Colorado Avalanche

Cale Makar

all's well that end's well to end up with you by @fallinallincurls for @ ya-pucking-nerd

i've found love (and all that goes with it) by @huttons for @ fallinallincurls

Mikko Rantanen

Do That by @selfindulgentpoorlywritten for @ kurlyteuvo

Summer Baby by @typical-simplelove for @ buttercupjosh

Nathan MacKinnon

It Starts With a Cookie by @luvsherleafs for @ princessphilly

Dallas Stars

Jake Oettinger

taking on the world together by @laurenairay for @ jarmorie

Los Angeles Kings

Pierre-Luc Dubois

as the seasons change by @gravestrain for @ bqstqnbruin

never said a thing by @wyattjohnston for @ pcttymarleau

Minnesota Wild

Marc-André Fleury

Genève by @teokka for @ callsign-denmark

Montreal Canadiens

Juraj Slafkovsky

If I Say It, Will You Respond? by @puckmaidens for @ 2manytabsopen

Nashville Predators

Tyson Barrie

simple by @jxmieoleksiaks for @ laurenairay

New Jersey Devils

Dougie Hamilton

hydrangeas where your face should be by @nhl-stories for @ huttons

Jack Hughes

make it weird by @wyattjohnston for @ torontoflames

something in the way she moves by @miracleonice87 for @ wyattjohnston

Nico Hischier

See You Again by @bqstqnbruin for @ selfindulgentpoorlywritten

Underneath the Stars by @buttercupjosh for @ ilyasorokinn

Timo Meier

Sweet Like Cinnamon by @wildrangers for @ matthewtkachuk

New York Islanders

Ilya Sorokin

Polaroid Dreams by @kurlyteuvo for @ lifeofpriya

Mat Barzal

Alone With You by @cellythefloshie for @ miracleonice87

Disney Magic by @lam-ila for @ tinyhockey

tell me why by @torontoflames for @ luvsherleafs

where you lead i will follow by @ilyasorokinn for @prettytoxicrevolver

Pittsburgh Penguins

Sidney Crosby

Triple Axle Celly by @callsign-denmark for @ starshine-hockey-girl

Ryan Graves

a lake house story by @ya-pucking-nerd for @ thomasschabot

Seattle Kraken

Jamie Oleksiak

to the ends of the earth by @jarmorie for @ laurenairay

Tampa Bay Lightning

Brayden Point

one day all my love will come back to me by @matthewtkachuk for @ senditcolton

Toronto Maple Leafs

Matthew Knies

being a good man by @pcttymcrlecu for @ gravestrain

Vancouver Canucks

Anthony Beauvillier

Alone With You by @cellythefloshie for @ miracleonice87

The Invisible String by @starshine-hockey-girl for @ jarmorie

Quinn Hughes

i can still see it all by @ghostyjosty (jostystyles) for @ wildrangers

mango dragon refresher by @jackhues for @ lam-ila

saw you in a dream by @thomasschabot for @ puckmaidens

Surprise Party by @prettytoxicrevolver for @ ghostyjosty

Vegas Golden Knights

Nolan Patrick

Soothing Swedish Summers by @2manytabsopen for @ waysicouldhave

Winnipeg Jets

Adam Lowry

breakable heaven by @senditcolton for @ cellythefloshie

i am slowly making my own way through reading all the fics--if i haven't read yours and you want to make sure i don't forget, please send it to me.

if the person you wrote for hasn't read and reblogged your fic, please tell me.

#the summer fic exchange 2k23 #exchange masterlist #nhl fic #nhl imagine #hockey imagine #hockey fic #lmao called it the 2k24 masterlist and no one told me #making us all time travel

[cyanide-cryptid]

Soft launch? or doppleganger? f1 social media au

I've been obsessed with these lately so I tried to make one myself. Idk let me know what you think. If this gets enough traction with ya'll I might make this a series but mostly i made it to fuel my little daydreams

summary: A polish model with a small yet passionate fanbase has recently been rumoured to have broken up with her boyfriend and two f1 drivers have been posting suspiciously soft launchy posts with similar looking girls

angelique

Liked by npatrick19 , florencepugh , and 560,089 others

angelique new addition to the patrick fam! and hes already the coolest dog on the block.

View all 231,407 comments

angelsbarbie mother is still dating a hockey player? yuck

angpat SO CUTE!

danielricciardo so... when do i get to see him

angelique soon, danny, soon <3

lilymhe babe?? since when??

21 weeks ago

charles_leclerc just posted an intstagram story !

angelique just posted an intstagram story !

angelique

Liked by charles_leclerc, landonorris , and 1,235,894 others

angelique Monaco is nice this time of year, no? chyba tak..

View all 456,908 comments

landonorris loved seeing my biggest fan but didn't you include me in the pictures 🙄🙄

angpat LAST PIC LAST PIC

puck4luck 😅😅 yeah so she got rid of nolan and fast

danielricciardo shouldve bought the dog

angelique you're a slag

danielricciardo you love me really

f1wagsupdate random guy in picture dump, in monaco and charles liked? 📷📷🌟🌟🤨🤨

angelsbarbie raah you're onto something

charles_leclerc

Liked by angelique, florencepugh, and 6,138,071others

charlesleclerc Monaco is always nice with you

View all 7,596,916comments

landonorris

Liked by angelique, pierregasly, and 5,468,041others

landonorris Poland is nice this time of year, no?

coments disabled

#charles lecrelc #charles leclerc x oc #formula 1 #formula one imagine #f1 instagram au #lando norris #lando norris x oc

[thenhlteaissuperhot]

Do you think Nolan Patrick will ever come back to the nhl? Or any other professional hockey league

As much as it pains me to say it, I don't think Nolan will come back to the NHL - teams (justifiably) don't want to be paying for a player, who is as injury and illness-prone as he is and who barely jumps into games, let alone performs in them.

His story is truly one of the most saddening ones because he is still only twenty-five and called a bust by basically everyone because of something he has no control over whatsoever. Imagine how frustrating it has to be for someone to be unable to do something they love and something they have dedicated their entire life to because they jump from one untreatable injury to another. Six years back he was this promising-looking guy who got drafted 2nd overall and look at where he is now and where the other guys from 2017's draft are now - Nico Hischier, Cale Makar, Miro Heiskanen, Elias Pettersson, Martin Necas...

I don't even think he will join other professional leagues. I wouldn't blame him if he did so because of the love he has for the sport and from pure nostalgia, but if he is reasonable, he won't want to push his body any further past the safe lines, which have already been long crossed in his case.

Genuinely wishing him nothing but the best.

#nhl #nhl players #ice hockey #nolan patrick

[harlowhockeystick]

saw your post about no one requesting nolan and i am here to help ✋🏻 i know you’ve already done “i’m so in love that i might stop breathing” with josh but i’m here requesting it with nolie<3 can be princess au or not!

meet me at midnight | contains: drunk princess, fem!reader, mentions of alcohol, nolan somehow gets a busted lip....wonder who did that

ah yes, my beloved princess and nolan <3 i miss them tbh :,)

This was the exact reason why nolan wanted to stalk her when there was a girls night. Because previous it was a broken nose, then it was a sprained ankle, a few other incidents and now…now she was refusing to get in the uber to go home.

"no, jenna, i'm not leaving! this is the most fun i've had in a long time!" y/n shouted in the club that was beaming with led lights and loud music with deep bass. y/n's friend huffed, thankfully jenna wasn't as drunk as y/n was, so she was able to call nolan. she had his number for times like these and only times like these.

"y/n i'm calling nolan!" jenna threatened, holding her phone to her ear. y/n kept dancing and downed one more shot of tequila. "do it!" y/n shouted back, "i'm not scared of him! actually he's scared of me!"

jenna called nolan and explained the situation. thankfully nolan knew right where to go, because he was stalking her location this entire time. he drove to the night club and kept an eye out for the hot pink bodycon dress she put on that night. he found her, on the middle of the dance floor, dancing like nobody was watching. he sighed, he wished she would do this when she wasn't off her face drunk because it was quite the sight to see.

he moved through the crowd to her and he grabbed her arm lightly. the fight response kicked in, and in one move she swung towards him not knowing who he was. he tried his best to dodge her, but she made contact with his lips. nolan's hand covered his mouth and he heard her gasp, her hands going to cup his cheeks. "nolie oh my god," she exclaimed loudly, "i didn't mean to!"

he laughed and took her hand in his dragging her out of the club. she was going on and on about how she didn't mean to take a swing at him, but the entire time nolan was giggling. he thought it was kinda funny, he knew the guys would get quite a kick out of the story he would tell the following practice.

she stumbled on the concrete sidewalk so nolan kept a tight grip on her hips, making sure that she wouldn't start to lean over. but, if there was anyone on this planet that he trusted enough to walk blackout drunk in four inch heels, it would be her.

nolan helped her in the passenger seat of the car, opening the door and making sure she was buckled before closing the door. "well princess did you have a fun night?" he asked sarcastically, taking ahold of her hand while he started the drive back to her apartment. he decided it would be best to take her to her own place and not his, he knew that in the morning she would want all of her skin care stuff, and that she would want to take a shower with those specific shower oils that she has when she got up.

she rambled the whole time she got in the car, got in the elevator of her apartment building, and from when nolan got her in bed. he took off her jacket that she wore and she got an over the top suggestive smirk on her lips, "if you wanted to see me naked nolie you shoulda just asked."

nolan rolled his eyes and picked out a pajama set for her to wear that night, "no, i'm trying to help you out here." he reached behind her and unzipped the dress she had on, helping her step out of it. she sat on the bed and nolan took off her heels for her, tossing them to the side.

"nolan patrick do not throw those! those are santoni's!" nolan put his hands up in defense, handing her a pajama shirt while he reached over and set them up properly. he looked over and princess was trying to figure out how to slip the shirt over her head, which for a moment he forgot she didn't know how to do at the moment.

he helped her slip into the pj's for the night, and helped her get under the covers. he went to the kitchen to grab some tylenol and water for her in the morning, and a mixing bowl just incase she couldn't make it to the bathroom to throw up.

nolan quietly goes back to her room to find her staring up at the ceiling, giggling to herself. he turned the light off, leaving just her sunset light on the lowest setting for the night. when he got in bed she turned over to face him, first smiling but then it turned cold once she noticed nolan's busted lip.

"i'm really sorry about your lip nolie," she mumbled, her hand reaching out to brush her thumb over his chin. he smiled and reached forward, kissing her forehead before pulling her in close next to him for the night.

"i'll be fine princess," he kissed the top of her head once more, "i think you'd make it in the league with that kinda swing if you ask me."

