lightsoutmatthews

[lightsoutmatthews]

Hey Jo so I have an idea for an Auston Matthew’s story so…. Never sure if you have seen the movie called “No hard feelings” but there is a scene where the girl gets a bit jealous of another girl and she becomes a bit territorial with her man! (I’ll add a video link of it: https://youtube.com/shorts/Tl-wDI7tfKk?si=KbdgsPNUi_EkNsP6 )

Was wondering if you could the “oh he didn’t bring his phone” part with Auston and his girl gets territorial with him and he’s like ?? I have never seen this side of you but finds it hot and you can decide what happens next! 😗 omg sorry that was so long lol!!

Anyways thanks for everything you feed us queen, u always do an amazing job!! 💘💘

This one was sooo fun to write, it actually made me watch the movie while writing (it was really good)

NSFW warning, nothing explicit, more indirect but it´s in there

Marking the territory – Auston Matthews

Auston Matthews wasn’t a fan of galas.

Sure, he supported the causes, he really did, SickKids Foundation was very close to his heart, and giving back was part of who he was, but the events themselves? The black-tie dress codes, the endless rounds of small talk, the cameras flashing like they wanted to capture every forced smile and every awkward handshake? That wasn’t his scene.

He knew it came with the job description but still he preferred the ice. The clarity of the game. The way everything made sense when he had a puck on his stick and the crowd was roaring in the arena.

But tonight, the gala wasn’t his focus, it was secondary because it would be the first time you would be joining him for one of them.

The two of you had been together for over a year now. In public, you were just “the girlfriend” but to Auston, you were everything. His anchor, his confidante, the one who knew exactly when to push and when to just sit quietly beside him.

You weren’t the type to demand his attention or crowd his space. You fit in perfectly into the quieter parts of his life, the moments when he just wanted to be himself without the noise.

He liked that about you.

Tonight, you looked stunning. The sleek black dress hugged your curves in all the right places. It was the kind of dress that didn’t sparkle or fuss to turn heads.

Your hair was styled in loose waves, and the subtle makeup highlighted your eyes, which were fixed on him now as he finished pulling on his jacket.

“I´m not gonna lie,” you said, tilting your head slightly. “I´m kind of excited for tonight.”

Auston raised a brow. “You are?”

You smiled, smoothing the fabric of your dress. “Yeah, I get to hang out with you and see you in your element. And I´ll get to see if I can handle the spotlight for a few hours.”

He laughed. “You handle the spotlight better than I do somethings. You just don’t know it yet.”

You shook your head, but your smile was real. “We´ll see.”

-------------

The ride to the venue was quiet, both of you lost in your own thoughts but sharing the comfort of being together. Auston´s hand found yours, and your intertwined fingers, a small but steady reminder that you were a team.

The grand entrance was overwhelming. Flashbulbs exploding as soon as you stepped onto the red carpet, reporters shouting questions Auston barely had time to answer.

You stayed close, hand in hand, your presence a calm shield around him.

Inside, the space was buzzing. Crystal chandeliers cast soft light over tables dressed in white linen, and waiters in crisp tuxedos floated between guests carrying trays of delicate hors d´oeuvres and sparkling wine.

The hum of conversations layered over soft classical music.

Auston was quickly pulled into the crowd. Sponsors, donors, and old friends approached him. Each interaction practiced but genuine.

He shook hands, posed for pictures, exchanged pleasantries.

You watched from the sidelines, sipping your champagne, nodding politely when people asked who you were and how you met him.

You knew this was part of the package. The wife/girlfriend role was something Auston had been reluctant about in the past, but with you, it felt natural. You weren’t just an accessory. You were part of his life.

After a while, Auston excused himself from a group of Leafs fans who wanted selfies.

He walked toward you, the ease of being with you settling over his face. “Wanna get something to eat?” he asked.

You nodded, moving together toward the buffet.

As you filled your plates, you caught the side of someone.

She wasn’t trying to be subtle.

Tall, with that mode-gorgeous look, wearing a dress that seemed designed to draw every eye in the room, she navigated the crowd with confident, deliberate steps.

Her gaze locked on Auston immediately, and she made a beeline straight for him.

Your stomach tightened.

You reached him just as he was finishing up a conversation with a sponsor, offering a bright, practiced smile.

“Hey, Auston,” she said smoothly, voice low enough that only he could hear.

Auston blinked, clearly caught off guard. “Hey, do I know you?”

“You might not remember me,” she said, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “We met a few years ago at that bar in Montreal, you were with the team.”

Auston gave her a polite nod but didn’t step closer. “Right. I remember now.” He didn’t but he didn’t let her know that.

She smiled again, placing her hand lightly on his arm.

You saw him stiffen. You heart sped up.

Before you could decide what to do, she added. “It´s so great to see you again. How about we exchange numbers so we could meet up after this.”

And that´s when you moved.

------------

You walked up smoothly, holding your champagne glass like a pro, all calm on the surface but every nerve firing.

The woman´s hand was still on Auston´s arm, her smile was way too practiced, way too close for comfort.

“Hey, babe,” you said, voice casual but firm as your hand slid to rest lightly on Auston´s back.

He looked at you with a flicker of surprise, then relief. “Oh…hey,” you greeted the woman. “You didn’t bring your phone,” you added, nodding toward his empty hands.

Auston blinked, a little confused. “I didn’t…”

“No phone,” you cut in, eyes locked on the woman now.

You could see her smile falter for the first tie. She blinked, eyes flickering between the two of you.

“Sorry, was I interrupting?” you asked, voice still sweet but with an edge.

She gave a tight smile. “I was just saying hi. Auston and I go way back.”

You glanced at your boyfriend, who was standing stiff and polite, clearly wanting to escape but stuck in the moment.

“Yeah, I remember,” Auston said carefully, giving a subtle squeeze to your hand at his back.

You stepped just a little closer, your tone low but pointed. “It´s always interesting when people from the past pop up at these events. Like glitches in the Matrix.”

Auston´s mouth twitched into a suppressed grin.

The woman´s eyes narrowed, sizing you up. “I didn’t know he was…taken.”

You smiled wider, never breaking eye contact with her. “Almost two years. It´s a long story, but trust me, it´s real. And private. We keep it that way.”

There was a beat. The woman´s arm dropped slowly from Auston´s arm.

“Well,” she said with a forced laugh. “I´ll let you two enjoy the night.”

You gave a polite not. “Great idea.”

As she backed away, Auston exhaled quietly and turned to you fully, his eyebrow raised. “Okay,” he said softly. “What the hell was that.”

You shrugged, taking another sip from your champagne. “That was me not flipping a table.”

He laughed, shaking his head, a little amazed. “You were…intense.”

“Intense?” you cocked an eyebrow. “She touched you.”

“I didn’t even notice,” he said, genuinely surprised.

You leaned in, your voice dropping just a bit. “I noticed.”

He studied you for a long moment, eyes darkening with something like admiration. “So…jealous now?”

“I´m not jealous,” you said with a smirk. “I´m territorial. Big difference.”

There was a pause. “That’s kind of hot,” he admitted, voice low.

You met his gaze evenly. “Territorial is good. You should try sometime.”

He grinned. “Maybe I will.”

---------

You didn’t stay much longer. The tension getting too high to keep pretending, shmooze sponsors and have polite conversations.

The moment the valet returned the car, Auston didn’t waste a second.

His hand slid down your thigh as you settled into the passenger seat, a quiet intensity building between you two after the whole encounter.

“Seriously,” he murmured, eyes dark as he looked at you. “That was something else tonight.”

You smirked, already feeling the heat raise. “What? The way I made it clear she wasn’t welcome?”

He nodded slowly, one corner of his mouth twitching upward. “Yeah. I´ve never seen you get territorial like that. I mean, I´ve seen you protective before, but that was different.”

Your heart skipped a beat, and you turned toward him, leaning closer. “You want to know the truth?”

He didn’t say anything, just waited, that teasing look in his eyes daring you to continue.”

“I hate the idea of anyone even thinking they could cross a line with you. It´s like I can´t stand that you´re mine, and yet someone else acts like they have a claim on you.”

His hand slid up under the edge of your dress, fingertips grazing the soft skin just above your knee. “That´s so hot.”

You laughed, low and breathy, your breath catching when his fingers squeezed just a little. “So what do you want me to do with all this territorial energy?”

His gaze dropped to your lips. “Show me.”

-------------

The city lights blurred past as he pulled the car out onto the street.

The tension was electric, every glance and touch a conversation without words.

