#delaney halston

[martinipanini]

i know, i know, i know // mc71 x fem!oc

02, my rock and the rock

masterlist

chapter 00

chapter 01

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the entire ride home from the airport is jam-packed with alfonso switching between throwing stray after stray at me and just outright lecturing me.

as much as i've had a really hard past couple weeks, you'd never know it if you got in the car with alfonso.

talk about a conversation hog.

i've learned a couple things about him since getting in the car. first, which clearly goes without saying, he does NOT play about his time. and not just in the sense that he doesn't enjoy others messing up his schedule. i mean he literally took me through his entire daily routine... with mental timestamps.

he also enlightened me on the very confusing relationship that he has with his wife. as much as i'm sure that he should probably unpack that, i quickly threw myself back under the bus about being late for pickup so that he'd just go back to scolding me.

truly, i've never heard "wasted potential" and "lazy young people" tossed around so many times in a single conversation.

it's safe to say that i'm quite thankful when i see my childhood home appearing in the distance. i practically toss myself out of the car as soon as he hits the brakes, slinging my carry-on suitcase out of the backseat with an athleticism i'm positive no one has ever seen from me before.

longest 45 minutes of my life: over!

i'm grateful to not find my entire family waiting for me with a "welcome home!" banner outside... i shall not disclose how many times this has occurred before.

i willingly settle for the bombarding hug my mom gives me as soon as i reach the top step onto the front porch. though she clearly was trying to give me space by not waiting for me outside, this is an invasion i will gladly accept.

it's only been two months since i last saw her, and yet so much has happened since then. i can only imagine how she feels as a mother, especially when all of her children have always remained in san jose—except for those brief few months of maeve figuring out what she wanted to do after high school.

"oh, doll, how i've missed you." her voice is muffled, but i feel the weight of each word. this hug is more than her longing to see me again—it's physical reassurance that i'm okay... that i'll be okay.

i don't reply immediately. i can't. i have no doubts that i'll cry if i open my mouth right now. all i can do for the time being is hug her tighter.

she, of course, understands without me having to say anything at all. we sway back and forth for a long moment, just breathing slowly and squeezing tightly.

not enough time passes before she's pulling back from the hug, just enough to bring her hands up to cup my face, reminding me of the woman from the airport.

she smiles softly at me, swiping her thumbs gently across my cheeks. "hi, baby."

i can't help the smile that comes to my face, and i'm happy that she feels it grow beneath her fingers. "hi, mama," my voice quiet, but not quite a whisper.

of course, my ridiculous father comes bustling through the door at this exact moment. usually, his loud volume would trigger my 'typical daughter annoyance', but not today. i'm nothing but content to be at home again. with my home again.

"i thought that was you, dilly doll, but when i didn't hear immediate sobs i started second-guessing!" straight to the teasing then... alrighty.

his laugh is so bodacious-at his own joke, mind you- i'm surprised the house isn't shaking. rolling my eyes playfully, my smile is even more prominent as my mom releases me for my dad. "didn't you hear? daughters of men who can't properly shave their beard don't cry once college starts."

despite his broad smile, his jaw drops as he gasps.

welp. there goes all the air in a forty mile radius.

"oh, you're gonna get it," he grunts out playfully as he pulls me into his chest with one arm, bringing his other arm up to knuckle my head. "you move away for two months and think you're some tough guy now, huh?"

bursting into a fit of giggles, i try my best to escape his hold, but he doesn't let up whatsoever. "mom! help me! he-AHH!"

i feel his fingers poking into my sides, my body immediately folding in on itself at the feeling of being tickled.

and as much as i hate being tickled, i can't help but be happy. i'd much rather be tickled than be away from my parents for one more day.