#queue there #j’s writing #j’s midnights weekend #princess reader #nolan patrick #nolan patrick imagine #nolan patrick x reader #nhl imagine #nhl x reader #hockey imagine #hockey x reader

[catkin-morgs-kookaburralover]

themes!!

casual kindness

never giving up hope not even for a second!!

everybody is in earnest, even if it's painfully so

self sacrificing love

but that doesn't come out of self hatred that comes out of love for everyone including themselves

joy in one another and in nature

willingness to work hard to benefit everyone

characters!!

judith 'magpie' holmes strengths: sees the best in everyone, easily trusting weaknesses: overconfidence neutral: likes shiny things magic(?): rudimentary communication with birds

erin 'dormouse' campbell strengths: easily trusting, thinks deeply weaknesses: mild self esteem issues, lack of confidence neutral: favourite colour is green magic(?): brilliant tracker

daniel 'kingfisher' martin strengths: unshakeable optimism, gentleness weaknesses: able to be easily led astray neutral: lots of hand gestures magic(?): exceptionally good at diving and holding his breath underwater

roberta 'tortoise' carter strengths: deep thinker, carefully considers all options weaknesses: can be indecisive neutral: good at dancing magic(?): everything grows faster when she's around

anna 'robin' mccartney strengths: reminding everyone of God's goodness, hopeful, gentleness weaknesses: can be overbearing, sometimes leaves others behind by accident neutral: moves quickly magic(?): rudimentary communication with animals, generally prey animals

grace 'dolphin' andrews strengths: kind, patient, stubborn weaknesses: has difficulty letting go of preconceived notions, jumps to conclusions neutral: has the most intoxicating laugh magic(?): can sprint or swim long distances without being tired or out of breath

patrick 'fox' andrews strengths: very much in earnest, quick-witted, stubborn weaknesses: can be sarcastic and occasionally nasty because of it, can accidentally talk over others neutral: brother to grace magic(?): can jump incredibly high

ryan 'elephant' rogers strengths: good at picking up patterns, patient weaknesses: can be prejudiced neutral: ends up going home to his uncle and hence passing out of the story magic(?): incredibly strong

?? 'panda' nolan strengths: extreme enthusiasm and is very quick to hype others up weaknesses: prone to constant small lies neutral: magic(?):

?? 'snow leopard' scrooge

thaddeus 'tadpole' scrooge strengths: very trusting, sees the best in everyone weaknesses: slightly prone to being whiny neutral: originally nicknamed frog, snowy is his big brother, is the BONUS CHILDLING magic(?): can talk to frogs

pollyanna 'pollywog' scrooge strengths: hopeful and upbeat weaknesses: can be unrealistic in expectations neutral: sister to snowy and tad magic(?): can fit through small spaces nobody else can even tad

#the slice of life thingy #spitballing ideas rn #judy is a special case to me. she's darling. she was an early oc and bonded with magpies. #all the others are yoinked out of my brain rn #names and stuff may change #im just throwing out ideas lol #and there are more characters eventually these are just the ones in my brain #tell me what you thinks of it!! #and yeah some of these characters are inspired by friends and or mutuals #grace 'dolphin' i am looking at you

[dogwittaablog]

the amount of dopamine that courses through my system at a new sighting of him needs to be studied. Like the chokehold he has on us when he does nothing needs to be studied. He’s just going about life completely unaware to the discussions we have everyday about him LOL

Doesn’t get anymore relatable than this!

No seriously, he’s out there living life probably no thoughts going on in his head, while we are feasting on any given bread crumbs mourning him like he’s dead.

#he couldn’t even do us the audacity of posting a Instagram story #he only comes alive during the summer time #and when he needs to drop his annual bro golf pics #nolan patrick #nolpat #march 24 subs

[eusuntgratie]

People You’d Like To Get To Know Better

tagged by @winderlylandchime 💜

3 Ships

i have so many ships but here's a few i'm currentlyish writing

firstprince (alex/henry), red white and royal blue 🥰

nicktaylor bc i can't resist an rpf ship, apparently

travis konecny/nolan patrick, hockey rpf

First Ship

first ship i read fic for was jacob/bella from twilightttttt for all my twilight girlies taylor lautner posted a rainy insta story today with the twilight music OH MAN it made me giggle

Last Song

Currently Reading

listening to greedy by jen winston, reading the wishing spell with the kid, and working my way through a truly unhinged backlog of fanfiction across multiple fandoms and ships, but i don't think i'm exactly in the middle of any right now. i just finished (make me) misbehave by @onward--upward which i LOVED SO MUCH I NEED TO SCREAM ABOUT IT.

Last Film

casino royale, which i rewatched recently after being unable to stop thinking about it since reading if you take a life do you know what you'll give by @anincompletelist (bond girl alex my beloved 😍)

Currently Craving

tea with honey bc i've had a cold for TOO MANY DAYS but i don't want to get up and make it :(

tagging @onward--upward @anincompletelist @jbarneswilson @nocoastposts @firenati0n @voxofthevoid

#tag games #winderlylandchime #Spotify

[jostyriggslover96]

Someone Unexpected

Summary: Kira (OC) and Jack met through mutual friends (Nolan Patrick and Nico Heiser) unexpectedly one summer. Feeling an instant connection, they decide to go on a date. Nerves take over as the two set out on what might be their first date of many. **This is a continuation of Kira & Jack from Summer Rituals, it might be helpful to check that out! *Kira's thoughts have been italicized.

Part of the HEART FIRST Series

Note: Thank you so much for all the love on Summer Rituals, I am super excited to continue Kira and Jack's story! All of your support means a lot to me! I have a lot planned with them, if you want to be tagged let me know.

Warnings: mentions of drinking, past relationships

Word Count: 6k

Life can be surreal sometimes with the way things fall into place. There is this saying about dating that I’ve always hated, ‘you’ll meet someone when you least expect it’. That saying has always set me off because it's never been true. I have spent my fair share of time alone and in relationships with shitty guys; yet, I have never met the right one when I’m not looking for anything. That is, until now.

To say I didn’t expect to meet anyone, let alone Jack Hughes on what seemed like a normal summer day was an understatement. I thought it would be a quiet day on the boat where I could read and Nolan could fish. When I showed up at the docks this morning, there he was in all his glory. Despite being completely enamored with Jack from the moment our eyes locked, I kept a safe distance from him when we all got on the boat. If Nolan invited him, I’m sure he wouldn't be an asshole, but I’ve been hurt one too many times to let my guard down. The last guy though, he did a number on me and it took a lot of time for me to heal. Between the cheating, body shaming, and belittling I experienced with my ex I learned to be very wary about trusting men. Even though it's been two years since I left my ex, I’m just starting to feel like I’ve found myself again.

As a protective factor, I kept my distance from the starry-eyed forward and focused my attention on ensuring Nolan didn’t hit any other boats as he backed out of the marina. Still, I didn’t think anything would come from meeting Jack until he sat down beside me and asked me about the book in my beach bag. That question started everything…the perfect day spent getting to know the perfect guy. I explained to him that the book isn’t really a normal book, but it’s actually a collection of poetry.

“So the poems all flow together, but they aren’t about the exact same thing,” I tried to explain to Jack as I thumbed through the book to show him some examples. He was surprisingly eager to listen to my explanation of what was probably one of my favorite collections of poems. Normally guys don’t really care much about my interests…but maybe Jack is different.

“Okay, and they’re all about milk and honey?” Jack questioned while he processed what I was saying. I let out a hearty laugh at his statement; not because he was way off, but because he actually cared. A smile crept across Jack’s face, “what’s so funny?”

“Milk and Honey is the title, but not really the theme,” I smiled while crossing my legs to lean closer to Jack, already starting to warm to him. “They’re about relationships and healing actually.”

“Oh, that actually sounds pretty good,” Jack mirrored my movements, shuffling closer to me on the bench we were sharing.

“Thanks for caring,” I said softly, shooting Jack a more timid smile. Feeling myself retreat to my meek demeanor.

“You like it, of course I care,” the words slid out of his mouth so naturally. Jack Hughes might actually be different. 

We spent the rest of the afternoon talking about anything and everything. Movies, music, food, some horrific stories I had from my time as a bartender. We even got into deeper topics too; what it was like growing up in Toronto for him, why I decided to get my first degree and my second, what it was like growing up with two brothers, my differing thoughts on only having one brother, and of course, hockey. Despite being apprehensive when I first met him, he was quickly knocking down the walls I built around myself to stay safe.

“So I originally wanted the number 6, but someone already had it when I came to the team,” Jack explained to me after we had been spending some time discussing what it was like being drafted and playing his rookie year. 

“How did you come up with 86 then?” I asked as the sun glinted on my sunglasses. It had been a long afternoon on the boat, but we didn’t care. Jack spent the whole time talking to me, even ignoring the offers to try out wake-surfing when the guys asked.

“Well Quinn wears 43 so I wanted something that tied me to him,” he smiled softly as he tucked his wavy hair behind his ear. The wind was starting to pick up as he attempted to keep his flow at bay.

“He must mean a lot to you,” my fingers brushed his arm as I instinctively reached for him to offer some form of reassurance. Sparks shot through me like lightning as we touched for the first time. As I glanced down to where we connected, Jack reached forward to tuck the stray hairs that had fallen in my eyes. Warmth went rushing to my cheeks as my eyes darted back to his, he was watching me closely.

Shaking his head, as if he was in a daze, he refocused. “They both do, just don’t tell them that,” he joked, his laughter sent fireworks through my body. 

Somehow he could be so serious yet sarcastic at the same time. The conversation with him just flowed, it felt so normal. He felt so normal with me. I never imagined that someone who is considered a rising star in the NHL could be so normal with me. Nothing felt fake or ingenuine, it all felt natural and comfortable. Feeling this way with a guy was a completely foreign feeling for me. Jack Hughes was a completely unexpected addition to my life, but even in the 10 hours I’ve known him it is beyond clear to me that he is someone unexpected that I was meant to meet.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After a long day out on the water, everyone was happy to get out of the sunshine and back to Nolan’s cabin. Despite being initially hesitant around Jack, we had bonded so much on the boat that we were basically attached at the hip. He even came with me when I stopped by my families’ cabin so I could change into some clothes for the evening. In the 5 minutes we were in the cabin, Jack was practically glued to the wall of family photos. He kept shouting questions to me while I was in my room, “Kira is this you in the Mickey ears?”. He was surprised to find out that I used to be a dancer, knew how to play hockey, and that I have a niece. I couldn’t help but laugh to myself as I gathered my things, Jack actually seemed passionate about learning more about me. He’s the first guy, probably ever, who has made that effort with me.

Jack and I walked back to Nolan’s cabin hand-in-hand, which captured the stares of our friends. I knew why my friends were surprised, I honestly haven’t shown any interest in another guy since my last breakup. I’m also not usually one for PDA, but there’s something about Jack that pushes me out of my comfort zone. We settled on a giant lawn chair big enough for two around the firepit and got cozy while everyone got ready to roast hotdogs. This was a typical summer night at the lake that I’ve always loved, with the welcome addition of Jack by my side.