When you arrived at your place, there wasn’t a hint of waiting around.

The door closed behind you, and Auston was already on you, hands form on your waist, lips hot against your neck.

His breath was uneven, desire sharp and immediate.

“I´ve wanted you since I saw you in that dress,” he whispered, fingers threading into your hair, tugging gently as he pulled our mouth to his.

You responded just as fiercely, your hands on his chest, feeling the steady thump of his heart beneath the fabric of his dress shirt.

You pushed him back slightly; eyes locked on his. “You´re lucky that gala was worth it.”

His grin was slow and satisfied. “Trust me, you´re worth a hundred galas.”

Clothes hit the floor in a chaotic heap, and the cool air of your apartment mixed with the heat between you.

Every touch was electric, every kiss like it was the first time.

His hands explored you with a hunger that was both new and familiar, as if he had been holding back but tonight everything broke loose.

The territorial side of you was mirrored in his intensity. It was possession, but also reverence, the way he looked at you when he thought you weren’t watching.

You tangled together on the bed, laughter mixing with whispers and moans, the world outside forgotten.

------------

Sunlight filtered softly through the curtains, casting a gentle glow over the room.

You were still wrapped up in Auston´s arms, the steady rise and fall of his chest grounding you in a moment of calm after the storm of last night.

His fingers traced idle patterns along your back, and you could feel his warmth seeping into your skin like an anchor.

“Morning,” he mumbled, voice thick with sleep but unmistakably pleased.

You smiled, turning your head just enough to press a kiss to his chest. “Morning.”

There was a pause as he nuzzled into your shoulder, eyes closed, savoring the quiet.

“You know,” he said softly. “Last night? I wasn’t just talking about your territorial side being hot.”

You raised an eyebrow, curiosity teasing your lips. “Oh yeah? What then?”

He opened one eye, then the other, a lazy grin spreading. “It´s the way you care so much. You make it clear that I´m not just some prize on display. That I´m yours. That we are real, not just some headline.”

You swallowed, feeling a swell in your chest. “That means a lot. Sometimes I worry it´s too much.”

“Never,” Auston said firmly, pulling your closer. “It´s exactly what I want. You keep me grounded, remind me what´s important. And honestly, it makes me feel so lucky. Lucky to have someone who fights for me like that.”

You let your fingers run through thus hair, your heart full. “I´m not going anywhere.”

He smiled, eyes warm and steady. “Good, because I´m not either.”

You stayed like that for a long while. No phones, no distractions, just the quiet comfort of being together.

The world outside could wait.

[lightsoutmatthews]

I missed you!

[lightsoutmatthews]

hi :) your fics with protective auston and willy are so good oml can i request reader having a first or second date with auston and at the end they go their separate ways. as reader is walking home something uncomfy (idk what exactly lmfao) happens and she calls auston to help her and he is so protective of her in the moment. idk if this makes any sense but girly you can bring this to life lol

I hope this is what you imagined when you said idk what hahaha, also thank you for your confidence in me bringing your ideas to life 🥰

Call any time – Auston Matthews

You were nervous but trying to hide it.

It was only the second date.

The first one went well – more than well – but still.

You were standing outside a small Italian restaurant Auston picked out, texting him that you had arrived.

It was one of those places with warm lighting and too many plants, the kind of cozy that felt intentional not accidental.

He texted back a quick “Coming now :)” and a minute later he was there, dressed simply. Dark jeans, a cream hoodie under a jacket, and a baseball cap pulled down a bit. Casual, but it worked on him. somehow, he always made simple look like effort.

“Hey,” he said, smiling as he stepped in to give you a quick hug. It’ was a little more natural than last time. A little longer too.

“You look great,” he added, pulling back just enough to make eye contact.

“So do you,” you said, and it didn’t feel like a line.

Inside, the restaurant smelled like garlic and wine and something baking.

You were seated at a table near the window, not too crowded, just quiet enough for conversation.

He was relaxed tonight, more than last time, asking about your week, leaning in when you talked, arms resting on the table like he wasn’t in any rush.

He ordered a glass of red, you got the same.

“Do you come here often?” you asked.

“A couple of times a month, but I usually get takeout,” he replied. “It´s kind of low-key here. I didn’t want to pick something too flashy.”

“Are you worried about being recognized?” you teased.

He shrugged, not denying it. “A little. Not a fan of people staring when I´m trying to eat or talk to someone.”

“Someone like me?” you questioned smiling.

He grinned back. “Exactly like you.”

It was easy after that.

He listened when you talked, even when you were rambling about work or your weir neighbor or how your apartment building always smelled faint like burnt toast.

He told you stories too. About the guys on his team, growing up in Arizona, how he had learned to cook exactly three meals and would be lost without a personal chef.

By the time the check came, you were both leaning in close, not noticing how long you had been there. The conversation just kept coming.

“I´ll walk you home,” he offered once you got outside, even though it was a bit out of his way.

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah. I want to.”

It was a fifteen-minute walk back to your place. The city was quiet tonight. It was late enough that the traffic hat thinned out, but early enough that the sidewalks weren’t empty.

You talked about music. Movies. He told you how bad he was at karaoke and how he lost a bet once and had to sing Taylor Swift at a team event.

“Which song did you pick?” you laughed.

“Love story,” he admitted. “It was brutal, but I committed to it.”

You laughed harder than you should have. “I would pay good money to see that.”

He grinned again. “No one is ever seeing that video.”

The walk ended too quickly. You stopped a few doors down from your building. “This was fun,” you said.

“It was,” he agreed. Then, with a pause. “Wanna do it again sometime?”

“Yeah,” you replied easily without hesitation.

He leaned in, slower this time. You met him halfway.

It wasn’t rushed, not uncertain like either of you wasn’t sure about this happening.

Just a kiss, warm, steady, a quiet promise of what could happen in the future.

When you pulled away, he still had that soft smile. “Text me when you´re inside?”

“Will do.”

He waited until you were walking up the steps before he turned and left.

---------------

Back in your apartment, everything felt calm again. The night still sat soft on your skin, and the buzz from the date lingered in your chest.

You were halfway into a sweatshirt and comfy shorts, phone in hand, re-reading Auston´s last text: Good. Sleep well. Talk soon?

“Definitely” you had answered.

You smiled to yourself, brushing your teeth, still thinking about the way he leaned in during dinner, or how his voice got low when he asked if he could kiss you.

And the kiss. Warm. Steady. Intentional.

Your thoughts were interrupted, and you groaned when you walked past the trash you forgot to take out for the third day in a row.

It started to smell really bad in your hallway.

You were tired but you thought that it had to go out now or you would put it off for another few days.

It´s two minutes, you thought, maybe one if you walked quick.

You slipped into sneakers, grabbed the bag and stepped out into the chilly night. It was quiet in the building, late enough that most neighbors had gone to sleep.

You went out the side door that led to the alley behind the building. The dumpsters were at the far end, tucked in a dark corner where the sensor lights barely reached.

The smell of garbage punched you in the face, sharp and sour.

As you were lifting the dumpster lid, you heard it behind you…footsteps.

You pause. Someone was coming down the alley.

You glanced back. A man. Maybe early thirties. Hoodie, hands in his pockets, walking slower than normal. You couldn’t tell if he came from the street or the building next door.

You looked back down, dropped your trash, shut the lid. Acted casual.

Then:

“Hey,” he said.

Your spine stiffened. You turned slowly. “Hi,” you said back, trying to keep your voice steady.

He didn’t smile, just watched you. “You live here?”

You didn’t answer right away. You shifted your body slightly, squaring toward the exit, calculating how many steps it would take to get back inside.

“Just visiting a friend,” you said-

He smirked a little. “Yeah? Taking the trash out for them? What´s their name?”

You blinked. “Sorry?”

“Your friend. What´s their name?”

You didn’t like the way he said it. Not aggressive, but insistent, like he was testing you.

“I don’t think that´s any of your business,” you said, more firmly this time.

He took a small step closer. “Relax. I´m just talking.”

“I´d like to go now.”

“You don’t gotta be rude,” he muttered way getting way to close to you. “I was just trying to be nice.”

You moved, quickly, stepping to the side, giving yourself a wide berth. He sifted slightly like he might block your path, but ultimately, he didn’t. Still, he watched you as you passed. You could feel his eyes on your back.

Then he spoke again, louder this time: “You think you´re too good to talk to me? Just cause come guy probably walked you home?”

You didn’t answer. You were walking faster now, you didn’t run, but your hands shook as you reached the door and pushed it open.

