#ollie and wicks: oh nice they finally told everyone

[backwardscapsmh]

HI TESS I DIDNT JNOW YOU WERE TAKING PROMPTS maybaps some gay hockey dads + smh not knowing theyre together or something along those lines🥰

yep!! and i love writing gay hockey dad fic (this one is not going to be angsty i swear) so thanks annie! i hope u like it! 🥰💕

Samwell was known to be a welcoming and safe environment for LGBT students. The “1 in 4″ rule didn’t exist for no reason. Still, it was hard to change decades of homophobic and toxic hockey culture in the locker room. But Hall and Murray try anyway.

After all, they were young queer athletes once. The constant, lips sealed, eyes down, don’t touch, don’t stare, don’t draw attention was their mantra. Keep your mouth shut because no one can know. Any hope of NHL stardom and acceptance from other players would disintegrate as soon as any rumors started and you didn’t say “God no! Gross!” fast enough.  So they try. Try to make sure they never even hear a whisper of anything homophobic. Try to make sure players feel safe at the rink. Try to make sure that players know they can be who they are without fear. Try to let them know they can breathe and just exist. They try to protect their students in a way that they needed when they played.  But it’s still hockey, and they live in a heteronormative society so none of the boys actually notice the small pride flag in their office. None of them see the matching wedding rings (which to be fair are pretty small but still). None of them seem to realize that they’re together, in love, married.  So it becomes a game: how many times can we be gay in front of our students (while remaining professional) without them realizing? As it turns out, a lot.

_/ \_

The game itself started when they ran into Bitty at the Whole Foods a whole 25 minute drive from Samwell, which usually doesn’t have blond baking hockey players who can’t drive. Lord knows how Bitty got there to begin with.  They’re not being very subtle if they’re being completely honest. Murray is definitely wearing Hall’s shirt (not that Bitty would know that) and they’re standing way too close for professional colleagues to be standing. Never mind the fact that they are clearly grocery shopping together, which implies a certain living situation. But in their defense, they usually don’t see any students from Samwell at a Whole Foods that is a 25 minute drive from campus.

“Oh goodness!” Bitty says cheerfully upon seeing them in the flour isle. “Hello!”

“Hello Eric,” Hall replies smoothly, as if him and Murray were not internally freaking out about seeing Eric Bittle at Whole Foods on 7 pm on a Saturday night.

“Hey Bittle,” Murray adds, raising a hand in greeting. “No big plans this Saturday?”  “Oh no. I’m here to find a specific type of flour for a new project I’m trying out!” Bitty says absentmindedly, scanning labels on the shelf before them. “Ah! Here it is! Well, I’d better get going. See you at practice!”

And then he’s gone.  “Do you think he noticed?” Hall asks turning to Murray.

“Nah, he still hasn’t figured out that Jack’s into him yet,” Murray laughs, taking a package of flour from the shelf. “And we’re getting whole wheat flour this week Haller, you can’t argue with me.”

And thus, the game begins.

They run into Dex and Nursey at Annie’s one day and they’re definitely holding hands at the time. Dex and Nursey seem too busy trying to not make it look like they’re on a date themselves to notice the fact that their coaches are on one.

Jack walks in on them having an argument on whose turn it is to make dinner that night in their office once. He doesn’t seem to notice the topic of discussion because he’s too busy pulling out his play book from his bag.

Shitty completely misses it when Murray accidentally lets it slip that he has a husband when Shitty starts complaining about playing Harvard and their “homophobic douche-ery.”  Ransom and Holster witness Hall slide an arm around Murray’s waist when they walk towards the Dartmouth locker room. Ransom simply comments that “it’s nice that their coaches are best friends” before running ahead to catch up with Holster. Hall and Murray just laugh. 

Lardo and Chowder run into them picking up pizza one Friday night. Lardo nods in acknowledgement and Chowder enthusiastically says “hello.” Both of them miss Hall wearing a coaching jacket with “Murray” stitched on the chest. 

As it turns out, no one on the Samwell Men’s Hockey team is remotely aware of their relationship. But the secret comes out eventually.

_/ \_

It’s after a particularly rough game against Boston. Everyone is tired and a little sad because of the loss. There were a few rough hits too, so a few people have bruises.

As everyone gets off of the bus, Hall and Murray open the doors to the compartments holding the luggage below the bus.

“Can you handle making sure everyone gets their luggage out? Because if so I can grab Larissa and go get keys for everyone,” Murray says after the doors are completely opened.  “For sure. Thanks honey,” Hall says grabbing their shared bag and handing it to Murray, absentmindedly kissing Murray on the cheek as he does so.

“Uhm.”

“Huh?!”

“What the fuck?!”

“How?”

“When?!”

Both coaches turn, met with the shocked faces of the entire Samwell Men’s Hockey team.

