⊹ ࣪˖ KRAMPUSNACHT? MORE LIKE THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS | #TW
pairing. toto wolff x wife!reader
synopsis. toto takes yn out on a date, and conveniently forgets to tell her that it's krampusnacht. she retaliates by trying to sell him, which works a bit too well. chaos ensues.
warnings. none (i think??)
note. i am alive!!! also, my first toto fic. it's a bit shorter than usual, but i hope you like it regardless!!
MASTERLIST ; requests open
mercedesamgf1
liked by kimi.antonelli, georgerussell63 and 974,323 others
mercedesamgf1 and that's a wrap on the 2025 season!
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user1 i already miss f1 😫
user2 you and me both!
georgerussell63 and what a season it was 🩵
mercedesamgf1 happy holidays 🩵
kimi.antonelli until next year 🏎️
mercedesamgf1 looking forward to it!!
ynwolff So I finally get my husband back 👏
user3 i love you girl
user4 you're iconic
mercedesamgf1 thank you for letting us borrow him 😉
user5 missing f1 season starts NOW
user6 days till australia: 89
user7 will this be a running countdown?
user6 yes, who do you take me for? someone who doesn't follow through on their countdowns??
ynwolff
liked by kimi.antonelli, mercedesamgf1 and 102,201 others
ynwolff Austrian man, 53, for sale.
Pros: competent, multilingual, tall (will help you reach the glassware on the top shelf, but will also put it there on purpose), extremely loyal.
Cons: trickster, claims Krampusnacht is "festive" (his words, not mine).
Serious inquiries only. No returns.
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user8 why is he for sale?
ynwolff He suggested we go on a nice date, and conveniently forgot to mention that it was Krampusnacht.
user9 understandable, ma'am carry on
user10 are you actually selling him? how much for him?
ynwolff Yes. The price is one slice of sachertorte and kaiserschmarrn.
lewishamilton 👹
user11 girl, i love that picture of toto, where did u get it ❓
ynwolff My camera roll 😀
mercedesamgf1 yn, please...
ynwolff I apologise (no I don't).
user12 this is peak off-season chaos
georgerussell63 i don't think i'm supposed to support this, but that looks like a valid reason to sell him
user13 what is that
ynwolff Toto or the other creature? Because one is a folkloric demon monster and the other is a husband who is currently for sale.
user14 you're really pushing the sell-toto agenda
user15 i love how she almost never posts, and when she does it’s the most unhinged shit ever
user16 the creature looks horrifying, i support the sale
user17 "will also put it there on purpose" why is toto wolff an actual menace
user18 if my husband forgot to mention that horrifying demon creatures would be roaming the streets, i too would sell him (or divorce him)
user19 do not speak it into existence. i cannot handle a wolff divorce era
user20 WHY WOULD YOU SAY THAT
user21 don't listen to them ynwolff u're too iconic to divorce him
user22 they're literally my parents, they cannot divorce
user23 and here we see four delusional fans in the wild
mercedesamgf1
liked by kimi.antonelli, ynwolff and 324,594 others
mercedesamgf1 We cannot believe we have to clarify this (please be normal for once, admin would like to go on holiday):
Toto Wolff (our boss) is NOT being sold.
Toto and yn are very happy together.
We, Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 team, do not condone–or support–human trafficking or the sale of persons of any kind.
Thank you. Please let admin go on holiday.
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user24 the way you clowns actually believed her 🤡
user25 petition to stop being insane until february so admin can go on holiday
user26 signed
user27 agreed!!
user28 ✍️
user29 do we honestly think that’s possible
user30 no, but can u blame us? yn said that she is/was (?) selling toto
user31 YES YES I CAN BLAME U. DO U PEOPLE HONESTLY HONESTLY THINK THAT SHE WOULD SELL HIM???
user32 what’s got your panties in a twist
user31 F1 FANS
ynwolff Thank you for clearing this up 😊
mercedesamgf1 We felt we had to, people were starting to DM us asking if we shipped internationally
kimi.antonelli can you even ship people
georgerussell63 i'm pretty sure you can't, kimi
user33 NOOOO, i thought it was my chance finally 😭
user34 i cannot believe we've gotten to a point where mercedes have to clarify that toto's not for sale
kimi.antonelli soo, we're not selling toto, got it
georgerussell63 did you want him to be sold???
kimi.antonelli no
user35 breaking: kimi antonelli in mourning that his boss is, in fact, not being sold
totowolff
liked by ynwolff, mercedesamgf1 and 454,549 others
totowolff Hello everyone. I want to clarify something. Recently, people seem to think that I am for sale. This is wrong. My wife, in humour, posted that she was selling me after I omitted one crucial detail before our date. I am not for sale. I remain, and will remain, happily married to yn (pictured).
-Toto
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user36 THE WAY SHE'S LYING ON HIS LAP ‼️
user37 i saw that and immediately started thinking about how single i am
user38 i saw that and started thinking about how i will never have what yn and toto wolff have
user39 WHEN 😭 IS IT 😭 MY TURN 😭
lewishamilton i was not aware of your game 😉
kimi.antonelli please never say that again, i beg you
totowolff Game?
kimi.antonelli i don't get paid enough for this
user40 😭😭😭😭😭😭
georgerussell63 good job, boss 😀
user41 i have never seen george like this, is he okay?
user42 THE PICTURES, please
user43 your honour, they're so in love
totowolff Correct
user44 is renting still an option?
ynwolff No.
totowolff No.
ynwolff You are forgiven ❤️ (also, the pictures are really cute)
totowolff Thank you, Schatzi. They're only cute because you are in them 🥰
user45 mum and dad are flirting again
kimi.antonelli 😡 they're not ur mum and dad
user46 kimi is scrapping with fans in the comments
mercedesamgf1 Please don't argue with our fans, Kimi (admin would like to go on holiday).
user47 poor mercedes admin
user48 i cannot believe THIS chaos is what caused toto to make an insta account
synopsis. yn, ferrari fan and toto wolff's wife, goes to watch the formula one race from the monza grandstand.
warnings. some swearing
note. i realise that the order of the races is not entirely correct, but whatever, it is what it is
MASTERLIST; requests open
f1waggossip
liked by user1, user2 and 193,203 others
f1waggossip After the weekends race at Monza, certain rumours about Toto and yn Wolff have started to spread. Toto was seen entering the paddock alone, while yn was spotted in the grandstand. Sources inside the paddock claim that Mr and Mrs Wolff are divorcing.
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user1 it's so interesting to me that wag pages keep posting rumours about yn when she's said time and time again how much she dislikes the wag term
user2 THEY'RE DIVORCING?
user3 it's just a rumour people, calm down
user4 BUT WHAT IF THE RUMOUR IS TRUE??
user5 no no no, this not happening, they're literally my parents
user6 should we be posting baseless rumours about someones marriage?
user7 !!! by all accounts, they're very happy. this just seems like baseless claims
user8 but she went to the grandstand, that's a little bit weird
user9 the original tweet said that she was with her friends though, like maybe they just wanted to experience the race from the grandstand
user10 no, i'm sorry, but if i was married to toto wolff, i would NOT be watching the races from the grandstand
user11 but then again, you're not married to toto are you?
f1waggossip
liked by user21, user 42 and 293,323 others
f1waggossip [SPOTTED] Toto Wolff and yn Wolff on a date. The Wolffs were spotted on, what looked like, a very cozy date. This happened mere days after rumours started circulating about their apparent divorce. This leaves us wondering if their divorce is happening quietly, while they pretend that everything is fine. Could this be an attempt from Toto, who is famously composed, to hide that anything is wrong? Or is it merely a ploy to distract the public from their divorce?
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user12 f1waggossip is really living up to its name recently
f1waggossip Thank you! We pride ourselves on delivering fresh, reliable gossip!
user13 it's definitely just a ploy!! the divorce will be confirmed by miami!!
user14 this reeks of damage control
user15 finally someone else thinks the same!! toto has always been so composed, there's no way he wouldn't do damage control for this ‼️
user16 this is literally just conjecture
user17 right!!
user18 it's so stupid how people make up things like this just because yn went to monza with her friends
user19 it's so far from monza to divorce
user16 yeah!! besides, if i was divorcing my husband, i would not bring my friends to his workplace and sit there for two hours in the middle of summer in italy
user20 doing that is not divorce behaviour actually
user21 toto is too much of a control freak to not do damage control
user22 i believe in the divorce rumours as much as the next person, but going on a date to do damage control is insane behaviour
user23 i think that both yn and toto are too old to care enough about what social media says about their marriage to do damage control
user24 well yeah, but not doing anything is bad too, especially from the point of view of sponsors
mercedesamgf1
liked by georgerussell63, kimi.antonelli and 543,403 others
mercedesamgf1 welcome back to canada 🇨🇦
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user25 i cannot wait for this!!!
user26 go mercedes ‼️
kimi.antonelli hoping for a good weekend 🤞
mercedesamgf1 we're always hoping for a good weekend
user27 sooo, are we going to talk about the divorce rumours or are we just pretending that's not happening?
user28 this has literally nothing to do with them?? why did u feel the need to bring it up
user27 i was just curious, sue me for that ig
user29 no no, i think it's valid to wonder
user30 valid or parasocial, idk
georgerussell63 p1 and p2 here we come!!
kimi.antonelli yesss!!!
user31 let's goooo 🇨🇦
user32 when's the divorce going to be announced? before or after this weekend?
user33 will yn show up to the gp just to save face?
user34 probably!! i think with all the rumours toto's going to parade her around to give sponsors + fans the illusion that everything is fine, but we know that it's not fine 🤭
user35 hey, so, that's actually an insane take
user36 user34 u should seek professional help, what the fuck
ynwolff
liked by mercedesamgf1, f1 and 145,302 others
ynwolff This is genuinely getting out of hand. Toto and I are not divorcing. I don’t think I owe any of you an explanation, but the amount of rumours I’ve seen recently is crazy. I’ve watched Formula One since I was little. I root for Ferrari (shocking, I know). I went to Monza and sat in the grandstand with my friends because that is something we did when we were students, and we wanted to do it again. I’m sorry to disappoint.
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mercedesamgf1 We'll just have to learn to accept it 😔
ynwolff sorry 😇
scuderiaferrari You're always welcome at Ferrari ❤️
ynwolff I will let you know if that ever becomes necessary
mercedesamgf1 Which will be never
user36 oh, u guys really pissed her off this time
user37 i support women's rights, more importantly i support yn wolff's rights to snap at weird people on the internet ‼️
user38 YN WOLFF IS A TIFOSI. A TIFOSI IS MARRIED TO THE MERCEDES TEAM PRINCIPAL. ACTUAL CINEMA
user39 truly not something i could make up
charles_leclerc ❤️
user40 ONE OF US ONE OF US ONE OF US
lewishamilton i would've gotten you a seat in the garage, yn
ynwolff I know, Lewis ❤️ Next year?
lewishamilton next year!
scuderiaferrari it would be our pleasure to have you for monza next year
user41 let's lay the divorce speculations to rest
user42 ‼️
user43 this was not on my 2026 bingo card
user44 i think we should stop speculating on people's marriages, like we truly do not know these people
user45 agreed!!!
user46 but it's fun
user47 but you do not know these people ‼️
user48 did you clear this with toto first? i mean, this cannot be good for his image
ynwolff I am a grown woman, I do not need my husbands permission to post on social media. His image is fine, by the way
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The baby monitor starts crackling at 5:12 a.m.
Mack groans into his pillow. “No way.”
Beside him, you make a tired sound and pull the blanket over your shoulder. “Please tell me that’s a dream.”
Then your daughter’s cry comes through louder,thin at first, then full force, upset and shaky and very, very awake.
Mack lifts his head, hair a mess, eyes barely open. “Okay. Definitely not a dream.”
You squint at the ceiling. “Whose turn is it?”
He pauses. “I think… yours?”
You turn your head slowly. “Macklin.”
“Okay, maybe ours.”
The crying gets louder.
You both sit up at the same time, exhausted and automatic, like you’ve been training for this exact moment for months. Which, in a way, you have.
Mack swings his legs over the side of the bed first. “I got her.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah.” He rubs his face. “You stay here for one more minute.”
You smile sleepily. “One minute turns into ten.”
“Then enjoy your ten.”
He disappears down the short hallway to the nursery, and a second later you hear his voice, low and warm even with all the sleep still in it.
“Hey, hey, little bug. I’m coming. Don’t fire me yet.”
You get up anyway.
By the time you step into the nursery, he’s already lifted your daughter from her crib. She’s tiny against his chest, wrapped in a pale yellow sleeper with little ducks on the feet, her face red from crying. At three months old, she still seems impossibly small to you sometimes. Like someone trusted the two of you with a star and expected you not to drop it.
Mack bounces her carefully. “I don’t know why she’s crying,” he says, looking at you over her head. “I’m trying not to take it personally.”
You move closer and brush your fingers over her cheek. “She’s not mad at you.”
“She seems a little mad at me.”
“She’s a baby.”
“She’s a baby with opinions.”
That gets the smallest smile out of you.
Your daughter cries harder, little fists waving. Mack’s face falls. “Okay, no, seriously, what do I do? I picked her up. I did the bounce. I did the pat thing. I even told her she’s prettier than me.”
You laugh softly. “Let me see.”
He passes her over carefully, reluctant and relieved at the same time. The second she’s in your arms, you shift her against your shoulder and sway gently.
“Hi, sweet girl,” you murmur. “What’s wrong, huh?”
“She’s probably hungry,” Mack says.
“Or wet.”
“Or she just hates mornings. Honestly? Same.”
You look at him. “Can you grab the diaper stuff?”
He salutes dramatically. “On it.”
He crosses to the dresser and hands you a fresh diaper, wipes, and the cream. You lay your daughter on the changing table and unsnap her sleeper while she fusses.
Mack hovers beside you. “She’s looking at me like I betrayed her.”
“She’s looking at the light.”
“No, that’s judgment.”
You roll your eyes, but you’re smiling. “Talk to her.”
“What do I say?”
“Anything.”
He leans down a little, resting his elbows near the changing table. “Hey, peanut. So here’s the thing. We’re gonna do a quick pit stop. Fresh diaper. New outlook on life. Maybe a bottle after. Pretty solid morning lineup.”
Your daughter hiccups mid-cry.
“There,” he says immediately. “She likes my strategy.”
“She hiccupped.”
“She was impressed.”
You finish changing her diaper, quick from practice now. Three months ago you’d both stared at the first diaper like it was a timed bomb. Now it’s second nature.
Mack watches you fasten the clean one. “You make that look way too easy.”
“You can do it too.”
“I can. I just,” He shrugs. “You’re faster.”
“That’s because I’ve done, like, ten more than you.”
“Because every time I try, she pees with sniper accuracy.”
You laugh, picking her back up. “That happened once.”
“It changed me.”
In the kitchen, the apartment is still dim and quiet. Early light slips through the blinds in pale stripes. You sit at the table with the baby and start getting her bottle ready while Mack warms it just enough.
He tests it and hands it over. “Chef’s kiss.”
“You say that every time.”
“And every time, I’m right.”
You settle your daughter in your arms and start feeding her. Instantly, the crying stops. Her tiny mouth works at the bottle with intense concentration, like she’s doing the world’s most important job.
Mack stares at her. “Wow.”
“What?”
“She was screaming like the world was ending, and now she’s just…” He gestures helplessly. “Having breakfast.”
You smile down at her. “That’s babies.”
“No, that’s emotional whiplash.”
He pulls out the chair next to you and sits, leaning his head on your shoulder for a second. “You’re really good at this.”
You glance at him. “We’re both figuring it out.”
“Yeah, but you always know what she needs.”
“Not always.”
“More than me.”
You bump his knee under the table. “You knew she needed to be picked up.”
“Then I panicked.”
“You panic politely.”
“That should be on a T-shirt.”
By the time the bottle’s empty, your daughter’s eyes are drifting shut again. Mack reaches over and gently touches her tiny fist. She curls her fingers around one of his.
His whole face softens.
“She’s got me wrapped around her hand already.”
“She literally does.”
He smiles without looking away. “I know.”
Later that morning, after a little more sleep for all three of you and a rushed breakfast eaten in shifts, the living room is scattered with baby things,blankets, burp cloths, a pacifier that somehow keeps ending up under the couch.
Mack sits cross-legged on the floor with the baby propped against his bent leg, supported by your nursing pillow. He’s holding one of her mini board books upside down.
You pause from folding laundry on the couch. “Your book is upside down.”
He looks at it, flips it, then frowns. “Was it?”
“Yes.”
“She didn’t notice.”
“That’s because she’s three months old.”
“She’s gifted.”
He clears his throat dramatically and opens the book. “Okay, miss girl. Story time. ‘Goodnight Moon.’ A classic. A masterpiece. Riveting from start to finish.”
You smile as you fold one of her sleepers. “Read it properly.”
“I am reading it properly.”
He points to the page. “In the great green room…”
His voice changes when he reads to her,softer, steadier. Your daughter stares up at him, wide-eyed and quiet, one hand waving now and then like she’s helping tell the story.
He turns the page. “There was a telephone…”
Then he glances at you. “Why is there always a bowl of mush in this book?”
You laugh. “Just keep going.”
“No, I have questions.”
“The baby does not care about your literary criticism.”
“I think she does.” He looks down at her. “Do you care about the mush, sweetheart?”
Your daughter blinks at him.
“She agrees it’s weird,” he says.
You shake your head, smiling to yourself as you keep folding. There are moments like this when the tiredness lifts just enough for you to really see it: the tiny domestic magic of your life. Not easy. Never easy. But real. And warm.
After the book, he lowers it and gently boops the baby’s nose with one finger. “That’s the end. Five stars. Would read again.”
You stand and carry the folded clothes to the basket. “She liked your voice.”
“She likes hearing me roast children’s literature.”
“Definitely that.”
He grins.
The calm lasts another twenty minutes.
Then it starts.
First, a whimper.
Then a squirm.
Then your daughter pulls her legs up and lets out a cry that’s sharper than before, uncomfortable and miserable.
You look up from rinsing bottles at the sink. “Oh no.”
Mack straightens immediately. “What happened?”
He picks her up, but she cries harder, twisting and scrunching up.
“I didn’t do anything,” he says quickly, like he’s defending himself to a jury.
“I know.” You dry your hands and come over. “Let me feel her tummy.”
You rest your hand lightly against her belly. Tight.
“Colic?” he asks, worried.
“Could be gas.”
She cries again, little face screwed up, and your chest aches with helplessness.
Mack rocks her carefully. “Hey, hey, no. Don’t do that. Don’t cry like that.”
“She’s okay,” you say softly, though you know he’s not really talking to her. “She’s uncomfortable, that’s all.”
“I hate that I can’t fix it.”
You reach for the bottle of gas drops from the counter. “We’ll try.”
He follows you like a shadow while you give her the drops and then reposition her against your shoulder. You rub her back in slow circles.
“Can you walk with her?” you ask.
“Yeah. Yeah, okay.”
He takes her and starts pacing the living room, careful and attentive, murmuring nonsense under his breath.
“It’s okay, baby girl. It’s okay. We’re figuring it out. We are a deeply underqualified team, but we love you a lot.”
You almost smile even with the worry in your chest.
He keeps pacing. “You can yell at me if you need to. That’s fair. I’d yell too.”
“She’s not yelling at you,” you say.
“She feels like she’s making a point.”
After a few minutes, the crying eases for a second, then starts again.
Mack looks at you, helpless. “What else?”
“Try bicycle legs.”
“I always feel like I’m doing them wrong.”
“You’re not.” You come close and guide him to sit on the couch. “Here.”
Together, you carefully move her little legs, gentle and slow.
Mack watches her face like he can will the pain away. “Please work.”
You touch his arm. “She’ll settle.”
“I know.” He swallows. “It just sucks.”
You nod. “Yeah.”
He looks up at you. “Are you okay?”
The question surprises you enough that you laugh softly. “I’m not the one with gas.”
“You know what I mean.”
You sit beside him. “I’m tired.”
“Me too.”
“And sometimes I feel like I’m doing everything wrong.”
He stares at you. “You?”
“Yeah, me.”
“You’re doing amazing.”
“You say that because you love me.”
“I say that because it’s true.” He adjusts the baby against his chest. “You know what every cry means.”
“Not every cry.”
“Most of them.”
You lean your head on his shoulder for one second, just one. “We’re both trying.”
“I know.” He turns his head and kisses your hair. “You’re not doing this alone.”
Before you can answer, your daughter lets out a tiny burp.
You and Mack both freeze.
Then another one.
The crying stops.
For a beat, the room is completely silent.
Mack blinks. “Was that it?”
You look at the baby, now blinking drowsily like she hasn’t spent the last twenty minutes emotionally destroying both of you.
Then you laugh.
Mack stares at her in disbelief. “You’re kidding.”
“She needed to burp.”
“She just ruined my entire nervous system over a burp.”
“She’s little.”
He looks down at her. “That was so dramatic.”
Your daughter sighs and nestles into his chest.
He melts instantly. “Okay. Fine. You’re still perfect.”
By afternoon, she’s calmer.
You get her changed into a soft pink onesie, and Mack insists on choosing the socks.
“These ones,” he says, holding up a pair with tiny strawberries.
“They don’t match.”
“She’s a baby. She doesn’t run a fashion account.”
You snort. “Put them on, then.”
He does it with complete concentration, tongue pressed to the corner of his mouth while he works the tiny sock over her foot.
“There,” he says proudly. “Stylish.”
“She has one strawberry and one plain white sock.”
“Eclectic.”
Later, while you make sandwiches in the kitchen, Mack sits with her in the nursery rocker. You hear him talking to her through the open door.
“So your mom thinks I can’t dress you. That’s fake news, by the way.”
A tiny coo answers him.
“Exactly. Thank you.”
You lean against the doorway and watch them for a moment before he notices.
“What?” he says.
“Nothing.”
“You’re looking at me.”
“I’m allowed.”
He smiles and looks back at the baby. “Your mom’s being weird again.”
“She gets that from you.”
“Impossible.”
By evening, the apartment is quiet again. The rough patch from earlier feels far away now, softened by the ordinary rhythm of the day. Feed, burp, change, rock, repeat. Exhaustion woven together with tiny perfect moments.
After her bath, wrapped in a towel with a duck hood that dwarfs her whole head, your daughter looks more offended than clean.
