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rosesvioletshardy · 4 years

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we keep each other grounded - nolan patrick

okay so this is the first time i’m writing for nolan and the first time i’m writing in a while so i’m sorry if it’s really bad

i tried my best to remember what happened in the first two game against the capitals so if i got anything wrong i’m sorry you have the right to yell at me

masterlist

warnings: fluff, suggested nsfw ??, none

# of words: 1,514

home games had to be some of Nolan’s favorites because it didn’t involve that much travel but they often did mess with him knowing he’ll have to do better than usual. The past couple of mornings he’s been getting up earlier than his usual time to go out for runs and practice more before he left for practice with the guys. You started to notice how much quieter he got whenever home games happened and it was the first one that’ll have fans in Wells Fargo center which meant that he and the rest of the team would need to do a lot better than they were already doing. You knew that it wasn’t their fault with what was happening and they were trying their hardest.

After the first game against the Capitals, Nolan had thought it was just the nerves that came from having fans in the arena again and being back in Philly that made them lose. Then the game against the Sabres boosted up their confidence a little more, especially after his shootout winning goal. They had another game against the Capitals again and he was for sure about bringing his A-game the night. Now, he was in your guys bedroom getting ready for the night and trying to calm his nerves that were getting to the best of him. He was fumbling with his tie knowing that he has trouble but tonight was bothering him even more and making it worse. You watched as he grunted in frustration and undid it before redoing it as you watched him. Nolan carefully started over again, mumbling to himself the instructions and words of encouragement, trying to calm himself down.

“You’re doing it wrong” you tell him as you walk over to him and take the tie from his hands.

“I’m sorry, just nervous again i guess”

“You have nothing to apologize for. It’s okay to feel like this, it’s normal. You know it’s okay for you to express your feelings, even if you can’t put it in the right words sometimes, your body language says it all too.” you remind him giving him a small smile, fixing his collar as he gives a small smile

“Yeah, I know. It’s just there’s a lot of pressure that’s being put on us and we don't want another repeat of what happened.”

“You guys will do great, I promise. Now you better leave or you’ll be late. Remember, take deep breaths, talk to each other, or send signals, and good things will come.” you finished holding his hands before giving him a kiss. When you pulled away, your foreheads rested against each other and he held you in his arms before giving you one more kiss

“I love you. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“I love you, and we keep each other steady. Good luck. I’ll be cheering you on” you tell him as you look down and point to your jersey with his name and number when he can’t help but smile big as the both of you left and headed towards the front door

“Thanks, i’ll see you later tonight.”

“Hey, remember: win or lose, i still love you.” you reminded him as he exited giving a small smile and mumbled it back

----

The entire game had you on the edge of your seat. As soon as you thought they were going to score, it ended up being blocked. You could tell that they were trying and wanted to win this game against the Capitals seeing that the last two times didn’t go so well. Sitting on the couch, you nervously watch the second period as JVR got them their first goal of the night. This boosted their confidence but you didn’t want to get your hopes up too quickly incase something ended up getting jinxed

“Okay, relax Y/N, relax. They still have some time left in this period and third period to catch up to them” you had to remind yourself constantly.

At this point you were sure that you didn’t have any nails left due to the two shots the caps managed to get in such little time after they scored. It wasn’t until a couple of minutes later Nolan scored making you jump and start screaming, hoping the neighbors didn’t call the cops. Grabbing your phone, you quickly texted him a huge congrats even though he wouldn't be able to see it until after the game was over.

The rest of the game consisted of you yelling at the tv hoping that the guys would get more goals but they ended up losing 5-4. You knew Nolan would be disappointed but he knew he had to keep a straight face throughout any interviews he had to do afterwards. When he read your text, it put a smile on his face seeing how proud you were of him and how much he deserved it.

“Oh, what is little baby cat smiling about?” hayes asked as he saw him smiling big at his phone

“It’s Y/N isn’t it? Was it about your goal?” Travis asked trying to sneak a peak over Nolan’s shoulder causing him to move and turn even more red

“Yes it was about my goal, no not like that by the way. I know what you’re thinking.” he shot back

“Wasn’t thinking about it. But seriously what did she say” travis asked

“Just how proud she is of he” kevin answered as he looked over nolan’s shoulder

“Oh boys Patty here is whipped” they joked as everyone laughed and Nolan smiled. He didn’t mind being whipped seeing how much he loves and trusts you

“Not like you guys aren’t with your wives and girlfriends. But I don't know, we just feel safe with each other and always bring out the good in each other. I mean, I’m not saying we’re perfect either, we have fights too, but we just keep each other grounded and we’re there for each other even if we don’t want to be at the moment.” Nolan said, smiling and turning red just at the thought of talking about you.

Yeah he didn’t like talking about his personal life, especially his dating one, but he felt comfortable enough to tell his friends how he feels about and around you. They all looked at him with big smiles as he looked at them with a concerned look but shook it off because he knew that wouldn’t be the only time they’d see him like that.

After getting dressed and finishing a couple of interviews, all he wanted to do was just go back to your apartment and hold you. The entire car ride home he kept drumming his fingers against the steering wheel waiting until the moment he can just relax with you and the dogs. You were doing the same, waiting for him to come home and just let him let out everything he’s feeling about the game and let him rant about things he would never tell anyone else, just let out all his frustration on whether it was the whole game in general or how he played.

Hearing the door click, you jumped off the couch and went over to where he was and all he could do after dropping his stuff off at the door was hug you. You knew that even though they ended the game behind one point, you were still proud about it seeing how the other games went

“Hey” he said softly kissing you on the head

“Hey, you guys did good tonight and I'm proud of the goal you made. I think I may have scared our neighbors again with it since the game with the sabres.” you tell him, causing him to laugh, picturing the scenario of you having to explain to your neighbors that it was a misunderstanding.

“Thanks, I just think I could’ve done better-”

“Nols, stop. You did your best and I’m proud of you for it. You all tried your best and you did it. Maybe that green jersey brought you some luck and it helped.”

“Well, technically it was all because of you and your words”

“Oh please-”

“No i’m not kidding. Just you supporting me in general and helping me through everything when it comes to helping me through my migraines or in general, you’re always there for me even when I’m in another city playing. It’s because of you.” he whispered the last part causing you to blush

“I mean it. I mean you deal with everything that’s happened and help me calm down when I get into fights and get sent to the locker room. I’m glad you’re in my life and if it weren't for you I know I would’ve beaten myself up about this game” he finished. Staring into his eyes, you gave him a small smile before giving him a kiss

“C’mon, you need to relax now and get your mind off the game. Especially after that goal you made.” you told him taking his hand and heading towards your bedroom

#nolan patrick #nolan patrick imagine #nolan patrick x reader #nolan patrick imagines #nhl imagine #nhl imagines #hockey imagines #philadelphia flyers #philadelphia flyers imagine #flyers imagine #nolan patrick x you #nolan patrick one shot #nhl x reader

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princessphilly · 4 years

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Jelly Donuts and Shorties:

Four times you met Kevin around food plus the one time you and Kevin went out together.

Word Count: 1011

All places mentioned are Philly restaurants/bakeries.

Dedicated to @broadstbroskis

@h-oc-keyfics

Frangeli’s was a piece of heaven. When people thought of donuts in Philly, they thought of FedNuts or Beiler’s in Reading Terminal Market. But for Marisa, the only donuts that really mattered came from Deep South Philly. Today, she had a taste for jelly filled and a plain glazed donut and Frangeli’s filled their donuts with whatever jelly you wanted when you ordered them. She hoped they had raspberry jelly. But as soon as she came in, she saw someone she had never seen there before. He was really tall; Marisa was 5’10 but he made her feel short.

“Hey Risa, how you doin? How’s youse family, I saw Richie the other day but he didn’t pop in.”

Marisa smiled at Rosalina, one of her dad’s neighbors. Even though the neighborhood was changing due to gentrification, there was still enough of the old guard still living in the area. “Hi Ms. Rosalina, I’m doing well. Just getting a couple of donuts before work today. Richie’s doing good, you know he’s busy since he started taking classes at Drexel.”

Marisa snuck a glance at the giant ordering. Then he turned around and she got a look at his face. She gasped before rolling her eyes. Oh fuck, she thought, this place is going to blow up just like Angelo Apeetz.

***

The second time Marissa ran into him, it was at Wawa. Coming from a quick trip to the Shore, she had pulled into the Wawa on Black Horse Pike after getting off the AC Expressway. The Wawa was amazingly not crowded but Marissa recognized that head of shaggy brown hair in front of her, waiting for something too. Marissa inwardly groaned; ever since the day she saw Kevin Hayes at Frangeli’s, the donut shop was busier than ever.

Of course, the tall center turned around and looked at her. The neutral expression on his face changed into a crooked grin. “Hey, weren’t you at that donut shop a couple of weeks ago,” he asked, his Boston accent stronger in the early morning hour.

Marissa shrugged as she said, “Yep.”

“Awesome donuts! I got some for the boys after our game against the Rangers.”

Marissa gave him a bland smile, causing the excited expression on Kevin’s face to fall a bit. Then the guy called out, “Veggie shorti for Marissa!”

“Oh, that’s my order, I gotta go!”

As Marissa picked up her order, Kevin quietly remarked, “Have a great day, Marissa.”

Marissa knew that sooner or later, she would probably bump into Kevin Hayes at either Isgro’s or Termini Brother’s. Both had amazing cannoli and she was craving a chocolate chip cannoli. She could taste it in her mouth as the shop person wrapped up her cannolis in wax paper.

“Look who’s here!”

Marissa turned around to see Kevin Hayes beaming at her. “It’s my lucky day, it seems.”

“Of course it’s your lucky day. It’s always my lucky day when I see you.”

Marissa tilted her head as she looked at Kevin weirdly. Kevin scratched the back of his head as he sheepishly said, “I seem to score a goal every game after I see you.”

Marissa arched an eyebrow. “I must be your unwitting good luck charm.”

“You are! You should let me pay you back by taking you out on a date.”

Pursing her lips, Marissa shook her head. “Eh, I’d rather have a date with this cannoli I’m about to eat.”

Ignoring Kevin’s crestfallen face, Marissa collected her dessert and left.

One of the joys of living in Philadelphia was that it is a major city, huge yet after a while, it felt smaller. Sooner or later, you began to run into the same people depending on where you lived, worked, and played.

So tonight, when Marissa saw Kevin and some of his teammates at Parc, it wasn’t unexpected. The bad part was that her date had stood her up.

Marissa took a gulp of her wine. She was angry, bitter that another douchenozzle had wasted her time. Marissa still ordered dinner because she was hungry. However, when it was time to pay her bill, the waiter told her that it was covered.

“The gentleman at the table five tables away on your right paid for your meal,” he said.

Marissa turned around to see Kevin, raising his glass. She raised hers as well in a toast before taking a sip. Opening the check, she saw a note from Kevin: On me because it’s obvious some asshole stood you up. Let me know the next time you want to go out with a real man, with his phone number written on it. Staring at the number, Marissa drank more of her wine.

The tension was so thick, Marisa felt like you could cut it with a knife. Kevin was right in front of her; he wasn’t touching her but she could feel his gaze like a caress. For once, he wasn’t saying anything goofy but the silence felt simultaneously comforting yet electric.

“You look amazing.”

Marisa looked down at her dress. It was a simple sapphire blue sheath that made her legs look amazing. “You’re welcome.”

Kevin reached for her hand and Marisa swore she felt so hot, it was like an inferno. He was affected similarly; Kevin’s expression went from shock, to wonder, and finally, to desire.

“Are you ready,” he finally asked, his voice rougher than usual. Marissa beamed at him.

“Yes.”

As Kevin walked her to his car, Marissa marveled. This was unexpected for a Philly school teacher; she had been annoyed when she met the Flyers player at her favorite donut shop, now she was letting him take her out.

The drive was short through the streets of Philly and 95. As Kevin turned off onto Lombard Street, Marissa gasped. Kevin grinned as he wheeled around 2nd street before stopping at Front and South at Bridget Foy’s.

“Figure a Philly restaurant for a Philly girl.”

“Shut up, Hayesy.”

#drabbles #flyers #nhl #nhl fanfiction #nhl imagines #nhl imagine #nhl fic #flyers imagines #flyers imagine #kevin hayes #fluffy #blurbs

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ahockeywrites · 4 years

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Next Top Model

A/N: I had this idea and ran with it!

Warnings: mentions of sex

Pairing: Joel Farabee x fem!OC

Annalise had been dating Joel for about four months when he suggested bringing her along to a game. She wanted to go but knew that as she had a large online following and she would easily be spotted by someone who knew who she was. So, she opted to watch all the games he had played in so far either at her apartment or in the dressing room of a shoot she was taking part in.

Joel had been experiencing some teasing from the boys in the locker room relating to the fact that he hadn’t even told them her name, let alone that he had a girlfriend. Kevin was the first to put two and two together, Joel was coming to practice happier, leaving after a game earlier and had some scratch marks on his back. Travis and Carter just chirped him for getting laid more than once during a week, but Kevin knew better. It was the way that anyone would react to getting into a relationship. He asked Joel about it privately but he never admitted it. All Joel said was that he was happier at the moment and that was all. There was nothing to speculate about.

“Lads, look at this new photoshoot that some of the models around Philly did,” Carter announced to no one in particular and some of the guys walked over to see what he was showing them. Joel also walked over, even though he had already seen the photos as Annalise was one of the models. Kevin pushed Joel away, telling him to get lost as he already had a girl who was probably waiting at home for him after practice.

Gasps and wide eyes filled the dressing room and suddenly everyone had forgotten about the photoshoot Carter wanted to show everyone. Questions were being flung at the youngster from left, right and centre. Who was she? How old was she? How long had they been together? Was she the reason why it looked like his back had been attacked by a cat? Joel had to laugh at them, all he said about her was that they’d meet her when she was ready, not before.

The boys tried hard to try and accidentally meet her. Lads night at Joel’s? Everyone showed up an hour early, but alas, he was alone in his room. Joel was on a late-night FaceTime with someone? Travis had to accidentally barge into his room, pretending that he thought that Morgan was in there. It didn’t work either, turns out he was talking to his mother, not his girlfriend. Even a peek over his shoulder to see who Joel was texting on the bus didn’t give anything away as he wasn’t even texting her, he was texting one of his college friends. Eventually, the boys had given up and just accepted that he wanted to keep his relationship private to make sure he was comfortable and that they were both in it for the long haul.

“Joel,” Annalise called through his apartment, hoping he was the only one home.

“Yeah, Anna?” Joel replied as he rounded the corner, with a glass of water in his hand. He was shirtless, as he seemed to be every time she visited, and had a pair of his team USA sweats hanging low on his hips. Annalise could see every ridge of his body and could easily get distracted, but she came over for a reason.

“This is gonna sound like a stupid question, I should have just bought one like the other girls,” she groaned as Joel pulled her into a hug and pressed a few kisses to her hairline.

“Should have bought what?” Joel was confused now, what did she need to buy?

“Have you got a spare Farabee jersey I can wear to the game tonight?” She nuzzled her head into his chest, trying to hide the blush forming on her cheeks.

“That’s it?” he asked, not even sure if she could be serious. “If you want one of my jerseys, you don’t even need to ask, I’ve got loads in my wardrobe.” Joel pulled Annalise towards his bedroom and began rummaging through his many clothes. He chucked a few different Flyers jerseys with his name on the back onto his bed and allowed her to choose her favourite one.

“I think,” she started, “the alternate is the one I’m gonna wear tonight.” She emphasised tonight because she didn’t think that he had realised that she would be going to one of his games.

“Wait,” Joel stopped looking through his wardrobe and turned to face his girlfriend. He brought one of his hands up to caress the side of her face as he asked, “you’re coming tonight? Like, to the game?” Annalise nodded in confirmation and Joel picked her up, spinning her around a few times to show his excitement.

“Well, our agency wants us to attend some sports games. And they picked the Flyers game tonight to be our first one,” she explained. Joel couldn’t believe it, his girlfriend was coming to one of his games.

“As long as you meet me after the game, I’ll be happy,” Joel wiggled his eyebrows, clearly suggesting that he wanted the end of the night to go a certain way.

“Farabee, you’ve gotta work hard so you can play hard later,” Annalise chirped back with a wink. “I’ll see you after the game, yeah?” she cocked her head to the side, and Joel nodded. She rose onto her tiptoes and pressed a kiss to his lips. As she left, Joel sat down on his bed to take in the fact that his actual girlfriend was going to be at the Wells Fargo Center that night.

Joel walked into the dressing room to see Kevin looking over Carter’s shoulder at an Instagram post. Now, Joel wasn’t the most inquisitive person on the planet, but that didn’t mean he didn’t want to see what they were looking at.

“You know those girls from the other day?” Carter asked. Of course, Joel knew, his girlfriend was one of them. Joel nodded and Carter continued, “they’re here tonight!” Carter almost jumped out of his protective gear with excitement.

“Woah there,” Claude had to calm down his young goaltender as he walked past. “It’s not the first or last time that there are hot girls at a game, keep your head screwed on right and focus on the game.” Joel had to stifle a laugh at their captain’s words, however true they were.

“If you didn’t already have a girl, I’d point out the one wearing your jersey, Beezer,” Kevin explained. “Annalise Cousins, she’s an up and coming model from Philly. But you’ve already got your girl.” Joel had to pretend like the girl they were on about wasn’t his girlfriend. He blocked them out as he got ready and headed out to warm-ups.

Annalise hadn’t been to a hockey game before, so she went down to ice level to try and get a view of Joel. She knew that people would be taking photos of her, especially because of the jersey she was wearing. But she knew she couldn’t distract him too much so she shot him a quick smile and headed up to the box they had reserved for them.

A hattrick. Joel Farabee had scored three goals. Three goals at the first game his girlfriend had come to. How was any other game meant to live up to that? Joel was pulled out of his thoughts to go and do media, however much he hated the media that came with being a hockey player, he knew it was part of his job and that he needed to do it.

