#taylor makar imagine

[hockeylvr59]

Here With Me Part 30 || Taylor Makar

Author’s Note: Taylor takes Kelsey to Banff National Park for a hike after which they finally get some much needed alone time, even if it does lead to more embarrassment for Kelsey. FC: Marina Laswick (@marooshk on instagram).

A/N2: Since apparently T isn't allowed to have any goals he can at least get an update.

Warnings: relationship tension, awkwardness, smut, cursing? // Word Count: 7,958

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Twenty Nine

When the alarm Taylor set went off shortly after 6am Kelsey jolted awake with a groan having been restless for most of the night. Rolling out of Taylor’s arms and then bed, she made her way to the bathroom doing everything she needed to there before finally returning to Taylor’s room to throw on one of the outfits she had brought for a day outdoors. Once fully dressed, she pulled her hair into a ponytail and finally made her way downstairs where Taylor must have already wandered as she hadn’t passed him again upstairs. 

She found him in the kitchen getting bottles of water ready and filling a backpack with plenty of water and snacks. 

“How can I help?” She asked softly, yawning as she leaned against the counter. 

“Make yourself coffee for the car.” Taylor insisted, stepping toward her to kiss her softly in a morning greeting. “Everything else is already ready. Water, snacks, sandwiches, sunblock, bug spray. I’m gonna go change and then we can figure out breakfast.” 

Nodding, Kelsey went through making herself a cup of coffee in a travel mug that Taylor had left on the counter for her. She wasn’t particularly hungry but she knew Taylor was going to make her eat something so she looked through the fridge to see what might be light enough for her to force down. 

Spotting some yogurt, Kelsey grabbed it along with some fruit and made herself up a small dish, topping it off with just a little bit of granola. 

Before she could eat there was a knock at the door that made her jump. Who the hell was at the Makar’s door at 6:30 am? When the knock came again, Kelsey raced out of the kitchen and upstairs interrupting Taylor as he was pulling on shorts. 

“Someone is at the door…” Kelsey whispered, panic filling her voice. 

“Probably just Mark.” Taylor replied immediately not at all phased by her distress.

“Why is Mark here at 6:30 in the morning?” Kelsey questioned. 

“If I had to guess I’d say he’s planning on crashing our hike.” Taylor declared, pulling a light colored dry wick shirt on and grabbing a pair of socks from his drawer. 

Shaking her head, Kelsey rubbed at her face. It was way too fucking early for that and she hadn’t had coffee yet. 

“Ugh. I’m too tired to care one way or another but you’re dealing with him.” Kelsey mumbled, retreating downstairs where she’d left her breakfast and the travel mug full of coffee which she clearly already needed some of. 

After a moment, Kelsey heard Taylor on the stairs and then the front door opened. Soon after, Taylor and Mark both entered the kitchen where Kelsey was leaning against the counter munching on her light breakfast. 

“So what hike did you have planned?” Mark inquired of Taylor causing the two of them to chat back and forth while Kelsey glared lightly at how peppy their uninvited guest was this early in the morning. 

After washing out her dish and putting it to dry, Kelsey took another few sips of her coffee before leaving the kitchen needing just a few minutes of quiet. 

She usually wasn’t this cranky in the morning but having not slept well meant that she was more on edge than usual and she was looking forward to having a day alone with Taylor which apparently wasn’t happening. 

Taking some deep breaths, Kelsey tried to calm herself while drinking her coffee to the point where she was going to need to make another mug before they actually left. After a few minutes, Taylor entered the room eyeing her for a moment before approaching. 

“We don’t have to go on a hike if you’re too tired.” He offered. 

“I want to go Taylor.” Kelsey stated, sighing softly. “I’ve been looking forward to this for weeks.” 

“Are you sure you’re good?” Taylor pressed a little bit. 

“Fine.” Kelsey mumbled. Taylor’s gaze didn’t let up and Kelsey let out another long sigh. “I slept like shit okay. And I thought today was going to be the one day I’d get you completely to myself. But it’s fine. I’m fine. Let’s just go.” 

“Kels…” Taylor started. “I can send Mark away and we can go just the two of us.” 

“Let’s just go Taylor.” Kelsey said. “I’m not gonna be that bitch okay.” 

“Hey…come here.” Taylor murmured squatting down in front of her and rubbing his thumb over her hand. “No one would think you’re a bitch okay.” 

Kelsey looked at him signaling that she didn’t believe him but that she wasn’t about to fight him over it. 

“Please let’s just go.” She whispered, body deflated. 

“Alright.” Taylor agreed. “I’ll go make you some more coffee and load the car.” 

As he stood, he kissed her forehead and then retreated back to the kitchen shaking his head softly at Mark as he sent Taylor a questioning look. 

“She wants to just go.” Taylor shrugged. Given that it seemed like there wasn’t any option to make her completely happy at this point, Taylor was just going to respect her wishes, she wanted to go so they would go. 

Making her another mug of coffee the way she liked it, Taylor put shoes on and took the bag out to the car, letting Mark also throw his in the back as well. 

By the time he was walking through the front door again, Kelsey was sitting on the bottom step, putting her own shoes on. 

“Ready?” He asked after moving to grab her coffee. 

“Yeah.” Kelsey agreed, taking the mug from him with the slightest smile. “Thanks Tay.” 

With Taylor locking up, they headed out to the car and Kelsey slid into the passenger seat as Taylor climbed behind the wheel with his cousin already situated in the backseat. 

As Taylor backed out of the driveway and headed toward the highway, no one said anything. Taylor sipped at his smoothie while Kelsey drank her second cup of coffee and Mark alternated between scrolling through his phone and unsuccessfully attempting to sleep. 

Eventually, Taylor put his country playlist on quietly in the background as he drove down the highway toward Banff needing something other than silence during the just shy of two hours drive. 

After about 40 minutes, Kelsey twisted slightly in her seat and tipped her head toward Taylor. 

“Hey Tay…can you see if you can find somewhere to stop. I need the bathroom.” 

“Yeah, I’ll find somewhere in Canmore, we could use gas anyway.” Taylor agreed. Kelsey had no idea how far Canmore was, she hadn’t really been paying attention to signs, but she assumed it was close if Taylor mentioned it specifically. 

It was less than ten minutes before Taylor was taking an exit and pulling into a gas station to fill up. 

“Be right back.” Kelsey murmured, hopping out to head inside and use the gas station’s bathroom. 

By the time she exited, the car was no longer at a pump but parked outside the building with Mark standing beside it. Clearly Taylor had also decided to use the bathroom while they were here though she hadn’t passed him on her way out. 

“Hey Kelsey.” Mark started. “I’m sorry if me tagging along upset you. Just wanted to get to know the girl T loves better.” 

“Guess I’m learning everything with T is a family event…” Kelsey joked lightly. 

“What can I say…once you’re in…you’re in.” Mark shrugged, smiling. 

“Maybe just send a warning text next time…” Kelsey suggested. “And not just to T because he’s not always great at telling me shit.” 

Laughing, Mark nodded and pulled her into a hug which Kelsey returned. 

Before either could say anything else, Taylor appeared from inside and unlocked the car doors. Breaking the hug, Kelsey climbed back into the passenger seat and looked toward Taylor who had a small convenience store bag he was looking through. After a moment he pulled a small candy bar out of the bottom of the bag and handed it to her. Taking it, Kelsey looked at the package. Aero Bar. It was not a candy that was available in the States that’s for sure but she definitely remembered Taylor mentioning that it was his favorite. 

“This is your favorite…why are you handing it to me?” Kelsey questioned curiously. 

After setting the bag with the rest of its contents at her feet, Taylor rested a hand on her thigh. 

“Try it.” He murmured, backing out of the parking spot so that they could get back on the road toward Banff and the hike. 

Opening the wrapper, Kelsey broke a small piece off before popping it into her mouth. It was basically just chocolate. Aerated chocolate. It was good, but it was also still not even 8am so there was no way she was finishing the whole bar. And if they left it during the hike it was absolutely going to melt. So Kelsey took a few pieces and then offered the rest to Taylor who declined before passing it back to Mark to finish. 

“It was a little chilly out there.” Kelsey murmured. 

“Not supposed to get any warmer really either.” Mark reported. Yesterday had been in the 80s but looking at her phone, apparently it was only hovering around 50 now. And Kelsey had only worn a t-shirt so hopefully she didn’t get too chilled during the hike. 

“It was 80 yesterday.” Kelsey stated, shaking her head at the big temperature swing. 

“You and your American temperatures.” Mark teased. 

“Hey now. I will concede that some American measurement systems suck. Temperature however is not one of them.” Kelsey defended. “Especially for practical use. Fahrenheit is more precise and reduces the need for decimals. And humans can tell the difference between a single degree Fahrenheit when it comes to comfort.” 

“Alright no need to get heated.” Mark joked. 

“Haha. So funny.” Kelsey deadpanned before turning to Taylor. “Are we there yet?” 

“What are you? Five?” Mark chirped. 

“Like another half hour, Kels.” Taylor responded, chuckling as Kelsey exaggerated a pout. “If you pout you’ll miss the views.” 

It was definitely a pretty drive and looking out the windows Kelsey’s anticipation grew at how good the views could possibly be once they were actually hiking. When Taylor finally pulled into a parking lot it took him about three trips around before he found someone who was actually leaving and whose spot he could take. 

Climbing out of the car, Kelsey stretched her legs from the drive and then moved around to the driver’s side where Taylor was climbing out. Knowing that she hadn’t been easy to deal with this morning, Kelsey wrapped her arms around him for a moment while pressing up on her toes to kiss him softly trying to show him she appreciates his patience and grace as the up and down anxiety of the trip got the better of her. 

After a moment, she pulled back and Taylor rested a palm on her lower back to guide her toward the trunk where Mark was waiting to grab their packs. Grabbing theirs, Taylor also grabbed a hoodie, packing it into the top of the bag. 

“Since you’re always cold…and didn’t pack any of your own.” He mumbled, referring to their conversation the night before when he had started packing a few things for the cabin and Kelsey had commented on him adding a sweatshirt she could steal since they didn't fit in her bag. 

“I love you Tay.” Kelsey replied in acknowledgement. 

Before they left the lot, Taylor paid for parking and made sure the sticker was in the window. Then they made their way toward the washrooms for Kelsey to attempt to empty her bladder once more before they were out in nature and she’d have to relieve herself in the way she hated most. Then they applied a quick coat of sunscreen to protect themselves because even if it wasn’t hot out, there was still a good chance they would burn.

Finally, they set off onto the trails and Kelsey was a bit surprised by just how crowded it was. The congestion had her primarily focused on making sure that she didn’t get separated from Taylor so she didn’t have any idea that they were approaching Lake Louise until Taylor stopped after weaving through some people and gently pulled her in front of him, his hands resting on her hips. 

Suddenly turquoise blue water surrounded all around by mountains filled her vision and Kelsey audibly gasped. 

“You’re joking…” She mumbled. “Oh my god Tay.” 

“This is only the beginning, Kels.” Taylor replied, giving her a moment to take it all in. “Our hike will have even better views, promise.” 

Eventually it became impossible to block out the crowds and so Kelsey nodded for them to continue on, a look of awe still present on her face. With Taylor checking to make sure Mark was still with them, they headed along the lakeshore trail for a short stretch as they passed a large hotel. Reaching the first trail divide, Taylor guided them right and they started uphill along a trail that also ran alongside the lake. It was relatively easy terrain, the perfect way to warm up and Kelsey couldn’t help but smile every time she got a glimpse of the lake below them. 

After what felt like a little over a mile to Kelsey they reached a small lake that Taylor identified as Mirror Lake and she smiled as he pointed out the Beehive Mountain which rose above it. With no real reason to linger on besides pausing to hydrate a little and for the boys to grab a snack, they continued and diverged right onto a trail marked as the Little Beehive Trail. Following that slightly rougher trail they again turned right to continue to Little Beehive. As they climbed Mark chatted about whatever random thing came to mind and though Kelsey chatted back a bit she was mainly focused on just taking the beautiful day in even if it was definitely chilly and she might have to have T pull the sweater out at some point. 

Reaching the sign for Mt. St. Piran, it became apparent that this was definitely a path less taken because while they’d previously been on well carved out paths, this one seemed a bit more overgrown. Still, Kelsey trusted Taylor and continued down the path as it led through some thicker woods before opening up a bit once they rose above the treeline. Now surrounded by boulders outside the thin path and with the altitude rising more steeply, Taylor urged Kelsey to take the lead so that he could serve as more of a security net. 

“Sure and I guess I’ll catch T.” Mark chirped. “Or just take him along with me.” 

“Watch it.” Kels joked. “Or we can just say a bear got you.”

Mark feigned hurt before shaking his head. 

“Now I really understand why you weren’t worried about Carvy.” He stated. 

Walking along the narrow path, Kelsey made sure to take her time to ensure her footing was solid. Thankfully there were plenty of switchbacks to make the climb easier but it was still quite the hike. 

“I get it now. You weren’t worried about keeping her safe.” Mark piped up from behind Taylor. “You just wanted your turn to stare at her ass like she’s been staring at yours all day.” 

“I mean I work hard for this ass for a reason.” Kelsey threw back before starting up another switchback, peeking over her shoulder at Taylor who was slightly pink though it was hard to tell if it was from the hike or embarrassment. 

Nearing the summit, the narrow path turned to nothing but rock and Kelsey very carefully made her way over them until she reached the top. Though some fog lingered in the air, it was mostly clear and the views of the entire area surrounded her. As Taylor and Mark joined her, Taylor guided her down just a little bit to one side in order to get a little bit better of a view. 

From up here, Lake Louise looked even bluer and Kelsey could only smile amazed at what they had just done. 

Stepping into Taylor’s side from slightly above him, Kelsey let him wrap an arm around her and she laid her head on his shoulder just taking it all in and listening as he named the mountains and the third lake in the view. 

“This is stunning.” Kelsey declared, just basking in a few minutes with him while Mark explored the rest of the summit. 

“I like showing you beautiful places.” Taylor stated softly. 

“I like when you show me beautiful places too.” Kelsey agreed. “I don’t know what I was expecting but it wasn’t this. This is just incredible. How lucky are we to live in a world where places like this exist?” 

Lifting her head, Kelsey kissed his cheek before reaching into her pocket for her phone to take a photo of the gorgeous view below them. This was definitely a day to remember. 

“Selfie?” Taylor asked before taking her phone from her when she nodded eagerly. Turning slightly so that the lakes and best portion of the view were behind them, Taylor took a few pictures of the two of them so that Kelsey could pick the best one. 

“Hey! No taking selfies without me!” Mark yelled before scrambling over the rocks to get to them. 

Rolling her eyes fondly, Kelsey let Mark sneak in beside her while Taylor took a few more photos. 

Satisfied, they headed to some of the more stable ground at the peak where they could perch to take a short break, drinking water and getting something to eat. Kelsey had had an energy chew on the way up but otherwise hadn’t eaten since breakfast so she was starving. Eating most of a PB&J sandwich and downing three fruit pouches, Kelsey packed all her trash up into a plastic grocery bag for Taylor to stash back in the backpack once he and Mark were done eating. 

At the peak, there was a completely uninterrupted breeze and Kelsey shivered slightly before reaching for the backpack at Taylor’s feet to grab the hoodie he’d stashed there. It was definitely going to be oversized which wasn’t ideal for hiking but the descent was going to require less exertion and so Kelsey knew her body was going to feel the chill more easily. 

Pulling it on she could only smile because it smelled like her boyfriend and that was a smell she had missed more than she could describe. It sent that spark of attraction through her that drew her attention to things she previously hadn’t fully noticed. 

The way Taylor’s shirt clung to his torso from sweat, the way his shorts clung to his thighs, his hair peeking out from the hat on his head…all of it implanted itself into Kelsey’s brain causing her to need a swig of water to try to suppress the flood of hormones. 

Thankfully the boys had finished eating and were packing back up to start their descent. This time Mark took the lead with Taylor following and Kelsey trailing behind. Descending down the first few switchbacks, Taylor would walk a few steps ahead of her before pausing to make sure that Kelsey made her way without issue. It was a slow process with such a steep incline and Kelsey’s knees definitely already hurt at the end of it but eventually the summit was once again towering above them. Having reached the bottom of the switchbacks, Kelsey called out for a break and moved to stretch her knees a bit to try and alleviate some of the pressure she’d put on them. She also needed water and to take a few more pictures of just how beautiful Lake Louise and the surrounding scenery was before it was once again hidden by trees. 

After about a five minute break, they continued down the mountain pausing every kilometer or so to give their knees a bit of a break even if it wasn’t quite as steep now as it had been before. Kelsey couldn’t deny that she was enjoying her view of Taylor’s back and ass as he hiked in front of her and that it only made her want to jump him even more. 

Eventually Mark switched to the back again, not enjoying the fact that it was harder to chat their ears off from in front of them than it was from behind. 

“So has Taylor told you he produced two of the tracks on my new EP?” Mark questioned, switching topics. 

Stopping, Kelsey turned to face him, a look of surprise on her face. 

“Wait what?” 

“Guess he hasn’t told you then.” Mark grinned, hyped to be able to share the news. “Yeah T produced two tracks on my EP, one’s called Way Back Home with a little bit more of a moody country guitar feel and the other is super upbeat called Let’s Ride. Release is the first week of July.” 

As they resumed their hike down the mountain, Mark continued on about how this might be his favorite EP yet and how Taylor had helped produce a few of his songs in the past as well. Letting him talk for a bit, Kelsey looked at Taylor wondering why he had never mentioned this to her. It seemed like it was something important to him and yet he’d given no indication. She wasn’t going to question him about it in front of his cousin but it was something they needed to talk about later. 

When Mark asked her about her own music tastes, Kelsey just shrugged. 

“I don’t really listen to a whole lot of music but when I do it’s pretty much whatever. Country. Pop.” Kelsey admitted. “Lately I probably listen to the playlist T made me more than anything.” 

Stopping to take another short break, Taylor told Mark about some of the songs on the playlist while Kelsey grabbed one of the protein bars to get a little more fuel and finished off most of her water. Thankfully they were at least halfway down and the hardest part was definitely over as the incline decreased the rest of the descent. 

After checking that the boys were ready, Kelsey started off down the trail again knowing that if they waited around any longer she wasn’t going to want to get going again as fatigue started to settle in a bit. This was definitely the longest hike she’d been on in awhile and probably the most difficult, even if skill wise it wasn’t all that challenging. 

With the boys behind her, Kelsey continued their hike, letting out a small breath as they reached the first portion of the trail where there was a concrete path and only a gradual decline. That meant that they were almost done and slowly Lake Louise appeared between the trees once more, still that stunning turquoise blue that Kelsey really couldn’t believe was real. 

Finally reaching the lakeside trail, Kelsey paused for just a moment to take it all in one final time before they hiked the last little bit back to the car after using the bathrooms. 

When they reached the car, Taylor offered Kelsey a fresh bottle of water for the trip home and Kelsey took it gratefully. 

“Any chance there’s pain meds?” Kelsey questioned softly, wanting to get ahead of any misery that might hit during the car ride home. Tossing her a bottle, Taylor grabbed water for himself before putting the bottle away once she’d popped the meds. Cooling down for a few more minutes, Kelsey groaned mentally as Taylor adjusted himself in his shorts causing arousal to pool in her underwear. She needed him so badly that it was starting to drive her crazy. 

Forcing her gaze away from her boyfriend, Kelsey moved to climb into the car feeling tired but on edge. She needed him so much but thinking about it certainly wasn’t doing her any favors. 

Thankfully it wasn’t long before Taylor and Mark climbed in the car and Taylor started the drive back to Calgary. It also wasn’t long before Mark was tapping her shoulder from the backseat asking if she wanted to hear the songs Taylor had produced before they’re released. 

Kelsey was definitely intrigued and so she took Mark’s phone plugging it into the car’s speakers before selecting the tracks he had mentioned. Neither song was something that Kelsey would naturally be drawn to but she’d watched as Taylor tapped on the steering wheel to the beat of each and it made her stomach swirl with more desire. It was Mark’s voice but this was something that Taylor had made and there was something so sexy about knowing that this song existed because of her boyfriend’s brain and skill musically. A skill she hadn’t even known he possessed. 

Even after switching the music back to Taylor’s phone, Kelsey’s mind lingered on how hot it was discovering a new thing that made her boyfriend happy. No amount of water that she drank seemed to cool off her hormones and she shifted in her seat feeling achy and frankly just horny. 

The rest of the drive couldn’t pass quickly enough and given that it was two hours, it felt like it dragged on forever. When they arrived home, they all climbed out of the car to stretch their legs and after Mark transferred his backpack back to his car he followed them inside to use the bathroom before leaving. 

After he finished in the bathroom, Mark pulled Kelsey into a tight hug. 

“Thanks for letting me tag along today, was nice spending some time getting to know the girl T adores so much.” Mark murmured in her ear. “Next time you can tell me to fuck off though, I won’t be offended.” 

“Noted.” Kelsey replied as she ended the hug and moved to use the bathroom herself while Taylor said goodbye to his cousin. 

“Sorry for dropping the music thing on her, figured she knew.” Mark declared hugging his cousin. “You found yourself a good one T.” Mark added. “Though you don’t need me to tell you that.” 

Taylor quickly shrugged off the apology, hugging his cousin before pulling back. 

“She’s the best.” He stated softly, glancing in the direction of the bathroom. She might be a handful at times but he really did adore her and the look on his face showed it. 

“I’m out.” Mark said, giving Taylor one last pat on the back. “But tell Kels not to be a stranger okay.” 

He was out the door and his car had left the driveway before Kelsey returned from using the bathroom and washing her hands. 

“So…” Taylor murmured, focusing on his girlfriend. “Mom is working late and dad is having a guy’s night so we’re on our own.” 

Kelsey hadn’t been expecting that but it certainly wasn’t a big deal. They could figure out something for dinner after they took showers. 

“Alright.” Kelsey shrugged. “Not like we can’t take care of ourselves. What do you want to do for dinner?” 

“No idea.” Taylor replied, stepping closer to her while lifting an arm in an offer for her to slide into his side. Shaking her head, Kelsey maintained the distance between them. 

“Tay…if you touch me right now I may lose it.” Kelsey admitted, still massively turned on with the scent of his hoodie still surrounding her. 

“And…?” Taylor questioned, smirking slightly. “Just us Kels. But a cold shower is all yours if you want it.” 

There was really no comparison between having Taylor and having a cold shower, yet she still hesitated for reasons she didn’t understand. If she was going to be with him though they’d need protection and it certainly wasn’t something she had packed. 

“Do you have condoms?” 

“Yes Kels. Brand new box upstairs.” 

After a moment, Taylor tugged her into a hug and his breath fanned across her ear as he spoke. “It’s your call Kels. Whatever you want.” It wasn’t a long hug, but it was long enough that Kelsey felt him half hard in his shorts signaling that he wanted her too. Long enough that another wave of desire rolled over her, making her whimper. 

“Please…” She breathed, body nearly shaking with want. 

“Upstairs Kels.” Taylor signaled, tapping her ass lightly until she started up the steps to his bedroom. Following behind, Taylor closed his door behind them, locking it just to be safe before pulling her body back toward his to kiss her. 

They hadn’t kissed like this in so long and Kelsey couldn’t help but moan into it as Taylor’s hands gripped her waist, sliding up under his hoodie and the shirt she’d worn under it. Feeling frantic, Kelsey quickly pulled Taylor’s hat off his head before sliding her hands down to immediately start tugging at his shirt wanting it off. 