Mack takes one look and laughs. “She looks betrayed.”
“She hates baths.”
“She hates injustice.”
You lotion her up, put her in clean pajamas, and dim the nursery lights.
“She’s gonna sleep,” Mack says hopefully.
You give him a look. “Don’t jinx it.”
“Right. Sorry. She’s actually planning to host a concert at midnight.”
“That sounds more accurate.”
He grins and takes the little storybook from the shelf again. “One more?”
You nod.
He sits on the floor beside the crib this time, knees bent, back against the wall. You lower your daughter into the crib carefully, and after one little fuss, she settles. Her eyes stay open, heavy but watchful, fixed on Mack.
He opens the book and reads in a soft voice, not for performance now, not joking as much,just gentle, steady, there.
You sit beside him, shoulder against shoulder.
When he finishes, he sets the book aside and rests his hand through the crib slats.
Your daughter’s tiny fingers curl around one of his.
Neither of you says anything for a long moment.
She looks so small, her hand barely big enough to hold him, but she does. Like she knows exactly where she belongs.
Mack’s voice comes out quiet. “I could sit here forever.”
You glance at him. In the low light, he looks younger and older at the same time. A teenager, still. Your boyfriend. The father of your baby. Tired, overwhelmed, ridiculous, sweet.
“She likes you,” you whisper.
He huffs softly. “I hope so. I’ve been working very hard for her approval.”
“You read upside-down books to her.”
“She didn’t mind.”
You smile and lean your head against the wall. “Today was a lot.”
“Yeah.”
“But good.”
He nods slowly, eyes still on the baby. “Good.”
After a second, he says, “Do you ever get scared?”
You answer honestly. “All the time.”
“Me too.”
You look at him. “But?”
He finally turns his head to you.
“But when it’s you and her… it feels less scary.”
Your throat tightens a little. “Yeah.”
He smiles, small and tired and real. “We’re okay, right?”
You look at the crib, at the tiny hand around his finger, at the little rise and fall of your daughter’s chest as she drifts toward sleep.
Then back at him.
“Yeah,” you say softly. “We’re okay.”
He squeezes your hand with his free one.
And in the quiet nursery, with the last of the day settling around the three of you, that feels like enough.
summary - a day in the life of you and nate on an avs game day on your first week of maternity leave
pairing - nathan mackinnon x doctor!reader
warnings - pregnancy, suggestive content, hints of nesting anxiety, and not proofread
wc - 5.1k
requested - no!
a/n - avs please I can’t do this rn…please
“I feel huge.” You sigh from the couch, looking at the bowl of oatmeal that you had carefully balanced on your bump.
“You're growing our child, so of course you feel big.” Nathan shakes his head at your antics and continues to meal prep.
“Yeah, I know, your huge ass baby.” You tilt your head back and look at Nathan in the kitchen upside down.
“Baby girl is not that big.” He puts more meals into the refrigerator, “Eat your breakfast, please, Y/N.”
“That’s not my name.” You retort, sounding like a petulant child.
“It is your name.”
“No…you refer to me as baby, babe, my wife, or light of my life. Not Y/N.” You tap the bowl but make no move to eat it.
“Baby, please eat your breakfast before I leave for practice. I don’t want to have to tell Bednar the reason why I’m playing shitty is that my pregnant wife didn’t eat her breakfast.” He puts away the last of the meal containers and walks over to you, sitting on the couch with you.
“Fine, did you put Nutella and strawberries in here like I asked? Last time you were very skimpy on Nutella.” You raise an eyebrow.
“I did, but you didn’t check the bowl when I gave it to you, did you?” He picks the bowl up off your bump and urges you to sit up.
“No, I just let you set it on my bump, and I thought it would be fun to see how long it would stay.” You smile sheepishly and take the bowl back. Taking a peek inside, you see there is a generous amount of both strawberries and Nutella on the oatmeal. “I’ll eat it now.”
“Thank you.” Nathan watches you take a bite before kissing your forehead and getting up. “I’ll be back around noon, then we’ll finish up the nursery. Please don’t touch it while I’m gone. I can’t have you getting hurt.”
“I won’t, I’ll probably watch something.” You shrug. “There are some shows I want to start.”
“Whatever keeps you out of the nursery.” He agrees and walks to grab his gear.
“This oatmeal is really good, babe.” You hum and take a few more bites.
“All to your liking?”
“Yeah, perfect amount of Nutella this time.” Nathan comes back with his backpack slung over his shoulder.
“I’m glad, I’ll be back to make lunch.” You smile over at him, and he sits on the arm of the couch.
“Okay. I’m coming to the game tonight, though. I can’t keep staying in this fucking house, or else I’ll lose my goddamn mind.” You sigh and lean your head into your hand.
“I don’t want you to lose your mind staying in this house.” He chuckles.
“Oof.” You put a hand on your bump as your baby girl kicks. “She’s active today.”
Nathan reaches down and places a hand on the curve of your stomach. “Very active, be nice to your momma, baby girl. I have to go now, or I’m gonna be late. I'll see you in a few hours.”
“Drive safe.” He nods and cups your cheek, pressing a soft kiss to your mouth.
“I will.”
“Good. Now I can’t have my baby daddy being late to practice.” You peck his mouth again.
“Baby daddy? I’m your husband.” Nathan scoffs, and you laugh.
“My husband, who is going to be late. You have full permission to blame me, and tell Bednar to call me.”
“You’re in a silly mood this morning. I love you, my beautiful wife, who is doing such a good job keeping our baby safe. I’ll be home later.” He kisses you one last time.
“I love you too.”
Nathan leaves for practice, and you settle back into the couch with your oatmeal. You try to get comfortable watching a show, but the thought of the still unfinished nursery. You know Nathan would kill you for even setting foot in there. However, your mind keeps wandering, and the trash TV show you’re watching does nothing to distract you. Your eyes flick up the stairs, and you sigh. Pushing yourself off the couch, you waddle up the stairs. God, you hate fucking waddling.
The nursery is almost finished, the crib is halfway built, the walls are painted to a pretty light blue, and all of the clothes, toys, and diapers need to be organized. It’s all so disorganized, and you need to do something about it.
Your phone rings on the changing table, another thing that needs to be finished, you grab it and press it to your ear.
“Hey Y/N, how are you doing today?” Melissa Landeskog says cheerfully over the line.
“Nate’s gonna kill me.” You sigh and open the boxes of baby clothes and stuffed animals.
“It’s been about twenty minutes since he left for practice, and I did the one thing he asked me not to do.” You want to turn around and walk away from the room, but you just can’t. “I’m in the nursery, and I just keep on thinking about all the things that need to be done in this house before the baby gets here. God, I think I’m going crazy, like I’ve been home for what? Three days? And I already have cabin fever.”
“Slow down, honey. Do you need me to come over and help you sort everything out? I would happily do that.” Melissa offers generously.
“No, I can’t do that. Nate already said he would help me once he got back from practice. I just can’t seem to sit still.” You slump into the rocking chair placed in the corner of the room.
“You’re normally so busy, Y/N, it’s fine that you’re feeling this way. But you’re having a baby, honey.”
“I know I am, I just feel so useless.” You rock slowly back and forth, hand resting on your belly.
“You’re pregnant, not useless.” Melissa chuckles.
“Well, it doesn’t feel that way, I mean, my attending benched me from all surgeries, so I was doing scut work as if I’m not a goddamn doctor.” You feel tears burning at the back of your eyes, “I’ve just been doing so much since the moment I left home at 18, that being told to sit back and relax makes me want to say damn them all and do everything. Sorry, I’m just emotional right now.”
“Never apologize, you have every right to feel this way. But I have to ask, have you told Nathan any of this?” Melissa is a voice of reason, like an older sister who knows just what to say. “I’m taking your silence as a no.”
“I just don’t want to bother him with it, he’s stressed about making the playoffs, and I’m 36 weeks pregnant. He has enough on his plate.” You rub your temples.
“You are his top priority, like the utmost important thing in his life right now. Playoffs be damned, he wants you to be safe. So telling him how you’re feeling is something he deserves to know.” Everything Melissa says makes you realize how in the dark you’ve been keeping him. All for the so-called sake of protecting him, but have you really?
“Thanks for this, Mel. I should talk to him.” You come to the conclusion easily.
“You should. If no one has told you yet, you’re doing great. You and Nate are going to be amazing parents.” The words catch up to you, and a tear rolls down your face.
“Thank you, it really means a lot.”
“It’s really no problem,” Melissa guffaws, “Will I see you at the game later?”
“Yeah, you will.” You sniff and wipe at your eyes.
“Good, I’ll see you then. Bye Y/N.” Melissa says.
“Bye Mel.”
The phone call ends, and you drop your phone into your lap with a sigh. You don’t really feel like getting up from the chair, and there’s a box of toys next to you. You pick up a dog plush that someone got you for the baby shower. You stroke its head and set it on the curve of your bump. Baby girl kicks, and you let out a watery laugh.
“Like the dog baby girl?” You ask, and the flutters come back, “I guess so. It’s all yours, girly.”
You keep on rocking back and forth, cradling the plush against your chest. Your eyes begin to close, and sleep overtakes you.
•••
“Y/N!” Nathan yells, and you’re awoken from your nap. “Baby, where are you?”
You clear your throat, “I’m up here.”
You hear him walk up the stairs and peer into the doorway of the nursery, the worry is clear on his face. “I told you I would be back to help.”
“I didn’t touch anything. I just got anxious, but Mel and I talked for a bit, so that took my mind off things. Then I fell asleep.” You feel bad because Nathan looks extremely concerned. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. I just wanted to make sure you were okay.” He crouches in front of you. “Do you want to get this done now or have lunch first?”
“Lunch.” You agree.
“Alright.” He helps you up from the rocking chair and places a hand on your lower back. “What did Mel have to talk you down from?”
“I guess I should talk to you about it.” You look over your shoulder at him. “I’ve been feeling pretty useless lately, like yes, I went on maternity leave three days ago, but I was feeling useless at work for weeks too. But I didn’t want to bother you because you have games, road trips, and the playoffs to think about, so I didn’t tell you.”
“Y/N…”
“I know, I know. I should have told you.” Nate sits you down on the stools underneath the kitchen island.
“Yeah, you should have. We’ve been together for 7 years now, baby, married and not. I want to know about everything that concerns you, tell me everything.” You nod and lean into the hand he has pressed to your cheek.
“I will promise.” You agree, and Nathan smiles.
“Good, now what do you want to eat?”
“Like a crispy sandwich, pesto, cheese, prosciutto, arugula, and focaccia. We should have everything for that. I bought some when I went to the store yesterday.” You pat his ass as he walks into the kitchen.
“Yeah, it looks like we have everything. Do you want to drive with me to the game? I’d feel better if we could arrive and leave together, not that you can’t drive.” Nate pulls out all of the ingredients.
“Three hours is a long time to wait at the arena. Maybe you could drop me off at Landy’s house, and I can go with Melissa.” You hop off the stool and round the island to the other side of the kitchen.
“Sounds good, then we can leave together, and we don’t have to worry about a second car.” He watches you waddle around prepping ingredients. “I can make you lunch, you don’t need to help.”
“We just had a conversation about me feeling useless. I haven't had this much time off since our honeymoon, so sitting still is not appealing to me.” You slice open the bread and start to spread butter on it.
“Right, sorry, umm…I’ll get started on the arugula topping.” Nathan backs down, honoring your need for autonomy.
“Perfect.” You hum, and the two of you get to work.
You both work in tandem perfectly, making lunch and eventually working your way upstairs to the nursery. Nathan finishes the crib, and you begin putting away the onesies, toys, and other accoutrements that are perfect for a newborn baby.
“She kicked when I put this on my bump.” You show Nate the dog plush that causes the flutters from your baby.
“Did she?” He takes the stuffed animal with a grin. “Just like her dad.”
“She better have some of me in there.”
“She should get your smarts, cause everyone knows that you’re leagues smarter than me.” He kisses your head and places the plush into the crib.
“Very true, I can say I’ve never had a concussion.” You jab at him.
“And I’ve had more than I can count.” He chuckles.
“I know, your nose didn’t always look like that.”
“Hey, it has charm.” He touches his nose, and you smile.
“It does.” You press your head to his shoulder. “We should start getting ready. This is the best we can do for now.”
“Yeah, we need to get going here soon. I have to be at the arena by 4, so I’ll need to drop you off soon.” He agrees, and you turn off the light in the nursery and make your way to the master bedroom.
“What to wear, what to wear.” You hum and rummage through your closet.
“Be comfortable.”
“Believe me, I will.” You pull out the only maternity jeans you own and try to pull them on. “Help.”
“Come here, sit on the bed.” He chuckles as you sit down on the bed and Nate helps you into the jeans, “and how about a sweatshirt?”
“Yes, please, I want the maroon one, the one the WAGs got for Christmas.” You watch him walk back into the closet, half-dressed in a suit.
“This one?” You nod, and he hands it to you. “What about a shirt underneath in case you start to get hot?”
“Alright.” You take off the baggy shirt you were wearing and grab a long tank top that fits over your bump. You put the sweatshirt on over top and fall back onto the bed, feeling slightly winded. “Why is it so hard to do that?”
“Because you’re pregnant?”
“Thank you, Captain Obvious.” You laugh and watch him get ready, eyes trailing up and down his body. “Fuck if I wasn’t pregnant already, I’d let you get me pregnant.”
“Jesus Christ, woman, you can’t just say things like that.” Nate blushes hard.
“What? That I think my husband is hot?” You sit up and flutter your eyes at him, making him blush again. “Can I not say that?”
“No, you can.”
“But you have to focus, be ‘Nathan MacKinnon’ right now to get into the mindset, and I’m distracting you.” You track him around the room with your eyes.
“You are extremely distracting, sitting there pregnant with my kid and saying you’d let me get you pregnant again.” Nate stops fixing his collar and looks at you like you personally offended him. “Recipe for distraction.”
“Caveman.” You tease, and he does the final button on his shirt.
“No, just completely devoted to you.”
“Don’t I know it.” You push off the bed and pad around looking for the perfect shoes to wear with your outfit.
“Alright, I’m ready to go. I’ll meet you downstairs?” He peeks into the closet, and you give a nod.
“I’ll be a second.” You grab a pair of white sneakers with maroon accents and take a few seconds to put them on. “Is my purse down there?”
“Yeah, it’s on the counter!” Nate yells up the stairs, and you begin your slow descent down them. Taking a step at a time, trying not to throw your balance.
“Let’s go, you have pregame prep to do.” You take your purse from his hands, and both of you get into the car.
•••
You and Melissa get to the arena around 6:30. Both of the Landeskog children are with a babysitter, so a child-free night was upon you both. Well, other than the nearly fully formed child inside of you. Security lets you in easily, and you both walk to the family suite.
“You’re literally glowing.” Melissa holds the door open for you.
“Really? I just feel huge, like I’m actually waddling around and shit.” You sit down on the seats closest to the glass of the suite.
“Normal part of pregnancy, hon, the waddle gets to everyone eventually.” Melissa grins.
“Ugh, I know, it still sucks.” You settle into the chair. “My street cred in the hospital is gone.”
“You’re funny.”
“No, seriously, all these new interns come in and the first impression they have of me as a senior resident is me pregnant.” You sigh and lean into your hand. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m so excited to have this baby, because I wanted kids eventually. But I wanted to have kids after I became an attending.”
“You and Nate got this, I promise. And we’re all here for you both. Let me know if you need anything.” Melissa touches your shoulder.
“I will. Nate’ll take some coaxing, but I’ll reach out, don't worry.” You joke, and Melissa laughs with you
“Good. Now, do you need anything like water or food?” She asks, and you shake your head.
“All good for now, but thank you.”
“Alright, just let me know.” She touches your shoulder.
“I will.” You nod and feel your phone buzz in your purse. You pull it out, seeing Nathan’s contact on your screen. “It’s Nate, I'll be right back.”
“Yeah, yeah, go.” Melissa shoos you off, and you press the phone to your ear as you get up out of the seat.
“Hey, baby.” You speak sweetly into the phone.
“Hey, yourself, did you get to the arena okay?”
“All in one piece, both me and baby.” You tease, and Nate sighs at your bad joke.
“Good, let’s keep it that way.” He lets out a soft chuckle.
“Sir, yes, sir.” You snicker and lean into the wall next to you.
“You’re ridiculous.”
“Yeah, but you married me.”
“That I did, and I don't regret it.” His tone is sincere and warms your heart.
“Better not, 'cause you’re stuck with me, MacKinnon. For the next 18 years, then we can reevaluate.”
“I think I’ll need more than the next 18 years with you.” Despite your many attempts at teasing, he always says something so heartfelt that your chest wants to burst. “How does forever sound?”
“Hmm…forever is a long time.” You try to keep up with your previous antics, but you’re melting by the second.
“Yeah, maybe, but you’re worth it. Both you and the baby.” You’re going to cry, like burst out in tears.
“Stop being sweet right now, Nathan Raymond MacKinnon. You have a game to play, and I cannot cry before puck drop.” You scold him, not doing a very good job at hiding your watery voice.
“Government named? You’re being very serious, alright, I’ll stop.”
“Thank you. Now, go play a good game. I love you.” You dab at the corner of your eye.
“I love you too. See you after the game.”
“See you after the game.” You repeat, and the call ends quickly after. You sit back down next to Melissa, and a couple of other WAGs that joined you two in the suite.
“Y/N! You look amazing.” Tracy Makar, places a soft hand on yours.
“Oh, thank you, getting bigger and bigger by the day.” You settle back into your chair, trying to get comfortable.
“All a part of the process is what I’m trying to tell her.” Melissa nudges your shoulder, and you roll your eyes.
“You and everyone else. But my body was not prepared for this baby at all. She is really comfortable.”
“I bet you two have picked out names?” Kerry Toews, the other wife that joined you, asks.
“We actually have her whole name picked out. My mom got stuff monogrammed for the baby shower, so you’ll have to see it then.” You and Nate had picked out the name months ago. A combination you both loved and has sentimental value to make it feel special.
“Ooo, I’m excited. You have great taste, so I trust you picked out something that will suit your little girl perfectly.” Tracy clasps her hands together with a wide grin.
“We love it.” You feel her kick and rub the spot gently.
“Take these last weeks in, soon your life will be all baby and nothing else.” Mel pats your hand, knowing full well what’s coming for you and Nate.
“Oh, I know, it's not ideal to have the baby right near the end of the regular season, but we’ll have to make do.”
“Oh, for sure, but like Mel said, we’re here for you.” Kerry reiterates, and you take a deep breath.
“Thank you, guys. Wait, did you get the invites for the baby shower?” You look at the other three women, panic rising for a second.
“Yes, they were adorable. I should have sent back the RSVP.” Tracy nods, and you calm down.
“I should check that. Should’ve probably been the first thing I did.” You shake your head.
“You’re all good, Y/N.” Mel pats your arm. “Oh, the game is starting.”
All of you move to the edge of your seats and watch the Avs skate out onto the ice. You see #29 move around on the ice, Nathan looks up in your direction, and you give a small wave. Your baby girl kicks at the same time, and you laugh in awe that she’s able to understand.
The game starts, and you settle back into your seat.
•••
“That was a bullshit call!” You yell, knowing full well the refs can’t hear you. You plop back into your seat. There are 45.2 seconds left in the third, and the Avs are only up by one. Baby girl is rolling around from excitement, and every so often, one of her limbs catches on a rib or your bladder. “This is ridiculous.”
“The refs are on something tonight.” Mel shakes her head. “If this game goes to overtime, I think I’m gonna head out. Beat the traffic and say good night to the kids.”
“Yeah, I’m so tired.” You agree. “But Nate has the car keys and would be left stranded if I took them.”
“I can take you home if you need. It’s no big deal.” Mel offers.
Normally, you would decline, but being pregnant has you yearning for your cozy bed. “That would be amazing, thank you so much.”
“No problem.”
You continue to watch the ice, waiting for the confirmation that this game wouldn’t go to overtime and the Avs would get the win. Your eye is starting to twitch a little from being so tired, and the need to rest your eyes is becoming more prevalent.
The goal horn goes off, and you’re immediately more alert. The Avs score a goal and win the game, you sigh in relief. You won’t have to stay at Ball Arena for longer than necessary, and you get to go home with your husband. Falling asleep in his arms sounds like literal heaven right now.
“It was a good game, but I’m not staying here longer than I have to. I’ll see you, ladies soon?” Melissa says as all four of you stand up.
“Yes.” You give her a quick hug, and she does the same with Tracy and Kerry.
“Do you still want a ride back?” Mel asks as she circles back around to you.
“No, I’m good, no overtime, so I’m going home with Nate.” You shake your head.
“Alright, rest up, honey.”
“I will.” Melissa heads out, leaving the rest of you to walk to the family room.
There are a few other families that probably sat in the stands, waiting to see their respective players. You settle on a chair, your hips and back aching from the length of the day, and your eyes drooping with the heaviness of sleep. If Nate doesn’t get out of media soon, you’re probably gonna fall asleep in the room.
You luckily don’t have to wait too long. Nate walks through the door back in his game day suit. His eyes search around before landing on you, a smile spreading across his face.
“Hi darling.”’ Nate can see the need for sleep written across your face. “Ready to go home?”
“Please, I’m gonna fall asleep on my feet here soon.” He pulls you up out of the chair, and you step closer into his side. Pregnancy and tiredness make you clingier.
Nate lets his arm fall over your shoulder, and the two of you walk out of the room. Comfortable silence makes its way between the two of you. Nate played a good game, and you’re too tired to talk about anything other than getting in bed. He’s practically guiding you to the car at this point, places are fading out of view as you possibly fall asleep on the walk there.
Nate helps you into the car and buckles your seatbelt. “Wait, I didn’t say goodbye to Tracy and Kerry.”
“I said goodbye for you, they know you are tired.” He eases your worries.
“Okay, good.” You nod slowly, and he shuts the door.
Nate starts the car, and the hum of the engine has your eyes fluttering closed for a second. A short moment. Or what you think is only a moment, but when you open your eyes again, the car is pulling into the garage.
“Oh my god, I fell asleep.” You run a hand through your hair, blinking the sleep out of your eyes.
“You needed it.” Nate chuckles and turns off the engine, “Head inside I’m gonna grab a package I saw on the front porch.”
“Okay. It might be the stuff my mom got for baby girl.” You tell him and get out of the car.
“We can take a look.”
