#jack retiring from hockey

[parvuls]

coach bittle and captain jack wasn't something I knew I needed until this text post, but now I am forever changed

[samuel-de-champagne-problems]

Handle With Care - Aaron Hotchner x Reader

Summary: Reader and Aaron meet for the first time before she starts as a full-time nanny for Jack.

Notes: Hopefully will be at least 5 parts! I'm excited to be writing again :)

Word Count: 4.6K

I always believed in new beginnings, but as I stood on Aaron’s doorstep, rolling a suitcase in one hand and a Vera Bradley duffel bag in the other, I was tempted to question my resolute thinking. It had yet to fail me. Not when I was hardly eighteen and living on the other side of the country, vying for my spot at the esteemed culinary arts program. And not when I’m twenty-four with a stint as the private chef

Professional chef turned nanny–for my father’s beloved mentee, no less. My parents, ever supportive and ever loving, practically held an intervention when I showed up on their suburban door step a fractured shell of the bubbly daughter they dropped off at the airport. 

Five years later, I’m sleeping in the same bed. I had nightmares about leaving once again. And yesterday I gave up that bed for a full-time position as Aaron Hotchner’s live-in nanny. Aaron, who I never even met, is my father’s protege. He knew him as a whip-smart, young lawyer from a family Law dynasty at Quantico. My father took him under his wing and even after his early retirement from the BAU they would get together for an annual work lunch. 

I was nearly finished with my final year of the Los Angeles Culinary Arts Program when my fathers called to say that Aaron’s wife was murdered. I remembered thinking how lucky Dad was and how brave Daddy had to be. With one day off saving the world and the other left to hold down the fort with an awfully anxious only child daughter. 

One year later, I was unemployed and completely blacklisted from the culinary entertainment industry for reasons beyond my control and without my fault. I gripped the suitcase, my chipped fingernails so jagged they punctured my skin. 

Aaron had a nice house with a manicured front lawn, a big wrap around porch, and a fully furnished backyard. Clearly, he was a man with a lot of education and a lot of smarts to top it off. He worked hard. It showed, these neighborhoods of Arlington, Virginia weren’t cheap. No wonder my dads were dying to relocate to Georgia. 

The door swung open before I could work up the courage to ring the bell or knock on the dark cherry wood. Aaron answered. He wore a dark green men’s quarter zip that was pushed up, showing off his forearms. His dark, charcoal gray watch shone as he let me into his foyer. 

He had a foyer.

And a house that smelt like warm cinnamon and musk. 

“Y/N,” Aaron said, nodding to me with a smile, “Please give me your bags. And we’ll go sit and chat before Jack comes. His grandma is still in town and brought him to the zoo.” 

I complied. There wasn’t a need for me to protest. And clearly, by the looks of those forearms, he would have no problem handling my bags. I only brought a single suitcase, a duffel, and five boxes of books. Aaron’s mother-in-law, Lorriane, had been staying with them since Haley died a year and a half ago. But her husband broke his hip. Apparently, Aaron had added a mother-in-law suite for Lorriane and judging by the looks of his home, the suite I’d be living in for the foreseeable future was twice the size of my studio in LA. 

“Thanks.” I said, grabbing a seat on the brown fabric sofa, “My dad said I had to say hello to you for him. He still raves about you. Like all the time.” I chuckle, watching as Aaron hands me a glass of iced tea. 

“Marty’s a good man. He and Gideon built the Behavioral Analysis Unit. Our team is in constant debt to him.” Aaron spoke so formally, gesturing for enthusiasm with his hands. 

“Yeah, well. He’s always just been dad to me.” I smiled, the man I knew showed up to my field hockey games even if it meant holding office hours there. He was the most there dad I could ask for– maybe it was neck in neck for the both of them. 

“So Jack?” I said, breaking the silence. “How–how’s he been?” I couldn’t help but wonder. My dads had a close friend who helped them with their surrogacy journey, so while I didn’t have a mother in the traditional sense, the woman who I’ m half of  was still alive and in my life. Debra was more like an aunt to me, fun and spirited and eternally youthful. But I still had her. 

Unlike Jack, who’s Earthly ties to his mother were shredded in an horribly violent way. 

My dad hardly ever cried, but when he called and told me that Aaron’s wife died I could hear it in his raw voice. Aaron’s a man cut from the same cloth a Dad; stoic and responsible. He was a wall of somber trepidation, but somewhere deep inside I could make out the man that wasn’t cataclysmically destroyed. 

“Jack is…he’s a strong kid. I put him in therapy after it happened. He still goes once a week. Laura, she’s his therapist. She’s wonderful. Truly has helped Jack work through all this.”

“That’s good. That’s really good, Mr. Hotchner. It seems as though Jack has a solid foundation here.” I say, unsure what to say exactly. I can make an omelet six different ways, yet it’s lost on me to know what to say to a widower with a little boy. If I had to bear even a fraction of their grief, I’m sure it would break me. I would crumble. But these two boys? They’re a good man in the storm. And I know in my bones, it’s entirely Aaron’s doing. If that man is anything, he’s steady. 

“It’s Aaron. Please, Mr. Hotchner reminds me of my father.” He cringes, the lines on his eyes creasing, “Your dad said you’re a professionally trained chef? Unfortunately, Jack’s still squarely in the dinosaur shaped chicken nugget and baked tater tots phase. It’s been a struggle to get him to try anything new…for…for awhile now, if I’m being honest.” 

I nod, thinking that Jack’s food discouragement might stem from losing his mom. “Well, the way I see it, Jack lost his mom at how old? Four and half? That’s when we’re starting to really know what we like and don’t like to eat. His life was turned upside down and shaken all around when you lost her. So maybe he needed some consistency in a world of chaos. Not that your home is chaotic, it’s lovely and clean and happy. It’s just…loss…”

“Losing your mother as a toddler really fucks up your life.” Aaron says. He speaks so definitely, as if he means everything so ardently you could cast it into stone. 

“Yeah.” I add, somberly. “But I think we can get him to branch out. Make it a game. I’d love to cook with him. I can get him kid-safe tools so he can be involved in food preparation and cooking. Oh! Maybe Jack and I can have a garden. I’m sure that will get him eating vegetables and fruits.” 

Aaron’s neutral expression slowly transitions to a soft smile. He thumps his fingers on the wooden table, as he looks out through the deck. I could feel him glance back at me and then to the yard again. 

“I think that a garden would be lovely over on the side. It’s far enough away from the pool and patio.” Aaron offers, sipping his tea. It’s sweet tea, too sweet for me. Working in kitchens throughout my program has trained me to not only tolerate black coffee, but to actively seek it out. He smiles, his grin defining his face. “Good idea.” 

I feel heat at his praise. I like doing well, who doesn't? But after a series of mishaps and bad luck, an 'atta' girl is my Hail Mary of the month. I simply nod. “Simple things to start so he can see some quick results. I’ll get him super involved in it. Make him feel like he’s a part of a team.” 

“I work a lot. My team flies across the nation, as you know. It takes me away from here for days on end. It was getting too much for Lorriane. And how her husband broke his hip.” Aaron shakes his head, “Honestly, you couldn’t have shown up here at a better time.” 

He runs his pointer finger over the water rung pooled on the coasters. “Jack’s a very easy kid. Reasonable. But shy. He was shy even before Haley…even before last year. I’ve brought him to the pediatrician because he stopped talking for a while, but she said that we’ve all survived an immense trauma and our brains simply process and live through that trauma differently.”

Sitting there, I couldn’t help but think how lucky this little boy is. His dad was running up the hill; pushing that boulder up and up and up for an eternity. It must be an awfully lot to carry, without anyone to share the load. 

“Yeah. I’m sure it is? Is he going into Kindergarten after the summer?” I ask, wondering if Jack went to Kindergarten on time or if Aaron and his grandma kept him home when they lost Haley. 

“Lori, Haley’s mother, taught preschool for thirty-five years. She told me to keep him home for a year, let him be a little bit older and get the help he needs to heal and then send him. So I listened. I think that was one of the only decisions I made as a team this year.” 