TAG LIST: @caitlin-mnsn

[martinipanini]

'i know, i know, i know' series masterlist

: ̗̀➛MARTI'S 'I KNOW, I KNOW, I KNOW' MASTERLIST* ༉‧₊˚✧

ep. n - premise/cast ep. i - hello, alfonso ep. ii - my rock and the rock ep. iii - culpability

a/n: thank you for taking interest in this story! originally from my wattpad: -livslemons

[martinipanini]

i know, i know, i know // mc71 x fem!oc

03, culpability

masterlist

chapter 00

chapter 01

chapter 02

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after a long chat with my parents, they gave me some space to settle back in. my luggage lies splayed open in the middle of my room, courtesy of my dad carrying it upstairs for me.

it's been a few hours, and i've slowly unpacked the overstuffed bag. i have yet to zip it closed and return it to the hallway closet, but thankfully it's empty now. i can't stand the feeling of having luggage unpacked after traveling.

kneeling on the ground, re-zipping all of the compartments, I gently close the suitcase and drag it up with me as I stand again. very particular about putting my bags up once everything is completely put away in my room, I do a quick spin to make sure all of my things are in their respective homes.

with the confirmation, I roll the suitcase out of my room, taking it to the closet down the hall. upon opening the door, I find the only open space at the top of the highest shelf.

of course. just my luck.

picking the bag up into my arms, i struggle to hitch it over my head. not that its heavy, but the spot at the tippy top of the shelf happens to be the most inconvenient opening. and it doesn't help that i'm not exactly the tallest.

"want some help with that?" a deep voice sounds from right behind me, startling me so severely that the suitcase flies out of my hands at the same time as a scream releases from the depths of my soul.

whipping around, my older brother, declan, stands taller and broader than i remember. his eyes are wide with surprise, but his expression is unbelievably smug.

shaking his head at me pitifully, the same taunting way he has our entire lives, he teases, "and people ask me why i don't go out of my way to be helpful."

my heart pounds in my chest. from shock, from excitement, from the absolute joy of being back home. "declan!" shoving his chest softly before following it with a massive hug.

he groans at the force of my embrace, but his arms wrap around me just as tightly. my feet lift off the ground—our height difference making it oddly unproportionate.

he doesn't put me down right away, holding me in the air for a second longer than necessary. his typical playful energy is dimmed in this moment. there isn't an attempt to throw out a joke, or make it about him, or even make fun of the way my breathing becomes shakier with each passing second.

his arms just squeeze me tighter. all of the lost time between us being made up right here.

because in reality, as much as i act like he's the worst, he's my best friend—and i've definitely spent longer than i'd like to admit dodging phone calls. if one person can tell how i'm doing through voice-distorting phone calls, it'd be declan.

my feet make contact with the ground again, and he pulls away just enough to put a sliver of space between us. his arms unwrap from my waist, but his hands land on either tricep, holding me as he talks.

"you know, i was a little hurt to find out that you were moving back across the country through mom and dad. what's up with that?" he's trying to lighten the mood, but it makes my heart sink.

the reality is that i should've told him first—he normally would've been my first call. though, everything about the circumstances of my move feel wrong and dragging declan right into the middle of it sounded like the least appealing option.

i can feel my face drop with guilt, and my eyes dart away from him. they fall to the shoes he has on—ones i've never seen before. a simple fact that only amplifies the situation. what happened to his go-to pair?

he, of course, recognizes my change in demeanor instantly. his hands squeeze me, silently beckoning me to glance back up at him.

it's only been a couple of months since i last saw him, but he's looks so much older. i know it's the whirlwind of feelings hitting me. i know he couldn't have possibly changed that much. culpability has a funny way of tricking your mind to make you feel worse though.

when my eyes meet his again, his expression isn't just soft—it's laced with concern. so many questions linger on the surface. what happened while i was away? why did i move home? why didn't i tell him?

"hey. i didn't mean anything by that, i'm sorry. i'm just a little... confused. okay?" he bends a little to get closer to my level. he squeezes my shoulders tightly before releasing me.

before i can get a word out, he's clapping his hands and turning toward the stairs. "c'mon. you need to get out. let's go."

confused, i follow him regardless. my brows are drawn inward, tone curious. "what? where?"