Annalise tapped her manicured nails on her jeans as she waited for the Flyers to come out of the dressing room. She really hoped that he would be out soon and as soon as she thought that Kevin Hayes and Carter Hart exited the room. Carter was shocked, why was she waiting outside their dressing room?

“Is Joel almost done?” she asked the two dumbfounded boys.

“Yeah,” Kevin stuttered out, “he should be out any minute now.”

As soon as Joel rounded the corner and Annalise spotted him, she ran towards him. In a split second, she moved from standing in front of him to having her legs and arms wrapped around his waist and neck respectively. Annalise nuzzled her head into the crook of his neck and whispered congratulations to him. He looked over her shoulder to see Kevin and Carter staring with their jaws almost touching the floor.

“Thanks for telling me which one was wearing my jersey,” Joel shot across to his teammates, “not like I helped her pick it out of my wardrobe this morning.”

If it was even possible, their jaws dropped even more.

“Beezer, dating a model?” Kevin asked when he regained his senses.

“What about it,” Annalise replied, still hugging Joel. “He’s doing better than you two are. Now, if you two don’t mind, I am going to celebrate with the first star of the night, preferably in a bed which I won’t leave until lunchtime tomorrow.”

Annalise had jumped out of Joel’s grasp and offered him her hand. Their fingers interlaced as she almost pulled him out of the stadium.

“Wait, Joel’s dating a model?”

#ahockeywrites #joel farabee #flyers86 #nhl imagine #nhl fic #nhl writing #hockey writing #hockey fic #hockey imagine #philadephia flyers #joel farabee imagine #joel farabee fic

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hockeylvr59 · 5 years

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Positive || Kevin Hayes

Requested: [ ] yes [x] no

Authors Note: So here’s another new piece (because I can’t seem to finish any of my existing series). Fair warning this one is a little rough emotionally, so you know...take a moment to prepare yourself and then let me know how much you want to kill me after.