“Hey…breathe.” Taylor murmured, breaking the kiss while breathing heavily. “There’s no rush.” 

“Waited three weeks…” Kelsey mumbled back before kissing him again hard. Though the stubble on Taylor’s face rubbed at her, it was something Kelsey mostly ignored and even enjoyed slightly, more focused on his lips against hers. 

Still kissing, Taylor lifted her up and carried her over to his bed, laying her down on it while hovering over her. Pulling back to breathe he brushed his nose against hers gently and spoke softly. 

“Kels…trust me. I’m gonna give you my dick if that’s what you want. Just calm down and actually enjoy it.” 

As much as she wanted to relax, it was all too much and Kelsey couldn’t help but squirm under him, needing him now. Realizing that Kelsey wasn’t going to be able to calm until her body found some sort of release, Taylor shifted slightly and moved his hand to press against her core through her clothes while he kissed her again. 

Instantly, his touch drew another moan from her throat and Kelsey arched her hips into his hand, eager for the friction. Within just a few minutes of Taylor stroking her, Kelsey’s muscles tensed before finally relaxing as a mini orgasm rolled through her. 

“You with me now?” Taylor questioned, shifting his hand up to her hip to allow her a moment to settle without being overstimulated. Nodding, Kelsey sighed and reached for Taylor once more, her hands sliding up under his shirt. 

“Better…but still need you inside me.” 

Chuckling, Taylor shook his head. 

“I told you I’d give you my dick.” He murmured, reaching over to the bedside table containing the box of condoms and a bottle of lubricant. After retrieving the necessary items, Taylor hovered over Kelsey again and slipped his fingers below his borrowed hoodie until he reached the waistband of her leggings. 

Easing the stretchy fabric off her hips, Taylor took her leggings along with her underwear down and off her legs until they hit the floor as he knelt at the foot of the bed. Then his long fingers worked the button and zipper of his shorts open before he shed the clothing from his own lower half. 

Sliding back up the bed, Taylor kissed Kelsey again before reaching for the condom and lube beside her. It only took a moment to sheath himself and apply a generous coating of lube before he settled himself over her fully, his dick nudging at her folds. 

“Tay please.” Kelsey pleaded as Taylor paused to ensure her consent before pressing inside of her inch by inch. Between the lubricant and Kelsey’s arousal, Taylor slipped inside of her smoothly and Kelsey moaned happily at the stretch of her body around him, finally being filled the way she needed most. 

“Ungh…yes.” She mumbled, her head thrown back against the pillows in pleasure. 

“So needy for me.” Taylor chirped softly, kissing along the exposed skin of her neck before capturing her lips with his once more and slowly starting to roll his hips to create friction. 

It was far from the slowest sex they’d had but it also wasn’t rushed, both just enjoying the way the other felt as their bodies reconnected in the most intimate way. Kelsey tangled her fingers in Taylor’s hair and tugged gently as his dick brushed against all the spots that sent sparks up her spine. She’d really missed this and moaned into his mouth to show her appreciation for how it felt to be wrapped around him. 

With it having been three weeks since they’d had a chance to be intimate, both were pushed quickly to the edge by the smallest things. For Taylor, the grip of her around him made his own hand pale in comparison and the fact that she was currently still wearing his hoodie only served as an additional turn on. For Kelsey, the feeling of him inside of her, his weight over her made her finally feel whole, once more safe and complete, surrounded by him. 

As Taylor continued to roll his hips against hers, he slipped his free hand down to rub at her clit without any barriers in the way. With the combination of it all, Kelsey flew over the edge, crying out against his mouth as the intensity of her orgasm overwhelmed her. Hips stuttering as she clamped down around him, Taylor gave into his own orgasm pumping the condom full and groaning her name. 

Remaining inside of her until their breathing settled and Kelsey’s body relaxed around him, Taylor carefully pulled out before disposing of the condom into the trash can in his room and wiping himself clean with a tissue. Then he settled onto the bed beside her once more, kissing her softly and checking in to make sure she’s okay. 

“Better now?” He asked, brushing a strand of hair from her face. Nodding, Kelsey kissed him softly again, basking in all the happy hormones. “Good. Now go pee and shower. I’m gonna go start dinner.” Though she pouted a little, Kelsey knew that Taylor was likely starving and they did need to get some food since they would already be eating if it weren’t for her detour. 

Slowly pulling herself out of bed, Kelsey wiped herself down with a tissue before throwing her dirty clothes back on and moving to dig in her bag for something clean to wear after a shower. As she did so, Taylor threw his own shorts back on and she heard him use the bathroom quickly before heading downstairs. 

Moving into the bathroom herself, Kelsey stripped out of her dirty clothes before starting the shower and setting it to be warm but not hot. Taking her time, she went through her full routine, washing her hair, face, and body because she wasn’t sure if she would get a full relaxed shower at his family’s cabin. Feeling completely relaxed, she got out and dried herself off before getting dressed. Brushing her hair out, Kelsey looked in the mirror to find that the skin around her mouth was super red. Kelsey had used her usual face soap, but maybe something she had touched throughout their hike had caused her to have an allergic reaction. She’d ask Taylor what he thought when she went downstairs and she’d definitely keep an eye on it but there wasn’t much else she could do for now. 

Finishing up, Kelsey took her things back to Taylor’s room and got everything situated back into her bag. Then she made her way downstairs to trade off with Taylor so he could also get a shower before having dinner. 

When she got there he was putting some butter in a pan to melt before the steaks sitting on the counter beside him got added. 

“So…” Kelsey started. “I think I have a rash…I have no idea what from and I feel fine breathing wise and everything but the skin around my mouth is all red. Any thoughts?” 

“I can get you an antihistamine if you want…” Taylor declared, otherwise having no suggestion. 

“Couldn’t hurt.” Kelsey agreed. While Taylor fetched the pill, Kelsey got herself a glass from a cabinet, filling it with water. “Thanks. Now I can take over this while you shower.” She declared having figured out that Taylor was just making steaks in the skillet and broccoli in a pot on the stove. Nothing complicated. 

Nodding, Taylor kissed her cheek before heading back upstairs to get cleaned up himself. While he did, Kelsey got the steaks cooking and checked on the broccoli before scrolling through her phone looking at the pictures she’d taken on their hike. 

By the time Taylor came back downstairs dressed in clean shorts and a fresh t-shirt, dinner was ready and Kelsey was transferring it onto plates for them to go sit and eat. 

While Kelsey took the plates, Taylor brought in bottles of gatorade to replenish their electrolytes. 

“So uh…about that rash…” Taylor murmured sheepishly. “It’s brush burn from my stubble.” 

“I…are you sure?” Kelsey questioned, moving around the table to brush her fingers against his jaw and upper lip. Though the scruff wasn’t all that visible it was a little bit bristly, more so than she had expected. 

“The way you were kissing me…yeah.” Taylor declared. 

“Oh…” Kelsey murmured gently touching above her lip because it really did sting. If he was right at least it wasn’t an allergic reaction or something but that knowledge also didn’t help much. 

Pulling her hand back, she moved to sit down so that they could eat, both starving after a long day’s hike and their extra curricular activities. It didn’t take long for them to devour their dinner and after cleaning up Kelsey stepped into Taylor’s chest needing his affections having not gotten their usual post sex snuggle. 

Pulling her close, Taylor moved with her into their family room, sinking into the couch and pulling her on top of him. 

“Any TV requests?” He mumbled softly causing Kelsey to shake her head as she burrowed herself into his body. All she needed was this, his warmth and security. 

They hadn’t had alone time like this since she arrived and Kelsey found herself finally relaxing, enjoying the silence outside of the tv and being with just Taylor without wondering what anyone else might be thinking. 

Of course, eventually his parents would be coming home and Kelsey cringed at the thought of them seeing how red her mouth was. If there was any dead giveaway that they’d fooled around it was that. And while Laura had told her that they didn’t care, Kelsey couldn’t help but think that they’d judge her for it even if they didn’t say anything. 

Burying her face further into Taylor’s chest, Kelsey focused on his scent and the rhythm of his heartbeat, slowly drifting off after a long physically and mentally exhausting day. She only stirred at the sound of the front door and footsteps entering the house. Laura’s voice filled her ears a moment later and Kelsey silently groaned as she realized Taylor’s mom was home and she was still on the couch where she’d have to face her. 

At the very least she could be not lying head to toe on Taylor’s body looking super intimate when his mom walked in so she shifted to get up off of him, sinking into the area previously occupied by his feet when he sat up, holding her to keep her from leaving the couch altogether. 

“I brought dessert.” Laura called from the kitchen causing Taylor to jump up immediately to see what his mom had decided to treat him with. Kelsey on the other hand stayed put. It hadn’t been that long since they’d had dinner and well at least the family room lighting wasn’t as bright and judgmental as the kitchen’s was. 

Even over the TV, Kelsey could hear Laura head upstairs, probably to change, before coming back down. She could also hear cabinets and drawers open in the kitchen as Taylor clearly worked to get some of whatever dessert Laura had brought home. 

After a few minutes, Taylor came back into the family room with two plates and forks. 

“Strawberry cake?” He offered. 

“No thanks T.” Kelsey declined, not really wanting anything sweet. 

Not pushing, Taylor just set the second plate down on the coffee table, leaving it there for her if she changed her mind. When she didn’t and his had been gone for a few minutes, Taylor offered it again. 

“Are you sure?” 

“I’m good T.” Kelsey insisted softly. Eventually Taylor grabbed the second plate, taking a few bites before putting one on the fork and offering it to her. 

“It’s really good…” He added, full on puppy dog eyes on display. Because he looked so pathetic, Kelsey opened her mouth to let him feed her a bite. It was okay, definitely tasted off in the way that told her it was gluten free but it wasn’t bad. It just didn’t really do anything for her. 

Eating another few bites, Taylor offered another one to her causing Kelsey to shake her head. 

“I don’t want anymore T.” She insisted, “but thank you.” As he continued eating the second plate, Taylor tried to offer her a few more bites causing Kelsey to sigh and shake her head. She was a bit relieved when he finally shoveled the last bite into his mouth before moving to take the plates into the kitchen to be cleaned. 

That relief didn’t last when different footsteps entered the room and the couch sank beside her as Laura sank down leaving a decent amount of space between them. 

“How are you doing Kels?” Laura asked. 

Sinking her head further into her arms and knees which had already been pulled to her chest, Kelsey did her best to hide her face. 

“Tired.” She mumbled softly. 

“Anything else?” Laura prodded gently. 

“No.” Kelsey mumbled, still hiding her face. 

The couch shifted a bit and Kelsey felt Laura’s hand rub up and down her back. Eventually Kelsey lifted her head a bit revealing her red mouth before dropping it again, her shoulders starting to shake slightly. 

“C’mon Kels, let’s go get you some moisturizer for that.” Laura offered standing and holding a hand out to Kelsey. After a gentle tug, Kelsey stood, though now it was more than her mouth that was red as embarrassment coated her cheeks and she blinked back tears from red rimmed eyes. 

Guiding Kelsey upstairs, Laura led her toward the master bedroom. 

“Apologies for the mess but my husband lives here.” Laura stated, trying to lighten the mood as she dug through a drawer in the bathroom before coming up with a bottle that she handed off to Kelsey. It was a basic moisturizer, unscented but with aloe. Taking it, Kelsey squirted a little onto her fingers before rubbing it onto her face making sure to use an extra gentle touch on the area around her mouth. 

All the while she still refused to meet Laura’s gaze, eyes downcast as she mumbled thanks. 

“Is there anything else Kels?” Laura asked gently, not used to the downtrodden shy girl that was once again in front of her. 

Immediately, Kelsey shook her head in reply. 

“If nothing else is wrong, why do you look like you’re about to cry hun?” 

Kelsey immediately rubbed at her eyes with the hand that hadn’t used moisturizer but as much as she tried to make it appear like she wasn’t going to lose it, her bottom lip still wobbled unconsciously. 

Stepping closer, Laura reached out in a signal that she was going to hug Kelsey but was giving her time to refuse. When Kelsey didn’t, Laura pulled her into her arms hugging her tightly. 

“Kelsey sweetheart…what you and Taylor do alone is none of my business as long as you’re careful. I’m not your mom. There’s no judgment here and you’re safe to just be yourself with us.”

As much as Kelsey didn’t want to start crying, the tears spilled from her eyes into Laura’s shoulder anyway. It was baffling to Kelsey that Taylor’s mom was so calm and accepting when she had been so scared of the lecture she’d been certain would come once it became evident that Kelsey had had sex with Taylor in their house. 

Even as she cried, Laura only continued holding her, rubbing her back once again until Kelsey’s body finally started to settle. Squeezing her, Laura pulled back just enough to speak. 

“Feel any better?” She asked softly. 

Nodding, Kelsey bit her lower lip gently. 

“I’m sorry. I don’t know why I’m such a mess this week.” 

“Kelsey, we’ve thrown a lot at you the last few days, cut yourself a little slack, it’s okay.” Laura assured her. 

Letting out a deep breath, Kelsey nodded. 

“I’m gonna go find T.” She murmured, knowing he probably was wondering where they disappeared to. 

“Of course. If you need anything hun just let us know.” Laura insisted, letting go of Kelsey fully. “And feel free to tell Tay to shave.” 

Heading back downstairs, Kelsey followed the voices, finding Taylor and Gary in the kitchen talking about Gary’s golf game. As soon as she entered the room, both sets of eyes turned to her and Gary smiled, immediately opening his arms in a hug. 

“There she is.” He exclaimed. “You and T have to tell us all about your hike today. How was it?” 

Hugging him, Kelsey then stepped into Taylor’s side where his arm was lifted to welcome her back into his grip. 

“I had no idea he was taking me to Lake Louise.” Kelsey murmured. “Words can’t even describe how beautiful it was.” 

Recapping their hike, including Mark crashing it, Taylor and Kelsey talked about their day, sharing the pictures Kelsey had taken with Laura and Gary. Then they talked about plans for tomorrow with heading to the cabin by mid morning so that they could be there and settle and have groceries by dinner. 

As they continued to talk, Kelsey twisted in Taylor’s arms a bit, burying herself into his torso more fully. She really was starting to get tired as it got later and later and she just wanted his arms around her completely. After all, they had gotten up insanely early and it was starting to get late. 

“T, why don’t you take Kels to bed already.” Gary declared after a few more minutes, observing her sleepy behavior. 

Kelsey felt Taylor nose against her head and she yawned before squeezing him tighter. 

“Bed Kels?” He whispered, not moving until she nodded and reluctantly pulled away so that they could head upstairs and get ready for bed. 

“See you tomorrow.” Kelsey murmured to his parents before slowly making her way up the steps. After using the bathroom, brushing her teeth, and changing into pajamas, Kelsey slid under the blankets of the bed just waiting for Taylor to join her before snuggling up against his body. 

Tomorrow they were headed to British Columbia and Kelsey made a promise to herself that she would do her best to leave the drama and fear here and not into the next step of her trip. She really just wanted to enjoy this time with Taylor, that was why she was here. Everything else needed to be pushed to the wayside. 

Kissing Taylor softly goodnight Kelsey rested her head on his chest. “I love you Tay.” She whispered. “But can you please shave in the morning?” 

After a moment his chest rumbled beneath her as he chuckled slightly and she felt his breath across her forehead. 

“Love you too Kels. Now sleep.” 

That was exactly what she was going to do.

#taylor makar #taylor makar imagine #colorado avalanche #colorado avalanche imagine #hockey imagines #hockey imagine #nhl imagines #nhl imagine #taylor makar nws #nws #lemon #nhl smut #hockey smut #cavalanche #046

[thatsdemko]

MASTERLIST

updated as of 6/05/2023 back to helpline

to find what players I write for please click here

↳ to look at part 2 masterlists please click: here

IMAGINES

HOCKEY

Nico hischier

the fight

william nylander

famous

mitch marner

paper rings

thomas bordeleau

revenge

ice and spice

punishment

moritz seider

ask

mat barzal

neighbor

Jack Hughes

mess around and find out

BASKETBALL & NFL

killian hayes

comfort cuddles

Travis kelce

Super Bowl

live from New York

Patrick mahomes

parade

FOOTBALL/SOCCER

christian pulisic

one last time

confusion and confessions

lie detector part two

first timer

the apology

want one?

Mason mount

you belong to me

hate me

little mount

uncle Mason

delicate

Neymar jr.

five minutes

FORMULA 1

nyck de vries

year one

charles leclerc

a sleepless night in monaco

the other man the right man

fallingforyou

Mozart

falling in love again

uncle Charles

summertime happiness

match point

love affair

brothers best friend

Carlos sainz

desperate

unforgettable

spoiled

Polaroid

papa carlos

I see red

stay, stay

lover

pining - mini series

max verstappen

secrets out

happiness comes in ice cream

the ways in which max shows you he loves you

lando norris

the right man

this love

little streamer

one too many

everybody’s friend

Pierre Gasly

one night with you

falling in love again

jealousy, jealousy

only him

one last ride for the alpha

I’m yours

lewis hamilton

it’s sir to you

drunk on you

ride that like a Mercedes

Daniel ricciardo

the return of the honey badger

dicked down in Dallas

Tim McGraw

home is whenever I’m with you

arthur leclerc

cruel summer

hard work

love affair

yuki tsunoda

sushi date

cherry blossom season

one last ride for the alpha

mick schumacher

you are in love

the ways in which mick schumacher shows you he loves you

toto wolff

ride that like a Mercedes

extra credit

George Russell

I think he knows

MISCELLANEOUS

BLURBS

brad marchand

Jeremy swayman

quinn hughes

cale makar

benjamin pavard 2

travis kelce

josh giddey

lando norris

max verstappen

carlos sainz

Daniel ricciardo

COLLECTIONS| MINI SERIES

valentines day

fake it? - mini series

Taylor swift inspired works

dad + family works

three’s company works

pining - mini series

#hockey imagines #hockey #nhl imagines #nhl imagine #nhl #nhl fic #hockey fic #hockey blurbs #nico hischier #thomas bordeleau #william nylander #mitch marner #thatsdemko masterlist #hockey masterlist #masterlist #football imagine #f1 imagines

[yawnzloverz]

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After the storm

And when the clock strikes twelve, will we be back to being strangers who never speak to each other?

⋆Pairing: Choi Yeonjun x fem!reader

⋆Genre: strangers to enemies to lovers, slow-burn,fluff, angst, slice of life,

*Warnings: Cursing and cussing here and there. Mention of hookups and slight sexual innuendo.

⟶ Summary- With the failure of your past relationship, you try to move on with closure and no regrets; which you fail miserably. You don't need help, but a shoulder to lean and cry on. But what if that shoulder belongs to a total stranger? or so you thought...

a/n: RAGHRAGHRAGHRAGH CHAP 2 NAAAA I HOPE YOU GUYS LIKE IT :DDDD As always, feel free to leave an anon ask or dm if you have any suggestion, critics, or opinions. I would be very happy to hear them :) Thank you! -val! 🧸

⋆ Chapter II Part 1- Crushiecakes

Nagising ako na naka hilata sa kama ko. Nakapilipit ang isang binti sa unan at may naninigas pa na laway sa giid ng labi. Teka, kung ganoon...sino ang nagdala sa akin dito..? SI FELIX BA?? SHUTA! Kinilig ako ng ma-imagine ko itsura namin kagabi...

Joke lang, loyal ako kay hooniebear ko. EME!

Mabilis akong tumayo at tumakbo pababa. Nadatnan ko si Kuya Jake na nagluluto na ng tanghalian. Nandoon din si Chaewon at Giselle.

"HUY MHIEEE!" SIgaw ni Chae bago tumakbo para yakapin ako.

Niyakap ko si Chae at Gisele habang tinatapik ang ulo nila ng biglang may kumaltok sa batok ko.

"Tignan mo yung oras oh, Alas-Dyis na. May seminar ka pa mamaya. Tsk tsk"

"Sorry na, 'to naman eh. Basang-basa na nga ako kagabi oh, maawa ka naman..."

"ANO?! ANONG BASA?" Natatarantang tanong ni kuya. Grabe talaga mag-isip to si kuya, ang lala.

"Tanga, ang lakas ng ulan kahapon, dumi talaga ng isip neto eh" tinarayan ko siya.

Nagtatakang mga mukha ang lumingon sa akin. TInitigan nila ako bago sila tumingin sa isa't isa.

"Ulan? Parang wala naman akong natatandaang may ulan kahapon. Epekto lang ng kalasingan mo yannn HAHAHAHHAHA" Sambit ni Ni-Ki.

"Ulol HAHAHAHA Baka sa area lang Pasay may ulan" dagdag ni Giselle.

Nagchikahan lang kami habang nag-aalmusal, parang namiss ata nila ako, ems

Pagkatapos kumain, naghanda na ako para sa seminar namin mamaya. Sino ba kasi nagpa-uso ng seminar kahit Sabado? Ta's required pa. Hmph. Okay lang yan Y/n, para 'to sa future mo, future niyo ni Sungho-AY EME.

On the bright side, another excuse 'to para makita ang aking beloved Hooniebear. Kababata namin siya. Kaso lumipat sila ng bahay causing him to switch schools. Ngayong college year, he transferred to the same university I go to. Para bang, tinadhana talaga kami eh 'noh? KEME!

Now, he lives just a block away from our house, pero hindi na kami gaanong close dahil sa tagal naming hindi nakita. Pero close pa rin siya kay Kuya Jake. Since then, I liked him, and I still do now. Para siyang naging default crush ko. Every time I experience a heartbreak or minor inconvenience in a relationship, my heart runs back to him. Para bang, pakiramdam ko siya ang sasagip sa'kin. At yun, 'nak, ang love story ng mommy at daddy niyo. AY, CHAROT!

Kasabay ko si Lee Know lumabas as usual since parehas kami ng course at kailangan namin ummattend sa seminar na 'to. Pero dahil diyan, palagi kaming napag-kakamalang may something. Matagal na naming kaibigan si Lee Know kaya super close talaga kaming dalawa. Siy yung tipong kaibigan na pag na-leak ang gc, puwede siyang makulong. Pero minsan may limitations din ang pagiging close namin, lalo na in public. Mabilis kumalat ang chismis at fake news sa uni, baka makarating pa kay Hoon, baka mawalan siya ng gana. AY! DELULU LANG?

Mahaba-haba rin ang biyahe papunta sa uni, kaya sinalpak ko muna ang earphone ko sa tenga ko.

[You Belong With Me (Taylor's Version)]

♫ Taylor Swift ♫

1:03 ──⚬──── 3:51

⇆ ◃◃ ıı ▹▹ ↻

Pagdating ko sa uni, unang bumungad ang tarpaulin na may mukha ni Sunghoon. SIya kasi yung model ng "APPLY NOW" poster namin. Gets ko kung bakit siya ang kinuha, kahit sino naman, mapapahanga pag nasilayan nila ang kaguwapuhan niya. I'm happy for him, kaso hindi ko na siya ma-gagatekeep. Aw.

Nakakaantok yung seminar. Bahagya akong tumitingin kay Hoon, pasulyap-sulyap lang, gano'n.

Siya yung tipo na para bang lahat nasa kanya na. I bet he will treat me better than that douche. Kaka-ahon ko lang sa break-up pero may tinititgnan nanaman ako. I mean, masisisi mo ba ako? Nakaka-akit talaga yung tingin niya. Siguro, kung siya yung minahal ko, wala na akong ibang hihingin.