"out."

insightful. thank you, declan.

i'm able to catch his shoulder as we reach the bottom of the steps. "i thought mom was making dinner?"

he smiles, "good thing i love leftovers."

well, at least one thing hasn't changed—he's still as weird and chaotic as always.

i mean, really?

who likes leftovers...?

TAG LIST: @caitlin-mnsn

[martinipanini]

i know, i know, i know // mc71 x fem!oc

01, hello alfonso

masterlist

chapter 00

════ ⋆★⋆ ════

the walk through the airport i've been to a million times feels significantly different than it ever has before. each of my steps heavier, slower. the hallways stretching longer than i remember. each "welcome to san jose!" poster feels nothing but deterring.

i know, deep down, that i'm exactly where i'm meant to be—that i was never meant to last in philadelphia by myself. not when my entire family is here... my entire life. i guess i just didn't expect to not even make it through my first semester of school.

my parents knew something was wrong the second they picked up the phone. they always do.

almost instantly, they started arranging a paid internship for me back home, speaking so efficiently about transferring me to the closest university that it felt as though they'd been planning it from the moment i announced i was moving out of state.

i feel like i got whiplash from the quick turnaround my life had taken. granted, given the circumstances, i think any parent would be rushing to bring their child home.

my mom has been texting me all week, throwing me question after question. "are you sure you still want to go into this field?" "have you thought of taking a semester off and clearing your mind before you hop back into school and work?" "maybe you could work for your father."

though, the last one isn't so much a question. it's more of a statement... that's been repeated over and over.

the lights in the airport are already blinding, so when i reach the large wall of windows at baggage claim, i can't help but wince. for a brief moment, i'm not sure if i'm ascending into heaven, or if the room truly is this impossibly bright.

squinting, i make my way through the crowds of people, thankful i made the decision to ship almost all of my things. dealing with dragging a bunch of heavy suitcases off of a moving conveyor belt would genuinely send me over the edge right now.

of course, regardless of the fact that i made my travel experience as simple as possible, i wouldn't be me without at least one mishap along the way.

right as i reach the exit for passenger pick-up, i run into the most sturdy woman i've ever encountered. considering how she's a relatively slim lady, i'm seriously curious if she's made of bricks.

i barely hit the ground before she's already dropping all of her luggage to help me up.

"oh, goodness me! are you alright, dear?!"

her soft hands grip my forearms, pulling me up quickly, moving to my shoulders to steady me once i'm back on my feet.

her eyebrows shoot up as she tilts her head to look down at me. "no wonder you went flying to the floor, you're tiny!"

while she's not exactly wrong, she also happens to be the tallest woman i've seen in real life.

opening my mouth to chime in, to calm her clearly growing nerves, she speaks up again, pressing her hands to my cheeks. "oh no! you hit the ground so hard, you can't think straight anymore!"

her hand flies to my forehead, feeling me as if my temperature would give her some insight. "do you know where you are? what day it is?!"

the odd circumstances bring an unexpected smile to my face before i burst out in laughter—straight in this woman's face. well actually, she's about seven inches taller than me, so maybe straight in this woman's... chest?

my thoughts make me laugh even harder, the loud sound escaping me draws looks from people passing by.

anxious and frantic, the lady exclaims, "oh my gosh, i've knocked some screws loose!" sending me further into my hysterics.

i shake my hand in the air, clenching my stomach as i bend over in a fit of giggles. "i-i'm okay!"

her relief is so strong that i can practically feel it coming off of her in waves. i try to gather myself the best i can, feeling somewhat unfamiliarly cheerful after this whole ordeal.

trying my best to tone down my smile since this lady probably already thinks i'm a loon, i stand back to my full height and look up at her.