Sympathy must have colored my face because Aaron’s demeanor shifted quickly. He sat up, sipping his iced tea and wiping his hands on his jeans. “So basically your weekdays are around 8am-7:30pm. And occasionally on the weekends when the team does have to be on location But recently, I’ve been trying to transition to a more leadership position at headquarters. Hopefully, that’ll mean less traveling.” 

I quickly journaled the hours down in my notebook. Live-in nannying hours are not for those looking for a job to allow them the life of leisure. Naturally that couldn’t possibly be true for a position whose main coworker is a five and a half year old boy. 

“Alright. So that’s summer hours. We’ll need to brainstorm lots of stuff to do all day. Maybe the library?” I write a small note to get ideas and have them approved by Aaron.

He nodded, “Yes, summer hours are a lot, but Jack will be going to a couple camps that his therapist recommended. So you can get a couple hours each day to yourself. I am ready to compensate accordingly. Between my new role at the BAU and other personal investments, we live comfortably. How’s $2,500 to start and then we’ll discuss a raise in the future. And naturally your room and anything you may want to eat or have will be covered by me.” Aaron says it again in a way that leaves no room for argument. He must’ve been a great lawyer; no wonder dad adores him. 

“That’s quite a lot of money.” I’m shocked and my face does a horrible job of hiding it. “I’m not a professional nanny. I’m good with kids. Really good. But I don’t do this for a living. This is you doing me a favor because if it wasn’t for you, I’d be a waitress at my dads’ country clubs” I cringed, my mind instantly filtering in an image of me serving one-time sorority sisters bottomless mimosas for an Easter Brunch. 

“I apologize if you though that it was up for discussion, Y/N. Your first month’s pay will be $2,500 each week. And then it will increase to $3,250 each week. If I’m asking you to work 13 hour days plus one weekend a month? I better be paying you that much. And you’re still on Marty’s health insurance?” 

I rolled my eyes, of course dad mentioned that to Aaron and of course Aaron double checked. Aaron just might have Marty, JD beat when it comes to thoroughness. “Yeah, till I’m 26. And that’s like…a year and change away.” I say, implying that it’s not up to me, or Aaron even, to know how long I’ll be with him. I wasn’t sure if I would ever venture out to LA again; not after what happened that sent me back here for good.

But the thing about food is that everyone wants good food, no matter where they live. And right now, the ones that wanted something good in their lives, lived in a lovely Colonial home on Moss Avenue. 

“I guess there’s no arguing with you, prosecutor.” I say, my voice increasing just so that it balances the line between teasing and something else…something else I should be too ashamed to admit. 

It elicited a smile from him and all of the sudden it was completely worth it. Aaron finishes his tea, and places it into the sink after dumping the remaining ice chips down the drain. 

“Non-negotiable. It’s in your contract. Along with a health insurance package should you need to go off Marty’s name. Plus all that tax information that I’ll get you someone to walk you through it.” Aaron explained. 

“Thank you.” I replied, grateful that it was both all above the table and that I would be given the resources to help me figure it out. Looking at the pile of paperwork in my lap, I was sure that if Aaron didn’t offer legal literacy assistance I would be way in over my head. “That’s wonderful. Really.” 

“I just…I just want my son to be a good kid with a good childhood. That’s all. I want to be there for him and if I’m not there, I want the next best thing there. You know?” Aaron said and I’m not sure if it’s a plea or statement. Or if it was stuck somewhere in the middle; lost at sea like Aaron was himself. An island unto himself, drifting as the tide rolled in. 

I break the silence. “What was Haley’s favorite meal?” 

Aaron smiled. His eyes, crinkling again. “She had chicken piccata on our first date. And we ate it at our wedding. And when she found out she was pregnant with Jack she made it for me.” I nodded, understanding the important link between food and memories. 

“Let’s make it. For Jack and you and Lorianne to share tonight before she leaves. It’s going to be a big transition for him to go from having grandma all the time to me, someone very new.” I expressed, hoping that I didn’t sound bossy or as if I wanted to parent Jack myself. 

“That’s a lovely idea, Y/N.” Aaron sighed. “But I never was much of a chef. I wouldn’t know the first place to start.” 

He leaned his hands against the table, a slight smile breaking the formidable since that had fallen between us in the moments before. I smiled back, standing from the table to reach my tote bag. 

I pulled out an apron, the kind that criss crossed over my back. It was denim blue with a canvas front and large pockets. 

“Move over,” I said, tying my apron, “It might be your kitchen, Aaron, but for tonight you’re kicked out” 

The chicken ended up being more chicken piccata adjacent than a true representation of the dish. I mixed a seasoned blend of flour and spices for the dredging. Then, butterflied and pounded the chicken breasts into thin pieces. 

Aaron’s kitchen was spacious and airy. There was a large island with barstools on one side and lots of pantry and cupboard space on the other. I stood at the island, dredging the chicken in seasoned flour before placing it nearly on paper towel lined trays. The chicken, thinned and butterflied, didn’t take long to cook in the oil and butter. 

I let the skillet heat up till the oil, butter, garlic, and capers produced a mouthwatering aroma. Aaron gave me a bottle of white wine, imperative to make the sauce taste even better. I added freshly squeezed lemon juice and lemon slices to the pan sauce, letting the brown bits cook a little bit more. I scraped the edges of the skillet, incorporating the sauce even more. 

I placed the chicken back into the pan, letting it absorb the lemony, garlicky flavor of the sauce. The sauce thickened, forming something that was similar enough to chicken piccata. I added a bit more butter to the pan, along with some lemon. I figured that it would stretch a little bit more for some sauce for the pasta on the side. 

The chicken was simmering in the pan and the pasta water nearly boiling, when Jack came home. He looked like his father, but must have gotten his lighter colored hair and eyes from his mother. 

Aaron walked into the kitchen with Jack, his hands resting on Jack’s shoulders protectively. Jack’s shy demeanor was evident as he peered over at me. I smiled and waved as I finished the pasta. 

“Jackie, this is Ms. Y/N.” Aaron introduced me to the young boy, who stood shyly by his father. “We talked about how Grandma Lorraine needs to go back home. And we’re gonna have a friend come and live here.” 

Jack nodded, his little mind clearly spinning and spinning to make sense of all this. He was clearly well adjusted, even for losing his mother at such a young age. 

“Hey, there Jack!” I smiled. “I made a good dinner for you and your dad. I heard you went to the zoo with Grandma. I love the zoo. Especially the tigers.” 

Jack nodded, eagerly walking around the kitchen island to talk about the zoo. “Yeah,” he said, “I liked the monkeys. They were funny. The babies were learning to climb and jump.” 

I nodded, plating up some food for Jack. “Super cool. They’re kinda like little people. The way they act and play.” I placed the plate on the counter. “I used the Cars plate. It was way too cool not to.” I crouched down and whispered to Jack, “Just make sure your dad doesn’t swipe it. Between you and me I can see him eying it from here.” 

Aaron chuckled, reaching high to grab not one, but two plates. He handed one to me before telling Jack to go sit for dinner. “You’re joining us. It’ll be good for us to get to know one another.” 

“I don’t want to intrude.”

“Nothing you do would be an intrusion. And it’s good for Jack to see that we’re friends. He’ll be more trusting of you.” 

I nodded, understanding that it was very important for Jack to become used to me. Especially considering Aaron’s job could take him away for days at a time. 

“Alright.” 

Aaron nodded. “Sit. I’ll get your plate.” 

There was an understanding that washed over me. An understanding that Aaron was the kind of man that didn’t ask for things. He was simply used to things he wanted being carried out. I envied that security. Maybe if I had even an ounce of it I would still be hacking it out in LA. Or maybe I wouldn’t have needed to figure it out because I would’ve figured it out already. 

Jack and Aaron went back and forth, swapping facts about dinosaurs. Jack was squarely in the dinosaur phase. Five minutes in, and I already had promised to help him find a dinosaur coloring book, with dinosaurs besides just the “cool ones”. 

“Uncle Spencer says that some dinosaurs had heads as big as a car!” Jack said, practically shrieking with excitement as he recounted all the facts a certain Uncle Spencer had told him. 

“Uncle Spencer’s so smart. And he’s a kid!” Several of Jack’s stories started with the aforementioned Uncle Spencer and I couldn’t help but wonder where the connection lay. Especially if, like Jack claimed, Spencer was a child. Sometimes some cousins are so far apart in age they’re more like an aunt or an uncle. Perhaps this was the case.