Sobrang lalim ng iniisip ko na hindi ko napansin na tinititigan ko pala si Sunghoon ng deretsahan at naka-awang ang labi. SHET! NAKA TINGIN DIN SIYA! GAANO AKO KA-TAGAL NAKATINGIN SA KANYA?!

Initsa ko ang ulo ko sa kabilang direksiyon sa sobrang hiya. Bahagyang napatawa si Sunghoon. Nakita din ata ng mga seatmates niya. Tumalon nalang kaya ako sa bangin (para lang iyong sagipin AY CORNY).

Habang tinatago ko ang mukha ko sa likod ng binder, tinignan ko ang gc namin na sumasabog sa chat. Gagi, nakita ni Lee Know. Chismoso panaman 'yan.

Pag-ring ng bell ay agad akong tumayo perO hindi ako agad umalis para hindi masyadong awkward.

Teka...lumalapit ba siya..? LORD! PUWEDE BA 'TO?! Napagtanto ko na mas awkward pala kapag naiwan kaming dalawa, kaya binilisan ko ang pag-lakad. Kaso nagsisiksikan ang mga estudyante sa may pinto, kahit anong bilis ko, hindi rin ako makakaraan. Palapit na siya! Lord, kayo na ang bahala sa'kin.

"Miss Sim?" dahan-dahan akong lumingon. Shet, lalong umawkward.

"Sim Y/n, right? Do you have something you want to tell me?"

Natulala ako ng marinig ko ang boses niya. The way my name rolled off his lips made me dizzy.

"A-ah wala nammmmman" Y/N UMAYOS KA! KEEP YOUR CALM!

"Oh," Tumango siya. "Kapatid ka ni Jake, right? Who would've thought na magiging ganito pala kaganda ang kapatid ni Jake. Buti hindi ka nagmana sa kuya mo haha" ANG CUTE NG NGITI NIYA SHET.

...Teka..ako? maganda? MAGANDA DAW AKO! WALA KAYO SA'KIN! YES G NANALO RIN!

"Ako nga pala si Sunghoon. Nice to meet you." Sabi niya habang inooffer ang kamay niya habang nakangiti.

GRABE, PATI ATA ATAY KO KINIKILIG!

"Sim Y/n, nice to meet you rin."

Kinamayan ko siya habang pinapakiramdaman ang kinis ng kanyang palad. NAHAWAKAN KO NA KAMAY NIYA! PUWEDE NA AKONG MAMUHAY NG MAPAYAPA!

"Hey um, if you want, we can go for coffee, maybe? Or take a snack?" IS HE ASKING ME OUT?????

"SUre, I'd love to!" Landi mo ses! piyok ka naman nang piyok.

Tumambay lang kami sa malapit na coffee shop habang nagkukuwentuhan.

"What did your kuya say about me?"

"Mabait, malinis, ta's pogi." AY, TUMATAPANG SI IDOL!

Napatawa siya. Nakakatunaw talaga yung ngiti niya

"But do you think I am?" Bigla niyang sinabi. Nabulunan ako sa iced coffee ko. "Hm?"

"Sa tingin mo pogi talaga ako?"

Hindi ko mapigilan ang paglunok ko ng laway. Sobrang halata na ako at this point.

"Siyempre naman haha." Hooniebear kita eh.

Pagkatapos ng mahabang kuwentuhan, nagpaalam na kami sa isa't isa.

Mahaba ulit ang biyahe pauwi, traffic pa.

[Enchanted (Taylor's Version)]

♫ Taylor Swift ♫

1:03 ──⚬──── 3:51

⇆ ◃◃ ıı ▹▹ ↻

This is me praying that, this is the very first page, not where the storyline ends.....

.⋆｡⋆☂˚｡⋆｡˚｡⋆..⋆｡⋆☂˚｡⋆｡˚｡⋆..⋆｡⋆☂˚｡⋆｡˚.⋆｡⋆☂˚｡

Chapter II Part 2 is up!

*I had to separate them because of the 10 image limit in tumblr 😭

anyways I hope you guys liked this part xoxo

#yeonjun x reader #yeonjun #choi yeonjun #choi yeonjun x reader #yeonjun filo au #filo!yeonjun #filo!txt #txt filo au #val writes ♡

[ilyasorokinn]

can i get a imagine with Cale Makar and him winning the stanley cup

A LITTLE LATE

mashing two together :)

TAYLOR'S AVS NIGHT!

35. "kissing their bruises and scars" (from this prompt list)

tw: drunk!cale

the walk down to the ice felt like a long one. you were walking behind his family and when they spotted him, they attacked him in a hug. you smiled, watching from the sidelines.

after congratulating him, they all took a step back so he could give you all his attention. he rammed into you, almost knocking you over.

"we did it!" he hugged you so tight.

"yeah you did." you pulled away so you could look him in the eyes. you reached up and caressed his cheek, "i'm so proud of you." he pulled you back in.

after waiting, you finally got your turn to take pictures with it and it felt like a dream come true. from a young age, you watched player after player lifted it and never thought you'd be doing the same. granted, not as a player, but it's all the same.

"holy cannoli," you muttered as it was placed in your hands. cale laughed at your choice of words. he lifted it with you as his mother took pictures.

after a night of partying, cale was drunker than drunker. a few guys had to help you get him into bed. after helping him get unready, you crawled into bed next to him.

you carefully pressed a kiss to his knuckle, where you knew a bruise had been settling in for a couple days.

"i love you." he slurred.

"i know." you laughed, "i love you, too."

"can we talk?"

"no, it's a little too late for that. we'll talk in the morning."

"but i have so much to tell you." he whined.

"i know you do, but it's late. i'm tired, you're tired, we're both a little drunk, one of us more than the other. it's time for sleep." you stated.

he pouted, "fine."

okay, i'm sorry this was so bad. i'm just trying to get this done and my brain is only halfworking.

#cale makar imagine #cale makar imagines #cale makar x reader #cale makar blurbs #cale makar fic #cale makar #nhl imagine #nhl imagines #nhl fic #nhl blurbs #nhl #hockey imagine #hockey imagines #hockey fic #hockey blurbs #hockey #colorado avalanche imagine #colorado avalanche imagines #colorado avalanche blurbs #colorado avalanche fic #colorado avalanche #taylor writes #taylor writes: hockey #taylor's blurbs #taylor's prompt lists #taylor's avs night!

[hobeymakar]

Unapologetically | C. Makar Part 1

Chapter word count: 3,526

A/N: Title from the song Unapologetically by Kelsea Ballerini. This is my first chaptered fic in a long time and my first written on here, so please be kind. This fic is based off a set of very vivid reoccurring dreams I’ve had over the last couple of months that involve Cale and like the true psycho I am, I wrote the big things that happened in those dreams down. Then I decided recently to just turn it to a fic, so this is pretty self-indulgent. Is it possibly narcissistic of me to write a fic about me? Maybe, but I’m gonna write it anyway. This first chapter is gonna be a lil boring and weird because it has a lot of time skips but Chapter 2 will be much more exciting and way better

Shoutouts: @pizzasloot and @hockey-and-wine for being my biggest cheerleaders for writing for this fic in the gc and also shoutout to @grenawitka​ for always keeping the gc lit. I love you girls!

Warnings: explicit language, alcohol use

-

Tatyana “Taty” Marie Ventura or “Ace” as she is now being known as, never thought that when she started a podcast in the comfort of her Rhode Island home, that she would kind of blow up. Taty started the Ace of Hockey podcast because she wanted a career in hockey media and wanted to do it her way, being unapologetically herself. She started the podcast and started messaging hockey players and other athletes in hopes that they would come onto the podcast to talk about diversity and inclusion in the sport.

That’s how she finds herself on an early October evening receiving a message from Cale Makar on how he’s a fan of the podcast. She internally screams because she never thought an actual hockey player would listen to the podcast. She assumed only hockey fans would listen to the podcast and that it would never reach the notoriety of other hockey podcasts.

From: calemakar_

Hey, just wanted to say that I’m a big fan of your podcast. Buddy of mine showed it to me and I think it’s fantastic. It’s helping me learn how to be a better ally

To: calemakar_

Thank you so much, that means a lot honestly!

From: calemakar_

You’re welcome. I’ve been showing it to the team and they think it’s great for them to learn how to be better allies

To: calemakar_

Wow, that means so much! I just want people to know that hockey is great but it would be so much better if it became inclusive to everyone regardless of sex, gender, race, ethnicity, religion, etc. I just want hockey to really be for everyone

From: calemakar_

That's what we all want. We don't want anyone to feel like they can't play or enjoy hockey because of who they are

She doesn't know how to keep the conversation because she's awkward and just lets the dm sit there. She turns her attention to the latest hockey news and figuring out who's gonna be her next guest for the podcast.

A few hours later, she sees a follow request on her personal IG account and not the podcast account. She sees it's from Cale and is confused on why he would want to follow her personal account. She barely posts stuff about the podcast on there and uses it more to keep up with family with the occasional posts promoting the podcast and the guests. She accepts the request and doesn't think anything of it.

A few days later, she notices that he's been liking her posts and viewing her stories. He's been seeing her interact with family and friends and she still doesn't understand why he cares enough to keep up with her personal account. It starts becoming weird when he adds her on snapchat.

She sends him a dm on instagram to make sure it's actually him and not someone pretending to be him.

To: calemakar_

This might sound totally weird but did you just add me on snapchat?

From: calemakar_

Yeah I'm sorry. Josty thought it would be funny to hijack my phone and add you

To: calemakar_

No need to apologize, I just wanted to make sure it was actually you and not someone trying to be you to catfish girls

From: calemakar_

Yeah no, definitely my account

She accepts him as a friend on Snapchat and sends him a message.

To: Cale Makar

Hope it's okay I added you back

From: Cale Makar

Yeah, that's cool. You didn't have to tho. Don't want you to feel like you had to

To: Cale Makar

Trust me I added you back because I wanted to. I don't just accept anybody

She hits send before she can even think twice about it but then she reads it back and wants the ground to swallow her whole. She panics as she watches the delivered turn into a read and the little bubbles show up saying he's typing. It feels like forever before Cale sends a response back.

From: Cale Makar

Well I'm glad you didn't add me back out of pity

She doesn't know how to respond to that right away so she opens up other messages and posts updates on her work on her story. She goes back to the messages and starts typing a response, not wanting to leave him on read forever.

To: Cale Makar

Why would anybody do that?

She exits out of it and hopes that her attempts at extending a conversation aren't met with disappointment.

From: Cale Makar

I admit you got me there

To: Cale Makar

I get people to say that a lot

From: Cale Makar

Never picked you as the type to brag

To: Cale Makar

There's a lot of layers to me and a lot of things you don't know about me

From: Cale Makar

Well I hope I get to know more about you

She blinks multiple times not knowing if the message was actually real. After blinking several times, she realizes the message was real and she lets out a squeal. Is he actually flirting with her? She pinches herself because she must be dreaming. There's no way her favorite hockey player and crush is flirting with her. Shit like that doesn't happen to her! She has zero game and has been on a grand total of zero dates in her life. She has had zero boyfriends and girlfriends in her life, so this is something brand new for her.

Maybe she's reading it wrong? Maybe he's just being polite and isn't actually flirting. She decides it's better not to stress it and just go with the flow. 

That's how she approaches the next couple of weeks with her pumping out content for her podcast, working her actual day job, and working on her social media game for the podcast. She also dms tons of people she sees as potential guests on the podcast. 

Her conversations with Cale become more frequent as she eventually finds herself sending him snaps daily. He actually feels comfortable enough to comment on her posts on her personal IG page now and she honestly doesn't know how this is all even real.

Like before she's not stressing it and is going with the flow. However, on the day of Cale's 22nd birthday, she gets hit with a message that causes her to freak out a little.

From: Cale Makar

Hey, is it cool if I got your number? It's much easier if I can just text you. I like you and want to keep getting to know you more

She hyperventilates because she has never had another human being shoe this much interest in her, her whole life. She pinches herself to make sure it's real and it really is real. Cale Makar actually asked for her number. She doesn't know if she should be jumping for joy or preparing for something to go wrong. This is completely uncharted waters for her and she doesn't know if she should go with her heart or her mind. Her mind is telling her not to do it, but her heart is telling her to do it. After a minute, she decides to go with her heart.

To: Cale Makar

Yeah, that's totally cool! (xxx-xxx-xxxx)

She sees a text from an unknown number a minute later pop up on her phone

From: xxx-xxx-xxxx

Hey, it's Cale

She saves the number under the name "Cale 🥰" and types out a response

To: Cale 🥰

Hey, happy birthday btw! Hope you're having fun!

From: Cale 🥰

Thank you I'm in Calgary rn with my family

To: Cale 🥰

Glad you're having fun with them

From: Cale 🥰

Thank you it's good to be back home

To: Cale 🥰

I can imagine! I'll let you get back to your family

She focuses on getting ready for Halloween, which also happens to be her sister's birthday. Her sister is turning 21 this year and she wants to make the most of it, even in the midst of a pandemic. They plan on going to Salem, Massachusetts with family and throwing a little party at a cousin's house in Brookline, Massachusetts. She sees Cale post pictures and videos on his Snapchat story of him and his family celebrating his birthday. She sees all his teammates wishing him a happy birthday on Instagram and Twitter.

As she’s getting ready to go to bed that night, she gets a video call from Cale.

“Hello?” she asks, not knowing why he would be calling her.

“Ace!” he shouts, causing her to cringe slightly.

“How’s your birthday going?” she asks.

“Great! I’m with my brother and some buddies from back home! We got a bonfire going on right now!” he explains, showing off the fire and his brother and friends.

She wants the ground to swallow her whole because she looks absolutely disgusting with her hair tied up in a bun, and old URI sweatpants and an URI sweatshirt on. She has no makeup on and she’s pretty sure she has some acne on her face.

“Hey Ace! I’m Taylor, Cale’s brother!” Taylor shouts in excitement.

She can clearly tell that he’s buzzed, as well as Cale.

“Hey Taylor,” she smiles, waving at him politely.

His buddies also introduce themselves and she can tell that they’re also slightly buzzed. A part of her hopes that they aren’t driving and are gonna make it back home safely whether tonight or the following day.

“You should come!” one of his friends suggests.

“I’d love to but I live in America and the border is still closed,” she replies, feeling slightly awkward.

“It’s a shame! I know Cale really misses his girl right now!” another friend chimes in, causing her to almost choke on her wine.

“I’m not his-”

“He won’t stop talking about you! He’s got it bad for you!” another friend adds, causing her to blush even more.

If the ground would swallow her up right now, that would be amazing because she can't believe the shit that she’s hearing right now. She doesn’t know if it’s the alcohol that has his friends saying that but a part of her wishes it’s true. God, a part of her wants him to want her because she definitely likes him. She likes everything about him but she’s too much of a loser to put herself out there more. So she just lets him do all the talking and flirting because once again, she has no game.

“Shut up Taylor!” Cale cries out, shoving his brother lightly.

“Well you seem to be having a fun time with your friends,” she says, not wanting to bring up anything that was said about his feelings for her. 

“It would be better if you were here,” he adds, his voice dropping slightly in volume.

“Yeah, well maybe we’ll meet one day,” she adds, not wanting to sound desperate to meet him or anything.

“When I get back to the States, I’ll make that a reality,” he replies, sounding sincere for being slightly intoxicated.

She’s reminded of the saying that drunken words are sober thoughts and gets a warm feeling in her stomach.

“Well I’ll let you keep having fun, birthday boy. I’ll talk to you later,” she smiles.

“Bye Ace,” he smiles back, before ending the call.

She immediately refills her glass of wine because she’s definitely too sober to be thinking about all the feelings Cale manages to give her every time they talk. She eventually falls asleep and if she dreamed about being in Calgary with Cale, she’ll blame it on the alcohol fucking with her dreams.

The next day is a busy one for Taty as she celebrates her sister’s 21st birthday in the best way she can while in the middle of a pandemic. They go to Salem, Massachusetts and have a blast doing many Halloween-related activities and then once it gets late, they head down to their cousin’s place in Brookline, Massachusetts to watch Halloween movies and to have a good time. Her sister decides to get drunk and Taty posts all their adventures on her Snapchat and her Instagram. She also sees that Cale has been posting his Halloween adventures on Snapchat, which aren’t as exciting this year because there’s no Avs Halloween party this year due to it still being the offseason and not everyone on the team is in Denver at the moment.

The next few weeks go by for Taty and it eventually gets to the point that she’s video chatting with Cale every day. They sometimes will stay up until late at night just talking and getting to know each other. Every day she’s becoming more comfortable and it’s on the first day of training camp, where she decides she’s finally gonna grow a pair and let him know how she feels.

He calls her after a long day at training camp and she actually has the time to talk to him as she isn’t working on anything for the podcast or her day job. 

“How was camp?” she asks him, as she locks herself in her room.

The last thing she needs is for her nosy ass sisters to eavesdrop on her conversations with Cale.

“It was tiring but fun. It was great to be out there with the guys again, even though everything is so weird with the virus going on,” he explains.

“Oh I bet, I can’t imagine all the testing and the extra precautions you guys have to take. The whole season is gonna be super weird huh,” she replies.

“Yeah, weird is a bit of an understatement,” he chuckles lightly.

“I really like you,” she blurts out, then immediately wishes the ground would swallow her whole.

She buries her face in her hands and contemplates ending the call to save herself from further embarrassment.

“Oh thank god! I was starting to think you didn’t really feel the same,” he admits, biting his lip.

“No I definitely like you. It’s just I’m new to this. I’ve never dated before or anything. I’m kind of a giant loser if you haven’t already caught on,” she admits, almost rambling at the end.

“Yeah no, you’re not a loser! You’re the coolest, most fun girl I’ve ever talked to and I just want to keep getting to know you because I really like you,” he assures her.

"So are we putting a label on this? Are we dating?" she asks.

"I guess you can say we're long distance dating," he chuckles lightly.

"I did know our video chats were considered dates," she teases.

"I was seeing them as dates and I want our future ones to be considered dates," he confesses.

"Alright so set up our next date," you tease.

"I know you're recording for the podcast tomorrow so what about Wednesday?" he asks.

"I'm off work Wednesday so that would be perfect. What time works for you?" she asks him.

"8pm my time," he answers.

"Yeah that works for me," she smiles.

"So it's a date?" he asks.

"Yeah it's a date," she smiles, getting a warm feeling in her stomach.

She tells him about some funny stories involving her family and he tells her some funny stories from training camp. They chat for hours and before she knows it, it's past midnight and she has to go to work in the morning. 

“I need to go to bed. I have work in the morning. Goodnight Cale,” she yawns, waving at him

“Goodnight love,” he waves back, ending the call. 

If she cheeses a little at the fact he called her love, no one is around to see it. 

December goes by pretty quickly and she feels bad that her calls with Cale become less frequent. December is the busiest month at work because everyone is doing Christmas shopping (being a store manager is hard work) and she finds herself working double the amount of hours she worked before the holiday season. Add doing the podcast three times a week and she’s absolutely gassed. Luckily, Cale doesn’t hold it against her because he starts getting more busy with preseason starting and his parents coming down for the holidays. Taylor is currently in the middle of his final season in the AJHL so he can’t make the trip down to Denver for the holidays. They text each other every day throughout the month however, and she manages to call him on Christmas and on New Year’s Eve, asking him if he’s excited for the new season to start on the 2nd.

2021 starts off worse than 2020 started because of the pandemic but Taty manages to make the best of it. She watches the Winter Classic while on video call with Cale. Luckily, the Avalanche start their season off at home again this year. The following day, she finds herself rushing home from work to be able to catch the Avs first game of the season against the Wild. She makes it home and takes a quick shower before changing into her Cale jersey and joggers. She quickly eats dinner before going into her room. She puts the game on and makes it just in time for the players to come out to the ice. She watches the game and manages to text Cale throughout the game knowing that he won’t see the string of texts until after the game. He finishes the game with one assist and 2 hits, as the Avs win 4-2 to start off the new season on a high note.

As she’s getting ready for bed, she gets a call from Cale.

“Hey, great game,” she smiles, trying not to show how tired she is.

“Oh shit, I just realized how late it is over there,” he sighs, not wanting to keep her up.

“It’s okay. I always stay up past my bedtime to talk to you,” she teases.

“How was work?” he asks.

“Annoying. We’re winding down from the holiday season but we still got a lot of people shopping and returning stuff,” she explains.

“I don’t know how you do it honestly, being so young and running a store, I mean,” he explains.

“Yeah well luckily I’m only an assistant manager,” she replies.

“Still pretty incredible what you do,” he assures her.

“Says the NHL superstar,” she scoffs.

“Hey, I’m not a superstar at all! I’m just another player like everybody else trying to be the best at my position,” he explains.

“Why do you have to be so humble all the time?” she teases.

“It’s just who I am,” he shrugs.

“And I love you for it but like just admit you’re a superstar,” she replies.

“Fine, I’m a superstar. Happy now?” he teases.

“The happiest. When are your parents going back to Calgary?” she asks, switching the subject.

“Tomorrow,” he answers.

“I’m glad you got to have them with you for the holidays, though,” she adds.

“Yeah, it was great seeing them again. I just wish Taylor could’ve been here,” he replies.

“Yeah well you’ll see him once his season ends and on the bright side, he’ll be at UMass next season,” she adds.

“Yeah I just miss him. I always go home for Christmas and this year I couldn’t,” he explains.

“Yeah I can’t imagine what that’s like but it will get better,” she assures him.

“Yeah I know it will,” he nods.

“I wish I could be there to make you feel better,” she sighs.

“Yeah, well we’ll see each other next month,” he smiles, a hopeful tone in his voice.

“February 5th can’t come fast enough. I’m gonna blow you away with the best interview you’ve ever done,” she teases, referring to her interviewing him for the podcast.

“I guess we’ll have to see about that,” he teases back.

“You wound me, Makar!” she fake gasps.

“I’ll make it up to you with a killer real first date,” he smiles.

“I’ll hold you to that. I expect to be really wooed,” she teases.

“It’s gonna be the best date you’ve ever been on,” he almost guarantees.

“It’s gonna be the first date I’ve ever been on,” she informs him.

“I know. That’s why it’s gonna be the best you’ve ever been on,” he jokes, causing her to roll her eyes.

“You’re so funny, Makar,” she deadpans.

“Stop acting like I don’t make you laugh all the time, Ventura,” he teases.

“What happened to humble Cale? I like him better than this smug one I got here,” she teases back.

“Stop acting like you don’t like it,” he replies.

“Yeah, I like every side to you,” she admits.

“Well that’s good because I like every side of you,” he smiles.

She feels her cheeks heat up and that warm fuzzy feeling return to her stomach. Is this what falling in love feels like? She’s never felt this way before and god, she hopes the feeling never fades because it’s amazing. No wonder people love falling in love so much, it’s magical and she hopes she doesn’t fuck it up. She just counts down the days until February 5th praying to god that nothing goes wrong once they finally meet.