Seconds later you slammed your apartment door behind you, locked it with both locks, then leaned against it, breathing hard.

Your heart was hammering now. Not because anything happened exactly, but because it almost did. Or could have.

You were angry. Scared. You didn’t even know who you were more made at. Him or yourself for being caught off-guard.

You paced your apartment, staring at the phone. Your contacts blur. Then, instinctively, you tapped into your messages.

Auston.

You hesitated. Then typed: hey, can I call you?

His reply came instantly: Yeah. Everything okay?

You called. He answered right away. “Hey. What´s going on?”

You took a second before speaking. “Something happened. I´m fine, just…I just took my trash out and…and there was this guy,” you explained, voice wavering more than you wanted it to.

You downplayed some parts. Emphasized others.

Auston didn’t interrupt, he just listened and then he said, “Text me your address.”

“Auston, it´s late…”

“Send it,” he pressed. So, you did.

Two minutes later, he texted: be there in 15

--------------

You stood there holding your phone like it was the only solid thing in the room.

When the knock came, you checked thought the peephole. It was him.

He was in a different hoodie from earlier and joggers, no cap this time, hair a little messy like he barely bothered with it before heading over. His face was serious.

You opened the door. “You okay?” he asked before even stepping fully inside.

You nodded, but you were not sure if it was true.

“Did you see him again?”

“No, I came straight up and locked up behind me.”

He closed the door behind him and locked it again. Then double-checked both locks.

He turned and looked at you. Really looked. “Tell me what he said again.”

You repeated it. This time with more detail. His posture stiffened as you spoke. Not violently, not reactive, but you could see the tension in his shoulders.

“Jesus,” he muttered. “And you were alone?”

You nodded again.

He exhaled hard. “I hate that you had to deal with that. That’s not okay.”

You sat on the couch. He hesitated, then joined you. Not too close, not too far.

“Were you scared?” he asked quietly even though he probably knew the answer.

You nodded, again. “He didn’t do anything, but it felt off. I didn’t want to say anything to you at first, because it´s not like…I mean, nothing technically happened.”

Auston shook his head. “You don’t need a checklist of “bad enough” to justify feeling unsafe. If your gut said something was wrong, it was.”

You sat with that for a second, then whispered. “I didn’t know who else to call.”

“I´m glad you called me,” he said instantly. You were quiet.

He leaned forward, elbows on his knees. “Look. I don’t care if it´s 2 am, or you just had a weird feeling, or you´re not even sure if it was anything, you can always call me. And I mean that.”

You studied his face; there was no performative masculinity there. No ego. Just concern.

“Okay,” you said softly. He gave you a small nod.

“I´ll walk out an check the alley before I go,” he said after a pause.

“You don’t have to.”

“I should,” another pause, then, with a small smile, “Unless you want me to crash here. I can take the couch. Not trying to push anything. Just…if you´d feel better.”

You didn’t answer right away, but you did stand up. “Stay.”

--------------

You led Auston into the kitchen, heart still ticking a little faster than normal, but it was different now. Not fear, just awareness. That he came. That he was here.

You handed him a glass of water. He took it, nodded once in thanks, and went back to the living room.

The tension in his body had softened a little now that he was near you. “You good if I crash here?” he asked, voice a little quieter now.

You glanced toward the clock. It was just past midnight. You felt safer with him here. Calmer. “Yeah,” you said. “Honestly, I´d like that.”

You disappeared into the linen closet and grabbed an extra blanket. By the time you returned, Auston had kicked off his shoes and was setting his phone down on the coffee table.

He looked up when you re-entered and gently took the blanket from you, but not without a quick, appreciative smile.

“I´ll just crash right here. Let me know if you need anything.”

You lingered near the edge of the couch. There was something about the space between you now. Not awkward, but unspoken.

You were both aware this wasn’t what a second date was usually supposed to look like but neither of you seemed to mind.

“I think I´ll just gonna change and crash, too,” you said.

“Okay.”

You hesitated. “You sure you´re good out here?”

“I´m good,” he repeated. “I´m better knowing you´re okay.”

That made your chest pull in a different way. Not romantic, not intense. Just solid.

You nodded since and disappeared into your room.

You washed your face, more for routine than anything, and changed into an oversized t-shirt and sleep shorts.

When you came back out to get a glass of water, Auston was still awake. Lying on the couch now, one arm under his head, the other resting on his chest, staring at the ceiling.

He turned his head when he heard you approach. “Couldn’t sleep?”

“Didn’t even try yet.”

You walked over and leaned against the wall near him. “It´s dumb,” you mumbled. “But I still feel a little on the edge.”

“It´s not dumb,” he shut you down immediately. Then after a second, he added, “Want me to stay up for a bit?”

You blinked. “You would do that?”

He shrugged his shoulders like it was obvious that he would do that for someone he only met two weeks ago and only went on two dates with. “I´ll sit out here as long as you want or you can come out and sit, whatever helps.”

You liked at the couch, then at him.

Then you quietly asked, “Can I sit fir a minute?”

He shifted over without a word, making space.

You sat near him, not close enough to touch but not far either. The quiet hum of the fridge filled the space between you.

He watched you, but only when you were not looking.

You folded your hands in your lap. “I didn’t think tonight would end like this.”

“Yeah,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck. “Me neither.”

There was a pause, then more gently: “But I´m glad I was close enough to come.”

You glanced at him.

He was really watching you now, eyes soft, brow faintly creased. He was clearly still wound up from earlier, but he was calmer now that you were next to him.

“Do things like that happen a lot?” he asked carefully.

You shook your head. “No. Not really and not like that. I´ve had guys make dumb comments or stare, but this felt different.”

He nodded, jaw tight again. “That guy knew what he was doing. Trying to make you feel small.”

You sighed. “It worked.”

“It won’t happen again,” he said firmly.

There was weight behind it. Not dramatic, not really a threat, just a promise.

“I know I said this already,” he added. “But of anything ever feels off again. Literally anything. You call me. Even if it´s a maybe. Even if you just don’t want to walk alone.”

“I will,” you promised.

A silence settled over you both, but it wasn’t uncomfortable.

You glanced over and found him already watching you again, but not in a heavy way, just like he was present.

You blinked slowly. “Have you ever had a night like this before?”

He thought about it for a second. “Yeah. Different reason, though. I got recognized leaving a friends place. A couple of guys followed me for a few blocks. Nothing happened, but it felt wrong. Like, one misstep and something would´ve gone sideways or something.”

“That´s exactly how I felt,” you said quietly. “Like I had to stay just right to keep it from crossing a line.”

“It´s not the same thing when it happens to a woman compared to a guy but still, I know the feeling.”

That made you feel oddly closer to him. Not just because he came over, but because he understood.

You looked down at your hands. “I don’t know why I´m so emotional about this.”

“Because it was scary,” he said. “That´s allowed.”

Your throat tightened for a second. You nodded, slowly.

He shifted then, just a few inches closer, his arm brushing yours. “Come here,” he said, barely above a whisper.

You didn’t think, just leaned in. His arm came around your back, warm and steady.

Your head leaned to rest on his shoulder, and he didn’t move or speak. Just sat there holding you, anchoring the moment.

You didn’t know how long you sat there, a few minutes, maybe more, but when you finally pulled back, there was a different kind of calm in your chest. A calmer one.

“I should try to sleep,” you murmured.

He nodded. “Go.”

You hesitated. “Can you wake me up before you leave? Doesn’t matter when it is.”

“I promise.”

You stood slowly, giving his hand a gentle squeeze before retreating to your room.

When you crawled into bed, you listened. For footsteps. For doors. For anything indicating that he would maybe leave immediately after you fell asleep.

But you didn’t hear a thing and for the first time that night, your felt safe enough to sleep.

[lightsoutmatthews]

please could i request doing the current boyfriend tiktok trend on auston or joseph woll ??? i feel like they are both Lovers and would be funny as fuck

YES!! I love writing about TikTok couples pranks, I spiced it up a little because it would´ve been a little short otherwise 🤗

"Current boyfriend" – Joseph Woll

“Hey babe?” you called out to your boyfriend who looked up from whatever he was doing on his phone as soon as he heard you speak up.

“What´s up?”

“Can we do a TikTok together?”

His eyebrows raised at your request. It wasn’t unusual for him to appear in your TikToks, but he was mostly in the background. A shadow in the mirror, a known cap halfway in a clip or his back behind you. 

You very rarely asked him to be an actual part of the videos, partly because you knew he wasn’t big on social media and partly because you didn’t want to be the girlfriend that used her famous boyfriend to become some sort of influencer.