“Spencer is on my team.” My face must have shown my confusion. I always wore my emotions and thoughts on my sleeves, something that failed me several times over. Most notably when my friends in LA would get hit on by men at bars in the most vile of ways. One of the blessings of being deemed unapproachable by men was being left alone, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t burdened by their lack of tact in seducing women. “And he’s 28…yes about 28 now, and has been on the team since he was 23. He’s brilliant. Jason Gideon, who worked with Martin, scouted him when he was hardly 21. His mind works in ways that are simply unexplainable.” 

“Which means he must have some pretty sick dino facts?” I ask, my question causing a prickly smile to appear on Aaron’s face. Jack giggles, he must enjoy seeing his father smile. It seems that even though the boys find themselves moving alone, smiles are few and far between. Especially from the elder Hotchner. 

“And three phDs.” Aaron cut the rest of Jack’s chicken, sliding his plate over and reminding him to at least try the vegetables. “It’s like these kids are getting younger as fast as they are getting smarter. Sometimes I just look at Spencer and my knees hurt. Then again, I’m pretty sure I would beat him in anything athletic. Even though he’s much younger.” 

I raised my brow instinctively, smiling. “Was that a joke?” I deadpanned. “My dad said you made two jokes the entire time he knew you. And the first was…”

I stopped myself short. But it was far too late. Aaron, like myself and my father, knew when the first joke he made to my father was. His wedding day. My father had long retired, and moved his mind and soul far, far away from the BAU. He trusted Aaron and Gideon to handle it. Instead he decided to live as himself, freely with his husband and their daughter in the suburbs.

If there was one thing that I shouldn’t have done the first night working with a nanny family consisting of a widower and his son, it was to bring up the marriage of the widower. 

When Aaron married his late wife, Haley. My fathers attended, but I didn’t even remember. It must’ve been one of those times that Nana would sleepover. I remembered it was painting nails, ordering Chinese, and watching Walker, Texas Ranger and Family Feud. I remembered it as falling asleep to my Nana’s snoring as Home Shopping Club glowed on her ancient TV set and waking up to her chocolate chip pancakes. My father remembers it was the first time his young protege made a joke. And Aaron remembers it was the day he married the love of his life. 

“Daddy?” Jack said, cutting through the silence, “I don’t like veggies. They’re too mushy.” 

“Don’t eat them, bud.” Aaron, murmured, his voice laced with a guard that I hadn’t noticed till now. It was careful, like he crafted each tone and cadence before he spoke. “We’ll figure it out, Jack. Come on, let’s show Ms. Y/N her room. Where she’ll be staying.” 

Each sentence is clipped and calculated. I nod, smiling as Jack stands next to his father. 

“I’ll clean up.” 

Aaron nodded, thanking me as he took Jack up to get ready for bed. Minutes later, the kitchen was back to normal and a couple extra meals were packed away for leftovers. I left a note on the counter for Aaron in the morning. 

Lunch is in the fridge.

I always like to make extras! 

Have a nice day

Y/N

Aaron returned, without Jack. “You didn’t have to do the whole kitchen. I don’t expect that. This isn’t a housekeeping job, it’s taking care of Jack.” 

“I don’t mind. Being a chef…or I was a chef, as much as a pain in the ass cleaning and dishes can be sometimes it’s a good way to finish it all. I don’t know…I don’t make sense.” I chuckled, trailing off in a rambly way that fully gave away my nerves. My previous blunder had shaken me, especially since Aaron seemed completely unnerved, even though I knew it stung.

“I suppose, sometimes I used to stay late to do all the paperwork, even though the interns usually will do it for us.” Aaron wipped his hands on his pants.“Anyway, let me show you to the room. I had it cleaned over the weekend and put Lorianne up at a hotel for a couple nights so there wouldn’t be any issues or crossover.”

Aaron led me through the rest of the house. It was neat and tidy and I didn’t expect anything else from someone like Aaron, even though he does have a young, energetic son. There was just something meticulous about him. Something so put together and careful. And then there was me. Messy and complicated and unsure and terrified. Anyone would be that after having the carpet pulled out from under them. And I couldn’t name a bigger carpet than having to bury your life. 

There was a locked door that led to what Aaron explained as my private area. “Jack and I won’t come over here. From the time that I get home in the evenings, or frankly, some days, till I leave in the mornings is your own. This is your spot in the house, but my housekeepers that come twice a month will clean in here, if you’d like.” 

I nodded, grateful for that added bonus. The small attachment was the size of a studio apartment. There was a kitchenette with a nook tucked into the corner with the windows. The furniture matched the rest of the house, clearly Aaron had spared no expense to add this attachment. The queen sized bed was pushed up against the wall and nestled into the corner. Next to it was a nightstand with a lamp. And, as I turned the corner, was the crowning jewel. 

“Are those built–ins?” I asked, staring in disbelief. “Those are so gorgeous. I have like, easy, a ton, of books. God! Can I use them?” I turned, practically jumping from joy as Aaron chuckled reluctantly. 

“Of course. This room’s yours.” Aaron must’ve carried my bags into the bedroom while I was cooking because all of my belongings sat on the floor near the set of love seats and armchair. “I’ll leave you to get settled. 8:30 okay for tomorrow?” 

I nodded, stunned beyond belief as I opened my boxes of books. Aaron handed me a set of keys, one to the house, the shed, and the other to my area of the house. 

“You’re the only one that has a copy. If you want others made, I’ll cover the expense.” Aaron explained. “Have a good night, Y/N.” 

“Good night,” I replied, hooking the keys onto my set. “And thank you for this room. It’s nicer than my apartment in LA.” 

Aaron leaned against the doorframe, “Of course, I think Jack'll be very happy. It’s been hard to trust others. With him, honestly…Jack’s all I got left.” I had known Aaron for about three hours, heard stories of his skill and professionalism and talent for years, but he wasn’t someone that I had known, let alone even met. But in those three hours, I could count several times where I saw a sliver of emotions.

“I’ll leave you to it.” 

“Night.” 

“And Y/N?” Aaron said, stopping me as I reach down to start shelving books, “Food does hold memories. You’re right. I needed it. We did. Jack and I. He needs to remember her.” 

“Food has memories.” I said, shrugging, “You’re gonna have to learn I know more than you think I do.”

Taglist

@reidsbookclub @boldlyvoid @pear-1206 @this-is-calm-and-its-anne @little-jana @pastelpinkflowerlife @sarcasm-and-stiles @ilovefictionalmennn

[luvhughes43]

possible new au thoughts? (hughes!sister + nico hischier x hughes!sister)

so blake hughes is jacks twin and unlike her siblings she doesn't play hockey

she's actually an olympic figure skater (she won gold for singles in the 2018 olympics when she was 16/17)

anyway, so blake lived in michigan with her parents and thats where she did all of her figure skating training until her coach gets exposed for abusive practices (similar to eteri if u know who that is) after one of her other skaters has to retire at like 15 years old

now that everyones talking about blakes coach, blake (now 19/20) realizes that skating isn't supposed to be harmful and abusive the way it was for her growing up.

so thats when she decides to make the move to jersey and start her training there with a new coach who cares more about her wellbeing

so now, blake is 20 and is still competing. its worlds and she has a back injury that she decides to push through because she was always taught by her previous coaches that winning is the most important thing.

during the short program she agitates her back, and instead of telling anyone she decides to continue the competition. which is when in the long program she falls from a jump and completely ruins her back.

its the worst case scenario too because her back injuries are so severe, combined with the years of harsh training and other small injuries that just make it impossible for blake to fully recover and be able to compete again.

so shes absolutely devastated and locked away in her apartment which worries her whole family.

jack's talking about it to nico one day who volunteers to go over to blakes apartment with him and he offers to cook dinner / make himself useful.

jack agrees and so the two go over! blakes absolutely distraught over her now ended career and is just a complete mess. however, her and nico get some time alone to talk and they both really click despite the circumstances...

nico from then on decides to visit blake as much as he can, just making sure she's doing alright. they both quickly develop feelings for one another but neither of them bring it up because nico doesn't want it to seem like hes taking advantage of blake when shes so vulnerably, and blakes like... "i cannot get with my brothers CAPTAIN!" so neither of them say anything..

until blake goes to some devils event and sees nico with another girl and shes literally so damn jealous

its kind of messy but they both confess to having feelings for each other, and so they decide to date and keep it a secret from everyone to cause less drama (blakes around 21, nicos 23 at this point)

send in ur thoughts + if u want this to be an au!🫶

realizing they like each other (thoughts)

nico and blake getting together

[toasttt11]

additions

July 31, 2005

“Hay Hay!” Harrison called towards the stairs where Hayden was downstairs in the basement shooting pucks, “Come here please!” Harrison gently yelled so his daughter could hear him through the house.