As the night carried on, there was a slight chill in the nighttime breeze that sent shivers down my spine as I watched Nolan tend to the fire. Sensing my sudden chill, Jack pulled me into his side as we shared the plaid tattered blanket that was in the bed of Nolan’s truck. My body froze for a second at the sudden closeness of Jack, normally I was not one for any cuddling or closeness to any guy, let alone someone I just met. Yet as I gazed up into Jack’s soothing blue eyes, I relaxed almost instantly into his warmth. Our friends have been giving us both strange looks all day, clearly shocked at our instant connection. Cuddling under a blanket by the fire was sure to raise some eyebrows.

I didn’t care at all though, completely oblivious to the smirks and pointed looks of our friends as Jack and I settled into comfortable conversation while we roasted marshmallows for smores. Talking to Jack was so easy, maybe because I’ve never met a guy this interested in my life before. We spent the evening chatting about college, hockey, family, travel plans, and much more long after the sunset. We were so caught up in each other, we didn’t even notice that most of our friends had trickled inside or out to the dock. 

Taking the final gulp of my beer while Jack told me a story about the lake house he was planning to buy with his brother, I finally noticed that Jack and I were alone by the fire as I set the bottle down. Glancing around over my shoulder to see where our friends had gone brought the same realization to Jack’s attention. Silence filled the air between us for a moment, tension buzzing between us like electricity.

“Soo…,” Jack trailed off as a smile graced his lips. “Guess they ditched us,” he smirked as my lips turned up into a smile to match his. 

I let out a slightly nervous chuckle while I regained my bearings. Jack made me nervous, but not in a bad way. Not in the way I was uncomfortable with, but in a way that excited me.  “Guess so, jerks,” I joked sarcastically. Jack let out a boisterous chuckle that sent fireworks right to my heart. I would love to hear that laugh for the rest of my life. Jack’s laughter didn’t last long as a serious look that I didn’t recognize graced his features.

“Actually, I was hoping to get you alone tonight,” Jack stuttered. He started scratching the back of his neck while fiddling with the ends of his hair. Suddenly I recognized the signs, he was nervous. It was actually quite sweet watching his demeanor shift. 

“Oh yeah?” I questioned as I raised an eyebrow, encouraging him to explain himself further. 

“Uh yeah,” he nodded for a moment. “Kira, there’s something I want to ask you.” His speech stopped as he waited to gauge my reaction. 

“Go on Jack,” I encouraged, reaching for his hand that was resting on my shoulder to give it a squeeze.

With my reassurance, a smile formed on his lips once more. “Well, I was wondering if…” he paused to take a breath and perhaps gain some confidence. “Would you like to go out on a date with me?” 

As the words left his lips and the sound met my ears, shock fell upon my face. My mouth went dry as I scrambled to find the words to answer his question. When was the last time someone asked me on a date? How do people usually respond to these questions?

“Shit, I freaked you out. I know we just met…” he trailed off. My shock was obviously spreading to him in the form of insecurity as his eyes dropped from mine. My mind continued to race as I struggled to find the words to convey my feelings on the matter. Oh god, what if he regrets asking me out?

“I’m not freaked out,” the words tumbled from my mouth without thought. Jack’s eyes lifted from my tattered black converse. “Surprised maybe, but not freaked out,” I commented while sending a warm smile his way. 

Jack’s smile mirrored mine once more, god he has a beautiful smile. Moment of truth, time to answer a question that might change my life forever. “I would love to go on a date with you,” I let out a shaky breath as relief filled my body once more. 

“Really?” Jack beamed.

“Absolutely Jack,” happiness filled my entire body like a tingle as I watched the gorgeous hockey player’s excitement grow.

“It’s not too soon?” He rebounded quickly.

“Jack, not at all,” I let out a breathy chuckle. “Would I say yes to anyone who asked me out on the first day we met?” I paused for a moment as curiosity filled his eyes. “Definitely not, but there's something different about you, Jack Hughes,” I commented as I stared longingly into his eyes.

“There’s something different about you too Kira,” his voice was but a whisper as he leaned closer to me to brush a few stray hairs behind my ear. His eyes darted to my lips before meeting my gaze once again. Before I could nod in silent permission that he could kiss me, Nolan’s deep voice shook me from my thoughts.

“Yo Kira, your car is blocking Jayden in,” Nolan shouted as he approached us from the cabin. My eyes rolled back as Jack dropped his head in defeat. I let out an exasperated sigh, fucking Nolan.