Warnings: light smut, ANGST

Word Count: 3,502

~~~~~~

Sitting on an unfamiliar couch with tears streaming down your face was the last thing you wanted to be doing. The next five minutes were going to change your life forever, one way or another. Just the thought of that made it impossible to breathe, your chest tight as you buried your head between your knees. It was only the touch of a soft feminine hand that kept you even a little bit grounded, though that touch could only do much to console you as your world crashed and burned around you.

Thinking back, you wished you could change the events that had led up to this moment.

_____

You’d met Kevin through Jimmy Vesey and the two of you had become fast but casual friends. With you living in Boston while he played in New York and then Winnipeg and then finally Philly, you really didn’t see much of each other during the season. Phone calls were your most frequent form of communication and Kevin regularly called just to check-in or when he wanted to hear your voice after a bad game.

So when Kevin insisted that you join his family on vacation over the all-star break you were shocked. That seemed like a gesture that breached the ‘just friends’ relationship you had. You’d tried to insist that he should just enjoy his time with his family, but Kevin wouldn’t take no for an answer, threatening to fly to Boston to put your ass on a plane himself.

With your own commitments, you’d only been able to take a long weekend off and so you’d flown down to the tropics on Thursday evening, arriving sometime in the early morning hours Friday morning. As soon as you’d reached the front door to the beach house whose address Kevin had texted you, the door was pulled open and a pair of warm and strong arms wrapped around you, pulling you tightly to a muscular chest.

“Y/N! You made it!” Kevin greeted happily, his voice signaling that he had been sleeping until you’d texted him that you were in a cab on your way over. “I’m so glad you’re here.” He added.

“Hey, Kev…” You replied, a yawn slipping from your mouth as you spoke. It had been a fairly long flight but you hadn’t been able to sleep at all so now you were exhausted.

“Come on. I’ll show you to your room.” Kevin stated, clearly picking up on your fatigue. Walking up a set of stairs you were led into an empty bedroom, where Kevin placed the bag he’d taken from you onto the bed.

“Thanks, Kev…” You murmured, yawning once more. You watched him as Kevin draped one arm around you, pulling you into his side as he leaned down to kiss the top of your head.

“You’re welcome.” He assured you. “We don’t have any plans tomorrow so feel free to sleep in.” He insisted, pulling away from you and running his fingers through his hair. “Sleep tight. We’ll talk tomorrow when you’re actually awake.” He teased, walking across the room where he pulled your door shut behind him.

With little to no energy left in your body, you’d simply stripped down to your underwear before crawling into bed, sleep overtaking you the moment your head hit the pillow.

***

Friday had passed by in a bit of a blur...mostly because you’d spent half your day in bed. Sleeping until your body awoke naturally, it was almost 1 in the afternoon when you glanced at the clock next to your bed. Immediately your bladder signaled its needs and your stomach growled for food, so you pulled yourself out of bed and quickly threw on a pair of shorts and a tank top before slipping out of your room in search of a bathroom and then food.

The moment you’d descended down the stairs, a flurry of activity reached your ears, as did Kevin’s booming voice. You’d just reached the bottom stair when a pair of arms wrapped around your waist and suddenly you were being swung around.

“She lives!” Kevin exclaimed and once he put you down you smacked him gently for scaring you.

“She needs food.” You informed him, only to have him nod and drag you to the kitchen where his mom and sister were making either a late lunch or working on the preparations for dinner. While introducing you to the women in the kitchen, Kevin poured you a bowl of cereal, placing it into your hands before disappearing.

He’d returned a moment later, his nephew in his arms and it was only then that he took a seat across from you at the small table and started chatting away, insisting on hearing about everything you’d been up to since you’d last talked.

The rest of the day was much the same, Kevin introducing you as one of his best friends to his entire family before pulling you from one thing to the other around the beach house. You’d gone swimming, played cornhole with the men, and helped his sister and sister-in-law clean up after a delicious dinner.

Though it had been a very low key day you’d learned one important thing: your attraction to Kevin grew tenfold watching him with his family.

***

Saturday morning had you up at a fairly normal time but when you’d gotten downstairs it was much quieter than it had been the previous day. You’d quickly learned from Kevin’s sister-in-law Kristen that the guys had gone to the golf course and had taken the kids with them and that Kevin had scheduled a spa day for all of the ladies, including you.

After eating a quick breakfast you’d gone to get dressed and ready to leave. It wasn’t until the group of you was in a car headed to the spa that Kevin’s sister had asked what was going on between the two of you. You’d protested, claiming that you and Kevin were just friends but it was clear that his family wasn’t buying it and honestly you couldn’t blame them. It had been one of the many reasons why you’d protested coming on this trip. This was a trip for Kevin and his family and the fact that he’d insisted you join them seemed to scream that he viewed you as more than just a friend. At the same time, as much as you wanted that to be true you knew that it wasn’t and never would be.

Eventually, Kevin’s family had dropped the inquiries about your relationship with him and instead just asked questions wanting to get to know you. It wasn’t long into your spa session before you were laughing with the ladies in Kevin’s life as you got manicures and pedicures. Your individual massage session left you feeling utterly relaxed and by the time you rejoined Kevin’s family after your facial, you were feeling completely spoiled.

It wasn’t until you were being dragged into another room and shoved into a chair to have your hair and makeup done that you realized the true spoiling was only just beginning.

Kevin was taking you out to dinner tonight.

He’d told his family that it was just because he hadn’t had the chance to spend time with you just the two of you but just like this vacation as a whole, it was starting to feel like his explanations were merely thinly veiled excuses. And while you weren’t sure how you felt about all of this, you weren’t about to turn down some time alone with Kevin as it had been months since you’d had any with him in person and not over the phone.

Arriving back at the house with your hair and makeup done professionally, you felt more beautiful than you could ever remember. Kevin had texted you that he’d be back at the house to get you in half an hour and so you rushed up to your room to change into the gorgeous sundress you’d brought with you. You’d brought it with you figuring that it could serve as a cover-up if nothing else, but now it was the only thing that was even semi-appropriate to wear out to dinner. Settling the fabric over your hips, you gazed at yourself in the mirror, smiling at the woman staring back at you. It wasn’t often that you got dressed up to go somewhere and it was a nice feeling. While you knew that you really didn’t have anyone to impress, you were hoping that you’d get a reaction out of Kevin nonetheless.

You’d just finished hyping yourself up for dinner when you heard Kevin’s booming voice calling your name. Slipping your feet back into your sandals, you started down the stairs, finding Kevin waiting for you in the entryway.

“How was golf?” You asked him, missing the look of awe on his face as he took in your appearance.

“Golf was good.” He responded, his hand drifting to your lower back. “You ready?” He asked and when you nodded, he guided you out to the rental car, helping you inside before slipping around to the driver's seat. “How was the spa? Hopefully, my family didn’t give you too much trouble?” He asked, glancing over at you while at a red light.

“It was incredible. Thank you, Kev. I feel beyond spoiled. And your family was great. I had a lot of fun.” You assured him, relaxing back into the seat of the car.

“Good.” Kevin mused. “Though you don’t have to thank me. You deserve it.” He’d added in a whisper and for a pause, it felt like you couldn’t breathe.

The restaurant Kevin had taken you to was gorgeous and the food was absolutely amazing. You had really missed spending time with Kevin like this and you enjoyed catching up with him. Hours had passed without you even realizing it and sadly before you knew it, it was time to return back to the house.

Arriving at the beach house, you were taken aback when you walked into the middle of an intense board game session, one which Kristen dragged you into declaring that they needed more players. It wasn’t until the early morning hours that every one trickled off to bed, a little tipsy, having spent hours laughing and carrying on.

Sliding between the sheets you thought about today’s lesson: you felt like you belonged while with Kevin’s family and maybe “just friends” was more blurred than you had thought.

***

Sunday was your last full day of vacation, your flight home scheduled for lunchtime Monday. You’d been woken up by a large body bouncing onto your bed and you groaned, shoving Kevin in the chest, still half asleep.

“C’mon Y/N...we’re spending the day on the beach.” He insisted, once again not taking no for an answer.

“Fine. Leave so I can get up and get dressed.” You murmured, having slept half nude the night before which was something you didn’t need Kevin to see.

“You have five minutes.” Kevin declared and though he didn’t say what would happen if you took longer, it was certainly implied that Kevin would drag you out of this room in whatever state of dress.

Laying in bed for another minute, you finally pulled yourself up and rummaged through your bag for your swimsuit. Sliding it on you then threw on shorts and a t-shirt before throwing your hair up in a messy bun. After grabbing sunscreen and your phone you slipped your shoes on and made your way downstairs to find Kevin goofing off with his niece who was bouncing around excited to head down to the ocean.

Your day was spent in the sun and sand and waves, as you switched between working on your tan, playing with Kevin’s niece and letting Kevin drag you into the ocean. You’d stayed on the beach until the sun had begun to set. Returning to the house, the men worked on grilling up dinner while the rest of you settled into chairs surrounding a fire pit.

After enjoying dinner and changing into some actual clothes instead of a damp suit, you’d settled back into the chair, glasses of wine and bottles of beer floating around never to be emptied without being replaced. With the moon high in the sky, you enjoyed the evening with Kevin’s family, his nephew eventually being settled onto your chest, the little boy cooing as he snuggled into you.

Within ten minutes of being handed the baby, Kevin had come over and taken him from you, handing him back to his brother. Raising an eyebrow at him, you watched as he reached a hand out to you, pulling you from your seat.

“Come take a walk with me.” His words signaled that it was more of a demand than a request and though you were confused, you nodded, slipping off your sandals as you reached the beach to walk barefoot along it with him, nothing but the moonlight guiding your way.

“Kev...what’s going on?” You eventually asked him, the silence between you becoming overwhelming. Kevin didn’t stop until you had tugged on his arm, forcing him to look at you. When he did it was with eyes that were stormy and your heart picked up speed at the sight of them.

“Kev…” You repeated. “Is everything okay? Did I do something wrong?” Kevin had never acted like this before and it was something that concerned you.

“I want to have a baby with you.” Kevin eventually spoke and your jaw dropped as you froze, just staring at him.

Eventually you found your voice again and were able to stutter out, “You what?”

“I want you to have my baby,” Kevin repeated. “You’re my best friend. My family loves you. And seeing you holding Beau. Fuck Y/N I need that.”

“Kev…” You breathed, unable to form any words other than his name with the way your head was suddenly spinning. Staring at him for a moment longer as he just stared back made it hard to breathe and after a moment you turned. “We should head back.” You said softly.

Kevin didn’t protest, instead linking his large fingers with yours as you walked, only dropping them just before reaching the eyesight of his family. Settling back into your chair you forced a smile onto your face and joined the ongoing conversation, accepting the fresh glass of wine you were offered.

Not long after, the kids were taken up to bed and the rest of the house slowly moved to follow them. Still, Kevin didn’t move from his spot and neither did you until the two of you were the only ones left out by the dying fire. Watching the flickering flames cast shadows on his face, the only thought that would come to mind was how handsome he was.

And you weren’t sure whether it was the fire, the wine, the earlier baby snuggles and playtime with Kevin’s niece, or the feelings for Kevin that you’d been suppressing for so long but something pushed you to your feet and over to stand in front of Kevin and it was only once he was looking up at you that you nodded.

“Okay.”

Without a word, Kevin nodded back, reaching up to take your hand before guiding you inside and up to his bedroom which was settled the farthest away from the bedrooms where the rest of his family was staying. It wasn’t until the door was closed behind the two of you and the lock flipped into place that Kevin pulled you close, his lips dropping down to yours as his hands wrapped themselves around your waist.

Everything after that felt like it happened in slow motion. Kevin’s hands were so gentle as he stripped you out of your clothing before lifting and gently laying you back on his bed. His accent was heavy as he slowly murmured about how much this meant to him, how beautiful you were, and how he couldn’t wait to see your body swell with his child. His touch and his kisses were slow and lingered, working your body close to the edge of orgasm not once but twice before finally making you fall apart. It was only then that Kevin pressed inside of you, his mouth silencing your screams as you cried out for him. The sound of your bodies rocking against each other was the only thing filling your ear until Kevin hissed and grunted and suddenly you were filled with a warmth as he spilled inside of you.

Sleep followed not long after but it wasn’t until you stirred early the next morning that you realized your next lesson of this trip: that you had made a massive mistake.

***

Tears formed in your eyes as you slid from Kevin’s arms and worked on silently gathering your clothes. After stopping to use the bathroom, you slid back into your room closing the door behind you. It was only then that you really started to cry as you worked to throw on proper clothes before packing your bag up to head home.

It wasn’t like you were going to leave before talking to Kevin, but...knowing that said conversation was likely going to turn into a fight, well, you wanted to be able to make a quick escape if need be.

Your stomach twisted as you made your way downstairs, and you forced a smile onto your face as you sat down to eat the eggs that Kevin’s mom was making. Hearing Kevin’s footsteps on the stairs, you got up to intercept him, pulling him outside.

“We need to talk.” You murmured, watching as Kevin eyed you anxiously.

“Okay.” He conceded, sitting down on the front porch step of the beach house.

“Last night was a mistake.” You started and immediately Kevin opened his mouth to protest, an action which you stopped with a shake of your head. “Kevin I’m sorry but it was. I can’t have a baby with you.” You whispered, afraid that someone would overhear you. “I was overwhelmed by the mood of vacation, the moon, the fire, the alcohol, you...but none of that is real Kev. What’s real is that I’m going back to Boston today and you’re going back to Philly and this…” You gestured between the two of you. “This won’t work. And it certainly wouldn’t be fair to even think about bringing a baby into.” It hurt you to see Kevin’s shoulders slump, but this was something that had to be said.

“Y/N please...we could make it work.” Kevin murmured and you shook your head, tears prickling in your eyes.

“No. No, we couldn’t.” You insisted, moving to head back inside. “I’m sorry Kev...but I’m gonna grab my bag and go to the airport. Thank you for everything.” As you started to walk past him, Kevin reached out catching just the tips of your fingers.

“Why?” The word slipped from his mouth without further context and you tugged your hand away from him, brushing the tears from your face.

“Because you don’t love me the way that I love you.”

Once back in the house, you grabbed your things before stopping to say a quick goodbye to the rest of Kevin’s family, making an excuse as to why you needed to leave for the airport early. You had a feeling they knew that something was up, but no one said anything and you thankfully didn’t see Kevin again before climbing into a cab. Your heart ached because last night had been so perfect. The problem was that it wasn’t real and you needed something that could be real. Sadly perfect….perfect wasn’t real.

_____

The steady tic tic tic of the kitchen timer finally sounded, causing you to jump. A glance over at Kristen revealed a concerned but supportive look as she nodded at you. You hadn’t known where else to turn, but you couldn’t do this on your own. You weren’t sure if she knew the details of what had happened or not, but the moment you had messaged her asking for her help she was quick to assure you that you had it. It had been six weeks since you got on a plane and left Kevin behind. Six weeks without a peep from him and you knew it was your fault. All of this was your fault.

“It’s time to look Y/N.” She whispered. “Take a few deep breaths.” She added, her hand rubbing over your back as you tried to get the courage to flip over the tiny plastic sticks. “Here. Hold my hand.” She insisted. With her strength flowing through your joined hands you took one final breath before reaching over to the coffee table and turning each of the three sticks in turn.

‘Pregnant.’

‘+ ‘

And two pink lines.

It had been one night. One mistake. And now you couldn’t deny it any longer.

You were having Kevin Hayes’s baby.

#kevin hayes #kevin hayes imagine #philadelphia flyers #philadelphia flyers imagine #hockey imagine #hockey imagines #nhl imagine #nhl imagines #kevin hayes nws #nws #lemon #027 #pflyers

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imaginingsoftly · 4 years

Text

4 Times You Cooked, and 1 Time He Did - Kevin Hayes

Type: friends to lovers, Y/N insert shorts, 4 + 1 story

Requested: No

Warnings: swearing

(Y/N = Your name)

1. The day we met

Your hand was curled into a loose fist, ready to knock on the door in front of you. Your new neighbors had moved in the day before, and, from the sounds coming from the apartment as the move-in occurred, it was a group of very rowdy boys. That meant you made cookies as a welcome, hoping that it would butter them up so they’d be a little nicer if you needed them to quiet down in the middle of the night. Of course, in order to drop off the cookies and say hello you needed to actually knock on the door and introduce yourself. So far the shyness was winning on that front.

Just as you finally steeled yourself to knock, drawing in a deep breath in the process, the door you were standing in front of opened suddenly. You stepped backwards in shock, stumbling slightly. An incredibly kind-looking face stared down at you in surprise as a hand shot out to grip your elbow. “Sorry, I-”, “Shit, are you-” You and your neighbor stared at each other in silence as you both spoke at the same time. Your neighbor smiled, nodding his head at you. “Go ahead.”

Well this wasn’t how you wanted the conversation to go at all. “Sorry. I’m Y/N. I’m your new neighbor.” You gestured at your apartment door, maybe a little needlessly, as you were the only other door on this part of the hallway. “I just wanted to introduce myself, and welcome you to the building.” The guy looked at you seriously as you spoke, like what you said was the most important thing on the planet. He was cute, in a friendly kind of way. He also looked familiar, though for the life of you it was impossible to figure out why.

“And you brought cookies?” He smiled down at you when you nodded slowly. “I’m Kevin. If these cookies are as good as they smell, I think I’m going to be happy I chose to get an apartment instead of a house.” He chuckled lightly at his own joke, and you smiled gently at him. Kevin. It was a fitting name for him. He let go of your elbow suddenly, like he just realized he was still holding it. Honestly, you had forgotten as well. “I’m sorry to meet you and run, but I’m unfortunately late to a meeting. Thanks for coming by though!” You started to back out of his doorway when you remembered the cookies. “Here,” you said as you held the plate out, “these are for you. Welcome to the building!” Kevin stared after you for a couple of seconds as you backed away before responding quickly. “Thanks, Y/N. It was nice to meet you.” His smile followed you into the apartment and stayed in your thoughts for hours after the meeting.

You worked through dinner to try and get ready for the upcoming playoff push. As a marketing manager for the Phillies, the playoffs were your favorite part of the season. It was a time where you could change up the content from your usual stuff, and this year’s playoff ad video was going to be great. One of your summer interns had come up with the idea of using fan videos of some of the highlights of the season to create a mashup, and the video her and the rest of the crew had designed was coming out beautifully. The slogan was going to have something to do with the fans being another part of the team. You watched the video over again and marveled at how well it had come out. The intern needed to become a full hire after this season.

A knock at your door made you jump, though when you opened it there was no one. Your plate, however, sat on the floor outside with a sticky note attached. Thanks for the cookies, it read, my teammates really enjoyed them. I barely got to eat one. The handwriting was slightly messy, clearly boys handwriting. You smiled at the note, and then at the door across the hall from you. It would appear you had a new friend.

2. Dinner and a show

“You know,” Kevin said as he walked through your front door, “I think you’re going to get me cut from the team if you keep feeding me cookies.” He said that with a mouth full of cookie so you took it with a grain of salt, rolling your eyes at him from your position in front of the crock pot. He looked good, dressed in his game day suit, though the tie sticking out of his pocket and the curls still damp from the shower ruined the effect a little bit. These nighttime dinners had become something of a tradition over the last couple of months, after Kevin had come home from a preseason game right as you were returning from a playoff game. You’d ended up sprawled on his couch with a pizza between the two of you, and a tradition was born. Tonight it was tacos, and the steak you had slow-cooked while you were in the office getting ready for the upcoming winter meetings made the entire apartment smell like what you pictured heaven to be.

Kevin dropped onto one of your counter top stools with a heavy sigh, and you slid a beer across to him along with an ice pack. He took the beer thankfully, but then raised an eyebrow at the ice pack. “I saw the hit,” you said as a means of explanation. “I turned the game on when I got back from work. Ice your face so I don’t have to look a black eye for the rest of the week.” Kevin raised his middle finger at you, but did as you asked. Your time together had become a nice way to wind down after your work and game days. Both of you spent so much time in the chaos of professional sports that sometimes it was nice to just slow down and enjoy a meal with someone that understood why you sometimes wanted to sit and eat your meal in silence. Kevin understood that more than you had ever expected. Accurate to your first impression, Kevin and the boys could get extraordinarily loud at times. He was the loudest person in the room, minus when he was with his shorter friend that fought so much, Travis something, but he could also be so quiet on these nights.

The tacos were delicious, and Kevin ate his body weight in home cooking like usual. It wasn’t that he was incompetent in the kitchen; you’d seen him cook pasta and a few other basic things, but he wasn’t one for just throwing something together unless he’d made it a thousand times before. “You know, I think I’m going to have to keep you around just for how well you cook.” You rolled your eyes, like you always did, but you also couldn’t ignore the tug in your chest that your heart gave when he said he would keep you around. Joke or not, you were becoming pretty attached to Kevin. He was sweet, and goofy in an awkward and not at all athlete-like way. Couple the awkwardness with the math skills and you would peg him for a math professor, not a hockey player. “So,” Kevin began, talking around chunks of yet another cookie, “how was work? Did you revolutionize baseball today?”

You laughed out loud at the thought. Like offseason meetings were ever that exciting. “Planning for contract announcements, actually. I wanted to have the guys returning or just signing on make a little video either thanking the fans for their continued support or introducing themselves, depending on where they played last year, but everyone vetoed it.” You rolled your eyes at the memory. Greg, who thought he should have gotten your job despite your better qualifications, very loudly made his dissent clear. In the end, everyone else followed suit.

Kevin, thankfully, was on your side. “I would have loved something like that! Especially for the new guys; you’ve gotta get the fans on your side before they have time to hate you.” You chuckled at his statement, even as you nodded in agreement. Getting Kevin amped up about any subject was your favorite thing to do. His accent wasn’t always clear, but times like now the Boston really came out.

“Thanks for the support, Kev. It’s nice to know at least somebody is on my side.” He leaned over to squeeze your hand reassuringly, and you only had one thought: you were in deep trouble.

3. The one where you made his date dinner

Kevin’s voice was frantic as he threw pots and pans around his kitchen, smoking something sitting black in the sink. “Y/N, please! I need help! She’s gonna be here soon, what do I do?” The panic was new, and you swallowed to joke that almost came out of your mouth in response. He really did look stressed, and the hair you knew he had meticulously styled was now running wild around his temples in frizzy curls. He stared down helplessly at what you thought was supposed to be spaghetti. You sighed, walking over to stand in front of him.

“We’ll make something else.” Kevin’s face still looked panicked, and you reached up to grab his face with both hands. “Kev. It’s gonna be okay.” He nodded. You smiled slightly, and he smiled back. “I’m going to go get a couple of things from my kitchen. Get out a couple of beers, trim the chicken, and I’ll be right back.” You patted his cheek gently and hurried out of the apartment. Hopefully you would be able to get rid of the smell before she got there. Kevin had a date, a girl he’d been dating for a few months, and you had shown up with the flowers he forgot to buy right as the pan of burnt spaghetti went into the sink. You were still trying to figure out how in the hell a box of spaghetti had turned into the black brick sitting in his pot, but that was a question for another time.