“Yeah, why not. What do you have in mind?”

You explained to him that you would to the put a finger down challenge where each one of you would tell the other statements and if either of you had done it you would put a finger down.

Little did Joseph know that your plan was a different one.

The entire week you had seen the “current boyfriend” trend on your for you page and you were dying to pull it on him.

He wasn’t on TikTok, which meant he had no idea it even existed, and he would be as clueless as ever.

“Hold on a second!” he said as you were about to press start on your phone.

You rolled your eyes giggling as you watched him fixing his hair in the screen of your phone. “You look perfect, babe. No need to make it worse while trying to fix it!” you laughed.

“I woke up from a nap 15 minutes ago and did not have the chance to look in a mirror yet. I looked exactly like that,” he laughed, brushing through his hair one last time before finally accepting how it fell around his face.

“Are you ready now?”

“Ready!”

You pressed the red button on your phone and the familiar “ding” of the recording start rang in your ear.

“Hey everyone! Today we have a special guest in the video!” you smiled and held your hands out like you were presenting something on a silver platter. “For everyone that doesn’t know who this is, this is my current boyfriend, Joseph. He….”

You said it casually, like it was a normal thing that was part of your daily conversation but from the corner of your eye you saw him freeze up.

Laughter threatened to spill out, but you had to pull yourself together and act like nothing unusual happened, so you just kept going with what you wanted to say. “Well, anyways my current boyfriend Joseph and I will do the put a finger down challenge today where we…” you repeated the words.

“What did you just say?” he interrupted you mid-sentence, eyes wide open, confusion spread all over his face.

You pressed your lips together trying to hold back the laughter that was still threatening to spill out of your mouth. Then you tilted your head like you had no idea what he was confused about.

“What?” you asked innocently.

“Did you just… did you just introduce me as your current boyfriend?” The perplexity in his voice almost made you break but you swallowed hard to keep it down.

“Uhm, yeah…?”

“On camera?” he clarified. “For the people of your TikTok and everyone else to see?”

You nodded, still pretending to be confused about why he was asking that. “Yeah? Was I supposed to say something different?” you questioned, now matching his raised eyebrows.

He stares at you for a moment, then shakes his head in disbelief and just… walks away.

“Joey, come back,” you giggled but a small part of you started to feel guilty about bringing this kind of reaction out of him for a silly prank. You didn’t want to make him feel so bad he would leave the room.

He didn’t answer to your calling of his name, but it didn’t take him long to come back. You didn’t even have to stop the video before he was walking back into the room.

The frown was still on his face but this time he had his phone in his hand as he walked towards you. “Current…” he said again, and you were about to put him out of his misery when he continued. “As in just right now? At the present time?”

Right then you decided to keep going just a little longer, so you just shrugged but didn’t give him a verbal reply. 

“Are you planning on replacing me anytime soon?” he questioned which made you feel even more guilty.

“No, but you are my current boyfriend. You are my boyfriend right now and that means you are my current boyfriend. Does it not?”

He raised his eyebrows again. “I mean I guess that’s right, but the way you said that made it sound like you don’t plan on having me as your future boyfriend.”

“I don’t know what you want me to say, Jo,” you shrugged still trying to stop yourself from laughing at his puppy dog eyes that looked a little bit too much like heartbreak for this just being a silly prank.

“I guess, since we´re being honest here, I think now is the time for me to tell you something. You should probably sit down for this.”

His voice was flat now and your heart dropped immediately. “Uh…okay…?” you said, the sudden change of tone making you worry and forget about the trend you were doing immediately.

He didn’t say anything for a few beats, like he was contemplating how to drop whatever he wanted to say on you.

“I don’t want to be your current boyfriend… I have been thinking about it for a while and…”

You jumped up from the couch in shock, slapping your hands over your mouth, tears picking at the corners of your eyes immediately. Your heart was beating so fast you thought it would jump out of your chest.

“Joseph…” you breathed almost soundless.

That’s when he broke into a fit of giggles and a cloud of heavy confusion settled over you.

Your heart was still racing at a hundred miles per hour because you did not understand what was going on at the moment.

If he was really breaking up with you, why was he laughing?

“You should see your face,” he laughed breathless, holding his stomach from laughing so hard.

You shook your head in an attempt to make sense of what was happening.

“What is happening right now?” you questioned, whipping the wet spots under your eyes away.

“Do you really think I didn’t know what you were doing to me? I´m not a grandpa that´s never on social media and Matt showed me that a few days ago at practice because one of his ex-college teammates had it done to him too.”

Relief washed over you immediately. “So, you´re not breaking up with me?”

Joseph shook his head laughing. “No, silly.”

He walked over to the couch and sat down, then patted next to him, signaling for you to sit down.

“At first, I was confused by the current boyfriend thing but then I remembered that video when you said it for the second time. I have to admit I was also kind of suspicious when you were suddenly asking me to be in a video when you literally didn’t do that for months.”

You swatted his arm and then buried your face in his shoulder. “And instead of just laughing and telling me that you knew what I was doing you decided to give me a freaking heart attack?” you whined as you leaned back again and buried your head in your hands.

“I saw the opportunity and took it, look at it like immediate revenge,” he laughed.

“That was so mean, I genuinely thought you were about to break up with me.”

“No way, sweetheart. The only way you´ll not be able to call me your boyfriend anymore is when you start calling me your fiancé at some point in the future.”

That made your heart flatter in the best ways. “Promise?” you asked hopeful, batting your eyes up at him.

A soft smile spread on his lips before he leaned down and pressed the softest kiss to your lips. “Promise.”

[lightsoutmatthews]

Thank you SO much for 300 followers!!!!!!!

I still can’t believe that many people actually enjoy the things I wrote in the middle of the night or when I was a goals supposed to be studying 😭

Thank you thank you thank you (again)

Unfortunately I won’t be able to hold a celly this time because of exams but we will get back on track at the next one!!

[lightsoutmatthews]

[lightsoutmatthews]

Coming Back to You - Auston Matthews

summary: what you and Auston once had was good, until it was not, but it´s so hard to leave what´s good behind, so why not start something casual?

pairing: Auston Matthews x female!reader

word count: 3.8k

warnings: suggestive (no on page intercourse), mentions of toxic relationship and toxic behavior, possessive Auston, bunch of bad decisions

authors note

the timeline in this tells how long it took me to finish this

Auston is kind of a bitch in this so be warned

Tags: @closelypoliteinsight

----------------------

Your heart races as you jolt up from a dead sleep. You were breathless with a lingering cold sweat as you took in your surroundings. Outside, the sky rumbled with thunder and lightning.

The bright light cracked across the sky, and a moment later, as your pulse steadied, the grumble of the pitch-black night sky was barely heard in the distance.

It was not the thunder that’s woken you, though. You knew that much. It was something much more terrifying in its destructive power. Worse, it was a feeling inside you.

You swallowed thickly, checking your phone on bedside table. The bed groaned slightly as he stirred in his sleep, and all at once it came back to you.

Auston.

Your eyes settled on the rise of his nude, tattooed hip lying on the other side of the bed. If it were any other night, the sight of his bare back, lightly tanned skin and slightly longer dark hair spread out over the pillow would have you turned on in seconds.

You debated to wake him, go back to what you were doing just hours before. Him making you moan was the most addictive thing you´ve ever done.

This time, there was nothing but guilt, though.

That was what this pained tightness in your chest must be. Guilt over what you had done, and what it would cost you. Even if it didn’t feel like it now, you would hate yourself for this in the morning.

If only you could take it back.

But there was only one way out for you both.

If you were a better person, you´d leave, leave him in the past, where he should have been since you broke up months ago.

Unfortunately, you were not that good. Something in you couldn’t let him go. Somehow, he´s still everything you´ve ever wanted and with each encounter after the break-up you felt more damned and blessed to still have him in your life.

After all, it was supposed to be just one time. To get each other out of your systems one final time. Nothing more than that. You thought you could resist him, keep him tucked securely into the furthest space of your heart so when that one time was over, you could do what was needed.

But somewhere along the way, you both became something more again. What you once felt for him came back somehow even stronger than you thought you were capable of.

And though you´ve done what had to be done a few months ago, after fights took over your daily conversations and toxic behavior on both parts clouded your relationship all you truly still wanted was him. All of him.

With guilt sinking into your chest, you settled down into the sheets again, him turning in his sleep, pulling you back into his chest. Your body molded into his as if you were meant to fit perfectly against him.

