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unwillingpuckbunny · 2 years ago

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even said without love i would understand

me and my sibling have just been at each other all evening for no reason what so ever

a taste of the past | these michigan summers

series masterlist

a/n: euchre still stumps me, hence why i've elected to not go into detail about the game.

SUMMER '18

Euchre was, as Libby knew it, a way of bringing out the worst of people.

The first round wasn't too bad—she, Sam, and Dorothea were still teaching the rules to Jim and Ellen as a true rite of passage into Midwestern life. But once they'd got the hang of things, everything promptly went downhill.

Currently, Libby was teamed up with Jim while Sam was with Ellen; it only seemed fair not to lump the two knowledgeable players together, not that they would've chosen to play together anyway. Dorothea merely watched from the side with an amused smile on her red-painted lips. She knew better than to join a game of euchre with her husband and granddaughter.

"Go alone," Libby said, staring at her deck of cards. Jim set his hand down.

The round went on, and Libby couldn't hide her smirk at her grandfather's growing frustration.

Libby dealt her last card. "You just got euchred!"

Sam cursed as Libby and Jim eagerly high-fived each other. Nothing was more humbling than getting euchred. He sighed then, his hand outstretched. "Looks like the student has become the master."

Libby shook his hand with a grin.

"I still have no idea how this game works," Ellen admitted.

"Play it enough times, and it'll come to you," Dorothea replied, looking up from her knitting needles. Her blue eyes twinkled with mischief; it was always there, it seemed. "Just maybe don't play with those two."

Sam and Libby's heads whipped around to stare at Dorothea with disbelieving offense marring their faces. They'd never looked more related than they did at that moment, expressions and mannerisms identical.

"Did she win?" Jack skated toward the curb.

"Hell yeah, I did!" Libby cheered.

"Great, now join us."

Libby glanced at the adults occupying the front porch. It was tempting to put on some skates and join the boys on the street, but she didn't want to leave them alone either. She enjoyed playing cards with them, even if they got too competitive—something they should've expected, considering the number of former athletes seated around the wooden table.

"Go ahead," Ellen encouraged. "How else are you gonna break those skates in?"

A grin danced across Libby's face before she went to kiss her grandfather's forehead. She hurried into the garage in search of the rollerblades Jim and Ellen had gifted her for her birthday. She didn't bother changing into them yet, knowing her skating skills were still subpar at best compared to the boys, and she would rather minimize any chances of injuring herself without the help of others beside her.

Instead, she lugged them over her shoulder and brought herself to the curb. She'd barely slipped her feet into the skates when a shadow cloaked her figure.

Libby tilted her chin up, meeting the greens of Quinn's eyes.

He didn't say anything as he knelt in front of her, setting his hockey stick and gloves aside. He gently tugged one of her legs toward him by her calf, and Libby gulped at the searing feeling it left when his hand moved down to her skates. His nimble fingers worked deftly to tie the laces together.

"Is that okay?" Quinn asked quietly after looping the ends into a bow.

Libby nodded, and he went to tie the other skate. He was all too aware of the eyes watching them, but he was even more conscious of the pair of blue ones in front of him, how they left his heart thrashing against his ribs, how they made it that much harder to breathe.

"I can feel you staring," he said, lifting his gaze.

"Would you rather I didn't?" she asked, arching an eyebrow.

Quinn didn't say anything for a moment before quietly admitting, "No."

Libby smirked before extending her hands out. "Help me up?"

He wasted no time helping her to her feet while collecting his stick and gloves. Quinn watched her skate toward his brothers without much trouble, and that was enough to tell him she had been practicing over the years if that time he saw her first skating was anything to go by. He supposed living in Michigan made it that much easier for Jack, Luke, and Alex to pester her into joining them so they would have even numbers.

They would never know about the skates hanging in her closet in Mississippi, though.

Luke handed Libby a spare hockey stick and a set of gloves, and she grabbed them. Already, without anything being said, they knew they would team up. It wasn't a game of hockey if Libby and Luke weren't paired up together.

The moment the puck dropped, it was as though all caution was thrown to the wind. Jack had pulled Libby back by her shirt to keep her from reaching the puck; she retaliated by giving a gentle tap to where the sun didn't shine with the knob of her stick. Luke had checked Quinn, allowing Libby to score. And at some point, Libby started chirping at Quinn and Jack.

"Yeah, and y'all are supposed to be good?" when she scored, sticking her tongue out.

"That's fuckin' sexist!" when Jack scored.

"Coward!" when Quinn avoided bumping into her.

"Shut the fuck up, I'm older!" when either Jack or Quinn would chirp back.

"Oh, do better," when their shot was blocked by Luke.

"Couldn't get your one brain cell to work?" when Jack tripped over himself, despite tripping over herself on numerous occasions.

"Oh, bet you wish I still had my braces, don't you?" when she dangled Quinn.

There was only so much backtalk either Jack or Quinn could take before they dropped their gloves and sticks to tackle Libby to the ground (though they were still careful enough to make sure she didn't hit her head on the way down).

"Oh, my God!" Jim shot out of his seat, and Sam's guffaws ripped through the air.

"Keep the injuries to a minimum," Dorothea said, scanning the cards in her hand. "We've got enough medical bills to pay."

Libby pretended like the comment didn't have her shoulders stiffening as she slithered her hand out from under the pile of boys to give her grandmother a thumbs up.

"LiLi pile!" Luke flopped on top of his brothers, and Libby groaned at the added weight.

"Cat got your tongue now, Sissy?"

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unwillingpuckbunny · 2 years ago

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what is it with generational talent's being so awkward - like is it a requirement?

maybe they're all robots who were never programmed for human interaction and were only meant to be seen on the ice

they made him look like an ai to reflect his robotic nature irl

being real tho being so young and thrust so suddenly in the spotlight would make anyone uncomfortable and i understand that they want some privacy so don't like talking to the media 24/7 about anything and everything

IM WHEEZING AT THIS

“This mf gonna have the bbl jacket on when he gets drafted”

I CANT BREATHE

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unwillingpuckbunny · 2 years ago

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i saw the reveal video on tiktok and straight up laughed for 5 minutes straight

like why does this random hockey player have a lululemon partnership - when will he actually wear any of their stuff apart from during brand deals

but the video was so awkward as well - he just scored a 5 hole and was like well guess i'm the new lululemon partner now

IM WHEEZING AT THIS

“This mf gonna have the bbl jacket on when he gets drafted”

I CANT BREATHE

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unwillingpuckbunny · 2 years ago

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it's both amusing and terrifying at the same time but sums up sibling dynamics perfectly - who else would rip your braces off coz you annoyed them but your sibling

a taste of the past | these michigan summers

series masterlist

a/n: euchre still stumps me, hence why i've elected to not go into detail about the game.