With minimal time and a general lack of great ingredients, you settled on beer-battered chicken and a salad. Thankfully you’d gone to the farmer’s market that morning, and had made Kevin go with you. There were tons of fresh vegetables sitting on his counter that would now get some good use. The only thing you needed from your apartment were cashews and some flour, which you grabbed before hurrying back across the hall again. Kevin was still panicking, though slightly less so, and the chicken was almost ready for the batter. You shouldered Kevin out of the way, throwing the beer, flour, eggs, and a couple of other ingredients into a bowl. Kevin hovered over your shoulder anxiously, at least until you elbowed him in the ribs. “Back up, Kev, I promise I’ve got your back.” He sighed, and finally sat on the counter out of your way.

He didn’t speak until you threw the chicken into a pan of oil, and even then he spoke so quietly you almost didn’t hear him. “Thanks for always having my back, Y/N.” You smiled over at him, though the chicken spitting oil quickly grabbed your attention again. The past year and a half had been nice. Kevin’s exodus from Philly for the summer came right around the time that the Phillies occupied most of your time and visits with Kevin were limited to late night meals, especially as he and the girl started dating. Kelsey, maybe? Or Karly? You hadn’t actually met; honestly, you weren’t sure she’d met any of his teammates either. It was weird no one had really met her yet, especially for a relationship that had lasted for at least two months. “Spring training is soon, right? When do you leave for Florida?”

“In a week. When do you guys play in Tampa?” He answered the week after next, and you nodded. You had gone to their game in Tampa the year before when it fell during spring training, and it looked like you would be doing so again. The chicken was finally finished, and you threw together a small warm salad with a fresh cashew Caesar dressing. The plates looked good, and Kevin was already washing the dishes when you turned around. “I can get these, Kev, go fix up your hair.”

He turned around teasingly, flicking water in your general direction. “What the hell is that supposed to mean, Y/N?” You shrugged. He raised an eyebrow, and you were saved from a response by the sound of knocking at his door. Kevin quickly dried his hands, and you gathered your flour container. Kelsey/Karly stopped short when she saw you in Kevin’s kitchen, and you held out your free hand with a smile. “I’m Y/N, I live across the hall. it’s nice to meet you.” She raised an eyebrow like she was unimpressed, and your hand dropped to your side slowly. Her next words told you enough about what kind of person she was. “Why the fuck are you here?” So she was going be like that, then. Kevin stood behind her awkwardly, and you hurried towards the door before it got any more weird. He held out a hand to stop you, but said nothing when you turned your head up at him.

You closed the door behind you softly, knowing that an echo from the door slamming would make the entire interaction even weirder. It wasn’t until the door had almost clicked closed that you heard a soft “thank you” from Kevin. A loud argument and a slammed door later the date was over, and you waited for most of the night for Kevin to come over for comfort food. He never came, though you woke up to a sticky note on your door with two short sentences.

I’m sorry. Thank you for everything.

4. Taco Tuesday

It wasn’t just the fact that there was about half the roster sitting in her apartment, or the fact that they were all halfway hammered. It was the fact that Kevin hadn’t bothered to tell you the ‘couple of guys’ he’d invited to dinner was every member of the team not married with children. Nolan was the only mostly sober guy of the group, and that was only because he was coming off of a stomach bug. Thankfully, that stomach bug meant he was the one designated to help you prep for dinner. The guys had begged for your steak tacos after hearing about them for Kevin and then Travis, who had suckered his way into one of you and Kevin’s post-game dinners. Right now, your main concern was having enough meat to feed everyone.

Hands slid around your waist, squeezing slightly when you jumped. “I’m sorry for all the guys. I didn’t think they would all be so interested.” Kevin had to lean in close to your ear in order for you to hear him, and not for the first time you were thankful he was your only close neighbor. The people you shared a wall with were only around for about two months out of the year, and it wasn’t quite that time of year yet. “I promise I’ll keep them mostly chill, and we’ll get out early. I know you have an early call time tomorrow.” Oh, yes. First big road trip of the season. The early April roadies were your favorite, because the thrill of the travel hadn’t worn off yet.

Voices sounded from behind you both, someone commenting on how close Kevin was standing, and he jumped away from you with an impressive amount of speed. You lamented the loss of his body heat, though your next thought was a mental slap on the wrist for thinking about Kevin that way. No matter how into him you were, you couldn’t think like that. You were just friends. Travis slid into the conversation then to make more comments about the two of you, though you knew he meant well. Kevin had finally broken up with Kelsey/Karly, and Travis felt bad because he had been the one to set them up in the first place.

“So Y/N, how come you never bring a guy around to the bars with us?” You could have killed Travis for making that comment. He knew you had a crush on Kevin, had guessed it one night after a particularly rough day, and you were waiting for the day he decided to tell Kevin. “I might bring one around soon,” you said, much to the delight of the crowd around your apartment, minus Kevin. His head snapped up in a mixture of hurt and confusion, and you almost wished you hadn’t brought it up. “I have a date next week with a guy from your marketing department, actually.” Groans of disgust mixed with teasing met your ears at the same time Kevin slammed his beer bottle onto the counter. You would have to explore that outburst at a later date.

Kevin was distant for the rest of the night, and you had a feeling it had something to do with your date. The look on his face and the knowing smirk on Travis’ followed you into your sleep that night, and you tossed and turned until you finally went on a run around the city as daylight broke. A sticky note was waiting on your door when you got back, three brief sentences that made you release tension you hadn’t realized you were holding.

Have a great trip. Revolutionize baseball. You’re the best.

+1. Kevin finally says it

The date had been awful. There were really no other words for it. No matter how many times you dated someone involved in sports, their misogyny never ceased to amaze you. Jake had spent most of the little time you’d dealt with him mansplaining his job and hockey to you, no matter how many times you’d explained you understood both. If he worked for the Phillies, his position would have fallen under your management. In other words, you would have been his boss. You knew what his job entailed, but he couldn’t seem to get that.

But really, the icing on the cake? When he asked if you’d gotten a job with the Phillies so that you could marry some baseball player. As if you could see those boys as anything but loveable idiots. Like hopeless little brothers. You’d gotten up and left then, dropping enough cash on the table to cover your tab and then some before storming out. The text you sent Kevin was angry, a request for beer and a friend, and then you’d walked the mile back to your apartment in heels that were starting to give you serious blisters. The blisters and the red you were still seeing almost caused you to miss the sticky note on your door. Two words, and a scrawl that was very clearly Kevin’s. My place, 8 pm. That note made you smile despite what was quite possibly your worst date ever, and you hurried into your room to change into something more comfortable before heading to Kevin’s.

You walked right in after a knock, and the sight waiting for you almost made you wish you had waited. Soft music was playing from the speaker on Kevin’s kitchen counter, and something in the kitchen smelled heavenly. Kevin looked soft, the Kevin you were used to, in a worn Red Sox t-shirt and some sweatpants that hugged him just right. You were thankful you’d gone with leggings and a long sleeve shirt, especially when Kevin turned around and saw you. His eyes lit up, and you didn’t miss the subtle up-and-down he gave your body. It all felt incredibly domestic, though you didn’t want to drop too deeply into your feels before you’d even had dinner, so you quickly shoved those thoughts away. “Wanna talk about it?” Kevin passed you a beer as he asked, and you shook your head.

“Guy was a dick. Acted like I didn’t know anything about hockey, and then tried to mansplain his job, which is my job, to me.” Kevin snorted in disgust. He mumbled something that sounded like ‘dick’ under his breath, but the oven timer drowned him out. You jumped onto the kitchen counter as Kevin pulled on a couple of oven mitts. He had baked a lasagna, clearly homemade, and you took a deep breath as he placed the dish next to you. Kevin gave you a knowing smirk, and you knocked your beer bottle against his head gently. He knew you too well. His mother had cooked that lasagna when she was around for the mom’s trip, and you’d fallen in love with both the food and his mother. “Kevin, I love you.” He ducked his head, busying himself with scooping you a heaping plate of food. “That was the idea,” he mumbled under his breath. You chose to let it go, although the comment was filed under your list of things to ask him about at some point.

Kevin handed you a plate of lasagna and offered up a slice of fresh bread, which you took gratefully. He scooped himself a matching plate, though his portion was definitely smaller and more diet-approved, and nodded you towards his couch. Rizzoli and Isles was set up on the television, a drama that you and Kevin had been slowly working through together. It was fun to watch him pick apart the locations and inaccuracies, as well as pointing out places that he had grown up terrorizing. He didn’t ask any more about your date, for which you were grateful. The silence was peaceful, minus the occasional comment about the show, and you devoured your food in an amount of time that impressed even Kevin.

It wasn’t until later, when you were cleaning up his kitchen together, that you brought up his earlier comment. “Kev, what did you mean earlier?” He shot a confused look in your direction, and you sighed. “When you said ‘that was the idea’. What did you mean?” Kevin didn’t respond as he finished washing a plate, and he turned off the faucet after he handed you the plate to dry. You were patient, putting away the plate and then dropping the towel as you waited for a response. He would get there, in time.

“I’ve liked you for a long time, Y/N.” Wait, no. Kevin? Liked you? You were frozen, unable to form a sentence. It was like he’d watched your dreams and decided to play a sick joke. Kevin ran a hand over his face and through his hair at your lack of response. “I always knew I didn’t have a chance with you, so I figured being your friend was just as good.” Now it was really just like the Twilight Zone. Either that, or Kevin was reading your mind. It was the exact battle you’d had with yourself several times in the last year-and-a-half plus. Your head spun as you tried to come up with a response, but the only one you came up with was to surge forward and kiss Kevin.

It was like nothing you’d imagined. Kevin was a lot taller than you, enough so that it made kissing him a little difficult at first. After he got over the initial shock of you jumping him he crouched a little, and you wound your fingers through the curls at the nape of his neck. Kissing Kevin felt right, like the one thing you had really been missing over the last couple of years was him. He smiled as you drew back for a breath, and you couldn’t help but smile back. “Yeah?” You laughed at his question. “Yeah,” you repeated, leaning in for another kiss. Kevin obliged, and you melted against him.

You finally left Kevin’s the next morning, rushing out the door so that you could shower before heading in for another game day. Kevin’s kiss on your cheek and a promise for an actual conversation followed you out, though the smile on your face lasted all day. You returned to your apartment that night to see a sticky note on your front door, in Kevin’s writing like always.

My place, 10 pm. Kiss for entry.

#Kevin Hayes Imaging #nhl imagine #nhl imagines

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going-full-shmoo · 5 years

Note

Can you do a Kevin Hayes friends you lover blurb when he was in college?

Here you go anon! I had to do some research, but thanks to one lovely @likeshootingstarsinthenightsky I was able to do it! Hope you like it.

REQUEST HERE / RULES

it was year three of your college career at Boston College, and you were getting very close to murdering your roommate

any other time, the two of you got along swimmingly, and you had formed a pretty tight bond

however, they had recently gotten a new boyfriend, and since then, they have literally not spent a single moment apart

like, they were practically attached

this was at least the 20th time that you walked in on the two of them making out on your roommates bed, literally looking like they were about to suck each other’s faces off

the first time you walked in, you screamed and ran away

now, you just walked in and started going about your business

you were sitting on your own bed, working on an assignment, when they finally separated thirty minutes later

“Oh hey, you’re back” your roommate spoke, still breathless from the face-sucking they had been doing moments earlier

“Yep. I’ve been working on my analysis for abnormal psych, and I’ve actually gotten quite a bit done” you murmured in reply, barely taking your focus off the laptop in front of you

“You know”, the boyfriend finally addresses you, “I have a friend who would be perfect for you”

“Huh, is that so” you mumble, once again not focusing on them

“Yeah, we play on the school’s hockey team together. Nice guy. I think you’d really like him”

“Oh my god, we should do a double date!” your friend added “(Y/N) what do you think?”

“Yeah sure whatever” you responded, once again more focused on your analysis than the conversation that was happening

“Great! Friday night! Let’s go out for dinner and a movie!”

you hummed in agreement not fully realizing what you just agreed to until Friday arrived

you were once again sitting on your bed just scrolling through twitter because procrastination, when your roommate comes back in

“Why aren’t you ready? We’re meeting with the boys in like, fifteen minutes!” they yelled at you

“The fuck are you talking about?”

“You agreed to do a double date with my boyfriend and one of his friends tonight!”

“I NEVER AGREED TO THAT”

“YES YOU DID”

you spent the next five minutes arguing before they forced an outfit into your hands, doing their best to quickly make your face and hair look presentable

“You are not going to spoil this night for us,” you heard your roommate utter “Plus, boo told me that his friend is like, totally perfect for you”

you just mutter under your breath because you cannot believe that you ended up in this situation

cut to you and your roommate waiting outside the movie theater, with the tickets to see the newest movie that just came out, About Time

obviously a rom com, and very obviously your roommates choice

you see your roommates boyfriend walking up, a very tall, sweet looking guy following behind him

as soon as he gets a look at your roommate, the boyfriend runs up and scoops them up in his arms, spinning them around and covering them with kisses

you internally gag because once again, they literally cannot keep their hands off each other

“So while they are sucking face, I guess I should introduce myself, I’m (Y/N), the roommate I’m sure you were told about”

“Kevin. It’s nice to meet you. And yeah he mentioned you. All good things, I promise”

“Well I’m glad he notices somethings because honestly I feel like they are always so engrossed with each other its hard for them to focus on anything else” you joke

and thankfully, Kevin laughs with you

eventually your roommate and their boyfriend separate for long enough for the four of you to go into the theater and find your seats

you and Kevin end up sitting in the row behind your roommate and the boyfriend because they wanted to “be alone” and “let you too get to know each other”

this, you had learned, was code for “we are going to grossly make out for the entire movie without stopping”

you and Kevin just sat behind them, uncomfortable at first, before you ended up bursting into a fit of giggles

“We are only two minutes into this movie and I swear they are already attached” he leaned over and whispered to you

“You should see them in our dorm” you whispered back, leading to more giggles

“You wanna get out of here” Kevin managed to get out after cooling off for a moment

you nodded at him, and the two of you quietly crept out of the theater

once you were outside, the two of you burst out into laughter

“Well that was awkward” you laughed

“I know, right? Like, what was the point of bringing us along if they were just gonna make out the entire time”

“I have no idea either,” you responded. “Wanna get some ice cream or something?”

“Yeah, lets do it”

the two of you made your way over to the ice cream shop, the bell ringing as you walked in

the two of you ordered, and Kevin insisted on paying no matter how hard you fought him on it

he made sure to wait and grab both of your orders for you so you could go and sit and relax

you had no idea how long the two of you sat inside that place, just talking and eating your ice cream

you were there long after you had both finished, and even up until the manager kicked the two of you out

you were sure that your roommate and their boyfriend were long gone at this point

you hated to say it, but they were right - Kevin was amazing

he was sweet, a bit dorky, kind, and made you laugh like no one you had met before

and the fact that he was just as interested in you and didn’t complain when you started to ramble on about your studies?

you could see yourself with someone like him

as he walked you back to your dorm, you wrapped your arm around his, bringing him close so you could get warm

he didn’t budge or complain, just smiled at you like it was the most normal thing in the world

“You know we should make this a normal thing”

“Make what a normal thing, Kevin”

“Ditching our friends so they can go swallow each other while we go and have fun”

you laugh, but nod

“I agree, we should make this a normal thing”

“What do you say, double date dinner Sunday night?”

“You sure your boy Tom Brady won’t mind you skipping a game?” you joked with him knowing that he would do anything to make sure that he saw his favorite (and your least favorite) team play

“For you, it would be worth it” he smiled shyly as the two of you got up to your door

“Then…its a date” you smiled bashfully back

he started to bring you in for a hug, which you gladly accepted

his embrace was warm, and you wished that something more went along with it, but you weren’t ready for that yet

the two of you said your goodbyes after getting each other’s numbers

that night you dreamed about the next time you would see him

little did you know that it was going to be the start of something even more than that

but you would never give your roommate the satisfaction of telling them they were right…that was for later

#kevin hayes #philadelphia flyers #nhl imagine #nhl imagines #hockey imagine #hockey imagines #kevin hayes imagine #kevin hayes x reader #philadelphia flyers imagine #philadelphia flyers imagines #jj writes

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calzona-ga · 4 years

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SPOILER ALERT: The story includes details about the season-finale episode of ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy. While it wasn’t the planned ending, tonight’s Season 16 finale of ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy, written by Mark Driscoll and Tameson Duffy and directed by Deborah Pratt, was fitting. Indeed, this season was cut short due to the halting of production in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

You can’t be the longest-running medical drama on television without overcoming some challenges, and Grey’s already has proved its ability to pivot when the unexpected happens. The production shutdown was is the second major curveball for the show this season after original cast member Justin Chambers’ abrupt exit. No word on whether the four unproduced episodes from Season 16 will roll over to the next season. But this episode, titled “Put on a Happy Face,” had enough to tide us over until Season 17.

Let’s start on a positive highlight. After Richard (James Pickens Jr.) experienced hallucinations as well as a very intense and very public breakdown, fans feared that they might be losing another veteran Grey/Sloane surgeon. Determined not to accept his Alzheimer’s diagnosis, Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) and Andrew DeLuca (Giacomo Gianniotti) worked around the clock to pinpoint the problem, with DeLuca coming through with a game-changing discovery: His dementia was a result of cobalt poisoning from a hip replacement surgery.

Not a hard fix. Dr. Link (Chris Carmack) was brought in to remove the cobalt, and it appears that Webber is on the road to recovery with his health. However, his marriage to Catherine is not out of the danger zone. Turns out the hallucinations had nothing to do with his marital discord. “Did you stand by me while I was being fired? You buy my hospital to humiliate me, or is that my mind playing tricks, too,” Webber contends before sternly kicking Catherine out of the room.

Meanwhile, DeLuca, who has been exhibiting erratic behavior and angry outbursts all season, isn’t able to bask in his incredible catch. Instead, has a breakdown of his own — signaling that it might be time to address his bipolar disorder-like symptoms, which are similar to his father’s.

DeLuca and Grey have become quite the medical duo this season but still couldn’t figure out how to make their romantic relationship work. It’s unclear where that will land next season as a new contender entered midseason — and he goes by the name of Dr. Cormac Hayes (Richard Flood). The two seem to have a connection, though it appears to be on a friendly level at this point (Hayes was a present sent to Meredith by “her person” Cristina Yang). Could this be the next Grey’s love triangle?

Elsewhere, Amelia Shepherd (Caterina Scorsone) finally had her baby! And she opted not to have an epidural because she’s an addict, and the epidural has fentanyl in it. While baby daddy Link wasn’t able to be present during the birth (he was performing the surgery on Webber), she had fellow “pregnancy club” sister Miranda Bailey (Chandra Wilson) by her side. The two share a tender moment when Bailey hops on the bed to support Amelia as she is giving birth, calling back to the time when late George O’Malley (T. R. Knight) did the same for Bailey during her labor back in Season 2.

Alas, not everyone got a happy ending. Owen Hunt (Kevin McKidd) and Teddy Altman (Kim Raver) were set to walk down the aisle, but Teddy needed her one last go-round with Tom Koracick (Greg Germann). Unbeknownst to her, she somehow recorded it and sent it to Owen, who had to endure the embarrassment of hearing it while in the OR surrounded by his colleagues. The wedding eventually is postponed, with Owen giving the excuse that he was pulled into surgery last-minute. In typical Grey’s fashion, there is never a wedding without drama.

Deadline spoke with Grey’s Anatomy showrunner Krista Vernoff, who unpacked the final episode, hinted at what’s to come next season and revealed what storylines she wished they were able to air this season. She also weighed in on the fan reactions to Alex Karev’s controversial exit.

DEADLINE: The Season 16 ender wasn’t what was expected, but like you said in your tweet, it was very satisfying, and a fitting Grey’s ending. How do you plan on carrying over the storyline to next season, or is there a plan to carry over the storyline from the last four episodes to next season? KRISTA VERNOFF: I have not formulated that plan yet. In about four weeks, I’m going to get in a room with the writers, and we’re going to talk about all of it. I know that a lot us are having brainstorms since we have so much time at home. A lot of us are texting each other, and going, “Oh, what if we did this? What if we do that?” So I have a feeling that their stories are going to change some, from what we had planned, and that we’ll repurpose some of what we had written and use it in the early episodes of Season 17.

DEADLINE: The production shut down was the second major curveball for the show, after Justin Chambers’ exit. What were your thoughts on the reaction to his exit?VERNOFF: Well, you know, I haven’t been commenting on this much, but I just did an Instagram Live where I said that, so, I’ll say it to you too. I believe that there would’ve been at least as big an outcry if we had killed that character off-camera, and those were our choices. It was kill the character off-camera, or come up with some believable way that he gets his happily ever after, and some of the fans have posited, ‘well he could have just been off-screen in Seattle like April Kepner, but then you’ve got an actress on the show who doesn’t get to do any of the fun, sexy, playful thrill that we’re known for, then you penalize the actors who are staying on the show by limiting what you could do creatively with them. So I was really proud of that episode. I think Elisabeth Finch did an extraordinary job with a nearly impossible task.

That episode made me cry. It made me laugh. I felt really deeply. I felt satisfaction, and I will say that I have received a great many comments from fans who felt the same way, but the angry people are always the loudest ones.

I wasn’t surprised by the fan reaction, but I know it would’ve been equally angry if I had killed him — so it was like, these are your choices, and I felt really happy with what we chose.

DEADLINE: The fact that you didn’t kill the character off also leaves the door open that we might see them in the future. So is there any chance of [Justin Chambers] or Katherine Heigl, ever coming back? VERNOFF: When I left the show in Season 7, people asked me if there was any chance of me ever coming back, and I was smart enough to say, “Never say never.” Here I am, so who knows?

DEADLINE: Jo was able to accept Alex’s decision in a short amount of time and come to terms with everything. Did that have anything to do with her character’s stint in the psychiatric hospital, at the beginning of the season? VERNOFF: Yes. Jo had had such a dramatic, emotional, painful arc, the second half of Season 15. None of the writers, frankly, none of us wanted to see her go back down into a hole. One of the things about the way the character was written off is that she had a lot of time to wonder, and to fear the worst, and I have found in life that when you have a lot of time to wonder and fear the worst, then when you get an answer, even if it’s terrible news, it feels better than not knowing. And it helps you move on, more quickly.

