Stanley Cup celebration for Auston/Frederik pretty please
Auston couldn't be there.
He couldn't make his way onto the ice or tackle Freddie in hug. He couldn't kiss him stupid, wipe the tears from his cheeks or watch proudly as they handed him the cup to lift.
No, Auston couldn't be there, not without outing parts of themselves and taking away from Freddie's moment, but he was here.
That was all Freddie cared about when he finally made his way home.
Auston was waiting for him.
The moment Freddie stumbled through the door, buzzed and happy, Auston was there. He didn't hesitate to invade Freddie's space, wrapping him in his arms, squeezing so tightly that it knocked the breath out of Freddie.
Freddie hugged him back just as tightly as he burried his face in Auston's shoulder.
"I am so fucking proud of you", Auston whispered fiercly, kissing the side of his head, "You looked so good lifting the cup. I fucking cried like a baby when you did. Mom teased me about it cause she watched the game on call with me. She's proud of you too"
Freddie thought all of his tears had fallen on the ice when no one could see him in the scrum of his teammates or in the dressing room before the cameras were allowed in and it was them soakin it all in.
Still, he felt his eyes grow wet again as he gripped the material of his shirt that Auston was wearing.
Now that he was home in his own space with the man he loved, it was finally sinking in.
They had won the cup. Freddie had won the Stanley Cup with his team. He had lifted in his hands. His family had been there to join him on the ice and Auston was here, waiting for him. Holding him together as it all sank in.
The dream he had been chasing since he was a kid had come true. All his hard work had paid off.
Freddie was so fucking happy that he didn't know what to do with it all but cry a little as Auston pressed kisses against his head and whispered softly that he loved him and was proud of him.
"I love you", Freddie smiled when he pulled back to wipe the tears, "Thank you for being here"
Auston, for once, didn't roll his eyes or make some quip like he usually would. He simply pressed his hand over Freddie's heart and gave him that sweet half-smile that was kept just for moments between him and Freddie.
"You are my home, Freds. No where else I'd rather be than here"
The sincerity of it had Freddie's eyes watering again even as he laughed softly.
"I thought our celebration would involve a little less tears and more no clothes, but fuck, I'm so happy", Freddie laughed, letting Auston bully his way back into his arms so he could kiss that forehead so many loved to make fun off.
"We have plenty of time to celebrate like that", Auston nipped at Freddie's jaw, "This is perfect too"
Freddie squeezed him tight again because he was right.
This, holding Auston in his arms and letting himself be a bit of an emotional wreck, was everything Freddie didn't know he needed tonight.
Tomorrow there would be time for celebrating in other ways. There was a whole summer ahead of them. Parties, cup celebrations, holidays they put off booking. All of it was ahead of them but for now they had this.
They had the joy of Freddie achieving his dreams and the knowledge that they loved each other enough to be here, good or bad, to hold the other up.
There would be another celebration too.
One Auston didn't know about yet, but his sisters and parents did.
One hidden in a drawer that Freddie knew Auston would never look in in a guest room.