SUMMER '18

Euchre was, as Libby knew it, a way of bringing out the worst of people.

"Go alone," Libby said, staring at her deck of cards. Jim set his hand down.

The round went on, and Libby couldn't hide her smirk at her grandfather's growing frustration.

Libby dealt her last card. "You just got euchred!"

Sam cursed as Libby and Jim eagerly high-fived each other. Nothing was more humbling than getting euchred. He sighed then, his hand outstretched. "Looks like the student has become the master."

Libby shook his hand with a grin.

"I still have no idea how this game works," Ellen admitted.

"Did she win?" Jack skated toward the curb.

"Hell yeah, I did!" Libby cheered.

"Great, now join us."

"Go ahead," Ellen encouraged. "How else are you gonna break those skates in?"

Instead, she lugged them over her shoulder and brought herself to the curb. She'd barely slipped her feet into the skates when a shadow cloaked her figure.

Libby tilted her chin up, meeting the greens of Quinn's eyes.

"Is that okay?" Quinn asked quietly after looping the ends into a bow.

"I can feel you staring," he said, lifting his gaze.

"Would you rather I didn't?" she asked, arching an eyebrow.

Quinn didn't say anything for a moment before quietly admitting, "No."

Libby smirked before extending her hands out. "Help me up?"

They would never know about the skates hanging in her closet in Mississippi, though.

"Yeah, and y'all are supposed to be good?" when she scored, sticking her tongue out.

"That's fuckin' sexist!" when Jack scored.

"Coward!" when Quinn avoided bumping into her.

"Shut the fuck up, I'm older!" when either Jack or Quinn would chirp back.

"Oh, do better," when their shot was blocked by Luke.

"Couldn't get your one brain cell to work?" when Jack tripped over himself, despite tripping over herself on numerous occasions.

"Oh, bet you wish I still had my braces, don't you?" when she dangled Quinn.

"Oh, my God!" Jim shot out of his seat, and Sam's guffaws ripped through the air.

"Keep the injuries to a minimum," Dorothea said, scanning the cards in her hand. "We've got enough medical bills to pay."

Libby pretended like the comment didn't have her shoulders stiffening as she slithered her hand out from under the pile of boys to give her grandmother a thumbs up.

"LiLi pile!" Luke flopped on top of his brothers, and Libby groaned at the added weight.

"Cat got your tongue now, Sissy?"

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unwillingpuckbunny · 2 years ago

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the smile on my face throughout this - i was cheesing

libby's CHIRPS omg - crying

a taste of the past | these michigan summers

series masterlist

a/n: euchre still stumps me, hence why i've elected to not go into detail about the game.

SUMMER '18

Euchre was, as Libby knew it, a way of bringing out the worst of people.

"Go alone," Libby said, staring at her deck of cards. Jim set his hand down.

The round went on, and Libby couldn't hide her smirk at her grandfather's growing frustration.

Libby dealt her last card. "You just got euchred!"

Sam cursed as Libby and Jim eagerly high-fived each other. Nothing was more humbling than getting euchred. He sighed then, his hand outstretched. "Looks like the student has become the master."

Libby shook his hand with a grin.

"I still have no idea how this game works," Ellen admitted.

"Did she win?" Jack skated toward the curb.

"Hell yeah, I did!" Libby cheered.

"Great, now join us."

"Go ahead," Ellen encouraged. "How else are you gonna break those skates in?"

Instead, she lugged them over her shoulder and brought herself to the curb. She'd barely slipped her feet into the skates when a shadow cloaked her figure.

Libby tilted her chin up, meeting the greens of Quinn's eyes.

"Is that okay?" Quinn asked quietly after looping the ends into a bow.

"I can feel you staring," he said, lifting his gaze.

"Would you rather I didn't?" she asked, arching an eyebrow.

Quinn didn't say anything for a moment before quietly admitting, "No."

Libby smirked before extending her hands out. "Help me up?"

They would never know about the skates hanging in her closet in Mississippi, though.

"Yeah, and y'all are supposed to be good?" when she scored, sticking her tongue out.

"That's fuckin' sexist!" when Jack scored.

"Coward!" when Quinn avoided bumping into her.

"Shut the fuck up, I'm older!" when either Jack or Quinn would chirp back.

"Oh, do better," when their shot was blocked by Luke.

"Couldn't get your one brain cell to work?" when Jack tripped over himself, despite tripping over herself on numerous occasions.

"Oh, bet you wish I still had my braces, don't you?" when she dangled Quinn.

"Oh, my God!" Jim shot out of his seat, and Sam's guffaws ripped through the air.

"Keep the injuries to a minimum," Dorothea said, scanning the cards in her hand. "We've got enough medical bills to pay."

Libby pretended like the comment didn't have her shoulders stiffening as she slithered her hand out from under the pile of boys to give her grandmother a thumbs up.

"LiLi pile!" Luke flopped on top of his brothers, and Libby groaned at the added weight.

"Cat got your tongue now, Sissy?"

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unwillingpuckbunny · 2 years ago

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ahhhh blair i love it <3

lana and trevor is just mwah chef's kiss

say yes to heaven (track one) | tz11 x reader

cruel world [masterlist]🕊

word count: 2.1k

Rolling Stone

Date: June 28th, 2023

Growing up, Yn Ln always dreamt that she would become a singer. Her inspirations were figures well beyond her years, taking inspiration from the likes of great artists from decades past. Her melancholic style became instantly notable when she first hit the scene a few short weeks ago with her debut single, video games. Of course, none of her earlier works can be found on streaming services anymore, but her style has remained consistent over the years as she now releases her debut album in 2023.

interviewer: Yn, your album “Cruel World” has become an instant cult classic for music reviewers and fans alike. But what everyone really wants to know is what, and who, inspired you?