Today was one of the few times you had not slipped out of his house before the early hours of the morning. You wanted nothing more than to wake up here every day again.

Your phone buzzed on the nightstand, and he stirred. Your phone went off another time, then a third time, this time making an audible ping sound but before you could grab it, he reached his tattooed arm around you and picked it up to silence the device.

As he turned it over, he got a glance of what was on the screen. His name. The guy you had been chatting with on a dating app and who you were supposed to meet for coffee with later in the morning.

He turned over in his half-asleep state, tiredness still in his eyes as he put the phone back. “It´s not what you think it is,” you mumbled.

You didn’t know why you were defending yourself. You were not together anymore after all.

“We´ll talk about it tomorrow,” he mumbled, basically asleep again.

He reached his arm out, signaling for you to come back into his embrace. Feeling his warm skin against you instantly making you sleepy again.

“Okay.” you whispered into the silence of the room, knowing you would already be out of the house before this conversation could ever happen.

“Stay the night, okay?” His words punch you right in the heart but before you could protest, he kissed the curve on your neck, the one that he knew would make it impossible for you to leave.

A whimper slipped across your lips as you murmur: “That´s why you want me to stay?”

He just grumbled and pulled you closer into his muscled chest.

You wished you could tell him that this was the last time. But the thought of truly leaving him behind and moving on to another guy quieted your tongue.

If this really was your last time with him, you needed to have as much of him now before everything fell apart again.

Did that make you evil? Maybe, but you didn’t want to think about it right now, so you focused on the here and now as you intervened his fingers, that were spread out on your chest, with yours which led to him pressing a soft kiss on top of it. “Sleep, sweetheart.”

All you wanted was to go back and start over. If you had known that even after the breakup you could not leave him behind, maybe neither of you would set you up to be destroyed.

------

Flashback

You met Auston through mutual friends.

Max Domi´s girlfriend Estelle and you knew each other from working together and after you had met for the first time you became fast friends.

You would be invited to parties and functions at their house or around town occasionally, sometimes when some of his teammates would also be around.

You first talked to him at a game of beer pong when Mitch Marner set you two up to be a team because “he simply could not play with someone who was playing as badly as Auston”. Turns out the man was actually quite good and you won with ease.

You two came to talking as he was getting you a drink, getting along immediately. First, there was this sort of friendship but with lingering tension all over every interaction.

A subtle brush of his hand on your back when you were squeezing past him at a party.

A look that probably lasted a bit too long for people who were supposed to be “just friends”.

Of course, the tension snaped at one point. It was after the Leafs Christmas party. You were standing outside the venue, waiting for your Uber to arrive to take you home. He was doing the same thing. His arrived just as you got the notification that your driver had cancelled the ride.

He demanded for you to take his because he “didn’t want to leave you waiting out here all alone” even though there were plenty of people still around.

You didn’t want him to wait here either, so you settled on sharing the car.

You arrived at his apartment first. Lingering touches full of unspoken tension and feelings had built up the heat in the car. Both of you knew he would not be getting out alone. Both of you knew you would not leave his bedroom until the early hours of the morning.

It was only a matter of time after that until you made it official, and you were walking around Toronto as Auston Matthews´ girlfriend.

At first it was easy. His demanding schedule fitting in nicely with your busy time at work. Both of you making time whenever you could.

The beginning of the off-season was spent together in his home in Arizona. Weeks filled with sex, dinners, dates and truly being a couple without the demands of a full NHL season.

You had been dating a few months when you returned to Toronto earlier than expected. He was named captain that July. A badge that filled not only him but you with pride.

Unfortunately, things turned south from that point on. Suddenly the promise of a relaxing off-season in the sun was gone. He was supposed to stay in Toronto, do media, sponsorship commitments and train.

He wanted to be prepared, especially coming of a career best season.

It stung that he was throwing your plans overboard that easily. Of course, you know these were things he had to do but you didn’t expect them to take up all his time so suddenly.

You had managed just fine last season but suddenly it felt like he had a million more things to do just because of a title.

That was when your first big fight happened. You brought up that he was barely making time for you anymore and was barely taking you out, he argued that he had to focus on hockey now.

You yelled back and forth for a while before you left his house and didn’t respond to any of his text and calls for two days.

He came groveling with roses, a Cartier bracelet and the promise that he would do better, and you forgave him.

Of course, you forgave him.

Thigs were better for a while. He took you on dates again. You spent evenings at his house or your apartment where you watched movies or fooled around in bed until the early hours of the morning.

It was just like it was in the beginning, but your bubble was busted when training camp rolled around, and he kept brushing you off again.

The fights got more frequent from then on. There was hardly a day where you didn’t fight.

The toxic behavior got on top of things. Ignoring each other, gaslighting, he even threw the “I could have anyone I want” card at one point.

This is when you knew it was enough. This wasn’t good for either of you, so you broke up.

It was a harsh conversation. Yelling overtaking quickly after you spoke the four words you knew had to be said.

----------

The first time you saw him again after the breakup was at a bar. You were out with some of your co-workers he was out with some teammates. Willy spotted you first and greeted you with a warm smile and a simple side hug which obviously drew his attention.

Neither of you acknowledged each other directly but there were some glances, raised eyebrows when he saw you dancing closely with a guy and a drink sent your way from “someone who knows you”. It was your favorite cocktail.

He waited for you in the hallway when you returned from the toilet. “What do you want, Auston?” The words were harsher than you intended them to be.

“I miss you.”

He was drunk, no doubt about it, but so were you. When the “I miss you too” slipped out of your mouth it was only a matter of seconds before his lips were on yours.

The familiarity immediately creeping back up again. It had only been a few weeks since the breakup, but this was really showing you how much you were craving his touch.

“Come home with me, one last time,” he mumbled as he was kissing along your jaw and down your neck.

You should’ve said no. You should’ve left him right then and there, reminding him of why you broke up and why this was a horrible idea. But you did not. One time won’t hurt you thought to yourself. Just to get him out of the system you tried to convince yourself.

Guilt washed through you when you woke up in the early hours of the morning. Your hair a mess from when he pulled it in an act of passion, your legs still tingling from how he made them shake.

He was fast asleep next to you, so you grabbed your things and left.

The streets of Toronto were quiet at this hour. The silence during your Uber ride home gave you too much free time to think about what had happened.

You shouldn’t have gone home with him. You should’ve left him in the past. A guy you used to date. Someone you told your kids about should they discover the hockey team of the city you lived in.

You once imagined him being the father of those kids, now the thought sent a pang through you.

-----------

The second time happened not to long after. It was barely three weeks after you had snuck out of his house when you bumped into him after his game. You knew he was injured and not playing, that’s why you agreed to come and watch with your friends.

“Still stalking me, I see. I thought you would never speak to me again after you snuck out in the middle of the night.” Your friend had sent you a questionable look at his words.

You had told her that you went home with someone. You hadn’t told her that it was him.

“Fuck off, Auston,” you spat and turned around to walk away, following your friend who was already at the Uber. When he grabbed your arm, pulled you into his chest and whispered “I´d much rather fuck you” in your ear you were a goner.

One last time you told yourself when you walked up the front steps to his home. This is it you reminded yourself when you snuck out at 4 am.

---------

From that point on you had regular hookups. Each time you left saying this is the last time, each time you came back you felt the guilt run through you.

Your friends soon caught on and warned you that this was dangerous territory you were in.

“He´s stringing you along” your best friend told you.

“He just needs a quick fuck, and he knows you´ll be at his back and call” another friend told you.

They knew you still had lingering feelings for him. They didn’t know you would much rather be in this weird territory you were with him now, than actually leave him a memory.

You knew you should have some self-respect and don’t let a man do this to you because if this would happen to a friend, you would tell them the exact same thing your friends were telling your now.

---------

When Christmas and the new year rolled around you promised yourself you would leave him in the old year. You signed up for a dating app and stopped responding to his late-night messages. Step by step you slowly distanced yourself from him again.

You were proud of yourself for not caving as easily anymore.

------------

When Estelle invited you to the new year’s party at her and Max´s place, of course you said yes. Your friendship hadn’t taken a toll when you and Auston broke up.

When you arrived at their house and the first person you spotted was the team captain. He was talking to a cute blonde, and unfortunately not to your surprise your heart shattered.

You knew you certainly had no right to complain; you were doing the same thing; you signed up for the dating app. You should not be hurt by him flirting with someone else.

As a sad try to appear unaffected by his actions you grinded against the first guy you could find on the makeshift dancefloor. It appeared to be a fairly young Leafs player who suddenly jumped away from you.