DEADLINE: I want to just touch on Richard’s illness. Is it safe to say that he’s out of the danger zone? Also, did his illness contribute to anything that had to do with his relationship with Catherine? And what can we expect from that couple in the future?We’ll start with the illness — is he in the safe zone now that they’ve caught it early and treated it? VERNOFF: Yes, and I thought that that was one of the most amazing things about this diagnosis was that the cobalt poisoning thing is real and it really can cause all of those symptoms. It can cause dementia-like symptoms. It can cause Parkinson’s-like symptoms — tremors, hallucinations — and the amazing thing about it is that once you diagnose it, and you get the leaky hip out of your body, you can recover, totally. That felt, just as the storyteller, an amazing thing because it let us give Jim Pickens this really rich, rich material, without us having to permanently disable his character. I think that that was an amazing ride for the fans, because the outcry of we’re showing symptoms that don’t feel like they have cures.

There’s not really a cure for Parkinson’s. There’s not a cure for Alzheimer’s. So I know everyone was in a panic, and so, we got to tell this really satisfying story, and we got to let people know that sometimes, there’s another diagnosis for those symptoms, which we found fascinating, as a group of writers who write medicine, that it’s so rare to see something this satisfying.

DEADLINE: Did the symptoms from the cobalt poisoning have anything to do with his attitude toward Catherine? What’s in store for them? Can we still hold out hope for that couple? VERNOFF: I think you can always hold out hope for any couple on Grey’s Anatomy. You never know where it’s going, and I think that the way we designed this was that the fracture, the real fracture in Catherine and Richard’s relationship predated the cobalt poisoning.

So the way we imagined it was that, with the depression, everyone thought it was related to his divorce, and it was actually a symptom of cobalt poisoning. And then the tremors were a symptom of cobalt poisoning, and then the hallucinations, so that when he forgave her, he forgave her in a hallucination. And when he was well, he remembered the actual events from his life, for which he has not yet forgiven her. The reason that I hold out most for that couple is that Catherine rediscovered her deep and profound love for Richard when she almost lost him. I think that that may enable her to apologize in the way that Richard will need to hear.

DEADLINE: Speaking of forgiveness, in true Grey’s fashion, there’s never a wedding without any drama, as we saw with Teddy and Owen. We’ve seen their relationship woes throughout the series, and this season felt like they were going to finally get it together and find each other and have their happy ending. Why haven’t they quite found that happy ending, and can Owen forgive Teddy? VERNOFF: I think that those are questions that we will have to explore in Season 17. I will say that of all the storylines that were left hanging, that is the one that I was the most disappointed about. Actually, there were two: I’m disappointed that I cannot give Teddy — we had an episode coming up where we were able to better articulate and better understand what’s prompting Teddy’s behavior, and we don’t get to air it. Who knows, maybe it’s going to change between now and when we’ll actually shoot it for Season 17, but I feel for Kim Raver. The amount of standing is high, and we’ve left her in a strange place. It’s compelling, and why? Your question is big. Why? Why would she sabotage — why, when she was finally getting her happy ending, did she sabotage it? I think it’s the super-rich area personally.

And then the other story that I was really disappointed that we couldn’t complete — and I will tell you that I haven’t told this to anyone else, but we did a story where there as a victim of human trafficking, like two episodes ago, and DeLuca we got recognized it but he was in such a mentally compromised, manic state that nobody listened to him and the girl left. We had an episode where she comes back, and I am really sad that we can’t air that episode this season because it felt important to offer that kind of hope to people who are living that experience. I may still complete that story next season.

DEADLINE: I want to touch on DeLuca, who has gone through this really rocky journey with Meredith this season. Although they haven’t really been able to figure out their personal relationship, they’ve proven to be a great medical team. What can you tease about this couple? Last season, we talked about Meredith being ready for love. What can we tease about this couple in the future? Is somebody else going to throw a wrench in everything? Somebody by the name of Hayes? VERNOFF: There is hope for Meredith and DeLuca, and I think that there is hope for Meredith and Hayes. I will be fascinated to see how that storytelling emerges in season 17 because this story played in a way that I didn’t picture. You know, you write a thing, and then the actors play it, and then it gets all put together, and then you know what the story is. You don’t know how it’s going to play when you write it. It’s been amazing for me to watch this story this season. I feel like Giacomo has been so compelling, and DeLuca has risen so much, and simultaneously, Hayes has been really compelling and feels very much like Meredith’s equal. At this point, I’, not even sure which couple I’m rooting for, and that’s always an exciting thing.

DEADLINE: Yeah. We love our love triangles on Grey’s. VERNOFF: Yeah. Yeah.

DEADLINE: One couple might have found their happy ending, it seems, is Amelia and Link. The birth of the baby was such a nice ending to a season full of ups and downs. Was that one thing you were excited about? To see Amelia who had her complications with her first pregnancy, and this one turned out fine. VERNOFF: Yeah. I love that story and I am so grateful that … we got to air it this season. It would’ve been really a bummer if we hadn’t made it there, this season. So, that was just luck and I’m grateful that it was in that episode. I love that scene where Bailey gets in the bed with Amelia, and we call back to when George got in the bed with Bailey and it’s just so beautiful. It was pitched by Meg Mooney, who’s been with the show for 15 years. It made me cry when she pitched it, and it makes me cry every time I watch it. I, like everyone else, at this point really am loving Link and Amelia, and I was so happy. That ending for them felt so hard won this season.

DEADLINE: Is the next season being envisioned as the final season since it’s the second of the two-year pickup, or are you guys having conversations about potentially more seasons? VERNOFF: You know, what I always say to this question, is my answer again today, and that is: I will not start planning the end of Grey’s Anatomy until Shonda [Rhimes] and Ellen and ABC all sit down together, tell me that this really the end this time. The truth is those conversations might be being had if we weren’t dealing with a global pandemic, but everyone’s gone home, and I suspect we’ll start talking about that in a month, or two.

DEADLINE: Speaking of this global pandemic, obviously Grey’s is known for taking things that are happening in the world, and incorporating it into the series. Are there any plans to reflect on this current pandemic on the show for next season? VERNOFF: I haven’t had a minute yet to sit with the writers and talk about it. So, we’re all at home, and we’re on hiatus, but in about four weeks, we’ll gather, and we’ll talk about it. I have a hard time imagining that we don’t have to acknowledge this massive thing that we’ve all gone through, in our fictional world, too, but I have no idea how. I don’t know what it’s going to look like.

DEADLINE: Station 19 — we still have more episodes coming with that series. Are we going to see any of the Grey’s characters in the final couple of episodes? VERNOFF: Yes. Happily, yes, you are. The Grey’s characters are all over the last two episodes of Station 19. So, that is a really nice treat for the fans, too. Many of our Grey’s characters are in Episodes 15 or 16 on Station 19.

#grey's anatomy #krista vernoff #deadline #scoop

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hattywatch · 5 years

Text

J. Vesey - Love Songs

Author’s Note: THIS TOOK FOREVER! Honestly who is even surprised at this point. Sorry to the anon who requested this a million years ago; I hope you get to see it?! Message me and let me know if you liked it!! Based on “I Hate Love Songs” by Kelsea Ballerini

Request: Oh my god, maybe a friends to lovers with jimmy? you've told him in the past that you were interested, and he turned you down because he was nervous, so now you're really good friends and have gotten more comfortable being touchy and whatever, and then he realizes that he needs to marry you!!

Looking up would surely help the tears not spill, you think you read that somewhere. You blink rapidly; it does clear most of the water from your eyes. But not before your cousin notices.

"You're so fucking soft, (Y/N)."

You give an unladylike snort through your nose and pat your under eye gently with a tissue.

Slapping your hand across his chest, all you can respond with is a quick, "Shut up, Kev," before the bride and groom begin the recessional back down the aisle as man and wife.

Jimmy starts in on you from the other side of Kevin, "What are you even crying for? Shouldn't you be happy?"

Far be it from you to explain actual human emotion to Jimmy, so you settle for rolling your eyes.

By the time you make it through cocktail hour, Kevin, your actual date, is off making eyes at the pretty bridesmaid with the colorful sleeve of tattoos and you're left at the bar alone, emptying your purse of singles in an attempt to sway the handsome bartender in your favor for the rest of the evening.

When a hand grazes the small of your back, touching bare skin in your backless dress, you peek over your shoulder expecting to see Kevin, but it's Jimmy who's leaning into your ear.

"Hey, use your powers for good and get me a beer. I don't want to wait in line." The bartender sees your new companion as he places your champagne in front of you. He raises his eyebrows, a silent ask if he can get you anything else, and you give in and order Jimmy's beer, shoving it at him while throwing a smile over your shoulder back towards the bartender.

He keeps his hand where it is and steers you back to a table, you plop down, happy to be off of your feet since your heels are way more beautiful than they are practical. But before Jimmy sits he reaches into his pocket and pulls out your escort card.

"I grabbed yours too," he hands it over to you and you lean down to start unstrapping your heels, mumbling a thank you, mostly towards the floor. "Why do you wear those things if you can't even handle them for an hour?"

You've succeeded in kicking off your shoes and you wiggle your toes, now free from their confines and clink glasses with Jimmy as he brings his beer up to his lips. "Because they make my ass look fantastic," you bring your champagne to your mouth and sip, always thoroughly enjoying catching Jimmy off guard. He wasn't ready to laugh and is sputtering and choking on his beer for a second before he catches his breath and looks away.

He's focused on Kevin making a fool of himself on the dance floor, always the life of the party, so you take a moment to watch Jimmy, undisturbed.

He's been around as long as Kevin has. The two of them somehow related in the same way every kid from Boston who plays hockey is somehow a distant cousin.

You're related to Kevin too, on the other side of the family, obviously.

You remember the first time you saw Jimmy, young and skinny. Quick on his skates, but always ready to unleash his smart mouth and drop gloves no matter how big the other guy was. You admired that about him. He was probably your first crush. Well, your first real crush who wasn't like, Zack Morris.

He was different then, more red faced and shy. He'd really grown into himself. You check to make sure his gaze is still on Kevin, and when you notice it is, you give Jimmy a good once over.

Objectively, he's average looking, you know this; your friends didn't really understand the appeal when you've shown them photos. His lips are thin, but you know first hand that his smirk is devastating and on the rare occasion that he smiles, your heart nearly stops. He's still looks slim- almost gangly, or so you had believed until you caught him on the beach with Kevin earlier in the summer, all lean muscle, freckled from the sun.

It's not like you have a crush on him anymore. But you know that you'll always have a soft spot for your first love, even if it wasn't reciprocated- which he made really clear the summer before your senior year of high school. The memory still makes you shudder with embarrassment.

Jimmy finally looks away from Kevin and speaks up pulling you from your daydreams, "I don't get this whole thing," he waves his hand around, at the room in general. You're not sure what he means, so you just tip your head sideways and motion for him to continue. "Seems like a lot of pomp and circumstance to prove you love someone." You get it, you really do, but he's so cynical that you have to laugh.

"Jimmy, sometimes when two people really like each other," he hits you with an eye roll, "they just wanna shout it from the rooftops."

It's at this point that Kevin decides to take a break from dancing and sink down into the chair beside you.

"I think I'm in love," his eyes are still focused on the bridesmaid, leading the group of flower girls and the ring bearer through the cha cha slide.

You look at lovelorn Kev and turn your hand upwards while eyeing Jimmy, "Case and point, my friend."

Jimmy drinks deeply from his beer and drains it. "Had about enough of you softies," he gets up and heads over to the bar. You know he's kidding, but you feel deeply bad that Jimmy hasn't experienced this type of love yet.

Another champagne will probably help.

Kevin gets up with you to head back over to the cute bartender, but Jimmy intercepts you on your way, pushing a new, full glass at you. You raise your eyebrows, impressed, but accept it with a thank you.

Kevin balks, "Dude, hello?" He holds up his empty hands and Jimmy tips his glass towards Kevin and shrugs a shoulder, "Bar's that way. Cheers, bro."

Once the DJ succeeds in filling up the dance floor after dinner, you join in, too buzzed and high on ~~love~~ to care about your goofy dancing.

When the DJ calls up the bride and groom for their first dance as husband and wife you're back to tears streaming freely down your face, standing barefoot on the side of the dance floor next to Jimmy. Kev having walked off with the bridesmaid to do shots at the bar.

"Would you stop crying? You're a mess, kid." Jimmy drops his arm over your shoulder and pulls you into his side.

"I'm fine! I'm fine, totally okay, don't worry about me!" You manage to wipe away your tears and smile up at him, but then the DJ announces a good luck dance, and invites all the couples to the dance floor, "each couple on the dance floor is an extra year of good luck for our bride and groom, folks. Grab a partner and join us here to celebrate the new Mr and Mrs!"

You give a cursory glance for Kevin, but the flat leaver had already pulled Jo onto the floor and she has her tattooed arms wrapped up and around his neck, her head drooped forward on his shoulder, laughing at something he's whispering into her ear, trying to be heard over Unchained Melody.

Jimmy must feel you sigh, "C'mon," he nudges you forward with the arm that's wrapped around your shoulders.

Shocked wouldn't begin to cover the emotion that bubbles out of your chest. "Jimmy stop, you hate dancing, you don't have to," you protest pretty weakly, but still follow him onto the floor though.

"It's fine (y/n). Three minutes won't kill me. Just turn off the water works, yeah?" You tell him you'll try your best and place your hands delicately onto his shoulders, pushing yourself up, up, up onto your tiptoes to sway side to side with him.

"God, I hate this fucking song," you can't help but laugh because he's such a grump and it's really a nice song.

"You're a spoil sport, Jim." The eyeroll he gives you is real and you're sure he's about to launch into a tirade about the bridal industry, so you change the subject.

"Kev's gonna kick me out of our room tonight isn't he?" Both you and Jimmy have a close eye on Kevin and his new lady love.

That does it, you get a rare Jimmy smile- he actually laughs-, and you feel warm down to your toes with it.

"Yeah, yeah definitely. That's a good assessment."

_________

The next morning you wake up to the snoring coming from the other side of the room and you groan, rolling over. Bless Jimmy's heart for giving you the bed. He looks uncomfortable and smushed on the pull out couch clearly not designed for someone of his height.

Grabbing a change of clothes, Jimmy’s- since your bag is still firmly locked in your room with Kevin and Jo- you escape into the bathroom to wash your face and change. Your hair looks like a rat's nest, so you grab Jimmy's hat on your way out as well as the key card he gave you last night, and head down to the lobby; you're sure you saw a Starbucks down there.

Of course you see Kevin in line, somehow looking more rumpled than you are. You sidle up next to him and bump him with your hip. "Good night there, Hayes?"

"You have no idea," Kev still sounds sleepy and you're so happy he had a good night, because you know he's been feeling a little down since his brother got married, wondering when he'd have something like that of his own.

It seems to hit him that he sexiled you last night as he slinked off the dance floor wrapped up in Jo.

"Oh shit, I'm so sorry," he looks chagrined, so you let it go.

"No sweat. Jimmy let me stay with him." You turn back to the board over your head, trying to figure out what you want to order, but Kevin rounds on you.

"Sooooo… did you have a good night?" He's wagging his eyebrows at you as he nods towards your outfit and your ears feel hot.

"Shut up. You know it wasn't like that." He places his order and slides down so you can place yours.

"Yeah, I know, but it could be worse. You guys would be good together. A guy can't wish happiness for two of his oldest friends?" You decide to not even dignify him with a response and take your drinks before heading back to your room after throwing a chilly sniff over your shoulder. You do give him a little elbow on the way past, though.

Kevin was there that summer, so many years ago. You had thought you and Jimmy were getting closer, bonding while sitting in the stands cheering Kevin on at his games, group trips to the cape on the weekends when he wasn’t at hockey camp. You’d venture to call the two of you friends; friends share beers on the beach and help sunscreen each other's backs.

Finally, towards the end of the summer, right before Kevin was leaving for college, you gathered up some courage. Sat around the bonfire with the last days of freedom closing in, you spot Jimmy. He's finally, blessedly alone and you take a deep breath to steel your nerves.

“Hey Vese…” you cringe because- weird- you never call him that, but you shake it off and sit down next to him. “What up,” he spins his marshmallow around and glances over at you. It’s now or never, “I was just thinking, I know it’s kinda far away, but I’m sure a lot of girls will ask you, so… did you want to maybe… go to prom with me?”

He takes a deep breath and pulls his marshmallow out of the flame and you’re already deflating before he can open his mouth, “I’m not really a prom kind of guy, (y/n)... Sorry.” For what it’s worth, he does look apologetic about it, but you can’t even consider how he’s feeling when you can actively feel your heart drop down to your stomach; now you know why it’s called a crush.

Kevin found you crying back by the bathrooms an hour later and faked a headache so he could drive you home.

By the time you get back up to the room Jimmy's awake, sitting up on the couch, scrolling through his phone, shirtless. You walk over and hand him one of the coffees you picked up before dropping back onto the bed with your own cup.

He takes a sip and finds it to his liking, "Best. Wedding date. Ever." He leans in to fist bump you, and you smile at him and reach out your own hand, yeah he's right, you're pretty awesome.

_________

It takes you by surprise when you receive a text from Jimmy a few months later at the beginning of the summer. It shouldn't, you're both friendly. You’ve seen him over at Kevin’s on Sundays for football and go out to the bar with them every once in a while. You hang out at his family’s pool when everyone is back in Boston and it feels like old times. It’s never weird or awkward, but when his name pops up unannounced on a Wednesday afternoon on your cell, it feels different. Usually you see each other around, but never one on one, it's fine, Totally Fine. But his text still takes you by surprise.

Jimmy: Brady gave me a plus one to the blessed affair… wedding date part 2?

You can’t say no, because you’re long-time buds and Kevin is going to bring Jo and you don't want Jimmy to have to go stag. Plus, you know this wedding is going to be incredible, so it’s really a no brainer when you send back:

Obviously. When?

You could literally smack him when he says that it's a week away. You have nothing to wear and he doesn’t know what color the bridesmaids’ dresses are. That's a mistake you don’t want to make- showing up in the same color, it’s so tacky. When you bring this all up to him his response is the little shrug emoji and you drop your face into your hands and sigh.

Deciding to call Kevin had been a better idea in theory that it was in actual practice.

“Soooo, Jimmy asked you on a date?”

You huff and explain for the third time since he picked up the phone, “No. Kevin. Please try to be helpful."

"I'm helpfully pointing out that you and Jimmy are-"

"I'm going to kill you, Kev. Please just text them and ask so I know what's okay to wear and let me end this fucking nightmare of a conversation." You rub your temples with your thumb and middle finger, feeling a headache coming on.

He laughs and you're glad that someone is finding humor in this situation. It's certainly not you.

When he finally gets back to you it turns out the bridesmaids are in "a soft champagne blush color? I'm reading this verbatim, but fuck if I know what that means," Kevin tells you.

Luckily, you do know what it means. And spend the weekend poring through every store in the mall to find something sleek enough for a wedding where you'll be rubbing elbows with young, eligible men. If it also succeeds I'm making Jimmy regret not taking you to prom… well, that's a bonus. Not that you're still mad or anything.

When you finally find a contender that you like, you decide to use Kevin as your sound board and send him a picture of the dress for approval. He immediately calls you when he receives the photo.

"What's up?" You answer on pins and needles, afraid he's going to tell you it's too over the top for the small, rooftop wedding that Brady is having.

He doesn't even say hello, "Did you show Vese your dress yet?"

"Uh, no. Just you. Why? Is it awful?" You start gnawing on your nail before you remember your manicure and pull your finger from your mouth.

"Nah, you're beautiful, cuz. But send it to him… to uh, make sure it goes with his suit."

Makes sense, "Yeah that's a good idea. Thanks Kev.”

There’s about 4 pictures of you in the dress sitting in your camera roll, but now that you’re supposed to be sending one to Jimmy and not your cousin, none of them really look good enough. It’s stupid and childish, but you sit down at your vanity and fix your hair and make-up before slinking back into the dress and finding a pair of heels.

That’s more like it.

You turn in the mirror and honestly, it’s gorgeous. The blue looks fantastic against your skin. It hugs all the right places, even the cut-outs on the side hit perfectly against your rib-cage and none of your usual bra-fat is an issue; it must have been tailored by witches.

You snap 3 photos, one of the front, one of the side, and one of the back over your shoulder before swallowing and hyping yourself up to text them to Jimmy.

Can I show you the dress I picked and you tell me if it's okay? Kevin said I should show you so you can make sure it matches your suit?

Jimmy: I mean, I’m not really good at that sort of thing, but yeah.

You send them in order- front, side, back and get so inexplicably nervous you have to put your phone down and walk away.

Taking the time to peel the dress off and to gently hang it back up, you end up on your bed in a pair of old shorts and a BC hockey t-shirt, ready to check your texts.

Jimmy: Looks great.

It's an underwhelming answer. But, at least all of your shopping wasn't in vain. You're staring at your phone, scrolling back over your conversation with Jimmy when you see him start typing. You wait for his message to come through, but it doesn't.

He starts typing two more times and stops before you finally get a message.

It's not even a text. In front of you is a photo of him in his suit. It's light grey, and underneath is a crisp white button up with the top 3 buttons undone.

It's certainly a look. And you're not proud to say you saved it to your gallery and zoomed into every pixel. You totally did… but you're not proud to say it.

Jimmy: Do you think this will work with a blue tie

You think it would work with anything and everything, including your bedroom floor, but like, you're not about to say that. So you wuss out and just send a few thumbs up emojis.

It's annoying how you feel like you have to be so careful around Jimmy. If he were any other friend you'd have told him he looks handsome and never thought twice about it, but you just don't want to come off like you're hitting on him. Certainly not ready to have him reject you again.

Jimmy: Awesome. See you Saturday?

Can't wait.

_________

By the time Saturday comes you're all nerves- waking up before your alarm and promptly deciding to put on a face mask so at least you can stay horizontal and relaxed.

It lasts for a while. 20 minutes to be exact, before you peel it off and immediately start stressing before just deciding to get ready so you stop chewing on your manicured fingers.

It's a late afternoon wedding in a chic little church with a reception to follow at an intimate rooftop restaurant. The weather seems to be cooperating, checking your phone the forecast calls for sunny skies, not a cloud in sight.

By the time you're doing your make-up and trying to YouTube-tutorial your hair into a style that looks elegant enough to go with your dress, there's a knock at your door. You jump and accidentally scrape a bobby pin along your scalp while trying to secure a roller in your hair.

"Son of a bitch."

Hustling over to the door, you assume it's your neighbor. Sometimes her cat goes missing and you're pretty much the feline pied-piper.

"I'm sorry Mrs. Dennehy. I can't look for Bootsie right n-"

Swinging the door open mid-sentence in your ripped Cinderella tank top, ratty old shorts, and curlers in your hair, you immediately regret not looking through the peephole. "You are not Mrs. Dennehy."

"Nah. Definitely not." Jimmy steps past you into your place, looking lethal in his suit and tie.

You can't get over it because he's in your space and the room is filled with him, not to mention the fact that you feel like a schlub; hair still in rollers, but at least you finished your make-up.

"That's a good look, (y/n). I mean… I liked the blue dress better, but I don't know much about fashion." Squinting your eyes at him you poke him in the sternum with a pointed finger.

"How the fuck do you even know my address. I thought I was meeting you at Kevin's?" You decide to ignore his jab at your present state.

"I asked Kev. I figured we could go over there together. Him and Jo are still in the mushy honeymoon stage and I love him, but I really want to throat-punch him when I have to witness it firsthand." You nod, because it's a valid point.