Yn laughs lightly, rubbing her palms on her jeans before she starts talking.

Yn Ln: It was [pause].. it was a long process. I was inspired by my real life [another pause] and my friends' lives. A lot of things went into creating the album. I’ve spent years working on it.

interviewer: Are you aware of the rumours surrounding the album? That every song is about an ex of yours? Trevor I think his name is?

Yn tenses briefly at the mention of her ex and swipes her palms against her jeans once more.

Yn Ln: Like I said, the album was inspired by things I've gone through. I don’t feel the need to put names to songs.

She laughs lightly trying to ease the tension of the room.

Interviewer: Well, regardless, Cruel World is an amazing album.

Yn smiled politely, taking a sip of her coffee.

when yn hughes first laid her eyes on trevor zegras, she felt a spark. when she went to bed that night she didn’t dream about her favourite characters, or books, she didn’t even create perfect little scenarios. no, she fell asleep to thoughts of her brothers best friend. his soft hair, the way he glided the puck across the ice, his smile and enthusiasm when his team did well… yn hughes was doomed from the start.

‘cause ive got my mind on you

i’ve got my mind on you

you didn't actually meet trevor face to face till a week after first seeing him. your twin, Jack, had invited him and a few other friends over to the house for the day. you laid in bed, eyes closed listening to all the commotion below before you decided to go downstairs and greet everyone.

when you finally made your way to the group, you stood awkwardly at the bottom of the stairs. the wood chilly as you watched your brother and his friends play fight.

“I’m trevor!” one of the boys beamed as he stepped away from the group of rowdy boys.

you smiled softly in response as trevor ruffled his hair. “i’m yn-”

“jacks twin! right, i've heard so much about you! you know, i always wondered if it was true that twins had like, intuition? Is that a thing?” trevor rambled, his words fast and inquisitive, a habit which presented itself quite frequently.

you laughed, nodding in the small breaks of trevors words as he kept talking about twins and their behaviours he had apparently heard about.

when he finally stopped his speech, yn answered his first of many questions. “i mean i dont know about intuition but…”

“trev!” jack called, “get over here, stop talking to yn!”. he was shaking an xbox controller, gesturing for trevor to come join their group of friends who were lounging on the sofa ready to play.

“but he always seems to pick up on when i'm having a good time” you smiled cheekily.

trevors face burned red and he rubbed at his neck absentmindedly as he looked you up and down. you watched his eyes trail, and you had never felt so giddy in all of your life. butterflies fluttered in your stomach until trevor broke away from you.

“Ill uh- ill.. i’ll see you around,” trevor finished lamely, clearly feeling the same giddiness you felt as he sharply turned away from you and sat next to your brother. you stood in your spot for another second, watching as trevor tried to hide his smile from your brother.

the house was quiet as you made your way into your kitchen for a glass of water. you had fallen after working on some music and you woke up dazed and a little confused.

you open the fridge, the little light partially illuminating the kitchen. a figure moves out of the darkness causing you to jump and let out a little shriek.

your breathing speeds up, one of your hand coming to rest over your mouth as trevor steps into the light of the fridge.

“Its just me!” trevor says, voice hoarse with sleep. he lays a had on your shoulder, watching you with wide eyes as you try to calm yourself down.

“what are you doing here?” you asked breathlessly as your breathing started to slow. “uh your parents let me and a few other guys stay over tonight” trevor explained, hand still resting on your shoulder.

“what? when?” trevors hand falls from your shoulders and moves to brush through his hair.

“after dinner. you were up in your room playing… the guitar was it? It sounded really nice”

“thanks…” your face heated and you were so glad that you hadn't decided to turn the kitchen light on.

“what were you working on anyway?” trevor changed the subject as he opened the fridge and pulled out a jug of milk.

your nose crinkled as he grabbed his discarded cup and poured himself a glass. “oh you know,” you shrugged your shoulders. you didn’t know why you did it but you never wanted to talk about your music. with all your brother's talents and successes, you felt that you choosing music was an embarrassment to your family even though you knew at heart that it wasn’t true.

trevor must have picked up on your hesitancy so he shrugged, bringing his glass of milk to his lips as he took another swig.

“milk?” you questioned, and trevor held the glass out for you to take.

“want some?” he asked, tilting the glass towards you.

“definitely not”

“it makes your bones strong and stuff, you should try it”

“Trevor i've drank milk before,” you say sarcastically.

“well yeah but like, you know what i mean”

you rolled your eyes playfully, “okay fine give me the glass,” you reached your hand out and trevor passed his cup to you. you peered into the cup.

“its just milk it's not gonna hurt you” trevor laughed as he leaned back against the kitchen counter.

you tentatively took a sip and when you finished you passed the glass back to trevor.

“how was it?” “gross”

“yeah okay,” trevor rolled his eyes, leaning his head back as he finished the rest of the glass.

you reached past trevors shoulder, grabbing a glass to fill with water.

“well, im going to go to bed,” trevor nods to you as he sets his now empty glass in the sink.

“goodnight,” you respond as you fill your glass.

“yah night,” trevor walks out of the kitchen and you watch him leave.

what the hell was that? you whisper to yourself, downing the rest of your water before heading to bed yourself.

the next few weeks followed similarly. you and trevor would have these weird random moments, and you would both awkwardly smile at each other and move on with your days. that was until the boys decided to have a bonfire now that your parents were out of town to celebrate the start of the summer.

you felt the warm heat of the fire on your legs as you sat near the pit with your friend. you watched absentmindedly as trevor talked to his friends before you felt the weight of your friend's hand on your shoulder.

“you know yn, if you want him that badly then…” you whipped your head around at your friends words.

“what?” your eyes were wide in shock. you hadn’t told anybody about your growing feelings for trevor.

“I’m just saying you’re not being really secretive…”

“he's my brother's best friend” you shrugged, your eyes drifting from your friend and back to the boy in question. He was nursing a beer he had somehow managed to sneak past his own parents.

“okay… what does that have to do with anything? hes hot” your friend shrugs.

“hes also jacks teammate it just, it wouldn't work out the way i’d want it to” you expressed your reasons on why you couldn't date trevor and it sounded more ridiculous each time. you knew you wanted to be with him, and honestly, jack wasn't what you were worried about. you were more worried of the possible rejection. sure you and trevor had spent time together and talked. but majority of that time was when the two of you were alone. what if trevor doesn't want anything more than the private meetups?

