SOMEONE KNOCKING AT THE DOOR
SOMEBODY RINGING THE BELL
Crosby!reader
(Guys he’s so cute I’m awwing)
When Ben Kindel was first told to come over to Sidney Crosbys house he thought. Cool. I’m going to be cool as I go to the house of my idol.
And when you were told people were coming over you texted a simple thumbs up and a cool. You assumed it was uncle G and your dad having steak, potatoes and a movie. Like it was every night. And then uncle G would throw you his keys and let you drive his car to get ice cream from the supermarket because it was a crime that your dad rarely had any on hand.
Ben showed up with flowers, because he couldn’t buy any wine. He wasn’t exactly sure what to bring, just that he didn’t want to show up empty handed. He knocked on the door, shaking slightly as Sidney opens the door, “hey Sidney”
“Hey kiddo, come in. Genos on his way, y/n’s here I don’t think you two have actually met since she’s usually away at college” Sidney goes off, Ben toes his shoes off, “I’ll get a vase for the flowers. I appreciate it”
Ben can only smile and nod. He’d heard about you. You were no stranger to the public eye, but you kept yourself extremely private. Just an Instagram account that had 20 followers, he’d heard stuff about you. Obviously. Sidney Crosby teenage dad was no mystery to the media. But he never mentioned it, “right. Yeah that’s what most people our age do..” he trails off a little, “go to college”
Sidney nods, “yeah she goes to Duquesne, for the law program. You hungry?”
Ben looks up as Sidney fills the vase with water and gently passes it to him, “yeah.” He replies breathily, “we can wait for Geno though like- I’m fine”
Sidney nods as he pulls a pan of potatoes out of the oven. They’re roasted with, what Ben wants to assume is a garlic & herb butter. Cut into chunks, “oh this looks amazing” Ben murmurs, “I honestly haven’t had real food in so so long”
Sidney laughs slightly, “yeah, y/n’s been like that too. She made these before running up to her room to finish something”
Ben’s eyes widen, and that’s when Geno comes through the door, “where is niece!” He shouts out, not even bothering a hello to Sidney. Ben can hear a muffled shout before you come barreling down the stairs. Mismatched socks, short athletic shorts on and a big hoodie with Duquesne in the center, “there is my girl!”
You leap into his arms, a mess of smiles and laughter, “Uncle Geno!”
“Baby penguin! You are too tall now! Go back to baby size” He scoffs as you land your feet down on the hardwood floor, “see Sidney, too grown up. I remember when she was baby. Could not even walk!”
Sidney smiles fondly as a red flush floods your face. You lock onto Ben. And he locks onto you; he’d seen some pictures of you. Awkward selfies with you and Sidney, and obviously he’d seen you in the stands of penguins games. But never like this. Just. You, “I know. She’s really all grown up now.”
You scoff and look at Ben, “just pray they don’t take out the picture album” you mutter as you roll your eyes.
Geno smacks your shoulders, “we show kindel after dinner, when you take uncles new bmw to store for ice cream”
Your eyes light up with excitement, “you got a new bmw?”
Geno nods, “yes. Goes very fast. You drive slowly, do not ruin uncle Genos new car”
Ben stares, “you let her drive your car?” He asks. It comes out so suddenly he feels bad for even asking
Sidney nods, “ever since she got her license- we do dinner like this every month or so, and I don’t ever keep ice cream on hand and apparently it’s a crime so he lets her take his car to get him ice cream” Sidney explains as he walks over to the oven and pulls the steaks out from where they’ve finished cooking, “are we ready to eat?”