“Okay. Wait for me to open the package.” You toe off your shoes and wait in the kitchen for Nate to come back.
You hear the garage door close, and Nate walks in with a box underneath his arm. He places the box on the counter, letting you read the label.
“Yeah, this is the baby bag, blanket, and onesies that she got monogrammed.” You tap your fingers on the box, “She thinks it would be cute to have it set up on a table at the baby shower and have people try to guess her name from the initials.”
“Let’s take a look at them.” Nate grabs a pair of scissors to cut the box open.
You take out the tissue paper and pick up the diaper bag with your soon to be daughters initials on it. NRM is written in pretty white cursive, standing out from the black fabric of the bag. Nate takes it from your hands and runs his fingers over the letters, the same ones derived from his own name.
“People won’t think I’m conceited for giving my daughter my own initials, right?”
“If they do, I don’t care, because I love the name we picked out for our child.” You place a hand on his bicep.
“You’re right.” He nods and moves to look at the other things in the box. “This blanket is cute.”
He pulls out a pink floral blanket with your baby’s first name written on it. “Oh, it’s just darling.” You smile and take it into your own hands.
“I can’t wait till we have her actually in our arms, holding her in this blanket. Being able to use these onesies and this bag.” He places a hand on your bump, and your baby girl kicks softly. You know Nate feels it from the smile that spreads across his face.
“I know, we’re so close. 6 or so weeks, then we get to hold her, and she’ll be real and all ours.” You place your hand over his. Nate leans down and kisses your mouth softly.
“I can’t wait. Until then, you should get into your pajamas and go straight to bed.” He rests his forehead against yours.
“Yes, please, my back and hips are killing me.”
“Anything I can do for you, baby?” His hand drifts to your lower back, rubbing up and down your spine.
“Not right now, I just need to go to sleep.” You shake your head and slowly climb the stairs.
“I agree. You were out in the car, like there was some traffic and people were honking, but you stayed asleep through all of it.” Nate says, following behind you.
“I’m really tired right now. Growing a baby takes it out of me.” You make eye contact with the bed, and all of a sudden, there’s a gravitational pull. It has you making a beeline for the plush blankets and soft mattress.
“Not yet, if you get in bed now, I won’t be able to get you out. Wash your face and brush your teeth, and I’ll get your clothes set out for bed.” He steers you in the direction of the bathroom, and you grumble, even though you know Nate is right.
“Fine.” You huff, the tiredness in your bones makes everything feel slower and heavier.
You pull your hair away from your face and grab your skincare. Washing your face and freeing it of the makeup you had on makes you feel fresher. You catch a glimpse of Nate folding a pair of shorts and a large shirt for you to wear onto the bed, as you grab your toothbrush. You smile at his meticulous preparation of your sleep clothes before squeezing a generous amount of toothpaste and beginning to brush your teeth.
“Your sleep clothes are on the bed. I’m gonna shower quickly, and then I’ll join you in bed.” Nate joins you in the bathroom, and you give a nod while continuing to brush your teeth.
You rinse off your toothbrush and wipe your mouth as steam starts to fill the bathroom. You let Nate shower in peace while you free yourself from the maternity jeans and sweatshirt you’d been wearing. Slipping into bed, you prop yourself up with the pillows. Normally, you’d be able to fall asleep just fine without Nathan in the bed, but right now you need him to be near you.
He’s true to his words, and the shower turns off minutes later while you're burrowing into the covers. He emerges from the bathroom hair damp and wearing sleep shorts.
“I thought you’d be asleep by now.” He says quietly, climbing into bed.
“Just waiting for you.” You move closer to him, and Nate pulls you into his side.
“Well, I’m here now, and you can go to sleep.” You nod, eyes drooping, heavy with weariness.
“Okay, g’night, Nate. I love you.” You mumble.
“Goodnight, baby, I love you too.” He kisses your forehead and wraps his arms around you. A hand lands on the curve of your stomach and says so softly you almost don’t hear. “Goodnight, baby girl, we can't wait to meet you.”
You smile softly, eyes too heavy to open, but in your heart, you know your baby girl will be so loved. You can’t wait to bring her into the world.
Soon. Really soon.
a/n - I picked out baby girl’s name and then realized afterwards that nate had the same initials. It was a lucky accident, really! what do you guys think it is?
summary: you and nate have been dating for years but nobody knew (only very close people) but he wants to let your fans know that HE is the boyfriend but they don’t catch it
note: I saw a post of the nhl followers tracker and I had this idea, and I'm literally posting this while I'm in class at uni, enjoyyyyy!
INSTAGRAM
yourusername
liked by mackinnon29, yourbestf and others
yourusername a week in San Francisco!
comments
user1 sf looks good on you ngl
user2 obsessed with this whole grid
mintentea I love this
yourbestf this looks like such a good week, I’m jealous
yourusername girl, we’re going next month chill
user6 watching hockey at a bar in san francisco is very interesting
user29 you made a vlog? 😁
yourusername yes! I’ll post it in 10 minutes :)
user87 the fact that there’s hockey in this dump feels important istg
nylandergf oh she’s chronically online i fear
TIKTOK ‘SF SHORT VLOG!”
You start filming while you’re already walking, the city moving around you instead of waiting for you to catch up. The camera bounces slightly with each step. “Okay, hi,” you say, a little breathless but smiling. “We’re walking around San Francisco right now.”
You turn the phone just enough to show the street ahead, buildings, people, the slope of the road and then back to you. “We’re kind of just exploring today. No real plan, just vibes.” Nate walks close enough beside you that his shoulder brushes yours now and then. You don’t move away. “Right now we’re heading to get coffee,” you add, glancing sideways for half a second. “And then we’ll see where the day takes us.”
You keep talking as you go, narrating small moments like they matter. “Okay, we just bought these,” you say a little later, lifting a matching pair of slippers into the frame. “Because we have a nephew, and he’s obsessed with Minions. He wants to have a sleepover with us, so we’re doing it properly, that is matching slippers and everything.” You smile, amused by your own explanation. “I think it’s actually really fun.”
His hand slips into the view, pointing at something inside the bag, and you laugh. “Yes, that too,” you say, pulling out a small postcard with the Golden Gate on it. “You’re gonna pretend I’m the kind of person who send a mail, okay?” You grin. “Now we’re walking this way because apparently there’s a really good view up there.” You tilt the camera toward the street again. “It’s uphill, though, so… wish us luck.”
. . .
After the Golden Gate, you go to the burger place and the sound shifts, music, voices, plates clinking. You prop your phone against a glass. “Okay, quick food update,” you say. “I got a cheeseburger with fries,” you explain, “and you got the double burger with bacon.” You glance off-camera, already smiling. “Right?” A nod you don’t show. “Yeah.” You lean in a little, lowering your voice like it’s a secret. “We’re absolutely breaking his diet today and I do not care,” you add, laughing. “San Francisco rules.”
When the burgers arrive, you pause, eyes lighting up. You turn slightly. “Take it, babe,” you say easily, passing the phone over. The angle changes, catching you mid-laugh as you take a big bite, immediately covering your mouth. You give a thumbs up. “It’s so good,” you manage once you can talk again, still smiling.
The video ends much later, when the day has softened. You’re sitting on the grass now, legs pulled in, the city quieter around you. The camera is steady again. “Okay,” you say, smiling into the lens. “I think that’s it for today. I hope you liked coming along with us,” you add. You glance off to the side for a second, then back, like you’re checking something only you can see. “This day was actually kind of short because I wasn’t even planning on vlogging… but he told me I should, so thanks to him, you have this video.” You laugh softly and tuck a piece of hair behind your ear. “Thank you so much for watching,” you continue. “I’ll see you next time, which, if I’m not wrong, is probably going to be the sleepover with my nephew.” You smile wider. “Goodbye!”
748k comments
user7: SINCE WHEN YOU HAVE A WHOLE BOYFRIEND?? 😭😭
user29: the minion slippers hahahahh
user2: girl blink twice if he’s forcing you to hike
user99: omg I'll sound crazy if I say I recognize that finger
user3: wdym his diet??? what he does for a living? I have a friend (nate) and he have a strict diet too…
user6: Nate reveal when???
user38: well, thanks to Nate we have this vlog 🙏🏻
user99: we don’t know if he’s the bf, tf
user12: if Nate post something about minions someone will have to sedate me
user1: YOU HAVE A BOYFRIEND???
user34: he knows your angles
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mackinnon29 and yourusername posted on their story !
[mackinnon29] bmarch63 replied to your story!
bmarch63: stop giving your girlfriend a headache!
mackinnon29: leave me alone! I want to let her fans know she’s taken
bmarch63: just post a picture of her!
mackinnon29: I have to wait
bmarch63: wait for what?
[yourusername] bmarch63 replied to your story!
bmarch63: Nate posted the same one
yourusername: I took it lol, he told me he wanted to post one but didn’t know how to take it
bmarch63: yk what he’s trying to do, right??
yourusername: yes but he’s really bad 👎🏻👎🏻
yourusername
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yourusername ti amo milano
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nylandergf omggg just say you two are dating already, I’m tired
user17 girl just tag the medal owner already
user87 TWICE! I CAN SEE HIM IN BOTH PICTURES
user29 this isn’t casual btw
user14 the fact that he’s visible in BOTH shots
yourbestf i didn’t know you were an olympian
yourusername since yesterday
bmarch63 still surprised you got him to go sightseeing during a tournament
user7 GOT WHO? user okay but which canadian are we talking about
user1 this is relationship propaganda
user222 imagine being her bf and seeing this 👎🏻
mackinnon29 i have the same medal
yourusername no way! a friend borrow me this one user6 THIS IS WORSE THAN A MISSED EMPTY NET user29 bro scored for canada but can’t score here user87 I can’t believe that natemac is on the friendzone
friend.ofboth you got a medal? hope you bringing to home
yourusername just for you, babe! 😘 user8 wait so the bf is real? 😧 user29 so you and Nate is not happening? user58 oh…
mackinnon29
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mackinnon29 thank you Canada, for your incredible support throughout this ride 🇨🇦 Milan was a special experience, thank you
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yourusername the second one is peak 🔥
mackinnon29 I like the last one more
bmarch63 the best team! ❤️🇨🇦
the creator limited the comments
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mackinnon29 ten years and the rest of our lives together @/yourusername
summary - in which macklin goes to train in cole harbor, nova scotia and ends up leaving with a lot of hockey wisdom and maybe a girlfriend? link to the smau
pairings - macklin celebrini x crosby!reader
warnings - nathan mackinnon instigating the relationship. also crosby!reader being a menace. tooth-rotting fluff. will smith appearance. i might just be lowkey yapping in the first part
wc - 7.4k holy shit
requested - no
a/n - after about 45,000 different versions of this story, I finally ended with a meeting for crosby!reader and mack that I am happy with! should i do headcanons for crosby!reader or background info for her? i want to tell you more about her.
Summer is your favorite time of the year. The time when you spend every waking moment bathing in the Nova Scotia sun, swimming, and playing tennis. It is also the one time during the year when you get to see her dad for more than one week at a time.
You bike down the road, the sound of your wheels rolling over the asphalt, a quiet section in the symphony that was the sound of Cole Harbour in early August. You curve into the driveway and hop off of your bike, walking it the rest of the way into the garage. Propping it against miscellaneous boxes in the bay your dad swears he will organize. You walk back through the door to the house, humming along to a song absentmindedly.
“Hey sweetheart.” Your dad, Sidney Crosby, is in the kitchen, his voice muffled by your music.
“Hi, Dad.” You pull out your headphones and put them away.
“Good bike ride?” He asks and ruffles your hair.
“Yeah, I ended up riding downtown and went to a little bookstore. I bought a book for some summer reading.” You open the refrigerator and pull out a cold apple.
“What’s it about?”
You hop up onto the counter, “It’s similar to that one movie with Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves…umm, what’s it called? The Lake House! Yes, that's it. Where they communicate through a magic mailbox, but he’s living two years in the future.”
“I don’t know if I’ve seen it.” Sidney plucks the apple from your hand before you can bite into it, running it under the sink water and removing the sticker.
“You should, it was really good. Anyways my book is kind of similar, but they live in the same apartment, seven years apart.” He hands you back the apple, dried and washed. “Thanks.”
“Sounds really interesting.”
“I know! That’s why I bought it.” You nod and finally bite into the apple.
“I gotta get my gear ready, I think Nate’ll be over soon. He’s bringing Macklin.” Your ears perk up a little at Macklin’s name.
You try to school your expression, but it’s almost like your dad can tell. He gets a glint in his eye—an all-knowing look that came with age and having a teenage daughter—and nods skeptically.
“So if they knock, let them in.”
“I will.” You agree a little too eagerly.
“Okay…I’m gonna go get my bag together.” Sidney narrows his eyes at you, walking off very slowly.
“You already said that, Dad.” You take another bite of your apple.
“Right. Answer the door.”
“I will.” You sigh, and he finally walks away.
You hop off the counter and pad to the living room and open the curtains, letting the sunlight cascade in through the windows. Unlatching the bolt, you push open the pane of glass, letting the gentle breeze move through the room. Sitting down on the armchair that you had claimed at the ripe age of 5—blue and slightly faded, with armrests that made sitting sideways in it still comfortable—you grab the TV remote to flip through the channels, apple still in hand.
A knock on the door sounds just as you start to get comfortable.
You grumble but get out of your armchair, setting your half-finished apple on a napkin. You walk to the front door and pull it open to the sight of Nathan MacKinnon and a very awkward Macklin Celebrini.
“Hey, Nate.”
“How’ve you been, Gator?” Nate gives you a tight hug.
“Good, I just got back from the Junior US Open, and I’m here for the next two weeks before I go back to my mom’s.” You let the two inside, and Macklin has a wide-eyed expression like he can’t believe he’s actually inside Sidney Crosby’s house.
“I saw congrats on the win.” He ruffles your hair as he walks into the entryway. “How’s your mom doing?”
“She’s doing good, my baby brother keeps her and my stepdad busy.” You shut the door and walk behind them. Nate knows his way around, but Macklin, who still hasn’t said anything, is hesitant to go in further than the entryway.
“I saw that he’s 5 now, right?” Nate moves to the kitchen and grabs himself a glass of water.
“Yep, he likes to think he’s at least 10, but he’s still a baby.” You laugh and stand next to Macklin. “The bathroom is down the hall there, feel free to grab anything from the kitchen, and make yourself comfortable.”
“Okay.” He gives a short nod. “It’s nice to meet you in person.”
“It’s nice to meet you, too, Macklin.”
“Just Mack works.” He corrects you politely.
“Okay, Mack it is then.” You agree and wave him along further into the house.
Mack follows you, and Nate raises a brow. Your dad rounds the corner, his hockey bag slung over his shoulder.
“Hey, Nate. Mack, welcome to Cole Harbour. How’s it treating you so far?” He sets his bag down near the front door.
“It's been good. Really quiet, it's nice.” Mack says, making Sidney smile.
“Good, I’m glad. We should get going, our rental slot is coming up here soon.” He looks down at his watch.
“Alright, riding with me or taking your truck?” Nate sets his empty water glass into the sink.
“Have fun with the old timers, Mack.” You grin, and both Nate and your dad give you a sharp look. “Oop…gotta go.”
You cackle and run up the stairs, the three hockey players watching you go. Mack’s gaze follows you till you disappear, a light blush coloring his face. He tears his eyes away from where you were standing and turns back to see Nate and your father staring at him.
“Come on Celebrini, we’ve got work to do.”
•••
When your dad finally gets home, you are perched on your favorite armchair, blanket thrown over your lap, Stanford hoodie pulled over your head, and your new book in your hand.
“I’m back.” Sidney sets his hockey bag down next to the door leading to the garage. “Did you eat dinner?”
“Yeah I made a protein pasta with red sauce and spinach, and there is some leftover salad for you.” You press your cheek against the back of the chair.
“Thanks, sweetheart. I’ve been meaning to ask you.” Sidney starts pulling the leftovers out of the refrigerator.
“Yeah?” You close your book.
“Is there something going on with you and Mack?”
“Straight to the point. Got it. I don’t really know Dad. We followed each other on Instagram a few weeks back. I gave him my number so we could text more, but I think we’ve texted about three times? I admitted that I found him attractive, but he hasn’t really reciprocated.” You sigh, slumping further into the chair. “And to top it all off, he barely spoke to me when we met in person. He just said it’s nice to meet you, and corrected me when I called him Macklin. So long story short, I don’t really know.”
“You just have to let him open up to you. And you’re persistent, I don’t know who you got that from. But I know you’ll make it work.”
“I got that from you and Mom. Two of the most stubborn people I've had the pleasure of being raised by.” You point out. “Crosbys don’t quit.”
“Touché.” Sidney sits down on the couch, setting his plate of food in front of him. “Want to show me the movie you were talking about this morning?”
“The Lake House?”
“Yeah.”
“Okay!” You move from the arm chair and to the couch. Sidney shifts over to make room for you to stretch out, and you drag your blanket over with you.
“Don’t count Mack out just yet.” He speaks up, and you look over at him. “He’s a good kid, and he’s certainly better than any other boys you’ve talked to in the past.”
“You are such a dad, the guys weren’t terrible, just either looking for an in with you, wanting eye candy on their arm, or using me for my money…okay fine, they were bad.” You recount the several different guys you’ve encountered while being alive, and Sidney Crosby’s daughter.
“I just want you to be happy, sweetheart. That’s all I want for you.”
“I will be dad, don't worry.” You smile and press play on the movie.
“I know you will.”
•••
You corner Macklin two days later, when he and Nate are invited to breakfast. Because, like you told your dad the two days before, ‘Crosbys don’t quit.’
“Are you having fun training with my dad and Nate?” You say and pour yourself a glass of lemonade.
“Yeah, it’s been really good, learning a lot of things. Being a sponge.” He nods, raking a hand through his hair, only to have it fall in the same position.
“Any other plans besides hockey while you’re here?”
“Not really, no.”
“Well, if you ever want to see more of Cole Harbour, text me, I’ll happily be your guide.” You offer before Nate interrupts you.
“Gator, can you bring the salt and pepper?”
“Sure!”
“Why does he call you Gator?” Mack watches you open the cabinet and grab the shakers.
“When I was younger, I would say 'see you later alligator' all the time, like every time someone left a room.” You laugh and walk with him to the dining room. “I’m also from Florida. I live there with my mom, stepdad, and little brother. It’s better for tennis training too.”
“And she was a biter.” Nate takes the shakers from her.
“I was not.”
“You were too, I remember meeting you for the first time when I was like 15, and you were what, 3? You would not stop biting people, running around screaming “see you later alligator”, and dragging that penguin stuffed animal that you aptly named Sid.” Nate continues the story, throwing his hands around animatedly.
“Oh my god, telling my whole life story.” You sit down at the table.
“Always Gator.”
“I don’t want you to waste a week of vacation here, Mack. How about I give you the day off tomorrow?” Sidney suggests.
“I’m here to train Sid, not to decline your offer. But, I would like to train.”
“Man of my own heart, how about we do an early morning training session, and then I give you the rest of the day off. Come with me and Y/N on the boat.”
“That sounds like fun.” Mack agrees, and Sidney gives a smile.
“Oooo, can I drive the boat?” You plead with your dad.
“We’ll see.” Sidney rolls his eyes at your antics.
“Better have the lake cleared if Y/N’s gonna be driving.”
“I’ll have you know, I have my operator card to drive the boat.” You say offended.
“Doesn’t mean you're good.” Nate raises his eyebrows before turning to eat his food again.
“Hey, I’m not bad at driving the boat. And I’m not happy being bullied in my own house.” You slump into your seat.
“I bet you’re a good driver,” Mack speaks up sweetly.
“Why, thank you.” You beam.
“You can’t take her side on this one, Rook, just because you have a crush on her.” Mack goes beet red at Nate’s words, and you choke on your lemonade.
“Nate.” Sid looks at the man pointedly.
“Sorry, sorry.”
Mack looks wholly embarrassed, eyes trained down on the plate of food in front of him. The table gets awkward, and you stand up, clearing your empty plate.
“Can I take anyone’s plates?” You ask, trying to clear the tension.
“I can help.” Mack stands up too, and you both take the utensils, plates, and cups.
He follows you to the kitchen and helps you to wash the dishes.
“I’m sorry about Nate. He likes to tease a lot.” You apologize for Nate.
“It’s fine, just a little shocking. I thought I was hiding it better.” Mack admits, and your heart flutters.
“So you do have a crush on me?”
“Says the girl who admitted that she found me cute after sliding into my DMs.”
“Just constantly being attacked in my own home.” You joke and turn on the faucet to begin washing the dishes. “Forgive me for being a woman in a male-dominated field.”
“A woman in a male-dominated field is crazy.” Mack lets out a bark of laughter and moves to help you dry the dishes you were washing.
“What can I say?” You shrug, Mack laughs again, and you hand him a plate to dry. “And my comment still stands, you are cute.”
“Good to know. Sorry for being so awkward yesterday, it was a lot to take in.”
“No worries…meeting and training with people you grew up watching is crazy. If I were invited to Maria Sharapova’s house and she asked to train with me, I would probably die on the spot.” You continue to scrub at the dishes.
“Yeah, they say never meet your idols, but Sid and Nate are really cool.”
“Don’t inflate their egos, I’m really just talking about Nate.” You rinse the last dish and turn off the faucet. “His head is big enough.”
“Noted.” The two of you put the dishes away and look at the clean kitchen.
“We did a good job.” You hang up the towel.
“Ready to head out, Mack?” Sidney asks, walking to the kitchen.
“Yeah. I’ll see you tomorrow?” Mack looks back at you.
“See you tomorrow.”
•••
The sun shining over the lake, reflecting against the gentle waves, creates a beautiful afternoon for boating. You have an oversized Stanford hoodie, a pair of denim shorts over your bikini, and your hair is braided back. You adjust your sunglasses on the bridge of your nose and pull down the brim of your baseball hat. Sidney lugs a cooler onto the boat and sets it up in the seating area of the boat.
“I packed fruit, some meat and cheese, and some sparkling water. I also packed your blackberry flavored water.”
“Ooo, thanks, Dad.” You beam and set your crochet bag down on the seat.
“Mack over here!” Your dad yells to the boy walking towards the dock.
“I’m glad my mom told me to pack a swimsuit, I almost wasn’t going to.” He boards the boat. He's got a backwards hat on, a plain t-shirt, and a black pair of swimsuit shorts.