“how do you want it to work out?”

you fiddled with your hands, ignoring your friends question.

“he clearly likes you though, if that's what you're worried about” you hummed in response, lazily turning your head to look at trevor again. He smiled at you when he caught you looking. you didn't have the energy to look away. you knew then that you'd rather be rejected then not with him at all.

let the fear you have fall way

i’ve got my eye on you

say yes to heaven

say yes to me

“trev!” you hear jack call from across the fire pit, “can you go get us more marshmallows?” the boy easily agrees as he stands up from his lawn chair and begins to make his way inside.

“Yn im thirsty!” your friend quickly says, pushing you up and off your seat. “can you get me a root beer?” she pleads, causing your brothers and his friends to shift their attention to the two of you. you quickly catch on to what she's doing, and you nod with enthusiasm.

“does anyone else want something?” you ask the group as you slowly back away. Jack asks for water, and you nod before following Trevor into your house.

the house was silent as the two of you worked your way around the kitchen. just as trevor was about to make his way back outside again, you stopped him. your hand tugged on his wrist and he was turning back to face you.

“trevor,” you breathed out, a little shocked at your sudden courage.

“yn,” he whispered back. you could hear the faint sound of the fire crackling and everyone's laughter out in the backyard.

it felt magnetic, the pull that brought your lips up to meet his. the kiss was soft and innocent. something that could easily be explained away as a spur of the moment thing. you refused to let it.

“yn,” trevor whispered again, this time painfully.

“trevor,” you were hopeful.

he kissed you again, one of his hands coming down to settle on your waist as your arm wrapped itself around his neck.

when you both pulled apart, trevor rested his forehead against yours, his breath slowing down as you both relaxed.

“we cant do this,” trevor said almost regretfully as his head turned at the sound of your brothers loud voice teasing cole.

“we can do whatever we want” you replied, ignoring all the background noise.

“jacks your twin. he's my teammate. my best friend. i can't just-”

“say yes to me” you blurted and your face heated up instantly.

“It's not that easy-”

“yes it is. trevor just say yes to me and we can figure out what to do with jack later,”

trevor seemed unsure of what to say for the first time.

“What's taking you so long! damn!” jacks voice pops the bubble you and trevor had built not even a minute earlier.

“sorry i couldn't find the marshmallows,” trevor mumbles, stepping away from you and towards your brother.

“why didn’t you help hin y/n? don't be rude” your brothers voice seemed to pierce the quiet of the kitchen.

“he didn’t want me to help,” you replied quietly, reaching behind you for the water bottle jack had asked for earlier.

“well that was stupid. she literally lives here z she knows where everything is,” jack responded cluelessly.

“Yeah, right, my bad” trevor nodded along with his words as he watched jack reach into a corner cabinet to retrieve a bag of marshmallows.

I’ll put my red dress on, get it on

and if you fight, i’ll fight

it doesn’t matter, now its all gone

i got my mind on you

ynhughes

liked by jackhughes, trevorzegras, yourbff, and others

ynhughes ❤️

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yourbff hottest bff ever🤤

ynhughes love u

jackhughes “❤️”

ynhughes if u dont leave me alone…

[insta dms]

trevorzegras: I’m sorry about that night

trevorzegras: I just don't want jack mad at me yk? I do really like you and I shouldn't have just left things like that

ynhughes: what are you trying to say?

trevorzegras: That i'm saying yes to you

trevorzegras: and that i’m sorry

present day

ynhughes

liked by lhughes_06, colecaufield, yourbff, and others

ynhughes say yes to heaven, mv out now❤️ i love u all so much

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yourbff im crying real tears i love you so so much

ynhughes i love u more forever

fan01 just listened to say yes to heaven for the first time and it's soo beautiful

fan02 love you so much yn

liked by ynhughes

lhughes_06 very cool

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unwillingpuckbunny · 2 years ago

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the ENDING omg - so funny

laney you did it again - i loved it <3

little tour guide | a series of unfortunate events

series masterlist

a/n: do you know how strange it is to call scotiabank arena its old name? anyway this is for the mitch crowd that i’ve been neglecting even tho he still doesn’t make an appearance in this part 💀

"When you said you wanted to hang out, I didn't think you meant moving a million boxes around," Katya grunted as she slid a box across the living room, sweat clinging to her skin and clothes from the past few hours of labor.

Auston hauled in another box through the front door. "You're not even doing most of the work."

"Well, unlike yours, my career doesn't revolve around my fitness."

"It did a couple of years ago." He shot Katya an apologetic look when she narrowed her eyes at him. "How did you and Dima finish moving in so quickly?"

Katya shrugged, brushing away frizzy strands of hair from her face. She stood with her hands on her hips while trying to regain her breath. She didn't think she was that out of shape, considering she still went to the gym regularly, but the way her chest was heaving had her second-guessing herself.

Auston's stomach grumbled.

"I'm not even gonna ask if you have any food in the fridge," Katya mumbled.

"I don't think we even have pans."

"Wouldn't surprise me at all," she sighed. "Should we get some food?"

Auston nodded. "Yeah. Can you help me move the boxes into my room, though? I don't want the living room to be a mess in case Mitch gets back from his parents' early."

Katya inhaled deeply before agreeing.

She had yet to meet Mitch. From what she could recall, he was one of the top five picks from the previous year's draft. Hometown boy. Competed at the World Junior Championships. That, along with what Auston had told her about him being a funny guy who was constantly bouncing off the walls with energy, seemed to be the extent of her knowledge.

"Why couldn't you get your family to help you with this?" Katya asked after shoving the final box in. "They're in town, and you're a family of five—you'd get more work done."

"You're family too, Kat."

"You know I hate that name."

"I know." He smirked. "That's why I use it."

Katya sulked. "Besides, you know what I mean."

"Yeah." Auston sighed, closing his bedroom door behind him. "Alex texted me that they just woke up, and because, unlike them, you won't yell at me for every little thing."

"You tempt me."

Auston mocked her as he grabbed his keys, cocking his head toward the front door. Katya merely rolled her eyes as she followed him out of the apartment and headed to her car.

"Are all of your friends short?" he complained, moving the passenger seat back.