“Okay, I’ll move it,” I called back before smiling softly at Jack once more before throwing the blanket off my lap and pulling myself from the chair. I guess I’ll have to wait for our date for another chance at a kiss.

~~~~~~~~~~~

A whole 12-hours have passed since my late-night cuddles by the fire with Jack and with that, our first date grew closer. 12-hours felt like an eternity since I last saw Jack, I miss those blue eyes and his smile. Neither Jack nor I wanted to wait long to have our first date, so we planned to have it the very next day. Since I was the resident expert at the lake, I planned our date because I know all the good spots. I also have my family cabin to myself for the week, meaning there won’t be any more interruptions from anyone else, especially Nolan.

As the clock struck 2, I nervously climbed into my hatchback feeling my heart race as I pulled out of the gravel-road makeshift driveway by our cabin. The drive to Nolan’s cabin was short, mere minutes, this didn’t help ease my nerves as I stopped in front of his cabin. Getting out of my car, I rounded the front and leaned against the passenger side to wait for Jack. As I was waiting I started nervously picking my nails, a bad habit I picked up many years before. Pulled from my thoughts as I heard the cabin door swing open, I glanced up and was graced with Jack’s heartstopping smile. 

“Hey beautiful,” He smiled as he jogged down the few stairs on the deck and pulled me in for a hug before I could react. Inhaling for a moment as I felt his warmth, my nostrils were met with the soothing smell of his cologne, which could only be described as hot boy cologne. 

Recovering from my initial shock, “don’t flatter me, I’m just in comfy clothes,” I retorted. Jack pulled away from our hug, I felt disappointment creep into my bones wanting to pull him closer once more. He eyed me skeptically before glancing down at my outfit; I was sporting lavender leggings with a matching sports bra and a loose white crop top. 

“You make comfy clothes look good,” his voice filled with desire as he leaned in once more. He was so close that I could feel his breath dancing across my skin. “You look beautiful,” he whispered before pressing his lips to my cheek and pulling away. My hand shot up to my cheek, skin burning from where his lips once were.

Shaking myself from my momentary trance, I dropped my hand from my warm cheeks. “Well, let’s get going. You’re going to love this hike, it’s my favorite,” I commented as I made my way back to the driver's side to hop back in the car.

“Nice ride,” Jack commented as we were buckling in. Glancing up at him I sent him a warm smile as I started the vehicle before putting it in drive.

“I mean, it’s no Range Rover but it gets me from point a to point b,” I chuckled as we moved away from the cabin. Jack and I chatted comfortably on the short drive to the hiking trail, discussing the lake and its cutesy shops. I was focusing on the road but the few times I glanced over at Jack I caught him staring; he would always look away quickly but I did notice blush creeping up his neck. Maybe he had the first date jitters too.

Gripping the steering wheel tightly the rest of the short drive, I turned into the parking lot by the trail, relieved to see there weren’t any other cars parked. That meant the trail would be quiet, which is perfect for a first date. We both got out of the car as I made my way to the trunk to pull out the small backpack I brought with me. Jack offered to carry it as I reached back into the trunk for the bug spray. 

“Did you use bug spray?” I asked softly. Jack scrunched up his face, clearly unhappy to see the repellent.

“No, I hate that stuff,” he mockingly gagged as I shook the can at him. I let out a laugh, my nerves slightly easing at his distaste.

“Well, unless you want to be eaten alive, I would use it,” I commented as I stepped back from him to spray myself down. Once I was done I handed him the can which he reluctantly accepted. 

“This is necessary?” he questioned as he hesitated with the spray.

“Welcome to Canada,” I joked as I nodded my head. He sprayed himself with the bug protectant before tossing it back in my trunk. We locked up the car and headed over to the start of the trail just off the parking lot. 

“So, you bring a lot of first dates here?” he teased. My cheeks felt flush as I glanced up at the hockey player who was towering over me. After staring into his eyes for a moment I determined that he was joking, we’re still figuring out these quirks about each other.

“Only the ones who are worth it,” I shot back as we started making our way onto the trail. “So my family normally comes on this trail every summer. It’s not super long or uphill but there is a gorgeous lookout point about halfway through,” I explained as Jack and I matched each other's pace. He seemed to enjoy my explanation, listening eagerly when I told him the story of how our family dog jumped into the pond on the side of the trail when she saw a butterfly one year.

“I see why you like this hike,” Jack commented. His voice was a little shaky in a way I didn’t recognize. “Worth it for the bug spray,” he chuckled. I let out a snicker at his clear hatred of bug repellent. 

“You lived in Canada before, this can’t be your first experience with bug spray,” I teased. As we continued on the trail I started picking at the hem of my shirt, noticing a few rouge strings pulling away from the material.

“Doesn’t mean I like it, it feels greasy,” he scoffed. I nodded in agreement, he wasn’t wrong. As we rounded a corner venturing deeper into the trees, I stepped over a large tree root. 

“Just be careful,” I commented, glancing up at Jack who was staring at me intently. “There are a lot of roots to watch out for…” I trailed off. Just as I was warning Jack about the trail I caught him catching a tree root with his shoe out of the corner of my eye. As Jack started to tumble down I instinctively reached out to grab him with both arms. He gripped my arms tightly as he went down on one knee, his cheeks were red when he met my gaze once more. “Are you okay?”

He took a moment, “Yeah, just my first time walking,” he joked sarcastically. I threw my head back in laughter for a moment before helping him get back on his feet. “Good to hear your laugh,” he smiled as he brushed himself off.

“I did try to warn you,” I feigned, throwing my hands up in mock defense.

“I just meant, you seemed…tense earlier,” he commented as he tried to gently find the words to point out my nerves. Pursing my lips I debated in my head for a moment, do I tell him?

“I’m a bit nervous,” I hesitantly replied, deciding to go with honesty.

Jack let out a long sigh of relief, “So am I, first dates ya know?”

“Oh I know,” I agreed as I felt the tension melt away from my body. Just admitting to the nerves helped relieve them.

“You have nothing to be nervous about Kira,” Jack’s voice was soft as he wrapped his arm around my shoulder, pulling me into his side as we started to walk again.

“Oh yeah?” I questioned, glancing up at him in uncertainly.

“Yeah, I like you,” he stated matter of factly, so sure of himself. I do love the confidence, he’s not even cocky at all.

“I like you too,” I feel a smile spreading across my face as I glance at the ground making sure we don’t take a repeat tumble. We walked in comfortable silence for a few moments, Jack’s arm still wrapped around me tightly. “So, are you going to hold onto me for the rest of this hike?” I teased.

“I’m not falling again,” he joked sarcastically. I echoed his laughter, feeling bold I wrapped my arm around his lower back as we continued walking. We spent the rest of the hike with our arms wrapped around each other, not caring that doing so slowed down our pace significantly. We just enjoyed being close to each other, it felt comfortable. The silence in the trees was filled with our discussions about our favorite summer memories with our families, he shared a lot about his summers in Michigan and I feel that I grew to know him even more with those stories. Despite being so hesitant yesterday, Jack was easily proving that we could have a normal connection despite his hockey superstardom. 

After our hike, we planned to head back to my cabin for dinner. As we parked out front and pulled ourselves from the vehicle an idea crept into my mind. “Still feel greasy from the bug spray?” I questioned as he shut my car door. Nodding his head vigorously he swiped some of the bug spray off his arm as evidence. “You know we could go for a quick swim?” I gestured to the water just off the cabin. My family was lucky enough to have a lakeside cabin with a private dock that I spent most of my summers sitting on.

“I don’t have my swim trunks,” Jack commented hesitantly. I smirked at him for a moment before I started toying with the bottom of my shirt.

“That’s never stopped me before,” I teased before pulling my crop top off and tossing it at the hockey player. Jack’s eyes were wide for a moment as he mentally processed the shock from the shirt hitting him in the chest. He was quiet for a moment as I stared at him, hands on my hips waiting for his response.

“Yeah, I’m in,” he shrugged as a playful smile grew on his lips. We both quickly shed the rest of our clothes before we were left standing with him in his briefs and me in my underwear. Thank the gods that I chose cute underwear today. We both stared at each other for what felt like an eternity, I had to try very hard to not openly gawk at his abs. Damn, he is gorgeous. 

After taking in all of his beauty, a sly smile crept onto my face. “Race ya,” I shouted without warning as I took off for the water. Jack chased after me as I shot across the grass and to the wooden dock. I should’ve known he would be faster than me, I thought as he quickly caught up to me. He grabbed me around the waist, lifting me off the ground to spin me around. I couldn’t help the fit of laughter that spread through me as Jack twirled around while I was safely in his arms. “Jack, put me down,” I playfully smacked his shoulder as he carried me towards the edge of the dock.

A mischievous smile crept onto his lips that let me know that it was payback time. “Put you down? Are you sure?” He taunted as he held me over the water. I clung to him tightly as nerves spread through my body. He better not. 

“Jacky don’t!” I pleaded as he swung me over the water haphazardly. He was obviously having a good time with this, laughing as I clung to him like a fearful koala bear. “Jacky please!” I begged.

“Only because you asked so nicely,” his voice dripped with sarcasm as he set me down on my two feet. I instantly stepped out of his hold and crossed my arms over my chest, inadvertently pushing my boobs up which caught Jack’s attention. Smirking as I noticed his distraction I quickly shifted all my weight forward and shoved him off the dock; I knew it was deep enough to be safe, having jumped off this dock my whole life. 

“Shit!” he cried out as he stumbled backwards into the water, fully submerging beneath the surface. He emerged within seconds, a pouty look forming on his face. “That wasn’t very nice,” he whined. I chuckled, crouching to my knees to lean over the edge of the dock. 

“Sorry Jacky,” I mirrored his pout. Before I knew what hit me, he smacked his arms against the water to splash me. Letting out a small scream as the cold water hit my skin, “meany,” I pouted.

“Sorry babe,” he teased but I didn’t care. Hearing the pet name shot butterflies to my heart and maybe elsewhere. He reached his hand out for me, which I naively assumed was to pull him out of the water. Using all of his strength, he pulled me off the dock and into the water as I crashed into him. Pushing my hair out of my eyes and sputtering water as I emerged from the surface, I gave him a playful shove.

“I can’t believe you did that,” I huffed as I sent some water splashing his way.

“I can’t believe you fell for that,” he said between fits of laughter. 

“Oh yeah, very funny,” I scoffed as I treaded water. “I thought you liked me,” mock sadness filled my voice. 

“Babe, I like you, like a lot,” Jack commented as he swam closer to me, catching me with his arm and pulling me to his firm muscular body. My hands rested on his bare chest as I felt the butterflies once more. There we were staring into each other’s eyes on a beautiful summer day in the water. I couldn’t help but feel this wouldn’t be the last time this happened.

“I like you alot too,” I smiled softly. “But only if you stop splashing me,” I followed up quickly as I traced random shapes on his chest. 

“Deal,” he snickered. We spent the better part of an hour swimming around, laughing, inevitably splashing each other more, and drying off in the sun on the dock. Our conversations continued to get deeper as we surpassed the surface level aspects of getting to know each other. He listened intently while I explained why I wanted a career where I could help people. I couldn’t hide my smile as he described having his dreams come true when he was drafted, hockey clearly brought him so much joy. We spent time discussing different sports we loved playing, and even more importantly, the sports teams we loved watching. 

Our conversation never died down or got boring, I never want this date to end. After a while, my stomach started to grumble. I decided it was better to get started on supper before I got hangry as I shifted from Jack’s arms and pulled myself to my feet. Offering my hand to him to help him up, “how do you feel about steak?” I asked once he was on his feet towering over me once again.

“Like you might be my dream girl,” he smiled as we wrapped our arms around each other and walked off the dock together. 

“Good, I might need your help with the broccoli though. It’s pretty tricky,” I joked sarcastically knowing it would get a rise out of Jack. Jack stopped dead in his tracks, stopping me with him.

