₊˚⊹ ᰔ A Good Girl's Guide To Hockey || MC71
Pairing - Macklin Celebrini x reader!~
Warnings: swearing, Minor injury (Falling from ice skating). Reader grew up in Canada.
Word count: 3030 (OH EM GEE ITS A MATCHING NUMBER)
Description: You didn't know anything about hockey when you met Macklin on vacation. In fact, you didn't even know who he was. Now that you're dating, You decide it's finally time to learn about the sport he loves. Unfortunately for Macklin, explaining hockey to someone who thinks "icing" belongs on a cupcake turns out to be much harder than expected.
There I stood on Macklin's front porch, waiting for him to answer the door.
Well... right on time for me, anyway.
Macklin had somehow made being two minutes late part of his personality, so I wasn't surprised when the door still hadn't opened.
A cold breeze brushed past me as I shoved my hands deeper into my jacket pockets, my skates hanging from my messenger bag.
It was one of those rare winter mornings where the sun was actually out, making the fresh layer of snow sparkle despite the freezing temperature. If I ignored the fact that I could barely feel my nose, it was honestly the perfect day to be outside.
Just as I was about to knock again, the front door finally swung open.
"Sorry!" he apologized in a rush while running a hand through his messy hair. "Have you been standing out here long?"
Before I could answer, Macklin stepped aside to let me in.
"You can just sit in the living room. I'm just going to make myself a coffee really quick."
I gave him a small nod, allowing him to disappear into the kitchen.
A few minutes passed with nothing but the sound of the coffee machine, his footsteps, and the occasional clink of dishes.
Eventually, he walked back into the living room with a coffee in one hand, a small bag with his things slung over his shoulder, and his keys in the other.
"Ready?" he asked, giving the keys a small shake.
"Yeah," I smiled, grabbing my bag before getting up from the couch and heading toward the front door.
We quietly tossed our things into the back of his car before settling into the front seats. Soon enough, the engine started, accompanied by a quiet radio station playing softly in the background.
The first few minutes of the drive were silent.
Even though it was only eleven in the morning, both Macklin and I had somehow developed the habit of sleeping in whenever we had the chance. Between my job and his schedule as an NHL player, quiet mornings had become something we both appreciated.
A few more minutes passed before Macklin finally broke the silence.
"So..." he began, tapping his fingers against the steering wheel. "How's your day been so far?"
"It was okay. I mean, it's like any other day, no?"
"Yeah," he agreed with a small nod.
The silence slowly crept back in.
"How about you?" I asked, trying to keep the conversation going.
"It's been tiring," he admitted. "I'm glad to finally have a day off. Practices have been getting harder, the games have been more intense, and the pressure's been pretty crazy lately."
He glanced over at me for a second before smiling.
"But I'm glad I get to spend today with you."
I couldn't help but let out a small chuckle at his comment, my cheeks growing warmer by the second.
"You're too sweet," I teased. "But seriously, how are you holding up with all this pressure? I don't think I'd be able to deal with it."
"Well, I've grown up around hockey my whole life, so I've kind of learned how to handle the pressure and expectations," he explained. "It can definitely get overwhelming sometimes, but eventually it passes."
I gave Macklin a warm smile.
"Yeah, well..." He smiled to himself. "With the help of my teammates, my family, and you, it doesn't feel nearly as hard."
I shook my head, trying to hide how flustered I was, before turning my attention out the window.
There was the familiar sign of the skating rink that came into view.
Soon enough, Macklin pulled into the parking lot.
We grabbed our bags from the back of the car and headed inside. After checking in and getting our wristbands, we made our way toward one of the private rinks. With Macklin being such a well known NHL player, it was easier to keep things on the low whenever we went out together.
The second I reached the bench, I dropped my bag beside me before rubbing my sore shoulder.
Who knew one pair of skates and a few extra things could weigh so much?
While I looked around the rink, taking in the quiet hum of the vents and the empty sheet of ice in front of us, Macklin's voice pulled me from my thoughts.
I looked down to see him reaching for my skates.
"I know how to put my skates on, Mack," I protested, waving him away.
He only laughed and ignored me anyway.
"Oh, please. You haven't been skating since you were, what... ten?" He shook his head while kneeling in front of me to undo the laces. "You grew up in Canada and somehow barely skated. Honestly, that's still shocking to me."
I scoffed playfully and crossed my arms as he gently lifted one of my feet, sliding the skate on like it was the most normal thing in the world.
"Yeah, well, my family wasn't really into skating back then," I explained. "So I never got the chance to go very often."
"Mmhm," he hummed, already reaching for my other foot. "I believe you, baby."
I immediately uncrossed my arms.
"I am telling the truth."
"I know," he laughed. "I'm just messing with you."
Once both skates were tied, he stood back up and grabbed his hockey gear.
"I'll be out on the ice," he said. "Take your time, okay? It's been a while, remember?"
I nodded as he carefully stepped down the stairs and onto the ice.
For a moment, I simply watched him.
It was strange seeing him like this.
Like the ice was somewhere he belonged.
I looked down at my own skates and took a slow breath.