Katya started the engine. "Not everyone can be over six feet tall, Papi."

"Six-three."

"Oh, boy. Three inches," she scoffed, backing out of the parking space. Only once they were on the main roads did she ask what Auston was in the mood for. Auston pondered a moment too long before Katya mumbled a curse, deciding for him: "We're going to Tims."

"Why?"

"Because we're in goddamn Canada, that's why."

Auston shrugged, accepting her answer, then leaned into his seat. He turned up the radio, letting the melodies fill the silence between them.

The Harbourfront slowly came to view, and from the corner of her eye, Katya could see Auston's face morphing with awe. When they were younger, they had spent a few summers by whatever lakes were near Scottsdale, but there was something different about the way Lake Ontario's water met the sunlight with such grace that day.

"The view never gets old," Katya piped up. "Been here for a year, but it's still as captivating as it was the first time I saw it."

Auston turned to her. "You never told me why you chose Toronto."

"It's a nice city. In hindsight, maybe Vancouver would've been nicer, but I like it here." A beat of silence forced Katya to tear her attention from the road for a moment. Auston had been staring at her like he didn't believe a single word she was saying. Katya sighed, fingers tightening around the steering wheel. "I didn't like being in Montréal. I just needed to get out, and when I was accepted at a university here, that was my chance."

"Why didn't you come home?" he asked, leaning against the center console. "Could've gone to ASU."

"Are you saying you don't want me here?"

"Kat."

She rolled her eyes. "You're awfully pushy."

"Just answer the question."

"I didn't want to be too far from my dad, okay? And even after I retired, there was still some hope that I'd be able to bounce back to some extent and train at the TCSCC. Clearly, two years later, that hasn't been the case."

"Haven't been on the ice since?" Auston raised his eyebrows.

Katya shook her head as she steered the car into the parking lot.

The downfall of Katya Morozova in the figure skating world had been talked about by many, yet despite that, she had stayed relatively quiet on the subject. She didn't need a constant reminder of how her failures had led to her early retirement, not when her mind did it for her already.

They exited the parking lot and were met by the bustling streets of Downtown Toronto. Katya had purposefully chosen to go to a Tim Horton's in that area because there were a plethora of things to do with Auston while giving themselves a little break.

After they got some food, they roamed the area. Katya pointed out different landmarks, from the CN tower to his eventual workplace, the Air Canada Centre.

The building seemed gargantuan as they stared up at it with their necks craned.

Katya gave Auston a sidelong glance as he smiled at the arena. Her body was filled with an immeasurable amount of pride, her heart bubbling over with nothing but delight and admiration. They had talked about it as kids, Dmitri had called it, their friends had called it; even Katya's mother believed in him.

"I'll see you around more, right?" Auston asked, averting his attention from the building. "Now that I'm here and your dad's coaching the team?"

A pang of guilt hit Katya as her lips curved softly. "You know I wouldn't miss the chance to see you. I also work for the Leafs, so..."

Auston's eyebrows twitched like they weren't sure whether to shoot up in surprise or furrow in confusion. "You work for the Leafs?"

She nodded, her green eyes crinkled. "Athletic training—kind of. Last season I dealt with the grunt work, but I'm finally getting some hands-on experience with, well, you guys."

"Oh, God." Auston groaned, shoulders deflating. "We may as well be out for the rest of the season before it's even started."

Katya's jaw dropped before she shoved him. Auston's laughs filled the space between them, and he draped his arm around her shoulders, ruffling her dark hair.

They wandered away from the arena, and after a few minutes of aimless walking, Auston suggested heading back to his apartment to continue unpacking his things.

"Is Mitch gonna be back?" Katya asked when they were back in her car, squirming in her seat to get comfortable against the warm leather.

Auston shook his head, lowering his phone. "No, he just texted me that he's staying with his parents tonight. I'm surprised, honestly."

"Why?"

"He's a huge fan of yours," he laughed. "Thought he would've jumped at the chance to meet you."

Katya couldn't help but frown. She didn't have any fans. Fans were for singers, actors, artists, sports teams. Superstars. Athletes in their prime. Katya Morozova wasn't any of those.

"It's a shame he's not here," she continued like normal. "I was gonna extend an invite to dinner tonight."

"Bunch of chances for that in the future."

Suddenly, a loud honk ripped through their eardrums, and a car sped past them. The driver flashed his middle finger at Katya before cutting in front of her car. Her heart rate spiked as her foot slammed against the brakes.

"Who the fuck gave you your license? Helen fucking Keller?" she yelled, not caring if the driver could hear her or not; if anything, she hoped he could. Her eyes landed on the Québec license plate, and she scoffed, lifting her foot from the brakes. "No fucking wonder."

"I didn't think you were the kind to get road rage," Auston said.

Katya glanced over to see his wide eyes and body pressed flat against the seat while he clung to the handhold above the window. "Oh, calm down," she said gruffly. "I've had worse encounters."

"Worse encounters?"

"You try driving in Québec!"

Auston stared at her disbelievingly. "It can't be that bad."

"Please," Katya scoffed, "they make drivers back home look like angels."

"I think you're overreacting."

Katya didn't bother responding as they turned onto his street. Even with her attention elsewhere, she could feel how tensely he was sitting. "My God," she swore in Russian. "I told you to relax. You're not dead."

"Yet," he murmured.

"And I'm the one who's overreacting?" Katya pulled into her previous parking space, which had originally been for Auston as part of his rent, but considering he was yet to get a car, he allowed her to claim it for the time being.

Auston mimicked her as she killed the engine. All she could do was glare at him as they made their way back to his apartment.

Entering Auston's room, Katya let her eyes roam the bare walls and floors cluttered with a mass of boxes.

Dejected, Auston said, "This is gonna take a while."

————

It did, in fact, take a while.

They were still unpacking by the time they were supposed to be leaving for dinner. While Auston had done most of the unloading, Katya took it upon herself to make the room feel more like a home than a shoebox.

She felt like she'd done a decent job at it: Frame photos were strewn throughout, and banners hung on the wall. Most of it was the way Auston had it back in Arizona. Even the closet was organized the way his mother, Ema, would do it back home. Katya knew he'd find a way to mess it all up, though. He always did.

