https://www.tumblr.com/keelpay/818643218670534656/superserieshockey-yesterday-we-reported-joe
Based off this post^^
Going to watch your little brother’s practice only to find ex boyfriend Macklin coaching 🥹
Unexpected Coach
Summary: When you agree to watch your little brother's hockey practice, you're expecting an hour of drills and complaints about skating. What you're not expecting is to find your ex-boyfriend, Macklin Celebrini, standing at center ice with a whistle around his neck.
The last place you expected to see Macklin Celebrini was at a rink in the middle of a Tuesday afternoon.
Yet there he was.
Standing at center ice with a whistle hanging around his neck, sleeves pushed up to his elbows, effortlessly commanding a group of twelve-year-olds as they skated drills.
Including your little brother.
You froze halfway through the rink doors.
"Alright, reset! Faster feet this time!" Macklin called.
The kids groaned dramatically.
"Coach, my legs are gonna fall off."
"Then skate before they do."
A chorus of laughter followed.
Your brother spotted you first.
"Y/N!"
His voice echoed through the rink.
Immediately, Macklin's head snapped toward the stands.
And just like that, three years disappeared.
His expression shifted from confusion to surprise.
Then something softer.
Something dangerous.
You looked away first.
Because if you didn't, you'd remember everything.
The late-night phone calls.
The airport goodbyes.
The way he'd kissed your forehead before leaving for road trips.
The way neither of you had wanted to break up.
The way life had made the decision anyway.
You settled into the bleachers while practice continued.
Unfortunately, it was impossible not to watch him.
Not because he was coaching.
Because he was still Macklin.
Still animated when he talked.
Still ran a hand through his hair when he got frustrated.
Still smiled with that stupid little grin that used to make you forgive him for absolutely everything.
You hated that it still worked.
Practice ended forty minutes later.
The kids flooded off the ice.
Your brother hurried over.
"Did you know Coach Macklin?"
You nearly choked.
"What?"
"You guys were staring at each other the whole time."
"I was not."
"You totally were."
Before you could defend yourself, another voice interrupted.
"Your brother always this subtle?"
You turned.
Macklin stood beside the bench door.
Close enough now that you could see the faint freckles across his nose.
Close enough to remember exactly how it felt to kiss him.
Your stomach betrayed you immediately.
Your brother looked between you both.
"Oh."
"Don't," you warned.
"Ohhhh."
"Go get your gear."
Your brother grinned.
"I'll be in the car."
Then he disappeared before either of you could stop him.
Traitor.
Silence settled between you and Macklin.
For a moment neither of you spoke.
Then—
"Hi."
His voice was gentler than you remembered.
Or maybe remembering him had made you forget.
"Hi."
"You look good."
You laughed softly.
"That's your opener?"
"It was either that or pretending I didn't spend the entire practice trying not to stare."
Heat climbed your cheeks.
"Well. You failed."
"Completely."
The honesty made you smile despite yourself.
And apparently that was enough to make him smile too.
God.
That smile.
You'd missed it.
Far more than you'd ever admitted.
"Your brother didn't tell me you were coming."
"He didn't tell me you were coaching."
"Fair."
Another pause.
Neither uncomfortable nor easy.
Just full of things unsaid.
Macklin shifted his weight.
"How've you been?"
The question should've been simple.
Instead it felt loaded.
How have you been since we broke up?
How have you been since we stopped talking?
How have you been pretending not to miss me?
"Good."
He raised an eyebrow.
"That's usually the answer people give when they don't want to answer."
You laughed.
"Still annoying."
"Still honest."
There it was again.
That familiar rhythm.
Like no time had passed at all.
Like you hadn't spent years convincing yourself you were over him.
Like he hadn't been the person you measured everyone else against.
The realization hit harder than expected.
Because suddenly you weren't remembering why you loved him.
You were realizing you still did.
Macklin seemed to reach the same conclusion.
His gaze lingered.
Neither of you looked away.
"You know," he said quietly, "I thought about calling you."
Your breath caught.
"What stopped you?"
A humorless smile crossed his face.
"I figured you deserved someone who wasn't constantly in another city."
The answer hurt because it sounded exactly like him.
Always putting everyone else first.
Even when nobody asked him to.
"Mack."
He glanced up.
"You didn't get to decide that for me."
Something vulnerable flashed across his face.
Gone almost immediately.
But you'd seen it.
For a second neither of you moved.
Then he laughed softly.
"I've missed you."
Three simple words.
The same three words you'd spent years trying not to say.
Your eyes stung unexpectedly.
"Macklin..."
"I know."
"No, you don't."
He stepped closer.
Not touching.
Just close enough.
"Then tell me."
You swallowed.
Hard.
"I missed you too."
The relief on his face was almost painful.
Like he'd been carrying that answer around for years.
Maybe he had.
Maybe you both had.
The rink had nearly emptied now.
Only the distant sound of skate guards clicking against concrete remained.
Macklin looked at you for a long moment.
Then smiled.
Small.
Hopeful.
"Any chance you'd let me buy you coffee?"
You laughed through the emotions threatening to overwhelm you.
"Coffee?"
"Coffee."
"Not dinner?"
"Didn't want to get ahead of myself."
Your smile widened.
"That's new."
"I've matured."
"Debatable."
His grin returned instantly.
There he was.
The boy you'd loved.
The man you never really stopped loving.
Macklin held the door open.
"Coffee?"
You pretended to think about it.
Then stepped toward him.
"Yeah."
His smile grew.