I don't know why I was so nervous.
Maybe it was because I hadn't skated in years.
Maybe it was because I was scared of falling.
or maybe I just didn't want to embarrass myself in front of my boyfriend.
Honestly, it could be any of them really.
I let a few more deep breaths before finally pushing myself off the bench and straight towards the stairs. The first few steps were a bit wobbly but it was easy to get used to with the help of the railing. I mean, what do you expect anyways. These shoes aren't really meant for walking since I'm basically walking with a thin metal piece on my feet.
Finally I made my way down and in front of the ice rink entrance. There I saw Macklin doing what I'm guessing is his usual warm ups for hockey in the distance. That gave me a little confidence for going on the ice. And from there I took my first step onto the ice.
“Woah.” I muttered while having my hands out like a bird.
Slowly Macklin skated towards my direction. “You just started after years. Don't expect much babe.” He reminded me while slowly skating backwards facing me. Just watching.
“Yeah well I hate this already.” I admitted while I took a few pushes on the ice with the memory of my young-self on the ice.
Macklin shook his head as he threw his hockey stick onto the ground before offering his hands for support. “Stop being dramatic,” he teased. “Would you like my help?”
I immediately shook my head no. “I'm fine. I just need to get used to this.” I explained while trying to get a few pushes and glides in.
“Well you're doing well baby.” He praised.
After a few minutes of moving around, I slowly adapted to the feeling.
“Seems like you've got the hang out it.” Macklin blurted. “Want me to teach you now?”
I looked over at him before nodding.
“I mean... that's kind of why we're here.”
He skated over toward the boards where he'd left a small pile of pucks and another hockey stick earlier. After picking up the extra stick, he glided back over before holding it out to me.
I took it from his hands, immediately noticing how heavy it felt.
“...It's heavier than I expected.”
“It only feels like that because you're not used to it,” Macklin explained. “After a while you stop noticing.”
I adjusted my grip before looking back up at him.
“So... where do we start?”
He glanced down at the stick.
Without warning, he reached over and turned it around in my hands.
“You're holding it backwards.”
“You can hold a stick backwards?”
He laughed quietly before adjusting my hands.
He tapped the top of the stick.
“Bottom hand a little lower.”
I gave the stick another squeeze.
“It won't in about five minutes.”
“Well, you're not the one holding it.”
“No,” he admitted with a grin. “But I've also been doing this since I could walk.”
He skated a few feet away before dropping a puck onto the ice between us.
“Alright. First thing we're going to work on is stickhandling.”
A second later he sighed.
“I have no clue what that means.” I told him.
He pointed toward the puck.
“Basically, you're just learning how to control it. Keeping it close while you're skating.”
“That's all stickhandling is.”
He lowered his stick onto the ice.
He slowly moved the puck from side to side with short, controlled touches.
“Notice how I'm barely hitting it?”
“You're not trying to smack it across the ice. You're just guiding it where you want it to go.”
He slid the puck toward me.
I looked down before giving it a careful push.
The puck immediately slid a few feet away.
Macklin pressed his lips together.
“That could've gone worse.”
I gave him a dismissive sigh and skated over to grab the puck again.
“This is harder than it looks.” I admitted as I bowed down to reach for it.
“I thought I'd be better.”
“You've been holding a stick for maybe... three minutes.”
He skated back beside me.
“Let's fix one thing at a time.”
“Bend your knees a little.”
I bent them again. A pain from my knees kicking in.
“This hurts and feels uncomfortable.”
“Well, this sport is new to your body."
He tapped the blade of my stick with his.
I immediately looked back down at the puck. Doing the opposite of what he said.
“I need to know where it is though.”
“You'll start feeling where the puck is through the stick.”
“My arm isn't a hockey stick, Mack.”
“I know. Just pay attention to what you feel through your hands.”
I looked back down before giving the puck a few small taps.
This time I focused less on staring at it and more on how the stick felt.
“I can actually tell when it's touching the blade.”
I nodded to myself before trying again.
The puck stayed close this time.
But definitely better than before.
Macklin watched for a second before speaking again.
“Now try skating with it.”
I pushed myself forward carefully, giving the puck small touches every couple of strides. It drifted away once or twice, but I was able to pull it back without completely losing control.
“There you go,” Macklin said as he skated beside me. “Now don't think about the puck too much. And trust yourself a bit. Why don't you take a small lap around the rink to get used to it?”
I nodded at his suggestion and began to do a small lap around the rink. Trying to keep the puck into my reach.
By the time I finished the lap and reached him again, I wasn't fighting the puck anymore.
“I think I'm getting it.”
I looked down at the puck before giving it another gentle push.
“Perfect.” he said. “Now let's move on.”
Macklin slowly skated toward one of the nearby nets before stopping a few feet in front of it.
“Alright,” he called. “This time I want you to try getting the puck into the net.”
“What?! Already?” I exclaimed. “That's so far from beginner friendly. And you're a professional hockey player. This is completely unfair.”
“Relax,” Macklin laughed. “I'm not going to make it impossible. I promise.”
I let out an exaggerated groan before giving in.