#cale makar #colorado avalanche #hockey #nhl writing #nhl fanfiction #cale makar fanfic #hockey fanfiction #nhl #nhl players #nhl imagines #cale makar imagine

[bordeleaubeau]

my season predictions: RECAP

italicized = season prediction

bold = what actually happened

-

the metropolitan division.

the flyers will shock most people, pulling a surprisingly decent cup run, possibly making eastern conference finals or the stanley cup final. if they go to the cup final, they will win. since the cup final hasn’t happened yet, we don’t know if the flyers won obviously! but they definitely shocked a LOT of people this season (including myself.) and i’m really confident in my boys and that they’ll go far in the playoffs.

there will be a huge trade within the division that causes an uproar i mean, taylor hall?

kaapo kakko will have more goals than jack hughes - but jack hughes will have more points overall yeah. this didn’t happen but i thought it did. kakko had 10-13-23, meanwhile hughes had 7-14-21. (format goals-assists-total points)

jack hughes will win the calder. lol wishful thinking! still between q. hughes and makar, will definitely end up being makar.

a team expected to be extremely good this year will do the complete opposite and tank. (possibly team that makes big trade?) say it with me: THE NEW JERSEY DEVILS!

columbus will fall to the bottom of the ranks after suffering the loss of duchene and bobrovsky. john tortorello? not happy. columbus didn’t fall to the bottom of the ranks, but they were in the bottom half of the division.

the flyers new young core will start to make an early impact. one of the defensemen will suffer a long-term injury, allowing one of the phantoms to come up and make an instant impact shocking fans. sam morin suffered an injury riiiight after coming back from a torn acl, and tore it again! he wasn’t up with the flyers, he was still in the minors, but he was on the official roster at the start of the season.

joel farabee will make the flyers lineup and be in the calder cup running. (bold. i know.) wishful thinking, again.

sidney crosby will suffer an injury, but it will not be expressed until after the season is over. tba

ovechkin will retire the end of this season or the next. tba

the new york rangers will suffer from the loss of kevin hayes and mats zuccarello – kakko will not be able to fulfill their space. yup! hayes and zucc both thrived on their new teams and the rangers were at a .564 point percentage

standings predictions. (bold prediction is where that team placed and their points)

1st: washington capitals - 94 points 1st - 90 points

2nd: philadelphia flyers - 89 points 2nd - 89 points (spot freaking on)

3rd: pittsburgh penguins - 88 points 3rd - 86 points

4th: new jersey devils - 86 points 8th - 68 points

5th: carolina hurricanes - 81 points 4th - 81 points

6th: new york islanders - 79 points 5th - 80 points

7th: new york rangers - 75 points 7th - 79 points

8th: columbus blue jackets - 72 points 6th - 81 points

the atlantic division.

the florida panthers? yeah, they’re gonna explode. with bobby luo out of there and bob in, they’re gonna be a serious threat. however, bob might suffer a few injuries here and there. i mean, yeah. this happened. but i don’t recall bob having any injuries!

spencer knight will sign his elc at the end of his first year at boston college, starting next season and so forth in the minor league. wishful thinking

this will be a tough division this year! usually the metro is the really close division, the one that you never really know whos playoff bound until the end, but the atlantic might be giving the metro a run for their money. nope! not one bit!

THE TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS WILL MAKE IT OUT OF THE SECOND ROUND. there, i said it. tba!

the leafs will finally break the curse - however, they do not play boston in the first round and will lose to the b’s in the second round. tba... we shall see.

boston will go onto the eastern conference finals but will lose to the philadelphia flyers in game 7. tba... obviously i didnt predict a pandemic happening

tampa bay will be a powerhouse like they were the previous regular season, but once again will fail to show up in the playoffs. they will not be swept. powerhouse indeed... but not best in their division.

ottawa will have a (slight!) comeback season! they will not be amazing, but they will not be as awful as they have been. i think i just felt bad and said this. this did not happen.

buffalo will have a MUCH better season this year. ummmm kinda?

montreal will have an above mediocre season. carey price will sustain another injury, leaving montreal to rely on one of their prospects. pretty much mediocre. i think i remember price being injured.

cole caufield will sign with the canadiens the end of this season, or will sign if wisconsin loses early in the playoffs and the canadiens make it. wishful thinking... caufield to wisconsin for one more year.

detroit will fall to the bottom of the standings. yes. very much so. #getlarkinout

john tavares will have the c in toronto. auston matthews will have an a. toronto will be set on fire. not literally lmao yup! this happened and i’m proud of it:)

standings predictions. (i am VERY proud of this)

1st: tampa bay lightning - 115 points 2nd - 92 points

2nd: boston bruins - 108 points 1st - 100 points

3rd: toronto maple leafs - 103 points 3rd - 81 points

4th: florida panthers - 99 points 4th - 78 points

5th: montreal canadiens - 94 points 5th - 71 points

6th: buffalo sabres - 89 points 6th - 68 points

7th: ottawa senators - 86 points 7th - 62 points

8th: detriot red wings - 79 points 8th - 39 points

the pacific division:

honestly the pacific is really iffy for me. i dont really like any of these teams besides the flames and the ‘nucks. this is a really mediocre division overall.  yes, they were mediocre.

matthew tkachuk will sign with the calgary flames. will suffer an injury early on in the season. he did sign, but no injury for tkachuky early in the season. it was in december.

edmonton will be mediocre. #getmcdavidoutofedmonton connor and leon will carry the team once more, the team will start off weak but make their way up in the standings as the season progresses. by the time they make their way up the ranks it will be too late. nope! edmonton shocked us ALL this year, and even before the pandemic they were on track to make the post season.

phil kessel will have almost no impact on the arizona coyotes whatsoever. he will have a horrible season without crosby. yeeaaahhh. kessel had 14-24-38 this season, but last season while playing in pittsburgh he had 27-55-82.

the vancouver canucks will be significantly better, however, quinn hughes will sustain an injury midway through the season, causing the canucks to suffer. the canucks were actually doing really well! quinn hughes did sustain an injury, but at the beginning of march. 

los angeles will still suffer to rebuild their franchise. jonathan quick will be injury plagued. with the signing of turcotte, who really knows however quick did not sustain any injuries this season.

anaheim will be a little bit better than they have been! not amazing, but not bottom of the league rankings. i’m saying they could end up being from 22nd - 18th ish nope! anaheim finished 27th.

viva las vegas! vegas will have a bit of a comeback season similar to their inaugural season. yup!

san jose will fall in the rankings ever so slightly. they will make a decent trade at some point in the season. san jose fell HARD in the standings. 

standings predictions.

1st: calgary flames - 103 points 4th - 79 points

2nd: vegas golden knights - 99 points 1st - 86 points

3rd: vancouver canucks - 92 points 3rd - 78 points

4th: san jose sharks - 89 points 8th - 63 points

5th: edmonton oilers - 80 points 2nd - 83 points

6th: anaheim ducks - 73 points 6th - 67 points

7th: los angeles kings - 70 points 7th - 64 points

8th: arizona coyotes - 68 points 5th - 74 points

the central division.

dylan strome and alex debrincat will light the league up again once more - but this time, even more so than last season. they are the toews and kane 2.0 and will certainly be able to hold the fort down in chicago when the two retire. dylan strome had 12-26-38 and alex debrincat had 18-27-45. not awful.

dylan strome will have a 65+ point season. keep in mind strome was traded a few months into the season, imagine what his stats would look like if he had been with chicago the entire season? wishful thinking. but if we had played a full season i believe he would’ve at least made 50.

patrik laine will be traded from the winnipeg jets, but the jets will pull a new york islanders. they lose one of their franchise players but will still manage to kill it. nope! this did not happen, however there were many rumors of laine being traded. fortnite legend.

colorado will be a powerhouse this season. with the addition of andre burakovsky, burky will find himself in denver and will be back to his normal self. yup! colorado managed to surprise everyone with their run.

the reigning 2019 stanley cup champions will suffer the post-cup summer. they will not make it past the second round of the playoffs. well, we shall see.

minnesota will have a slightly better season - they will start to make their comeback. with a new general manager hopefully they will be able to start conspiring a new plan to get their team back up. hopefully they will be better at drafting players they really need. umm... no. but they did make the playoffs with the formatting.

the wild and the flyers will make a trade. nope!

dallas will pretty much stay the same. they wont be much better, wont be much worse. not a lot will happen with the stars this year. pretty much! the stars finished 4th last season and 3rd this season.

nashville will possibly make the playoffs but will have an early first round exit. duchene will be a problem. tba, but dont think duchene is a problem.

standing predictions.

1st: winnipeg jets - 104 points 5th - 80 points

2nd: chicago blackhawks - 96 points 7th - 72 points

3rd: colorado avalanche - 93 points 2nd - 92 points

4th: nashville predators - 90 points 4th - 78 points

5th: st. louis blues - 85 points 1st - 94 points

6th: dallas stars - 83 points 3rd - 82 points

7th: minnesota wild -  80 points 6th - 77 points

final predictions.

eastern conference finals champions: philadelphia flyers

western conference finals champions: colorado avalanche (bold)

stanley cup final champions: philadelphia flyers

i’ll update after the post season:)

#my season predictions #the recap #nhl #hockey #philadelphia flyers #dallas stars #winnipeg jets #calgary flames #edmonton oilers #anaheim ducks #san jose sharks #los angeles kings #arizona coyotes #tampa bay lightning #florida panthers #carolina hurricanes #washington capitals #pittsburgh penguins #boston bruins #vancouver canucks #toronto maple leafs #ottawa senators #montreal canadiens #minnesota wild #chicago blackhawks #new york rangers #new jersey devils #new york islanders #vegas golden knights #st louis blues

[tessisawriter]

One-Shots Playlist

Since Tumblr has that weird rule where they remove your fic if it has an external link, I’m linking all of the songs that inspired my one-shots in one post. The songs appear in the same order as their corresponding fics do on the masterlist. Each song is listed alongside the name of the player who the fic is about (and the fic’s title if it differs from the song title). Any imagine related to a song on this list will have a link to this post in the author’s note (A/N).

War of Hearts by Ruelle (Sebastian Aho: Promises) Sucker Punch by Sigrid (Sebastian Aho: Red Hoodies)

Me & You Together Song by The 1975 (Freddie Andersen: In Love for Ages)

It’s Nice To Have A Friend by Taylor Swift (Tyson Barrie: My North Star)

You Belong With Me (Taylor’s Version) by Taylor Swift and Never Let You Go by Justin Bieber (Mat Barzal: Love and Karaoke)

Bad Time by Sabrina Carpenter (Mat Barzal)

Dynamite by Sigrid (Mat Barzal: Rip Off the Band Aid)

Gorgeous by Taylor Swift (Mat Barzal)

All You Had To Do Was Stay (Taylor’s Version) by Taylor Swift (Mat Barzal)

Strange by Gabrielle Aplin (Mat Barzal: Through the Flames)

Storm by Ruelle (Brock Boeser: Worth the Risk)

Don’t Worry Bout Me by Zara Larsson (Jack Hughes)

If It Makes You Happy by Sheryl Crow (Tyson Jost)

Venice Bitch by Lana Del Rey (Clayton Keller: Number One)

Losing Me by Gabrielle Aplin ft. JP Cooper (Adrian Kempe: Not Losing Me)

Expectations by Lauren Jauregui (Travis Konecny: Under Pressure)

Don’t Delete the Kisses by Wolf Alice (Travis Konecny)

Drummer Boy by MisterWives (Cale Makar: No Matter What)

Eye of Your Storm by Kyler England (Mitch Marner: In This Together)

Peace by Taylor Swift (Nolan Patrick: Weathering the Storm)

Night Changes by One Direction (Elias Pettersson)

Back to You by Selena Gomez (Morgan Rielly: Unfinished Business)

On Your Side by Gabe Dixon (Andrei Svechnikov)

Break My Heart by Dua Lipa (Andrei Svechnikov)

Love Back by Gabrielle Aplin (Alex Turcotte)

#one-shot playlist #tess talk #masterlist

[hockeylvr59]

Here With Me Part 31 || Taylor Makar

Author’s Note: The Makars + Kelsey head to the family lake house to start off their week there. Cribbage is not Kelsey's game... FC: Marina Laswick (@marooshk on instagram).

Author's Note 2: IT'S TAYLOR'S BIRTHDAY! And that deserves a new chapter.

Warnings: relationship tension, awkwardness // Word Count: 6,734

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Thirty

When Kelsey awoke it was to Taylor’s lips pressing featherlight kisses to her forehead as she slept snuggled into his chest. Blinking away sleep, she gazed up at him as he peered down at her with warm grey eyes. 

“Morning.” He mumbled. “Must have worn you out yesterday.” 

“What time is it?” Kelsey asked, not ready to make the effort to move to look at a clock. 

“Like 9.” Taylor replied. 

For Kelsey that was definitely late but yesterday had been exhausting both physically and mentally. Sighing softly, Kelsey stretched against him, attempting to coax her body into regaining function. 

“Guess we should get up.” She murmured reluctantly, not really ready to leave the confines of his warm embrace. 

“Can cuddle for a few more minutes.” Taylor assured her, his fingers brushing through her slightly tangled hair. Nodding, Kelsey hugged him tighter and relaxed against him basking in the stolen moments before facing the world. 

Eventually though her bladder also woke up and Kelsey groaned as she pried herself off of him needing to throw on clothes to head to the bathroom and get ready for the day. 

Running through her usual morning routine, Kelsey put on a light coat of makeup and brushed her hair before throwing on a t-shirt and a pair of shorts even though if today was anything like yesterday she was going to end up a little bit cold. She hadn’t expected temperatures to be this low when she had packed. 

Once she was as ready as she could be, she made sure her suitcase was organized and moved it to the top of the stairs to take down when she went. With Taylor in the bathroom shaving as she had requested, Kelsey popped her head in to see if he needed her help with anything. Assured that he had it under control, Kelsey stole a kiss on his cheek before gathering her things and heading down to see if there was anything she could help his parents with, be it breakfast or loading a car. 

“Good morning.” Laura greeted her warmly the second Kelsey stepped into the kitchen. “You guys slept in. Your hike yesterday must have worn you both out.” 

“Guess so.” Kelsey shrugged. “I hope it’s okay we slept in.” 

Immediately, Laura shook her head and laughed softly. 

“Kelsey, you’re on vacation hun, of course it’s okay you weren’t up with the sun. We aren’t on any strict time frames. Make yourself a cup of coffee and relax.” 

“I’m okay. What can I help with?” Kelsey inquired. 

“Nothing right now.” Laura assured her. “Have a cup of coffee and help yourself to whatever you can find for breakfast.” 

Nodding because she wasn’t about to fight with Taylor’s mom about this, Kelsey got herself a mug from the cabinet she’d learned held them and picked out a coffee pod, starting it in the keurig. Then she returned to the fridge which was basically bare and cabinets trying to find something to eat. Spotting a gluten free pancake mix, Kelsey pulled it from the cabinet and cross checked the required ingredients with what was left in the fridge finding that yes there were enough eggs for her to make up a batch. 

Cracking the eggs and adding the oil and water, Kelsey measured out the pancake mix and whisked it together before pulling out a pan and spatula. While the pan got hot, she sipped at her coffee, jumping when a pair of arms slid around her waist from behind. 

“What’cha making?” Taylor asked as her body unconsciously relaxed back against him. 

“Pancakes for us. I’m assuming your parents already ate.” Kelsey murmured, scooping a bit of batter into the pan to start sizzling away. Flipping them as needed, Kelsey went through the bowl of batter forming a plate of golden brown pancakes next to the stove while Taylor watched. 

The fact that she had come downstairs on her own knowing his parents were probably up and the fact that she had felt comfortable enough to dig through cabinets and start cooking breakfast had him looking at her with extra fond eyes. He wanted her to feel comfortable here and this was the first morning she seemed to be truly at ease, just being the girl he was in love with without the tension and stress that had plagued her all week. 

As she finished up the last of the pancakes, Taylor stepped away to pull maple syrup from the fridge along with some butter, placing both on the kitchen island. Then he proceeded to start a cup of coffee for himself before rinsing the dishes Kelsey had used. Together, they sat on the barstools at the kitchen island and divided up the pancakes before topping them to their preferences. While they ate, Taylor’s knee bumped against Kelsey’s causing her to smile. 

By the time they had finished and had hand washed all the dishes, Gary had popped in three times, greeting them good morning but clearly waiting for his son to be finished to be put to work. When he swung back into the kitchen a fourth time, Taylor could only roll his eyes in amusement, having observed the same thing. 

“So I figure we’re taking separate cars since you and Kelsey will be coming back Friday for the wedding.” Gary declared.

“Fine by me.” Taylor agreed as Laura also joined them in the kitchen, now dressed and looking like she was ready to hit the road. “I was wanting to show Kels Lundbreck Falls on the way so that way you guys won’t have to stop if you don’t want to.” 

“We haven’t stopped there in a while have we?” Laura inquired. “That actually sounds like a really nice idea.” 

Taylor shrugged in response while Kelsey attempted to downplay her confusion. She assumed Taylor was talking about a waterfall but beyond that she knew nothing. But she was along for the ride so whatever stops they made along the way she was fine with. 

First though they had to get the cars loaded, so Kelsey finished off her coffee before washing her mug, ready to carry her bag out to whichever car it was going in. 

Despite the insistence by all that Taylor could handle loading the cars, Kelsey refused to let him do it all, instead toting cases of water and alcohol and bags of non-perishable food that had been bought to take down as well as her own bag. Filling up water bottles for the drive and grabbing some light snacks, Kelsey filled the passenger compartment of Taylor’s relatively nice beater. 

With both cars ready to go, Taylor chatted with his parents about the trip and how they’d meet at the falls in about two hours. Using the bathroom before they left, the house was locked up and they headed to their respective cars with Laura directing Taylor to drive safe. Taylor programmed the gps on his phone and got a playlist going before backing out of the driveway once his parents had left from behind him. 

Before fully leaving Calgary, Taylor stopped for gas but then they were on their way, views of the city and its suburbs turning into countryside with every kilometer.

“Do you need the heat or seat warmers on Kels?” Taylor asked about thirty minutes after leaving his parents house. 

“A little more heat couldn’t hurt.” Kelsey agreed softly. “But focus on the road not on me.” She added as he fiddled with the heat dials to direct some warm air into the compartment. 

There was nothing but farmland as far as the eye could see and Taylor joked that the drive would get more interesting…eventually. 

Eventually still hadn’t come by the time he took an exit ramp two hours into their trip. It was maybe a minute later when he pulled into a parking lot next to his parents car and turned the vehicle off. 

Climbing out, Kelsey heard the sound of fast running water while she stretched. After doing the same, his shirt rising to reveal a peek of abdominal muscles that made Kelsey a bit weak, Taylor took her hand and guided her toward the sound. After just a few steps, the reason they had stopped here came into focus. Two forty foot waterfalls appeared in front of them and Kelsey could only smile. Given the surrounding geography she certainly hadn’t expected this. The sound alone was serene and Kelsey closed her eyes for a moment just taking it in. 

“Worth the stop?” Taylor whispered to her, a smile present in his voice as he squeezed her hand. 

“Yeah.” Kelsey agreed, opening her eyes once more to look around. 

“C’mon. Let’s go down below.” Taylor directed, gently tugging her along the path to a set of steps that descended. As they reached the bottom, Kelsey spotted Taylor’s parents also taking in this change of viewpoint. If it was possible, it was even prettier from down here and Kelsey’s smile only grew. 

While Taylor chatted with his parents about how the drive had been so far, Kelsey pulled out her phone to take a few pictures of the falls. Repocketing the device, she leaned into Taylor’s body for a moment before following after him as he started walking around the rocky area bordering the river that created the falls. Each time he stopped to take something in, he pulled her against him and Kelsey hugged him tight just enjoying his touch.

After exploring and taking it all in, they started to head back to the stairs to return to the cars when Laura stopped them. 

“Let me get a picture of you two before we go.” 

The request caught Kelsey off guard, but Taylor didn’t seem opposed so she just wrapped an arm around him before smiling for his mom’s camera. Looking at the pictures, Laura seemed pleased and nodded at them that they could move now. 

Having climbed the stairs back to the parking lot, Kelsey spotted the bathrooms and declared that she was going to go before they got back on the road. Since Laura and Gary had gone when they arrived, they decided that they would just get back on the road and would see them at the lake house after stopping for some groceries since Taylor had a key. Once Kelsey and Taylor had both emptied their bladders, they climbed back in the car and Taylor adjusted the gps for the address of the lake house. 

The drive started the same as it had been but it quickly became clear that they were approaching a more mountainous area as the terrain changed. As quickly as they started driving through trees instead of fields, the roadside in front of them turned to rock on either side. 

“What’s up with that?” Kelsey murmured. 

“There was a rockslide a long time ago. Killed and buried like a hundred people.” Taylor explained. 

“Mother nature can be brutal.” Kelsey acknowledged,  but it was crazy to think that all of this rock was from that. What it must have been like to be nearby when that happened. 

As they continued driving, Kelsey snacked and sipped at her water just taking in the views around her. Mountains, lakes, and numerous trees were a stark contrast to the first half of the drive. After that it wasn’t long before they crossed the border from Alberta to British Columbia and Taylor informed her that they had about an hour left. 

While he’d been fidgety the whole drive, now Kelsey could tell that he was starting to get excited too. Resting her palm on his thigh she looked at him and took in the change in his body language.

“I can’t wait to show you the lake.” He grinned. “You’re gonna love the stars.” 

The closer they got, the more Taylor told her about the lake house and the memories his family had made there. With the way he talked, Kelsey could tell it was a really important place to him and that he was eager to arrive. 

Thankfully, it wasn’t much longer until he was turning off the road they’d been on for the last hour and a half and the gps signaled that they were less than 5 minutes away from their destination. As he pulled into the driveway, a cute grey house appeared in front of them. 

“We’re here.” He declared, putting the car into park. Gathering her water bottle and purse and the snacks and trash from at her feet, Kelsey climbed out of the car. Taylor was waiting for her just a few steps away and she followed him up to the front door, waiting for him to slot the key into the lock to let them in. 

As the door opened, Kelsey was greeted by light floors, light walls, and dark kitchen cabinets. Stepping forward, she set everything down onto the countertop beside her before continuing to look around. In front of her was clearly a combined dining and living space. A few other doors led to what she assumed were bedrooms or bathrooms or something. 

“Gonna open a few windows to let some fresh air in.” Taylor declared, “but the bathroom is second door on the right.” 

Nodding, Kelsey moved to use the bathroom given all the water she drank in the car. When she was finished and had washed her hands, Taylor used the bathroom as well before they headed back outside to bring their bags and everything else that had been loaded into their car inside. 

Initially, everything just landed in the kitchen until it was all inside and Taylor could provide further directions on which room was theirs and where things needed to go. Kelsey assumed some drinks would go in the fridge and some would go elsewhere but until that was confirmed she just waited. She also needed Taylor to direct her to where the kitchen trash was to clean up their mess from the car. 

After closing the trunk and locking the car, Taylor came back inside and moved to grab both his bag and hers. 

“Our room.” He declared, tilting his head in a c’mon motion as he walked around the island to the door immediately on the left and across from the bathroom. It was a typical bedroom with a closet, bed, two nightstands, and a small dresser. Plopping their bags down on the floor near the bed covered in a navy comforter, Taylor turned to her. 

“Let’s put the rest of the stuff away and then I’ll give you a tour.” 

Returning to the kitchen, Taylor and Kelsey worked their way through the things that had been packed in their car, popping some of the alcohol and sports drinks in the fridge before stashing the rest past the first door off the kitchen which was a utility room/storage closet. After being directed to where trash bags were stored and the trash can was located, Kelsey put a bag in the can and disposed of the trash from their trip. It didn’t take long for them to put everything else away in its proper place so Laura and Gary didn’t trip over it all when they arrived. 