You unroll your curlers in the bathroom and are pleased to see that your hair looks decent, successfully mirroring the YouTube video. After hair spraying and sliding your heels on, you pull your dress up over your hips and zip it, leaving the hook and eye at the top undone, since you can never hook it on your own.

"Vese?" Jimmy appears at your bedroom door a moment later, one eyebrow raised.

"I hate when you call me that." You know this.

"Yeah, but it always gets a reaction," you smile and spin around so your back is facing him. "Can you clasp the top of this please and then I'm ready to go, I swear!"

It seems like an okay idea until you feel the whisper of his fingertips over the nape of your neck and you feel your flesh turn to goosebumps, and you realize you're about to have a very long evening.

________

The wedding is beautiful. They wrote their own vows and it has you fanning your eyes trying to keep the tears at bay before they've even kissed as man and wife. Jimmy laughs when he looks over and sees you blinking rapidly, trying to save your mascara.

"You cry at everything, huh?" He deserves the elbow you throw into his ribs.

When the ceremony is over and the bubbles have been blown, a limo whisks away the bridal party for photos, while Kevin and Jimmy lead the way to the reception venue. Kevin has his arm wrapped firmly around Jo's waist and you catch the sidelong glance Jimmy gives as if to say see what I mean?

It's only a few blocks away, but in heels you're wobbly at best. So when you stumble over a dip in the sidewalk, he takes your hand and tucks it into the crook of his elbow.

"You're a fuckin' hazard in those shoes. Look at you." He shakes his head, but you start in, smiling cheekily up at him, "Yeah but they make-"

"-they make your ass look fantastic. I know."

Kevin must hear Jimmy talking, because he looks over and furrows his eyebrows.

"Keep your eyes off my cousin's ass, Vesey." Jimmy responds with a delicate fuck you, Kev that has all of you laughing.

___________

All four of you are tipsy before the cocktail hour ends and the bride and groom make their appearance- all effervescently in love and wind-blown from taking photos on the beach.

You blubber through their first dance, you and Jo holding each other through it- and laughing at how silly you both are- before tapping your champagne flutes and getting Brady to lay a big smooch on his bride.

It's a few more champages that has you kicking your shoes off and dragging Jimmy onto the dance floor to stumble through the electric slide and (a thankfully abridged version of) the cotton eyed Joe. He shucked his jacket hours ago when you found your table and the tie followed soon after, shoved into your purse so he doesn't lose it. He looks loose and happy, surrounded by friends and glowing with summer.

When you hear the familiar snaps of Single Ladies, it seems like a great idea to stay on the dance floor with the other women to try to catch the stupid bouquet Gracia is chucking over her head. It stops seeming like a great idea the second your hands close around the bouquet and you feel the lace between your fingers.

Jo jumps up and down next to you, screeching and laughing in your ear with a gentle refrain of ooooh and you're next! sprinkled in from the other girls, congratulating you on the way back to their seats.

The DJ brings a chair over next to his booth and you plop down, happy to be off of your feet, but increasingly antsy when you see the swell of bachelors on the dance floor. Brady apparently only has very handsome friends- birds of a feather, obviously. There's a handful you're sure are NHL players and you are slightly worried about the cellulite they'd feel high up on your thighs.

When the garter is inevitably flung, it's Kevin's height that gives him the advantage. It doesn't occur to you that he has absolutely no business being on the dance floor at all, since he's surely not trying to feel up his own cousin. Not to mention Jo- she's standing about 4 feet to your left, her camera trained on Kevin.

They're no good terrible people. You're certain of this when you watch in slow motion as Kevin reaches up and stops the garter's trajectory and as falls directly down onto Jimmy. Jo has caught the whole charade on video it seems, since she's cackling in delight, the traitor.

Jimmy accepts a handful of pats on the back, and walks over towards you looking downright twitchy. You know somewhere in the background there's plenty of hooting and hollering, but someone's wolf whistle finally pulls you from your internal panic and you can hear the slinky intro to “Dress” start up.

The DJ is talking into the microphone and Jimmy seems to be paying attention to what his job is, namely- sliding the garter in his hand as far up your leg as you'll allow. You'd take the red flush on his face as a compliment at literally any other time, but your hands are clammy and you're sure your face is giving off more heat than the sun. It isn't until Jimmy kneels down in front of you that you realize the DJ has stopped talking and this is about to happen.

All of this silence and patience, pining in anticipation / My hands are shaking from holding back from you

You quickly decide that this may be the one and only time you'll get to feel him all over your bare skin, so after a deep breath, you meet his eyes, give an encouraging smile, uncross your legs and drop your foot into his waiting hands.

He huffs out a breath, which sounds suspiciously akin to "Fuckin' Kevin," but knocks a smile sideways at you and peers at you with his half glassy eyes.

Say my name and everything just stops / I don’t want you like a best friend / Only bought this dress so you could take it off

Jimmy slides the lace garter over your ankle and up your calf, his hands barely brushing to your knee before he pulls them out from under your dress, but the crowd won't let him off so easily. You're sure it's Jo who leads a "high-er, high-er" chant and you laugh, because if you don't laugh, you might cry.

"Our friends are idiots," he sighs out. You smile and shake your head yes.

"They really are, but they're not going to let you out of this, Vese," you lift your foot off the ground and shake it at him until he takes it back in his hand and lifts your dress up with the other before wrapping both around your knee and gently pushing the garter up higher; hands slowly dragging the scratchy lace up your thigh. The slit on the dress is pretty high, so everyone can see the moment his hands slide underneath, finally hidden from their view.

His fingers are scarcely touching your skin, but you know you're covered in goosebumps. When you make eye contact this time, it has you feeling more exposed than the fact that his hands are inches from your panties.

Just when you're surely about to explode, he lets go of the garter and slides his hands back down your thigh, teasing over your calf and down to your ankle before placing your foot on the floor and standing, offering you his hand to help you up.

Deep down you know everyone is clapping, but you desperately want to crawl under a table, sure that you've just spilled the beans about your residual feelings for one of your oldest friends.

________

Jimmy walks you back to your table but you don't wait around, downing your remaining champagne and scampering off in search of the bar. That's where Jo finds you, sidles up next to you, and drops a five in the tip jar before handing her flute over to the bartender.

"Honestly, you know I love the shit out of you, right?" You already don't like where this is going, but you nod anyway.

"If you two don't fuck tonight I'm going to die from the tension." This is why you love the shit out of her right back.

"Let's go dance?" She downs her drink and leaves the glass on the bar, following you back to the dance floor until dinner is called. The DJ transitions into smooth jazz and some old standards, quieting the party down to eat.

You have no choice, and during dinner you sit down primly next to Jimmy, antsy and nervous to sit too close, your elbow knocking against his and making you jump each time. Both of you knowing the feel of each other's skin.

Brady's grandparents get up and start dancing together, finished with their dinner. It's beautiful how they hold each other close after being together for so long and it has you feeling misty all over again, turned sideways in your chair eyes trained on the dance floor.

When Unchained Melody starts up the metallic clank of a fork on a plate next to you has your eyes jerking over and away from the dance floor.

"C'mon hotshot," Jimmy stands, so tall and lean, looking down at you with his hands in his pockets, head tipped towards the dance floor, and who are you to say no.

You can hear Jo's 'Get it girl!' And you wish you could kill her here, maybe suffocate her with a damned dinner roll.

"What gives? Sick of seeing me cry?" You place your hands on Jimmy's shoulders but it feels too stilted, his hands have already raked up your thighs, so fuck it, you wind them around his neck, pulling him a little closer than you should.

"Nah. It's our song," his grip at your waist tightens and you can barely breathe, but he clears his throat and adds, "Tradition."

You know the grin you lay on him is glowing, your cheeks ache with it, but it's Jimmy and you'd suffer through a lot more for him. When he twirls you under his arm, you know you're fucked and the feelings that you've been doing your best to shake off are going nowhere fast.

Jimmy doesn't leave your side the rest of the night. Dancing with you and smiling, singing along under his breath.

When he drops you at your apartment later, he kisses you on the cheek after helping you fumble with your key, but he doesn't turn around on his way to the elevator, so you sleep alone that evening. If you keep the garter on, no one is any wiser for it.

_________

It's a beautiful day and you're dining al fresco, happy to have the sun on your skin, but happier with the food in front of you. The company, well… it leaves something to be desired.

"You guys are hot for each other and just need to bang already. Please. Even Kevin agrees and he's your cousin. Gross." You don't want to hash out your history again, living it out once was enough.

"Jo, no. Stop, it isn't like that!" It's girls' day. A week or so after Brady's wedding Jo had texted to see what you were doing and invited you out for lunch. So here you are, having to revisit the traumas of your youth with your cousin's girl.

"Can you just? Not? Like he texts you every day, and has been to two weddings with you-"

"Technically I was Kevin's date to the first one," you interject and pop a piece of pineapple into your mouth.

She carries on without even acknowledging you, "What is your hang up? Just tell him you're interested. You're cute and fun and you have all the same friends. It's a match made in heaven."

You don't want to get into the prom story, but you think it will get her to take a little pity on you and make her to stop, so you decide to clue her in.

"We've been down that road before." She looks intrigued and waves her hand for you to continue, so you do, regaling her with the whole embarrassing story.

".... and then I finally built up the courage, after all of that, to ask him to go with me to prom and all he can respond is that he's 'not really a prom kind of guy' seriously?" You let out a sigh, all keyed up and anxious again, on the brink of tears as if it all happened 5 minutes prior and not over 5 years ago.

Jo puts her glass down on the table with a clank, "Um. So?" You literally can't believe what you're hearing and stare at her blankly, blinking and waiting for her to understand.

"What do you mean 'so?' Why would I put myself out there, AGAIN- to have it not be reciprocated? Are you crazy?” Surely Jo doesn't get it.

"Babe, that was a LONG time ago. Let it go. Not everyone dreams of a romantic evening at prom. You know how Jimmy is. He's not about that kind of thing." You scoff loudly, and before you can even open your mouth to combat her she continues, "BUT, he danced with you at both weddings. Got you drinks from the bar, and he participated in the STEAMIEST garter toss I have ever, in my life, witnessed. He likes you. What more do you need to see it?"

You mull her words around in your head for a while as she looks on, rather content with herself, it appears.

"I just don't know if I can put myself through that again. Admitting to you that I like him is hard enough. Imagine if I had to say something to his face?!"

All Jo does is nod, "I get where you're coming from. I think you're stupid, but I get it." She pats you on the hand probably more out of pity than comfort, but you'll take what you can get.

______

Kevin asks you to meet him at the bar a few days later. "Watch a Sox game and have a few drinks with me," it sounds great and low-key, so you say yes.

You come straight from work, emotionally disheveled from a long day, but dressed nice enough for it not to matter too much.

When you walk through the door and peer around you feel like you've been shanghaied.

Kev is there all right. Sat snugly next to Jo on one side of the booth. You don't have to walk over to know who's facing Kevin and Jo, the hat on his head giving it away.

You slide into the only available seat in the booth, right next to Jimmy. If you kick Kevin on your way in, well, these things happen sometimes.

When Jimmy looks over at you and smiles confusedly, you're sure it's a set up.

"Didn't know you were coming, (y/n)!" He seems genuinely happy to see you, which makes your heart trip in your chest, before beating double.

Kevin has this shit eating grin on his face and you know your evening is about to go to hell in a handbasket. "We were just talking about the old days. Feelin' a little nostalgic."

If you could, you'd leave as quickly as you came, but it doesn't seem like an option you have at the moment.

"I was just telling the boys how I lost my v-card at prom to my first boyfriend. He just had a baby! How far we've come," Jo looks at you with a playful smile on her lips and if you didn't think you'd end up kicking Jimmy in the process, she could catch a foot to the shin as well.

"I wouldn't know about that Jo, where's the waiter?" You didn't really want to drink on a Thursday, but if this was how the night was about to go, who could really blame you?

He pops up and you all place your orders, but it doesn't give you the break in the conversation you were hoping for.

Jo sips her drink and plows on, "You didn't lose it at prom?" she asks, like it's the most normal question in the world. Jimmy's sipping his Guinness and you want to cover your face and slide down under the table, but all you can do is shrug.

"I didn't go to prom, actually," deciding to avoid the question completely. That has Jimmy looking over at you.

"Yes you did," he says it so surely. "You went with Brian."

Well, that's interesting.

"I think I'd know if I went to prom or not. My memory isn't that bad, Vese." He wrinkles his nose at the nickname.

"I hate that and you know it." You smile snidely back at him, still hoping the waiter will get you out of this conversation.

"No, you did. I heard him at hockey practice. He said he was asking you." Jimmy's sat sideways in the booth, all his attention on you and it's overwhelming.

"I mean, he did ask. But I said no." That's when the waiter finally drops your food off.

It's really smooth how Kevin gets up to use the bathroom and Jo gets up a moment later to 'fix her lipstick.'

It's quiet when they leave, you're doing your damnedest to sip your water and focus on the game, but Jimmy clears his throat and nudges you with his knee.

"I, uh, really thought you went with Brian." He is just barely glancing at you from the corner of his eye.

"I didn't want to go with him. He was kind of a douche." Jimmy turns to you, his thigh pressed all the way against yours.

"All the girls liked him, though," he's aiming for detached nonchalance, but he's rolling his beer between his palms and that gives him away.

Maybe it's starting to make sense now.

"Yeah, the dumb ones," you smile and decide maybe Jo is right, and it has been years and your day can't really get worse and you've already made it this far.

You take the chance to steal a french fry off of his plate and idly wonder how long it takes Kevin to pee or Jo to fix her lipstick. "I wanted to go with someone else. I asked, but you know…"

It's Jimmy who sighs this time. "I guess I was pretty dumb back then too."

"I mean, you went to Harvard, so how dumb can you really be, James." You set your sights on Kevin's fries, because fuck him, it's really the least he could do right now.

"So," Jimmy stops and exhales loudly, "this is embarrassing, but," he pauses and looks at you.

You place your hand on his knee and tap it patronizingly, "You weren't shot down asking someone to prom, so how embarrassing could it really be?"

"Touche, but for the record- I only said no because I figured you'd rather go with him." Your jaw drops in its best impression of a trout. "I just didn't want to get my hopes up only for you to change your mind when he asked you."

"You're right, Vesey. You are dumb," he gives you that little half smirk of his, and you quickly realize your hand is still on his knee.

The look on his face is definitely what people envision when they use the phrase "making eyes at," but of course this is when Kevin and Jo make their grand return, and you pull your hand back into your own lap as quickly as possible.

The rest of the dinner is quiet. Casual small talk over the din of the game. When Kevin and Jo decide they want to head home, you stand too, ready to take your leave.

Jimmy gently grabs at your wrist. "I'm going to have another beer, wanna stay with me?" You hug Kevin and Jo goodbye and blatantly ignore the wink she gives you. Jimmy waves at them but walks off towards the men's room and you take the chance to flip Jo and Kevin off while he's not looking. They laugh and give you a thumbs up while heading to the door.

Deciding to relocate to the bar, you climb up onto a stool at the end of the counter and wait for Jimmy to return.

He does, wiping his damp hands on his pants; he stands next to you. "I didn't know what you were drinking or I would have ordered it for you," you tell him, peering up as he towers over you.

"Oh, no. I'm good to go. I just wanted them to leave so we could talk alone. Is it okay if we go to my place?"

Sneaky little shit.

______

When you said yes, you didn't think about the five floor walk up Jimmy lives in. "Don't the Rangers pay you enough to live in a building with an elevator?" He laughs, not at all out of breath like you are, the bastard.

You've been here of course, but never alone. Never just you and Jimmy.

Everything seems very real, very quickly. You wish you had opted for a little liquor at the bar, you could use any courage you could get, Dutch or otherwise.

Kicking your shoes off, you sit down on Jimmy's couch. He plops down next to you, more comfortable since he has the home team advantage.

"I really wanted to go with you." You're surprised he just blurted it out like that. He doesn't follow it up with a 'but' or any excuses at all, and it sends your heart soaring in your chest.

"If I had known you didn't want to go with Brian, I would have said yes when you asked." He's looking down at his hands, but speaking slow and steady. "I know it was so long ago, but I just feel like I want you to know that."

Jimmy's confession is making your skin tingle with heat, but he's still sitting there, looking so hesitant. It bolsters you. He chooses that moment to look up at you and you can't help but grin- a wide, cheesy thing.

"You like me," his face instantly flames. He attempts to stutter out a response which really cements it in your head.

Without letting him respond, you continue, "No. It wasn't a question. It was a statement. You like me." He bites his lip and nods.

"Yeah. I just… you know how I am. With feelings and stuff." And you do know.

He's like Ron Weasley, emotional range of a teaspoon. But you, you make him stutter and blush and that's not something you think you'll ever get over.

You're sort of torn between smacking him for putting you through all this and tearing off all of his clothes, so you settle somewhere in the middle and turn to kiss him straight on the mouth.

He was about to say something so when you catch him mid-word your teeth clash and you back off apologizing profusely.

"So aggressive," he laughs and wipes at his lip. "Slow down, we have lots of time now." And he's right, but every second that passes without his lips on yours feels wasted and empty.

"We really don't though," he looks upset and confused, pulling back into himself before you clarify, "I have to be up in the morning so I don't have all night, Vese. Some of us have been patiently waiting for years."

That has him blooming a smile again and you shake with the knowledge that you caused it, but he agrees "Yeah, some of us have been."

_____

It's not the first time Jimmy has stared at you like this, and it probably won't be the last, but right now it's making your eyes water with the sincerity of it.

His hands are on your hips, warm and familiar and your skin tingles under the weight of his palms and your dress.

"Vese," it's the first time the name elicits a smile from him. It may have something to do with the fact that it's his turn to whisper the nickname.

You can't help the smile snaking its way across your face. "It's Mrs.Vese, actually, James." A flash goes off somewhere to your right but you can't be bothered to take your eyes off of your husband.

"I can't believe you chose this song for our first dance," you pull him close so his forehead rests on yours, "you hate this song."

He presses a kiss to your lips, gentle but still eliciting cheers from your audience. "I really do. But you like it, and I love you."

#jimmy vesey fic #jimmy vesey imagine #nyr imagine #jimmy vesey blurb #nhl rpf #new york rangers imagine #new york rangers fic #nyr fic #hockey fic #hockey imagine #writing #this took forever i am so sorry #the song is really nice though by kelsea ballerini #i love it #its so jimmy #so cold to emotions but warm to his beloved #i am tears #happy tears though

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weresey · 6 years

Text

Baseballs and Hockey

Jimmy Vesey - New York Rangers blurb with Kevin Hayes and Brady Skjei

It had been a cloudy morning in Boston, you had woken up early to surprise your boyfriend with breakfast because you two had a big date watching your hometown team play his Boston Red Sox. The smell of freshly made eggs and bacon led Jimmy to walk to the kitchen with his cute nappy hair and wrap his hands behind you as you were finishing up breakfast. “This smells really good babe what’s the special occasion?” You turned to look at him after setting the pan down on the stove.

“There doesn’t have to be a special occasion for me to want to cook something for you babe, seeing as you Kevin and Brady only make reservations” you said laughing “But you like it when I take you out with the boys don’t you? And besides I never had someone as sexy as you to teach me to make breakfast”, he said with a wink as he headed to the table to sit down and eat. “Well, whenever you want to learn, you know where to find me” you said sitting down next to him. After finishing breakfast you told him, “I just wanted to make you something because it is our first weekend where we are having alone time and my hometown team is going to kick your Red Sox ass” he got up from his chair and started chasing you around your shared apartment until he had you pinned down on the bed where he straddled you. You both just stayed in the moment staring at each other when he leaned down and kissed you. In that instant you were in a different universe, it felt like time had stopped and you two were the only ones in the world. After minutes of kissing so soft and passionately, he caved in and he made a bet with you. “If your team wins tonight, I’ll attempt to cook you dinner and prepare a romantic evening for the two of us but if the Red Sox win you have to make a reservation which I know you have never liked to do because your cooking is always better than a restaurants” he said with his sly smile that made you quiver upon seeing his cheeks flush a bright crimson like the color of his Harvard shirt that he was wearing. “Deal! You better find a cook book Vesey because it’s your turn to wear the apron.”

You two soon lost track of time making out that you didn’t even notice the spam of messages from Kevin and Brady to see if you were at the stadium already. You laughed it off and told them that you would be there soon. You quickly changed into your hometown jersey and he put on everything he owned that represented the Red Sox, from the hat to a jersey to some socks he was ready to take a win that would never come. You too got to Fenway and found your seats because you could see Kevin and Brady waving their big arms from possibly a mile away smiling like children at the playground. The game started and for the first couple of innings the score had been a solid 0-0, the rest were action packed with the score swaying back and forth between both teams. The whole game you were fighting against Jimmy and Kevin because of their Boston pride, Brady felt bad that you were the only fan from your hometown in the section where you guys sat so he was cheering on along with you. In the 5th inning the commentators showed the boys on the big screen giving them a shout-out for playing for the Rangers and two of them being from the Boston area. They just waved and showed that awkward smile like they do when they have interviews after a game. Towards the 7th inning stretch, the kiss cam went on the screen and next thing you know so were you. “Look you guys are on the screen!” Kevin said as he pointed towards the jumbotron. You looked and next thing you knew Jimmy turned your face and planted a big kiss on your lips causing people to awe around you. At the same time that you guys are kissing, you start hearing laughs and howls as you see Kevin attempt to kiss Brady on the cheek with him resisting. You and Jimmy burst out laughing and the boys wave once again to the jumbotron as they move on with the next couple. Soon after the innings are finalizing your hometown team goes on to beat the Red Sox and you stand up to cheer your team get off the field. You look at Jimmy and say “Better get your cooking skills ready babe or I’m calling Gordon Ramsey!” Kevin and Brady look at you two confused and then Jimmy says, “I made a bet with her if her team won I had to cook her dinner, and if the Sox won she had to make a reservation.” “That’s a dumb bet, anyone who knows Vese can attest that he can’t cook.”, says Kevin “Hey! I can try can’t I” Jimmy says back to him “It’s the thought that counts and I just want to see if his cooking skills are better than mine.”, you snap back at both of them

You and Jimmy part ways from Kevin and Brady who had to take an early flight to New York for some Rangerstown interviews in the morning. As you were driving back home together, Jimmy asked you if you had any preference in meals and you told him to surprise you because in the end it didn’t matter what he made you it is the thought that counts. When you got home he sent you straight to you guy’s room so that you could change into something fancy for the surprise dinner which actually wasn’t much of a surprise since it came off of a bet. After a while of waiting, Jimmy finally called you out to him when you saw that he had made a rose petal trail from the bedroom leading to the dining area. He stood next to the table wearing a really nice suit that he had never worn before to games. The table was set with wine glasses and delicious smelling food that Jimmy actually made seeing as the kitchen was a mess. “Babe, this is amazing! You didn’t have to go to these lengths just to do the bet, a small dinner would have been fine.” “Yeah but if I hadn’t made that bet with you I would have never done what I am about to do next until we were back in New York.” You stood there with a puzzled look trying to figure out what he was talking about when he pulled out a little velvet box and kneeled before you. You backed up, clasped your hands together over your mouth and you were in tears when he started speaking. “Y/N, I have been contemplating with my mind over how to ask you this but when I saw you at that baseball game beside me, I saw myself with you at Fenway, New York, and your hometown doing these activities more regularly. Will You Marry Me?” he stuttered the words out and you could tell he was nervous. You didn’t know what to say because you were sure that your tears were about to flood your apartment so you just grabbed his face and kissed him as hard as you could. You left your hands on his face as you pulled apart and said Yes!