“Coming!” A four year old Hayden yelled back from the basement, pouting slighty as she had to set her stick down and ran up the stairs seeing her Dad waiting for her.

Harrison smiled seeing his precious girl and picked her up spinning her around kissing her cheek rapidly making her giggle loudly.

Madison walked down the stairs seeing her loves laughing together, she smiled contently as she watched them, “Alright Har, put her down before she gets sick.” Maddison playfully chided her husband seeing her husband spin there daughter around multiple times.

“Mama!” Hayden beamed and the second her father let her down she ran right over to her mother making Madison pick her up.

“Hello Hayden Lee.” Madison hummed happily pressing a kiss to her daughter’s messy blonde hair.

“Come my darlings we have to meet the new neighbors.” Maddison softly spoke to her husband and daughter, they had saw a new family moving in next door to them and Maddison wanted to introduce themselves.

Hayden was set down and she grabbed onto her mother’s hand.

The family of three walked out of the house and over to the house next to them seeing the family standing outside the house, the family seemed to have three young boys and their parents.

“Hello.” Maddison kindly called out to their new neighbors, she was smiling kindly at the family.

“Hi!” The woman beamed walking over to shake Maddison and Harrison’s hands, “I’m Ellen and this is my husband Jim. And these are our three boys-”Ellen was interrupted by whom seemed to be the middle boy.

“OH MY GOSH!” The boy yelled looking at Harrison with starry eyes, “Your Harrison Blake! You won three stanley cups with the Edmonton Oilers and got the most goals ever scored in a playoff series and-“ The boy contained to ramble off facts making Harrison smile fondly.

Jim and Ellen shared a fond exasperated look because of their four year old, who is absolutely obsessed with Harrison Blake, who happened to now be their neighbor.

“That’s Jack. Sorry he gets excited.” Ellen fondly shook her head running a hand over Jack’s hair trying to calm him down.

“No worries it was very cool.” Harrison kindly reassured Ellen and Jim truthfully not minding at all and is quite use to that reaction meeting fan, kids especially, he playfully winked at Jack making him giggle.

Ellen smiled looking relieved and grateful, “This is Quinn our eldest and Luke our youngest.” Luke looked very young and seemed to just be walking and Quinn was very quiet and seemed content to watch.

“Do you play Hockey!” Hayden blurted out, she had been trying to not ask since Jack started rambling but she couldn’t wait no longer.

“I do!” Jack beamed looking excited, “Do you?” Jack looked at her like her answer would he the reason if they became friends or not.

“Of course i do!” Hayden scoffed looking offended it was even a question.

Hayden and Jack shared a look knowing immediately they were best friends now.

“Come on we can shoot pucks in the basement.” Hayden told Jack after looking at her mother for approval. Maddison smiled softly looking happy her daughter is making friends, especially since they have only moved to Toronto a few months ago after Harrison retired.

“Well what are we waiting for!” Jack beamed giddily and darted towards her house.

“You’ll come to?” Hayden asked softly looking at Quinn with her eyes wide and pleadingly, Any resolve Quinn might’ve had quickly crumbled from her puppy eyes, something that will become a regular occurrence from now on.

Quinn nodded. “Perfect!” Hayden beamed glad she is going to get another friend and leaned down to Luke’s level holding out her hand to the very young child.

Little Luke beamed and grabbed her hand holding it tightly with his little hands as she linked arms with Quinn and led the two towards her house seeing Jack waiting for them.

“And that’s our Hayden.” Maddison let out a fond laugh once the kids all walked away after Hayden managed to get all of them to join and she introduced her daughter to their new neighbors.

Ellen and Jim shared a look very suprise at how easily Hayden was able to win over all three of their boys hearts especially with Quinn not liking many people and Luke just grumbles at most people he meets.

Ellen had a feeling the Blake’s especially Hayden were going to be very special and important to their family.

“Do you play hockey too Quinny?” Hayden softly but curiously asked as she walked with Quinn and Luke to Jack.

Quinn blinked in suprised from the nickname she has already given him, “I do.” Quinn answered quietly still a little confused why he is so comfortable around this little girl already.

“What about you Lukey? Do you like hockey?” Hayden softly asked little Luke.

Luke looked up at Hayden with a beaming smile and clapped his hands, “Hockey.”

Hayden giggled at Luke’s answer as Quinn smiled.

“Finally!” Jack dramatically exclaimed from where he was sitting on the front porch of the Blake’s house, waiting for his new best friend, who had also brought his two brothers.

“Come on silly.” Hayden teased Jack softly as she opened the door to her house leading the three boys inside and to the stairs that lead to her basement.

“Woah!” Jack mumbled in awe as he looked around her shooting room, it was like a mini hockey rink, it was so awesome.

Hayden just shrugged as her dad had designed the hockey room and he uses it just as much as she does.

Hayden handed Quinn and Jack both a hockey stick that was roughly around their size and then she grabbed one of her mini sticks to Luke, who looked more content to try and chew on the stick.

It was the first of many times the four were together in the Blake’s hockey room, the room became the spot that all four of them would always goes to and if any of the parents would try and find any of them it was not surprising to find them there.

[slafkovskys]

Wren coming home saying she has a bf.

All the guys would freak out.

the last place that a sixteen-year-old wren wanted to be on a tuesday was sitting in the stands of jj’s hockey practice, but a broken foot and her refusal to get her driver’s license like drew had done immediately after their birthday a few weeks before has her parked beside angel scrolling through her phone. her attention is only called away from her phone screen when the shrill sound of the whistle blows or any of the younger kids get a little too rowdy in the breezeway. angel only nudges her oldest with a sly grin, “you were like that once.”

“i wasn’t!” she insists, staring at her mother.

“wren, you screamed for five minutes at the nhl awards one year because your dad was holding millie instead of you.”

“i-” her defense is cut off by her phone lighting up. her cheeks burn as her eyes read over the message. she clicks the button on the side and looks out on the ice, easily finding her youngest sister in the crowd, “would you be mad if i went to dinner with river?”

“now?” angel looks at her daughter. wren covers her face, hiding from her mother as she nods her head, “why would i be mad? just tell me where you’re going and if plans change. curfew is ten.”

she looks almost unsure, “but you’ll be by yourself-”

“i’m thirty-nine years old, katherine. i can be left unsupervised. is he already here?” angel questions and rolls her eyes when wren nods, “then go. your dads will be here soon anyway.”

“love you!” she calls, throwing her arms around her mom before hobbling out of the aisle and up the stairs in her boot.

angel sighs, running a hand through her hair as she takes in the quiet that now surrounds her. drew was at play practice and millie was at the mall with her friends, looking for an outfit for a concert they were supposed to be going to in the next few weeks. angel hadn’t gotten a text from her third born in a while, so maybe the sparkly dress she had last sent her had won?

the sounds of blades cutting through ice have become a familiar noise to angel over the last nineteen years, so it’s not hard for her to slip into her thoughts. even in her alone time, her mind is plagued by her kids and partners’ schedules, events and games and practices coming up in the next week.

oh! and she had to finalize details for a baby shower because one of the rookies girlfriends was due at the end of the month. she makes the mental note to get with mia and subtly get her favorite flavor cake before the sound of jack’s familiar laugh cutting through the arena draws her back to reality.

she tilts her head to the side and watches as they walk in as a unit. all in their forties now, but she still saw the twenty-somethings that she had fallen in love with all of those years ago. while luke and jack were deep in conversation about something, quinn was trailing behind with his phone to his ear. she had heard him mention something about a leadership meeting and she wasn’t immune to the ramblings around the league. at forty-five, quinn was ancient in the league and it wasn’t a matter of if he was going to retire anymore, but when he was going to hang up his c for good.