Taking a deep breath, I pushed myself across the ice.
The first few seconds weren't too bad. Macklin stayed in front of the net while I kept the puck close to my stick. But the closer I got to him, the more nervous I became.
“Just get it into the net,” I muttered to myself. “How hard can that be?”
Every time I thought I had an opening, Macklin would shift over just enough to close it off.
“You're doing great,” he encouraged.
“Yeah?” I grunted, trying to skate around him. “Then go easier!”
“I already am,” he laughed. “This is me going easy.”
After another attempt, I finally found a gap. The puck slid right past him and into the net.
“Yes!” I threw my hands into the air. “I actually got it!”
Macklin laughed, watching me celebrate over a single goal.
“Gosh...” I sighed dramatically, wiping an imaginary bead of sweat from my forehead. “I'm exhausted.”
He nodded before skating toward the benches.
“You mind taking a few more shots while I grab them?”
With Macklin gone, the pressure disappeared almost instantly.
Without him standing in front of the net, everything felt a lot easier.
After a few minutes, I started getting a little more confident.
Instead of shooting from close range, I backed up farther across the ice before skating toward the net with more speed.
“This one's definitely going in,” I mumbled.
The puck completely missed the net.
Trying to recover it, my skates caught awkwardly beneath me.
Before I could stop myself, I crashed straight into the boards.
“Mack!” I screamed before hitting the ground.
The impact echoed through the nearly empty rink.
Across the ice, Macklin's head snapped toward me.
The two water bottles slipped from his hands.
He was skating toward me before they even finished rolling across the floor.
“You okay?” he asked, already reaching down to help me up.
I groaned quietly as I grabbed onto his forearm and pulled myself upright.
“Yeah...” I winced. “I think that's enough hockey for one day.”
“My body has officially had enough.”
Macklin rubbed the back of his neck.
“I should've taught you how to stop properly before making you skate that fast.”
“No, that's on me. I got a little too confident.”
He smiled before taking my stick from my hands.
He walked beside me while we slowly made our way back toward the benches.
Once I sat down, he grabbed the water bottles he'd dropped earlier and handed one to me.
I took a long drink before leaning back against the bench.
After a moment, Macklin adjusted the tape on his stick and looked back toward the ice.
“...Mind if I stay out for a few more minutes?”
He hesitated for another second.
“You don't need anything?”
I laughed softly before waving him away.
That finally earned a smile from him.
With one last glance in my direction, he pushed himself away from the benches and skated back onto the ice.
About an hour passed before Macklin got off the ice with all his hockey gear. Ready to leave.
“Are you ready to head home now?” he asked.
I looked out onto the rink for a few minutes before turning to him.
Macklin made his way up the stairs and kneeled in front of me again as he grabbed my foot, untying the laces of my skates.
“Thanks for teaching me your hobby” I said softly.
“I didn't even teach you much.”
“Well it was a lot for me to get enough confidence to crash into the wall.” I joked.
Macklin took both of my skates off and helped me put on my shoes before reaching for my bag.
“Mack, that's unnecessary-”
“You just crashed into the wall with no hockey gear on. I've felt that pain before, Just maybe worse.” He admitted.
I gave a sheepish smile before letting him.
As we made our way out of the rink and back towards the car, I couldn't help but think about everything I'd learned today.
I finally understood why he'd get excited talking about a game I'd never watched before. Why he'd spend hours at the rink even on his days off. Why he'd always come home exhausted after practices but somehow still find the energy to tell me about a goal, a good play, or something one of his teammates did.
But I didn't understand every rule.
Honestly, I was pretty sure I'd forgotten half of them already.
Enough to know hockey wasn't just a sport to him.
It was a part of who he is.
Macklin unlocked the car before tossing both our bags into the back seat.
"You thinking about something?" he asked after noticing how quiet I'd gotten.
I climbed into the passenger seat before smiling over at him.
"I think I finally understand why you love hockey so much." I admitted.
He paused halfway through putting his seatbelt on.
"...Really?" He questioned.
"Well.. I still have no clue what these hockey terms are."
"But..." I continued, "I don't think I needed to understand every rule."
He looked at me for a moment without saying anything.
"I think just seeing you out there was enough."
For the first time all afternoon, Macklin didn't have a joke ready.
Instead, a small smile spread across his face before he reached over the center console and intertwined his fingers with mine.
The car slowly pulled out of the parking lot as the rink disappeared behind us.
Maybe I hadn't become a hockey expert.
But maybe that wasn't the point.
Macklin doesn't need me to understand every rule or memorize every play. He just wanted me there, watching from the stands, cheering when he scored and listening when he talked about the game he loved. And maybe that was why he smiled every single time he stepped onto the ice.
Message from author!: I AM SO SORRY I HAVE NOT BEEN POSTING AND DISAPPEARED FOR 2 MONTHS. ive been so busy and are literally going to go on a trip soon but lets hope I can work more on these upcoming projects in the airplane. I will soon work on the smau I have but please give me love and patience I am trying my besttsts. other be busy with this🙏
(idk if its just me but I lwk feel like I got off topic with this one, if I did I am so sorry!)