“Do I get the tour now?” Kelsey questioned. 

“You’ve seen the kitchen, storage, bathroom, our room.” Taylor declared, pointing as he started walking through the house. “Dining table is small but pulls out. Living room. Cale and Tracy’s room. Back deck.” Following him, Kelsey took in everything he pointed out, looking outside at the large back deck. 

Instead of going outside though, Taylor turned around and headed back toward where their bedroom door was. Trailing behind, Kelsey descended the steps as Taylor pointed out his parents door at the bottom of the stairs. To the right was another living room with a large TV mounted on the wall and a plush couch alongside the glass fireplace with another bathroom tucked underneath the stairs. 

Opening the door leading outside from downstairs, Taylor motioned for her to come out with him. Outside was a patio with outdoor furniture that just needed cushions and a fire pit. And as she stepped outside, Kelsey could see the glimmers of water reflecting off the lake from approximately 40 yards ahead of her as the yard gradually sloped down, turning to rock before meeting the water’s edge. There were trees blocking the view of the lake from being fully clear across her periphery, however, from here she could see the dock poking out into blue water. 

Feeling drawn to it, Kelsey padded down the pathway toward the dock, Taylor now following her lead. As she got past all the trees the lake as a whole opened up to her and Kelsey could only smile. No wonder Taylor liked it so much here. There was something about the clean air and sound of the water lapping gently against the rocky shore that felt serene and simple and pulled the tension from her body. 

After a moment, Taylor’s arms wrapped around her waist from behind and Kelsey sank back against him, bodies pressed close, her head resting back against his shoulder as she traced patterns along his forearm. These were the special moments, the ones where neither needed to speak in order to communicate. The ones where Kelsey could feel how much he loves her just through the easy stillness of his usually restless body, the secure but gentle way he held her. 

Her trip had been so chaotic the first few days but all of it was worth it to have moments like this with him. She’d travel to the bottom of the ocean or to mars for moments like this. 

Though she wasn’t sure how long they stood there just looking out at the lake and enjoying each other, it had to have been at least 10-15 minutes. They probably could have stood there longer if it weren’t for the breeze coming across the lake that made a cooler summer day feel chilly. Sensing that even Taylor was cold, Kelsey twisted herself in his arms, pressing up a bit to kiss him deeply, her fingers brushing against his jaw. 

His fingers, in turn, grazed along her lower back as he kissed back and when they were both semi breathless they broke the kiss, making their way back up to the house to close the windows that had been opened and hopefully warm up a bit. 

Stepping inside, it was clear that Taylor’s parents had also arrived as footfalls echoed from upstairs. Following the sound, they headed back up and greeted his parents who by the looks of it had already taken care of the windows, unpacked everything, and were starting on dinner. While Taylor helped his dad with cleaning and starting up the grill, Kelsey offered her assistance to his mom in seasoning and preparing the food. 

Passing the food off to the boys, they grabbed drinks and headed onto the deck where there was a table and chairs for eating but also another seating area. Popping open a cooler, Kelsey sank into one of the more comfortable seats and pulled her legs up under her, having taken her shoes off while inside. It was cool but otherwise a beautiful evening and Kelsey could only smile fondly, watching Taylor talk animatedly with his dad while the food cooked. 

“How are you feeling after today Kelsey?” Laura questioned, looking over at her from the chair beside her. 

“Glad to be out of the car. Excited to see why Tay loves this place so much.” Kelsey shrugged. 

“You could probably tell Tay doesn’t do much driving.” Laura teased. 

“He was fidgety the whole time but beyond that fine.” Kelsey assured her. “Even if he doesn’t drive much he’s not a bad driver. Just a long drive and I’m used to doing the driving.” She clarified before taking another sip of her drink. 

“My boys never could sit still.” Laura admitted. “Hence why Tay has taken over the grilling.” 

“He grilled when we went to Connecticut for a weekend, it was good.” Kelsey said. 

"He definitely seems to enjoy it." Laura declared.

"Well I enjoy it too. He can cook for me any day." Kelsey replied, laughing softly. “One of the things that tells me he was raised right.” 

“Don’t give me too much credit. I think he only knows how to grill, steam broccoli, and cook eggs.” 

“He’s made me homemade mac and cheese and we cook together somewhat regularly so he’s got a few more cooking skills than that.” Kelsey insisted, causing Laura to nod thoughtfully. 

“Food’s up ladies.” Gary called as Taylor worked to pull all the food from the grill. Grabbing her can, Kelsey moved from her chair to one of the ones around the outdoor dining table. Gary brought over plates and silverware from inside while Taylor brought the food and Kelsey breathed in the smell wafting from the tray. Delicious. 

“Looks and smells fantastic T.” She murmured, wanting her boyfriend to know she appreciated his efforts. His cheeks turned a bit pink but his expression was proud as he settled into the seat beside her. 

Once everyone had gotten a portion, they dug in and though it wasn’t a complex meal it absolutely hit the spot after a long day. 

“So are you up for some board games after dinner Kelsey?” Gary questioned lightly. 

“Sure.” Kelsey agreed, unsure of what exactly he had in mind but willing to go along with it. 

“Have you ever played cribbage?” Though Gary asked the question, it didn’t even need to be answered as Kelsey’s face morphed into confusion, never having even heard of it before. “Well then we’ll just have to teach you.” 

Popping another bite of food into her mouth, Kelsey nodded. If they were willing to try to teach her she was willing to try to learn. 

“Sounds good.” She verbalized once she had finished chewing. 

Light conversation continued while they ate and Kelsey nudged Taylor’s foot occasionally, keeping some level of contact with her boyfriend through the rest of dinner. 

When plates were cleared, Kelsey offered to do the dishes. After all, the closer the sun came to setting, the cooler it felt and Kelsey fought back shivers as goosebumps covered her arms. 

Heading inside, Taylor followed after her, carrying the rest of the dishes before starting to set up the indoor table for games while his dad cleaned the grill for later use and his mom meandered her way in.  It didn’t take long for Kelsey to load everything into the dishwasher and by the time she had finished and used the bathroom, everyone was waiting for her to join them, a fire burning in the gas fireplace to take some of the chill off the room. 

Sinking into the chair next to Taylor, Kelsey looked at the game set up in front of her. There was a deck of cards and a board with pegs. As Taylor dealt out cards, Gary started explaining the ultimate goal of the game, what cards were worth, and scoring. And though she was paying attention, it all went right over her head, making absolutely no sense. 

“Once we start playing it’ll be clearer and with 4 people you play with partners so I’ll walk you through it.” Gary assured her from his seat across from her. 

Taking his word for it, Kelsey took her cards and did with them as directed, playing what she was told by either Taylor from beside her or Gary from across from her as they went around the table. Still, her eyes were glazed with confusion as she had no idea what was happening or why even as they explained it. Game play changed though she once again had no idea why and still had no idea what anything was worth. Looking at her hand Gary explained what it was worth and why as he moved the scoring pegs but there was no way Kelsey would be able to figure it out on her own. 

It seemed so easy to the rest of them and Kelsey frankly felt stupid for not understanding. It wasn’t a feeling she was used to having and she took a steadying breath to try to prevent herself from getting worked up. 

With a few more pegs being moved for reasons Kelsey couldn’t identify, the deal shifted to Laura and it all started over again. Attempting to play a card on her own, Gary quickly corrected her and Kelsey let out a silent sigh before nodding and playing the card she was instructed to. Why couldn’t she play the card she had picked out? The whole point of the game made absolutely no sense to her. 

But she didn’t say anything, letting them tell her what to play and what not to play and score for her as her confusion continued and she stared blankly at the cards. She wanted to understand but no matter how hard she tried it just didn’t make sense. Feeling tears well in her eyes, Kelsey pushed her chair back and stood up from the table. 

“Gonna get water, just play for me.” She mumbled. Wasn’t like she had really been playing for herself anyway. Unfortunately the kitchen was literally right there so they could still see her as she made her way toward the cabinets and fridge to get a glass with ice and water. Closing her eyes to blink the tears back while ice filled her cup, Kelsey took a deep breath and then switched to filling it with water. The game had to end eventually right? And then she could maybe suggest playing something else. Something that didn’t make her feel like an utter moron. 

Gulping water down, Kelsey topped off the glass before turning to the table and sinking into her seat. As soon as she did, Taylor’s hand dropped to her thigh, his thumb rubbing back and forth slightly. 

“Count is 18 Kels.” Taylor murmured. 

Sighing, Kelsey moved to play a random card because she was past the point of understanding anything. 

“You should play the 7 instead.” Gary directed. “You’ll get points for a pair.” 

Without saying a word. Kelsey played the seven and diverted her gaze to the fireplace watching the flames flicker and praying that the game would be over soon. 

When it came back around to her, Kelsey tried to play another card only to be told she could only play the 2 without going over 31. Pegs continued to move and Kelsey let Gary count her cards not even attempting to understand where he got the point count he did anymore. 

As she dealt the cards for the next round, Kelsey could only hope that this would be the last one. She didn’t even care who won at this point. She was literally just going through the motions to get the game over with. 

Hearing “that’s game” as Gary moved pegs was the biggest relief and Kelsey reached to help gather the cards as Gary put the pegs and board away. 

“Alright. You guys can go do whatever.” Gary declared drawing another look of confusion from Kelsey. 

“We can play a different game.” Kelsey whispered. 

“T can show you the cabinet and you can pick something out.” Laura agreed as she got up from her own chair heading toward the bathroom. 

The cabinet in question was only a few steps away from the dining table in the living room and Taylor opened its doors to reveal their collection of games before stepping aside. Kelsey couldn’t fully read his body language but she wouldn’t be surprised if he was disappointed with her. 

“I’m sorry I’m too stupid to understand cribbage.” She whispered. “I really tried to get it.” 

Looking through the game boxes, Kelsey pulled out Catan though it was unclear if anyone actually still wanted to play games or not. She and Taylor had played a two person version when they were in Connecticut so even if the 4 person version was slightly different, it was the same overall concept. 

Returning to the table, she started to set the board up, arranging the tiles, getting the dice ready, and doling out pieces by color. Then she sipped at her water while taking calming breaths while she waited to see if everyone would return. 

After a few minutes Laura and Gary returned to the table calling for Taylor to come join them. Refreshing themselves on the rules quickly, they rolled a die to see who would go first before starting gameplay. Getting their initial pieces on the board they went around the table, rolling dice and collecting resources. It was amazing how much more fun a game was when you understood how to play it even if you weren’t winning. 

Early on it seemed like Gary was going to kick all their asses to the point that Laura and Kelsey began refusing to trade with him. Given that Taylor was still basically silent that meant Gary no longer had anyone to trade with and his progress slowed. He was still just as chatty though, making up for the fact that Taylor was quiet. As the game progressed it became clear that Gary wasn’t the one they should have been worried about. Despite making no trades, Taylor won the game handily. 

Now that Kelsey understood their strategies better she could adapt her own. As such, she suggested they could play again if everyone was down. 

Hearing no complaints, they cleared the board to restart, rerolling the die to determine order and setting up their starting positions. When Taylor still got one of the prime starting locations Kelsey mentally sighed. He was going to kick their asses without saying a word again wasn’t he? 

Glancing over at him while they played revealed a determined look on his face but beneath that his expression was blank. He still hadn’t said a word to her since they finished that awful game of crib and she knew that he wasn’t happy with her. That all her efforts to not create drama and have a good day had failed because of her inability to understand a freaking game. Her stupidity. 

Though her stomach was swirling, Kelsey tried to keep things light, focusing on the game and at least not coming in last. Once they were alone, she could try to figure things out with Taylor. 

As their second game progressed it seemed like Gary might take this one but at the last minute, Taylor swooped in and stole the game out from under him making him the ultimate victor of the night. 

“I think I’m going to go take a shower if that’s alright with everyone.” Kelsey declared, not really wanting to play anymore given Taylor’s silence. 

After helping to clean up, Kelsey moved to get pajamas and her personal products before retreating to the bathroom, towel in hand. Not bothering to turn the water temperature up much past freezing, Kelsey undressed and climbed underneath the spray. In a way it felt like penance for once again messing things up. 

At the same time, Laura had pulled Taylor downstairs and was hugging her baby who had been unusually quiet for the last few hours. 

“What’s wrong Tay?” She questioned gently. 

“Just frustrated.” Taylor said, fatigue in his voice. 

“What are you frustrated by?” Laura pressed. 

“Just…everyday something else comes up with Kels.” 

Laura didn’t reply, instead rubbing her hand up and down Taylor’s back until he moved to pull back. 

“I’m just tired of it.” Taylor said. 

When Taylor didn’t say anything more, Laura spoke softly. 

“How can I help?” 

“Tell Kelsey I just need like a half hour alone to regroup and then we can talk?” 

“I can do that.” Laura declared, giving Taylor one more squeeze before heading back upstairs to wait for Kelsey to finish her shower. 

By the time Kelsey got out of the shower she was chilled to the bone and had cried all she could cry. Neither the towel nor her thin summer pajamas did much to warm her but as she went about her normal evening routine she did her best to block it all out and cover the signs of crying, not wanting Taylor to know. 

Except as she exited the bathroom, Taylor wasn’t anywhere upstairs. Instead, Laura was the only one she could see, standing at the kitchen counter putting water into an electric kettle.

“I was going to make tea, join me for a cup?” Laura requested. “Taylor is downstairs, he just needs a few minutes.” 

Kelsey really didn’t want to deal with Taylor’s mom alone but a nagging voice in her head was screaming ‘DON’T CREATE ANY MORE DRAMA!’ 

So instead of the ‘no thanks’ that she wanted to say, a meek ‘sure’ spilled from her lips as she passed into her and Taylor’s room to put her things back in her bag. Taking a deep breath she steeled herself to return, standing on the opposite side of the island from Laura as she pulled down two mugs from the cabinets. 

From downstairs, Kelsey could hear the sound of video games. It didn’t take a genius to figure out what Taylor was doing. 

“What kind of tea would you like Kelsey?” Laura asked as the kettle started to boil beside her. 

“Doesn’t matter.” Kelsey shrugged. “Long as it doesn’t have a crazy amount of caffeine.” 

After putting a tea bag in the mug and pouring water over it, Laura slid it and a spoon across the island. 

“It’s a sleepytime blend.” Laura said. “Sugar is in the corner and milk in the fridge if you want either.” 

Nodding, Kelsey just stirred the spoon in the mug aimlessly as the color grew darker. 

After a moment Laura moved toward the living room and Kelsey followed after tossing her tea bag, relieved to see the fireplace was still going and picking the spot on the couch closest to it, her skin aching for any warmth just as her hands had with the mug. 

“How are you settling in Kelsey?” Laura asked after a moment from the chair across the room.

“Fine.” Kelsey murmured over the rim of her mug as she blew on the liquid inside. 

“Just let me know if there’s anything at all you need.” Laura urged. 

Nodding her head once, Kelsey let her gaze drop to the flickering of the fire beside her. 

“When are Cale and Tracy coming?” Kelsey asked softly after a few minutes as the question came to mind. 

“Last I talked to them they were planning to be here mid afternoon tomorrow.” Laura replied. “I was told to plan on them for dinner.” 

Though she had secretly been hoping for more time, another few days would be ideal, at least she could attempt to mentally prepare for more of Taylor’s family in this enclosed space. 

“Okay.” She murmured, taking a sip of her tea now that it had started to cool. 

As Kelsey stared off into the flames again, the volume from the tv downstairs disappeared and Taylor’s footsteps echoed as he climbed the steps slowly. She didn’t dare look up but after a minute the other end of the couch dipped and Kelsey felt Taylor’s hand graze over the foot she had tucked underneath herself. It wasn’t much…but it was something. 

Knowing that Taylor wouldn’t want to get into anything while his mom was in the room, Kelsey just focused on drinking her tea and trying to keep her heart from beating out of her chest. She just wished she knew what Taylor was thinking, how mad he was at her for everything that had happened. 

Eventually, movement from across the room caused Kelsey to look up and she watched as Laura took her mug to the kitchen, placing it into the dishwasher before she returned to the living room. 

“I’m going to head to bed but if you need anything just come get me.” She stated, though Kelsey wasn’t sure who that was directed to more, her or Taylor. 

Though Kelsey expected Laura to approach to hug Taylor goodnight, Laura first appeared in front of her, bending over and opening her arms for a hug. It was not something Kelsey was prepared for but she complied, allowing Laura to hug her. Releasing the hug, Laura moved to Taylor who had stood for his mom, wrapping his arms around her and accepting her kiss on his cheek. 

Biting her lip at the affection they expressed, Kelsey got up from the couch to go put her own mug in the dishwasher. She was fairly certain her own mom had never hugged her like that, not even when she was little. 

Murmuring goodnight as Laura headed downstairs, Kelsey looked over at Taylor, unsure of what would happen now. 

“Want to talk?” He questioned, the sound of his voice almost jarring after hours of silence. 

“Yeah…” Kelsey nodded, moving back towards the couch and Taylor where it was warmer. “Again…I’m sorry I’m stupid…” 

“It’s my fault.” Taylor replied. “I guess I wasn’t fully prepared to help you adjust to everything and it got overwhelming.” 

That was not at all what Kelsey had expected him to say and she twisted her torso a bit to face him from where she had buried herself into the corner of the couch. 

“So you’re not mad at me?” That wasn’t what she expected to say either but the words slipped out before she could stop them. 

“Kels…” Taylor breathed. “No, I'm not mad at you. Come here.” As she shifted out of the corner, Taylor’s arm draped across her shoulders. “It’s just frustrating that you’re still struggling to relax here even though I know you’re trying...that’s all.” 

“So we’re okay?” Kelsey questioned, chewing on her lower lip again. “Because I know I’ve been causing you stress but I’m trying not to…” 

“We’re okay.” Taylor affirmed. “I just got overwhelmed. But I played Mario Kart for a few and it’s all good now.” His thumb brushed over her upper arm as he spoke and Kelsey closed her eyes, basking in his touch. 

“All you have to do is tell me if you need some time alone, Tay. I get it.” Kelsey breathed. “We just need to remember to communicate.” 

“I promise I will.” Taylor declared. “So long as you come talk to me if something is bothering you.” 

“Ok.” Kelsey agreed. “But I’m okay now that we’re okay.” 

Kissing her head, Taylor shifted to lounge more against the corner of the couch pulling her with him and tucking her against his side fully. 

“I love you Tay.” She whispered, her fingers playing with his as he held her. “And I am happy I’m here with you.” 

“Love you too Kels.” Taylor echoed, giving her a little squeeze that told her he was happy she was here too. 

After cuddling for another 15-20 minutes, Taylor nosed her head. 

“I should get a shower before bed.” 

As much as she didn’t want to get up, she wasn’t going to begrudge him that, so she shifted away allowing him to stand. 

“Okay. I’m probably going to head in to meditate and settle in bed.” 

While Taylor got his things for a shower, Kelsey got water to take to bed. Given everything, Kelsey could use the time with a centering meditation to fortify her. 

By the time she had finished, so had Taylor and as he handled his things, she pulled the blankets back on the bed for them to slide under the covers. Sinking into bed herself, she waited for him to approach before opening her arms. 

“Can I hold you?” She questioned softly. It wasn’t something they had done before, he was always the one holding her, but tonight Kelsey needed to feel him in her arms instead of the other way around. 

Nodding, Taylor slid in beside her and laid down with his back toward her before snuggling back into her arms. Cradling his body, Kelsey wrapped an arm around his side, holding him to her as she breathed into his shoulder blade. 

And either Taylor was exhausted or he enjoyed being held like this because it wasn’t long before his open mouth breathing filled her ears signaling he’d already fallen asleep. 

Focusing on his scent, Kelsey also found herself drifting off, her body finally filling with warmth once again.

#taylor makar #taylor makar imagine #colorado avalanche #colorado avalanche imagine #hockey imagines #hockey imagine #nhl imagines #nhl imagine #cavalanche #046

[hockeylvr59]

Having Patience Part 4 || Taylor Makar

Authors Note: Finally got enough muse bottled up to sit and write something on my day off and Taylor and Pat won the battle of the wips. Getting closer to Pat in the Stanley Cup but this chapter got a little out of hand and a hell of a lot happens between the end of the Conference finals and the avs winning the cup so we're just gonna spread out the happiness and milestones.