“angel,” jack grins as he breaks off from luke and moves to the aisle in front of the one. he leans over the seat and presses his lips to hers not once, but twice before looking onto the ice for his namesake, “how’s our girl?”

“tolliver’s told her to give the other girls a chance twice already,” she pauses so that luke can kiss her before quinn ends his call and follows behind his brothers. with luke and quinn taking up the space beside her, jack sits in front and angles his body so he can still contribute, “how was practice?”

“brutal,” luke groans, “‘m gonna need back scratches tonight-”

“it’s my night,” quinn says quickly, almost gruffly, the wrinkles by his eyes becoming more pronounced as he rests his elbows on his knees to look at his youngest brother almost daring him to challenge their system.

“where’s kq?” luke asks to change subject, hooking his big hand around angel’s knee and she lets him pull her leg over his own just like he did when they were in college. she angles her body towards him and hums, choosing to stare out onto the ice instead, “angel-”

“cut the shit,” quinn, freshly 45 and still drool-worthy if you asked angel, calls from her other side. a pinch to her thigh (a habit not forgotten in their nineteen years together) has her looking at the man with a sharp look, “where’d she go?”

“she… went to dinner with a friend,” angel had never been a good liar, especially to the men who knew her better than the back of their own hands. she grabs onto luke’s hand and rubs her finger over the angel wings that were tattooed on his ring finger, silently praying the coach rollover would forget that there was supposed to be an hour of practice left and blow that stupid whistle, ���who happens to be a boy-”

“wren is at dinner-”

“alone-“

“with a boy?”

“he was a nice kid when he came to the house!” she tries to defend the boy but she quickly realizes her mistake when all of their eyes seem to glaze over, “she’s sixteen. you guys know that, right?”

“we were at her birthday party, yes,” jack answers in a monotone voice, “i think she was beside quinn when they blew out the candles on their birthday muffins that morning, but i may have to go watch the video to make sure my memory is correct.”

“no, you’re right,” quinn answers quickly, “this boy has been to our house?”

“she’s sixteen,” she tries to emphasize once again.

“is this like,” jack waves his hand around in the air, “a thing?”

“do i think that they’ll be married come january? no, but they’re a cute, little high school something. i don’t know if they’ve put a label on it, honest, but he’s been keeping her company since she can’t practice right now. she goes to his games-”

“god, an athlete. i don’t know what’s worse, a boy or an athlete,” luke lets out.

“how do you think my mom felt when i brought you home and then brought your brothers home less than a year later?” angel quirks an eyebrow and that sparks something else within them.

“i-” jack seems to be careful with his words, “it’s just one, right,”

she doesn’t even try to hide her laugh, tucking her face into luke’s shoulder. it takes her a minute to collect herself before she answers, “yes honey, it’s just one boy.”

“we would support her if she was, y’know, like us. we aren’t hypocrites,” quinn tries to assure the woman and his brothers nod along, “but i wasn’t prepared for one boy, i don’t know if i could handle multiple.”

“don’t worry, quinny. if my parents are ever unexpectedly in the livingroom, just know that they are about to coach all of you on how to overcome the shock of it all,” angel rolls her eyes and finally relaxes in her seat.

“she’s not on birth control, is she?” jack questions and it’s no secret what he’s actually asking. angel gently shoved her foot into his shoulder and he winces, “it’s not fair that you get to know all of these things before we do.”

“you wouldn’t survive if you knew half of the things that i did. now watch your daughter practice.”

the four of them settle into a quiet then, focusing on the 43 darting around the ice with a brunette braid poking out of her helmet. by the way all of their faces are set in a hard line for the rest of the practice, angel doesn’t even want to think about how it’s going to be when they find about drew’s boyfriend that he’s been seeing since february.

baby steps.

[doggernaut]

#19 for the ask game!

19. What headcanon do you always include in your stories?

Headcanons! I love them! I have a few. Some I explicitly include and others often (always?) inform my writing, even if they aren't mentioned on page. Here are a few favorites:

Jack Zimmermann is bi and demisexual. Full stop.

Suzanne and Coach Bittle aren't bad, homophobic parents. They are maybe a little clueless and awkward, but they want the best for Bitty and once he comes out to them they accept him. This is a little tangential, but I will always believe that that scene of Suzanne telling Bitty that she wants him to come home for the rest of the summer after he comes out to her would take place even if Bitty were straight and his partner were female. My read on her is that as the mother of an only child, she's terrified somebody is going to come along to take her son away from her. I think (and canon backs me up: see Coach and Jack reacting to the jam argument in Christmas in Madison) Coach is more awkward but ultimately more easy going, and ends up really being the voice of reason/ally Bitty (and Jack) need over the years when dealing with Suzanne. I've incorporated this into a few different fics.

Bitty can be his own worst enemy. He makes a lot of assumptions about how people perceive him and it often gets him in trouble (or, at the very least, causes unnecessary stress). This character trait is established in canon ("Jack hates me." "My parents will reject me if they know the truth about me.") and it's fun to play with it in fic.

Jack, in retirement, has a dad bod. Look, twenty-five-year-old professional athlete Jack Zimmermann, with abs that can grate cheese, is the subject of twenty-year-old Bitty's very detailed fantasies and exactly what he wants at that point in his life. But forty-something-retired Jack, who has nothing left to prove, is comfortable enough in his own skin to relax a little and has a body that reflects his life with Bitty (dessert every night). That Jack is the subject of forty-something-Bitty's very detailed fantasies and exactly what he wants at this point in their lives. He's the dad all the kids and pets want to cuddle with and is still strong enough to carry all the kids to bed at once. Still strong enough to carry Bitty to bed. It should be assumed that this softer Jack is the Jack that shows up in any fic I write in which he's no longer playing professional hockey, even if not explicitly stated. (Related: Bitty has a much harder time with getting older and frequently needs Jack's reassurance that he still finds him attractive. I think Bitty's logic about this is something like: "I know Jack loves me and finds me attractive BUT he didn't notice me that way until after I cut my hair and started eating protein and doing all the squats, so even though aging is inevitable, if I don't maintain that standard he's going to stop finding me attractive." See: what I wrote earlier about Bitty making a lot of unfounded assumptions about what others think of him.)

Jack's anxiety comes from Alicia. Look at Alicia's eyes in 24 Hour Celly. Those are Jack's anxiety eyes. (I know those links go to the whole comic not the exact panels but they're there, I promise.) I'm currently working on something that digs deeper into this headcanon.

Tater + Vanessa Channel 7 = 4 Eva. Why? It just feels right.

Oh, and one more. I know a lot of people headcanon Chowder as being from San Francisco proper but I have always headcanoned him as being from San Jose and growing up playing youth hockey with the club affiliated with the Sharks.

Thank you for this question! This is probably way more than you were asking for!

[lfghughes]

could u please do Jack Hughes to Tennessee Orange by Megan Moroney. like the readers dad may have played for a different team like the rangers. and now she’s telling her family she’s dating someone on the devils

a/n: the way i love this song so much and this request. i was just waiting to be in the right mindset to write this so i hope you like it!

Your relationship was still young. Young enough that you hadn’t done the whole meet the parents thing and your parents knew you were seeing someone but you always managed to direct the conversation elsewhere every time Jack got brought up. It had nothing to do with Jack and all to do with the team he played with. One thing about your family, you all were a hockey family. Your dad was a retired Rangers player and if you learned anything growing up it was the Hudson River rivalry.

At the end of the day you knew all that mattered was that Jack treated you well and theoretically that’s all your family should care about but you were still weirdly nervous because you were finally brining Jack home for the weekend. “So I shouldn’t pack any team clothing?” Jack asked, a small smirk on his lips which instantly showed he was teasing you. He knew all about how nervous you were. “I’m sure my dad will have a few sweaters you can borrow if you do.”

“They still don’t know who exactly you’re dating?” He asked and you shook your head, a little ashamed you were telling your boyfriend was two months that you still hadn’t openly admitted to your parents who he was. “I’m sorry, I’m the worst and I know it but my dad probably will recognize you right away.” Which couldn’t be further from the truth because once Jack had his bags packed and you two headed to your parents place, the minute you two walked through the front door and your father saw him you knew he had recognized him just by the way he paused.