"How the hell do you remember what my room was like?" Auston grunted as he stood up, wiping his clammy palms against his shorts.

"You're asking as though I didn't spend most of my time at your house."

With a lopsided smile, he turned to Katya. "Tomorrow?"

"You're lucky I like you," she sighed. "I will be severely disappointed if it's just us again, though."

"Can I drive this time?" Auston asked as they made their way out.

"I'm insulted."

"I would rather not die."

The lakeside breeze wafted past them as they exited the building. "You don't know where the restaurant is, and we're already running late."

"Give me the right directions, and I'll get us there safely."

Katya stared at Auston blankly. A blink. Then two more. "Get in the passenger seat."

He pressed his lips together and nodded. "Yes, ma'am."

The orange-gold glow of the setting sun glared furiously through the windows as Katya drove through the city—a loud contrast to the incoming softness of night that was beginning to creep through the sky. Katya felt like she could spend the rest of her life watching the evershifting sky.

"I wasn't religious before, but I think I might just have to start praying," Auston blurted like it would be the last thing he said, breaking Katya out of her stupor.

"I'm not driving like some NASCAR racer," Katya defended, despite the way she has been zoned out for most of the drive, too familiar with the roads to really care about being alert. "I turn my blinkers on, I don't speed, we haven't been pulled over, and no one's honked at me this time."

"That's the bare minimum."

Katya released a heavy breath. "Be glad we're not on the 401 right now."

They arrived at an upscale restaurant in one piece, to Auston's surprise.

"I'm way too underdressed for this," he said.

Katya glanced at what he was wearing—from his shorts to his t-shirt from his time in Zurich. She waved him off. "Don't worry about it. I'm not in anything fancy either."

The hostess led them to the table where Dmitri and Auston's family were already seated. Dmitri wore a smile that was only ever shown in the presence of comfort, a place where he could let his defenses down for a moment, and it felt like it was the first time Katya had seen it in a long time.

Sometimes Katya wondered if her father had a sixth sense that detected her presence because it felt like he'd lifted his gaze to look directly at her and Auston as soon as they were within a twenty-foot vicinity.

Ema was the first to stand from the table, engulfing Auston in a quick hug—so quick, Katya barely processed that Ema had moved onto her until they were locked in a bone-crushing embrace. Their bodies swayed slightly as Katya melted into Ema's grasp.

"I missed you, Mija."

"Missed you too," Katya mumbled as they pulled away.

"You saw each other not even a month ago," Auston whined. "And why does Katya get more love than me?"

Ema glanced at her son. "Papi, I love you, but she was the easier child to take care of."

Alex, the eldest Matthews child, chuckled. "She's not wrong."

Auston's jaw dropped. "She just tried to kill me with her driving on the way here!"

Katya ignored his jabs and went on to greet the rest of his family. As she settled between Dmitri and Breyana, Auston's dad, Brian, asked how she was. "Good," she replied. "A little worse now that Auston's moved to Toronto, though."

"Oh, please," Auston scoffed. "You and your dad can't seem to get away from me."

"You get selected first overall, and now your ego's through the roof."

"Katyusha, let him gloat for a little bit," Dmitri said slowly, voice still heavily accented despite having lived in the U.S. for most of his life. He crossed his arms over his chest. "It is quite the achievement."

Katya's smile slipped as Auston puffed his chest out in victory.

"He'll humble himself in a few months," Dmitri continued before a dangerous smirk tugged at his lips. "I'll make sure of it."

Auston's expression faltered. "Uh, oh."

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unwillingpuckbunny · 2 years ago

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haha nice (please tell me you understood how that was supposed to be read or i'll literally cry) i have like 4 more seasons till then i'll be fine

what is it with teen shows just never having a clear/proper direction so always have really lackluster or just plain weird endings? like who was there in the writing rooms for these shows and what were they doing

and once again i'm showing i'm crap at proofreading - sorry y'all had to look at that

9 people you'd like to know better

tagged by: @zeegshughes thanks laney!

last song: save your tears - the weeknd ft. ariana grande

currently watching: the vampire diaries (i can't defend this one buttt idc it's atm it's kinda good i'm only on season 2 is it like pll where it gets worse as it goes on) and doctor who (currently on peter capaldi's doctor but david tennent's is my favourite)

currently reading: 2 books! the great godden by meg rosoff (5 stars would recommend this is my second time reading it and the cemetery boys by aiden thomas (another fantasy thing - what can i say i'm predictable)

current obsession: hockey (duh) and getting my pirouettes en pointe consistent (they're being a lil bitch atm)

tagging @luvhughes43 @dinonuggetsthings @dmercer91 @hvghes @jackhues @yuukiyu @rowdyhughesy @letsgetrowdy43 @ghostfacd

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unwillingpuckbunny · 2 years ago

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9 people you'd like to know better

tagged by: @zeegshughes thanks laney!

last song: save your tears - the weeknd ft. ariana grande

current obsession: hockey (duh) and getting my pirouettes en pointe consistent (they're being a lil bitch atm)

tagging @luvhughes43 @dinonuggetsthings @dmercer91 @hvghes @jackhues @yuukiyu @rowdyhughesy @letsgetrowdy43 @ghostfacd

#obviously no pressure to do this

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unwillingpuckbunny · 2 years ago

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there are two types of leagues

italian football federation: bans players from wearing the number 88 to combat anti-semitism

nhl: bans pride jerseys because a bunch of babies can't stand seeing a rainbow for 20 minutes

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unwillingpuckbunny · 2 years ago

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laney i love this!!! i had the biggest grin through most of this (you still had to sneak some angst in there didn't you) <3

the betting pool is genius (i'm betting (ha) there's a fair amount of money in it bc there'll be loads in the pool) please tell me josh and the rest of quinn's teammates are in the pool or have one of their own

loneliness is the most consuming disease | these michigan summers

series masterlist

SUMMER '18

"You know, I'm expecting a Canucks jersey sometime soon," Libby said, tugging at the pulley cord to send a glass of sweet tea Quinn's way.

He laughed, grabbing the glass. "Might have to change your definition of soon."

Libby's eyebrows knitted together.

"I'm staying for another year," he said, watching the way realization set in and her lips curved upward. He could feel a smile oncoming, though he took a sip of his drink to shield it. It was almost embarrassing how easily she was able to make him smile.