Warnings: cursing // Word Count: 5,179

~~~

It wasn’t long before Taylor’s freshman season came to an end. He didn’t play at all down the home stretch or in the playoffs and as much as he tried not to let it get him down he couldn’t help but be frustrated. He’d come home after practice and just cuddle Pat, letting her solid little body soothe some of the aches he was feeling knowing he could do more but not able to take that next step without opportunity. 

The bright side of hockey being over for the season was that it gave Taylor more time to spend with his daughter watching her crawl all over the house, learn little syllables like ‘ba’ to ask for a bottle, ‘mam’ when she wanted her grandma, and sometimes the occasional ‘da’. The first time Taylor had heard it he nearly cried and it was one of those little moments where it washed over him that yeah he was this little girl’s dad.

Hockey ending also meant that finals weren’t far behind and Taylor was determined to do better this semester than he had the last, to make Pat proud of him for something at least. Thankfully finals had gone by easier than midterms. Though Pat had been teething a bit, it was fussing rather than screams and with some baby oragel she slept decently.

Before he knew it, his mom had headed home before him and Taylor was packing up their lives to follow, taking Pat home to Calgary for the summer. Before Pat, traveling had been easy, most of his things were in Calgary anyway so all he had to do was throw some clothes in a bag plus hygiene products and his favorite tech and he was good to go. Now though, now he had to ensure that all of her favorite toys made the journey, that the clothes he picked to take for her weren’t ones she had essentially already grown out of, that they had enough wipes and diapers to get them by until he could get to the store, and that in addition to her usual diaper bag features, there were extra bottles made for her to drink at the airport or on the plane when she got hungry along with her favorite puffs to snack on. 

By the time he had everything essentially ready the night before their flight, he was exhausted and he knew that if Pat let him he would sleep well tonight. 

Thankfully she slept most of the night and after an early breakfast and some play time with her crawling around like crazy, they loaded up the cab that Laura had helped prearrange to take them to the airport. 

“Ready to go see Uncle Cale and then go home?” Taylor asked Pat as she blinked at him from her seat while playing with her little mirror attachment. 

He was hoping he could keep her awake until they got on their flight but at this rate it wasn’t looking like she would even make it to the airport. Despite his best efforts she was in fact asleep by the time they reached the airport and after managing to drag her through security to their gate to Denver, Taylor lifted her out of her seat letting her stretch out against his chest in her sleep. 

By the time they boarded she was awake once again and Taylor got her to drink a bottle as they took off so that her ears would pop properly keeping her from being absolutely miserable. 

****

Landing in Denver, Taylor juggled Patience in one arm with his backpack on his back and Pat’s diaper bag perched precariously in the empty car seat. Already he was figuring out how he was going to juggle additional bags with Pat refusing to let him put her down when he spotted his brother off in a corner of baggage claim, hat pulled low over his face. 

He’d told Cale he didn’t need to come get them but Cale was between playoff series and insisted on meeting them at the airport. 

And now Taylor was extremely grateful. Traveling with an infant was seriously no joke. Moving toward his brother as bags weren’t out just yet, Taylor dropped everything in the arm not holding Pat and moved to hug his brother. 

“Gimme the cutie.” Cale demanded immediately, causing Taylor to chuckle. Cale hadn’t seen her since Christmas when she was six months old so Taylor wasn’t surprised he wanted to see his now ten and a half month old niece. 

“Uncle Cale is going to hold you now.” Taylor told Pat, bouncing her for a moment before letting his older brother take her. She made a face for a moment like uh what the hell dad before she noticed Cale’s rosy cheeks and immediately reached to smack them softly. 

With his infant occupied by her Uncle for the moment Taylor declared that he was going to the bathroom real quick because his bladder was about to explode. By the time he came out, bags from his flight were starting to filter down baggage claim and so Taylor grabbed a spot keeping his eyes peeled for the large equipment bag, bundle of sticks and two suitcases that he’d checked. It had certainly been a time getting into the airport but at least now he had a second pair of hands. 

Grabbing all their things he returned to Cale’s side organizing everything for easy wheeling before asking if Cale was ready to go. 

“Dude did you bring the whole house?” Cale questioned looking at the mountain of bags before him. 

“Trust me it was hard pairing it down to this. Traveling with an infant is no joke.” Taylor murmured. “But seriously can we get to the car, I’m sure Pat could use a diaper change and a snack and she’s going to get cranky if we don’t get her somewhere she can move soon.” 

Practically on cue, Pat squirmed in her uncle’s arms like put me down now. It was hard for the newly mobile infant to stay still as long as she had and Taylor was certain she was going to throw a fit when he tried to put her back in her car seat. With Cale’s agreement, he handed Pat back to her dad before reaching to take as many of the bags as he could off of Taylor’s hands. 

“Why didn’t you just overnight ship some of this stuff?” Cale asked. “Like at least your gear and sticks.” 

Taylor didn’t have an answer for that other than he just hadn’t thought of it and he shrugged. 

“Before I bring you back to the airport tomorrow we’re shipping your gear home so you don’t have to take it on the plane.” Cale declared adjusting the gear bag on his shoulder and shaking his head in a way that said Taylor was insane. 

While Cale loaded the car, Taylor laid a squirmy Pat on the backseat, holding her in place with one hand while digging out a fresh diaper and wipes from her diaper bag. 

“C’mon Pat lay still.” He murmured softly. “You know a fresh diaper is going to feel good.” 

Though it was a struggle, Taylor eventually got Pat changed and moved to sit her back into her car seat making her scream. 

“I know Pat.” He sighed. “As soon as we get to Uncle Cale’s you can crawl around like a maniac but for now you need to be safe. Daddy will get you puffs in a second.” Once she was secure in the seat and it was secured in the back of Cale’s vehicle, Taylor gave her a small handful of puffs watching as she ate them, drooling all over her bib. Once she was finished he moved to climb into the passenger seat hoping that she would behave until they got to Cale’s. 

“You look like you need a nap.” Cale murmured as he checked to make sure they were good before pulling out of the lot to get back on the highway. 

“Pretty sure that’s been my status quo since she was born Cale.” Taylor murmured, sighing when Pat started to fuss. Twisting in his seat a bit he reached an arm back to her, letting her latch onto his finger with her tiny hand. He should have just sat in the back with her but he really didn’t think about it and it was too late now. This would just have to suffice for the rest of the drive or until she dozed off. 

Thankfully, before Taylor’s arm went numb, Cale was pulling into his condo building and Taylor murmured to Pat that they were finally at Uncle Cale’s. Getting her car seat along with his backpack, her diaper bag, and her suitcase, Taylor declared the rest could stay in the car if that was cool with his brother. Cale certainly had no complaints and took the suitcase from Taylor before guiding them up to his place. 

Dropping them in the spare bedroom, Taylor set Pat’s seat down murmuring to her that she was finally free and could stretch all those little limbs of hers. He unbuckled her and picked her up kissing her head before taking her out to the living room where he set her down on the floor. Immediately Pat was off, exploring the new space happy to not have to remain still any longer. Within thirty seconds she was at Cale’s bedroom door, pushing it open and making Taylor laugh as his brother appeared from the onsuite bathroom looking shocked. 

“Got to make sure doors are latched bro.” Taylor murmured though he moved to dissuade Pat from entering the room. She whined for a moment but then quickly changed direction taking off once again. 

“She…you were just….” Cale started almost perplexed at how Pat had even gotten there in the first place. 

“She’s a baby on the move now bro, nothing is safe anymore.” Taylor declared with a shrug before quickly turning to follow after his eagerly exploring infant before she got herself into trouble. Though she didn’t like her daddy telling her no, she didn’t argue too much before finding something new to explore. As she crawled back into the spare room, Taylor took the chance to grab a couple of her toys from the suitcase hoping to corral her into the living room to sit and play for a bit. 

Hearing her favorite toy, Pat looked up and reached for it, making Taylor chuckle. 

“Come on then missy, let’s go play.” He murmured, nudging her toward the doorway again. 

Sitting on the living room floor, Pat was immersed in her toys for at least a few minutes before she started to take off again each time something caught her eye. 

“She really doesn’t stop.” Cale mumbled watching as Taylor again corralled her back to the living room. 

“Not usually quite this bad but she’s been stuck not moving all day so of course she’s restless.” Taylor shrugged. “I’m gonna go make her a bottle if you can keep an eye on her for a minute.” 

With his brother’s nod, Taylor disappeared into Cale’s kitchen grabbing a bottle from the cooler section of the diaper bag to warm just a bit under some hot water. 

“DA!” 

At first Taylor didn’t hear it, too busy moving the remaining premade bottle to Cale’s fridge. 

“DA!” This time it was accompanied by the sound of tiny hands and knees scurrying across the floor and after a moment a tiny head popped around the edge of the cabinets. “DA!” 

“Right here Pat.” Taylor murmured, turning the water off and checking the bottle to find that yeah it felt a bit warmer. 

“DA. DA. DA.” Tiny fists yanked at the leg hair on his calves making Taylor wince. “Okay, I’m right here.” He mumbled, bending down to pick her up. 

As he did so Pat yawned and Taylor chuckled because yeah it was about time for her to wear herself out for a bottle and little nap. 

Moving back to the living room he settled onto the couch with her, asking softly if she wanted to hold her bottle herself or if she wanted him to hold it. 

“Da. Ba.” That was a good enough answer for him and Taylor shifted to snuggle, offering her the bottle to drink as she rested her little head against his shoulder. 

“She’s talking?” Cale asked softly after a minute like that entire series of events was just catching up with him. 

“Eh she knows how to copy sounds and has three or four half words she uses regularly beyond just babbles. Ba for bottle, mam for grandma, and da.” 

Cale nodded, still completely perplexed by his niece. Though Pat drank her bottle, she squirmed feeling a bit fussy and Taylor sighed. 

“Yeah I know. This isn’t your home and today has been a lot. I’m sorry sweetheart.” 

Playing with her hair, Taylor got her to finish her milk and then shifted her to snuggle on his chest. 

“I’m gonna go lay down with her for a bit.” He told his brother knowing that Pat needed a dark room and just quiet with dad to reset and get a short nap in. 

___

Pat’s nap of course turned into a nap for Taylor too and when he woke up it was with his almost toddler still snuggled into his chest. Looking up he spotted Cale in the doorway and he sent him a look like what are you doing weirdo. 

“Mom asked me to check on you guys since you’ve been out for a while.” Cale explained. 

“We’re fine, just needed a nap.” Taylor declared in a whisper, brushing Pat’s hair softly. He was honestly relieved she was sleeping so well in a different space. This nap was good for her. 

“Toewser texted asking if we wanted to come over for dinner tonight, so Pat can play with Bennett.” 

“Sure. I’m down for that.” Taylor yawned. It would be good for Pat to get some play time and Taylor was sure that Toewser’s house was at the very least properly baby proofed unlike his brother’s place. 

“Cool I’ll tell him we’ll be over once Pat wakes from her nap.” 

***

Within a half hour Pat woke up and Taylor changed her diaper and clothes before repacking the diaper bag with the remaining bottle and a couple pouches of baby food and then they were on their way across town. Getting Pat back into her carseat was a struggle and Taylor climbed into the back with her telling her that they were going somewhere close and that she would get to play and make a new friend when they got there. 

Though Pat did not enjoy the trip across town to Cale’s teammates house, she wasn’t too too cranky. In fact, when they arrived and were greeted by Toewser and his dog Riggins her eyes went wide at the sight of the large golden retriever and she reached out a hand from her dad’s arms like ‘what is that’. 

Chuckling, Taylor squatted down so that Pat was more at eye level with the animal and quietly explained to Pat that this was a doggy and that maybe in a few minutes she could pet him and play with him. 

Even as he stood back up, Pat’s eyes didn’t leave her new discovery, her little brain processing rapidfire. 

“Come on in Taylor,” Toewser greeted. “Nice to finally meet you in person given that your brother doesn’t shut up about you and this little cutie.” 

“You too. Still owe you and Gabe my life for the skating trick. Pat loves it and sleeps like a log after.” Taylor returned, adjusting the diaper bag and following after his brother’s teammate into the house. 

Kicking off his shoes, they made their way to the living room, Devon insisting that they make themselves comfortable. As Cale settled into the couch, Taylor dropped the diaper bag onto the floor beside it before sinking onto the ground with Pat. 

“Kerri went to check on Bennett, he should be up from his nap soon.” Devon explained. “In the meantime, Riggins, say hi to Taylor and Pat.” 

Immediately, the Golden who had been enjoying pets from Cale and biding his time to let the new humans get settled pranced over, standing eagerly in front of Taylor. 

“Can you say hi Pat?” Taylor questioned softly, watching as Pat once again reached out for the puppy. Guiding her hand gently, Taylor let the dog sniff her palm before pressing her hand against the soft fur of his snout. The look of amazement on her face as she cooed made him grin and helped her gently pet Riggins’ head, the dog ever patient with the little girl. “He’s soft huh?” Taylor whispered to his daughter, kissing her head. “You have to be gentle and pet him nice like this okay?” 

Her little legs kicked with excitement as she continued to stroke Riggins’ fur, the new sensory experience blowing her little mind. 

“We’ll have to get a dog of our own someday won’t we?” Taylor grinned, promising to himself that once he was finished with school and was either playing pro or working that they would get the dog he’d always wanted. 

With Pat entranced by Riggins, Taylor let his head fall back against the couch for a moment. Even with the nap he was still exhausted from traveling with an infant and this was the most content she’d been all day minus naps. Closing his eyes even for just a minute was a relief. 

After a few minutes, Pat let out a whine and Taylor lifted his head to see Riggins racing off leaving a very disappointed little girl. 

“He’s had enough pets Pat it’s okay.” Taylor tried to soothe her as she tried to scramble off after the dog. Before she could even leave his lap a new face appeared, well two faces really as Devon’s wife Kerry entered the room with their son Bennett on her hip and Riggins following behind. 

“Sorry I didn’t come say hi sooner but this one made a bit of a mess and needed to be cleaned up after his nap.” She stated as she set Bennett down on the floor to play. “Good to see you Cale.” She continued. “And you must be Taylor and Pat. I’ve heard a lot about you both.” 

Shooting her a friendly smile, Taylor thanked her for welcoming them into her home though his focus was on Pat who had noticed the other baby in the room and seemed to be watching with some confusion. 

“That’s Bennett, Pat.” He spoke softly to her. “You can go play with him.” Though she had noticed him, he had yet to notice her and Pat sat, clinging to Taylor’s leg, a little shy with all these new people. 

Just rubbing her back for a few minutes, Taylor eventually pulled one of her toys from the diaper bag and shifted, sitting her on the floor next to Bennett with her own toy before moving back toward the couch. Though she played for a couple of minutes, it wasn’t long before she was crawling back to him. Comforting her for a bit, Taylor then moved her back to play, once again shifting just a few feet away. 

After a few repetitions of this pattern over the next twenty minutes, Pat eventually started to play longer and when she cooed discovering one of Bennett’s toys Kerry had pulled out, Bennett cooed back to her and just like that the ice was broken with the two of them babbling a little back and forth as they played independently. 

“I’m gonna use the bathroom if that’s okay?” Taylor asked once he was certain that Pat would be okay for a few minutes if he stepped out of the room. 

“You don’t have to ask, she’s fine.” Both Kerry and Devon insisted. 

He wasn’t gone long but by the time he returned it was clear that Pat was already starting to look for him. Seeing him, she picked a toy back up and babbled a little ‘da’ acknowledging his presence in the room. 

“Taylor, are you glad to be done with year one at UMass?” Kerry asked as Devon moved to the kitchen offering drinks. 

“Honestly…yeah…” Taylor admitted, petting Riggins as the pup settled on the floor next to him watching the two infants play. “I can’t make any excuses but it was a hard year. Looking forward to the month off before returning for summer session hockey in July.” 

When Devon returned, he handed Taylor his requested water. 

“You sure you don’t want a beer or something?” Devon asked. 

“I’m good.” Taylor insisted. He’d only been legal in the States for two months anyway and admittedly he hadn’t drunk more than once or twice since Pat was born. 

“Pat is what…like two weeks older than B?” Devon questioned as he sank back into the couch next to his wife. “Late June?” 

“Yep.” Taylor nodded, taking a swig of the water before setting it beside him. 

“Obviously she’s crawling, any sign of walking yet?” 

“Not yet.” Taylor shrugged. “She’ll pull herself up now and then but it never lasts long. She seems content enough crawling all over.” 

As Kerry got up to make dinner, the conversation shifted from the kids to hockey momentarily before moving on to golf. 

Eventually Pat crawled over to Taylor whimpering and he picked her up. 

“What do you say we change your diaper and give you some food?” He suggested, reaching for the diaper bag after getting to his feet as Pat continued fussing. 

Accepting Devon’s suggestion he use B’s changing table, Taylor got Pat cleaned up and freshly diapered before moving back toward the kitchen to give Pat a pouch of cheesy pasta and vegetables. Perched on his thigh at the island she ate a little but didn’t finish, quickly going from showing interest in the food to not wanting it. 

Since it had been a long day with her schedule all thrown off, Taylor didn’t force it and instead let her return to playing with one of Bennett’s toys which she found absolutely fascinating. 

It wasn’t much longer before Kerry had dinner ready and they all made their way to a table outside to eat in the fresh air after gathering up the kids. 

“Oh god, we only have the one high chair.” Kerry declared, eyes going wide. 

“It’s fine.” Taylor assured her. “She’ll be good on my lap.” 

“Are you sure?” With Taylor nodding, they settled in, Taylor once again balancing his daughter on his thigh. Kerry had made grilled chicken, zucchini, and sweet potatoes along with a salad and it all looked absolutely delicious. 

It wasn’t long after settling in that Pat started reaching for Taylor’s plate. Though he dissuaded her at first out of instinct, after a minute it clicked with him that she was opening her mouth as she reached for the food signaling that she wanted to eat it, not just play with it. 

“You want to try?” He questioned softly, putting just a little bit of sweet potato onto his fork for her. Pat eagerly moved for the food, babbling excitedly after swallowing. 

Clearly she enjoyed it and it definitely left Taylor a little confused but open to her progressing in eating. Seeing Pat insist on eating off Taylor’s plate, Kerry got up and returned a minute later with a silicone baby spoon. 

“Before she stabs herself on your fork…” 

Nodding appreciatively, Taylor took it, alternating between feeding himself and the little bird on his lap who was determined to try everything on daddy’s plate. She loved the sweet potato the most but also didn’t turn down repeated bites of somewhat mushed zucchini and shredded fragments of chicken. 

By the time the plate was empty she was grinning that six toothed grin up at him pleased with her dinner. He was definitely going to have to talk to his mom about whether this was something he could continue doing with her because it had definitely been easier than trying to get her to eat pouches in the last couple of weeks. 

Though he wanted to help clean up, he was urged by everyone to take Pat in to play and that Cale and Devon had the dishes under control. Following instructions, Taylor moved back to the living room, kissing Pat and blowing raspberries onto her belly so she’d giggle before setting her down and letting her play with a few more toys. 

She was clearly having a blast, squealing when Riggins laid down beside her and reaching to touch his soft fur. Showing her how to give him a bit of a belly rub, Taylor watched as she enjoyed the new friend she was making, eventually draping her body over the lounging pup as she patted him lightly. 

Eventually Bennett joined her and they both enjoyed the pup who was clearly loving having two babies on him looking at his parents like this is the best. 

As Pat started to look a little tired, Taylor sent Cale the ‘it might be time to head out’ look. Nodding, Cale declared he was going to use the bathroom and start the car so that it wasn’t so hot when they got in it. 

While he did so, Taylor worked to pack up Pat’s toys, trying to pry one of Bennett’s out of her hand without disturbing her. 

“Just take it.” Kerry insisted, waving him off. “B doesn’t play with it anyway and she seems to love it.” 

Thanking her, Taylor checked to make sure that he wasn’t forgetting any of Pat’s favorites and that the diaper bag was organized and ready. 

As he carefully lifted her up off the pup and onto his shoulder he felt Devon standing behind him, Kerri coming over as well. 

“You know you’re a really good dad right?” Devon declared to which Taylor could only shrug. He did his best but…

“Taylor. You’re a really good dad.” Kerry stated firmly, backing her husband up. “She trusts you to keep her safe and knowing you’re there gives her the security to explore and grow. To gain independence. She adores you. We know it’s not easy being a parent…”

“And definitely can’t imagine how much harder it is being a single parent.” Devon interrupted. 

“But you are doing a good job. Even if Laura has helped you a lot, Pat knows you’re her dad and clearly depends on you just as much. So don’t doubt yourself.” 

Taylor had heard his mom tell him before that he was doing a good job but it was different when it was coming from people who were also parents, who saw things from a different perspective. 

“Thanks.” Taylor mumbled, at least letting the compliment sit on the surface even if he wasn’t sure it was something he could fully accept. “I better get her out to the car before Cale decides to leave us.” He joked, causing Toewser to crack a grin. “Thanks for having us for dinner and letting pat get some playtime in a place that’s baby proofed.” 

“Anytime.” Devon declared. “And we mean that. You and Pat are welcome anytime. We all enjoyed it.” 

Getting Pat back to his brother’s, Taylor got Pat bathed and ready for bed, cuddling her next to him in the guest bedroom. 

Summer was only starting but he had a feeling it was going to be a good one. 

*****

It hadn’t even been a month and yet Taylor was already packing to fly back to Denver to watch his brother play in the fucking Stanley Cup Finals. After steamrolling the Predators prior to him stopping on his way back home, they had solidly put away the Blues in 6 and he’d watched with his cousins in Rogers Place as Cale and the Avs swept Connor McDavid and the Oilers in the Conference Finals while one of his Aunts watched Pat. 

They still didn’t know whether it was going to be the Rangers or the Lightning in the Finals but regardless they were headed to Denver to get Pat settled prior to Game 1. 

First though he needed to get things packed to last them for the next three weeks. He needed workout clothes to continue training, casual clothes for around the house, and clothes to wear for games. Not to mention all of the things Pat would need. Even with a washer and dryer, three weeks worth of clothes for a soon to be one year old is a lot. 

With Pat playing on the floor while he worked to get himself sorted so that he could focus on her things before their flight tomorrow, Taylor ran through his mental list of everything he needed and where he had put things while doing preliminary packing earlier. 

“Da.” Out of nowhere a tiny hand reached up with a little sock clutched in it offering it to him. Taking it, Taylor placed it next to his daughter’s presently empty suitcase to be packed. At least ten seconds passed before his brain signaled at him to look down and when he did he saw Pat taking shaky toddling steps towards his dresser before she wobbled and fell. 

“You just walked.” The words slipped out before Taylor was even fully cognizant of them. “Oh my god. You just walked!”  

Immediately his eyes filled with tears of joy and he watched as Pat pulled herself up using his open dresser drawer, grabbed another tiny sock from inside and turned toward him to bring it, carefully putting one foot in front of the other. 

“Mom! Dad! Come here!” Taylor yelled out as he watched Pat determinedly bring him another sock to pack for her. 

With his parents racing to the door thinking that something was wrong, it only took a moment for them to appear and watch as Pat took two more steps to hand Taylor the next sock. 

“She’s walking!” Taylor declared, voice cracking. “My baby is walking.” Falling onto her butt again, Pat crawled toward the dresser one more time, pulling herself up, this time gripping a pair of Taylor’s boxers and lifting them from the drawer to take them over to daddy. Seeing her struggle to balance with the larger item, Taylor scooped her up and kissed her cheeks, bouncing with excitement at Pat achieving her next big milestone.

Though Laura and Gary beamed from the doorway it was nothing compared to the grin on Taylor’s face as Pat squirmed in his arms not at all understanding the big fuss her dad was making. For Taylor, Pat walking meant that his baby was no longer a baby. She wasn’t quite a year old yet but that was only a few weeks away and god had this year gone by fast. 

If maybe if she was lucky, her Uncle Cale would gift her the Stanley Cup for her birthday. Four more wins would get them there after all.

#taylor makar #taylor makar imagine #colorado avalanche imagine #colorado avalanche #hockey imagines #hockey imagine #nhl imagine #nhl imagines #cavalanche #043

[hockeylvr59]

Here With Me Part 29 || Taylor Makar

Author’s Note: Kelsey's Calgary adventure really kicks off as she spends her first full day in her boyfriend's hometown. FC: Marina Laswick (@marooshk on instagram).

Warnings: awkwardness, sexual tension, meet the family anxiety // Word Count: 6,433

~~~~~~

Twenty Eight

It wasn’t long after the sun started to rise in the sky that Kelsey awoke, looking at her phone to see that it was only six in the morning. Typically, once she was awake she was awake and she needed to get moving. But before she could even try to slip out of bed, Taylor was pulling her firmly against his chest and mumbling something about cuddles. Almost immediately, Kelsey could feel his morning wood pressing against her hip and she attempted to shift to no avail. 

“Cuddle me dammit.” He mumbled once more into her hair making her laugh softly at how needy her boyfriend was this early in the morning. 

Playing with his hair, Kelsey continued cuddling him until her bladder protested at least a half hour later. 

“Need to pee T.” She murmured softly, not at all surprised when T reluctantly let her up but quickly climbed out of bed himself. 

Though he followed, he moved slowly, almost signaling that he would wait outside. And honestly that was a bit silly given that he’d never been afraid to be all up in her space while she peed before. Tugging gently at his t-shirt, Kelsey signaled for him to just come in and do his thing though she was absolutely claiming first use of the toilet. 

After relieving her bladder, Kelsey moved to wash her face and brush her teeth while Taylor took care of his own business having already brushed his teeth. Once they had both done a quick morning routine, they moved back to Taylor’s room to change before heading downstairs. Kelsey certainly wasn’t about to go downstairs where his dad might be without a bra on and Taylor needed to put on more than just boxer briefs. 

Since Taylor only moved to throw shorts on, Kelsey worked a bra on under her pajama shirt before following him downstairs to the kitchen where his mom was up making herself a cup of coffee. 

“Sleep okay?” Laura asked, as she pulled down a second mug in case Kelsey wanted anything. 

“Yeah.” Kelsey murmured, shooting T a small grin. She did always sleep better when she was in his arms after all. 

As Taylor moved to mix up his pre-workout for later, he kissed Kelsey’s head and that only made her smile grow. 