“Did Nico tell you about that?” his voice was full of embarrassment. I smiled and leaned into him, wrapping my other arm around his waist as I nodded.

“I think it’s cute though,” I reassured him as he let out a sigh of relief as we stopped to collect our clothes before heading inside.

Once we were back in comfortable dry clothing, we got started on supper. Jack was surprisingly helpful in the kitchen, washing the lettuce and putting together a salad with my guidance. He was incredibly impressed that I could work a grill as well as I could and gave me endless compliments on my steak. Even joking that I needed to come live in Jersey to cook for him during the season. The dinner conversation was comfortable as we chatted about my plans for my final year of school, my tattoos, what it’s like to travel so much in the league, and our surprising shared love for fantasy football. Jack very passionately described all the fantasy leagues he is in while he cleaned up the whole meal. He insisted I sit down while he washed the dishes because I cooked such an amazing meal. 

“A man who does chores, you truly know the way to my heart,” I joked as he topped up my glass of wine and started cleaning. 

When everything was dried and put away, I felt dread seep through me, not wanting the night to end. I suggested we go sit on the dock to watch the sun set, an opportunity that Jack eagerly jumped on. So we dragged deck chairs down to the dock and comfortably settled in as the sun made way for the stars. 

We sat in comfortable silence, my feet dangling in Jack's lap as he traced shapes on my ankles over some of my tattoos. He broke the silence first, “This connection is crazy.”

“Hmm,” I hummed as I tore my gaze away from the sun setting on the water to pay attention to Jack.

“The connection between us,” he reiterated. “I don’t know how you feel, but it feels strong to me,” he commented as his hands stilled on my legs. His gaze was soft, reassuring.

“I feel it too, feels like we’ve known each other way longer,” I tucked a piece of hair behind my ear as I leaned back in my chair. “I feel comfortable with you.”

“Me too,” he smiled while giving my leg a little pinch, maybe to reassure me. I have never felt so comfortable with a man this quickly, not in any of my past relationships. It feels like there is this force pulling Jack and I closer, it’s what’s made our connection so strong. This feels so different for me, maybe he’s different from the other guys. I have a feeling he is. “Kira?” Jack’s voice pulls me out of my thoughts as I let out a shaky breath. “You okay?” 

Nodding silently, I try to muster up whatever courage I have within myself. “I was nervous today,” I start, Jack nods encouraging me to continue. “I was nervous because…” I pause for a moment and take a deep breath. Jack pulls me from my chair and into his lap, his arms feel like home. “Well, my last relationship ended quite badly. He really hurt me, I think intentionally and it’s just…just hard for me to open up to people,” letting out a shaky sigh as the words tumble out of me. It feels freeing actually, getting all that out, so it isn’t a secret looming over me. 

Jack shifts me in his lap so I can meet his eyes, “I don’t know what happened in your last relationship, but Kira, I promise you I will never do anything to intentionally hurt you,” his words pierced my soul as his thumb grazed my cheek. “I can’t guarantee I won’t fuck up sometimes, but I will do everything in my power to make you happy.”

His eyes were locked on mine as I melted into his touch. “I know you will Jacky, I feel comfortable around you,” my voice is small as my eyes break from his and dart to his lips. He seems to pick up on my gesture as he takes my face in his hands.

“Can I kiss you?” Jack asks gently. I bite down on my lip to try to hide my smile as I nod my head. Time stops as Jack leans down to connect his lips to mine, his lips are warm against my own as they move in unison. Jack’s tongue ran across my own as I granted him entrance; he tastes sweet, like the wine we were sharing earlier. Our lips locked for a while before we both pulled away for air, huffing as we did so.

“That was…” I trailed off, resting my forehead against Jack’s.

“Pretty damn amazing,” Jack finished my sentence. We stayed like that for a while, foreheads resting on one another; the sunset in the distance long forgotten. 

“You know,” Jack’s voice broke through the comfortable silence. “You got to plan our first date, it was cool to see your favorite spots,” his breath tickled my skin as we remained close.

“I’m glad you liked it,” I smiled as I pecked his lips gently. 

“This just means that I need to plan a date where I show you my favorite spots in Michigan,” he smiled as a playful energy danced through his eyes.

“Bold of you to assume there will be a second date,” I teased. Jack threw his head back in laughter, enjoying the playful jokes we were already comfortable sharing.

“If you’ll have me,” he pouted jokingly.

“Oh I guess, if I must,” I mocked, unable to hide my smile. 

“If you must,” Jack scoffed as he brought his lips back down to mine. Resuming our passionate makeout session, pulling away a few minutes later we were both panting like teenagers with no stamina.

“Okay, fine. I’ll go on another date with you,” I commented as our lips were still attached.

Jack smirked against my lips, “Good, glad I could convince you.”

“You are very convincing,” I said before pulling him in for more. We spent the rest of the night kissing and cuddling underneath the stars, enjoying each other’s company and growing closer than I ever imagined. 

It’s hard to believe this was only our first date, everything is so comfortable between us. Feeling hopeful that there would be another date with the gorgeous hockey player, I can finally smile when thinking about meeting someone when I least expect it. Jack truly came into my life when I didn’t expect it and I hope that he’s here to stay.

#jack hughes #my writing #jack hughes imagine #jack hughes x reader #jack hughes blurb #jack hughes fluff #jack hughes imagines #jack hughes fic #nhl imagine #nhl #nhl hockey #hockey #nj devils #new jersey devils

[unluckyhoneybee]

You are so mean (Nolan Patrick)

You were mean, but he loved that. Angst+fluff

Note: Mean!Reader. the friends are oc. It's long, it wasn't on my plans but I got carried away.

Warnings: I don't know if there is any, just tell me if you find something.

Nolan opened the door and was greeted by a loud and already drunk Mark. He hugged him and patted his back repeatedly.

"Happy birthday, dude" He told his friend.

"Thank you, man. Where is my gift?"

Nolan rolled his eyes and lifted the beers he had bought. "Only for you. Homemade by some old man"

"You know me"

Nolan walked in and said hi to the others or at least the people he knew. He then walked to the kitchen to grab something to drink. That's the first time he saw you. You were talking so Elsa and Marie. He frowned because he had never seen you around. Or had he? You looked so familiar.

"YN" Georgie simply said. "She was with us in school, then left. She is back in the town now"

It clicked. "She? YN? Didn't she punch you once?"

"Twice"

Nolan laughed and George elbowed him.

"And how has she been? Like, what has she done?"

"Good luck with that"

"What do you mean?"

"To talk to her is harder than to talk to you"

Nolan rolled his eyes but turned to look at her. She was laughing. She seemed nice.

"She is hot" Nolan muttered.

"Her personality takes all the hotness. I don't even think she is interested in anyone at all" Georgie looked up at Nolan once, the twice. "What are you thinking of?"

"She is pretty." Nolan mumbled. He could say way more stuff, but it wasn't George's business. Nolan liked how your hair looked, the clothes you wore and how your hand moved when you spoke.

"50 bucks if you get her to smile"

"She is laughing, dude"

"I mean. She laughs and smile and all. But not at us. Only at them. She only likes Elisa and Marie, she hates everyone else."

Nolan looked at you. "She is not wrong"

"You are an idiot" Georgie said. "50 bucks."

"I don't want your money, George"

"Then what do you want?"

"Her" He said it so confidently that he surprised himself.

George chuckled. "Good luck"

Nolan rolled his eyes. You couldn't be that bad. He was sure he could be worse.

"Don't need it"

He started walking in your direction and Elisa caught him halfway. She lifted her arm and loudly called his name.

"This people know me, no need to shout, Eli" He chuckled.

"Come here, I haven't seen you in ages"

Elisa hugged tight and effusively. She planted a big kiss on his cheek and he groaned. "Enough, Grandma"

You were watching the scene. What was all the fuss about him? You didn't understand.

"Hey, give me some" Marie teased. "How have you been, Patty?"

"Good"

"Only good? You spent like two months away and that's all you have to say" Marie scolded him.

"It was a pleasant experience, Marie" He ironically said with a smirk on his lips.

You were carefully analizing him. You remembered him well, the weirdo with dry sense of humor too obsessed with hockey from your class. You had left quite early but he was already like that. You remember he pulled your braid once. You had watched a couple of his games and heard from him here and there, tragic story for a great younger player. Only thinking of it made you roll your eyes. He probably was so full on himself. As if his story deserved to be told on a movie.

"Anything to tell? Georgie said you were seeing someone"

Nolan rolled his eyes. "He said that, didn't he? Just a hook up. It's over"

You rolled your eyes and Nolan, that had been checking on your reaction, noticed.

"Do I know you?" He was asking on purpose.

You looked at him. "Maybe"

"Well, anything to say?"

"No, nothing. Why? Do you want me to congratulate you on having a hook up?"

Elisa and Marie shared a look. They saw this coming. Both of you would be a bomb together. Everyone on the friend group knew.

"Well, you seem thrilled"

"Oh sure, I am. Very interested on where you put your dick" You said and leaned forward with a big smile. "Tell me more about your passionate sex life. Have you ever made a girl come?"

Nolan tried to not look affected. Not like it really affected him. It was more of a surprise. He didn't imagine you being like that.

"I could teach you" He said. "Do you need lessons?"

"Oh no, don't worry. I'm very satisfied right now"

"You face doesn't tell the same"

Marie gasped. Wrong way, Patty.

"Are you saying that my mood is related to how satisfied I'm with my sex life? Hmhm? Do women moods depend only on sex? We have to be nice to men if they satisfy us? Because sweetheart, let me tell you that half of the nice and friendly women in this room would actually be lying"

Loss of words. That's how he would define himself.

"I wasn't implying anything"

"Oh you were. That's what you meant. Why would you say something like that then? Hmm? You are just like the others, Patty" You said his name on a mock tone.

"Yeah? And how could you know that if you barely know me?"

"Don't need to. I know how you guys are"

"How?"

"Big ego. Full on yourselves. Probably with a too big image of yourself too. Not much empathy and..."

Elise grabbed your hand. Nolan was barely breathing and he was giving you the eyes. He was pissed, so pissed.

"What?"

"We get it"

"Do you? Does he?"

"I get it yeah." He muttered. "You should get your ass out of your head, tho"

You chuckled.

"I'll start getting my head out of my ass"

Nolan blushed violently. He hadn't even noticed he said it wrong. He rolled his eyes.

"Cute rossy cheeks" You had obviously said that video and remember making fun of them when you were a kid.

He said nothing else. He just pinched Marie's cheek and ruffled Eloise's hair, purposely not paying more attention to you. Then, he left.

"That was..." Marie started.

You crossed your arms on your chest.

"I don't like him" You defended yourself.

"You don't know him"

"I don't need to"

"YN..."

"Elise..."

"Just be peaceful. Please."

You rolled your eyes.

"Please"

With a loud sigh, you nodded.

"He can be really nice. He is just... Nolan"

"I'm not going to buy it just because he is a hock-"

"Shit YN. He is more than that. I promise. He is a good guy."

"I don't need a guy"

"We are not asking you to marry him. Just be nice." Marie scolded you.

You looked at the girls and nodded.

Nolan had found a place with the guys and had opened a beer can. But his eyes were looking at you. You were a bitch, yeah. But he actually liked it. Was his ego hurt? A bit, yeah. He was used to the roughness in the ice, but this? You didn't even blink while talking to him. You had gotten him so nervous he even forgot how to speak. It had been arousing but not in a weird way. More like you were interesting, you had that wall around you, you were on defensive mode and had no fear of calling him out (even if some stuff you said was unfounded). He liked that. He liked that you didn't back up. Masochist? Probably.

"Pats" Georgie tapped his shoulder. "The bet is still up. 50 bucks"

Nolan looked st his friend and then at you. "Nah. I said I don't want your money" He took a big sip of his beer. If he was doing this, it wouldn't be because of money or some stupid bet.

"Only want her?"

"A bit more now"

"Now when she has just humiliated you and your rossy cheeks?"

"Don't make me throw you out of the window, Georgie"

"Oh... You liked the mean girl"

Your eyes crossed and Nolan gave you a small smirk, he was ready for more. You rolled your eyes and turned around. Another one. You thought. The one. He thought.

.

.

.

It was supposed to be a nice activity to connect with nature and have a good time, right? Gardering in the front garden, replanting some dead plants, cleaning the bird feeders... No. It was so fucking hot and the flies had decided to go all against you.