It almost looked like your dad was thinking as if he was trying to figure out where he had seen Jack. “You’re the kid from the Devils aren’t you?” He asked and your heart sank to your stomach as Jack nodded his head. The tension in the air got thick around you as you waited to see what your dad would say next. “Kid, you had a fantastic season. The whole team did pretty great. Congrats.”

A soft sigh of relief fell from your lips which caused your dad to give you a weird look. “What? Just because I’m a formers Rangers player you think I can’t appreciate talent? Even if it’s from the rival team?” Your dad sounded amazed as he looked over at you and you sheepishly shrugged. You should have known he wouldn’t have reacted badly over something that truly was as simple as he was putting it. “I just thought you’d give him a tougher time.”

“Oh don’t get me wrong, I’m going to crack on him. Sorry Jack. Also just so you know the only jersey she’ll be wearing are my old ones, don’t you be wearing any of those devils jerseys…At least not in front of your old man.” A laugh left both you and Jacks lips because you knew you had already broken this rule weeks back when you had gone to Jacks game wearing one of his jerseys but your dad definitely didn’t have to know all that, not yet at least.

[augustus816]

my unsolicited and unprofessional predictions for the f1 drivers market:

no these are not realistic they are not intended to be they are based on vibes, whims, and chaos <3 (it’s called silly season for a reason)

Daniel Riccardo retires from F1 and moves to NASCAR, Indy or something similar! I love Danny Ric at RB but sometimes you gotta find new roots; it’s a new challenge and a new chance to win, plus he loves Americans 🇺🇸🦅

This opens space for Liam Lawson at RB. Fresh blood for the redbull machine and he gets the chance to prove his potential for a Redbull seat in the future!

Speaking of, Checo’s contract gets terminated (Sorry Checo)… and he goes to Haas. Checo brings big sponsors to the smaller team AND I think he’d thrive mentoring a younger driver like Ollie Bearman. Hopefully less pressure on him 🙏

Straight swap: KMAG to Redbull!!! He’s a good driver and known to defend VICIOUSLY to help a teammate a la earlier this season. He gets a couple of podiums and wins under his belt before retirement and Redbull has perhaps a better chance at the constructors. (Can you tell I just want a Kmag race win?)

Are you ready for more ridiculousness? Logan Sargeant to Mercedes. Williams don’t want him? Mercedes will have him instead. George can work on his garage leadership hooha without being challenged by a more experienced teammate and Logan gets an F1 seat; win-win.

Valtteri Bottass goes to Williams because can you imagine the combined insanity of ‘woke-up-with-one-shoe’ and ‘i-didn’t-know-pee-is-supposed-to-be-warm’ in a Team Torque episode together?? Worth it for the PR alone! But Valtteri also gets a slightly better car and Alex gets a senior driver to learn from

Carlos Sainz ends up at Audi, reunited with his old teammate Nico Hulkenburg! And Jack Doohan gets the Alpine seat! No funny jokes for these ones I’m sorry :(

And then PURE WISH FULFILMENT: Lance retires to go be an ice hockey player or something and Nico Rosberg returns to the grid as Alonso’s teammate. I just think the dynamic between them as teammates would be hilarious AND, if AM got their shit together in 2025, Lewis would be having nightmares about them all on the podium together again

this has been my ted talk thanks for coming

if I forgot your fave let me know and I will make a prediction for them too

[ronandhermy]

simply a gal wishing you would write a fic where kent and jack come out in some absurd(ly romantic) public way and the greater hockey world is like “jack, seriously? again????”

Oh man, I know this ask kinda has the idea that all 4 years of the Check Please comic are canon but, let's be real, I thrive in the Canon Divergence tag. For this fic, I'm actually thinking post retirement from playing hockey. Jack and Kent are coaching a team, maybe the Aces, maybe a new expansion team, who knows. They're both salt and pepper now. The DILFs of the hockey world, if you will. They wear wedding rings but like, no one is really asking about some old coach's spouse. UNTIL...Kent and Jack coach their team to a Stanley Cup and basically make out on the ice and in their interviews go, "It's just so nice to win this with my husband." And of course the follow-up question, "How long have you been married?" and it's like "Oh 25 years this July." Cue drama.

[stereax]

☕️ things you think the nhl genuinely does well for their players? And/or things you wish could/would change in the org?

I think, to start, you need to overhaul how player safety works. The lack of consequences for players is nuts. Repeat offenders need to be penalized appropriately. You can't let dangerous players like Matt Rempe continue to be the poster children for CTE.

Player assistance - I'm not sure how effective this is. We've had players like Valeri Nichushkin fail it; we've had former players like Scott Darling deride it. We've also had players like Spencer Knight and Connor Ingram who've cited the help they get from it as crucial to their mental health.

THE MEDICAL STAFF. Oh my god the medical teams are AWFUL in the NHL. I know it's the standard to play through injuries but holy fuck. On the Devils alone we had three cases of medical staff failing to spot a concussion or other major injury after a head hit and letting players continue to play for several more shifts before pulling them. You hear actual horror stories annually of players saying "oh, I messed up my shoulder in game 4 and played with it the entire season" (Tim Stutzle) or "oh, my knee's been fucked since January, sorry for not putting up more points" (Elias Pettersson) or "oh, I played a playoff game with a broken sternum and I couldn't even dress myself, so if I got hit there, there's a chance I could have died" (Matthew Tkachuk). We're seeing that players who prioritize their health, who sit out to recover instead of pushing their bodies (think Sidney Crosby here) are able to continue playing at a high level past 35, when previously this was considered too old to be a top talent NHL player.

Tying into that, LTIR. Teams need to be incentivized to use LTIR so that their stars can heal, goddamn it. You tell me "close the cap circumvention loopholes", I reply "I'd prefer if players are playing healthy and not forced to play while hurt, and LTIR is a major step in allowing players to heal without penalizing a team for their injuries". I don't know why it's a buzz topic now that teams like Vegas are "abusing LTIR" - good??? Every team in the league should "abuse LTIR" if it means helping to preserve the quality of life for its players down the line??? Why is this controversial???

But also - players who are definitely not coming back to play in the NHL (think Shea Weber, Carey Price, Nicklas Backstrom) should have the ability to retire without losing out on the final years of their contract while not penalizing the teams with them on their roster. Currently, these players undergo "LTIRetirement", a process where they're stashed on the LTIR until their contract is up, at which point they officially retire. This not only disadvantages the teams carrying these contracts but also puts unnecessary burdens on these players. Think how the 2018 WJC perpetrators were considered "NHL non-roster", effectively having no cap hit, and do something similar for LTIRetirement.

Just... eugh, I really wish some fundamentals about hockey culture and the culture of injury were changed. Every time I hear about how a player is trying to regain day-to-day functioning after an injury (go read up on Tanner Pearson's hand injuries and how the Canucks bungled the surgeries), part of me dies inside. Jack Eichel literally had to force his own trade out of his team because the Sabres weren't willing to give him medical autonomy. Which is another thing - the player should ALWAYS have final say in their injury treatment, not the teams. Whoever decided that... I'm shaking my fist.

[parvuls]

jack's Thing is being too competitive for his own good. jack post-retirement is still jack, so instead of it manifesting as headstrong-ing his way from rehab right back to hockey, in retirement he gets into a life of really petty competitions with the neighbors. best-kept front lawn. most outrageously decorated house on christmas. most fearsome pta parent to ever be involved in their kids' education. he and mr. hicks from four houses down the road nearly dropped gloves over their children's competing lemonade stands and bitty had to deliver three pies to make it blow over without a lawsuit

[imperatorrrrr]

Ooh for you WIP’s let’s talk: Good Luck Babe NicoJack 😏

okay, so this one is kind of the one thats calling to me the most, but its also very much unhappy ending/angst forever/sad sad sad...

I was with a friend of mine and Good Luck Babe by Chappell Roan was playing and they said that this is a NicoJack song, and it basically shifted my entire worldview and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it for a month:

this will most likely be my first attempt at a Nico POV (scary!)