“Help yourself to coffee Kels.” Laura declared after mixing her drink up as desired and moving to sit at the table to drink it. Quickly looking through the pods they had, Kelsey put one in the machine and started brewing her own cup while watching Taylor start to grab things to make omelets for breakfast. 

“How can I help?” She asked her boyfriend before taking the vegetables he passed and moving to get the knife and cutting board he directed her to. Having cooked together plenty, they worked side by side with ease getting vegetables cut and eggs cracked and adding it all together with some salt and pepper and cheese when they made Kelsey’s. While Kelsey watched the omelets, Taylor toasted up a bagel adding jam to his half and cream cheese to Kelsey’s. 

Even once their food was ready, Taylor refused to sit until he had an omelet made for his mom and everything prepped for his dad’s when he finally joined them. 

Giving his mom her breakfast, Taylor guided Kelsey outside to sit and enjoy the cool morning while they ate theirs. Calgary was similar in some respects to Massachusetts, but so very different in others and it was definitely something Kelsey was taking in little by little. Taking their time, they enjoyed their breakfast before heading in to clean up dishes. 

Once dishes were done, Kelsey moved upstairs to do her hair and makeup for the day, throwing some waves into her hair before doing a light neutral makeup. By the time she finished in the bathroom, Taylor was waiting for her in his room dressed in attire for the gym since he had training at nine. 

“Want to go somewhere before I have to be at the gym?” He questioned, watching her as she proceeded to slip into a pair of black denim capris and a thrifted t-shirt which she tied up into a half crop. 

“Sure.” Kelsey agreed, willing to go and do anything that Taylor wanted her to see. 

“Cool…then if you wanted to, mom said she’d come pick you up at the gym to go shopping if you wanted to come with me and see it.” 

“Hmmm. I suppose.” Kelsey teased as she changed her earrings and threw on some jewelry before grabbing a pair of socks from her suitcase. “Just let me grab my phone and wallet and I’ll be good to go.” 

As she bent over to grab her wristlet from in her carryon, Kelsey heard Taylor exhale loudly and as she turned her head she saw him adjusting himself in his compression shorts. 

Immediately, a rush of self-confidence tinged with desire flowed over her because it was only eight in the morning and already she was having an effect on her boyfriend. 

Phone and wallet in hand, Kelsey left Taylor’s room to head downstairs and put shoes on, confirming to Laura that she was going with Taylor and that Laura would text her when she got to the gym to pick her up around 9:30. 

After a few minutes, Taylor finally made his way downstairs and Kelsey just smiled innocently at him as he put his own shoes on and grabbed his car keys, phone, wallet, and gym bag. 

“Told your mom already.” Kelsey declared when he turned his head like he was looking for Laura. “You wanted to show me something so let’s go.” The way she bounced on her heels signaled that she was excited and she headed out to climb into the car so that they could start today’s adventures. 

As Taylor drove, he slipped his palm in hers and Kelsey traced patterns against his skin. After about fifteen minutes he pulled off on the side of the road. From her seat she could see blue water and when Taylor came around and pulled her out of the car, Kelsey followed, looking down. 

“I know it’s no ocean but the Bow River is the reason Calgary exists. Starts up in the mountains with the glaciers and runs down here all the way to where it forms the Saskatchewan River. Tomorrow we’ll go see some of those glaciers.” 

Stepping into Taylor’s side, Kelsey pressed up to kiss his jaw, silently thanking him for showing her. It wasn’t the prettiest viewpoint but it was T’s choice and that was good enough for her. 

“Should we get going so you’re not late?” She asked after a few minutes, not sure how far away the gym was from where they were and wanting to make sure that she didn’t upset his training at all. 

“We’re okay on time but we can get going.” Taylor agreed, leading Kelsey the few steps back to the car and holding her door while she climbed in. 

When he pulled into the parking lot of the dash training center less than five minutes later, Kelsey smacked him softly, laughing. 

“You could have just said we were only like 5 minutes away. I don’t know the distances here.”

“It’s fine.” Taylor declared. “Not enough time to show you anything else before unless you want to see the high school I graduated from but didn’t really attend.” 

 Rolling her eyes, Kelsey moved to climb out of the car. 

“Not particularly. So show me your gym.” 

It basically was what it looked like in the videos, a big open space with equipment lining some of the walls. 

Kelsey watched as Taylor greeted the trainers, explaining that this was his girlfriend and that his mom was coming to get her in like 45 minutes but he’d been showing her a few things before training. Shaking hands, Kelsey said hello and promised to stay out of the way while she waited. A blush littered her cheeks when they mentioned that Taylor had talked about her a lot since he got home and it was nice to meet the girl who made him happy. 

“Go get started.” Kelsey insisted. “I’m good. I’ll see you after hopefully successfully acquiring a dress.” 

Hugging Taylor back after he initiated, Kelsey pushed him to go train and made her way to a corner where she would be out of anyone’s way. There she sat on the floor and leaned against a wall scrolling through social media for a few minutes. Running out of new content that she cared about, Kelsey laid her phone on the mat beside her and started running through very basic stretches to warm her body up. Ones that she would normally do in the morning if she hadn’t had a very clingy boyfriend demand an extra half hour of cuddles. 

It wasn’t anything strenuous, especially since she wasn’t dressed for that, but it kept her from checking her phone every other minute or staring at Taylor’s ass to the point that it would very quickly become a problem. 

Taylor had just started box jumps, an exercise that absolutely would have caused a problem, when her phone buzzed on the mat next to her with the update that Laura was outside. 

Pushing herself off the ground, Kelsey made her way back to the front door and out of the building to where Laura was lingering waiting for her. 

“Have fun?” Laura questioned as Kelsey buckled her seatbelt. 

“It was time with T.” Kelsey murmured fondly while shrugging. After all that was the reason she’d come all this way, to spend time with him. 

Nodding, Laura smiled a little before pulling out of the parking lot and toward more populated areas of Calgary. It was a decent distance to the nearest mall and so by the time they got there everything was open for the day. 

Heading inside, Kelsey let Laura lead her to stores because she had no idea where to start given that there were no familiar names. 

In the first store, Kelsey looked through a few racks of dresses but there wasn’t anything even remotely her style or appropriate for a wedding as it all seemed more business wear. 

The second seemed a little better but Kelsey still wasn’t drawn to anything and the things Laura pulled were just a tad too far outside her comfort zone. 

Trying a third, Kelsey saw a few things that might be cute but she quickly discarded them as options as soon as she saw the price tag. After all, she hadn’t really budgeted for a dress and shoes this trip and only had so much on the prepaid card she’d brought with her. 

Laura must have seen her checking price tags because after a moment she pulled a dress off the rack that Kelsey had glanced at. 

“Kelsey hun, Gary and I talked and we’re paying for the dress since this is T’s fault. Just find something you like.” 

Out of instinct Kelsey wanted to protest but the look Laura was sending her declared that they would not be swayed. 

“Now did you like this one?” Laura asked. 

“Kinda cute, worth trying on I guess.” Kelsey admitted, continuing to look through another rack. There was another dress Kelsey was uncertain about but Laura insisted that she at least try it on to know how it looked on her. 

The one she thought was cute hung all wrong and the other was okay but it wasn’t something Kelsey was going to do cartwheels about. 

As Kelsey changed back, Laura knocked on the door insisting that she had another for Kelsey to try. Opening the door a crack, Kelsey took the dress and was immediately a little thrown by just how bright it was. It definitely wasn’t something she probably would have pulled for herself but it couldn’t hurt to try it on. 

Pulling it on, Kelsey adjusted the fabric before looking in the mirror. It was bright with floral rosettes all over but it actually looked less overpowering on her. A slight cinch at the waist helped accentuate her figure and it actually looked really flirty and cute. And Kelsey couldn’t deny that it definitely was appropriate as wedding guest attire. 

Stepping out of the dressing room, Kelsey showed it off for Laura who just smiled. 

“I knew that one would look good on you. Do you like it?” 

“I actually do.” Kelsey admitted. “I wasn’t sure I would but it makes me feel good.” 

“Then I think we have our dress.” Laura declared. 

Nodding, Kelsey moved to change before passing the dress to Laura to purchase as she got her shoes back on and gathered her things from the dressing room. 

Meeting up with Laura at the front of the store, Kelsey took the shopping bag that contained her emergency purchase. 

“Thank you.” Kelsey murmured softly, not used to people wanting to do things like that for her. 

Before they headed to a shoe store to find something for Kelsey to wear with the dress, Laura pulled Kelsey into a menswear store to see if they could find Taylor a tie to match. There obviously wasn’t anything that was a direct match but they found one that was almost an animal spot print but in the same family of shades as Kelsey’s dress just more subdued. 

Tie also acquired, they headed into a shoe store to find Kelsey something as she had only brought tennis shoes and more casual lake style sandals. It only took a few minutes for Kelsey to pick out a pair of simple strapped sandals that were dressy enough to wear to the wedding and weren’t overly expensive. 

With Laura checking that Kelsey had what she needed in regard to undergarments, they took their spoils back to the house after picking up some lunch. 

By the time they got there Taylor had returned from training and he took the food from his mom while pecking her cheek and then leaning to kiss Kelsey quickly. 

“Did you find something?” He questioned as they moved toward the kitchen. 

“Yeah. I found a dress and shoes and your mom and I picked out a tie for you.” Kelsey mused, setting the bags down because she was definitely hungry. 

“Nice.” Taylor grinned. “You’ll have to show me later. Thanks for taking her mom.” Laura could only roll her eyes and Kelsey assumed that there was some unspoken communication being exchanged there.

As they dug into lunch Kelsey asked how Taylor’s training session had gone and listened as he complained about some of the exercises even though they both knew it was all helping him get stronger, the results were very evident. 

It had only been three weeks since she’d seen him last but already he looked bigger and those were the kind of thoughts that would definitely get her in trouble. 

After finishing off her lunch, Kelsey moved to take the shopping bags upstairs so they weren’t in the way and so she could hang the dress up before it got any more wrinkled. 

With that sorted, she moved back downstairs in search of her boyfriend, not finding him in the kitchen but instead lounging back on the couch in the living room. 

“There you are.” She murmured, sinking in beside him. “So what’s next on the agenda?” 

“You’ll see.” Taylor declared, causing Kelsey to roll her eyes at his vagueness. 

“All I see is a fireplace and some of your brother’s awards.” Kelsey teased. “Which I’m assuming is not what you plan on showing me.” 

“Hey now there’s a picture of my championship up there too.” Taylor declared, mocking offense. “Not my fault Cale’s ego has to hog the whole mantle.” 

Laughing, Kelsey watched as Taylor’s face morphed into that pleased grin of having caused that reaction. 

“If you’re ready we can go out and I can show you some other things.” Taylor shrugged. 

“Let’s go.” Kelsey agreed, just needing to slip her shoes back on on her way out the door. 

As she passed by the fireplace, Kelsey took a closer look at Taylor’s piece of the display before grabbing her things to head back out to the car ready for whatever adventure Taylor had planned next. 

Kelsey could only smile as Taylor turned on what had become their playlist as he drove through Calgary before pulling into a mostly empty parking lot half an hour later. 

“Is this your rink?” She asked judging purely off the size and shape of the building. 

“C’mon.” Taylor declared, climbing out of the car and waiting for her to join him. 

Tucking herself against his side, Kelsey walked with him through the heavy front doors and down the halls of the arena lined with pictures. Just like at his home there was far more of Cale around than Taylor but Taylor pointed out some of his old team photos causing Kelsey to smile at how cute he had been when he was little. It was clear they were working on the ice because it was a little noisy but still it gave Kelsey a feel of what hockey had been like for him growing up and that meant the world to her. 

Yawning as Taylor led her out to the car, Kelsey felt the midday slump start to hit. 

“Time to get you some more coffee?” Taylor questioned. 

“A small cup wouldn’t hurt…” Kelsey agreed, still feeling the jet lag a little bit. 

“Coming right up.” Taylor declared. “Don’t need you going full tiger on me because you’re lacking caffeine.” 

“You’re an asshole.” Kelsey chirped softly, sinking into the passenger seat so Taylor could take them to their next destination as he grinned brightly. 

They passed at least a dozen places that served coffee as Taylor drove them further into the city center. By the time he finally found somewhere to park Kelsey couldn’t help but glare at him because they were supposed to be getting coffee and now she needed it more than before. 

Thankfully, he led her to a coffee shop next, allowing her to get a medium iced coffee. Standing outside the shop, Kelsey recaffeinated a bit as Taylor pretended to check his phone while sneaking a few photos of his girlfriend before guiding her over a footpath into a massive park surrounded by water. 

“Okay. This view might have been worth the wait.” Kelsey admitted, looking around. 

Sliding her hand back into Taylor’s they walked around a bit while Kelsey enjoyed her coffee before settling in under the shade of a tree to just relax and enjoy the beautiful day. It was the first peaceful moment they’d really had together since she arrived and as she sat between Taylor’s legs leaning against his chest, Kelsey couldn’t help but sigh happily. 

“You don’t know how happy I am that you’re here.” Taylor whispered in her ear after a moment. “That I get to share my home with you.” 

“My home is quickly becoming wherever you are Tay.” Kelsey murmured in reply, tipping her head back to look up at him with eyes full of love. 

“I always feel like I’m at home with you too, Kels.” Taylor replied, wrapping his arms around her as he tucked his chin into her neck making her feel safe and secure. Instinctively she reached back to play with the strands of hair peeking out from under his ball cap just basking in the deep but simple moment. 

At least ten minutes passed before Taylor lifted his head and Kelsey was able to sneak a quick kiss before letting him rest back against the tree he was leaning against. 

“We should find a trash can for my cup.” Kelsey eventually murmured, her hand tiring of holding the empty plastic to make sure it didn’t blow away. 

Even after she spoke it took a few minutes for Taylor to finally release her, letting her use his bent knee to leverage herself off the ground before she turned to help him up as well. 

Walking around the park a bit more, Kelsey disposed of her cup and just enjoyed the peaceful chaos a big city park provided. 

“So…” Taylor started after a minute. “Do you want to do dinner at home tonight or are you up for eating out?”

“I mean I don’t want to be rude if your mom has something planned.” Kelsey quickly stated. 

“Her plan is to fend for yourself.” Taylor chuckled. “So leftovers or whatever we could find.” 

“Whatever you want to do T.” Kelsey shrugged.

“How do you feel about arcades?” Taylor questioned, his expression signaling that he had something in mind. 

“Like a pinball arcade or an arcade with skee ball and air hockey and stuff?” Kelsey replied, trying to narrow down what her boyfriend was thinking. 

“The latter.” 

“I mean…you’ve played hockey with me. You know I can get a little competitive. Arcades are fun.” 

“Cool. There’s a massive one here with all of that, pool, ping pong and they’ve got a couple restaurants too we could go to.” 

“Sure T.” Kelsey mused. “Should we invite your parents?” 

“We can.” Taylor shrugged. “Just don’t be surprised if my dad drops it in the group chat.” 

Halting her step a little Kelsey eyed him curiously. 

“What group chat?” 

“The family one.” Taylor shrugged. 

“The one with Cale?” Realistically Kelsey knew that she was probably overdue in meeting Taylor’s brother and his partner but it still made her pause a little. 

“Extended family group chat.” Taylor stated. 

Immediately, Kelsey’s eyes went wide and she stopped completely mid walk. 

"We don't have to invite anyone, we can just have a date night to ourselves.” Taylor reminded her, rubbing his thumb against her knuckles.  “But it might be a casual way for you to meet everyone...they can say hi and you have as much breathing room as you need. Not stuck in close confines.” 

“Would you want me to meet them?” Kelsey asked softly before pulling her bottom lip between her teeth. 

Reaching up with his free hand, Taylor brushed his thumb against her bottom lip pulling it out from between her teeth. 

“Kelsey…” He murmured. “Of course I want my family to meet the woman I’m in love with and plan to spend forever with.” The fondness in his gaze as he looked at her made Kelsey’s stomach swoop and she stepped forward into his chest. “But I get that it could be a lot so there’s no pressure if you want to ease into things, meet Cale and Tracy first.” 

“Don’t want to let you down.” Kelsey mumbled against his chest, taking deep breaths to try to quell the feeling of being overwhelmed. 

“You aren’t going to let me down, Kels.” Taylor insisted, voice certain. “All I want is you to be happy and enjoy being here with me. Everything else can wait.” 

Taking another moment to collect herself, Kelsey stepped back and squeezed Taylor’s hand. 

“Invite your parents.” She stated, calmly. 

“Are you sure Kels?” Taylor asked, trying to read her. 

“Yeah. I’ve got you so it’ll be fine. I can do anything with you by my side.” 

The grin that lit up Taylor’s face made Kelsey melt and she squealed as he lifted her off the ground hugging her tightly. 

They remained in place while Taylor sent a text to his parents about meeting them at the arcade for dinner and games. Then they set back off around the park heading in the direction of where they’d entered so that they could head back to the car with Taylor stating that where they were going was too far to walk. 

With rush hour traffic it took about 45 minutes before Taylor pulled into a massive parking lot of a place called The Rec Room. 

“Mom and dad at the very least are on their way.” Taylor declared checking his phone. “But we can go in and get a drink or something while we wait.” 

Nodding, Kelsey looked at herself in the mirror and carded fingers through her hair. 

“Do I still look okay or should I pull my hair up?” Kelsey asked, unable to decide how it looked with just the small car mirror after spending a few hours sweating walking downtown. 

“Kels you look hot.” Taylor insisted, pushing a stray strand of hair behind her ear. “Now c’mon.” 

Sighing a bit, Kelsey climbed out of the car and walked with Taylor inside, immediately looking for where there might be restrooms. 

“I’m gonna go to the bathroom first.” She verbalized. “And don’t look at me like that, I haven’t gone since we left the house, it’s not about my hair.” 

Once Taylor admitted defeat, Kelsey moved to take care of business, though she did check out her hair in the bathroom mirrors to make sure that it didn’t look like a total disaster. Only then did she move to find Taylor who was waiting at the nearest bar for her so that they could order drinks. 

While Taylor got a beer he pressed Kelsey to get whatever she wanted with her ultimately settling on a raspberry lemonade cocktail. 

Together they sat at the bar, Taylor’s free hand resting on top of hers as they enjoyed their drinks and waited for some part of his family to show up. Thankfully the shot of vodka in her drink quickly helped to temper Kelsey’s nerves and she relaxed just focusing on the warmth of his touch and how cute he looked sitting next to her. 

‘I love you.’ She mouthed, bumping his leg gently with her own and smiling when he mouthed it back. 

When no one had arrived after a few minutes, Taylor suggested they take their drinks and go play some games and Kelsey nodded sliding off her stool. After getting wrist bands with just a few credits each to play with, they headed over to see what games there were. 

Starting with skeeball, Kelsey and Taylor faced off to see who could get a higher score and Kelsey cheered as she hit one of the higher holes securing her win by just a little. Shifting to basketball Taylor crushed her because it was definitely not Kelsey’s sport. 

“There you two are.” Laura’s voice called from behind them. Turning, Kelsey spotted her with Gary beside her, and accepted the hugs offered even though she had just seen each of them earlier. 

“Who’s winning?” Gary asked, causing Laura to shake her head because of course that was his first question. 

“Kels won skee ball, I just beat her in basketball.” Taylor shrugged. 

“Are you guys hungry?” Laura asked not sure what they had done besides the drinks that were apparent on the ground at their feet. 

“I could eat.” Kelsey nodded, looking to Taylor to see if he was also hungry. 

“Let’s go eat.” Taylor agreed, bending to pick up Kelsey’s drink and gathering up his own. 

Heading back downstairs they got a table and settled in, Taylor and Kelsey on one side of the booth with his parents on the other. 

Looking at the menu, Taylor nudged Kelsey after a few minutes. 

“What’cha thinking?” 

“That there’s a lot on this menu…” Kelsey admitted sheepishly. 

“What do you guys think about just getting two pizzas to split?” Taylor asked his parents who deferred to whatever they wanted. 

“Kels?” Taylor asked knowing that if he limited the menu down it would help her tremendously in deciding what sounded good. 

Eventually the consensus was to try the house specialty pizzas, getting one prosciutto and pear and the other called the butcher’s daughter. 

Along with the pizzas they ordered a pitcher of ruby sangria causing Kelsey to lean into Taylor’s side whispering for him not to let her too drunk tonight. 

“Did you guys have fun today?” Gary questioned while they waited for their food to be brought over. 

“It was good.” Kelsey stated softly. “Though based on the limited numbers of photos of Tay at the rink I may have to request to see some more baby photos.” 

Laura nodded declaring that she could definitely make that happen and Taylor groaned playfully, laughing as Kelsey smacked his stomach gently. They shared a loving look and Kelsey squeezed his thigh before taking another sip of her first drink to finish it off. 

“What time are you guys leaving to go hiking tomorrow?” Laura asked and Kelsey looked at Taylor deferring to him not knowing how far away it was or anything like that. 

“Probably no later than 7.” Taylor answered knowing that they would want to get started early enough that it wasn’t overly hot on their way up. 

Kelsey couldn’t help but bounce a little in excitement at the knowledge that tomorrow they were going hiking. Yes it would be an early morning but it was completely worth it if the views were half as good as she thought they might be. 

“Someone’s excited.” Taylor teased softly and Kelsey could only smile brightly at him in response. He should know by now that of course she would be excited for a day hiking a mountain with him. 

With the pizzas arriving soon after, Kelsey and Taylor dug in with a slice of each interested in trying the different flavor combinations. It might not be the best pizza that Kelsey had ever had but it definitely was interesting and she didn’t mind either of the flavor profiles. 

Drinking a medium glass of sangria while she ate, Kelsey definitely started to feel a little bit of a buzz sink in. 

Though Laura and Gary stuck to a single piece of pizza each, Taylor and Kelsey got their fill, Kelsey eating three total slices while Taylor had four. Sufficiently stuffed, Laura and Gary urged them to go have fun checking out more games. 

Camping out over an empty air hockey table, Taylor and Kelsey started to battle it out, getting more and more competitive after each score. After Taylor won the first game, just barely, Kelsey demanded a rematch and that was what they were in the middle of when Cale and his girlfriend found them. Not interrupting, they watched from a short distance away as Kelsey sunk a few quick shots on Taylor and prevented what Taylor had been sure would be a goal. After a long stretch of back and forth, Kelsey finally sunk the winning shot and jumped up and down doing a little dance. 

As Taylor shook his head fondly at his girlfriend’s antics, Cale and his girlfriend made their way over. 

“Why am I not surprised we found you at the air hockey table?” Cale stated, causing Taylor to chuckle as he moved to hug his brother and his partner. 

“Because Kels and I are both competitive people who love hockey…” Taylor replied, grinning.  

“That means you must be Kelsey.” Cale declared. “Cale. And this is my girlfriend Tracy.” 

“So nice to meet you.” Tracy greeted, stepping around the table to give Kelsey a quick hug, an action which Cale then followed. 

“You as well.” Kelsey said before taking a deep breath. Two down. But honestly the introductions were the easy part and now Kelsey had no idea what to say. Thankfully she didn’t have to say anything as Tracy turned back toward her question on her tongue.

“Do you want to come play DDR with me?” 

“Uh sure…” Kelsey replied, not wanting to be rude even if it was far from one of her favorite games. 

Stepping onto a second platform, Kelsey let Tracy get the game set up and pick out a song. Then she just focused on trying to match the arrows with her steps without making a complete fool of herself. By the end it definitely wasn’t close as Kelsey could not manage many of the multi-arrow combos. 