"You are?" she asked, praying Quinn would brush aside the hopeful vulnerability in her voice—the crack and waver of her timbre. Libby could tell herself that it meant the world to her that he would be living out his dreams, but she didn't want him to go away, didn't want to face the reality that she wouldn't be able to see him every day like she used to.

He nodded as his eyes crinkled from the soft smile he couldn't contain anymore. "Can't leave behind my best girl just yet."

"I think your momma would be happy to hear that," Libby said with a lilt in her voice, like she knew he didn't really mean his mother. Her skin warmed when he rolled his eyes affectionately.

"You know what I mean, Sunshine," said Quinn.

"I do." She couldn't hold his gaze, suddenly bashful to admit that. She let the silence draw out for a moment before willing herself to meet Quinn's inquisitive eyes. She gulped, pulling her knees closer to her chest while clutching her pajama pants tightly in her fists. "Please don't forget about me when you finally go to Vancouver, though."

Something about what she said was like a sledgehammer to Quinn's heart—the desperation and the anxiety that poked its way through the barriers of her mind. How she thought he could forget her, he would never know. She'd infiltrated his mind the first time they met and never left. Her braided hair and braces-lined teeth, her cute southern drawl, her outgoing nature: none of it ever left, even as she sat across from him as a different woman—a grown woman.

He wasn't going to deny that the thought of her waned when he dated Ashley, but even then, when he'd watched her with his brothers and cousins that summer, it cemented her presence in his mind forever, and she didn’t have a damn clue.

"I could never forget about you, Olivia-Reese," he said softly.

"You mean it?" she asked, just as softly.

"Of course, I mean it," Quinn scoffed.

Libby smiled sadly. She had him for another year, another year of going to his games in Yost, another year of driving around Ann Arbor with no destination in mind, another year of hanging around his friends and teammates—Was Josh staying too, or was he leaving for Ottawa?—another year of escaping the world in the safety of his bed.

But after that? He’d be in a different country, on the other side of the continent. And after he left, eventually, so would Jack and Luke.

She'd go from seeing them every day to never knowing when she would see them next.

And for a while, those thoughts were at the back of her mind—a dreaded reality she knew she'd experience eventually—but Quinn's draft only forced her to face it all like a shuddering slap to the face. She didn't know what she was going to do without her boys.

"Hey," Quinn muttered, and Libby lifted her gaze. "Come over?"

She nodded, then closed her window. She quietly made her way through the house and across the lawn, fingers fiddling with the spare key. Her neighbors' house was unnaturally quiet as she walked around with ease until she reached Quinn's room. Libby knocked before slowly turning the doorknob and slipping into his room. She toed her shoes off before flopping onto the empty spot on the right side of his bed.

"Have I ever mentioned how comfy your bed is?" she mumbled into his pillow with a sigh.

Quinn chuckled, glancing down at her from where he was slanted against the headboard. "Only about a million times."

Libby melted into his mattress, the tension in her shoulders fading, and she breathed in the sheets that clouded her senses with him. She turned onto her side, meeting his gaze through her lashes. "Why'd you ask me to come over, Squish?"

He brought his hand to her face and watched as she flinched slightly. The quietest sorry left his lips before his thumb brushed the space between her pinched eyebrows, the skin smoothening under his calloused touch. "You're overthinking. What's wrong?"

She moved his hand away from her face, gaze locked on it as she played with his fingers and traced the lines on his palm. The corner of her plump lips twitched when his hand jerked at the ticklish feeling.

"Stop." Quinn laughed quietly.

Libby smiled at the sound, though just as quickly as it materialized, it was gone. Her voice trembled as she said, "I'm scared, Quinn."

He intertwined their fingers, giving a squeeze that prompted her to continue.

"Grandpa's cancer...the average patient makes it to seventeen months after diagnosis. There's no cure, and I don't want to be the pessimist, but that doesn't sound very good for him. That's practically a death sentence. And my mom's dead, and you'll be leaving for Vancouver, and Jack and Luke are gonna get drafted too, and they'll leave too," Libby practically blurted out in one breath. Her eyes shone with tears as the muscles in her chin wobbled. "I don't wanna be alone, Squish."

Quinn felt his heart break a little at her admission, how small she sounded. It was strange—the metamorphosis: When he first met her, Libby was someone who lit up every room she walked into, and while she still was, she now stepped into the room with overthinking and self-sabotaging tendencies trailing right behind her like trusted companions, unaware that they were ready to snuff out the radiance glowing from her soul.

And although Quinn was glad she found comfort in him to talk about what went on in her mind, he sometimes wished their talks didn't happen as often as they did. He hated seeing her upset, hated seeing her doubt herself, hated seeing her dwell in a piling mountain of anxiety. If he could, he would drain the cavities of his body and fill them with her pain so she would never have to feel it again.

He would suffer so that she wouldn't.

Quinn pulled Libby into his arms. "Hey, we're not going anywhere," he said, feeling her cuddle into his chest, and he couldn't find it in him to care if she heard the sharp spike in his heartbeat. "Okay? We'll all be a phone call away. You can't get rid of us that easily."

Libby sniffled. "Wouldn't want to anyway."

Quinn chuckled, brushing his hand over her hair. "And as for Sammy, we take that one day at a time, okay?"

She nodded, shifting to wipe away her tears. "I just—I don't want to lose him."

"I know.” He sighed before kissing her temple. “I don't either.”

Libby wrapped her arms around his midsection, hands unknowingly slipping under his t-shirt until she felt the warmth radiating from his skin under her palms.

"Your hands are cold," said Quinn, muscles jerking under her touch. She went to move them, apology already at the tip of her tongue, but he shook his head, gently guiding them back to where they were. "It's okay."

Libby hugged him tighter, and their legs tangled together until she couldn't tell where she ended and he started. This was different—different from the other times he comforted her, different from the other times they laid in bed together. Something about this was different, and she couldn't quite figure out why.

But that was something she could scrutinize at another time.

Quinn pressed another kiss to her forehead. "Everything's gonna work out, Sunshine."

Libby breathed in shakily as her eyes mashed shut, blocking out the tears threatening to pour down her face when he rubbed her back. The soothing feeling was enough to lull her to sleep, and Quinn paused when he heard her steady breaths, felt them softly pelting against his shirt. He pulled his head back slightly, and the dried tear stains on her cheeks made him wish he could shield her from any harm coming her way.