Nolan was tired. The past days had consisted on visiting people, meeting friends and having everyone around to see him. He hated to come back only for that. Why couldn't he just say hi and mind his own business? He had a bike and his fishing stuff on the back of the truck and he wanted to go and stay alone for the whole afternoon.

He was driving down the street, the windows were down and the music playing. His eyes were on the road, but he saw a figure having a quite comical fight with a tree. Then, as he got close, he recognized you and had to pull over. Maybe he could tease a bit and have fun. It would be the biggest lie if he said he hadn't thought about you one single time on the past days.

You had seen each other three or four times. Once on the supermarket where Nolan stole the bread you wanted with his tall boy privilege. Another one at Marie's on a pool afternoon. You had made fun of his sunburnt chest and he had flipped you off. But somehow a quick compliment disguised as an insult had made you nervously look around and clear your throat on a hurried search for a remark. For someone so dry, you look cute. It had left you speechless because why the hell would he think you are cute. You gave the complete opposite vibes. You weren't cute. No. Then, when you had all met for dinner and everyone had plotted so you were sitting next to each other. It seemed to be amusing how two people with those personalities did together. You had kept the composure then, but Nolan had tried so hard. He had teased you during the whole night, not a single smile directed to you but still. You didn't want to think of the rush you felt with every comment he made. You didn't want to think about how exciting it was tk have someone matching your energy, someone to challenge you.

At first you didn't hear the engine but then, when you stopped moving, you realized that there was another noise in the background fucking up with what should have been a nice afternoon. You turned around and saw the truck in there. The roll of your eyes was automatic. But so it was the quickening heartbeat. Stupid Patty and his rosy cheeks.

He had his glasses and cap as always and was looking at you with a smile. A smile. A fucking smile. He was smiling at you. It was so exhausting to fight Nolan Patrick.

"Hey" He said.

"Hey" You answered quite annoyed.

"Wow, as nice as always. A pleasure to see you again"

Nolan thought that even when you were all messy, you looked really pretty. It was real, the real YN on big worn-out clothes and dirty hands.

"What do you want? I'm busy."

"Doing what?"

"Sailing a boat" You ironically said.

He snorted a laugh and scratched his chin. Would you kill him if he asked what he was thinking?

"What are you looking at?"

"You." He shrugged. "Looking good"

"Fuck you"

"Come with me"

You laughed. Loudly. You were laughing so much.

"Me? No"

"Well, I'm going to the lake. Maybe fish. Ride the bike around..."

You frowned. And he wanted you to go with him?

"Come" He said.

"No" You shook your head. "We have met for dinner with the others"

"Well, okay"

Nolan was going to test you. You were stubborn as hell but he had seen you were interested. Even if it was only a bit. So he pressed the gas and your breath hitched for a second. He truly was going to leave.

It was a stupid move, you took a step forward and he smirked. Blush crept to your face when you realized that the car hadn't moved. Prick.

"Do you have a bike?" He asked.

You rolled your eyes. "I do"

"Then go and grab it."

Nolan watched you stomping around, washing your hands and grabbing the bike, which was hilarious because you ended up with your bike on the back of his truck and sitting next to him. You pretend to be upset for a bit, but in the end, the only thing he did was help you with the bike. It has all been you choosing to get in the car with him, making him strangely happy.

"Will you be here for long?"

You turned to look at him. He had stayed quiet during the whole time.

"Do you care?"

"Maybe" He smirked and rolled the windows down. The air hit your face and messed with your hair. Nolan chuckled when you scrunched your nose. "Cute"

"Stop. I'm not"

"Okay, you are not"

You stayed silent for a bit and the music filled the car.

"I'm staying for the summer"

He turned with a little smile. He was proud of himself.

"And then?"

"I'm figuring it out. Just as you" You seriously said.

Nolan felt it sink slow. You had paid attention to those conversations. You looked at him.

"Why did you pick me?"

"Because you looked annoyed" He said. "You seemed like you needed a break."

"I'm annoyed now, can I have a break?"

"You are not annoyed. You are the most relaxed I've seen you in ages."

You rolled your eyes. But it was true. You hated it. "It doesn't mean that I lik-"

"Never said that. But here you are"

"Still" You crossed your arms. You knew it was childish. But it was the only way you knew.

You arrived to a parking lot and put the bikes down.

"We are not fishing"

He turned slowly.

"We are"

"I'll ride down to the city again. I'm not letting you kill innocent animals for fun"

"I eat them"

"No need to"

"I need food"

"You can eat other stuff"

"YN"

"Patrick"

"Why do you call me by my surname?"

"Eveyone does"

"No, they call me Patty, Pats, Nols..."

"Patty wants me to call him cute nicknames?"

"You are insufferable, do you know that?"

"Why did you pick me then? You could have left me do my thing alone." Like that, you regained the control.

"I didn't pick you, you got by yourself in my car" And just as quick you lost it.

Nolan was close, he smelled good and looked so handsome today. But that was not the topic.

"You stopped in front of my house and ask me to go"

"But didn't make you"

"But-"

"You came here because you wanted" He winked at you.

"Asshole"

"That's me, mhm" He had stopped caring about what you said about him days ago. He could already see over it.

You scoffed and moved to pull your bike down the truck.

Nolan couldn't believe he was actually biking with you. It was the first time you weren't looking at him with a frown. You were relaxed and the air made your clothes flow around you. You looked really pretty today.

"Hey"

"Won't shut up, will you?"

He found amusing how it was him now on that side. How he was now the talkative one.

"If I can't fish what are we doing?"

"Riding in silence"

Nolan smiled and watch you biking faster to get in front of him. He simply let you go on with it. You seemed happy to be there with him and that was actually pretty good.

The silent lasted for a bit. You had been thinking and enjoying the peace he was giving you. Why were you here? It was better than your garden, you didn't even want to clean the damn garden. Why were you here with Nolan? There wasn't anyone better out there. Actually because you like the thrill it gives you.

"Have you dated hockey players?"

You turned to look at him. Maybe it seemed a bit out of nowhere, but Nolan had been thinking of it.

"No, why?"

"The party. You said you knew us or whatever."

You felt your chest grow tight. You kind of regretted saying those things.

"I was talking about men. In general, you know? I've dated men. Not a hockey player. Baseball, though"

Nolan was serious but he caught up with you and was now biking next to you. You discretely looked at him. He had his eyes on the trail, the hair peaking out of the cap moved with the wind and the shade framed his face. He always wore his sunglasses, but the times you had seen his eyes you had been pretty mesmerized.

"You are staring"

"No"

"Sure" He chuckled.

You looked down at the trail and tried to stay calm. You couldn't feel like this. You couldn't let the feelings grow.

"Hook ups."

"What?"

"You got pissed at me when I mentioned hook up"

"You won't leave it alone"

"No"

"You weren't nice to me either"

"I know that"

"And?"

"What about hook ups?"

"I'm not going to hook up with you"

"I'm not asking you"

"Nolan..."

"YN. You are so mean. You can be so mean. But"

"You don't talk this much on a daily basis, what's gotten into you?"

"Why do you pretend you hate me?"

You gasped and stopped the bike. Which made him groan and stop too.

"I don't pretend I hate you"

"So it's real"

"No"

"No?" He smirked.

You clenched your hand around the handle and your knuckles turned white. He made you feel like no one else. You loved this so much.

"Yet"

Then he smiled. When somone was usually so serious, watching then smile felt like a special thing, it was a moment to treasure. It was something that made you feel proud of yourself. But still, you couldn't stop wondering why he was always like this with you. Why so much teasing? What with those looks and discreet smiles? You were putting to much effort into it, you had been avoiding stuff like this for ages.

"What do you want to know? Spit it, Patrick"

"I want to know what is so horrible about me" Because he was clearly into you and wanted to fix that problem.

"About you? You are just a man"

He wasn't just a man. He had that weird and cryptic aura around him. He was quiet but his voice was deep, he seemed dry and boring but sometimes dropped the best jokes, his sarcasm was actually impressive and made you feel seen, he had the most beautiful eyes and didn't care about being like everyone else. He was just Nolan but Nolan was actually a lot. He was complex and made you want to tear all the layers slowly until you met him whole.

He was staring blankly at you.

"Just a man"

"Mhm" You said. "And all men are the same. I don't care about that not all men shit. I don't care if not all men in the earth are the same because..." You stopped yourself abruptly. Don't open the box. But you wanted to tell him to rant on him and finally let those thoughts run free. "If I tell you, you won't tell anyone because if you do it will be the end of your days"

"My lips are sealed" He said nervously. He didn't want to admit it, but now he wasn't so sure about wanting to know. He knew you could hurt and he already liked you too much.

Then you ran your hands over your hair and took a deep breath.

"Men had played with me. All men in my life have been horrible. Every single man I've been interested in has. They have played with me, they had make me believe things." It was difficult to say those words. Even more if front of him. "I'm not letting that happen again. I'm not going to let anyone treat me like that again, like an object. I'm not being used again. I'm not a toy to play with, to cheat, to fool. No. I built walls, I created an armour to protect myself. And to do that I have to keep everyone away"

Nolan regretted asking. He should have stayed quiet. He should have left you in your garden and not bring this up. You were having a good afternoon and he felt he had fucked it up. He knew there was a reason for your attitude, but he felt like a total asshole now.

"But you..."

"Me?" He looked at you and you swore his eyes sparkled.

"For some reason you are so damn insistent"

He chuckled a bit.

"I'm just a man. But I'm good company. For real, I don't have bad intentions with you"

"Yeah, sure. Great company. You light the room when you walk in" You ironically said. You were thankful he didn't make it huge. You were so happy he didn't got angry at you. But you ignored the bad intentions part because well, how could you answer to that.

"You are so mean" He smiled.

Nolan was a big bundle of feelings and confusion. He was angry at people he didn't even know because of what they did to you. He was angry because it was all their fault. You had those big walls around you.

You rolled your eyes but unexpectedly a smile grew on your lips.

"You are smiling" He mumbled.

"No" You put the biggest fake frown in your face.

That made you two broke down in big laughs, so much that you ended up with tears in your eyes and him grabbing his belly.

Your laugh died first and you were left looking at him. He had taken his cap off and was brushing his hair back. He looked so beautiful.

"Here" You passed him your scrunchie and he looked confused for a second, but soon he had his hair on a half bun. "The turquoise brings up your eyes" You teased him, who blushed furiously. "Okay, rosy cheeks. Let's go"

He followed you quickly and even passed you.

"Asshole, I don't have hockey thighs"

"Your problem"

To say that it was a great ride wasn't enough. You hadn't gone to the place in ages but you remembered exploring those trails as a kid. It was beautiful and so peaceful, there was barely people in there which was the main reason Nolan had to go there.

"I like my alone time" He said.

"Yeah, me too."

He smiled to himself. You had to be for him. Even if you hated his guts (which he didn't believe).

"But having friends it's fine." You muttered. "I don't always want to go out for dinner but when I do I have fun"

"Sure thing" He chuckled.

"What does it mean?"

"That you look like a grumpy old man the whole time!"

Like that, you spent the next hour or so until you reached the parking again. It had been great, you had felt so good, so safe for once. You had talked nonstop and laughed like a kid. You had learnt about him, about these past couple of years and how they affected him. You had opened more about your past and told him a couple of things. It had been all trauma dumping and jokes, what you would do with a really close friend. With someone you wanted in your like for good. It allade you realize that Nolan wasn't that bad. He was a good guy with another wall around him and he wouldn't be him without his dry sense of humor and annoyed looks. Nolan Patrick wasn't that bad and he made you feel things. But it was still scary. You didn't want to get hurt.

"That's the wrong way" You said when he turned left instead of right. With the bikes on the back and tired legs, you were in the car.

"It's still early for dinner. I'm showing you something."

"What?"

"The best spot in the lake"

"You take all the girls there?" You joked, but now that he knew, Nolan could see the insecurity behind your eyes.

