pairing: hockey player!jeno x gender neutral reader
summary: taking a puck to the face really fucking hurt.
warnings: blood, hospitals
a/n: hey!!! this picture gave me no choice but to write this. i’m sorry i’ve been so inactive. i’m writing my bad boy jeno story, and it’s taking a lot more time than i expected. i’m also still working a lot, and with the holidays coming up it’s gonna get even crazier. please enjoy!!! and i’m writing this in mobile so sorry for no keep reading button. This is actually horrible I am so sorry.
It was absolutely freezing as you raced to class. The sun was shining, but it was the middle of winter. The weather man had informed everyone that it would be the coldest day of the season so far, so you were bundled up as you walked against the frigid wind.
Unfortunately, you’d woken up late, and now you were trying to get to class on time. Your roommate was supposed to wake you like they’d promised, but they didn’t. So, now you were cold and late.
As you reached the university’s pond, you could see the math building in the distance. With a sigh of relief, you started the walk over the bridge that passed over the water. There was some shouting and laughter nearby, but you ignored it. The wind seemed to be even colder on the bridge, and you had no choice but to slow down.
Before you could even turn to see what was going on, something hit you in the side of the head. You fell to the ground, and as your vision started to darken, you couldn’t help but think, Well, at least I’ll have a good excuse for being late.
“...up! Y/N, come on, please wake up!”
The throbbing in your head made you groan. When you tried to open your eyes, it was far too bright. Your hands came up to shield the light, but somebody stopped you.
“Guys, stand around them to block out the light.”
Soon, you were able to open your eyes. Your vision was blurry at first, but then it started to focus on the boy that was kneeling over you. Lee Jeno, alternate captain of the school’s hockey team, looked extremely guilty, and you knew exactly what had happened: you’d been hit in the head by a puck.
“An ambulance is on the way. You hit the ground pretty hard,” Sungchan, one of the other players on the team, informed you.
“Which one of you idiots hit me,” you grumbled.
Everyone seemed to freeze. Okay, so maybe you were known for being cold towards people. Anyone who faced your wrath was always terrified, so you weren’t surprised to see the three boys hesitate to tell you the truth.
“I’m really, really sorry, Y/N. The puck went much higher than I thought it would,” Jeno said quietly, his eyes wide with fear, concern, and...sadness? Nobody had ever been sad after dealing with you.
“Yeah, he saw you and fucked up his slap shot.”
“Shut up, Yangyang,” Jeno hissed over his shoulder.
The sirens approaching caught your attention. You looked back to the boy that was still kneeling over you, holding something to the side of your head. When you reached for it, he gently stopped you.
“My scarf is slowing the bleeding. I’m so, so, so sorry.”
Soon, there were paramedics tending to your head. You were loaded onto the gurney and into the ambulance. Jeno followed, ignoring his teammates’ protests, claiming that since it was his fault, he needed to go with you to the hospital. The doors were slammed shut, and you were soon on your way.
As the paramedic checked your blood pressure and vision, Jeno sat on the bench across from you with his scarf clutched tightly in his hands. It was supposed to be the school’s colors, orange and blue, but the large spots of red ruined it.
“I have no idea how I’m gonna explain this to my professor,” you mumbled.
“Oh! My friend, Renjun, is in your class. If you want, I can send a picture of you to him so he can tell your professor what happened,” Jeno offered.
Not having any other options, you agreed and watched as his hands shakily reached for his pocket. He unlocked it before holding it up in selfie mode. The two of you held up peace signs and listened as the phone a shutter sound.
“There. I’ll send it to him right now,” he said, his thumbs flying across his phone screen.
An hour into your visit at the hospital, you and Jeno were left alone. He was sitting in a chair nearby, his knee bouncing with nerves. The scarf was still in his hands, and you noticed that his knuckles were white.
“What did Yangyang mean?” you asked.
His head snapped up, and it reminded you of a puppy. Cute. “Huh?”
“He said that you saw me and fucked up your slap shot. What did he mean by that?”
The sudden rosiness of his cheeks caught you off guard. He looked embarrassed, and he wouldn’t meet your eyes. Instead, his gaze stayed glued to the floor.
“I, uh, may have liked you since our first semester,” he stated.
Your eyes widened at the information. “Jeno, that was two years ago.”
“Trust me, I know. God, this is so embarrassing,” he whined.
“Because I was never going to say anything-“
“No, why do you like me?” you asked quietly. Even you could hear how broken you sounded.
He finally looked to you, face determined. “Because I know you’re as beautiful on the inside as you are out. When you took care of Winwin while his leg was broken, I could tell it wasn’t because you wanted to date him or whatever. You genuinely just wanted to help him. And I know you helped Jisung around campus. Even though Jaemin kind of adopted him, you two still keep in touch. I’ve seen you two grab lunch together, and I know that when Chenle tagged along once, you refused to let him pay, even though everyone knows how much money his family has.”
You looked to your own lap, a small smile on your face as you felt your cheeks warm. “Winwin is a family friend. He’s the reason why I applied here. I needed a familiar face so that I wouldnt feel so overwhelmed.”
Jeno slowly scooted closer, not wanting to upset you. “See? Even though you act tough and cold, I knew there was more to it.”
There was a pause. Then, you said, “Nobody’s ever told me they liked me.”
“Can’t say that anymore.”
When you were finally discharged, Jeno called for an Uber. As the two of you waited, you shuffled closer to him to stay warm. His arm snaked around your waist as his cheeks managed to get even more pink in the cold. The two of you sat in silence, enjoying each other’s presence.
“I like you too,” you mumbled. “I always have, but I was afraid that you were scared of me like everyone else.”
“A little bit, but it kept everything exciting,” he admitted.
When the car arrived, he insisted on making sure you got back to your apartment okay. With your head throbbing at the thought of arguing with him, you couldn’t help but let him do as he pleased. Doctor’s note in one hand and his in the other, you watched the city fly by as you were driven home.
Once you were standing in front of your building, you didn’t want Jeno to leave, but you knew he still had classes and practice to get to. He seemed reluctant to go, as well, his fingers hooked with yours and swinging side to side as you faced each other.
“Well, I should go,” he said with a sigh. “Again, I’m really sorry for hitting you with the puck.”
“Don’t worry about it. A couple stitches and a concussion aren’t too bad,” you stated, but the reminder of your injuries made him frown.
“You have my number now, so text or call if you need anything. Or, you know, if you just want to.” His hand started to venture towards his face, but the bloody scarf reminded him that he couldn’t use that one. It gave you an idea.
“I promise I’ll make you a new scarf. Hopefully it’ll be ready by our first date,” you said.
The blush and grin on his face was completely worth it.