“Moms always know.” Sidney chuckles and claps him on the shoulder. “Speaking of which, did you call your mom sweetheart?”
“I did, she's busy with my little brother though, so it was a short call.” You nod and sit down on one of the plush seats on the back of the boat.
“Kid’s a menace, I’ll give him that.” Sidney laughs.
“More than I was?”
“No one beats you, Gator.” He kisses your hair. “Still giving me heart attacks to this day.”
You giggle and walk back over to the cooler and pull out the blackberry water your dad bought specifically for you. Sidney unties the boat from the dock, as Macklin sits down on one of the seats.
“Want anything, Mack?” You look over your shoulder at the boy.
“What do you have?” He inquires and walks over to you.
“We have sparkling water in peach, lime, and raspberry, or some flavored water, which is what I'm drinking. I prefer blackberry, but watermelon and cucumber are good.” You dig through the cooler. “We also have snacks.”
“I’ll have sparkling water.”
“Which flavor?” You show him the glass bottles with three flavors on them.
“So many to choose from, let's go with peach-flavored.” He finally picks, and you hand him the bottle, “Anything for you, Dad?”
“Lime, please.” You put the other bottle back into the cooler and walk over to the driver's seat. “Thanks, sweetheart.”
The boat’s motor comes to life and takes off into the lake. You open your water and lounge out on the bench, pulling off your hat and taking off your t-shirt, leaving you in just your bikini top and denim shorts. You put your hat back on, tugging it down over your brow. Mack looks away, trying not to seem invasive, giving you a good look at his side profile. Adam's apple bobbing as the wind ruffles the hair peeking out from underneath his hat has your stomach fluttering.
“You’re a reader?” Mack settles back on the bench, finally looking back at you.
“Yeah, makes for a great way to pass the time on airplane rides, rather than watching movies and such.” You shrug. “Do you read?”
“Not really.”
“That’s okay, reading isn’t for everyone.” You tease.
“I can read, though.” Mack tries to defend himself.
“I don’t doubt it.” You wink and watch his face go red.
“Y/N wanna drive?” Sidney looks back over his shoulder at you, and you grin mischievously.
“Yes, is that even a question?” You put your book back into your bag and walk over to the driver's seat.
“I’d say hold on, Mack, she's got a lead foot.” Sidney sits on the seat across from the wheel as you take it into your hands and sit down. “We’re in open water, Gator, but still be careful, please.”
“I’m always careful.” You roll your eyes and flip your hat backwards, opting for your sunglasses.
“Yeah, right.” Sidney pinches the bridge of his nose.
You cackle and pull down on the throttle, the boat lurching forward and taking off through the lake.
“Oh shit.” Mack grabs onto the bench for support, “Nate was right, you are a danger to the waters.”
“Fine, maybe I am.” You yell over the wind.
“Being humble was never your strong suit, sweetheart,” Sidney shouts, and your shoulders shake with laughter.
Mack swears that if an angel came in the shape of a girl wearing a bikini top, denim shorts, bows of your bottoms spilling over the sides, sunglasses perched on the tip of your nose, a backwards hat, tendrils of hair falling from your braid, and flying around your face. Then you would be the most beautiful angel he had ever seen. Even while fearing for his life as you cut across the lake at a speed that should be patrolled by the Coast Guard, you look amazing with the afternoon sun surrounding you in a golden glow.
“Stop here Y/N, we can anchor the boat, and you can swim!” Your dad calls out, and you cool it on the throttle.
The boat starts to slow to a drift as you shift it into neutral, “And did anyone die?” You joke and let Sidney take over again.
“No, I guess not.” Mack laughs, standing up and shedding his shirt.
You are doing much of the same, unbuttoning your denim shorts, and shoving them down your legs. You throw your hat and sunglasses onto your pile of clothes, and lean over the side of the boat to test the water. It's ice cold, and it sends goosebumps up your arm.
“I’m lowering the anchor now, give it a second, sweetheart.” The boat starts to idle in the water, and Sidney throws in the anchor.
“All good now?”
“Go ahead.” Sidney smiles and sits down, letting himself relax.
You jump over the side of the boat, plunging into the cold water, every nerve lighting on fire as your senses come alive. You break through the surface and brush the hair from your face.
“How’s the water?” Mack asks, leaning over the edge of the boat.
“Just jump in.”
“No, is it cold?”
“Afraid of cold water, Celebrini?” You quip, looking up at him.
“I’m not.” He argues back, and you raise an eyebrow.
“Sure, help me up, and we’ll get back in together.” You hold your hand up to him.
“I know this trick. I grew up with three siblings. You think I don’t know every trick in the book?” Mack shakes his head, refusing to grasp your hand.
“I’m serious, just help me up.” You continue to hold out your hand.
Mack can see the sincerity on your face, or he's blinded by what he thinks is sincerity, and he takes your hand. Your demeanor shifts as you grin wildly and use the boat as leverage to yank Mack into the icy cold water with you.
“Oh fuck that’s cold.” Mack spits as he breaks the water's surface. “And you lied to me, put on a sincere face and made me believe you.”
“You’re just gullible.” You swim through the water gently.
“You're crazy, Crosby.”
“Only a little, don’t let it scare you away.” You retort and flick him with a little water.
“It won’t.”
•••
The three of you get back to the lake house dock when the sun is setting, a smattering of orange, red, indigo, and dark blue painting the horizon. You’re wrapped up in your hoodie again, the cold night air seeping through the fabric.
“I’m gonna shower.” You shiver slightly, feeling the goosebumps all over your skin.
“Alright, I’ll start on dinner. Do you want to stay for dinner, Mack?” Sidney looks over at the boy.
“I wouldn’t want to intrude.” Mack gets to refuse.
“You wouldn’t be. Just stay for dinner, Mack.” You pipe up, opening the back door, you flash him some pleading eyes, and Mack can’t bring himself to refuse you.
“If it’s no bother.”
“It’s not, I invited you here for a reason.” The three of you walk into the lake house.
“Okay, I’ll stay for dinner.” He finally agrees.
“Good, we have a full bathroom down the hall next to the guest bedroom if you want to wash up before dinner.” Sidney pointed down the hall. “I’ll get started on dinner.”
Macklin takes a quick shower before putting on the change of clothes he brought with him. He walks back to the kitchen feeling a lot warmer and cleaner. Sidney is in the kitchen making dinner, so Mack takes a look around the living room, almost afraid to talk to Sidney alone. There are pictures everywhere, Sidney in his younger years: as a kid, an awkward middle schooler, then a teenager. Sidney holding the Cup, and another version of the picture with a two year old you propped up on top of the Cup. There’s also a small number of pictures with both Sidney and you, but the addition of a woman who you seemed to look exactly like.
“That’s Y/N’s mom.” Sidney sees Mack looking at the pictures.
“They look exactly the same.” Mack sets down the frame.
“I know. She has my personality, though.” Sidney agrees and begins to chop some vegetables. “Come over here for a second, Mack, I want to talk.” He waves the younger man over. “Nothing bad, I promise.”
Mack walks over hesitantly and sits on the stools at the counter.
“You and my daughter have a connection.” Sid sets down the knife he is using to chop, which Mack sees as a good sign. “And I want to know what you want from her. Because she has a lot going for her, and you’re both young.”
“I really like her, believe me, I don’t want to mess this up either,” Mack admits.
“You’re 19, Macklin, she’s almost 19. You two are still teenagers and, yes, you will be living 30 minutes apart from each other come August, but how can I trust you with her heart? How can I know that you have her best interests in mind?”
“I’m going to do everything in my power to keep her happy, she deserves it, she deserves everything good that life has to offer.” Sidney can see the genuineness in Macklin’s voice. “But, if she doesn’t want that with me, I will back down. I would never force her into anything she didn’t want. Y/N deserves love and respect, and if she lets me, I will give her that and more.”
“The media will have a field day with your relationship. Are you prepared to handle that? Are you prepared to defend her at all costs?” Sid says testing Mack more.
“Whatever they throw at us, I am prepared to handle that with her, she’ll never have to do it alone.”
Sid nods, slowly taking in the words Mack spoke, the silence stretched out over several minutes. The anticipation was getting to Mack. This would probably be the only chance for him to plead his case to Sidney Crosby on why he should be the one to date his daughter.
“Okay.”
“Okay?” Mack is confused by your dad’s answer.
“I give you permission to pursue my daughter. Your answer was sincere, and I trust you have her best interest at heart.” Sidney picks up the knife again.
“Thank you, sir.”
“Never call me that again.” Sidney’s eyebrows raise as he looks at Mack pointedly. “But if you hurt her…”
Sid didn’t even need to finish the sentence for Mack to get the idea, “I wouldn’t dream of it.”
You walk down the stairs and look between the two, “What happened here?”
“Just shovel talk, sweetheart. Help me start the chicken.” Your dad smiles, and you narrow your eyes.
“Now why would you need to do that?” You give a suspicious look at your dad.
“Grab the Old Bay.” He ignores your question, and you hand him the seasoning.
“Ignoring the question doesn’t make it go away.” Sidney commits to the bit, and you turn to Mack, “What did he badger you about?”
“I don’t think I’m at liberty to say.” Mack shakes his head.
“This is ridiculous." You huff and pull out a pan for the chicken. “I just want to know what’s going on.”
Both Sidney and Mack laugh at your grumbling, and your intrigue at what they are hiding from you only grows more. Yet, they won’t tell you anything, not through the cooking of dinner, or even the eating of it. They both divert the questions or ignore them altogether, which frustrates you to no end. You continue the pestering as the three of you wash and put away dishes, and wipe down kitchen counters.
“What is so secret about this that you can’t tell me?” You hang up your towel and look between the two again.
“Maybe ask Mack.” Sidney shrugs and walks up the stairs, “If you want to stay the night, Mack, the guest bedroom, if not, Y/N or I can drive you back to your hotel.”
“Thanks, Sid.”
“No problem.” Your dad continues up the stairs to his room, and Mack looks around for you.
You sit down on the back steps of the patio, the light of the moon your only source of light. Mack opens the sliding back door and sits down next to you. You look over at him, and Mack swears his heart starts to palpitate.
“So what were you and my dad discussing?” You ask, your voice gentle, no longer filled with frustration.
“Want to know the truth?”
“Obviously?” You look at him, confused, as if he didn’t hear the billion times you asked both him and your dad what they were talking about.
“He wanted to know my intentions with you.”
“Oh?” You tilt your head, “And, what would those intentions be?”
“I like you a lot. I know we’ve only known each other for four days, but I want to get to know you more.” Mack says honestly. “If you would like that.”
“I’d like that.” You smile softly.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
Mack hesitates for a second before speaking again, “Does that mean I can ask you on a date?”
“Yes, it does.” You agree, head giving a small nod.
“Then, Y/N Crosby, will you go on a date with me?”
“Yes, I will, Macklin Celebrini.” Mack can’t help the smile that spreads across his face.
“Good.”
“Good.” You reiterate and move a little closer to him.
“So could I take you out sometime soon?”
“Here in Cole Harbour?” You raise an eyebrow.
“I could figure it out.”
“Sure, you could.” You pat his shoulder skeptically. You pause for a moment before speaking again, “You’re sweet, Mack, you know that.”
“You think so?” Mack grins.
“I do. Don’t let it go to your head.”
“Too late, it already did.” He shrugs, “Y/N Crosby called me sweet, how can I not let it go to my head?”
“You are ridiculous.” You roll your eyes.
“But in all seriousness, can I take you out sometime?”
“How about I take you out? Since I know Cole Harbour better, and then when I get to California, you can take me out?” You offer instead.
“I like the sound of that.” He agrees, and you beam.
“Perfect. How much longer are you here?”
“One more full day, then I head back the day after,” Mack answers, and you ponder for a second.
“Bit of a time crunch. Think you can fit me into your training schedule tomorrow?” You lean your chin into your hand.
“I can carve out the time.” He quips and playfully nudges your shoulder.
“Good.” You grin.
•••
“Y/N Crosby is going on a date with you? You pulled, man.” Will’s voice crackles over the phone as Mack checks his appearance in the mirror again.
“I know, I don’t know what to wear though, she said we’re going to a farmers market.”
“I’d just wear jeans and a t-shirt, keep it simple. What do you have on now?” Will asks, and Mack looks at his polo shirt and slacks.
“I should change,” Mack says hurriedly and rummages through his suitcase.
“Wait, what are you wearing? Did you put on a polo?” He cackles over the phone.
“No, I didn’t.” He lies.
“Oh my god, you did!”
“I’m hanging up on you,” Mack yells at him, now polo-less.
“Yeah, right, you need all the help you can get, Mack."
“Says you. At least I’m going on a date.” Mack retorts, and Will scoffs.
“I’m happily living up the single life, don’t worry about me. But you should probably get going, Miss. Crosby said 2 o'clock, right?”
“Don’t call her that.” Mack groans, “Goodbye, Will.”
“Good luck, Mackie, don’t fuck it up!” Will says, far too excited for Mack’s liking. The phone call ends, and Mack doesn’t feel prepared for this date at all.
YOU
I’m downstairs
Text me when you’re on your way
MACK
I’m on my way down
Mack looks in the mirror one last time and walks out of his hotel room. He spots you immediately leaning against a silver pickup truck, you wave to him, and he picks up his speed.
“Good afternoon.” You push off the truck.
“Afternoon,” He reciprocates the greeting, “A truck driver I didn’t expect that for you.”
“Only in Cole Harbour. I drive an SUV in Florida.” You shrug and move to the driver's side.
“How is living in Florida? Every time we go there for games, it’s so humid.” Mack hops into the passenger side.
“I’d say humid is the right word for it. I guess that’s why I like coming up to Nova Scotia, cooler summers, so you don’t feel like you’re being suffocated by dense air.” You chuckle and pull out of the hotel parking lot.
“I can imagine.”
“I haven’t been to Vancouver much, but how are the summers there?” You ask, eyes flicking over to him for a second.
“Warmer than summers here, but not by much. I tend to do the same thing at home as I am doing here. Train, spend time at the lake, and with family.” Mack looks over at you, noticing the concentration on your face as you drive.
“No time off for you either, huh?” Your eyes meet his for a brief moment before you look back at the road.
“Training never stops. I’m guessing it’s the same way with you?”
“I’m at the court every morning by 8, I’m usually there until 10, or 11 if I feel like I need the extra practice.” You turn down a street and find a parking spot fairly close to the entrance of the market. “I like routine.”
“Me too.” Mack agrees, and the two of you get out of the truck. “So what are we here for?”
“Nothing really, I just want to show you a little bit of Cole Harbour.” You shrug, “There’s also this one bakery that does a stall here, and their cookies are to die for. Like the size of...well…a hockey puck, crispy edges and a soft, gooey center. So I guess I'm here for that.”
“That sounds amazing.” He can’t help his mouth from watering.
“Come on.” You grin and wave him along.
The tents seem to go on for miles, they sell breads, fruits, vegetables, small knick-knacks, and homemade sweets. Anything you could have wanted to find was available on this one street. Macklin pulls the brim of his hat down a little lower.
“Don’t worry about being recognized. They may know who you are, but they all know to be respectful and keep things like these to themselves.”
“Are you sure?”
“Have you ever seen a tabloid detailing what Sidney Crosby, Nathan Mackinnon, or Brad Marchand get up to during the summer?” You respond, and Mack can’t recall any stories.
“I guess not.” He shrugs.
“See, perfectly fine.” No one bats an eye as the two of you weave through the crowds.
Mack sticks close to you, hand resting on your upper back so as to not lose you in the crowd. The color blooming throughout every inch of the market sets the scene for your date. You show Macklin around the stalls, and he eats far too much food for only having samples of everything. You stop in a few tents with trinkets, and he finds a few things to take home with him.
“Oh, my god.” Your voice is full of glee, and Mack looks over.
You’re holding a soft penguin plush in your hands. He walks over hand finding your back again, “That’s very cute.”
“It looks exactly like the one I had as a kid.” You stroke the downy head of the stuffed animal.
“You don’t have it anymore?”
“Alas, poor Sid the Penguin got lost in the move between Pittsburgh and Boca Raton. 8-year-old me was devastated. I never loved another stuffed animal again.” You smile, albeit with a hint of sadness. “Slightly dramatic, but I took that penguin everywhere with me, and it being on the move away from my dad, it only made it harder.”
“Then you have to get it.”
“Are you encouraging me to buy a stuffed animal?” You look at him with amused confusion.
“It clearly has a lot of sentimental value to you.” Macklin shrugs, “And I’ll even buy it for you.”
“Mack, I don’t really need it.” You try to put the stuffed penguin back, but he takes it from your hands before you can. “Mack.”
He ignores your protests and takes it over to the person running the tent. You sigh and watch him pay for the penguin, but the smile creeps across your face. He takes the brown paper bag with the newly acquired plush inside.
“Graduation gift, for your dorm.” You roll your eyes at his bad excuse, but you can’t even bring yourself to be annoyed, because the gesture is sweet and only makes your heart race more.
“Thank you, Mack, I really appreciate it.”
“You liked it, and it clearly means more to you than you are letting on.” He gives you the bag, and his hand brushes against yours.
“It really means a lot to me. Really.”
“I can tell.” Mack looks down at your hand that is still lingering on his. You hesitate for a second before boldly grasping it.
“Is this okay?” You ask, and Macklin nods quickly.
“Yeah, it is.” You switch the bag to your other hand, his palm warm around yours. “Where to next?”
“Cookies.” You look determined, and Mack can’t help but grin.
“Cookies it is. Lead the way.”
You two continue down the road hand in hand, and you can’t stop the giddy laughter that escapes your mouth.
“What’s so funny?”
“Nothing. I’m just happy.” You look over at him and see he’s sporting a flush similar to yours.
“I am too.” He agrees, giving your hand a small squeeze.
The two of you found the stall with the cookies, and you were right, they taste amazing. You buy a dozen to take back home with you, and Mack buys two for his plane ride home the next day.
“Do you want to walk to the end of the market or start heading back?” You put the cookies into your bag before taking Mack’s hand again.
“Let’s keep going, then once we get to the end, we can start walking back.” He suggests.
“Okay.”
You both continue walking down the street, and the crowd begins to thin out as you reach the end of the farmers' market. A small stall near the end catches Macklin’s eye, it’s filled to the brim with flowers of every color.
“What’s your favorite flower?” He questions out of the blue.
“Lilies, why?”
“Give me a second.” He leaves you in the middle of the street and makes his way over to the tent.
“Where are you going?” You follow after him. “Mack, what are you doing?”
“Just stay right there.” He calls back to you, leaving you to chuckle at his antics. A far cry from the person you met five days ago, who was so reserved and hesitant.
“You’re crazy, Celebrini.” You stand outside the stall. He emerges after a few minutes with a small, beautifully arranged bouquet of lilies, baby’s breath, and eucalyptus, all wrapped in brown paper and a twine bow.
“For you.” He gives you the bouquet.
“Mack, you didn’t need to get me this.”
“I did, my mom told me it’s always nice to bring a girl flowers. Especially on the first date.” You take it into your hands.
“Well, she’s a smart woman.” You bring the flowers to your nose and smell the fresh floral scents. “They smell amazing.”
He leans down and breathes in the natural perfume of the flowers, “They do smell good.”
You situate the bouquet in your bag, making sure you don’t crush it. “Thank you, Mack.”
“It’s no big deal.” Mack brushes off your thanks, “I guess we should get going.”
“I guess we should,” You sigh, noting that you had both made it to the end of the farmers' market. “When do you go to the airport tomorrow?”
“My flight is at 8:30 in the morning.” The two of you begin the walk back.
“Are you going to Uber there?”
“I was planning to.”
“What if I took you? If you want.” You offer. “The drive is like 30 minutes.”
“If it’s not too much of a bother.”
“It’s not.” You retort, shutting down his effort to not be a hassle. “Besides, it's an excuse to see you again.”
“I guess I can’t complain about that.” Mack agrees.
“No, you can’t.” You grin.
“Are you sure it won’t be too early?”
“I’m sure I’ll just head to the court a little earlier tomorrow and probably take a nap.” You ease his worries.
“Seriously, I can Uber.”
“And I can seriously drive you to the airport.” You retort, “Stop trying to deny my offer.”
“Alright, alright.” Macklin backs down from his attempts.
“Good. Now come on.” You squeeze his hand and pull him along the road. “It’s getting late.”
“Yeah, it is.” There's a finality in his tone that makes you both realize your time together in Nova Scotia is coming to an end.
Mack hopes that you feel the same way about your time spent together. That everything that happened during his time in Cole Harbour wasn’t a summer fling, and it could actually go somewhere. He holds onto the thought of the promises that California brings. The possibility of them being fulfilled and not something that just washes away in the midsummer waters.
He mostly just hopes that he can see you again.
•••
The early morning rays of the sun begin to shine as you and Mack drive in silence. You had picked him up from his hotel at 6 to start the 30-minute drive to the Halifax Airport.
“Are you ready to go back?” You break the silence.
“To Vancouver? Or San Jose?”
“Valid, umm…San Jose.” You clarify.
“Ready to see what the new season brings. I’m feeling good about what the team can do and the new talent we’re getting this season.” He answers honestly.
“That’s good. So professional.”
“Sorry, that sounded like a media question.” Mack laughs softly.
“I guess it did.” You agree and see the airport come into view. “We’re almost there.”
He doesn’t respond to that because if he does, it means it’s true, and then Mack is really on his way back to Vancouver. He just goes awkwardly silent, leaving you to look at him, wondering if you said something wrong.
“Is it too early to say I’m gonna miss you?” You break through the silence.
“No, it’s not,” Mack says quietly, and you look over at him briefly before staring back at that road. “Because I’m gonna miss you too.”
The airport looms closer, and a sense of dread fills your chest. Because what if this is just a summer fling, and all the talk of California never comes to fruition? You just continue driving, trying to push the feeling away, because you can’t bear to break in front of him. You pull up to his airline and turn off the car.
Mack gets out of the passenger side and moves around to the truck bed to grab his things. You get out of the truck and round to the side to give him your goodbye.
“I had a lot of fun, Y/N.” He smiles, and the dread only creeps in more.
“Me too, Mack.” You force out a smile.
“Is everything okay?” Mack asks, noticing the furrow of your brows.