The rest of the night is spent with conversation and really, really good food, “y/n you made the potatoes right?” Ben asks, already on his second helping
“Yeah. I found a recipe on tiktok and then just added my own stuff to it. Like the garlic butter”
Ben nods, “I still can’t really cook anything other than frozen pizza- and even then I usually burn it”
Sidney’s lips turn up, “you and I were in the same boat kid. Except you don’t have a kid to feed so I guess that accelerated my cooking abilities”
Geno nods, “baby penguin can only cook vegetables. She still burnt thanksgiving turkey last year”
Your cheeks turn pink, “yeah.. We almost burnt the house down”
“We? That was all you honey” Sidney corrects and you groan, “it was a sweet attempt though”
Geno nods, “was like baby trying to make four course meal. Very adorable”
You turn to Ben, “I was seventeen at the time. Not five like these geniuses are implying”
He smiles at you, “yeah I assumed uh. But the potatoes are great- I might have to get the recipe actually”
You nod, “I’ll give you my number, I’ll send you other recipes that are relatively easy”
Geno smirks. Sidney frowns, “ok baby penguin. I give you keys for ice cream. You take kindel. Team bonding” He digs in his pocket and tosses you the keys; which you snatch, “I want. Strawberry, Sid want boring coffee because he is old boring man and you get whatever you want. Take card”
You take both the keys and the card, “let’s go Ben. They’ll clean up” you nod
He looks between you and his superiors, “are you sure- I can.. I don’t mind helping”
Sidney shooes him away, “you should go with her, make sure she doesn’t get too crazy with Uncle Genos card”
So, Ben kindel is following you to the BMW outside and now watching as you scoot the seat forward and adjust the mirrors, “ok- the card thing. Going buck wild. I was sixteen and Geno wanted this specific ice cream from Russia so I went to the international market and I couldn’t read it so I just bought whatever I thought he wanted” you shrug, “I apologized but he was laughing so hard he almost fell over because I apparently bought twelve different kinds of yogurt”
Ben laughs as the engine whirls to life. A deep; shaking sound that makes his breath catch in his throat as you press into the clutch and let off the break and onto the gas, “you drive stick?
You nod, “oh yeah, the team collectively taught me how to drive in general. But I haven’t driven in a few months so if I stall it out.. don’t tell Geno?”
He smiles, “so you guys do this every month?” He asks, “dinner and a movie?”
You nod, “yeah. When I was little I guess I really did not like always having dinner with just my dad and so he comprised that one night a week uncle g would come and have dinner and a movie” you explain, “now it’s once a month because of college but Geno still enjoys movie time with me and dad”
“That’s kinda cute actually” Ben comments, “you’re like his practice daughter for his actual kids”
You lean back against the seat as you pull into the grocery store, “are you ready?”
Ben looks scared and you start laughing, “ok. Coffee, strawberry, and I’m getting chocolate cake”
Ben looks at you funny as you slide out the bmw and lock it, “no ice cream?”
You shake your head, “hate hate hate it! If I want something sweet before bed. I want something warm and yummy. Like chocolate cake”
Ben smiles and follows you through the grocery store. It’s quiet, and he can’t help looking at how you bite your lip when you’re staring at labels. He follows like a lost puppy. Only coming to life when you ask, “what do you want?”
“Oh. No I’m ok” He denies, shaking his head and his hands in sync as you stare at him
“Jesus I’ll get you some vanilla then?”
He can’t refuse.
You finally pull up into the driveway, “ok, just pray they’re not watching die hard or I’m gonna fall asleep”
Ben stares at you, “die hard is like the best movie ever- you can’t actually fall asleep during die hard”
You laugh as you kick the door open, “I absolutely will fall asleep, you don’t even know Barbie lore Kindel- I’m going to show you the like twenty Barbie movies”
Geno shouts out when he hears the plastic bags, “you ruin my car?”
“Yep, absolutely totaled. Killed a family of three. Wife was pregnant” you shout back sarcastically.
Sidney groans loudly as you pass him the bowls of ice cream, “you get your cake?”
You nod, sitting down between Geno and Kindel, “you want some?”
Sidney shakes his head, “we’re watching. A horror movie. It’s called the decent and it was made in 2008”
You groan, “do we have too?”
“Yes. We watching scary movie. Uncle Geno keep you safe from scary weird prehistoric humans”
You stare at Ben, horror flooding your expression, “I’m going to get so scared I’ll probably hit you”
Ben smiles, “it’s ok. I’m used to it”