[kinghoranshit]

This is Love (LT) Ch 18

Word Count: 1,976

The soft cry of Daisy filled my ears through the baby monitor. Despite how exhausted I felt, I didn't complain as I started to get up. Someone gently touched my upper arm and I looked back at Louis.

"I've got her, my love. You sleep."

I only nodded and laid my head back down on the pillow. But it was no secret I wouldn't sleep until she stopped crying. Soon, I could hear Louis talking to her.

"What are you crying about little love? Mum's trying to sleep. I'm trying. You should try... Are you hun- oh no."

I laughed to myself. Daisy hadn't stopped her fit as Louis talked, and she only quieted down some after he changed her.

Louis's soft, slightly raspy voice flowed through the baby monitor as he sang.

"You can't go to bed without a cup of tea. Maybe that's the reason you talk in your sleep..."

A smile spread on my lips as I drifted off into sleep.

***

Louis carried Daisy in his arms as our feet sunk in the sand. I held her carrier and the duffle with diapers, bottles, spit up rags, extra binkies, clothes, a few toys, wipes, etc. We had everything.

Despite how inseparable Katie and I were before, we hadn't seen each other in a few weeks. Of course, her and Niall visited to see Daisy, but I didn't leave the house much with her. Nothing had quieted down yet; not in this fandom. I'd still left a couple times with Lou for store runs and coffee outings. That was it though. With Katie so close, we didn't need to risk anything.

Our risk level today went out to a cliff and jumped off with no hesitation. The four of us met up at the beach. Well, not four, there are five, couldn't forget the little one, and technically it was six if you counted the little one in Katie.

I made a funny face at Katie when we made eye contact. As we hugged, Katie asked, "Whose bright idea was this?"

"I think I recall it being yours, love."

"I don't know. We're too exposed, and I look like a fucking whale."

Louis scoffed, "Watch the mouth."

Niall came over, furrowing his eyebrows. "She can't understand our words yet. Also, your mouth is worse." He wrapped his arms around Katie and pecked her on the cheek. "And you're a beautiful whale."

Katie rolled her eyes. "Okay, Horan."

"I'm telling the truth, love," he scoffed.

"Yeah? Sometimes lying would be better."

"I said you were beautiful!"

Katie pointed a finger at him. "But you still said I was a whale."

Now, Niall rolled his eyes.

I laughed a little at their banter. Daisy made sounds of delight and it made me laugh even more. I turned around to look at her and I babied, "Are uncle Niall and aunt Katie funny? Are they? Yes, they are!"

Her blue-green eyes lit up and she smiled. For three months old, she definitely showed her emotions. It was pretty easy to tell. And she had some hair grown in; it looked red at the moment. Lou and I had a bet going on as to what color her hair would actually be. Of course, I was betting it'd be red and curly like mine.

I reached out to take her from Lou and cradled her in my arms. Immediately, her hands clung onto one of the shoulder straps of my red, white polka dotted one-piece. It was better that than my hair, which I put up into a ponytail for two reasons--cause it's hot out and so she didn't pull on it.

"Hey, Lou, love, could you please lay out the blanket?" I asked as I bounced Daisy a bit and held her tiny hand so she wouldn't grip my swimsuit anymore. She had started to reach for the bow in the front.

"Of course," he replied, giving me a kiss on the cheek. I blushed. You'd think I'd get over the open affection in public.

Lou pulled out the neon rainbow striped blanket and laid it out onto the sand, so perfectly there weren't any wrinkles. He was such a perfectionist sometimes. I may or may not have been the one to push him to get better with cleaning up after himself. It was a good change to make.

I noticed Niall had taken off his white tee and only wore his sunset patterned trunks now. He looked at Katie and gestured towards the water. "You coming?"

Katie gave him a look. "You honestly think- Yes, I'm coming."

Niall only smirked and shook his head. He took her hand in his and they walked out to the shore.

"How long do you think she'll stay there?" Lou asked, pulling his own black tee off and only wore his navy blue trunks.

I shrugged. "I can't imagine long. The water is probably gonna be too cold for her. Also, she won't be able to take the wave hits."

He nodded with a slight smirk. "I give her ten minutes. Max."

"I say five," I bargained.

We looked at each other and stated, "Deal."

I settled Daisy and I on the blanket. Daisy sat in her yellow, white polka dot bikini with a small blow up beach ball in her hands and I sat down with a book. Not just any book-- Katie's. It was called 'Grey Eyes'. I remembered planning this one with her, but she never let me read it. And then she went out and actually got it published. That little noob.

So far, it was a really good read. Of course, I vaguely remember what was going to happen. For the most part, it was all a surprise to me.

"Damn that water is cold," Katie cursed as she grabbed a towel from their bag and wrapped herself up in it.