He brushed her hair out of her face, letting his eyes roam her face. She had just been crying, admitting her deepest thoughts, and yet she looked so peaceful sleeping in his arms, so angelic that he wondered how she was real.

He caught the subtle twitching of her eyes—not quite at a stage of deep sleep, but enough that she must’ve been dreaming of something. Quinn pondered of what she was dreaming: if she was dreaming a life where her mother was still alive, a life where her grandfather didn't have cancer, a life where, maybe, she hadn't met them, hadn't gotten close to them and was left to wonder what would happen once they left.

Would she have been happier that way?

As though she had sensed his racing mind, Libby snuggled closer to him, and that was enough to wipe away every anxious thought in his head.

Quinn smiled at her before letting himself be taken away into sleep's calling arms.

————

It was midmorning when Quinn’s family questioned where he was. He hadn't come downstairs yet, not even for a glass of water or to hug his mother like he always did.

"Does someone wanna see if he's in his room?" Ellen asked.

Jack shrugged as he stood up; he wouldn't give up a chance to bother his brothers. He climbed up the stairs and turned into the corridor leading to his and Quinn's bedrooms. He'd foregone knocking entirely as he opened the door.

His eyes landed on his brother's bed, the sheets still crumpled and lumped together—a strange occurrence for someone who always woke up early and made his bed. He walked further into the room until he caught sight of Quinn and the sliver of blonde hair beside him.

Jack’s jaw nearly dropped at the thought of his brother sneaking a girl in, as if their parents hadn't been lenient on who came in and out of the house. Then, he finally glimpsed the blonde’s face, and a grin stretched across his face, mischievous and smug.

While he knew it wasn't anything strange for Quinn and Libby to share a bed—he'd heard about her taking naps in his room during the semester and the times she'd stay over after a party—something about seeing it with his very own eyes caught him off guard.

Because although he knew they often slept in the same bed, he didn't think they spooned in their sleep.

An incredulous scoff slipped past his mouth once he saw Quinn’s arm draped around Libby’s midriff, his hand sprawled a little too close to her chest to be friendly, keeping her back flush against his front while his breaths fanned against her hair. Jack almost wanted to wake his brother up and ask if he could breathe or if he was choking on Libby’s hair throughout the night.

In hindsight, maybe Jack shouldn't have been surprised, considering how he treated Libby like his own personal stuffed toy he cuddled with whenever they had one of their sleepovers. But this was different: they'd never spooned.

And this was Libby and Quinn, which automatically made it a big deal.

"Is he there?" Luke asked from the doorway.

Jack waved his brother over, never tearing his eyes from the bed. When Luke was close enough, Jack blindly grabbed his arm and hauled him closer until their bodies collided. "Yeah, and so is she."

Luke snickered. "Is that Lils?"

Jack slid his phone out of his pocket with a mischievous grin, snapping a photo of the pair like he was collecting evidence to use as blackmail. "Who else would it be?"

Libby shifted suddenly, and Jack froze, thinking he was about to be caught red-handed, but a moment later, she sighed and relaxed in Quinn’s hold again. Jack breathed out in relief, though his gaze immediately landed on the way Quinn seemed to tug Libby closer to him if that was possible—like he couldn't bare to have any fraction of distance between them.

"I feel like I'm intruding on a very intimate moment," Jack whispered to Luke.

"Then let's go."

They tiptoed out of their older brother's room, quietly closing the door behind them.

"Well, he's definitely here," Luke said with a cheeky smile when they returned downstairs.

"Did you get a chance to ask Libby how she slept?" Jim asked casually, sipping his coffee.

Everyone whipped their heads to look at him.

"What?" His expression was nothing short of innocent, as though he hadn't been present when his wife suggested doing a manhunt if Quinn hadn't been in his room (because, seriously, how do you lose the world’s biggest mama’s boy?). "The doorbell camera caught her sneaking in last night. She even said hi."

"How did I not see that?" Ellen asked, taking her phone out. Her eyebrows were pulled together as she searched for the footage, but once she did, something sparked in her eyes. She played the video, and Libby's voice whispered through the speakers, uttering a greeting followed by the door opening. "Aw, that's cute."

"So, how much money's in the pool?" said Jack, flopping onto his seat again.

Jim gave his son a sidelong glance. "How do you know about that?"

Jack merely grinned.

"I'm not telling you," Jim asserted.

Ellen shook her head, pointing at her sons with finality. "You're not putting any money into it either. Gambling's bad."

Luke looked at his mother strangely. "You're all gambling on our brother getting his head out of his ass. It's like you don't even know him."

"Correction," Jim inputted, "I need Libby to figure things out."

Jack snorted. "Yeah, good luck with that. We were shopping at the mall the other day; some guy started flirting with her, and she had no idea. She thinks everyone's just being friendly with her."

Jim sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Battle of the Idiots. Great."

Ellen whacked her husband's arm.

Nearly half an hour later, Quinn finally came padding downstairs, rubbing his hand over his tired face. He went straight to his mother at the island counter, hugging her and mumbling a good morning.

"Sleep well?" Ellen asked, exchanging a glance with Jim.

Quinn nodded, grabbing a mug. He thought nothing of the quietness in the house at first. It was strange, but he didn't even know what time it was, so he figured it was still early enough that everyone was barely functioning. But then his eyes landed on the time flashing on the stove, and his eyebrows furrowed. It wasn't until another set of footsteps came softly treading over the hardwood floors did he realize what was in store.

"So, where'd our invite to the sleepover go?" Jack asked smugly from the couch, flipping through the channels.

Libby's face grew ruddy as she greeted everyone. She slid onto the barstool beside Ellen, yawning. "Guess the pigeon got lost."

Quinn placed a mug of warm coffee in front of Libby. Her breath hitched when his lips pressed against the side of her head, but almost as if he'd wanted to tell her the moment was nothing more than friendly, his fingers tousled her already-messy bed hair as she would do to Jack or Luke.

"Hey, Sissy," Jack said. "What's your opinion on gamblin—"

"Jack!" Ellen, Jim, and Luke seemed to chastise.

"What?"

Libby and Quinn glanced at each other before shrugging.

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