“Um…this isn’t just a summer fling, right? Will we actually see each other when I get to California?” You cross your arms over your chest, refusing to meet his gaze.
“I’ve never been more serious about anyone, Y/N. When I say I want to take you on a date, or multiple dates in California, I mean it.” Mack puts a hand on your arm, and you finally look at him.
“Don’t you think that’s a little bold for you, Celebrini?”
“I have to be bold when it comes to you.” He quips, and your heart beats out of your chest.
“Good.” You quirk a real smile.
“I should get going now.” Mack grabs his suitcase and hockey bag.
“You should.” You agree and watch him begin to walk away.
You don’t move as he nearly gets to the automatic doors, but something in your heart urges you to stop him before he walks into the airport.
“Wait, Mack!” You call after him, and he turns to look at you. You walk over to him briskly and stand in front of him.
“Yeah?” He looks at you, eyes tracing over your face.
“Before you go,” You take a deep breath, calming your racing pulse, “can I kiss you?”
“God, yes.” He sighs in relief and sets his hockey bag down.
You wrap your arms around his neck and press your mouth to his. His hand threads through your hair to cradle the back of your neck, as he kisses you back. Despite the cold summer morning, you feel warm all over. Cheeks flushed and lips melting together, the built-up tension finally dissipates.
You pull away breathless and let out a small giggle. Mack rests his forehead against yours and chuckles with you.
“So,” You say after catching your breath, the feeling of his thumb tracing circles on your waist grounding you in the moment.
“So.” He repeats.
“I guess you should go now.” You let go of him reluctantly.
“I guess I have to.” He untangles his hand from your hair and moves to pick up his things again.
Mack has his hockey bag back on his suitcase, and he adjusts the straps on his backpack before looking at you again.
“I really enjoyed this Y/N.” Your chest warms at his words.
“Me too,” You agree, “Don’t forget to text me when you get home. Just so I know.”
“I will. Don't worry.”
“I guess I’ll see you in California, Macklin Celebrini.”
“See you in California, Y/N Crosby.” He echoes before giving you one last peck on the lips.
Macklin gives you a wave before walking into the Halifax Airport and leaving you to anticipate the next time you two will see each other again.
a/n - this is really long, and I’m not even sure it’s good…
summary: mclaren hires a new chef and a certain ferrari driver can't seem to stay away from their garage now
folkie radio: HI GUYS IM BACK !! life is finally giving me a break and i can finally get back on track with writing !! this is short but a way for me to get the creative juices flowing again. remember that my requests are open. hope you like this !
MASTERLIST | MY PATREON
liked by lando, oscarpiastri and 15,836 others <
yourinstagram Finally can share the news! Your girl is officially feeding the fastest team on the grid 🧡 Started my journey as @mclaren’s new team chef and still can't believe I'm cooking for these legends. From 4AM breakfast preps to late night recovery meals - every bite fuels these incredible humans.
Special thanks to @lando and @oscarpiastri for trusting my experimental papaya-inspired dishes 😂 (Yes, that orange smoothie bowl was a bit too much, sorry boys!)
Still getting used to cooking in different countries every other week, but loving every second of it!
view all comments
username1 OMG SO COOL !
username2 congratulations girlll
lando finally some proper food in the garage! but pls no more orange food experiments 💀
oscarpiastri that pre-quali pasta hit different mate. also can we get those tim tam brownies again? asking for a friend 👀
username3 LIVING FOR THIS ERA!!! Show us more behind the scenes pleaseee
username4 The way Lando's performance improved after getting a proper chef... we see you YN
username5 okay but drop that smoothie recipe tho???
username6 not me crying because the team finally has good catering 😭 take care of our boys!!
username7 Anyone else notice she used to be RB's pastry chef? 👀 McLaren really said yoink
└ lando oi leave her alone, we stole her fair and square 😤
liked by yourinstagram, maxverstappen1 and 876,925 others
lando we're baaaack in the papaya kitchen with chef @yourinstagram making sure we don't starve 🧡
ngl might've gained 2kg just looking at these banana protein pancakes but chef says they're "performance fuel" so who am I to argue 🤷♂️ also my mum wants your shepherd's pie recipe btw
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username1 AWEEE THEY LOVE HER
username2 best chef ever
charles_leclerc when can I visit the catering? asking for... research purposes 🧐
└ oscarpiastri mate there's a waiting list now 💀
yourinstagram those were FOR AFTER QUALI 😤 also your mum already dmed me for the recipe x
username3 CHARLES I SEE YOU IN THIS COMMENT SECTION
usermame4 yn keeping the champions fed
username5 chef yn looks so pretty and cool i love her already
username6 NOT A WAITLIST FOR THE MCLAREN CATERING
usermame7 is she single?? asking for science
liked by charles_leclerc, yourinstagram and 198,339 others
f1 Meet The Crew: Behind every fast lap, there's a full stomach 🍳
Meet YN, @mclaren's head chef who's revolutionizing the team's nutrition game. From 15-hour race days to dawn testing sessions, she keeps the entire garage fueled and ready.
Fun fact: She can prep 60 personalized meals in under 3 hours and travels with her own set of lucky knives that have been to more GP tracks than some drivers
"Every team member gets a tailored menu - drivers, mechanics, engineers. Different roles need different fuel!" - YN
Swipe for a day in her life ➡️
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username1 THIS IS COOOOOL
username2 i love when they show the crew behind the scenes
lando she threatened to feed me only kale if I binned the car
oscarpiastri fun fact: she stress bakes before races. ask me how I know 😂
(thanks for the 3am cookies in Singapore )
yourinstagram THANK YOU FOR THIS AMAZING OPPORTUNITY, job of my dreams
username3 CHARLES WHY ARE YOU LIKINGGGG
username4 i bet all the other teams are dying to taste her food
username5 she's so prettyyyyyyy
username6 this is such a cool job. feeding the champions
username7 I WANT TO BE HER
username8 i bet charles is dying to try those pastries
liked by username1, username2 and 2,986 others
f1updates Charles Leclerc was asked about paddock life and casually dropped: "The food at McLaren is really good actually... really good. I heard they have fresh croissants every morning. I mean, Ferrari's food is good too of course" 👀
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username1 THE WAY HE SMILED WHEN TALKING ABOUT THE FOOD???? HELLO???
username2 CHARLES LECLERC YOU ARE A FERRARI DRIVER STOP SIMPING FOR THE MCLAREN CHEF 😭
username3 not charles finding excuses to visit mclaren garage
username4 okay but did you see how he lit up talking about the croissants??
username5 Charles baby what is you doing
username6 THE AWKWARD PAUSE WHEN HE REALIZED WHAT HE SAID 💀
username7 someone tell charles that being a food critic isn't part of his ferrari contract
username8 lewis in the background looking betrayed bc charles keeps sneaking to mclaren's breakfast 😂
username9 PROTECT YN AT ALL COSTS! Our girl got Charles Leclerc stuttering about pastries
username10 I SO SHIP THIS
liked by yourinstagram, lando and 895,922 others
charles_leclerc Mission accomplished: Successful invasion of McLaren garage These tacos from @yourinstagram might be worth the penalty points from @fia...
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username1 CHARLESSSSS OMG
username2 he finally did it
yourinstagram I literally gave them to you Charles 😭 you didn't have to pretend to "steal" them
lando oi those were for US mate 🤨 also you dropped your dignity on the way out
oscarpiastri man really showed up during strategy meeting just to "check something"
arthur_leclerc maman wants the recipe btw
username3 charles leclerc stealing tacos from mclaren like he's in a heist movie is my new personality
username4 SOMEONE COUNTED AND THIS IS HIS 8TH "VISIT" TO MCLAREN THIS MONTH 👀
username5 charles baby what is this behavior
username6 OK BUT CAN WE TALK ABOUT HOW YN JUST EXPOSED HIM IN THE COMMENTS 💀
username7 someone tell him there are easier ways to get the girl's attention than pretending to steal tacos😭
username8 tag yourself i'm fred vasseur being done with charles' antics
username9 LANDO'S COMMENT HELP-
liked by charles_leclerc, lando and 49,685 others
yourinstagram For this race week we have victory brownies! Still finding papaya sprinkles everywhere but worth it 🧡 And to a certain red-suited someone who keeps "accidentally" ending up in our garage during meal times - next time just ask, I'll save you a plate 😉
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username1 AHHH LOVE HER
username2 she really is the coolest ever
lando caught in 4k but those cookies helped me get fastest lap so...
charles_leclerc ...I don't know what you're talking about 👀
username3 the way everyone knows exactly who that "certain red-suited someone" is 😭
username4 THE WAY SHE CALLED HIM OUT I'M SCREAMING
username5 not charles liking this post within 0.001 seconds of it being uploaded
username6 petition to keep yn forever, our cars got faster and apparently we're collecting ferrari drivers now 😌
mclaren Our favorite yes chef !
zak_brown Whatever you're doing in that kitchen, keep doing it
(but maybe stop feeding the competition 😅)
username7 THE PEOPLE'S PRINCESS FOR REAL
username8 such an icon she should date charles already
liked by notlando, notmax and 67 others
notcharles guys how do you ask someone out when:
1. they work for rival team
2. entire paddock is watching
3. you've been caught stealing their food multiple times
4. pierre won't stop texting "down bad" every time i mention her
5. carlos keeps sending me gordon ramsay memes
6. fred threatened to make me eat only protein shakes if i visit mclaren again
7. lando recorded me tripping over equipment trying to "casually" walk by
asking for scientific purposes obviously.
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the_superior_leclerc mum says to just invite her for dinner already 🙄
notpierre down BAD down BAD down BAD
notcarlos remember when you said you'd never date anyone from another team? good times 😌
notalbono you've got it bad 😂
notmax bro you literally drive f1 cars at 300km/h but can't ask someone on a date?
notlewis why are you using memes of yourself
notoscar you know she already knows right? whole paddock's taking bets
notgeorge glad I'm not the only one who sneaks into mclaren for food anymore
liked by username1, username2 and 5,484 others
f1gossip SPOTTED: Charles Leclerc and McLaren's chef YN having dinner in Monaco! 👀
Sources say HE was the one cooking for HER this time... brave man cooking for a professional chef
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username1 THE WAY THIS WHOLE TIME WE THOUGHT HE WAS JUST AFTER THE COOKIES 😭
username2 EVERYONE STAY CALM IT'S HAPPENING
username3 why does it look like they're inside of his house wtf
username4 i forget how little privacy drivers have in monaco
username5 charles trying to impress a professional chef with his cooking is actually the cutest thing help-
username6 man really pulled up with homemade pasta... he's SERIOUS serious
username7 THE WAY WE'VE BEEN WATCHING THIS SLOWBURN FOR MONTHS 😭
username8 All those "accidental" visits to McLaren finally making sense
username9 lando somewhere: my plan worked perfectly 😌
username10 GET IT GIRL!! (but pls keep feeding mclaren we're winning races)
username11 not charles booking the most visible terrace in monaco... he said y'all gonna SEE this
username12 this is better than my netflix shows help-
liked by charles_leclerc, lando and 67,098 others
yourinstagram Not often someone cooks for me... even rarer that it's actually good
Plus points for not burning down the kitchen (unlike some McLaren drivers I know 👀) ps: whoever taught him to make pasta, good job
view all comments
username1 OMFG
username2 SO HE DID COOK
charles_leclerc My nonna says you're welcome for the recipe 🤌 (she wants you over for sunday lunch btw)
lando exposed but in my defense that fire was ONE TIME
pierregasly look who's not "down bad" anymore 😌
leclerc_pascale ❤️❤️❤️
username3 GIRL THE WAY HIS MOM AND NONNA ARE ALREADY CLAIMING YOU 😭😭😭
username4 not charles' mom dropping the lunch invite in the comments i'm CRYING
username5 THE WAY HE LEARNED TO COOK JUST TO IMPRESS HER????? HELLO?????
username6 remember when we thought bros just wanted free cookies 💀
username7 we really watched this man go from stealing cookies to cooking pasta i'm emotional
username8 HELP WHY IS THIS THE CUTEST THING EVER????????
username9 ok but can we talk about how his mom commented with hearts IMMEDIATELY
username10 YALL THE WAY HE GOT HIS NONNAS RECIPE.... THIS IS SERIOUS
username11 the way the entire paddock was just waiting for this to happen i'm screaming
liked by notmax, notalex and 76 others
notcharles ok so:
nonna gave her secret recipes
maman invited her to 3 family dinners
she laughs at my bad jokes
fred stopped threatening me about mclaren visits
i learned to cook (kind of)
haven't crashed trying to impress her (yet)
...can i ask her to be my girlfriend now? 😅
(also where tf do i hide all these cooking practice videos before she finds them)
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the_superior_leclerc bro she already has our nonna's secret recipes... pretty sure that means you're married 💀
notpierre i started typing "down bad" but honestly... you got this
notlando my guy you literally learned to cook italian food from scratch... just do it
notmax half the grid lost money betting you'd ask by japan btw
notalex bro she let you cook for her and didn't run away... that's true love right there
notoscar better do it before DTS makes a whole season about this
liked by charles_leclerc, lando and 71,298 others
yourinstagram turns out stealing cookies was just his way of stealing my heart 🤍
(yes, this is exactly what you think it is)
ps: @scuderiaferrari your boy makes really good pasta now
pps: @mclaren don't worry, still feeding our guys too 🧡
view all comments
username1 OMFH
username2 OH I LOVE THIS
carlossainz55 Finally i can delete all those videos of him practicing "casual" walking past mclaren
lando about TIME also please keep feeding us we're finally winning races
leclerc_pascale Bellissima ❤️ Sunday lunch at 1pm as always
mclaren Happiness and good food, win-win 🧡❤️ (but seriously keep feeding our guys)
username3 NOT THE COOKIE STEALING WORKING OUT IN THE END 😭😭😭
username4 BRO WENT FROM STEALING SNACKS TO STEALING HEARTS IM SOBBING
username5 THE WAY THE WHOLE PADDOCK IS IN THE COMMENTS LIKE PROUD PARENTS
username6 nah bc his mom dropping the sunday lunch reminder in the comments is sending me 💀
username7 everyone acting like they weren't watching this slowburn for months 🤡
username8 THE WAY THIS WHOLE THING STARTED WITH HIM SNEAKING INTO MCLAREN FOR SNACKS I'M-
username9 okay but why is this the cutest hard launch in f1 history???
Summary: Max always thought you never asked for much because you didn’t need much, low-maintenance to a fault, until he finally overhears the truth.
4.4k words / Masterlist
Max had always appreciated how easy you were to love.
You didn’t demand. You didn’t sulk over missed dates. There were no passive-aggressive comments about him not posting you enough or forgetting to text back when a race weekend swallowed him whole. You never made him feel guilty for the parts of his life that were already complicated. When he was travelling or exhausted, you simply kissed his forehead and told him to rest. When his schedule changed last minute, you never got upset, never made him sit through a tense silence or apologise for the same thing five different ways, you just shrugged with that soft little smile of yours and said, “We’ll figure it out.”
You weren’t just low-maintenance, you were selfless, unshakeably chill in a way that made loving you feel almost effortless. You understood the pressure, the travel, the media, the endless demands on his time, and you never tried to add yourself to the list of things he needed to manage.
You made room for his life before he even had to ask. You bent around the complicated edges of his world so naturally that, after a while, Max stopped noticing how much you were bending at all.
It was refreshing. Comforting, even. Being with you never felt like another obligation waiting for him when he got home. You were warmth, quiet, peace… but it also made it easy for Max to coast.
Because when you said you didn’t need flowers, he believed you. When you told him birthdays weren’t a big deal, he took your word for it.
When you said you didn’t mind that his attention was always half-distracted by Red Bull, his sim rig, his phone, or whatever new team crisis was unfolding in the background, he didn’t stop to wonder whether you meant it. He didn’t ask himself if you were genuinely fine with being loved in the gaps, or if you had simply learned to make your wants small enough that they never became inconvenient.
He didn’t notice that every time you said, “Don’t worry about it,” you were teaching him that he didn’t have to.
Until he saw the way your smile dimmed at Daniel’s girlfriend’s birthday party.
The boat was filled with champagne and noise, a private Monaco affair organised by Daniel, of course, because no one else could make a birthday party feel quite that excessive and still somehow charming. There was a neon sign glowing above the bar, a curated playlist that seemed suspiciously full of songs Daniel liked more than his girlfriend did, and custom cupcakes with everyone’s faces printed on them. Max didn’t even know you could do that.
You sat beside him with a drink in hand, your shoulder brushing his every now and then as the boat rocked gently against the water. To anyone else you looked perfectly fine, but Max had started paying closer attention now.
Your laugh came half a second too late, your smile faded too quickly, and your eyes kept drifting back to the couple across the deck.
Daniel’s girlfriend had her arms slung around his neck, his jacket draped over her shoulders, and a glittery tiara with Birthday Girl written across the front sitting slightly crooked on her head. Daniel kept adjusting it for her, grinning every time she swatted his hand away, and when she leaned into him, he kissed her temple without seeming to think about it. Thoughtless in the best way, like loving her out loud was simply instinct.
“You made it!” Daniel said, pulling Max into a hug before turning to you with even more enthusiasm. “And you look amazing. Seriously, come on, look at you.”
You laughed, a bit surprised, and looked down at yourself like you hadn’t expected anyone to notice.
Max noticed that.
Daniel’s girlfriend came over next, glowing, happy, adored. She hugged you tightly and thanked you both for coming, then turned to show you the bracelet Daniel had bought her. It was delicate and expensive, the kind of jewellery Max would never have picked out on his own because he would have convinced himself he didn’t know what he was doing and given up before trying.
“He surprised me with it this morning,” she said, beaming. “And he pretended he forgot my birthday for, like, ten minutes, which was evil, but then he had breakfast set up on the balcony.”
Daniel, overhearing, lifted his glass. “Romance is alive and well ladies and gentlemen.”
Normal Daniel. Loud, teasing, affectionate Daniel, who made a spectacle out of caring because he had never been embarrassed by warmth in the same way Max sometimes was, but then Max looked at you.
You were smiling. Of course you were smiling.
You were always polite. Always kind. Always good at being happy for other people, even when something inside you was quietly aching. There was something different about it then, something Max had never noticed before because he had never had reason to look for it.
Your smile didn’t quite reach your eyes.
You didn’t look devastated, you didn’t withdraw your hand from his arm or go quiet in a way anyone else would pick up on. You just looked at the bracelet on Daniel’s girlfriend’s wrist, then at the flowers, then at the wall of photos, and for half a second your expression morphed into something almost wistful.
Max felt it like a punch he had no right to react to.
The conversation moved on around him. Daniel was talking about the cake, someone else was laughing about how long it had taken to get the decorations right. His girlfriend was telling you how Daniel had been secretly planning it for weeks, badly, apparently, because he almost exposed himself several times.
You laughed at the story.
You said, “That’s really sweet.”
Max heard the softness in your voice.
For the first time all night, Max looked at the party properly. He looked at the flowers. The photos. The custom menu cards with her name on them. The cake Daniel had apparently taste-tested three times because the first one “didn’t feel like her.”
Then Max looked at you.
You were standing beside him with nothing from him except your own practiced understanding.
No flowers.
No post.
No planned birthday dinner he hadn’t rescheduled.
No little public signs that he was proud to love you.
No evidence, really, that Max Verstappen had ever looked at the woman beside him and thought, she deserves to feel chosen.
His stomach twisted, because suddenly he remembered your last birthday with a clarity that made him feel slightly sick.
He had been in Milton Keynes for simulator work. He’d called you late, later than he meant to, and you had answered in bed, face lit softly by your phone screen. You had smiled like you were happy just to hear from him. He had apologised again for not being able to be there. You had said it didn’t matter and he had promised to make it up to you. You had said, “Don’t stress, honestly. I had a nice day.”
Had you?
Had you really?
Or had you said that because it was easier than admitting you had wanted him there?
He thought about the flowers you always claimed not to need. The birthdays you said weren’t important. The dates you never demanded. The posts you never asked for. The attention you pretended not to miss.
Beside him, you glanced up. “You okay?”
Max blinked, pulled out of his thoughts by the gentleness of your voice. That made it worse somehow, even now you were checking on him.
“Yeah,” he said, too quickly. “Fine.”
You studied him for a moment, clearly not convinced, but you didn’t push. You never pushed. You simply nodded and looked back towards the others, your shoulder brushing lightly against his sleeve.
Max hated that too. He hated that you gave him space even when maybe he deserved pressure.
He hated that you had made yourself so easy to keep that he had forgotten keeping you was still something he had to actively do.
For the rest of the night, he couldn’t stop watching you.
He watched Daniel’s girlfriend pull you into photos, watched you laugh as someone handed you a party hat you refused to wear for about ten seconds. He watched you compliment the decorations, watched you ask questions about the planning, watched your fingers lightly brush over one of the flower arrangements when you thought no one was looking.
You liked flowers.
Of course you liked flowers.
Maybe not in the over-the-top, expensive, social-media way, but you liked them. He could tell by the way you touched the petals carefully, the way your face warmed when Daniel’s girlfriend told you Daniel had chosen them because they reminded him of a dress she once wore in Monaco.
Max stood there, silent and increasingly irritated with himself.
How many things had you convinced yourself you didn’t need simply because he had never offered them?
How many wants had you softened into jokes so they wouldn’t feel like demands?
How many times had you made yourself smaller around his life and called it love?
Later, when everyone gathered around the cake, Daniel made a speech. A terrible speech, because it was Daniel, so half of it was jokes and the other half was him pretending not to get emotional. Then he spoke about how his girlfriend made his life better. How she put up with him. How she deserved more than one night of being celebrated, but he hoped this was a decent start.
Everyone laughed.
His girlfriend cried.
You smiled.
Max felt like the worst boyfriend in the world.
He complimented you in private, usually quietly, usually after you’d done something for him. He told you he loved you, yes, but often in bed, or before hanging up, or in passing when one of you was leaving. He assumed you knew. He assumed choosing you privately counted the same as making you feel chosen.
On the drive home you were quieter than usual.
Your head rested against the window, city lights sliding over your face in brief flashes. Your heels were in your lap because you had taken them off the second you got in the car, and your fingers played absently with the strap like your mind was somewhere else.
Max kept glancing over. Usually he liked quiet with you, it was comfortable and easy, you didn’t need to fill every silence.
Tonight the quiet felt full of everything you weren’t saying.