I looked over at Louis. "I win."

He rolled his eyes. "You, two, lovelies enjoy your chat." He jogged out to the water where Niall was messing around with this other guy he must have just met. Oh wait, no, it was Ollie. I didn't know he was coming. That's alright. They'd have their lad time.

"What was that all about?"

"Lou and I made a bet as to how long you'd stay in the water. He said ten and I gave you five."

Katie bust out laughing. "I would've done the same if it was you."

I shook my head. "I wouldn't have gone in. I'm not going in today either."

"That's so true. And you wore a swimsuit why then?" Katie cocked a brow.

"Katie, it's a beach. You're supposed to wear a swimsuit."

She rolled her eyes. "Not always."

Daisy gurgled a little and made a slight cry.

"Oh no, is someone not happy?" Katie babied and reached over as well as she could to pick her up. She rested Daisy on her belly so she was sitting on it. Katie continued to make faces and she pretended to bite her fingers, which made Daisy giggle now.

I smiled. "You seem to have the parenting down already."

"Pft. Just this part. Taking care of Daisy for her first couple weeks was a disaster. I'm terrified for when our son is finally here."

"You got dis!" I cheered, making her laugh under her breath.

"Thanks, Mads. You know... This didn't turn out to be that bad of an idea."

My eyes went wide and I shook a finger at her. "Don't say that! Now it's gonna end badly."

"You're being paranoid," Katie replied, beginning to bounce Daisy now. "Plus, with one call, there will be guards here in five minutes flat."

"Right..." I nodded slowly. From the corner of my eye, I noticed Katie brought Harold. I smiled widely and reached out to grab his case. Then I proceeded to take him out.

Katie made a gasp of excitement. "Is mom going to sing to you?"

I smirked a little. "No... Aunt Katie is."

Katie looked like she lost a little bit of blood. "What?"

"Sing Fairytale, please? I'll strum. I remember," I stated, giving her an encouraging smile.

I could tell she was debating it. Then she looked as if she told herself a mental 'fuck it' and she nodded. "Alright."

As Katie started to sing the first words, I came in with the strumming.

"It was like a fairy tale. I was your princess. You were my prince.

Along came the wicked witch. Cast a spell on you. Locked me up in the tower.

If you could break the curse. You'd come get me out. Be my night in shining armor.

Oh, how sweet, our story. We were meant to be. Alas, you don't remember me..."

She sung the rest, smiling, and made 'oops' faces when she thought it was an awful note. I noticed a few people start to crowd around and Katie held Daisy closer to her. Both for protection and comfort.

The small crowd of beach people clapped when the song came to an end and we said our thank yous. They didn't stay long after that, which was okay. They didn't seem to be adequate fans of One Direction where they'd know who we were. They just wanted to stop to hear the song, that's it.

I started to play 'Somewhere in Neverland' as Katie built a sandcastle "with" Daisy. Daisy sat next to her and watched, playing with some of the sand herself. She didn't know what it was and it intrigued her enough to get her hands dirty. A bath would be in order later anyways.

The rest of the day was quiet as the boys did their thing and we did ours. Eventually, we all gathered to head back to Lou and I's house for dinner.

"Mads, we should make your chocolate chip cookies too. I'm craving them so bad," Katie stated, starting to set the bag strap on her shoulder, but Niall ended up grabbing it from her. Her response was to roll her eyes and she mumbled, "I had it."

I made a small laugh. "Of course."

There was a time back when we were going to school and it was the summer before our second year, where Katie was on mother nature. She was so irritable that week. Normally, she didn't really take anyone's shit, but that week she really wasn't. Especially with the two kids we used to nanny. That day though, I was nannying them, and she texted me. I decided to make some chocolate chip cookies for her, and the boys. I couldn't get a recipe to load, so I made up my own. My family picked them apart, but Katie loved them and everyone else loved them.

My smile faded as I heard a side comment from a guy walking by us.

"Look. It's the pregnant cunt and the Irish dickhead. Their baby will look like a little gremlin, I'm sure of it."

My eyes went wide and I gasped a little. My gaze went straight to the two who were the target. Katie and Niall's faces were emotionless and they continued to walk. Didn't say a single word. Honestly, I was shocked. I almost wanted to say something.

"Hey! That wasn't very nice, dickbag!"

My statement made no difference as the guy was already gone.

Katie snickered, "Dickbag?"

"Aren't you upset?" I asked, genuinely concerned, and also didn't want to talk about the horrible name I came up with in a matter of seconds.

"Not really." She shrugged. "Like you put it, he's a dickbag." She looked over at Niall, smirking a bit. "Besides, if he does turn out to look like a little gremlin, he'll be the cutest damn gremlin ever."

Niall stifled back a laugh as we finished packing up the vehicles.

Next: Ch 19

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