"Only my friends the ones who want to fish with me"

You rolled your eyes.

"Jokes apart. I like to take my people there."

Soon, he had arrived to another parking lot. It was just a few meters away from the deck. He told you he liked fishing there because it was really peaceful. But today he was just going to sit there and enjoy.

You both sat on the edge, close but not enough to touch. You could hear birds and insects, the wind making the branches crack and the water splashing softly against the wood. There was no one around.

You leaned back on your hands and moved your feet over the water, barely touching it.

"You know what?" You said after considering it for a bit. It wasn't that bad.

"What?" Nolan turned to look at you. You looked so damn pretty today. The forest air made wonders in you.

"If the end of the world started now, I wouldn't mind having you as a partner" You confessed shyly. Was it something weird to say? Probably. But after all the teasing and hurtful insults you felt the need to tell him. You didn't hate him.

Nolan chuckled but couldn't avoid blushing. Fucking rosy cheeks.

"Is that your way of saying you like me?"

You laughed throwing your head back and he had to keep himself from pulling you for a kiss. He wanted you so much.

"It's my way of saying I don't despise you." You pointed out while turning to look at him. You wouldn't tell him that yes, you liked him a lot. "Of all the annoying people I know, you are the less annoying. One of the less" You bit your lip.

"I'm not annoying."

"You kind of are. You have been following me since we met. You are always looking at me. You always sit close to me... You followed me on Instagram... "

He cleared his throat and looked away. He wouldn't tell you he liked you a lot. But you kind of had already caught him, hadn't you?

"You are interesting" He tried to play it casual.

"Is that your way of saying you are in love with me?" You teased back.

Maybe.

"It's my way of saying I tolerate you"

You fought a smile but he caught the twitch in the corner of your mouth.

"So we are on toleration terms"

You nodded and finally smiled. You looked at the lake, the sun was already going down. You were so comfortable with Nolan that you dropped the walls without even noticing. It felt so strange to let go like this. He had asked you to go with him and you had simply gone, with no second thoughts, no insecurities. You took the bike and went with him. It had been such a nice afternoon that you felt sad only thinking it would end. You didn't want to.

"What are you doing?" Nolan looked up at you with his mouth agape, barely blinking when you had started taking your clothes off. You were getting naked in front of his eyes.

"I'm hot and sweaty"

Your shorts and shirt fell next to him and a second later, you dive into the lake only wearing your panties. Nolan blinked slowly as he watched your figure swimming away under the surface. He swallowed hard and got up too. You were there only in your underwear. And fuck, he had been too stunned to even get a look.

When you came out and turned around, he was shirtless. You smiled to yourself and moved the water around you. He was really pretty. Nolan Patrick had that something.

He looked at you and smirked, then, took his trousers off. Holy hockey body.

"Don't look, perv"

You giggled and turned around. "Better?"

You heard the splash of water that came with his body sinking and only a second later, a hand pulled your foot. You sank with a loud laugh stuck in your throat and bubbles around you.

Under the water, you felt Nolan's fingers on your skin and although the lake was cold, it made you feel warm. They moved up your thigh and then your waist and finally, you both broke into on the surface. You gasped for air and pushed your hair out of your face, same as him, who was laughing. You were incredulously looking at him.

"You did not do that" You said and splashed water on his face.

"I did"

His blue eyes were full of joy and you felt something in your chest knowing it was because of you.

"You are a prick"

"Some people say that, yeah"

His now messy bun was almost falling and your scrunchie was too soft. You reached and Nolan for a second pulled back. But when your fingers threaded on his wet hair and he blushed. It felt good, really good.

"Better" You muttered when his hair fell.

He sank for a second and pushed it back when he came out again. There were drops on his face and he looked perfect under the sun.

"No headache today?" Your voice was soft now. This wasn't the sharp YN he had met. He had done it. He had torn your walls now. After what you had told him, he knew that this one was the real you.

"No. I'm good. It has been a good week."

"That's nice."

"It is"

"W-we should do this more if you feel good"

Well, that is actually a lot more than I expected.

"I thought you didn't want to come" He teased with a smirk.

You shook your head. You were floating and swimming slowly, simply moving around and following each other.

"I had a part to play" You said and your eyes fell a bit. It was the truth and he already knew it.

"No need to do it with me, you know that" He sincerely said.

You nodded. "I know. Same to you"

"I don't..."

"You do. You are a big softie." He smiled. "See? You actually smile a lot"

"I wish I could say the same" He joked. You splashed water. "What's that?!"

"Stop being so sarcastic"

"I can't!"

"See! It starts as a self-defence mechanism and suddenly it's a part of your personality"

You both laughed.

Nolan watched you move around him. "You are really pretty." He mumbled.

You stopped and looked at him. "Don't say that"

"Why? You are" He shrugged.

"I don't like compliments"

"Why?"

"You don't like them either, Nolan"

"I don't mind them. Why don't you like them?"

You looked at him with cold eyes that in the end were also a facade.

"They are never real"

Nolan looked at you for long seconds, trying to decide if it was actually a good idea or not. Yes. It was.

His big hand found your waist and you panted when he moved close. He was so close, he was big, he looked perfect and wow... You were feeling so many scary things.

"They are real now. I'm not one to waste words in bullshit" He said deadpan. "You are beautiful and I think that since I saw you for the first time"

"When we were 5?" You asked weakly trying to be sarcastic and protect yourself from the butterflies in your stomach.

"Actually no. On the party. Left me stunned."

"I treated you like shit."

"You were so mean. But it's kind of your magnetism" He got even closer.

"It's not working then. I was only trying to push you away" You whispered now that his nose was almost touching yours. He was going to kiss you and you were more than happy with it. "I have been doing it with every man I've met recently and it always worked"

He smirked. "Well, it's not working with me"

Nolan's lips captured yours in a heated kiss and your hands automatically flew to his hair. Your fingers threaded through his hair and he groaned.

Before you could notice, Nolan and you were fully wrapped around each other, his hands keeping you close and grabbing your waist, yours on his hair and tilting his head back, your legs around his hips, your chests pressed together,...

It had been ages since you had kissed someone, and by ages you meant years. Your whole armour had also consisted of keeping everyone away. Not even a simple kiss at a party. Nothing. Still, you didn't want to stop kissing him now. It was driving you insane, he was kissing you so good, so deep and passionate. It had your head spiralling down with the pleasure of being kissed. But then Nolan left your lips and travelled to your neck and reality hit. Even when you wanted him so bad and his lips nipping on your skin made you want to moan. Even when all you wanted was him to take you right then.

His eyes opened the moment he felt your hand on his face. Then, your breath hitched and you gently pushed him back. He didn't let go of your body tho, you were still wrapped around him. One of your hands was playing with the hair on the nape of his neck and the other on his jaw made him look up at you.

You said no with your head and he pressed his lips together. You are not doing this to fuck her. You are doing this because you truly like her. Gain her trust, then the rest. He told himself. It's important, Nolan. This is important for you, remember. Not a silly crush. It's big.

"I can't" You whispered.

"It's fine" He muttered in his usual low voice. His nose slowly brushed yours.

For the first time, he saw you fully bare. Your eyes filled with tears and you moved away from him. He simply let you go and watched you swim away. You could hear him sighing. You climbed out of the lake and hugged your chest. Maybe you had fucked up. It had been a nice day and you had fucked up.

If you let him in, you could get hurt again. You were so happy and comfortable around him, which meant that the fall would be even harder. And you couldn't let that happen. But suddenly you wanted it so bad. You wanted more days like this, more kisses, more biking in the forest and swimming half naked in the lake.

Nolan swam slowly and also climbed out. He eyed you quickly, half naked and hugging yourself while sitting on the edge of the deck. There were goosebumps on your skin and he heard you softly sniffing. So he walked to the car and grabbed a flannel he had on the back of it. Then he came back and surprised you by wrapping the soft and dry cloth around your shoulders.

You looked up and Nolan couldn't say if those were tears or just water. But he quietly sat next to you. You hugged the flannel and brought it close to you.

"YN"

"Mhm"

"It's fine."

You looked at him. In the end, he wasn't the big egotistical dick you thought at first.

"Is it?"

He nodded. "I don't want sex"

You frowned. "Don't you?"

"I mean. It would be fine, you know? But this is also really okay" Nolan said pointing around with his finger. He meant you, the lake, the bikes, the forest, the truck with its windows down. He meant the perfect afternoon you had spent together.

"Are you sure?"

"Of course"

You nodded and let your body go. Slowly, you leaned against his side and your head rested on his shoulder. You felt him turn his face and his chin resting on your head. It was enough. It was sweet and gentle. It was so different from the Nolan you thought you knew, the Nolan from the party firing back at you, the Nolan from the TV. Maybe this was the right time and he was the right person.

"We'll get cold" He muttered.

"I don't care"

He smiled to himself.

"Don't tell them about today" You whispered. "Please"

"I won't" He hooked his pinky with yours. "I promise"

You smiled and moved even closer and Nolan understood it as a sign of wanting to be hugged, so that's what he did. He lifted his arm and you tucked yourself under it.

"I'm so scared" You finally said.

"I know" He swallowed hard. He was scared too, he just never said it out loud. You made him a nervous mess, you had kept him awake for too long a couple of nights.

"I don't want it to hurt"

Nolan gulped. He couldn't promise that it wouldn't hurt because he couldn't predict the future. But he could try his best.

"I don't want to hurt you. It's not on my plans."

You really swore you hated when he spoke this low, you could barely understand him. But those words came soft and clear and you felt them sinking slowly. But still...

"And how do I know I can trust you?"

Nolan tried to be patient. You had already talked about this. He knew it wasn't your fault.

"I suppose you only can believe me."

Your face turned to him and he looked down at you. It was all so confusing and terrifying. But you wanted to believe him. You liked Nolan. You liked him a lot. Even if you had only realized today.

You leaned a bit and softly pecked his lips. It was a surprise for both of you. But Nolan accepted it and didn't move further.

"We will be late for that stupid dinner" You muttered.

"Do you want me to drop you home and get changed?"

You checked your watch. "I don't think we have time. Plus, if I step at home I'll stay"

Nolan smiled to himself.

You got up and Nolan watched you walk away. He had to be careful. He had to be so careful.

"Nolan"

You muttered when you were putting your t-shirt on.

"Mhm"

"I'm sorry I called you a dick." You said. "And all the other stuff"

He chuckled and turned around.

"Don't worry. You were not the first"

"And how I behaved on the party."

"YN. It's fine"

He got up and a shaky breath left your chest when his big and strong body towered over you.

"Is it?"

"It's part of your magnetism" He smirked and reached to grab the shirt.

You rolled your eyes with a smile. He reached and pinched your cheek and you slapped his arm playfully.

"Don't try me"

The trip back to the city was silent but different. You had kissed. You had hugged. You had confessed traumas and deep thoughts. So many things had changed in the hours you spent around the lake. You were scared and anxious. But at the same time there was this happiness blooming in your chest.

"Should I wait for a bit before coming in?" He asked when he stopped the car in the parking.

You looked at him. "Why?"

"I thought you wouldn't want them to ask questions and they will definitely ask them if we show up together and wet"

You shrugged. "I'll tell them to fuck off"

Nolan smirked. "You are hot"

You rolled your eyes and flipped him off before leaving the car with a smile.

At first no one payed attention to the fact that you two had arrived at the same time, with wet hair and Nolan's hair back on that bun tied with a turquoise scrunchie. But then they started sharing looks. You had sat together by choice, you were relaxed and your comments weren't so aggressive. But at some point, Nolan leaned back and dropped his arm over the back of your seat and unconsciously you leaned back. The girls exchanged looks and Mark cleared his throat. But it was George, who noticed last, the one that made the biggest deal of it. For the others, it was just their two grumpy friends they had put so much effort on getting together finally leaning on their feelings. For George it was some really fun shit to joke about.