“Did you have a good time?” he asked eventually.
You turned your head, smiling faintly. “Yeah. It was lovely.”
Lovely.
The word sat between you.
Max swallowed. “Daniel did a lot.”
“He did,” you said, and your voice was warm. “It was really sweet.”
There it was again. That careful admiration.
Max’s hands flexed around the steering wheel. “You like that kind of thing?”
You looked at him properly then, brows lifting a little. “What kind of thing?”
He shrugged, trying to sound casual and failing. “All of it. The flowers. The photos. The big party.”
You looked away and gave a small laugh, the kind that tried to make a truth sound harmless. “I mean, I don’t need all that.”
Max’s chest tightened.
That wasn’t what he had asked.
“I didn’t ask if you needed it.”
Your fingers stopped moving against the shoe strap and for a moment you said nothing. Then you looked down and smiled again, but this one was worse than the one at the party because it was meant only for him, meant to reassure him, meant to protect him from feeling bad about something he had already done.
“I just think it’s nice,” you said carefully. “For her. Daniel clearly put a lot of thought into it.”
Max nodded once, jaw tense.
Thought.
That was the word that stayed with him.
You didn’t need a private room full of flowers or a custom cake or a wall of photographs. You probably didn’t even want something that big, but you wanted thought. You wanted evidence that he had paused, considered you, and chosen to make you feel loved on purpose.
Max, who could analyse tyre degradation over fifty laps, who could remember tiny setup changes from races years ago, who could spend hours perfecting a sim lap by half a tenth, had somehow convinced himself he was incapable of remembering to buy you flowers.
“I should have done more for your birthday,” he said.
You went very still.
The car felt smaller suddenly.
“Max…”
“No,” he said, because he knew that tone. He knew you were about to let him off the hook again. “I should have.”
“It’s okay.”
“It’s not.”
You exhaled quietly and looked out of the window again. “I told you it was fine.”
“I know you did.”
“Then why are you bringing it up?”
Because I finally saw your face, he wanted to say. Because I finally realised you have been asking for so little that I stopped giving you even that and I do not know how to forgive myself for not noticing sooner.
But Max had never been good with words when they mattered most.
So he said, “Because I think you say things are fine when they're not.”
Your mouth pressed together. That tiny movement cut through him more than any argument would have.
You weren’t angry, but part of him wished you were. Anger would have given him something to meet, something to fix, something loud enough that he couldn’t ignore it, you just looked tired and that was worse.
“I don’t want to be difficult,” you said after a while.
“You're not difficult,” he said immediately.
You gave him a small, sad smile. “I know. I just mean… your life is already a lot. You have so many people needing things from you all the time I never wanted to be another thing on the list.”
“You are not a thing on the list.”
“Aren’t I?” you asked softly.
Max didn’t answer fast enough, once again words failed him, he hated himself for that.
You turned your face back towards the window, and the reflection showed him the truth he had been avoiding all night. You weren’t crying or making a scene. You weren’t asking him to turn the car around or apologise in some grand dramatic way. You were simply sitting there beside him carrying a hurt that had clearly existed long before tonight.
He figured you’d be home from your errands by now.
Probably curled up somewhere in the apartment, wearing one of his hoodies like you always did when he was away for more than a few days. Maybe on the sofa with your knees tucked beneath you, scrolling mindlessly through your phone, or half-watching one of those comfort shows you liked to put on in the background while you waited for him. The thought came easily, warmly, and Max found himself smiling before he had even opened the door properly.
He liked coming home to you.
He liked the small signs of you scattered through his space. Your shoes by the door, your hair tie abandoned on the coffee table, your mug in the sink because you always forgot to rinse it. Your presence had softened the apartment in ways he hadn’t realised he needed, turning it from somewhere he slept between races into somewhere that actually felt like home.
The apartment was quiet when he stepped inside, but not empty.
Max kicked off his shoes and shrugged out of his jacket, already turning toward the living room when he heard your voice from the bedroom. Then he heard your best friend’s name, and realised you were on the phone.
He didn’t mean to eavesdrop. He was about to call out, to let you know he was back, but something about your tone made him stop before the words left his mouth. So he stayed quiet, halfway down the hall, one hand still resting against the wall.
“I’m not upset he did all that for her,” you were saying. “It’s sweet. It is.”
There was a pause.
Max’s body went strangely still.
He knew, instantly, what you were talking about.
“It’s just…” You exhaled shakily. “He’s never done anything like that for me.”
The words hit him hard. Max stared at the floor, heartbeat slowing into something heavy and uncomfortable.
“I don’t ask for much,” you continued, and your voice was smaller now, like you were embarrassed to even say it out loud. “I know I don’t. I never wanted to pressure him or make him feel like he had to go out of his way when his life is already so much. I thought if I was easygoing and low-maintenance, it would make things easier on him.”
His throat tightened.
“But sometimes—” Your voice broke so softly he almost missed it. “Sometimes I wish he’d do something without me having to ask.”
Max’s fingers curled around the edge of the wall.
He could feel every careless assumption he had ever made beginning to turn over in his head, one after another, each one worse than the last.
You didn’t care if he forgot plans, if he came home distracted, if he said he would make it up to you and then didn’t, because something else came up and you smiled like it was fine.
“Maybe I enabled it by alway saying I was fine... but I don’t need grand gestures,” you went on, voice wobbling now. “I know that’s not really him, and I don’t want him to be anyone else. I don’t want a big show just for the sake of it, but it would be nice to feel special sometimes… to feel like he thought about me without me having to ask.”
Max’s chest ached.
He looked toward the bedroom door, but he couldn’t move.
“I just want to know he wants to do those things for me,” you whispered. “Not because he’s apologising or because someone else did it first… because he loves me enough to notice.”
Max couldn’t breathe properly.
He hadn’t known.
He really hadn’t known.
He thought you meant it when you said you didn’t care about birthdays, anniversaries, flowers, or all the romantic things he had always been bad at. He had thought that was part of what made you you. Unbothered by the kind of performative relationship stuff he had never known how to do properly.
The conversation ended a few minutes later.
He heard the soft rustle of sheets then your footsteps moving across the bedroom floor. Max reacted too late, still trapped in the weight of what he had heard and only barely managed to step back into the hallway before you came out.
You stopped when you saw him.
For one awful second, neither of you said anything and then he smiled and wrapped you in a hug pretending like he hadn’t heard a word.
That night Max sat alone in the dark of the living room for a long time, head in his hands. He couldn’t bring himself to move, couldn’t bring himself to do anything except sit there in the silence and let every word he had overheard replay in his head until it felt carved into him.
He kept hearing your voice.
“to feel like he thought about me without me having to ask.”
He pressed the heels of his hands harder against his eyes.
God.
How many moments had you swallowed your disappointment before he could even notice it was there, dimming yourself down just to be easier to love?
It gutted him.
You hadn’t asked him for the world. You hadn’t asked him to become someone he wasn’t. You only wanted to feel considered. Somehow he had made the best thing in his life feel like she had to be grateful for whatever was left of him at the end of the day.
You deserved fireworks, even if you were the kind of girl who said she didn’t need them. You didn’t want more from him. You just wanted to matter enough for him to give it anyway.
You didn’t expect anything to change.
Max was always kind, attentive in the ways he knew how to be. He noticed when you were cold and passed you his hoodie without making a big thing of it. He reached for your hand in crowded places because he liked knowing exactly where you were. He remembered how you took your coffee, which side of the bed you preferred, the shows you put on when you needed background noise. He loved you. You knew he did.
So when he suggested you take a weekend off together “Somewhere quiet, just us” you didn’t overthink it. You figured he wanted to disappear for a couple of days, somewhere without cameras, team radios, sponsor obligations, or someone asking him about tyre degradation.
It wasn’t until you stepped onto the lakeside dock in Switzerland that you realised something was different.
The cottage was small but charming, tucked away by the water with warm wood walls, soft cream blankets, and floor-to-ceiling windows that made the whole place glow with the late afternoon light. It wasn’t flashy, it wasn’t the kind of place chosen to impress anyone, it felt private, thoughtful, almost painfully intimate.
Inside there were your favourite snacks arranged in the kitchen. Your favourite wine chilling in the fridge. Your comfort blanket folded over the armchair by the window. Your favourite book was already resting on the bedside table, the old, worn copy you had once told him you reread whenever your head felt too loud.
You frowned, turning slowly back to him. “Did you… did you set this up?”
Max leaned against the doorframe, hands in his pockets, trying for casual and not quite managing it. “Maybe.”
You narrowed your eyes, sceptical. “What’s going on?”
His smirk softened a little. He just looked at you and there was something unusually careful in his expression, something that made your chest tighten before he had even said a word.
“I listened,” he said.
You blinked. Max glanced down briefly, like the words felt awkward in his mouth, but when he looked back up he didn’t look away again.
“I didn’t realise how much I’d taken for granted,” he continued quietly. “How much you gave by never asking. You made it easy for me, but that doesn’t mean I should’ve stopped trying.”
Your throat tightened.
“Max…”
“No, let me say it,” he murmured, taking a small step closer. “You always said things were fine. That you didn’t need flowers, or birthdays, or plans, or all the extra stuff and I believed you because it was easier because it meant I didn’t have to think about whether you were only saying it so I wouldn’t feel bad.”
You swallowed hard, looking away before your face could betray too much.
He walked you further inside, his hand warm at the small of your back, and that was when you noticed the little table by the window. It had been set for two, facing the lake as the sun began to lower behind the mountains. Candlelight, flowers, two plates, homemade pasta that looked slightly lopsided and very clearly like his doing, and a little folded note beside your place.
You stared at it for a second before picking it up.
In his messy, all-caps handwriting, it said:
I SHOULD HAVE MADE YOU FEEL SPECIAL BEFORE NOW. I’M GOING TO DO BETTER.
Max’s face shifted immediately, concern cutting through the nervousness. “Schatje…”
You shook your head quickly trying to laugh it off, but your voice came out thin. “I wanted to be cool,” you whispered. “I wanted to be the girlfriend who didn’t care about all that stuff. I thought if I asked for too much then I’d just become another pressure for you.”
Max stepped closer and cupped your cheeks, his thumbs brushing away the tears that slipped out despite your best efforts.
“You are the most important person in my life,” he murmured. “You always are.” His voice dropped softer, rougher. “I wish I could give you the world and I’m sorry it took me this long to show it.”
You looked at him then, really looked at him, at the nervous set of his mouth and the careful way he held you, like he understood now that easiness was not the same thing as not needing anything.
Then you finally kissed him.
Later that night you were curled against his chest with the fireplace crackling softly in the background, the cottage wrapped in that quiet, golden kind of warmth that made everything outside feel very far away.
Max had one arm around you, his hand resting beneath the hem of your sweater, fingers tracing slow, absent patterns against your skin.
You smiled into his shoulder, cheek pressed against the soft fabric as you listened to the steady beat of his.
“So,” you mumbled, voice sleepy but teasing, “is this a one-time gesture or…”
Max’s chest moved beneath you as he chuckled. “Oh no.”
You tilted your head slightly. “Oh no?”
“No,” he said, tightening his arm around you. “You’re getting so much romance now it’ll annoy you.”
You looked up at him trying and failing not to smile. “Really?”
He nodded solemnly, like he was discussing race strategy. “Really. I’m talking airport reunions. Flowers for no reason. Random poetry.”
“Poetry?” you repeated, laughing already.
“Bad poetry,” he corrected. “Very bad. Rhymes way too much.”
“Oh, God.”
“And a cheesy playlist,” he added, completely serious. “Maybe several. One for the car. One for when I’m away. One with songs you’ll make fun of me for.”
You laughed properly then, burying your face in his neck as warmth spread through your chest. It was never about the playlist, or the flowers, or whatever terrible poetry Max Verstappen might attempt in the name of love.
It was that he was thinking about it. That he had finally understood the difference between you not needing to be spoiled and you still deserving to be cherished.
Max turned his head and pressed a kiss into your hair. “I’m serious,” he murmured, quieter now. “I don’t want you wondering anymore.”
Your laughter softened. You lifted your face again, looking at him through the firelight. “Wondering what?”
“If I think about you,” he said. “If I notice. If I care enough to try.”
Your throat tightened, but this time the feeling wasn’t painful. Max brushed his thumb along your cheek. “I do,” he said. “I’ll show you better now.”
For a moment you just looked at him, then you leaned in, pressing a slow kiss to the corner of his mouth before tucking yourself back against him.
“That sounds perfect.” you whispered, smiling against his neck.
HELOOOOO, OMG I LOVEEEEEEE YOUR FICS!!!😭😭😭💕💕💕 can i pretty please request fic where mack's gallery on his phone is full of reader's photos and videos, and when fans and the team know they teased him so hard hehe, okey thats it, THANK YOUUU IN ADVANCE!!
in every photo
pairing: macklin celebrini x reader
summary: when his teammates find out his whole gallery is you
warnings: fluff
wc: 1.2k
the locker room is loud after the game in a way it is after a win -- music blasting, equipment clattering into stalls, voices overlapping as teammates replay moments from the ice. the cold from the rink still clings faintly to everyone's skin, and the air smells like sweat, tape, and damp gear.
mack sits at his stall, elbows resting on his knees. his hair is still damp from the shower, curling slightly at the ends, and the flushed colour across his cheeks hasn't faded yet.
his phone buzzes in his hand, and he glances down automatically, unlocking the screen. the moment he sees your name at the top the notification, something in his expression softens.
your message is simple.
so proud of you! you were so good tonight!
there's a picture attached. when he taps it open, the image fills the screen -- your tv at home showing the broadcast. it's a little blurry, like you snapped it quickly from the couch, but the moment is clear enough. he can see himself on the screen mid-play. you circled him in a bright marker, right in the middle of the image. underneath it, written in an uneven handwriting, the words: that's my guy.
mack exhales a quiet laugh through his nose. the grin that spreads across his face is automatic, the kind that he can't really hide even if he tries.
"why are you smiling like that?" someone asks from the stall beside him.
mack glances up briefly, then looks back down at the screen. "oh, it's nothing."
that answer immediately earns him suspicious looks. a couple of teammates lean slightly closer, curiosity getting the better of them.
"that's not a nothing smile," one of them says. "what is it?"
"it's just a message," mack replies, though he tilts the phone slightly so they can see the picture. "my girlfriend watched the game."
they look at the screen, taking in the circled version of mack on the tv, and the messy caption underneath. someone snorts softly.
"alright," he admits, "that's actually pretty cute."
mack huffs a small laugh and looks back down at the photo again. for a moment he just stares at it, thumb hovering near the bottom of the screen.
then he taps the save button. the image drops neatly into his camera roll, and he doesn't think much of it. it's something he does almost automatically at this point -- saving the pictures you send him without really considering it. however, he everyone noticed him doing that.
"you just saved that?"
mack shrugs. "yeah?"
"why?"
he doesn't really have an answer for that. instead, he opens his photo gallery to make sure the picture saved properly. the recent grid of photos and videos fills the screen. the image you just sent sits at the corner, and directly next to it was even more photos of you.
you curled up on his couch with a blanket pulled over your legs. you sitting across from him at a cafe, sunlight catching the side of your face. you standing outside the arena with one of his hoodies hanging off your shoulders.
mack barely notices at first, still focused on the most recent image. but his teammates around him go very still.
"...wait."
another player leans slightly closer, eyes narrowing at the screen.
"dude."
mack glances up, "what?"
instead of answering, he just gestures to mack's phone. "scroll."
confused, mack flicks his thumb over his screen. the gallery moves and it's still you.
you asleep on the couch, your head tipped sideways against the cushion. you leaning by the rink during practice, watching the ice. a short video thumbnail of you laughing in the kitchen while mack's voice can be faintly heard behind the camera.
his teammates let out a slow laugh. "oh my god."
now mack actually looks at the screen properly. he scrolls once more, and more photos of you appear. the realisation hits him a second too late.
someone beside him bursts out laughing. "no way."
someone else leans over his shoulder to see the phone more clearly, and that's when the attention spreads. a few more heads turn toward mack's stall as the laughter grows.
"mack," one of them says, barely holding in his grin, "your entire camera roll is just your girlfriend."
mack immediately locks his phone, but the damage is already done.
"it's not my entire camera roll," he mutters, rubbing the back of his neck as the heat creeps up his ears.
"you've scrolled like twenty times and there's no other photos," someone argues.
"i just like capturing the moment," mack says defensively.
"that is not helping your case."
the locker room erupts. someone across the room calls out, "bro takes more photos of his girlfriend than he does hockey."
mack exhales quietly, shaking his head as he leans back against the stall behind him. the teasing rolls through the room the way it always does -- loud, relentless, and very entertained.
after a moment he unlocks his phone again, almost absentmindedly. the gallery opens right where it was before, the photo you sent still sitting at the very corner. for a second he studies the bright circle you drew around him on the screen.
he scrolls through slightly, clicking on a photo and it filling the display. opening the photo of you leaning against the rink during practice, watching as the players skate by -- a photo you definitely didn't realise he took. he remembers that moment clearly. you had been completely focused on the ice, unaware he'd pulled out his phone, and the picture had turned out good. mack stares at it for a moment before shrugging lightly, like the explanation should be obvious.
"i like her," he says simply.
that only makes the locker room explode louder.
someone shouts out, "he likes her."
another voice calls from across the room, "his camera roll is just a documentary."
mack just shakes his head, though the small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth refuses to disappear. the teasing keeps going around him, voices overlapping with exaggerated disbelief, but he doesn't really react anymore.
instead, his phone buzzes against his hand with another message from you lighting up the screen.
did you see my msg or are you still celebrating
mack's smile softens slightly as he reads it, his thumb moving quickly over the keyboard.
yeah i saw it
he hesitates for a second, glancing briefly around the locker room where his teammates are still laughing about the discovery. then he types another line.
also the locker room just found out my camera roll is basically all you
the reply appears almost instantly.
as it should be
mack lets out a quiet laugh, shaking his head as he leans back against the stall again. around him, the room is still loud and chaotic, teammates talking over each other as they keep dragging him for it.
but when he glances down at his phone again, the photo you sent it still there, the most recent of his gallery.
without really thinking about it, he taps the camera and flips it toward himself. the locker room chaos fills around him, no one really noticing what he's doing anymore as he snaps a quick picture and sends it your way.
the teasing keeps going on, but mack barely pays any attention to it now. his phone rests loosely in his hand, the newest photo of you saved neatly among the others, sitting right where it belongs.
Macklins gf getting a kitten. And suddnely he is beffing with a 5 month old kitten about who gets to rest on her lap (it was Macklins spot first but the kitten has now claimed it).
you're curled into the corner of the couch with your laptop balanced on the armrest, tea gone cold beside you, and a warm little weight has spread itself across your thighs like it owns the deed to them. the kitten—five months of orange fur and pure evil disguised as something soft—has made your lap its kingdom, paws kneading your stomach through your hoodie, purring so loud it vibrates through your ribs. you've been trapped here for forty minutes because moving would disturb the royal highness, and anyway, it's kind of nice, the sleepy weight of him, the way his tiny pink nose twitches when you scroll.
then the door clicks.
macklin's sneakers thud against the entry mat, and you hear his keys hit the bowl, then his bag sliding to the floor. "baby?" he calls out, voice already going soft and hopeful, that particular lilt he gets when he's been away for a few hours and needs his fix. his footsteps hurry down the hall, messy hair probably windswept from the walk, cheeks already blooming pink with anticipation of his spot—his spot, the one he's claimed since the first week you started dating, the one where he fits between your legs with his head on your chest and whines about his day until you scratch his scalp.
he rounds the corner and stops dead.
you watch his face cycle through emotions like a slot machine: joy at seeing you, confusion at the orange lump occupying his territory, hurt when he realizes what he's witnessing, and finally, betrayal. pure, gut-wrenching betrayal. his lower lip actually wobbles.
"oh," he says, small and broken. he stands there in his oversized sweater, sleeves pulled over his hands, green eyes wide and wounded. "um. hi."
"hi, macky," you say, trying not to smile. the kitten opens one amber eye, assesses macklin as a non-threat, and closes it again, settling deeper into your lap with a possessive flex of tiny claws.
macklin hovers. he shifts his weight from foot to foot, rosy splotches darkening across his cheekbones. "i thought… i thought maybe we could watch something?" he tries, voice getting higher, more pathetic. "and i could… you know. rest? for a minute?"
"you can sit," you offer, patting the cushion beside you.
he looks at the six inches of space next to you, then at the kitten, then back at your lap. his expression crumples. "but that's my place," he whispers, actually whispering, like saying it too loud might make it more true. "i was here first. before… before him."
the kitten yawns, showing needle teeth, and stretches one paw toward macklin in what might be a greeting but looks more like a dismissal.
macklin's hands flutter to his chest, clutching his sweater. "he's looking at me," he says, panicked. "he's mocking me."
"he's a baby, mack. he doesn't know."
"he knows," macklin insists, stepping closer with the caution of someone approaching a wild animal. he kneels by the couch, putting him at eye level with the kitten, and suddenly they're staring at each other, nose to nose. macklin's eyes narrow. the kitten's tail flicks.
"this is unfair," macklin informs the cat, serious as a heart attack, cheeks puffing out with indignation. "i have seniority. i have history. she let me cry on her lap when i failed my driving test. what have you done? you knock pens off tables."
the kitten purrs louder, a rumbling claim of dominance.
macklin makes a noise like he's been physically struck, a high wounded whimper in the back of his throat. he looks up at you, lower lip jutting out, eyes glossy with genuine distress. "baby," he breathes, reaching out to touch your knee, his fingers brushing the orange fur there. "tell him. tell him this is my spot. please?"
you run your hand over the kitten's soft head, and macklin tracks the movement with naked longing, his own head instinctively tilting into the empty air, seeking the touch that isn't for him. he looks so lost, kneeling there on the carpet, hair sticking up, sweater swallowing him whole, that you finally relent and extend your other hand to cup his cheek. he melts instantly, nuzzling into your palm with a shaky exhale, eyes fluttering shut.
"you're both ridiculous," you murmur.
"me?" he squeaks, offended. "i'm not the one conducting a hostile takeover of your lap. i just… i just want to be near you. is that so wrong?" he opens his eyes and glares at the kitten, though it's undermined by how his bottom lip is currently being abused by his teeth. "he doesn't even appreciate you. he doesn't know about your day. he can't tell you you're pretty when you're grading papers."
the kitten kneads your stomach harder, claiming territory.
macklin gasps. "did you see that? he's asserting dominance. he's trying to replace me."