"i'm sorry, i didn't mean to start laughing... i just-" a small giggle escapes me. "well, it was very unexpected. i appreciate your concern though. i promise you, i'm completely fine."

i try my best to reassure her, and from the way she begins to smile softly back at me, it's working. "that's alright, dear. it was my fault after all. i should've been watching where i was go-"

her ringtone, which happens to be on full blast, interrupts our conversation. the unforeseen sound causing us both to jump before she begins digging rapidly into her purse.

i'm unsure if i should walk away now, or if it's rude since she didn't finish her sentence. deciding against causing any more possible conflicts, i stay standing in front of her... just staring at her as she checks her phone.

and suddenly i'm thinking she's the crazy one, because i swear she stares at the phone call on her screen for a long while before jumping back into her anxious, quick-paced fashion.

good grief, is she medicated?

she glances up at me quickly before spinning to grab her discarded bags, already rushing away. "i'm so sorry, my husband is here to get me, and he's very confused. i'm sorry again, i hope you're alright. have a-"

i'm assuming she finished her sentence with 'great day' or some variation, but at that point she'd already walked too far away for me to hear properly.

shit.

my uber.

with widened eyes, i quickly grab my phone out of my back pocket, checking how long my uber has been here for.

5 minutes.

17 message notifications from - ALFONSO

'I'm here'

'I'm here'

'What post are you at?'

'I'm here'

'Hello'

'I'm here'

'I come arubds again'

'I'm here'

+ 9 messages. CLICK TO READ MORE

oh gosh. there goes an extra $20 for being late to my ride. just what i needed.

goodbye, philadelphia. hello, san jose... and alfonso.

TAG LIST: @caitlin-mnsn

[martinipanini]

i know, i know, i know // mc71 x fem!oc

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presenting... I KNOW martinipanini 2026 ©

series masterlist

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the silence between us is large but not heavy. it's calm. it's everything i've discovered macklin to be since getting to know him--really know him.

"stop looking at me like that."

he's not even looking at me when he says it. his tone is less confident than he'd ever let it be in front of cameras and his team. it's raw. real.

i can't help but tilt my head at him, still watching each small movement in his expression, every one of them pointing to the vulnerability i know he's feeling right now.

"like what?" i question-pushing for him to say the realization we've both already made out loud.

his head drops for a brief second, gaze finding his lap before he directs it to me. i watch as his eyes examine, dissecting me as i was just doing to him.

"like you know what i'm thinking without even saying it."

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╰┈➤ IN WHICH… a girl is forced to move back to her hometown and restart her career

OR

╰┈➤ IN WHICH… a certain san jose shark finds himself opening his heart for the first time in his life.

macklin celebrini x fem o/c !! ════ ⋆★⋆ ════

cast of characters:

*ੈ✩‧₊˚ delaney (doll) halston 19 // social media management october 18th

❝ i'll probably be a waste of your time, but who knows? ❞

who knows ⋆ daniel caesar

*ੈ✩‧₊˚ macklin (mack) celebrini 19 // san jose sharks june 13th

❝ i see a golden ladder, i'm tryna climb, but you're tuggin' my bridges, and i'm fallin' behind ❞

to space ⋆ kings of leon

*ੈ✩‧₊˚ maeve (mimi) halston 20 // clothing designer november 1st

❝ i wanted to see the world—then i flew over the ocean, and i changed my mind ❞

kyoto ⋆ phoebe bridgers

*ੈ✩‧₊˚ declan (halsy) halston 22 // business owner march 4th

❝ can't stop, addicted to the shindig. chop top, he says i'm gonna win big. choose not a life of imitation ❞

can't stop ⋆ red hot chili peppers

*ੈ✩‧₊˚ will (smitty) smith 20 // san jose sharks march 17th

❝ it always comes back around—never-ending story. the devil's in the details of your faded glory ❞

the wolf ⋆ kings of leon

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other characters:

san jose sharks 25-26 roster san jose sharks legends (nicknames will be listed at the end of each chapter)

estelle mclaughlin

spencer perth

elena rodriguez

glenn brooks

macklin's family rick celebrini robyn celebrini aiden celebrini rocco (r.j.) celebrini charlie celebrini

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liv speaks!

this story is originally from my wattpad: -livslemons, so definitely go check it out there as well. i decided to post it on my tumblr since i've moved my focus to progressing this story, rather than writing imagines/shorts. thank you for your patience! still working on imagines/shorts, this is just my main project atm!

TAG LIST: @caitlin-mnsn