I'm picturing Nico at Jack's wedding probably as a groomsman reminiscing on their relationship as a final goodbye to Jack

I have to work out the timelines because in this 'verse Jack is very like following traditional hockey player paths re: marriage and kids, but I still see him getting married closer to his late twenties than his early/mid twenties.

and I still think Jack and Nico play into their thirties and play with the Devils into their thirties, so this is a world where Nico is still Jack's teammate even after he's said "good bye" to him

basically Nico and Jack are together in every sense of the word for years but Jack refuses to acknowledge them as a them even though they do everything people in a relationship do

Nico is out. Jack isn't, but that isn't an issue at all.

the issue is that Jack is trying to deny that he has any feelings at all for Nico and anything going on between them is romantic or means more than just two dudes being bros

there's gonna be a lot of internalized homophobia here, and none of it is going to be resolved

just kind of the dichotomy of Jack coming from this very big hockey family and wanting to continue this image of a hockey family versus Nico coming from a different background altogether

Nico being far more like open and grounded and self-assured about his queerness versus Jack being so confident about everything else in his life except for his sexuality and how it may be at war with how ingrained hockey is in his life and ingratiated he is within hockey culture

and Nico is holding out hope that maybe Jack will come around one day and waiting for Jack, but he doesn't

so Nico is finally closing that chapter in his life, gives a funny, charming speech at Jack's wedding has everyone laughing and tearing up and toasts Jack and his bride and walks away into the twilight

they'll go down in Devils history as bringing the Cup back to New Jersey and starting a brand new dynasty, but they won't go down in history as Nico and Jack. fated to be the two pillars of the New Jersey Devils, but not fated to be together.

I have been waffling about whether or not I'm going to leave it as completely unresolved and a completely unhappy ending or if I'll go back to it and add like an epilogue where they see each other again at like Nico and Jack's number retirement ceremony and Jack's finally ready to give them a chance and then it fades to black and you can kind of choose does Nico say yes, has Nico moved on, do they kiss, does Nico walk away, do they walk away together?

[luvhughes43]

blakes relationship dynamics with her brothers:

quinn: blake tells quinn absolutely everything. when she was younger, the two of them hung out by blake "forcing" him to watch all of her tv shows with her (gossip girl, pretty little liars, etc.) and so they just fell into this routine of watching tv and gossiping with each other. as they've aged tho and quinn went to school they couldn't watch tv as much, but they would text each other weekly updates and just gossip. like quinn was the first person to know about blake and nico because she was texting and calling him just explaining every minor detail of hers and nicos interactions.

anyway, when quinn went off to umich he kind of stopped talking to blake for a little while? not intentionally but he was busy with school and hockey, and blake was really upset. she was going through a lot (abuse, an ed, and competitions) and she just really needed her older brother around. they figured it out of course, when quinn finally got his shit together but blake was really sad for awhile. and of course a phone works both ways but quinn just got so bad at answering her texts that she just stopped altogether.

jack: we're literally inseperable as kids. but as they got older jack just got louder, and blake kept to herself plus they were both so focused on their respective sports that they drifted a part. jack knew a lot about how blakes coaches were treating her + her skating through injuries and so he felt really guilty which led him to distancing himself from her during figure skating seasons.

when blakes retired from skating, jack goes to some of her therapy sessions with her and they work through all the guilt / tension. thats when shes living in nj too so they just become so close after that. jacks over at her apartment at least once a week for dinners and they hang out all the time.

luke: lukes like blakes son. she babies him beyond belief and she's always been the one to teach him things (like riding a bike, etc.). they both understood each other in a way the other siblings couldn't (the pressure to be gifted), and so they always just got along really well. blake also sort of projected herself onto luke, and wanted to protect him from injuries the best she could since her coach was always so hard on her. like she'd always tell luke to rest and not overexert himself which is why when she was injured and the family found out she'd been practicing through injuries luke got super upset with her. after that happened he didnt talk to her for weeks and she was so beyond upset. theyre of course all good now, but those weeks were awful for the both of them.

trevor (honorary brother): when blake met trevor she didnt have a lot of friends. she was homeschooled and then she was always training, so she didnt get the opportunity to meet a lot of people. but when trevor started staying with the hughes, they became really close. when her brothers/parents where busy they'd always hang out and whenever things would get really busy for blake and she would be secluding herself from everybody, trevor would write down music recommendations on a sheet of paper and slip it underneath her door (all rock music from the 80s which she kind of hated, but she listened to anyway).

trevor nicknames her "goldie" after she wins gold at the olympics and the two of them just become a pair of second siblings.

[toasttt11]

introducing grey

Grey Olive Elizabeth Thompson was born September 6, 2004 to her parents Carter Thompson and Charlotte Moreau. Grey had a older brother Elijah Liam Benjamin Thompson, who went first overall to the New Jersey Devils in the 2018 NHL draft.

Charlotte Moreau never wanted children and by the time Grey was six she left and never looked back, did not contact her kids for years and completely ignored the fact she had children for her modeling career.

Carter Thompson was devastated when he noticed his wife didn’t enjoy having kids after their eldest Elijah was born, she seemed equally as disinterested in Grey was she born, Carter raised his two kids wonderfully and have always been extremely close with them.

Carter Thompson was a legendary Hockey player, playing twelve seasons with the New Jersey Devils, He was drafted in 1988 and won two stanley cups with the Devils, he retired in 2000 after his second Stanley cup as his first kid was going to be born in a few months.

Carter Thompson had met Ellen Hughes during a world championship, they became fast friends and Carter watched her fall in love with Jim. The three had become a great group of friends and has always been very close. Carter ended up deciding to move to Toronto with his family and then found out the Hughes were going to as well, they lived next door to each other for twelve years feeling more like one family than two.

The Hughes and The Thompson’s were really like one family rather than one, most nights they had dinners together, the kids all went to the same schools. They spend most holidays together and going on family vacations, or going to the boys hockey games and Grey’s karting races.

Elijah and Grey had always been extremely close, they were each other’s best friends, Elijah had always been the protective brother especially when their mother left Elijah became more protective of his sister. Which is why when the suddenly death of Elijah broke Grey. She woke up on July 24, 2018 and walked into his room to wake him but he wasn’t moving, he was dead. He passed away in his sleep that night.

After the death of Elijah, Carter and Grey couldn’t stand living in the house anymore, Ellen and Jim had bought a house in Michigan and Carter decided to follow them thinking it would do Grey and him some good to get out of the old house.

Quinn and Elijah were the best of friends growing up, they were similar in personality and really close in age. They always dreamed of playing in the NHL together and when they got drafted together it was the best day for the two. Elijah pasted a month after the NHl draft. Quinn first game in the NHL was a very hard day for him.

Quinn has always loved Grey, loving the girl who he got to have as a sister, and they have always been very close. The two got extremely more close after the death of Elijah, Quinn wanting to protect and care for Grey like Elijah did, and Grey wanting to be there and be a good friend for Quinn like Elijah did.

Jack had always looked up to Elijah and Quinn growing up and they had always been extremely close family as they all grew up. Jack picked playing the center position in hockey from wanting to be more like Elijah. Jack was very proud to have been picked the same as Elijah in the draft and going to the Devils as well, he wanted to make Elijah proud. He picked the number 86 for Elijah’s birthday August 6, a piece or him always with Jack as Jack plays for both of their dreams.

Jack and Grey have always been very close, especially with Grey moving to New jersey a little after Jack and her being so young, Jack took care of his little sister. Jack always ask Grey for her opinion on his outfits and hair knowing she will be honest.

Luke always adored Elijah growing up and thought he was so cool, Luke always loved Elijah. Luke secretly has always wanted to go to the Devils to play where Elijah should have played and it was emotional when he realized he got on the team and could make Elijah proud of him.

When Luke learned why Jack chose the number 86, he decided to do 43 as a tribute to Elijah. Quinn knew Elijah’s favorite number was always 43 so Quinn picked that for his NHL number. Elijah use to play with the number 6 a lot so that was the number Grey picked for her Formula one number.

Luke and Grey have always been best friends for being close in age and growing up together they have always been the closet. Anyone in the family could tell the two would end up together eventually and they did in 2021 and Luke’s draft the two confessed their feelings for each other and have been together since.