"no one's replacing you," you soothe, scratching behind his ear the way you know turns him into putty. he leans into it, whimpering softly, but keeps one suspicious eye on the sleeping cat.
"can he at least… move over?" macklin asks, so hopeful it hurts. "just a little? so i can fit? i'm smaller than i look. i can curl up real small. like a cinnamon roll."
"he's sleeping."
"i can sleep too!" he insists, then immediately contradicts himself by adding, "but i need my head on your chest or i get scared. and he doesn't even have a job. he doesn't pay rent."
you try to shift, and the kitten lets out a tiny warning chirp, claws pricking through the fabric. macklin sees it and deflates, shoulders slumping. "he wins," he mumbles, defeated. "the baby wins."
he stays kneeling there, though, chin resting on the couch cushion, green eyes big and sad, watching you with such naked adoration that you finally hook your foot around his ankle and tug. "come here."
he scrambles up, hope rekindling, and you manage to arrange the kitten on your left thigh—protested with a grumpy mrrp—and pull macklin down to your right side. he goes willingly, boneless, immediately burrowing his face into your neck with a shuddering sigh of relief. his arm snakes around your waist, possessive, trying to reclaim what he can.
"this isn't the same," he mutters against your collarbone, but he's already relaxing, one leg throwing over yours to anchor himself, rosy cheek pressed to your shoulder. he glares at the kitten, who has opened both eyes to stare at him with feline judgment. "you're on probation," he whispers to the cat.
the kitten blinks slowly, then turns and licks macklin's hand where it rests on your stomach.
macklin freezes. his eyes go wide. "oh," he says, voice cracking. "he… he kissed me?"
"he likes you."
macklin's face does something complicated, pride and confusion warring with residual jealousy. he hesitates, then very carefully, very gently, pets the top of the kitten's head with one finger. the purr revs up again.
"okay," macklin decides, grudging, nestling closer to you until he's half on top of you both, a warm heavy weight of needy boy and territorial affection. "he can stay. but i'm the big spoon. and when he moves, i'm taking my spot back. and you're telling him i'm your favourite."
"you're my favourite," you agree, kissing his forehead.
he hums, satisfied, and closes his eyes, still pouting slightly, but one hand keeps petting the kitten, and the other grips your hip like he's never letting go. "stupid baby," he mumbles, but it's fond, and he falls asleep sandwiched between you and his tiny rival, rosy cheeked and finally, finally home.
mack going to practice or like a development camp where he needs to bring a lunch and the team teases him cause reader always packs him the best homemade healthy snacks
macklin shows up to practice with a navy lunch kit dangling from one hand, looking like a camp counsellor who missed the memo that professional athletes just hit the smoothie bar. the locker room door barely swings shut before someone whistles.
“ooh, homemade again?” william grins, jutting his chin toward the lunch kit. “girlfriend pack another five-course meal?” mack’s cheeks blotch immediately, rosiness blooming right down to his throat, but he can’t stop smiling as he slides onto the bench and unzips the bag.
“leave him alone,” tyler calls from across the room, lacing his skates. “he’s the only one eating real food.” he nods toward the spread macklin starts laying out on his lap: two containers of veggie pasta salad with grilled chicken, a perfect little stack of quinoa crackers, carrot sticks wrapped in parchment, and a mason jar of lemon-turmeric juice with a handwritten note taped to it that reads drink me first <3.
“bro,” colin groans, “she even gave you instructions?”
mack shrugs, unabashedly proud. “she says it helps with inflammation.” he unscrews the jar obediently and downs half in one go, grimacing at the bitter tang while the team hoots. “look at him, hydrated and disciplined,” william cackles. “meanwhile i’m over here with a gas station sandwich.”
after drills, while everyone else slumps in the stands inhaling protein bars, mack plops down with his cooler and pops the lid off the thermos the pasta is in. steam rises, carrying fragrant basil, garlic, roasted peppers—the works.
“dude, that smells like a restaurant,” tyler says, leaning over for a closer sniff. “she make that this morning?”
mack nods, twirling noodles on his fork, eyes dreamy. “woke up early to finish the dressing. said she didn’t want me crashing halfway through scrimmage.”
colin snorts. “she got you on a meal plan like you’re five.”
“nah,” mack protests, cheeks hot but grin unwavering, “i just get hungry. besides, she likes cooking, and i… like eating.” as if to prove it, he demolishes half the container in a minute flat, moaning softly at the flavour. the mocking dies down because, frankly, everyone’s jealous.
coach wanders by and raises an eyebrow at the spread. “gonna share with the class?” he asks dryly. mack clutches the bag closer. “she packed it for me,” he says with adorable stubbornness, then adds, “but she made extra granola bars if anyone wants.” the offer sparks immediate interest, and soon the guys are passing around perfectly wrapped oat bars studded with dark chocolate and dried cherries. even coach takes one.
“tell her these are better than our nutritionist’s,” he mutters, biting in. mack beams, phone already in hand to snap a photo of the empty wrappers. a text follows: they love you. thank you for making sure i don’t die.
by the time scrimmage ends, mack’s back in the locker room polishing off the last of the roasted chickpeas, licking seasoning from his fingers while the rest of the squad glares good-naturedly over their bland arena food.
“you know we’re gonna start charging you snack tax,” william warns. “at least let us put in orders.”
mack just laughs, stuffing the lunch kit back into his bag, pride radiating off him. “i’ll ask her,” he promises, utterly content knowing he’s heading home to the woman who keeps him fuelled and spoiled, and yes, he’ll gush about the teasing because he secretly loves it.
I LOVE THISSS!!! "you know we’re gonna start charging you snack tax,” “at least let us put in orders." The way they went from chirping Mack to asking if they can put in orders for food with his girlfriend 🥹😂
summary: You‘re attending BU and your boyfriend has come back into town just in time for Marmon which ends with a little tipsy Macklin
warnings: underaged drinking ig but cmon he‘s canadian…
masterlist
The music is loud enough that it sort of blurs into the background, bass thumping through the floorboards of the frat house while sunlight pours in through half-open windows. It’s too early in the day for this level of chaos, but it’s Boston Marathon Monday, which means nobody cares.
You’re wedged between your friends in the kitchen, red cup in hand, laughing at something that probably isn’t even that funny anymore. The air smells like cheap beer and sweat and something citrusy someone spilled twenty minutes ago. Every few seconds, someone shouts, someone stumbles, someone starts chanting for no reason.
Mack had been fine earlier.
More than fine actually. Annoyingly charming, a little buzzed, arm slung around your shoulders while he kept pressing quick kisses into your hair like he had to make sure you’re real, after having been away from you for so long. Then he’d gotten dragged off by his brother and a group of guys chanting something about a keg, and you’d just laughed, letting him go.
That had been… a while ago.
Your phone buzzes in your hand, but you ignore it for the moment, still mid-conversation, until someone bumps into you hard enough that your drink sloshes over the rim.
“Okay,” you laugh, stepping back, already excusing yourself from your friends. “I’m gonna go find him before he—”
You don’t even finish the sentence before you spot him. Across the living room, trying, and failing, to walk in a straight line.
You immediately start laughing.
“Macklin—” you push through people just in time to catch him as he stumbles over absolutely nothing, your hands grabbing his arms before he can faceplant into the hardwood.
“Whoa, okay,” you steady him, biting back a grin as he blinks down at you, eyes glassy and unfocused.
“Oh,” he breathes, like he just discovered something incredible. “There you are.”
His grip on you tightens instantly, like he’s afraid you might disappear again.
You take him in properly now. His cheeks flushed, eyes bloodshot, hair sticking to his forehead with sweat despite the fact it’s barely 40 degrees outside. He looks like an absolute mess.
“What happened to you?” you laugh, pushing his damp hair back from his forehead.
He groans, letting his head tip forward until it drops onto your shoulder, his full weight leaning into you. “Someone made me do a keg stand,” he mumbles into your collarbone.
“Someone?” you repeat skeptically.
“I was peer pressured,” he insists weakly. “It was aggressive.”
You huff a laugh, adjusting your stance so he doesn’t drag you down with him while your fingers absentmindedly comb through his hair again, brushing it back as he stays tucked into you, eyes closed now like he might fall asleep right there.
“Why are you handling this better?” he mutters after a second, voice muffled. “It’s not fair.”
You grin, tilting your head slightly so your cheek rests against his hair. “I’m in my third year of college while you’re off ripping up the NHL,” you say. “Of course I’m better at drinking than you.”
He makes a soft, offended noise but doesn’t argue, just burrows closer.
Your phone buzzes again in your hand.
You shift slightly, pulling it out while still holding him up with your other arm.
A message from Will pops up.
Will: Why’s Mack doing keg stands and why’s he terrible at it????
You barely have time to process that before another message comes through, a link.
You tap it.
The video loads, and within two seconds you’re laughing so hard you almost lose your balance.
It’s Mack.
Upside down or more like horizontal.
Completely unstable, legs flailing while two guys try to hold him up.
You clap a hand over your mouth, shoulders shaking as you try not to laugh directly into his ear.
“What?” he mumbles, not lifting his head.
“Nothing,” you say, failing to sound convincing as you glance down at him, still half-asleep against you.
You tilt the phone slightly, showing him the paused frame of him upside down, hoodie riding up, expression completely gone.
He squints at it.
“…that’s not me.”
You raise an eyebrow. “Mack.”
He stares at it another second, then groans, dragging a hand over his face. “Okay, that might be me.”
You laugh, shoulders shaking, thumb hovering over the screen as you replay the clip for half a second before stopping it again.
“You know you’re supposed to be in a handstand while doing this?” you tease, turning the phone slightly toward him.
He blinks at it, then at you, expression offended in a way only drunk people can manage. “Not my fault they can’t hold me,” he slurs, like that’s a completely reasonable defense.
“Yeah,” you grin, locking your phone and slipping it back into your pocket, “I’m sure it’s entirely their fault.”
He huffs softly but doesn’t argue, immediately going back to hiding in your shoulder like if he just refuses to acknowledge it, the whole thing didn’t happen at all.
“I missed you,” he mumbles quietly after a beat, voice softer now, less sloppy.
Your expression softens a little, your hand settling at the back of his neck. “Yeah?”
He nods against you. “A lot.”
For a second, the chaos around you fades a bit. The music, the shouting, the mess of bodies packed into the house.
You press a quick kiss to his temple, smiling to yourself.
“Next time,” you murmur, “maybe skip the keg stand.”
He hums, already half gone again. “No promises.”
For a second you think he might actually drift off right there, his weight heavy against you, his breathing evening out just slightly but then his fingers tighten in the fabric of your hoodie, grounding himself again before he can fully disappear.
“Stay with me,” he mutters, voice quieter now, a little more real than the slurred teasing from a second ago, like that one thought managed to cut through everything else.
Your expression softens just a touch at that, your hand steady at his side.
“I am,” you murmur back, adjusting your grip on him so he doesn’t tip over. “Can’t let you get dragged into more frat activities.”
You laugh under your breath, shifting your grip so you can pull him upright again, one hand firm on his arm when he sways a little too far to the side. “You okay though?”
He squints like he’s trying to focus on something very far away, then gives a loose shrug. “Whole world is spinning,” he admits, words running together just slightly. “And I lost track of what and how much I drank, which is like… the exact thing you shouldn’t.”
“Yeah,” you snort, “that’s kind of rule number one.”
He nods seriously, like he’s just been given groundbreaking information.
“Okay, come on,” you say, tugging gently on his hand. “Let’s get you some water.”
He lets you lead him without protest, trailing behind you through the crowded hallway and back into the kitchen, where your friends are still posted up, leaning against counters and yelling over each other.
The second they see you and more specifically him, their faces light up.
“Oh my god,” one of them laughs. “What happened to him?”
“You look rough,” another adds, grinning.
Mack lifts his head just enough to squint at them, like he’s trying to figure out if they’re real.
You roll your eyes, but you’re smiling, guiding him over to the counter and grabbing a bottle of water. “Hey,” you say, nudging his shoulder lightly, “be nice.”
You crack the cap and hand it to him, keeping your hand under it for a second to make sure he actually has it before letting go.
“God forbid the superstar wants to be a frat boy for a day,” you add, shooting your friends a look.
That just makes them laugh harder.
“Superstar can’t even stand,” your best friend shoots back.
“I’m standing,” Mack mumbles defensively, even though he’s very clearly leaning most of his weight into the counter now.
“Barely,” you mutter under your breath, but there’s no bite to it.
He takes a slow sip of water, like he’s concentrating way too hard on the act of drinking, then exhales like it took effort.
Right as you reach to take the bottle back and make sure he keeps going, a familiar voice cuts in.
“Well,” Aiden says, amused, “this is a sight.”
You turn your head, immediately spotting him pushing into the kitchen, one look at his brother and he’s already grinning.
“You good there, little bro?” he laughs, taking in the flushed face, the messy hair, the general disaster that is Mack right now.
Mack just squints at him. “I was doing fine,” he insists, which, objectively, is not true.
You point at Aiden accusingly, eyebrows lifting. “Why’d you leave him alone?”
Aiden raises both hands in mock defense. “I didn’t leave him, he wandered off,” he says. “Next thing I know he’s upside down and people are chanting his name.”
You take the bottle from Mack for a second, so he doesn’t take too much at once, before pressing it into his hand again. “Drink more.”
He obeys this time without argument, slower but steady, his shoulder bumping into yours as he leans closer again.
Aiden watches the two of you for a second, grin turning a little softer. “You got him?” he asks.
You glance at Mack, who’s now half-focused on not spilling water on himself.
“Yeah,” you say simply. “I’ve got him.”
Mack hums like he heard that, his head tipping back toward your shoulder again, a little less unsteady this time.
“Don’t let them flip me again,” he mutters.
You laugh quietly, steadying him with a hand at his side. “I won’t.”
From across the kitchen, one of your friends calls out, “Round two later?”
You don’t even hesitate. “Absolutely not.”
Mack lifts his head just enough to nod in agreement. “Retired,” he mumbles.
You shake your head, smiling despite yourself, keeping a steady grip on him as the noise swells around you again but this time, he doesn’t drift away.
Beside you, Aiden pulls his phone out absentmindedly, glancing down at the screen and then immediately freezes.
“…oh no,” he breathes, before a grin starts creeping in.
“What?” you ask, glancing over.
He turns the phone slightly so you can see.
Five missed calls.
Dad.
And a string of messages underneath:
Dad: Why‘s Mack at a BU party??
Dad: Why’s he on top of a keg??
Dad: Where are you? Where’s yn??
Aiden snorts, dragging a hand down his face, half amused, half already bracing for it.
“Shiiiit,” he laughs.
Mack, still leaning into you, barely lifts his head. “Don’t answer,” he mumbles.
Aiden looks at him, then back at his phone.
“…yeah,” he says, slipping it back into his pocket. “I’m gonna give that like… an hour.”
request -> Have you seen Will and Mack on that podcast tigether? Could you do a similar scenario where they are noth on a podcast together and either a) Will is exposing Maxk and his gf and their funny moments or b) Mack exposing thr same anout Will and his gf.
Macklin Celebrini Masterlist
“Okay so, Will, this one’s for you. What, um, do you and Macklin do on a day off?” Cat Toffoli looks between the two boys as she asks the question, noticing how Will seems to be one second away from laughing and how Macklin keeps glancing up to whatever is behind the laptop. Will thinks for a moment before answering “Well we usually do whatever Mack and-” Macklin quickly reaches over and puts a hand on Will’s mouth. “Dude!” Will gives Mack a crazed look before silently realizing what the whole shushing thing was about.
You stand behind the laptop on the other side of the kitchen island, silently giggling to yourself about what’s happening right now. Macklin looks up at you, his hand still on Will’s face, the sparkle in his green eyes gets brighter the longer he looks at you. Will, who is clearly annoyed with Mack’s hand on his face, brings his hand up to push Macklin’s arm to his own personal bubble. Cat and Julie watch this all unfold and are immediately intrigued by Will’s slip up. Cat take the small moment of silence to bring it up by asking “Macklin and who?” Mack and Will share a quick look with each other before looking up at you. Your eyebrows raise in surprise but after sharing one look with Mack you give him your answer; you’re ready to go public.
Macklin’s smile grows so wide that it looks like his face is about to slip in half. Will takes your look and Macklin’s smile as a sign to continue with what he was saying.
“Anyway,” Will says with a lot of sass, “Mack and I do whatever she wants to do.” Cat pauses, unable to believe that she’s never heard of this girl. This time Julie chimes in, “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to be intrusive, but who is this she? And why is this the first time we’ve heard of her?” You giggle from behind the camera which causes the two girls to perk up and causes Mack to give you a look of complete and utter devotion. Macklin keeps his eyes on you but responds to Julie’s question when he says “She is my girlfriend and this is the first time you’re hearing of her because she wanted to stay private.” Will sighs and shakes his head muttering “You’re so whipped!” under his breath. Macklin rolls his eyes in response. Cat chimes in with the next question, “Okay now I think this calls for a story time. You have to have some good ones.”
Macklin just nods in acceptance and Will looks like he’s already trying to decide which stories to share. “Baby, c’mere.” Macklin is beckoning you over with his puppy dog eyes so of course you can’t say no. You walk around the island and into the view of the camera, going to sit in the chair next to Mack but instead you get pulled onto Mack’s lap. His arms are secured tightly around your waist and he visibly sighs, as if he is relieved that you are now in his arms. You wave shyly at the camera as Will starts his stories, “Okay so this one time Mack invited me over to hang out. When I got there, I walked in and saw Macklin with a full face of makeup and his hair was curled! She had somehow convinced him to do this and Mack never even tried to protest!” You start giggling at Mack’s beat red face, “I’m telling you guys I’ve never seen him look so good.” Macklin shoves Will’s shoulder and hides his face in his hands but you gently pull his head up and give him a sweet kiss on the cheek. Mack immediately melts into a puddle.
“Another time-” Macklin groans and cuts Will off as he starts talking again. “Dude! You’ve literally never talked this much and now you’re telling the world my secrets?” Will just shrugs and goes “Yeah” as if it was the stupidest question he’s ever heard. Once again, the Fresh Prince of San Jose opens his mouth and starts talking, “As I was saying,” Will sends a pointed look at Mack, “There was another time when we were hanging out, all three of us, and I leave to go get a snack and when I come back Macklin is talking in a baby voice! Like total ‘I wuv you’ and nuzzling his head into her neck!” Cat and Julie bust out laughing, their faces turn red, eyes become teary, and honestly they start struggling to catch their breath. Macklin throws his arms into the arm in frustration and sends Will a point look, one that says paybacks a bitch.
Before Macklin can get any more embarrassed, you jump in and defend the situations. Grabbing Mack’s hand in support and rolling your eyes playfully at Will. “Well I had to see which makeup look I wanted with my outfit so I asked Mack if he could help me, which he agreed too, but I didn’t tell him exactly how he would help me…” Macklin rolls his eyes at this (it’s a wonder their eyes aren’t stuck in the back of heads right now) but doesn’t say anything in response. “The baby talk, well um, he was just-” Will cuts you off by saying “You don’t have to come up with an explanation. We all know he was doing it because he’s whipped.” Macklin grumbles and wraps his arms around you, muttering ‘hell yes I am’ into your ear. Cat and Julie take control of the pod (but promise to revisit this later) and finish by asking the boy's rapid fire question.
Once the pod finishes and you, Mack, and Will log off, Cat looks at Julie through the camera and says “That’s gotta be the most interesting interview we’ve ever done!”
Request -> he loves dogs so maybe she meets his dog when he's walking his dog and she's a dog lover and his dog loves her or just anything that involves his dog introducing them
Will Smith Masterlist
Rigney’s small body is happily trotting along an ocean view sidewalk, the bright California sun is shining high in the sky. The sun keeps Will warm as he walks on an afternoon stroll, the leash he’s holding, the one tethering Rigney to him, hangs loosely. Rigney pulls at the leash, eager to be walking in warm weather rather than the cold Boston brings. Will stops when they arrive at a more secluded part of the beach, no screaming fan, no loud and rambunctious children, just the sound of waves crashing on the beach. Will sits down on the soft sand, Rigney waddles over to him, sits next to him and looks at him expectantly. Will laughs to himself and unclips Rigney’s leash from his collar letting him roam free. As he roams aimlessly Will reaches in his shorts pocket and grabs a tennis ball, “Rigney,” Will calls out, “come here boy. Wanna play fetch?”
Rigney comes bounding over, a big doggy smile on his face which causes Will to smile back. He finally got his mom to bring Rigney with her on one of her visits and Will (and Rigney) are in seventh heaven. Once Rigney reaches Will, Will cocks his arm back and throws the ball down the beach, just skimming the edge of the water which makes Rigney chase it and bring it back at lightning speed. Once he makes it back to Will, Will repeats his previous actions by throwing the ball again. They do this a few more times before Will makes Rigney stop and have some water, out of Will’s bottle of course, before Rigney urges Will to continue their game. His little nose nudges the ball closer to Will’s hand, Will picks up the now salvia covered ball and throws it again, his arm now becoming sore from the amount of times he’s thrown it.
The ball sails through the air before gravity takes its course and drags it back down towards the sand, bouncing and rolling behind a wall of rocks. Will leans back on his hands as he awaits the return of Rigney except this time Rigney doesn’t return. “Rigney!” Will calls, panic filling his voice. “Rigs, where are you? Come here bud!” Despite his calls Rigney doesn’t come. Will gets up in a hurry, worry covers his features. He starts jogging over to the rocky wall that the ball rolled behind, he can’t help but picture the worst outcomes: Rigney being swept away into the ocean, Rigney being picked up by a large bird, Rigney being attacked by some giant crab. As he rounds the corner he stops in his tracks before there he is. Rigney. Next to Rigney is you, you who’s sun-kissed from your day at the beach, a flower rests behind your ear and a red bikini adorns your body.