// This was supposed to be a small blurb because I am barely trying to get into writing. I just got into hockey back in January and this is just something that came to mind seeing as the New York Rangers were one of the teams that I got attached to first. Anyways, feedback would be valued. This is my first writing piece and I am self-publishing it so please be aware that this is a trial run and it is scary. I want to see if I have skills like some of my favorite writers on here. Hope you guys enjoyed it!

//Posting again because the first time it didn’t pick up on the keep reading tab. So here it is again. :)

#Jimmy Vesey #New York Rangers #Brady Skjei #Kevin Hayes #nhl imagine #nhl blurb #nhl #mine #first time writer #Jimmy Vesey imagine #baseball #mlb #boston red sox #hockey #hockey imagine #hockey blurb

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nashnearysports · 5 years

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NBA Free Agency Day 1 Review:

NBA fans went to sleep last night, awaiting to wake up to the much anticipated ‘Woj Bombs’ on Twitter this morning. In the past, day 1 of the NBA Free Agency period has usually been nothing exciting; rumours are spread, and the top tier players take time to make their decisions, making sure they make the correct one by meeting with the various teams that are set out to sign them. This year was completely different and special.

Kemba to give his all to Boston:

Kemba Walker has been one of the beloved players in the league by all fans. Playing on terrible teams for the last few years, he had given everything he had for the Hornets organisation, becoming the all-time leading scorer for them. Now he’s ready to begin his new chapter with the Boston Celtics who offer him much more than Charlotte ever did. Kemba is an All-Star and will continue to star with the Celtics. Replacing Kyrie is tough but after the toxic situation that was developed in his time there, they gain a new leader and calm body in Kemba Walker. He joins Jayson Tatum, Gordon Hayward and Jaylen Brown in an attempt to get out of the east and win a title. Losing Al Horford is a tough hole to cover, especially lacking depth at the centre position. Whilst it was a tough season for Boston, I expect them to return to be the dangerous team we expected them to be.

Brooklyn; The new Kings of New York:

Brooklyn are walking away as one of the biggest winners of this period. Signing superstars and past champions, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, puts them in a serious position for the upcoming NBA seasons. The pair also both agreed to take a salary that leaves them earning just below the max to help the team sign DeAndre Jordan, who is one of the league’s best rebounders and a former All-NBA First Team member. The Nets are now contenders, yet they will be going into the 2019-20 NBA Season without Durant after tearing his Achilles in this year’s NBA Finals. They’re going to be good, potentially a top four seed and once Durant returns to the team, they will be even scarier.

It is crazy how far the Nets have come from five years ago when Billy King traded away everything to the Celtics, leaving them with no picks, eventually becoming the laughing stock of the league. It has been the culture that this team has built over the last few years that has been the main role in recruiting these two superstars to the team. Kenny Atkinson has been a fantastic coach for them and has developed their young core that includes the likes of the ‘Fro’ Jarrett Allen and Caris LeVert. The future is bright for the Barclays Centre. An incredible feat to say the least.

Warriors D-Load:

The best team in the NBA was looking to be done and dusted when Durant left for nothing. The formidable super team that was the Golden State Warriors have been the villains for so long, that people were happy to see this team broken up however this only lasted a few hours. In a move that no-one saw happening, Golden State and the Brooklyn Nets agreed to a sign and trade for D’Angelo Russell, the 23-year-old All Star who had a great season last year leading the Nets to the 6thseed in the Eastern Conference. The acquisition of Russell led to the team having to trade one of the hearts and souls of the dynasty, Andre Iguodala to Memphis to avoid being in the hard cap. Iggy is a key player who is going to be missed come playoff time.

The team also resigned sharpshooter and elite defender Klay Thompson to a max deal worth $190 million over the next five years. Klay is likely to miss next season with a torn ACL but is a key piece of the Warriors organisation. Just when you thought this team was down and out, they come back with an All Star to replace a hole in their side. You have to wonder where D-Lo fits on this team once Klay returns so a potential trade for more fitting pieces could be a future possibility.

Fans of the Garden losing faith; time for Dolan to go?

It wasn’t long ago when the fans of the New York Knicks were excited for this time of year; considered a huge chance to get the number 1 pick, Zion Williamson as well as the seeming frontrunners to sign both KD and Kyrie. The team has been in shambles since trading their best asset for the last decade, Kristaps Porzingis, in the hope that it would all come together with the pieces fitting into place. Unfortunately for the Knicks and their fans, it’s been nothing but the complete opposite.

It all began when the Knicks struck out in the lottery, falling to the number 3 pick in the draft. Drafting R.J Barrett seems to be a fantastic selection as he is going to be a stud in the league but missing out on the messiah that is Zion crushed their fans. Today, the team didn’t sign either of Durant or Kyrie and missed out on all the top free agents that they’d guaranteed would be a part of the organisation. If it couldn’t get any worse, the team wasn’t even willing to offer a max contract to KD which fans didn’t take too kindly to. The team walked away from day 1, signing three power forwards which doesn’t make too much sense; Julius Randle, Bobby Portis and Taj Gibson. Knicks President Steve Mills literally issued an apology to the fans of the Garden stating,

"While we understand that some Knicks fans could be disappointed with tonight's news, we continue to be upbeat and confident in our plans to rebuild the Knicks to compete for championships in the future, through both the draft and targeted free agents,".

You know you have failed if you have to write to your fans an apology. Knicks fans are fed up with the direction the organisation has taken whilst being led by James Dolan and you have to question his future and whether or not it is time for him to sell the team.

Philly make the big moves- but have they gotten better?

The Sixers began the day on a high-note, signing Tobias Harris to a five-year deal worth $180 million. Not long after, they completed a sign-and-trade with Miami for Jimmy Butler, receiving Josh Richardson in return who is a very nice piece for the team and should fit comfortably in the team’s structure. The deal is on hold for the time being, but it seems likely that it will get done within the next day as Miami is working with the Mavs to help get the deal done.

In a move out of nowhere, the team also acquired Al Horford on a four-year deal, who has joined the enemy moving from the Sixers rival that is Boston. Both J-Rich and Horford are excellent players and are both elite defenders. Horford has been the ‘Embiid stopper’ for the past few seasons, so Joel can battle with him rather than against him in the upcoming season.

Can this new line-up compete for the title next year after losing their second-best player and key shooter J.J Redick is the real question? Horford and Richardson will help space the floor and bring a new level of defence that is already being led at the front by Embiid. For the money that Harris just got paid, he will need to play at a higher level for the team to compete this upcoming season.

Jimmy Butler headed to South Beach… not just yet:

It was reported that the Miami Heat had completed a sign-and-trade with the Sixers to gain star two-way player Jimmy Butler for Miami’s best player Josh Richardson however currently it appears that the third team involved, the Dallas Mavericks, want Derrick Jones. Jr to be a part of the deal but Miami are reluctant to move him. Whilst this is causing problems, it is safe to assume that Butler will be in a Miami uniform very soon.

Miami is in a good position and there are rumours of the team making a big play for Washington All-Star Bradley Beal who would be a great asset for the team. With the likes of young talent that includes Bam Adebayo and Justise Winslow, as well as a lot of money coming off the books for Miami in 2020, the team’s future is bright. Hopefully, first-round pick Tyler Herro can also provide for the team. The trade to acquire Butler could be the start of a return to the top for South Beach.

Pelicans looking better than ever, even without Anthony Davis:

David Griffin is a magician; he landed the number 1 pick Zion Williamson, traded superstar Anthony Davis for Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart, the number 8 pick Jaxson Hayes, pick 17 Nickeil Alexander-Walker and three future first-rounders. Not only does he gain these pieces, but he also opens up enough cap space for a near max contract.

With this cap space, the team traded for a solid veteran in Derrick Favors from the Jazz and also signed one of the best shooters in the league, J.J Redick. Throw in the two-way player that the Pelicans already own in Jrue Holiday and this team is better than any of the teams AD was ever a part of. This Pelicans team has length, athleticism and youth; if you’re a Pelicans fan, you can’t help but be excited and proud of the direction this team is taking. They’re going to be fun to watch.

Is Utah really being slept on for a potential competitor for the title?

The Jazz have finally added someone to take the pressure off Donovan Mitchell come playoff time in the form of Mike Conley, who is a great ball handler as well as an excellent defender, which we know has been the culture Quin Snyder has built in Utah. The team also signed Bojan Bogdanovic and added elite rebounder, Ed Davis, to backup two-time defensive player of the year Rudy Gobert.

I think people are getting carried away with the defensive potential of this team- don’t get me wrong, they’re going to be the number one ranked defence in the league, but I question whether they have gotten that much better to compete for a title. The team lost Ricky Rubio, Jae Crowder, Kyle Korver and Derrick Favors, all who have been contributors for the team in recent seasons. All players they acquired are upgrades, but is it enough to get past the second round? The West is now an open playing field and perhaps they’re the team to push through.

Where will the Board Man get paid?

The biggest question leading up to this free agency period was where will Kawhi Leonard sign? Kawhi held off any contract talks today with it being reported that he will begin his search for a team tomorrow. The race all but seems to be down to three teams; the Clippers, Lakers and the Raptors.

Before free agency began, the Clippers looked a very good chance to sign him. Kawhi has wanted to return to California for some time and the Clippers have a great coach in Doc Rivers and a promising, young team. However, with almost all the top free agents off the board, if Kawhi was to head there, he would be going alone. Whilst still a possibility, it is seeming less likely for Clippers fans that he will join the team.

The Lakers offer a potential three headed monster that would include LeBron, Anthony Davis and Kawhi, which would be absolutely scary for the league. The team would almost be certain favourites for the title, with rumours of adding Andre Iguodala if he is bought out by Memphis as well as signing Rajon Rondo for the minimum. It has been reported that LeBron has been in touch with Kawhi but you have to wonder if Kawhi really wants to be the second or third option on a team. The Lakers are the growing favourites but are still no guarantee to sign him.

And finally, there’s the Raptors. The team who he just won a championship with. So why would Kawhi leave? The reports of him wanting to return home is a strong indication that he wants to go to a team in Los Angeles and if that was to happen, he’s given the nation of Canada more than they could ever ask for. He could also return to the team and continue to build with his teammates a potential dynasty for the future in Toronto.

Day 1 of the 2019 NBA Free Agency was explosive, exciting and is building a strong and intriguing narrative for the 2019-20 Season. We wait and see where the remaining free agents will land for the upcoming season.

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chrisbhaynes-blog · 5 years

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Sources: Warriors center DeMarcus Cousins expected to miss remainder of postseason

OAKLAND, Calif. — Golden State Warriors center DeMarcus Cousins is expected to miss the remainder of the postseason with a significant left quadriceps injury, but there’s faint optimism that he could possibly return for the NBA Finals, league sources told Yahoo Sports.

Cousins, 28, underwent an MRI on Tuesday morning, and the Warriors announced he had a torn quadriceps and that he would be out indefinitely, confirming the team’s initial concerns.

“There's a pretty significant quad injury,” coach Steve Kerr said after the Warriors’ Game 2 collapse in their first-round series against the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday. “We'll get an MRI [Tuesday]. But he's going to be out for … I'll just say a while because I think it's unclear right now how long he'll be out. It's significant.”

Cousins sustained the injury in the first quarter, when he pursued a loose ball and his left leg gave out after getting a hand on the ball. The 6-foot-10 center immediately grabbed his left quadriceps and asked to be pulled from the game.

He refused assistance to the locker room by teammates and walked off on his own power to be examined with cameras catching what appeared to be a noticeable injury to his quad.

The Warriors’ big man is only a few months removed from returning from a left Achilles tear that sidelined him for a year, and for the first time in his nine NBA seasons, he was experiencing his first taste of a long playoff run.

“It's tough, for sure,” Stephen Curry said. “You feel for him, considering what he's been through this last year. This is a big stage, the playoffs. He's been looking forward to this. I don't know the extent of the injury at this point. Hope he gets back sooner than later. Just man to man, in terms of him, what he's been through, it's tough for sure. There's no sugarcoating it at all. You hate seeing that opportunity again on this big stage taken away from him like that.”

Cousins, who averaged 16.3 points and 8.2 rebounds in 30 games this season, is facing another major blow that could conclude his season for the second consecutive year.

But the Warriors also have other issues.

The defending champs blew a 31-point, third-quarter lead and relinquished — for the moment — home-court advantage after losing 135-131. Now the series is even heading to Los Angeles for Game 3 on Thursday.

“You just love this group,” said Clippers coach Doc Rivers. “They don’t give in.”

And in a sure sign of frustration with the way the game turned out, Kevin Durant and Draymond Green left the arena without addressing the media.

It was the Warriors’ first playoff defeat in the shot-clock era in which they led by 15 or more points at halftime. And according to the Elias Sports Bureau, the Clippers became the second team in NBA history to trail by 23 or more points at the half and win.

“We’re some tough guys,” Clippers owner Steve Ballmer told Yahoo Sports after the win. “Physical and mental, we’re some tough guys. Damn, I love our guys.”

With the physical nature of the Clippers, a team that doesn’t have an All-Star on the roster, it wouldn’t behoove the Warriors to drag out this series.

Patrick Beverley continues to be physical with Durant, delivering body shots from his head and elbows while denying him the ball. And Durant took a few hard screens, one from JaMychal Green that stung him and had him bent over in pain for a few seconds.

Taking a pounding in an extended first-round series isn’t ideal for a championship favorite.

Montrezl Harrell, who had 25 points and 10 rebounds off the bench for the Clippers, pulled out his JBL Pill speaker after the game in the locker room and played “Clean Up Man” by Houston’s own Willie D.

It was all smiles and high-fives from the visiting team on Monday.

“We’re definitely a team that doesn’t quit,” Harrell said as he sat on the podium beside Lou Williams, who had a game-high 36 points and 11 assists. “We compete and play hard all four quarters. I think we did that tonight. When we got down big, we didn't hang our heads. We just turned it up a notch on the defensive end, took away the things we’re supposed to, made tough shots. Just kept running the offense, kept playing.”

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truesportsfan · 5 years

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Henrik Lundqvist’s first start in a month ends with ugly Rangers loss

Welcome back, this was not.

Henrik Lundqvist suffered a hard landing in his first start for the Rangers in almost a month, suffering a 5-3 loss to the Flyers at the Garden on Sunday afternoon.

On the eve of his 38th birthday, Lundqvist was bombarded early and often, and despite his team waking from a two-period slumber to play a forceful third, a second straight loss to the Flyers in the past three days was not the way Lundqvist or the Rangers wanted this to go.

“I was hoping for a better feeling, personally,” said Lundqvist, who made 21 saves in his first start since Feb. 3 and just his fourth start since Igor Shesterkin had been called up on Jan. 6. “A lot of times, you create that feeling by doing a lot of good things. I felt like I was doing a few good things. When you put yourself in a hole like that, three, four goals [down], it’s hard to play a patient game.”

There was nothing patient about the Rangers (35-26-4), who marched a parade line to the penalty box, allowing three power-play goals on six chances and are barely holding on to sight of that second wild card. They got a taste of what it’s like atop the conference, with the Flyers (38-20-7) of Kevin Hayes and Alain Vigneault having jumped on their mistakes over these two games, going up 4-0 by 1:23 of the second period on two power-play goals, one shorthanded goal and an even-strength breakaway.

And there was nothing Lundqvist, or any goalie, really could have done about it.

“We all touched on how hard a situation it is for [Lundqvist],” coach David Quinn said. “Nobody is more sympathetic to the situation than I am. He and I had three or four conversations this week, and we want to put him in a situation to succeed.

Henrik Lundqvist reacts after giving up the Flyers’ fifth goal today in the Rangers’ 5-3 loss.Robert Sabo

“I thought he was fine tonight. I didn’t think Hank was our issue. I know you may look at it statistically, but Hank was not our problem.”

That first power-play goal was on the second shot Lundqvist faced, Matt Niskanen with an easy put-back just 1:52 into the game. It was followed by another put-back from Sean Couturier at 11:19, then the shorthanded one to Michael Raffl at 17:53. Derek Grant then added the breakaway tally when half the Rangers were up the ice picking daisies.

“It’s tough when you play three games in two months to start a game like that,” Lundqvist said. “A lot of times you hope to step by step, build your game. But today, we put ourselves in a hole right away, and puts a little pressure on you to maybe not be as patient as you want to be. I try to be smart when I analyze the things I’m doing well and the things I need to improve.

“It’s been different, so many things.”

Lundqvist has been candid about how he and management need to sit down after this season and discuss his future with the organization, with one more year left on his contract with a $8.5 million salary-cap hit. He received quite a bit of love from the fans on Kids Day, with maybe loudest cheer of the afternoon coming when he was announced for the starting lineup and then a quick chant of his name after stopping the first shot he faced.

And Lundqvist did have some nice moments, like the sprawling glove save he made on Ivan Provorov at 7:28 of the third period to keep his team down, 5-2.

But despite two power-play goals from Mika Zibanejad, the second with 7:21 remaining in regulation to make it 5-3, the score never budged from there. With Shesterkin eventually coming back from injury and the Blueshirts still thinking about a playoff spot, it’s hard to guess how many more games Lundqvist has left.

If one thing is clear, it’s that he and the team surely hope they are different than this one.

“My role obviously changed a lot over the last couple months. And there will be a time to talk about that,” Lundqvist said. “But right now, I just try to be supportive.”

source https://truesportsfan.com/sport-today/henrik-lundqvists-first-start-in-a-month-ends-with-ugly-rangers-loss/

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maysoper · 5 years

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Reasons For Concern

While it wasn't written about sports and the relationship fans have with their teams, Alice In Chains' 1993 song "Down in a Hole" seems particularly relevant right now for the fanbases in Winnipeg. The lyrics of the chorus read, "Down in a hole, feelin' so small/Down in a hole, losin' my soul/I'd like to fly, but my wings have been so denied," and this team has legitimately been denied by St. Louis from taking flight. While we knew it was going to a tight-checking series, with Winnipeg heading to St. Louis in a 2-0 hole there are a number of reasons to be concerned about the Jets' chances of coming back to Winnipeg with the series tied. We'll hear Paul Maurice talk about breaking the game into five-minute segments. We'll hear players talk about winning periods and winning shifts before they mention anything about winning the games. How much truth is there to this for the Jets as they visit the Enterprise Center in St. Louis basically playing must-win hockey? Here's a quick table of how the teams played this season in periods thanks to Hockey Reference.

If we look at the data presented, the first thing that jumps out at me is the goal differential that the Blues have at home in the first period. They're +16 at home in terms of goals scored and +25 in first periods overall. We always hear of how important that first goal is, and there's no doubt that St. Louis has used their first period scoring to their advantage, particularly over this impressive 32-10-5 run in their last 47 games. Comparatively, the Jets were an impressive +19 at home in first-period goal differential, but a -5 on the road. While the Jets are a +1 in these playoffs at home, a slow start against St. Louis while being down a couple of games in the series is literally flirting with disaster based on the numbers above. The Jets have to find a way to set the pace early in these next two games if they hope to have a prayer in this series, and getting an early goal or two will go a long way in helping their cause of returning to Winnipeg in a best-of-three series as St. Louis actually has a -6 goal differential for the season over the final 40 minutes of play. The second thing that Paul Maurice should be doing is stressing discipline to his players. We saw Mark Scheifele take a couple of rather unnecessary penalties early in Game Two, but it was the Jets' power-play who scored on two of three chances. St. Louis is 0-for-7 with the man-advantage compared to Winnipeg who is 2-for-4. The Jets need to play to their strengths by drawing penalties as power-play goals have accounted for two of the four goals they've scored in the series thus far. The third thing that the Jets need is Connor Hellebuyck to rebound in a big way. There's no denying that Jordan Binnington has outplayed the Jets' netminder thus far, but at least two of the goals that were scored tonight were pucks that Hellebuyck should have had. He misplayed the dump-in prior to the Patrick Maroon goal where he should have easily trapped that puck against his chest, and Oskar Sundqvist's goal that went right between the wickets is one he has to have. His current .897 save percentage simply isn't good enough to win a series by any means, so Hellebuyck needs to have himself a couple of big games with key stops if he wants to help Winnipeg come back home with this series squared. In his post-game press conference tonight, Maurice said there would be roster changes for Game Three. In scanning player usage tonight, one has to wonder if Dmitry Kulikov is one of those changes as he played just 13:44 tonight on the blue line. Jack Roslovic played just a mere 6:43 and I assume that Roslovic will be shown the door to the press box once again. Maurice isn't going to avoid the sword here, though, as Kevin Hayes played just 8:32 and has yet to look like he's even engaged in this series. He was a woeful 20% at the face-off dot tonight. Whatever is plaguing the big man needs to be solved quickly because he was an integral part of the Jets' lineup down the stretch. The Jets need him to show up and play like the game-changer he has shown if they want to go further than Missouri in these playoffs. Maurice also needs to figure out how to deploy Nikolaj Ehlers more effectively as Ehlers didn't see a second of time on special teams and played just 9:08. Ehlers is a possession zone entry player whose speed through the neutral zone could cause fits for the Blues, but it seems that Maurice is more content to sit him on the bench than having him on the ice. If he's playing less than the likes of Par Lindholm (10:13 of even-strength time), something is wrong with the team's player management. That's directly on the coach. At the end of the day, the Jets lost two games by one goal each. The coughed up a lead in Game One, and they were unable to score in Game Two. To me, there are small adjustments that need to be made by the Jets if they hope to climb back into this series. Doing it on Enterprise Center ice won't be easy, but a few small changes with some attention to details in the game could change this team's fortunes in a hurry. The Jets may be "down in a hole" and "feelin' so small," but no team has ever won a seven-game series in two games. It's not going to be easy to dig out of this hole they've made for themselves, but the Jets have start winning shifts and periods before they ever start talking about winning series at this point. See you Sunday, St. Louis. Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice! from Sports News http://hockey-blog-in-canada.blogspot.com/2019/04/reasons-for-concern.html

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hockeylvr59 · 5 years

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Secrets & Surprises || Kevin Hayes

Requested: [ ] yes [x] no

Authors Note: So this is 100% based on the bardown Haysie video. I was soft the first time I watched it and the 100th and I just couldn’t not write this when it popped into my head.

Warnings: minor cursing

Word Count: 1,995