The scent of Auston’s cologne reaches your nose before you sensed his presence. The poor guy must have been jump scared by the look of death his captain had on his face as he approached.

He whispered some words you didn’t understand to the guy, and he quickly rushed off, leaving you and your ex-boyfriend slash fling alone.

“Trying to make me jealous?” You huffed at his words. “I didn’t show up with Barbie on my arm.” His brows raised in amusement. “Jealous?”

“Goodbye, Auston.” He grabbed your arm as you walked away. “I know what you´re trying to do. Not replying to my messages, grinding up against my teammates.”

“And what would that be?” Words filled with spite but also curiosity. “Will you stop fighting that we´ll inevitably always end up back in my bed?” Another huff as you finally walked away.

Asshole.

----------------------

As the countdown to the new year ticked down you found yourself back in his close proximity. He was helping Max carry glasses of champagne to toast to the new year just like you were helping Estelle.

The last 10 seconds of 2024 were spent next to him. You were only partially surprised when he pulled you into a kiss right as the clock struck midnight. You were not surprised when he took you home.

Again.

------

Auston drawing lazy patterns on your upper arm woke you from your slumber. The faint memories of your short conversation from last night still on your mind.

He saw the message from your Hinge date. He said you would talk about it tomorrow. You thought you´d be long gone by the time he woke up.

“I thought you´d be gone by the time I woke up,” he mumbled directly next to your ear before he placed a kiss right below it.

The tender gesture gave you goosebumps. He used to do this all the time when you were together.

“Me too.”

Neither of you said anything for the next few minutes. “Cancel on him.” was the first thing he broke the silence with.

“What?” It was too early to process thoughts.

“Cancel on your brunch date with the guy from Hinge.”

“Why would I?” Shimmying out of the hold he still had on you, you sat up and looked at him with curious eyes.

“You came home with me, you´re in my bed, you´re mine. I don’t share.”

His words collided with you like a truck. You´re mine.

“I´m no ones, Auston. In case you forgot, we broke up.” A chuckle left his lips.

“Yet you´re here for the god knows how many time since.”

You sigh and flop back onto the fluffy pillow. “We both know it´s true.”

“You´re an asshole. You´re so cocky and so full of yourself you think I will come crawling back to you because we hooked up a bunch of times since breaking up. What has changed, Auston? Will you string me along for another few months before you quit and forget about me again?”

Your words made him sit up. Felix, laying at his feet, grumbling at the audacity of his dad. “Look, I´m sorry, okay? I was an ass.” You huffed once again at his sad attempt of an apology.

“Yeah. You still are.” He sighed.

“I´m trying to be better.” His voice was merely a whisper that almost got swallowed by the room. “I know some roses, a new bracelet and promises won´t fix things. All I want is another chance, I´ll beg if you need me to.”

You shouldn’t give in to him. You knew it probably wouldn’t end well. You knew he probably hadn’t changed in the few months since the breakup. You wanted to be strong and do the right thing for yourself. But you missed him.

You missed his touch. You missed taking Felix on late night walks through the city where he eventually had to take you piggyback because you were too tired to walk all the way back home. You missed being woken up with soft kisses to your head that sometimes turned into more.

You knew it was either saying yes to his proposal now or finally drawing the line under the chapter “Auston Matthews”

Waiting for an answer, the man looked at you. “There is a very long conversation to be held before.” You said.

“Just tell me you´ll consider it. We will talk things through as soon as we had breakfast, I promise.”

“There´s that I promise again,” you chuckled. He rolled his eyes in a playful manner. “Is that a yes?”

“This is your last chance.”

-------------

Some time in the future

“I´m very happy to present, for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Matthews.” Mitch yelled into the microphone of your reception hall.

Auston gripped your hand and dragged you behind him into the room that was filled with your friends and family who cheered you on as you entered.

Mitch handed you the microphone.

“Hey, everyone.” You started. “Thank you so much for celebrating with us today. We couldn’t have imagined this day without every single one of you. Many of you know my husband and I did not have the easiest start to our relationship, there were times when I wasn’t sure ever taking him back was a good idea, especially when he came home after that one game against Carolina where Freddie smacked him with his stick, and he was unhappy with how I played nurse.”

The room chuckled. Freddie, who was seated with all the other groomsmen raised his glass in acknowledgement.

Of course, you had picked a funny moment for this but there were moments where you regretted your decision. Your relationship was far from easy when you got back together again. You still think that that time years ago was the hardest ever in your relationship but you both worked through it.

You learned how to trust each other, how to solve problems in a non-toxic way and how to communicate properly. It took time but all the work paid off and now your relationship was stronger than ever.

You hadn’t regretted your decision in ages, you were not sure if you ever would again. There wasn’t a moment in life where you wouldn’t want this exact man on your side.

“But most days I´m glad I have him. I couldn’t imagine life with anyone else by my side. Aus, I love you, so much it annoys me sometimes.” Another laugh from everyone. “I´m the happiest person alive knowing I get to spend forever with you.”

Your husband pulled you into a soft kiss before he took over the mic.

“There is not much I can add to what my wife has already said. Thank you everyone for being here and for making this day extra special. Babe, I love you, I´m the happiest man in the world knowing were only here because you were kind enough to take me back even after everything, we´ve been through. Enjoy the night everyone.”

The rattling applause that started became a background noise when he dipped you back and placed a long, passionate kiss to your lips. “I love you.” You whispered against his lips. “I love you, Mrs. Matthews.”

[lightsoutmatthews]

sports asks!

i'm procrastinating rn, so send in a number, and i'll respond with my answer to the correlating questions! you can send in numbers more than once, i'll answer differently

what sport moment made you cry? (sad)

what sport moment made you cry? (happy)

what sport moment had you jumping up and down?

what's the longest you've gone without watching a sport?

what team do you support and why?

who's your favourite player currently on your favourite team?

who's your favourite player who's ever been on your favourite team?

who's your favourite player not on your favourite team + never been?

what's your earliest/an early sports memory?

what's a sports memory you hate thinking about?

what's a sports moment that lives in your head rent free?

do you have any collections (cards, jerseys, etc)?

have you been to a game? what was your favourite part?

do you have a 'comfort' athlete? why do you like them?

which athlete was your favourite growing up? why?

what's the best game/moment in your eyes?

have you ever met an athlete? who?

favourite friendship/bromance between athletes?

which player is growing on you?

what's a narrative you can go on and on about?

feel free to use! just send an ask to who you rb from!

[lightsoutmatthews]

This is an oddly specific request but maybe your car breaks down and you call him freaking out and he comes and helps/takes care of you? Like really fluffy and sweet. Auston or Will? Congrats on 250 recently, your writing is so good!

I love oddly specific requests!!! Also I chose Auston because I did get quite a lot of Willy requests and wanted to switch it up a little and thank you for the congrats!! 😌

Car Troubles – Auston Matthews

It started with a flicker just as you were pulling out of the grocery store parking lot. A light on the dashboard blinked once, then disappeared like it had never been there.

At first you thought it was your eyes playing tricks on you. Maybe the sun reflected in the display weird, or you simply imagined it.

But then, half a block later, the steering started to feel off.

You gripped the wheel harder, feeling the sudden heaviness in your arms as it resisted your turns.

A strange tightness settled into your chest, so you eased off the gas and coasted for a moment, blinking rapidly at the dash.

A couple more warning lights flashed. First the battery, then the oil symbol, then some other one you had never seen before and this time they stayed on.

You took a slow breath, trying not to overreact. Cars had weir glitches sometimes. Maybe it was just a sensor acting up.

You had small issues with the car before but nothing like this.

Half a block later the air conditioning cut out. The dash lights dimmed and then the engine gave a quiet stutter and died.

Your car rolled forward silently, everything in the cabin eerily quiet.

You managed to steer it to the shoulder, a small stretch of gravel between the road and a weed-choked fence. It was barely enough room, but at least you were out of traffic.

Throwing the car in park, you stared at the wheel, gripping it tight like it would help or somehow turn the car back on.

The silence came next. You were still sitting there, no music, no engine, no AC, the car slowly heating in the Arizonian sun.

It was just your breathing and the low whoosh of other cars going past.

The quiet didn’t feel peaceful, it felt wrong. Like something essential had just stopped.

You turned the key again. Nothing.

No click. No rumble. No sign of life.

Your stomach dropped, and that was when the first wave of panic rolled in. A sharp, bitter wave that made your hands go clammy and your breath catch in your throat.