"Oh, well well well. What do we have there?"

You tensed instantly and realized what it looked like. You had been so comfortable that you didn't realized you were tucked under his arm. Nolan, on the other hand, knew everything was going to get messy. He knew he had to stop it, but George was quicker.

"Georg-"

"Man, I bet on a smile, not on getting the whole pack"

Nolan breathed through his nose and closed his eyes for a second.

You slowly turned to look up at him. You were confused. What did that mean?

"George, shut up" Marie seemed to notice something was wrong and she knew George well enough to know he wasn't the best help.

"Man, if I knew you would get the whole pack I would have bet a bit more"

"Shut up" Nolan groaned. The whole pack? What the fuck did George think you were?

"What the fuck are you talking about?" You asked harshly.

"I bet 50 bucks on Nolan. I was like, 50 bucks if you make her smile. And he was like, no man I don't want your money, I only want her"

Your whole world seemed to be falling apart now. All the happiness that had bloomed through the day exploded over you and suddenly you felt like you couldn't breathe. Your ears were ringing and your knees felt too weak. You abruptly got up.

"I need to get out of here" You whispered out of breath.

"YN" Nolan felt terrified out of nowhere. Could he have avoided this? He hadn't even thought about what George said. He had denied it, why should it be important?

You felt trapped. The fucking place had those bench seats and you could leave if Nolan didn't let you. But for your surprise, his big hands grbed your waist and he helped you stepping over his legs.

"F-fuck you... F-uck you, George" You panted. "And you..." Your teary eyes fell on Nolan and his heart broke.

"YN..."

"I knew it"

Like that, you walked away and left the dinner. But Nolan was quick to react. He got up and first, he looked at George.

"You heard her, right? Fuck you, George. Fuck you and your stupid 50 bucks." He groaned. "I hope you apologize soon"

"Nolan, man..."

But Nolan was already walking away and following you to the parking lot. Where were you even going?

"YN" He didn't need much to catch up, his longer legs were good help.

You cleaned your tears and walked faster, almost running. How had you been so stupid?

"YN, wait" He insisted.

"No"

"YN" He grabbed your arm and pulled you to stop. You crashed against his chest and gasped.

"Don't touch me, Patrick"

He let go of you but stayed stoic.

"It's not what you think"

That made you laugh through your tears. "Right" You had heard that before. "Of course you would say that. I just... I was so stupid" You said and harshly pushed your hair out of you face. "F-for a second I believed you-you were different and... Then you go and do this to me and..."

"George told me that if I'd made you smile he would give me 50 bucks and..."

"And you fooled me"

Nolan had enough of it. He wouldn't let you talk shit about him as if he had killed your pet and get away with it. This time he had done good. He would admit that he had been a jerk sometimes, but not now. This time he had done no wrong.

"Stop this fucking bullshit because you are the one doing this to yourself" He said and grabbed your arms to make sure you were looking at him. "I'm not the bad one here. You perfectly heard what he said. Just like everyone else in the table. So don't pretend I'm some kind of jerk playing with your feelings here because I'm not" Nolan didn't want to get like this with you, but shit, were you stubborn. "Stop behaving like this because I'm doing nothing wrong, you are hurting yourself" His words sounded like an eco in your head, over and over again. "I'm trying to explain you, you listened to him. If you don't want to believe me, it's on you, not on me"

Finally, he let go of your arms and you felt dizzy and lost. You couldn't speak, you couldn't move. Your breath was fast and your clothes felt too tight. You wanted to scream. No one ever had confronted you like this. No one had opened your eyes in this way.

"Look at me" Nolan cupped your face and you panted. "Look at me, YN" He repeated more gently this time. You did. "I didnt accept the money because it's bullshit. There was no bet. No agreement. Nothing. He offered it and I declined it. You heard him"

You were shaking. You needed to belive him so bad.

"You can go back there and ask him. I don't care. But don't pretend I'm a villain."

"I can't let you hurt me"

He groaned and let go of your face. "You know what? I want this. I want you and me together. But I can't if you don't trust me"

"Y-you want this?"

"YN. Have you forgotten about today?"

You shook your head.

"I really want you, Nolan" You whispered.

"It's up to you then" He said putting his hands in your pocket. "But I'm not doing it if you don't even let me speak" He muttered almost incomprehensively and turned around.

Don't let him go. Don't make this to yourself. You were happy with him, you were ready for it. Don't lose him. Don't push Nolan away.

Nolan was feeling something tight on his chest. He wanted to rip his t-shirt away from his body. It felt too much. A heartbreak? No. No way.

You watched him walk to his car. He was leaving. No. He couldn't leave. If he left, you knew it was probably over. Whatever it was. It was over.

"I'm sorry"

Nolan almost didn't hear you. "What?" He stopped walking and looked back.

You swallowed your pride. He was right. You couldn't keep doing this. Whatever you were doing, it was worse. It was hurting you. You had heard George. I bet 50 bucks on Nolan. I was like, 50 bucks if you make her smile. And he was like, no man I don't want your money, I only want her. Only want her. He wanted you. He wanted you and even when you already knew it, it felt different now.

"I'm sorry, Nolan"

He looked at you for long seconds. He hated seeing you cry. He hated George for making you cry.

"Come here" He mumbled.

You walked fast to him and he embraced you on a strong hug.

"I didn't need his money to want to make you smile"

"You are so cheesy" You sniffed and nuzzled your nose on his chest. It vibrated with a laugh and then he brought you closer with a hand in your hair.

"It's true. I knew I wanted you the second you opened your mouth"

"I treated you like shit"

He shrugged. "Need someone to keep me humble"

"Is that you way of saying you need me?"

Nolan looked down at you and pressed a kiss on your head. "Mhm" He hummed. "I'm not the best with feelings, but I want this"

You looked at him.

"Me too"

"I need you to trust me"

You nodded.

"I know" You whispered a bit ashamed. "It's hard"

Nolan caressed your hair, still a bit wet from the lake and kissed your temple. "I told you its not on my plans hurting you"

You nodded and looked at him.

"Should we start with a date?"

"Is that what you want?"

"Yes"

"Good for me, then"

You got in your tip toes and kissed his lips slowly. You made him so cheesy, the meanest girl he had crossed paths with was making him want to melt.

"Okay" He pulled back. "Do you belive what I said, right?"

You nodded. "Sorry"

"All good" He muttered with his hands cupping your face. "Sorry too"

"All good" You mimicked him.

He pulled you for another hug and you sighed. "Did he really offer 50 bucks? Couldn't he Google what you've earned with hockey?"

"I know, right? He is so stupid"

"Thank you for not... Accepting"

"It's nothing. I was whipped already"

You pulled back and Nolan felt so happy for that smile on your lips. "So soon?"

"Okay, shut up"

Do I like it? I'm not sure.

#Np #Nhl #Angsty but also fluffy #Angst #Fluff #Nolan patrick #Fic

[danifesting]

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers. 🩷

Oh my god Katie this is SUCH a hard question. I have published 70 works on ao3.

Here's what I narrowed it down to:

Pegging and other adventures (Daniel Ricciardo/Max Verstappen, VERY explicit) I think I found something cool and funny to say in a way a lot of my other fics aren't (I am generally a deeply sentimental person and that shows in my writing)

Live in five (Daniel Ricciardo/Max Verstappen, nondriver twitch streamer Max, nonbinary Max) I think this captures something really special in writing the process of falling in love online

Regret (Travis Konecny/Nolan Patrick, regency A/B/O au) I had a lot of fun with the world building of and logistics of inheritance in this and I am also just very proud of the writing in it. I think I did well capturing the vibes of the regency era. I spent a lot of time doing research for this one.

Where the light went (Nico Hischier/Travis Konecny/Nolan Patrick, soulmate au, nontraditional soulmates) I didn't write this one by myself but part of what I am so proud of about this fic is how my co-author and I managed to build a cohesive writing style throughout. This is another where I love the world building I did.

And now, for my favorite fic I have ever written or will ever write

Unchained melody (Travis Konecny/Nolan Patrick, rule 63, f/f, 1950s au) I wish I had more eloquent things to say about this fic but I think this is my magnum opus. I loved the story telling. It's deeply personal and I poured my whole heart and soul into this Google doc. I think I really captured something of the desperate loneliness of being in a marriage you don't really want to be in even if you don't know that at the time that it's happening. I spent hours and hours researching for this fic from 1950s fashion and recipes to crop planting schedules to the history of swimming pools in Winnipeg. I just put a lot of love and care into this one and I think it shows. Please, even if you have never cared about hockey, read this fic. It's deeply important to me.

#my fic #f1 rpf #maxiel #max verstappen #daniel ricciardo #hockey rpf #travis konecny #nolan patrick #tk/nolan #nico hischier #tk/nico/nolan

[meaninglessblah-writes]

2023 Annual Wrap-Up!

Here’s the 2023 wrap-up, in case you missed it…

Current word count: 1,386,078  

(up 103,887 words from last year) 

2023 Events:

Snap My Choker (BruJay Zine)

A Love Story (BruJay Zine)

Service, Please (Riddlebat Zine)

Vulnerable (Jonathan Kent/Damian Wayne)

Minimum Wage (Fast Food Zine)

Maturity (Damian Wayne Zine)

Incentive (DCU Rarepair Exchange)

Ceasefire (DCU Rarepair Exchange)

Extraction (WilsonDick Winter Exchange)

Chiaroscuro (Batfam AU Zine)

You're holding the knife, I wish you would cut to the chase (Batfam Kinkmas Exchange)

New Fics:

Perspective (Jason Todd & Bruce Wayne)

Shoot Your Shot with Nightwang & Scandalsavage (Roy Harper/Jason Todd)

I'm Afraid Of All I Am (My Mind Feels Like A Foreign Land) (Dick Grayson/Slade Wilson)

Convalescent Vow (Retributory Shroud)

Pleated (Hockey RPF: Travis Konecny/Nolan Patrick)

Borrowing (Stephanie Brown/Tim Drake/Jason Todd)

Caught Red-Handed (Jason Todd/Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson/Slade Wilson)

Viscera (Retributory Shroud)

I'm The Bottom If I'm Not On Top (David Cain/Slade Wilson)

New Art:

Adonis (Dick Grayson)

Pothos (Tim Drake)

Anteros (Damian Wayne)

Zephyrus (Conner Kent)

Flash Fics:

Appeal (Jonathan Kent/Damian Wayne)

You Are Enough (Tim Drake & Jason Todd)

Private Show (Dick Grayson/Bruce Wayne)

Reclamation Project (Tim Drake & Jason Todd)

Gentle Enough To Bruise (Joker/Jason Todd)

Sweater Souvenir (Roy Harper/Slade Wilson)

Loose Tongue (Tim Drake/Jason Todd)

Thigh Highs (Dick Grayson/Slade Wilson)

Run-In (Dick Grayson/Slade Wilson)

Taking Turns (Tim Drake/Slade Wilson)

Star-scarred (Tim Drake/Jason Todd)

Rougher (Tim Drake/Slade Wilson)

Two For Flinching (Harvey Dent/Jason Todd)

Open (Jason Todd/Bruce Wayne)

Delicious Predicaments (Stephanie Brown/Talia al Ghul)

Vertigo (Dick Grayson/Clark Kent)

Fountain (Apollo/Jason Todd)

A Short Jump (Tim Drake/Tim Drake/Slade Wilson)

Claim Me (Dick Grayson/Bruce Wayne)

Kettlebell (Dick Grayson/Roman Sionis)

Give Me Your Worst (I'll Take It) (Dick Grayson/Roy Harper)

Model (Tim Drake/Jason Todd)

Partition (Dick Grayson/Bruce Wayne)

Eggplant (Stephanie Brown/Jason Todd)

Tundra (Dick Grayson/Clark Kent)

Eyes On The Road (Jason Todd/Slade Wilson)

Idol (Tim Drake/Bruce Wayne)

Distance (Apollo/Midnighter/Slade Wilson)

Bring To Heel (Talia al Ghul/Slade Wilson)

Scope (Tim Drake/Slade Wilson)

Updated Works:

Stripped, Chapter 5

Check Yourself: Art Collection, Chapter 7

An Honest Mistake, Chapter 7 & 8

The Agency Maid, Chapters 2 to 7

Gift Works:

Guilt (Retributory Shroud, for arsenicgreen)

Tying Knots (Retributroy Shroud, for snowinthestars)

Regurgitate (Tim Drake/Jason Todd, for Anonymous)

Read & Recommended:

In the Desert by forestgreen

Acquisition by boyswonder

Kiss, Kiss, Fall in Love by walkerofthestars

Inferno by cadkitten

Skull by clarityhiding

eat your young before they eat you by sharpbluejay

Mistress by Reagy_Jay

Date Night by Anoonie

Winner's Room (Holiday Edition) by cadkitten

Blue Eyes Shining like the Sea by anotherDeadRobin

Ribbons and Bows by khthonicEcho

Come and open yourself up to me by Reagy_Jay

Salt And Copper by OkayAristotle

broken the same way by LizzieMack

A natural by forestgreen

Control by Valmouth

love to praise me, hate me, shame me by LizzieMack

Pretty Boy by JupiterMelichios

your bets on red by kuro49

Related/Inspired Works:

Seasonal Ficlets by arsenicgreen, inspired by Retributory Shroud

Meditations on the Nature of Ice by arsenicgreen, inspired by Retributory Shroud

Thomson AU by arsenicgreen, inspired by Retributory Shroud

No Atheists in the Foxhole by arsenicgreen, inspired by Retributory Shroud

Minimum Wage by litrapod, a podfic of Minimum Wage

#meaninglessblah rambles #that's a wrap