~~~~

Tonight’s surprise was going to be epic. You and Kevin had been planning it for weeks and as you got ready for your brother to pick you up for the game, you were practically bouncing in excitement.

See, you’d been dating Kevin for almost five months when you’d found out that you were pregnant. It was unexpected but certainly not unwelcome. You loved him and the way he looked at you with pure adoration (plus his teammates' frequent chirping of him) told you that he loved you too.

Your parents had adored Kevin from the first time they’d met him so when you broke the news to them about the baby they were also ecstatic. Kevin’s parents and siblings had been much the same, teasing you for finally tying Kevin down and how you were going to have two kids to take care of because Kevin was himself still very much a kid. You had the support of all of Kevin’s teammates and their partners, the wives and girlfriends of the team taking Kevin’s place at doctor’s appointments when the team was on the road and your parents were unavailable.

Now at 14 weeks, you were definitely starting to show, though your bump was still easily covered by a sweatshirt or hockey jersey.

Despite all of the support surrounding you, there was still one person you hadn’t broken the news to yet.

Your big brother.

Ethan was in the Air Force and had been deployed for the past nine months, only returning home last week. You had talked to him almost weekly while he was away, as had your parents, but while he knew that you’d been seeing someone and that it was getting serious, he didn’t know that that someone was a hockey player on his favorite team, nor did he know that he was going to be an uncle in 5-6 months. That news was just too good to spill over a phone call or facetime after all.

So, when you’d found out your brother was coming home a few weeks ago, you and Kevin had talked about planning something and he’d roped his team into helping the two of you out. The Flyers organization had called your brother a few days ago telling him that he’d been nominated to be their military guest for the next home game. Of course, your brother was pumped and with his set of four tickets to the game, he’d quickly invited you and your parents. It had been years since the four of you had gone to a game together and it brought back so many good memories you had as a child.

You’d looped your parents in on the plan before your brother had even gotten the call so they played along, looking forward to the reveal of this well-kept secret as well. Now, after being picked up by your brother you were walking through the halls of Wells Fargo, draped in an orange Hayes jersey, your parents in front of you and your brother beside you as you headed to your seats. As you watched warmups, your brother rambled on about how you all were going to get to meet some of the players after the game and his excitement for all of this made you even more giddy to watch it all play out.

When your dad and brother had gone for beers, you’d shared a knowing look with your mom along with whispers about how excited your brother was and how much he was going to freak out when all was revealed.

The game was a good one, the team was full of energy like they were riding off the high of the impending surprise as well. Kevin had scored early in the second period and when he did he sent you a wink from the pileup with his teammates, one that no one else would likely notice but you certainly did. It made your heart flutter, though Kevin had been making your heart flutter from the day you met and for a moment you dazed off thinking about how in a year's time you could do this with your family and son or daughter.

By the end of the game, Kevin had added an assist onto the scoresheet as well and the way he was buzzing around the ice told you he was as ready for this as you were. You’d hung around at your seats for a few minutes as the arena started to clear out before one of the Flyer’s staffers appeared, introducing himself to your brother before leading the four of you down to the hallway outside the locker room.

Since Kevin had had such a good game you knew it would be a few minutes before he was free from the media and able to make an appearance. In the meantime, a few of the other guys popped out to introduce themselves to your brother, thanking him for his service. Each sent you a subtle wink or smirk as they left, looks that your brother was too hyped up to notice. This was a childhood dream of his coming true and seeing him so happy made you happy.

When Kevin finally did appear, it was clear that he had yet to hit the showers because he was dressed in a pair of shorts and a sweatshirt, ball cap pulled over his sweaty hair. As he introduced himself to Ethan, your mom placed a hand on your lower back her smile growing. This was the first time that the love of your life was meeting your hero and seeing them already laughing and joking had you smiling from ear to ear.

Kevin had immediately thanked your brother for his service and your brother had in return commented on how thrilled he was as a Flyers fan to have Kevin join the team. You knew that was genuine because as soon as the trade had happened your brother had called you geeking out.

As their conversation dulled just a bit, an anxious feeling spread within you knowing that you were mere moments away from your brother’s reaction to your news. Your mom asked for a picture of the two of them together and since this was the signal the three of you had planned you let out a shaky breath unconsciously. As Kevin pulled his arm away from your brother’s shoulder he spoke the magic words and instantly your heart soared.

“Congrats on being an uncle by the way too.” The comment fell out so naturally that you knew it was going to throw your brother off for a moment and it did just that.

“Oh man...wha….?” You were torn between watching your brother and watching Kevin. The former had this look of amazement from the experience lingering, growing confusion on his face and Kevin had this secretive smile on his and you mentally tried to memorize both.

“Wait.” Your brother said looking back and forth between Kevin and your parents like his brain was just now catching up with everything. You were the only two children so neither of you had any previous nieces or nephews and all at once that connection made its way into your brother's mind. It was only then that Kevin pointed at you and when your brother turned his attention to you, you felt tears pooling in your eyes.

“Yeah. Dead serious.” You declared and then within a second, Ethan was rushing over to you.

“Really? Holy!” He exclaimed, his arms wrapping around you in a tight hug. “You’re having a baby?” He questioned and you quickly nodded, laughing softly. It was clear that he was excited but he was still very confused.

With his arm still draped around you, he looked at your parents and seeing no surprise on their faces he paused.

“Wait...mom and dad know?” He questioned.

“Of course they know...I am 14 weeks along.” You stated as if that should be obvious even though you knew that none of this was obvious to him.

“14 weeks...That’s like 3 months.” He deduced, his expression causing you to fight back a laugh. “And you’re just now telling me?!” He exclaimed.

“Well, it’s not exactly over the phone news bud.” You stated, shrugging. While he was attempting to process that piece of news, the question of how Kevin Hayes had known must have come into his head because suddenly another very perplexed look crossed his face.

“Wait...did you set all of this up just to tell me?” He questioned.

“Eh...kinda sorta.” You admitted, rubbing a hand up and down your brother’s back gently. You were aware that this was all a lot to process because you were kind of throwing it at him all at once.

“And you recruited Haysie to tell me because of our phone call when he was traded?” Ethan guessed hesitantly.

“Well, I know you’re a fan…” You started. “And Haysie is pretty well known for being a great uncle….” Taking a breath you peeked over at Kevin for just a moment, seeing him leaning against the wall just watching this all play out. “So those would both be good reasons for requesting he tell you.”

Your brother nodded, seeming to think that was the end of it, accepting your consent to those being good reasons as an affirmative answer. Your dad let out a soft snort off to your left and your smile grew as you pondered just how to phrase this.

“Those would both be good reasons, but I don’t know...I thought maybe you’d like to hear the news from the man who knocked me up instead.” The arm around your shoulder stiffened and Kevin let out a boisterous laugh at your phrasing. Glancing up you saw that Ethan’s eyes were wide and after a second he stepped back, looking back and forth between you and Kevin.

“Wait?” Once again his eyes traveled back and forth. “No fucking way!” He declared, his tone excited but disbelieving. Taking two steps forward, you met Kevin in the middle of the hallway, his lips dropping to yours for a gentle kiss as you quickly pulled the cap off his head, spinning it around backward so that it didn’t hit you in the face. It was a smooth movement, one made with the ease of considerable practice and when you turned to look at your brother again, Ethan’s jaw was on the floor.

“Yes, fucking way.” You finally responded, laughing once more because this reaction was everything you could have hoped for. Almost tripping over his own feet, Ethan spilled forward again and reached out his hand for Kevin.

“I’ve heard so much about you...I can’t believe I didn’t put the pieces together.” You were relieved to know that Ethan wasn’t mad at you for keeping this whole thing a secret, though you knew you were sure to hear about it later. “Thanks for taking care of her while I’m away.” Ethan eventually mused, clearly okay with your choice of a boyfriend and baby daddy.

In return, Kevin took the offered hand, shaking it back before pulling your brother in for the typical manly hug.

“Thanks for taking care of her for the past 26 and a half years.” Kevin had previously thanked your parents for raising such an incredible woman but he knew that your brother had always been your protector and best friend and had played just as important of a role in making you who you were today.

Standing in the hallway, you couldn’t help but feel blessed to be surrounded by so many people you loved. You couldn’t wait for Ethan and Kevin to get to spend some more time together and you couldn’t wait to bring this baby into the world...to show them what it meant to be part of a family.

You were one lucky woman and you weren’t ever going to forget that.

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