You grabbed your phone with trembling fingers and instinctively searched for Auston´s contact. You didn’t think about it or weighted you options.

He was your person. The first one you needed.

He answered quickly. “Hey babe!”

“My car died,” you said, barely managing to keep your voice steady. “It just stopped completely. I don’t know what happened, I pulled over, but it won’t even turn back on,” you rambled.

There was a pause on the line, but it wasn’t the bad kind. He was thinking.

“Where are you right now?” he asked, voice already shifting into that calm-control mode.

You gave him the cross street and a rough idea of where you had pulled over. “I´m on my way,” he said. “Fifteen minutes tops.”

“Okay,” you breathed.

“Are you safe? Did you lock the doors?” he checked. “Yeah.”

“Okay good, I´m coming. Try to stay calm, okay?”

You nodded, even though he couldn’t see it. “Okay.”

--------------

The next ten minutes felt like thirty.

You sat rigid in your seat, arms crossed, eyes flicking between the rearview mirror and the side of the road, watching cars rush by too fast and too close. Every little noise made you flinch and the heat was slowly becoming unbearable even though you had opened the passenger door to let fresh air in.

You kept trying the key again, like maybe the car would magically wake up and pretend nothing happened.

It didn’t.

You tried googling possible causes. Battery, alternator, starter, but the more articles you opened the more overwhelmed you got and the more that creeping feeling of helplessness returned.

You weren’t used to being helpless. You were used to figuring things out on your own. Handling it. Pushing through. But now you were just stuck in a dead car on the side of the road.

And then Auston´s familiar car finally pulled up behind you.

You saw it in the rearview and immediately let out a breath. The tension in your shoulders started to melt and the second he stepped out of his Lamborghini.

He didn’t rush, but he didn’t waste time either. His stride was calm but purposeful. When he got to your window, you opened the door and saw the concern on his face.

“Are you okay?” he asked softly, crouching down so you were at eye level.

You nodded, eyes suddenly burning. “I think so. I don’t know what happened.”

“Hey,” he said, reaching for your hand, cupping the side of your face with the other one gently. “It´s okay, I´m here now.”

That was it. That was all it took for you to push out of the car and before he could say anything else, wrap yourself around his body.

You practically collapsed into him.

Your forehead smashed against his chest and his arm immediately came around your back. It was tight and warm and comforting.

His hands rubbed slow circles along your spine and he placed sift kisses to your head as you buried your face in his shirt. “Shh,” he murmured against your hair. “You´re okay. You´re safe. I´ve got you.”

You didn’t cry exactly, but your eyes welled up and your breathing hitched in that quiet, overwhelmed kind of way.

You weren’t even sure if it was because of the car anymore or if everything just came crashing down on you.

How helpless you had felt. How much better you felt now that he was here.

“Go sit in my car, okay? the AC is on and there´s a water bottle for you in the cupholder.”

You nodded.

He ended up helping you into the passenger seat of the expensive vehicle. You still hadn’t gotten used to sitting it even after regularly driving in it since the beginning of summer.

Auston closed the door gently and you thought he would go and check on your car, but he was walking around to the other side. Once he slid in, he handed you the water and took your hand, interlinking your fingers.

“Let´s sit for a minute,” he said. “Catch your breath, then I´ll check on the car, okay?”

You nodded again.

-----------

Ten minutes later, he was crouched in front of your car with the hood up. You knew he had probably no idea what he was looking at, he was a hockey player not a mechanic, but you still appreciated him trying to check what he could.

You sat in his car watching him, that tight knot in your chest loosening a little more every time you saw the care in his movements.

When he came back, he slid into the driver´s seat and gave your knee a squeeze.

“Is it bad?” you asked even though you knew he probably didn’t know.

He shrugged. “With my very limited knowledge of cars I think it´s not the end of the world. I´ll call a tow truck and we´ll get it to a shop.”

You felt yourself slump back in the seat. “I hate not knowing what to do.”

“That´s why you have me in these situations,” he said simply. “You don’t have to know what to do all the time. Especially, not when I´m around.”

He called the tow company shortly after, gave them your information and stayed calm thought the whole thing, even when the estimated wait time was longer than expected.

“They said it will be about 45 minutes,” he said, setting his phone down. “I got some snacks in the back if you want beef jerky or a protein bar.”

You looked at him, one brow raised.

“What, I get hungry after training.” You smiled a little at that and he looked smug like that had been his goal.

-------------

The next half hour passed in quiet comfort. You curled up in the passenger seat with your legs pulled under you. Auston leaned his seat back a little, talking about summer training and about how Clayton almost took himself out during their skating session this morning and then blamed the ice.

“You should have seen his face when everyone started laughing. He´s gonna get chirped forever.”

You laughed, for real this time, and Auston´s eyes softened. “Look at you feeling better already,” he said, gently brushing his fingers across the back of your hand.

-------------

When the tow truck finally arrived, Auston got out and handled everything. Talked to the driver, made sure the guy knew where to take it, stayed right next to the car as it was loaded up.

You watched from the front seat, feeling both exhausted and incredibly grateful.

By the time he got back in the car, the sky had started turning gold.

It had been over an hour and a half since you first broke down.

You still had no idea what the repair would cost or how long you would be without a car, but you weren’t alone.

[lightsoutmatthews]

I just watched Mitch’s press conference / introduction with VGK and how am I supposed to stay sad and mad when he was THIS happy?? I’ll miss him so much but he genuinely seems thrilled to be in vegas and I love that for him 😭

[lightsoutmatthews]

This was the most painful edit I ever had to make

[lightsoutmatthews]

“I gave it everything I had, but in the end, it wasn’t enough. That’s hard to admit, because I wanted it so badly, for all of us” I’m not emotionally stable enough for this 😭😭😭😭

[lightsoutmatthews]

It’s official and they didn’t even hold my hand before posting it

[lightsoutmatthews]

Hi Jo :) I have kind of a long request. Can you do reader x Willy started dating during the off season, so she’s never been to a Leafs game before. At her first game he says he left a pass for her at the gate or whatever, and when she goes to pick it up the pass is still under his exes name. Soooo reader is turned away and can’t get into the game because the names don’t match and she feels so embarrassed. Willy is clueless as to what happened, so he’s confused/concerned why she isn’t at the game. When he finally realizes what happens he feels SO bad and makes it up to reader. Lots of angst, and some fluff at the end? Thank you girly!

I´m obsessed with all those Willy requests I´ve been getting lately, I love all of your minds

A little treat before free agency starts in a few hours 🫣

Wrong name – William Nylander

You were genuinely excited, like full-on counting-down-the-days excited, for tonight.

William had asked you to come to the Leafs home opener about two weeks ago and you had been riding that buzz ever since.

It felt like a big deal, not because it was a game (though yeah, you had never been to one before), but because he wanted you there.

That meant something.

You weren’t just the off-season girl anymore. You were stepping into the world of suits and sticks and bright arena lights. You even bought a blue and white beanie.

You swore you weren’t going to be that girl who showed up decked out in merch, but then you were in a store and the beanie was staring at you and you couldn’t not get it.

“Just go the VIP gate,” William had told you over FaceTime, all casual like it wasn’t a big thing. “I already told them you´re coming. They´ll have a pass for you. Just give them your name.”

“Like…my full name?”

“Yeah,” he grinned, sweaty and slightly breathless from practice. “You´re the only one I gave a pass to.”

It made your heart squeeze a little. Not that he said it in a dramatic way, but because he meant it. It felt like you were becoming part of his life, not just someone tucked away during the off-season.

So, you got ready. You wore the beanie. You even curled your hair just because.

When you arrived at the arena, nervous energy swirling in your stomach, you walked up to the security desk outside the VIP entrance and told them your name.

The woman behind the check-in table scanned a paper list, then tapped on her iPad.

She looked up. “Can I see you ID?”

You handed it over without question. This was just protocol.

She squinted, frowned a little, and then looked back down at her list. “There´s no pass under your name,” she said flatly.

You blinked. “I´m sorry? I told me he left it under exactly that. William Nylander.”

“There is a pass under his name, yes, but it´s not for your name, it´s for a Sophie.”

You froze.

What?

The words barely registered at first. You stared at the woman, your smile faltering. “That´s definitely not me.”

“I´m sorry,” she said, still polite. “I can´t give you the pass if your ID doesn’t match.”

“I get that. I just – he told me it was under my name; Sophie is his ex.”

You said it before you could stop yourself. You weren’t even sure why. It just tumbled out. The name. The association to William. The horrible knot in your stomach.