Grey had joined the Red Bull Junior team 2019 and met Max Verstappen then, Max took Grey under his wing and always has been protective of her. Grey had absolutely adored meeting Daniel Riccado and always enjoys hanging out how him.

Grey had met Oscar and Logan when they were young and in karting, all three of them away from their family in a new contry, they became very close very fast and have always stayed very close, the boys have always been protective of Grey as she is younger than them.

Grey met Ollie Bearman and the two are only a year apart so they understand each other extremely well and became fast friends. Grey is waiting till Ollie joins her in Formula One so they can race each other.

Grey and Carter have always had an extremely close father daughter relationship, one that only got closer as her mother left and Carter had become even closer to his kids. The two were heartbroken losing Elijah and they have stayed very close never knowing what might happen.

Carter owns a share of the Devils after playing with the team and sometimes will be there for certain events or games but he mostly enjoys being able to travel most of the time with his daughter watching her race.

Ellen had always treated Grey more of her daughter than Charlotte treated Grey. Ellen has always adored Grey and was very happy when Luke and Grey finally got together.

Jim has always adored having Grey around and has considered her family always, she spent a lot of time with watching the boys play hockey as they sat together on the bench.

Jim and Ellen are the godparents to Elijah and Grey as Carter knew if anything ever happen the two would always take care of his kids.

[rebelrayne]

Hi, I'd like to request something if that's okay. Which litg athletes do you see competing in olympics this year or maybe next four years? And which ones do you NOT see competing? I hate sports but I have a weakness for athletes, especially certain litg ones.

I can see Levi doing it this year, maybe Jamal (my baby daddy) this or next one. And I think Dylan and Arlo would be too cancelled to participate. What do you think?

Hi Anon! I'm not sure I'm the best person to answer this but I'll give it my best shot! I am not well-versed in sports so hahaha I kind of got a little unserious in some parts.

These are the Islanders that I came up with that are athletes (in some form or it is their job): Levi, Reese, Rahim, Henrik, Jakub, Jo, AJ, Tai, Dylan, Arlo, Pete, Jamal, Lewie, Chloe, Hazel, Logan, Jack, Sophie and Jude. Yes, Kat is a club dancer but I wasn't sure if I could count that with Chloe and Hazel, but I guess on a technicality she could be here, too.

Below the cut this is so long haha

Season 1

Levi - Would probably more likely be coaching at this point in his career. He'd be 32 and had made a name for himself, but ultimately stepped down to further himself in coaching. Could also see him being a commentator, too.

Reese - That mf isn't retiring until they say he's not allowed on the team anymore. Sadly, I don't think wrestling is too popular but I could be wrong. Like he'd pitch a fit and claim they were just against him or something. He'd be there (unfortunately for us).

Season 2

Rahim - Might be out of his prime now. I mean, we know he's good at what he does and all, but this is a pretty competitive sport and when newbies come in, they tend to take it by storm for a while. He's probably just playing the circuit.

Henrik - Yeah, he was a climbing instructor but there's sport climbing. I don't see him doing the Olympics though. He's pretty down to earth, probably not interested in making it his job in this way. He'd rather spread knowledge and love of climbing to others through teaching.

Jakub - lmao as if this big-headed buffoon would miss out on weightlifting or something. Like he's too stupid to be cut from the team anyway. Send him an email and he still flies to the Olympics because he can't read idk

Jo - She would qualify under Cycling BMX Racing and I think she would have done it before. I'm not sure if I'd believe that she's at this one though. She's older, probably settled down or at least doing something related and not racing as seriously anymore?

Season 3

AJ - Definitely there. Loves competition, a great team player. She's 100% playing Field Hockey at the Olympics and I love that for her.

Tai - So technically I think Tai is a rugby coach not a player? Maybe I'm not remembering that though. I think he would be more likely a coach than a player for this Olympics though personally. He has the personality to be tough but also inspirational.

Season 4

Dylan - Definitely did not make the roster after his S4 mishaps. They were so embarrassed that they ghosted him. Left him on read when he asked about how to put in an expense report to get money back for his flight and whatever because no one contacted him about flying with the team. His teammates all blocked him on social media except one, and they didn't only so they could see his profile and laugh about what a loser he is :)

Season 5

Arlo - I mean, I don't know if she got canceled sadly. She was doing what everyone on Love Island does and I can't really blame her. I think she was probably given the opportunity to try out for the team, but that doesn't exactly mean she made it. She was Semi Pro, which means she wasn't the best out there anyway.

Pete - Tried out to be on the sport climbing team, fell on his ass and still has a bruise on his tailbone eight months later. BYE.

Season 6

Jamal - Please, they probably invited him personally to be on the team. He's got such a great energy and he's funny. He'll be there for sure and is definitely medaling.

Lewie - I mean this is a big sport. Did he try out? Sure. Did he make it? Maybe. Football is a massive sport and you're going up against the best in the entire league. I'm going to stick him in the maybe but probably not.

Season 8

Logan - Does anyone even remember this guy? I mean, like, I picked him at the last recoupling and I still forget his ass exists. That's probably what happened if I'm honest. He tried out, the coaches forgot that he had and he never got a call. Aw, poor Logan. Maybe he should try being more memorable next time.

Jack - Oh, he tried. He tried and failed. They laughed and were like, no this is serious not just a hobby. But they invited him to be a Physio for the team so all in all, a win for Jack. (He fangirls over the cyclists when he sees them).

Sophie - I think she tried out and as annoying as she was, she may have made the cut for Acrobatic Gymnastics (is that a thing still? idk). Kinda hope she sprains her ankle as she walks up to the mat or whatever, but I'm kind of a terrible person so.

Season 9

Hamish - yes. If being annoying and obnoxious was a sport. I love him, but he would win the gold. No competition. Though he does play golf now......damn, is there anything he can't do????

Jude - Okay yeah he would be there but the last time it was held was 2021 so I guess it would be next year if it was every 4? Not sure on this but there is a Motor Sports category. You go, Jude! Even though you're kind of a dick and weirdly obsessed with Kat in my game.

[blindbatalex]

bruins hrpf recs from the server #3

i am back again with our weekly fic rec list, this time featuring recs from all of us featuring ✨ hockey magic / magical realism in a hockey setting ✨

if you have bruins fics on this theme you love not featured here (including your own fics), please send them in via asks - I live to promote fic!

bear problems by ladyalysv || marcheron || 1,013 words || reccer's notes: look, there’s nothing I can say to rec this fic to you better than to just quote this immortal line directly: “Look, I want to put my dick in you, but not a bear. Help me out here."

the body remains by insunshine || marcheron || 7,537 words || reccer's notes: GOSH bergy's disorientation at things repeating and not quite making sense is SO GOOD, I was really put into that mindset so it was super engaging to read and go along for the journey. Also all the emotional development was DELICIOUS

brother let me be your fortress by Anonymous || boston bruins ensemble || 3,561 words || reccer's notes: a really interesting take on curses, and was the first I'd seen of it. Absolutely loved the team as family vibes and how much everyone cares for each other and Charlie.

can’t choose what stays and what fades away by astrificus || brendan gallagher/marchy || 1,625 words || reccer's notes: enemies AND lovers!!!! I love a good soulbond, especially when it's accidental and inconvenient. and accidentally soulbonding to marchy is such a good analogue to what happens irl when people try SO HARD to hate him but then fall in love after spending all of 5 minutes in his company

high above the earth by @siterlas || marcheron || 1,949 words || reccer's notes: A wingfic without wings. Also functions as a perfect explanation for why we had no shirtless Patrice for years and years (until pool.gif/when CMac broke the internet anyway). I reread this after Bergy’s retirement conference and it was a balm to the soul.

they must have been leafs fans by @dragongirl180 || marcheron || 9,704 words || reccer's notes: goalie magic, curses, and a touch of angst as a little treat

those were my dreams by waffles_007 || jackbrick || 8,480 words || reccer's notes: old man yaoi, reincarnation style. I love how the fic incorporates Jack’s nerdery for American history, and I love love love how they find each other again and again across different lifetimes 😭

to see the moments bleed through by dhils || prefix boys (JD/CMAC) || 8,828 words || reccer's notes: the way the author sets up Jake's power in being able to rewind time but only thru short horizons and explore the implications of how it would work and what it would mean is ingenious