“Hi baby! Look at you! You’re so cute, yes you are, yes you are!” Will believes he stepped into an alternate universe because here he is, standing behind a gorgeous woman who is currently baby-talking his childhood dog. His brows pull together in confusion, “Excuse me,” Wills starts, visibly frustrated, “who are you and what are you doing with my dog?” You startle and stand up, spinning around as you go, a look of shock overtakes your features. “Me? Oh! Well I’m Y/N and I was just on my way back to my car when I saw this little guy trying to get his ball. It was stuck between two rocks and when I got his ball out he kept asking for pets, so, so I pet him.” Will is staring at you with his mouth hanging open, not expecting that waterfall of words to fall from your mouth. “Hey, what’s his name anyway? I just kept calling him bud.” Will stutters for a moment before finally catching his bearings, “Rigney. His name is Rigney.”
“That’s SO cute! Kinda dumb but cute!” Will feels like he should be offended but one glance at you bright smile and pretty eyes has him holding back his words. “Thanks,” he pauses, “I think?” You light up, “Of course!” You both stand in silence, not awkward silence but comfortable silence, a silence that breaks once Rigney barks. His head is looking at the both of you with a confused tilt, once he gets your attention he nudges his tennis ball with his nose. “Y’know you never said what your name is. How do I know you’re not some serial killer here to well y’know kill me?” Will looks at you with an exasperated expression, one that quickly turns into a small smile that fails to stay hidden. “I’m Will.” You wait for him to say more but he doesn’t, he just looks back at you with a soft look in his eyes.
“Well Will, I was wondering if you wanted to catch a movie sometime? You seem nice enough but if you’re not interested then just pretend that question was so I could see Rigney again.” Will waits for you to finish, the smile on his face gets bigger the longer you talk. “You know what? That sounds really nice, unless you’re only using this as an excuse to see Rigney again.” You giggle and tuck a piece of stray hair behind your ear, “Guess you’ll have to wait and find out. I have to get going but it was nice to meet you Will! I look forward to our date!” You pet Rigney one last time before turning to walk away. Will watches you as you walk further away, not registering the fact that he has no way of contacting you until you’re too far away. He bends down to pick Rigney up, not wanting to leave him behind and that’s when he sees it. The note tucked into Rigney’s collar. It has neat writing on it and that neat writing spells out your name and number with a small smiley face in the corner. It’s official. Will is whipped.
Summary: Two Canadian hockey superstars, constantly thrown together for international tournaments, charity galas, and media sessions.
February 1, 2026 - Toronto, CAN
There was one thing this email chain had failed to mention. The presence of Macklin Celebrini. You should’ve expected it, really. The media LOVED to put the two of you together. Packaging you up as the future of Canadian hockey. The next Sidney Crosby and Hayley Wikenheiser.
To be fair, the similarities were there. Both top-line centers for your teams, high goal scorers, and close in age. It was almost ridiculous how many parallels there were in your careers.
“So,” Jesse, the TSN journalist, started. “We’re just going to do some small podcast style. Interviews. We’ll ask you guys some questions, have you yap a bit and then we’ll work on the YouTube content.”
“Sounds good.” You replied as Mack nodded next to you.
God he looked good today. Crewneck Sweater hugging his broad shoulders in a delicious way. His hair was getting long again, and the San Jose sunshine had kept it naturally highlighted. Sitting this close you could see the barely-there blonde stubble on his chin and upper lip. He leaned back in his chair, clasping his large hands on the table behind the microphone.
You were staring, you realized. Snapping your eyes away you adjusted in your seat, resting your elbows on the table.
There were three other men in the small studio space with you and Mack. Jesse, the man that seemed to be directing the episode, a man not much older than you, and a man that looked a bit older than Jesse.
All equipment was turned on and Jesse settled in the spot across the table from you.
“Alright guys,” He spoke. “Welcome back to the TSN hockey podcast. Today we’ve got Morgan and Corbin with me. And our guests of honor: Olympic athletes, Macklin Celebrini and Y/N L/N.”
“Hi.”
“Hello.”
You both spoke over each other into the mic. Heat rose in your cheeks, flushing in embarrassment. Mack turned his head to the left, hair falling to hide his face from you. Just as that lump of distress was beginning to form in your stomach, you noticed red patching the skin of his neck.
Was he blushing too?
“Like I said, We’ve got two winter olympians. Macklin, these are your first Olympic Games, how are you feeling?”
The boy to your left took a deep inhale. “I’m obviously really excited. It’s a huge honor to represent my country on the biggest stage. I’m definitely a little nervous though too, but I’m ready to prove how useful I can be to this team.”
“Are you excited to play with some veterans?”
“Yeah I’m super excited to learn from those guys. They’re the best of the best and I really hope playing with them can help me be the best for this tournament. Being in a team with those vets is like every hockey player’s dream.”
Corbin, the oldest man, spoke. “Y/N, you’ve got Olympic experience, you’ve been in Macklin’s shoes before, any advice?”
Green eyes trained on you, a smile ghosting his lips as he awaited your answer.
“Honestly I’m still about as nervous as I was last time. I’m not sure if I’m quite the right person to give advice. It’s a lot of pressure to know you need to be the best you’ve ever been. Macklin’s got the advantage of being a little bit older than I was. I think he’s a super talented player, and he wouldn’t be on the team if he wasn’t ready.”
He was still staring at you and you could feel your cheeks heating up again.
“I think people package the two of us up a lot.” He said, attention turning back to the hosts. “Compare our careers and stuff. And I’m excited to spend some time with Y/N in Milan. I think there’s a lot we can learn from each other. But she’s definitely leaving me some pretty big shoes to fill.”
Now you were full on blushing. Your impressive career led to a lot of compliments, and they always sat in your heart, but this one was taking up a lot more space than usual. Macklin, the superstar, role model to thousands, thinks he can learn something from you.
The conversation pivoted as the hosts asked each of you to recount how you found it you made the roster. Once you were done your short and bland retelling, you relaxed in your seat, eyes trained on Macklin.
He shifted in his seat, resting his left foot across his right thigh. And his thighs, god, they were huge. The thin fabric of his joggers stretched taught against the hard wall of muscle.
Stop. Staring.
Folding your elbows on the table and leaning forward to block your view of Macklin's body. Just look at his face. It won't be weird to look at his face while he's talking.
His tongue flicked out to lick his lips, and this was absolute torture.
You spent a lot of time with Macklin in the past few years. Mostly for media appearances, and the two of you had developed a bit of an acquaintance. Unfortunately for you, a fascination with him had developed alongside said mild friendship.
It was just a small crush though. It wasn't your fault that the man who shared so many interests and goals as you just so happened to be incredibly attractive. Eventually he'll find a nice California girl and that will kill your crush. Or maybe you could find a nice Montreal boy, and all awkward staring and late night fantasizing will subside.
The Olympics might actually be the perfect opportunity. Tight quarters filled to the brim with the world's most athletic people. There would be other blonde and green eyed hockey players. Surely there's a Finnish man to match that description.
The conversation steered back to you as the hosts prompted you to speak about having your regular season captain lead the team.
"Poulin is an amazing captain," Something tapped your thigh. "Her leadership skills are the best I've ever seen." Macklin's foot brush against your thigh again. "Sh-she sets a great example." Pressure from his foot on your leg. His elbow brushed yours on the table. "They call her Captain Clutch for a reason."
His foot and elbow didn't move for the remainder of the podcast. Relishing in the tingles on your skin you didn't dare move. Every other part of you was buzzing to shift, but your arm and leg were locked in place, anchored to him.
The podcast ended far too quickly for your selfish liking, and Jesse directed the two of you to a separate filming studio. A couch, slightly smaller than a loveseat was pressed against a decorated backdrop. Florescent lights beat down, and a film camera was set up on a tripod.
"If you guys wanna squeeze onto the couch, we're gonna film some short YouTube content."
The two of you tentatively approached the couch, awkwardly squeezing next to each other. Your shoulders and legs pressed together, skin burning hot through layers of clothes.
The camera was pointed directly at you, bright lights highlighting your rosy cheeks. This was awful. Your jittery leg, warms cheeks, smiley face and wandering eyes were about to be recorded and uploaded on the internet forever.
You need to calm down. You needed to get out of this room and away from Macklin. Straining your eyes at a spot on the floor, you breathed. Taking a minute to calm down while simultaneously keeping attention away from you.
Corbin clipped small microphones to each of your shirts and directed you to clap. The camera was now recording and Jesse was sat behind it, laptop open. He began his monologue with a welcome to the audience before explaining that you guys would be participating as team to complete a quiz on Canadian hockey and the Olympics.
This news relaxed your shoulders slightly. It couldn’t be that hard to answer questions about your idols, could it?
Mack leaned back against the couch, raising his left arm to stretch across the top of cushion, just behind your neck. Your baby hairs stood on edge and you cursed the camera pointed at you.
“Question one: Macklin, you now hold the record for youngest player on the Canadian men’s Olympic team during NHL era. Y/N you held the record for youngest player on the women’s Canadian team. But which players held the records before each of you?”
“That’s question one?!” Mack’s eyebrows shot up and he leaned forward, his arm brushing the back of your neck.
He was nervous but you knew the answer. She was one of the players everyone hoped you’d grow into. Someone you looked up to, could turn to for guidance. She was your captain.
“Marie-Philip Poulin!” You called out, perhaps a bit too excitedly.
“That’s correct. She was just over a month shy of her nineteenth birthday for her Olympic debut in two-thousand-ten.”
Macklin’s brows were furrowed, and his pink lips moved slightly as he mumbled his thoughts. He really seemed stuck on this one.
“Watcha thinking?” You prompted.
“Twenty-ten Olympics. There were a lot of young guys. Crosby? Towes maybe? Or Doughty.”
“Crosby is definitely older than Towes and Doughty.” You supplied, searching your brain for an estimate of the other men’s ages.
“I think Towes is older than Doughty.” He mumbled, eyes staring forward.
“He was thirty-four when he left the hawks.” You remembered reading that in an article about his retirement. “That would make him about thirty-seven or eight now.”
“Doughty’s only thirty-six I think.” Mack continued, building off your math. “Drew Doughty, final answer.”
“That’s correct!”
The blonde pumped his fist. “Yes!”
You giggled at his enthusiasm.
“We got this!” He held his hand up for a high-five “We so got this Y/N!”
February 19, 2026 - Milan
The large chunk of silver hanging from your neck weighed a million pounds. Plated not just in silver, but in the disappointment of a nation. Failure felt like emotional death. Pressure had been brewing inside your core, crushing. And when that puck slid into the net, it cracked. Cold icy air flushed through you, burning, aching, empty.
“Thought I might find you here.” A quiet voice echoed through the empty arena.
You didn’t have to turn around to know who it was. His large frame settled on to the player bench next to you, a mere few inches from you. You didn’t turn to look at him. Partially because of the shock and partially because you looked awful. And part of you still didn’t want him to see you at your worst. And this was rock bottom. Crusty tear stained cheeks, chapped lips and wet hair. You wore your defeat on your face.
Fingers brushed your wrist. Tentative, apprehensive, gentle. You turned your palm up, and his hand swallowed yours. Firm and warm. He squeezed hard. A silent message. A reminder that there was an anchor to reality, someone there.
A hard swallow to try and clear your dry throat, and the tears started. Pouring down your face, dripping from your stuffy, red nose. A violent half scream ripped from your open chest and you sobbed.
“I’m so disappointed in myself.” You choked out.
Macklin’s hand slid from yours, arm running up your back to hook around your shoulder. He gave you a firm yank, pulling you into his chest. Wrecked sounds pulled from you as the boy tried his best to comfort you. An awkward pat on your back pulled you out of your shocked state.
Laughter bubbled out of you, ridiculously loud, and you pulled your face from his chest. It was adorable and endearing the way he had patted you.
“Are you, okay?” He asked, brows raised, smile in his lips.
Wiping your cheeks with your sleeves you nodded.
“As long as you promise to wipe Finland tomorrow.”
His green eyes trained on yours. “I promise to try my best.”
February 22, 2026 - Milan
He wasn’t in the arena. And he wasn't staying in the olympic village. He didn't linger in the rink, haunting the moment like a ghost. He vanished, likely into the arms of his parents and siblings. Something you should've done. Instead of wallowing in your own failures, waiting for a firm hand to pull you up.
The burn still sizzled, deep in your flesh. But it had settled. And the closing ceremonies were bandaging it up. Swallowed by a sea of red and white. Collections of medals swung from prideful necks.
You wondered if Macklin had opted to wear his tonight.
July 6, 2026 - Vancouver, CAN
It was boiling outside and the rink offered a reprieve from the brutal city summer. Or it did, until now. You were sweaty and gross, lying sprawled on the ice, flat on your back. Macklin was a few feet away, standing at the players bench, water bottle in hand.
“Got any plans for the rest of the day?” He asked, punctuating with a squirt of water in his mouth.
“Not really. Thought I might try to check out the city.”
After a few occasional text conversations post-Olympics Macklin invited you out to Vancouver to train with him and some of the other Vancouver guys. You agreed, figuring a week of training with some other players might do you some good.
“Where’s your hotel?”
“I’m staying at the OPUS on Davie Street.”
He nodded, damp hair falling in to his face. “You checked out downtown yet?”
“No.” You sat up. “Was planning on doing some exploring today. Any suggestions?”
He thought for a moment, bottom lip jutting out. “I mean, I can give you a tour, show you some good spots if you’d like.”
Your fingers and toes tingled as you nodded.
###
Downtown Vancouver was loud. Traffic, chirping birds, voices bouncing and echoing off concrete and glass. The industrial environment exemplified the heat radiating from the sun, and your body could feel it. Despite the thorough cold shower you had taken after the training session you still felt the need to clean off. Your cotton tank top and too-tight denim shorts clung to your sticky skin.
“How are you wearing a sweater right now?” You asked, slumping your shoulders as you walked.
Macklin shrugged, shortening his paces so you could keep up with him. “California has made me used to the heat.”
“Lucky.” You grumbled.
His shoulder bumped yours. “The coffee shop is just up ahead, you’ll be in the air conditioning soon.”
Macklin had met you at your hotel about an hour after you both left the arena, an itinerary for the day formed in his head. The first stop of the early afternoon was a popular family-owned coffee shop. He’d never been but the google reviews seemed promising.
Cool air whooshed over you as you stepped through the door Macklin held. The coffee shop was quaint but incredibly busy. The chalkboard menu was difficult to read from the back of the long line.
Macklin poked his head forward, green eyes squinting.
The line moved quickly, multiple baristas shuffling efficiently behind the bar. Once you and Macklin reached the bar, he stepped back, allowing you to order first. The barista took your order and your name, but before you could dig your credit card out, Macklin asked for an iced mocha, tapping his phone on the debit machine.
“Thank you, but you didn’t have to pay for me.”
Macklin shrugged, eyes wandering the artwork on the wall. “It was my idea to come here, I don’t mind.”
You followed his gaze, taking in the rainbow of paint skillfully swept across the wall.
“It’s a really pretty mural.” You commented, grabbing your now ready drink from the counter.
“You’ll like where we’re headed next.” He smirked, turning on his heel and heading for the door.
You scrambled after him, stepping through the door he held and back into the city heat. Physical activity isn’t something you’re in any way opposed to, but walking long distances in the mid-afternoon sun wasn’t the most enjoyable form of cardio. You wouldn’t dare complain though. Having Macklin Celebrini as your personal tour guide was perfect. His shoulder bumped yours as you walked, electric shock zipping up and down your left side. You stumbled, mistepping and tripping forwards. Large solid hands wrapped around your bicep, yanking you upwards.
“You okay?” Mack asked, dipping his head down to face you.
“Uh, yeah, yeah, I’m good.” Your cheeks flushed as you straightened. “Sorry.”
He chuckled, raking his hair from his face. “How did you manage to not spill your coffee?”
“I’d rather face plant than lose my drink. Priorities.” You giggled, continuing to walk.
As you turned the street, a large stone building with a grand staircase came into view. Between the pillars at the front entrance were banners with the words ‘Art Opens” scrawled across.
“The Vancouver Art Gallery.” Macklin explained.
People littered the stairs, sitting on the steps and soaking in the sun. You stepped round them as you climbed.
Macklin won the payment war for your tickets, holding your wrist away from the debit machine while he tapped his card. You scolded him before you thanked him, trying your best to look upset.
“Left or right?”
You hummed, considering. To the right was a large wood-panneled room, it appeared to have multiple sculpture displays, the left had only one sculpture, an amalgamation of small items.
“Left.” You decided, leading the way.
Upon closer inspection the sculpture was a collections of shelves and stacked childrens toys. It looked like someone had raided a toybox from the 80s, glueing, hanging and stacking everything together.
“It reminds me of those I Spy books.” You said.
Macklin’s green eyes lit up, smile spreading. “It does. I spy with my little eye, a fireman’s hat.”
“Oh come on,” You playfully complained. “You can do better than that, the hat is right there.”
“Okay, Okay,” He raised his hands, smile crinkling his eyes. “You wanna play it like that, then we can.” His green eyes sparkled as he scanned the art piece. “I spy with my little eye, the letter ‘Q’.”
You hummed as you meticulously scanned all the elements of the sculpture. None of the alphabet blocks appeared to have the letter ‘Q” from this angle. Macklin’s gaze heated your neck and cheeks, but he could stare all he wanted. You were going to win this round. An old fashioned McDonald’s nametag sat on one of the shelves next to a model of a Volkswagen van. The name on the tag was Quinton.
You spun to face Macklin, pride shining in your smile. His face was meer inches from yours.
“Found it.” You declared, voice far too soft.
He simply hummed as his tongue flicked out to lick his lips. His green eyes were trained on your lips, and this proximity allowed you to see the blonde stubble on his chin and the light dusting of freckles across his nose. His eyelashes were unfairly long and fluffy, and oh god you guys were just staring at each other. The realization heated your cheeks and you cleared your throat as you turned away.
“Okay,” You swallowed. “My turn.”
October 8, 2026 - Montreal CAN
Your phone was ringing again. It actually hadn’t stopped ringing since the news broke. First was your family, then friends, old teammates, and soon-to-be teammates. Now, it was Macklin. An incoming facetime call. Tapping the green icon, you propped your phone on your dresser as the call connected.
“Hey!” Macklin’s chipper face filled your screen. He was wearing a grey hoodie, blonde locks pushed directly back and held with the hood. “Should I start with congratulations or condolences?”
You laughed, digging through your dresser for your most worn pair of sweats. “Congradulations is fine.”
“You’re not upset?” His brows furrowed.
You shook your head, tossing your pants into the open suitcase on your bed. “I’m sad, I guess. I’m gonna miss my teammates but getting traded was kinda inevitable. Our line chemistry just wasn’t there.”
“Seattle isn’t that bad either. It reminds me of Vancouver.”
“So I should pack my raincoat and rubber boots then?”
A sarcastic laugh sounded from your phone as Mack deadpanned. “It doesn’t rain that often. Just the winter.”
“I’m more of a snow girl, but I guess I'll adjust.”
“I’m sure you’ll love it.” Mack’s voice was laced with so much sincerity you knew you believed him. “Plus we play in Seattle more than Montreal.”
November 7, 2026 - Seattle USA
Since trade day, facetime calls with Macklin had become a regular occurrence. You were meal prepping while he packed for a roadie. San Jose would be playing the Kraken in two days, and since your team was on a week of home games, he decided you two would be hanging out. Since Macklin had taken the liberty of planning a tour of Vancouver for you, you felt it only fair to return the favour.
“So, what’s the plan for Tuesday?" The blonde asked.
“I’m not telling you. The more you ask, the less inclined I am to give you any hints.” You sigh, stirring your large pan of alfredo sauce.
“Oh come on,” He whined. “Please? Do I need to beg?”
That wasn’t something you’d be opposed to seeing, although in a different context than right now. The thought heated your cheeks and your heart hammered out of your chest. Unfortunately for your dignity, your friendship with Macklin had only fed the small flame of desire inside. Every late night call, teasing, accidental touch, it was all fueling the fire. Part of you wished he would just get a girlfriend so you could get over him. Grieve the loss of something that was never going to happen anyway.
“I’m not telling you. It’ll just have to be a surprise.”
November 10, 2026 - Seattle USA
Macklin insisted on walking, so now it was his responsibility to hold the umbrella. As much as rain was an inconvenience, you had to admit Seattle looked gorgeous in the rain. The towering glass buildings reflected in the puddles on the street. The white noise it offered was a pleasant backdrop to the city sounds of vehicles and pedestrian conversations.
“I told you you’d like it here.” Macklin stated, smugness radiating from him.
You smiled up at him, shoulders bumping as you tried to stay under the cover of the umbrella. “I don’t know if I'll stay here after retirement, but I definitely like it for now. Feels weird not to live in Canada though.”
He shrugged. “You get used to it. Or at least I did. Besides, you're not far from the border if you ever do get homesick.”
“Any guesses on where I’m taking you?”
Macklin’s brows furrowed as he took in his surroundings. Green eyes sparkled when they landed on the Space Needle. His pink lips pulled into a smile.
You won the payment war, swatting Macklin’s phone away from the debit machine. You were surprised to see how genuinely upset he appeared when the payment went through.
“Hey, you paid when we were in Van, I pay now.” You stated, leading him towards the elevator.
He huffed in response, blonde eyebrows still pulled tight.
“You can’t seriously be upset that I paid.”
He shrugged, eyes trained on the floor avoiding your gaze. “I guess I just like treating you to things.” He mumbled.
Your heart fluttered and your toes tingled.Macklin likes treating you. That’s something no man has ever told you before.
“Oh.”
“Yeah.”
You pulled your eyes from him, staring out the elevator windows as your face heated. That comment did not help tame the fire in your heart.
The elevator ride and walk to the lookout was silent. You would’ve assumed tense but Macklin was still incredibly close, the back of his hand brushing yours with every step. You learned against the metal bar, taking in the grey and gloomy skyline. It was breathtaking, no matter how many times you’d been here.
Warmth radiated down your back as Mack hovered behind you. Half his chest and his shoulder pressed against your back. His breath fanned against your cheek as he took in the view, large hands covering yours on the hand railing.
“It’s beautiful.” He whispered, sending shivers down your spin.
You swallowed hard. “Yeah.”
“Just like you.”
Your breath hitched, and you spun around quickly, now chest to chest with him. He stared down at you, green eyes wide and sparkling.
“What?” Your heart was in your throat.
“The view. Almost as beautiful as you.” His pink lips curled upwards.
“Oh.”
“Yeah.”
Mack leaned closer, closing the space between your lips. Your eyes fluttered closed as you kissed him back, hands connecting behind his neck. His hands landed on your hips, pulling you closer, and the fire in your heart engulfed your whole body.