The security woman glanced at you, then back down at her screen. “I really can´t do anything unless he calls and confirms it directly.”

So, you tried calling him and waited.

Nothing. He probably didn’t have his phone in reach in the locker room.

The arena was buzzing with energy now. Fans all around, security moving people along, the line growing behind you.

You felt exposed, like someone trying to crash a party they weren’t invited to.

Then people started to look and to whisper. “She´s trying to get in without a pass.”

“Wasn’t she just talking about Sophie?”

Your face burned, so, you stepped away from the table quickly, heart pounding, and ducked around the corner near a concrete pillar, where you paced for a few minutes, trying to breathe.

He didn’t mean to do this. You knew he didn’t. William wasn’t careless with your feelings. At least not usually.

But still. Of all the names, hers?

You waited for another twenty minutes for a reply but nothing.

Eventually, you left.

-------------

William felt off during warmups.

At first, he thought it was just nerves, first-game-of-the-season jitters, but when he glanced toward the glass – to the section where you were supposed to be – he didn’t see you.

Maybe you were running late?

By the first period, it was gnawing at him. Where were you?

He checked his phone during intermission. Two missed calls. No texts.

Weird.

By the second period, he was distracted. Missing passes. Skating like he was half-asleep. He got chewed out on the bench and Berube gave him a glare that could cut glass.

Still no message. So, he texted.

I you okay?

I did you make it here?

I babe?

No response.

They won the game. Barely and not with William´s help. He didn’t feel like celebrating. Instead, he pulled his helmet off and checked his phone again as soon as he could grab it in the locker room.

Then, finally, a message popped up: I didn’t get in. The pass was under Sophie´s name.

He stared at it. Heart sinking. Mind racing.

No. No. No.

He called immediately.

No answer.

--------------

By the time you picked up on the third call, William was already in his car, all but racing towards your place.

“Hey,” you said, quietly.

“What happened?” he asked, trying not to panic. “They said Sophie? That doesn’t – what? I didn’t…”

“I showed up,” you said, voice flat. “They asked for ID and then said the pass was under Sophie not me.”

“I didn’t…” he exhaled, running a hand over his face. “I swear I didn’t do that in purpose. I told them I needed a guest pass until your family pass would be ready. I just assumed…fuck, they must have pulled it from last season or something. That´s on me. I should´ve checked. I should´ve told them your name. They didn’t ask and I just forgot.”

You didn’t say anything for a beat. “I stood there while people looked at me like I didn’t belong, like I was trying to sneak in,” you said. “And then I heard her name, and it was like a punch to the gut.”

“I´m sorry, baby.”

“It made me feel like I didn’t matter, like I was some sort of placeholder,” you rambled.

“You´re not,” he interrupted. “You´re not. I swear to God. I only wanted you there tonight.”

You swallowed hard.

“I´ll be there soon.”

You didn’t reply before he hung up.

---------------

You didn’t hear him come in. The spare key you gave him a few weeks ago coming in handy at this moment.

The door opened quietly, his footsteps padded in without a word.

You stayed curled up on the couch, legs tucked under you, arms crossed tightly over your chest in his hoodie. The one he gave you a week ago after a late night at his place.

“Hey,” William said, voice low.

You looked up. He didn’t put his suit back on after the game, just his hoodie, joggers and a Leafs cap pulled low. He looked exhausted.

“Can I sit?” he asked.

You nodded.

He sat on the edge of the couch, not too close, like he was afraid to cross the line.

“I didn’t know,” he started. “I swear to God, I didn’t realize they still had her name in the system. I just told them I needed a guest pass and…”

You held up your hand. “Don’t. Don’t start with that.”

He fell quiet.

You sat up straighter, heart pounding, voice tight. “Do you know how humiliating that was for me?”

“I can´t even imagine,” he said immediately, the again. “I´m so sorry.”

“No, I don’t think you get it, Wiliam.” You stood, pacing a few feet away from the couch. “I walked up there, gave them my name and they corrected me. Told me I must be confused and then they read of your ex-girlfriends name like it made perfect sense that it was on there.”

“I didn’t-“

“I was so embarrassed I left,” you said, cutting him off. “I didn’t even try to argue. I didn’t want to be the woman that begged to be let into a game where I was supposed to be your guest.”

He stood up too now, tension radiating off him. “I get that. I messed up, I do, but it wasn’t intentional. Do you think I wanted that to happen? Do you think I was trying to – what? Keep you away on purpose? Hide you?”

“I don’t know,” you snapped. “I don’t know what you think when I show up and you ex´s name is still on your guest list.”

“That´s not fair.”

“Oh, I´m sorry, is this hard for you?” you said, voice braking now. “I didn’t even exist on that list. I was just some girl who showed up with the wrong name.”

William dragged a hand down his face, his voice sharper now too. “I didn’t double-check. I was focused on the game. I didn’t think they would reuse an old name. I haven’t talked to her since we broke up and I told you that.”

“And you didn’t think maybe the first time you invited me, the first time I´d ever go to a game, you should have double-checked?” your voice cracked with emotion. Everything that built up over the course of the evening suddenly breaking down.

“You couldn’t take five seconds to make sure it was under the right name? What does that say?”

He exhaled, jaw clenched. “It says I was careless, not that I don’t care about you,” he spoke your thoughts out loud.

“Same difference tonight,” you shot back.

Silence fell between you.

You rubbed your face with both hands, feeling the sting of the tears you didn’t want to cry in front of him.

William stepped forward, quieter now. “I know this made you feel like you didn’t matter, but you do. You really do. I didn’t do this on purpose.”

You sat back down, suddenly exhausted. “It just brought up everything I was already scared of.”

He sat beside you, slower this time. “What do you mean?”

“That I don’t really fit in your life outside of the off-season. That I´m a temporary thing in your life. Someone you spend time with when you´re free of hockey, but not when it matters. I felt like a stranger at your game, William.”

He blinked, stunned by the honesty in your life. “You´re not temporary in my life. You´re not a stranger. You´re the person I think about in the locker room, between periods, on the plane, before I fall asleep. You´re it for me.”

“You forgot me.”

“I didn’t forget you,” he argued, eyes locked on yours. “I forgot to manage a detail, but I know who I want in that seat every time and it´s not her or anyone else.”

You let that sit for a moment. Then you looked away, quieter now.

“I don’t want this to become some stupid drama,” you mumbled. “But it really hurt, and I need to believe I´m not invisible in your world.”

He moved closer, voice softer. “You´re not. I´ll never let that happen again. You matter more to me than hockey and I really love hockey.”

That made you laugh, just a little. “Barely counts as an apology.”

“Oh, I´m not done apologizing,” he said, nudging your knee. “I´ll grovel if you want. I´ll get down on the floor. I´ll write your name on every pass in permanent marker.”

You let your head fall onto his shoulder. “You´re lucky I like you.”

“I´m lucky you still talk to me.”

After a pause, you asked, “Was she really the last person on your guest list?”

He nodded. “Yeah. Over a year ago. They must have saved her name in the system. I should´ve made sure it was wiped the second we ended things, but trust me, she´s not in my life anymore.”

You closed your eyes and leaned into him. “Okay.”

“Okay?” he asked gently.

“Yeah. Just…don’t mess it up again.”

He kissed the top of your head. “Never again.”

------------

The next home game, William made sure everything was perfect.

When you arrived at the VIP gate, the same woman from last time greeted you by name. “Hi,” she said, smiling. “Here´s your pass. Under the right name this time,” she winked.

You laughed and grabbed it from her hand. Attacked to it was a note written in blue sharpie and a familiar handwriting.

For the only girl I ever want on my list. W.

You were shown to a VIP lounge with catered snacks where you met other players partners and children. You sat with them and laughed, feeling right at home between women that were here for the same reason. To support the one that they loved most.

When William skated out for warmups, he spotted you immediately. You gave him a small wave, and he grinned behind his visor.

Later that night, you waited for him by the players exit. He came out in a crisp suit, hair damp, eyes soft.

“You looked good out there tonight,” you said after leaning in for a short kiss.

“You looked better,” he murmured, tugging you close.

[lightsoutmatthews]

so sad about mitchy ☹️ i hope he is an absolute weapon in vegas tho

I’m so so sad but I really hope he has all the individual success in the world and a fanbase that actually loves and appreciates him :(((

[lightsoutmatthews]

no one ask a Toronto Maple Leafs fan what happened on June 30, 2025

[lightsoutmatthews]

Check on your leafs friends today…..