Panting softly, Kelsey mumbled to herself that she wasn’t doing that again, not expecting anyone to hear her. 

“You can pick the next game.” Tracy offered, stepping off her own machine. 

Thankfully as Kelsey turned to step off her own machine she spotted Taylor waving her over to him now surrounded by a few more people in addition to his brother. 

Stepping into his side, Kelsey leaned against him as he introduced her to some of his cousins. 

“Apologies in advance but I am probably not going to remember names.” Kelsey admitted hearing most of the names for the first time as she shook hands or quickly hugged each depending on what was offered.

“Except mine. She’ll remember mine.” A new voice popped up, approaching with an energy that was certainly familiar. “After all I come bearing booze.” 

As she was formally presented with the can of Arizona hard tea, Taylor whispered in her ear that it was good, he’d asked Mark to bring it for her. Nodding, Kelsey took the can gratefully and stepped forward to hug its bearer. 

“Ah. The one cousin that’s been in my dms already.” Kelsey joked. “Nice to finally meet you Mark.” 

“Now I understand why you weren’t worried about dating your coach’s niece.” Mark declared. 

“Yep.” Taylor shrugged, smiling down at his girlfriend as she tucked herself back against his side hugging him gently. 

“We’re going to go get some food and drinks Taylor. You good?” Cale inquired, leaving the group with Tracy and a few of the cousins to head over to the restaurant area upon Taylor’s nod though Cale was clearly very confused about Mark’s statement. 

Basking in Taylor’s warmth for a moment, Kelsey then pulled back. 

“So how are you liking our slice of heaven here?” Mark questioned, the way he carried himself putting Kelsey more at ease than she had been with other members of Taylor’s family. 

“It’s beautiful but I’m really looking forward to tomorrow.” Kelsey replied, elaborating when Mark just gave her an intrigued look. “T’s taking me on a hike.��� 

“We’re going out near Banff.” Taylor clarified. 

“The views out there are stunning.” Mark declared. 

“That’s what I’m counting on.” Kelsey agreed. 

As their idle conversation continued, Mark challenged Kelsey to a few games and with the help of a new dose of alcohol and the ease of the situation, Kelsey fully relaxed once more. 

And as Kelsey relaxed, so did Taylor. His chirps flew quickly and as he settled into a pool game with one of his other cousins, Kelsey felt the pang of desire and want grow. This was Taylor at his most attractive and Kelsey tried to control the flush of her cheeks as she watched him, taking a short break from games herself. 

It was absolutely crazy how in love with him she was after only six months. Though she tried not to get caught staring at T’s ass too much while he played, Mark definitely sent her a look when he wandered over which Kelsey met with a smirk and a shrug causing him to laugh. 

Deciding that she was all gamed out, Kelsey just continued to sit and watch Taylor though as some of the family started to leave with work on the horizon in the morning, Kelsey introduced herself to the aunts and uncles she hadn’t met and said goodbye to everyone else. 

As Laura and Gary came by declaring that they would see them at home, Taylor let out another round of chirps about the game that could only make Kelsey smile. Shortly after they left, Cale and Tracy popped by to say goodnight as well, declaring that they would see them at the cabin in a couple of days. 

When Taylor and his cousin finally finished their game, Taylor looked at her and without it needing to be said the decision was made that it was time to go home. After all, they had another early morning ahead of them and they both needed sleep. 

Saying goodnight, they headed out to the car and Taylor pressed her against the side of it gently before opening her door. 

“Thank you.” He murmured, kissing her gently before letting her slip into the passenger seat. 

Still feeling the desire pulsing through her body, Kelsey almost instantly laid a hand on Taylor’s thigh as he settled behind the wheel to drive them home. 

Once on the highway, Taylor returned the gesture, his fingers curling around her inner thigh while he drove with the other hand. It made Kelsey shift and whimper a bit, more heat flooding the area. Clenching his jaw a little at the sound, Taylor just focused on the road and after half an hour he was pulling in the driveway of his parents’ house. 

“Why don’t you go get us some water while I lock up.” Taylor prompted as they headed inside, kicking shoes off in the entry. Nodding, Kelsey headed to get some glasses of water, body still humming from the combination of alcohol and arousal. Moving back upstairs, Kelsey set each glass of water on a bedside table before moving to the bathroom to clean her makeup off and brush her teeth alongside Taylor. 

Following him back to his room, Kelsey watched as he stripped his shirt off, reaching for a clean one and she stopped him, sliding her hands around his torso. 

“You can sleep shirtless, you know…” She reminded him. Last night had honestly been an oddity with him sleeping with a shirt on but she had a feeling that was due to her up and down emotional state yesterday. 

“You gonna be able to control yourself if I do?” Taylor teased softly, leaning into her touch. 

“Does it matter if I do?” Kelsey questioned back, kissing softly along his spine. 

“You’re the one that didn’t want to have sex under my parent’s roof.” Taylor replied. 

Sighing, Kelsey pulled back and moved to get her own clothes to change for bed needing to be more comfortable. 

“Let’s just go to bed T. We have to be up early anyway.” Kelsey murmured though her voice showed how torn she was between wanting to just be with him and still having something holding her back. 

“Alright.” Taylor declared stripping down to his boxers. “But come cuddle me.” 

So far her trip to Calgary had been nothing but overwhelming and Kelsey hoped that their hike tomorrow would hopefully transition the trip into chill relaxation time just enjoying being with her boyfriend. 

First she needed to sleep, and even with Taylor passing out, Kelsey’s hormones prevented her from joining him, her body on high alert until Taylor’s heartbeat finally lulled her into a semi-restless sleep.

#taylor makar #taylor makar imagine #colorado avalanche #colorado avalanche imagine #nhl imagine #nhl imagines #hockey imagines #hockey imagine #cavalanche #046

[hockeylvr59]

Here With Me Part 28 || Taylor Makar

Author’s Note: Kelsey considers what the future may hold for her and Taylor before jetting off to Calgary to spend two weeks with him and the Makar's. FC: Marina Laswick (@marooshk on instagram). P.S. Happy 1 week until Taylor's season starts.

Warnings: familial fighting, relationship tension, awkwardness // Word Count: 4,548

~~~~~~

Twenty Seven

Days passed one by one as Kelsey watched the countdown tick away while she did her best to keep herself busy. She met up with friends, continued plugging away at her thesis paper, and worked on applications for med school. Yet she hadn’t been able to get one of the questions on Tufts application out of her head. 

Outside of beginning your residency or other academic avenues, where do you see yourself in five years (family, social, hobbies, ect.)? 

It was something that Kelsey hadn’t really thought about before, so focused on getting into med school so that she could become an obstetrician. Immediately her mind drifted to Taylor and how in love with him she was and what the future held for them. The first year of med school would be manageable, he’d still be at UMass and all of the schools she’d applied to so far weren’t that far of a drive. 

But what about after that? What about once Taylor was done with school? 

That was already in the back of her mind when Taylor brought up being asked back to the Avalanche’s prospect camp in July about a week before she was set to fly to see him. 

There was a strong chance that Taylor would remain a member of the Avalanche organization which would put him in Colorado once he was done with school. 2,000 miles. That was a hell of a lot more distance to cover. 

And it wasn’t like the University of Colorado didn’t have a good med school program, they were just as good if not better than other schools she was applying to. 

So much was still up in the air regarding her and Taylor’s future as a couple but if Tayor was going to be in Colorado, shouldn’t she at least apply and make it an option for herself? At least give themselves that chance? Possibly one year of long distance versus three or more. It seemed stupid not to and before she knew it Kelsey had submitted the University of Colorado’s medical school as one of her primary choices and completed the application and all other requirements. 

Unless Taylor brought it up however, she was going to keep it to herself just in case she wasn’t accepted. No point in getting his hopes up unnecessarily. 

****

Thankfully her passport had arrived a few days prior to her scheduled departure. Kelsey had tried to pack modestly, they were spending a few days in Calgary before heading to his family’s lake house in BC so light clothes were the name of the game. She threw a pair of pants into her suitcase in case of cool evenings but decided she could just steal one of Taylor’s hoodies when she got there in order to save space. 

“And where exactly are you packing to go?” As she packed two new swimsuits, Kelsey heard her mother’s voice appear in her doorway. She had purposely avoided telling her parents about her trip, though she had mentioned going to see Taylor to her dad, just without specifics. 

“Calgary to see Taylor.” As soon as the words left her mouth, Kelsey could practically see the smoke spilling from her mom’s ears. 

“I don’t think so.” The tone of her mom’s voice signaled that she expected those four words to be the end of it. Turning around, Kelsey put both hands on her hips signaling that she wasn’t backing down. 

“You can think whatever you want mom but I’m going to visit my boyfriend and his family.” 

“I’m telling you you’re not allowed to go.” 

“Yeah well last I checked I’m an adult so you no longer get to make decisions for me.” 

“I already told your cousin Mary we would be at her baby shower next weekend.” If her mother really thought she was going to guilt trip Kelsey into staying she had another thing coming. 

“You mean for her fifth child? The one she only got pregnant with hoping it would guilt her husband into staying…yeah I’ll pass.” 

“She’s going to ask where you are.” 

“Because she was so concerned when I wasn’t any of the first four. Yeah I don’t think so.” 

“Kelsey Anne. You’re not going.” 

The glare shared between them could melt a glacier. 

“If I had said I was going to the Outer Banks with some girlfriends would we be having this conversation right now?” 

Her mother didn’t even have to say it for Kelsey to know that they indeed would not be. 

“You’re only acting like this because you don’t like my boyfriend even though you haven’t even given him a chance. And that’s too bad….because I am head over heels in love with him and I’m going to do everything I can to make sure that I get to spend the rest of my life with him. So you’re just gonna have to get used to it.” 

“He’s only going to leave you once he graduates.” 

“Given that you know literally nothing about him and what kind of person he is I don’t think you get to draw that conclusion. I’m going to Calgary, that’s all there is to it. Now get out of my room so I can finish packing.” 

Slamming her door shut as soon as her mother walked away, Kelsey leaned against it and sighed. Her mom was certainly doing an A+ job of pushing her away and making her never want to come home again. 

*****

Kelsey hadn’t spoken to her mom again prior to catching a ride with a friend to Boston and hopping onto her plane to Calgary early Monday June 12th. Thankfully she had found a direct flight so after a roughly six hour plane ride she arrived in Calgary mid afternoon. 

Texting Taylor that she had landed, she made her way through customs and to baggage claim to get her suitcase before heading out to the pickup area once Taylor had confirmed that he was there waiting for her. 

Though she knew that the pickup lane was the most practical spot to meet, Kelsey was a little bummed that it meant she wasn’t going to get a hug and kiss from Taylor as they needed to load her bag into the back and get going. All she wanted after three weeks apart was to feel his arms wrapped around her. Nonetheless, after loading her bag, she climbed into the passenger seat and smiled at Taylor softly, though the tension from the flight and everything still lingered in her body. 

“Hey.” Taylor murmured as he leaned over the center console to kiss her softly and quickly before pulling away from the curb. 

“Flight okay?” Taylor asked as he made his way back toward the highway. 

“Yeah, just long.” Kelsey murmured back. 

Once Taylor was safely on the highway with slightly less traffic surrounding them, his right hand fell to her thigh rubbing softly. It wasn’t a hug but it would do for now and Kelsey rested her hand on his, squeezing gently. 

Looking out the window, Kelsey took in the new sights surrounding her, a bit overwhelmed by it all. Eventually Taylor got off the highway and navigated through back streets before coming to a stop. It wasn’t a residential neighborhood, so Kelsey was a little confused. 

“I thought we’d stop for ice cream.” Taylor declared, looking over at her with the softest eyes. 

“Sure.” Kelsey agreed. Ice cream did sound good but first Kelsey really needed that hug. 

Climbing out of the car, Kelsey moved to meet Taylor, stopping in front of him expectantly. 

“Ice cream is that way.” He pointed, a smirk developing on his face. 

“Taylor…” Kelsey insisted, knowing he knew what she really wanted. Chuckling softly, he finally pulled her into his arms, lips pressing softly against her hair. Immediately the tension poured off Kelsey’s shoulders and she hugged him back tightly, face buried into his chest. 

“Guess it’s a good thing I showered after the gym this morning.” He joked after a few minutes, causing Kelsey to pull away, giggling softly at how he always knew how to settle her mood. 

“I missed you.” She shrugged softly, her tone raw. 

“Missed you too. Now let’s get some ice cream.” Taylor declared, tucking her into his side as he guided her to the store so she could pick out her post flight treat. 

With some of her tension finally lifted, Kelsey could finally feel the excitement radiating from Taylor as he kept peeking down at her and it made her feel warm to know that he was so excited that she had come to see him. 

Sitting close in a spot in the shade, they devoured their treats, Kelsey choosing to embrace being in Canada and having maple flavored ice cream made from Canadian syrup and Canadian dairy while Taylor had a vegan coconut lime. It was not her preference but it was still good and something different than she’d had before. 

After finishing, they disposed of their trash before heading back to the car hand in hand. 

“Alright, back to my parents.” He declared as Kelsey stopped him near the passenger door. 

“First I want a proper kiss.” Kelsey insisted, fisting his shirt gently, not satisfied with only the quick peck at the airport. At the moment, the parking lot wasn’t full of kids or anything so it wasn’t like it would be wholly inappropriate. 

Taylor just smiled, face completely relaxed and happy before humming and dipping his head to press his lips to hers as she lifted up against him, exploring him after the separation. 

After a moment, Kelsey felt his dick press a bit more insistently against her stomach and she smiled into the kiss. She was in lazy plane clothing but yet he was still reacting to her. 

Breaking the kiss, Kelsey gazed up at him with twinkling eyes, acknowledging how he’d grown a bit just from a simple kiss with just a look. 

“You’re trouble.” He mumbled into her ear before opening the passenger door for her. Quickly he rounded the car to climb into the driver’s seat but after putting the key in the ignition he leaned his head back against the headrest. 

Reaching over, Kelsey rested a hand on his thigh causing him to turn his head looking at her like ‘let me regroup would you.’ 

Giggling softly, Kelsey pulled her hand back and bit her lip as Taylor adjusted himself in his shorts. 

“Yeah better get that under control since we can’t have sex at your parents’.” 

“What?” Taylor questioned his voice filled with confusion which only made Kelsey confused. 

“We can’t have sex at your parents’.” She repeated.

“My parents don’t care.” Taylor stated matter of factly. “They basically know we’re having sex. As long as we’re safe they don’t care.” 

Kelsey could only stare at him, a mixture of shock and disbelief on her face.

“Kels….” Taylor murmured. “My mom saw the hickeys you left on me before I came home for Christmas and all I got was a ‘just be safe and use protection.’” 

Kelsey’s cheeks flared red and she turned her head to the window clearly looking uncomfortable. 

“Doesn’t mean they’re okay with it happening under their roof.” Kelsey mumbled. 

“Kels if you don’t wanna have sex, we won’t, but I’m telling you my parents couldn’t care less so long as there are no grand babies for a long time.” 

With Taylor’s erection dissipating because of the conversation, he buckled his seatbelt and shifted the car into reverse, backing out of the parking spot and proceeding back to the road. 

It didn’t take long to get home and after parking the car, Taylor moved to help Kelsey with her bags. 

“Welcome to Calgary, Kels.” Taylor grinned, putting that prior conversation behind them and focusing on enjoying the two weeks his girlfriend was here. Following him inside, Kelsey’s first thought was that it was quaint and comfortable, everything she had assumed Taylor’s parents’ home would be. “Mom and dad should be home soon but c’mon we’ll take your bags to my room and then I’ll give you the tour.” 

“Your room?” Kelsey breathed, the words sticking with her the moment he’d said them. 

“Yeah Kels…my room where you’ll be staying…with me.” Taylor declared, turning to face her after setting the bags down at the bottom of the stairs. “Where did you think you’d be staying?” 

“I don’t know…a guest room.” Kelsey shrugged. An exasperated look crossed Taylor’s face before he shook his head softly noting to himself that they would revisit later if she wanted to sleep in the guest room once she was actually sounding like herself. 

“I think we need to have a conversation with my parents later.” Taylor sighed, turning to pick Kelsey’s bags up and starting up the stairs to set them in his room for now at least. 

With Kelsey following, Taylor gave her a quick tour of the house before suggesting that she take a post-travel shower. Though Kelsey hesitated for a minute she finally agreed that was a good idea and so Taylor got her a clean towel and showed her how the shower works before heading back downstairs to the couch.

That was where Laura found him when she got home from work ten minutes later. 

“Hey sweetie, where’s Kelsey?” Laura asked, seeing that Taylor was all alone. 

“Showering.” Taylor replied, running his fingers through his hair. “Can you do me a favor and talk to her about room sharing and stuff?” 

“Sure. I’m just going to change first.” Laura confirmed, knowing something must be off if Taylor was already asking her to talk to Kelsey, before moving to go through her usual post work routine. 

When she came back down, Kelsey was in the kitchen getting a glass of water and Laura immediately greeted her, offering a hug. 

“We’re so glad you’re finally here.” Laura declared, her hug warm as she wrapped Kelsey in her arms. Though it didn’t last long, it was the kind of hug that you couldn’t help but relax into. 

“I’m glad to be here too.” Kelsey murmured back, though her voice wasn’t filled with its usual confidence. 

“Was your flight okay?” Laura inquired. 

“Yeah.” Kelsey agreed. “Just a little long. I’ve only flown along the east coast before so it was definitely longer than I’m used to.” 

“I bet.” Laura replied, moving around the kitchen to get together the things she needed to make dinner. As she did, Taylor appeared from the living room, kissing Kelsey’s head as he moved to refill his own drink. 

“So what’s the plan for the week before we head to the cabin Thursday?” Laura questioned. 

“Just figured I’d show Kels Calgary tomorrow and then Wednesday we’d go hike Mount St. Piran.” Taylor declared, smiling as Kelsey grinned at the thought of a hike. “It’s got some great views and isn’t as crazy busy as some of the other trails out that way so it should be good.” 

“Make sure you take plenty of water and sunscreen.” Laura reminded, as all mothers do. 

“Of course. Kels and I have the whole hiking thing down by now with all our post season hikes.” Taylor bragged because even if it had only been two or three, that was more than he’d hiked at all the previous year in Amherst. 

“Good.” Laura nodded. “Now can you go clean off the grill and get it started for dinner for me?” 

“On it.” Taylor declared, moving to gather the things he needed. 

“And Kelsey can keep me company in here.” Laura added on, gesturing for Kelsey to take a seat at the kitchen island. 

Kelsey exchanged a look with Taylor before he dipped outside and then swallowed hard. 

“How are med school applications going? Taylor mentioned you’d been spending a lot of time of on those these last few weeks.” Laura questioned, trying to make Kelsey comfortable before beginning to ask what Taylor had wanted her to. 

“First round is in so now I just wait for interviews and stuff in the fall.” Kelsey explained with a shrug. 

“Well that’s good. Now you can just relax while you’re here.” Laura stated with a smile while peeling sweet potatoes. “I’m sure Tay took your things to his room since we figured you’d be most comfortable there.” 

Immediately Kelsey turned a little pink and dropped her eyes to look intently at her glass of water. 

“If you’d prefer a guest room, we can get one set up for you that’s no problem.” Laura added, watching as Kelsey opened and closed her mouth a few times without speaking. “Whatever makes you comfortable Kelsey…that’s all we want.”

“I want to sleep next to him…” Kelsey whispered, tone almost ashamed.

“Then what’s stopping you?” Laura questioned, clearly sensing there was more going on. 

Flushing further, Kelsey shrunk into the stool she was sitting on. Meanwhile, Laura continued peeling and cutting the sweet potatoes before putting them in foil and starting on starting on the green beans that would join them. 

“I don’t want to give you any reason not to like me.” Kelsey eventually mumbled under her breath, peeking out to where Taylor was still scrubbing away at the grill. 

“Kelsey…why would that make us not like you?” Laura started. “We got you two a hotel room in Amherst and Gary dropped Taylor off at your apartment to sleep over before that. It’s not a secret to anyone that you have sleepovers together.” 

“Would be to my parents….” Kelsey muttered softly. With the front door opening with Gary’s arrival, the conversation paused as Taylor’s dad made his way into the kitchen greeting Kelsey warmly. 

“Would you look at that, she made it.” He grinned, though he immediately picked up on the tension in the room. 

“Hi Mr. Makar.” Kelsey stated softly. 

“You know it’s Gary Kelsey.” He reminded her, moving to kiss his wife. “Everything good in here?” He asked in her ear. 

“Can you take the chicken and vegetables out to T, he should have the grill going by now.” Laura questioned, the look they exchanged signaling that they were working on some things but alright. 

As Gary headed outside, Laura turned to wash her hands. 

“Kelsey, I’m not going to force you to talk about your relationship with your parents if you don’t want to even though it doesn’t seem to be a healthy one based on what you’re projecting onto us.” Laura stated simply. “I’ll just say, in this house we just want Taylor…and by extension you…to be happy and comfortable. You’re both adults. You’re in a committed relationship. As long as you’re being safe it’s frankly none of our business what you do behind closed doors. We’re not going to suddenly stop liking you because you want to share a bed with my cuddly son or even engage in other adult activities. To be frank, the thing that would make us not like you is if you hurt him by pulling away out of fear of what we might think.” 

“I love him so much.” Kelsey whispered. “I just don’t want to do anything to mess up a possible forever.” 

Rounding the island, Laura pulled Kelsey into a hug.

“If forever is what you want then don’t let anyone outside of you and T define your relationship okay.” 

Nodding into Laura’s shoulder, Kelsey hugged her back focusing on taking some deep breaths. Even once they had pulled apart, Kelsey was still a bit shaky and murmured that she was going to T’s room for a minute. 

After climbing the stairs, Kelsey stepped into Taylor’s room and moved over to the bed, flopping back onto it and closing her eyes. Immediately Taylor’s scent enveloped her causing waves of comfort to wash over her. It had only been 18 days but god had she missed how he smelled. 

Breathing deeply, Kelsey tried to push everything weighing on her mind away and just focus on the fact that she was in Taylor’s childhood bedroom with the man she adored right downstairs instead of thousands of miles away. 

With her eyes closed, Kelsey was unsure of how much time had passed before she heard a throat clearing in the doorway and her eyes met Taylor’s when she opened them. 

“Mom sent me to check on you…” He declared, though he didn’t move from his spot. 

“You can come in, you know…” Kelsey murmured. “It is your room. Though I’m hoping you’re still willing to share it with me.” 

As Taylor moved closer, Kelsey sat up, swinging her legs over the side of the bed. 

“I’m sorry for earlier.” She mumbled. “I just…god I want your parents to like me and my mom can be really damn good at clouding what I think other people are going to perceive and yeah.” 

“Are we good now?” Taylor asked, still standing in front of her. 

“Still processing a little but I think so…” Kelsey murmured. “I just want you.” 

Taylor still appeared a little on edge so Kelsey stood, sliding her arms around him in a hug. 

“I love you T. So fucking much it’s scary sometimes.” 

“Love you too Kels.” Taylor murmured, slowly relaxing as Kelsey rubbed his back. 

“Think dinner is ready? Because I could really use fed…” Kelsey eventually questioned, her stomach rumbling slightly. 

With Taylor nodding, Kelsey stretched up for a quick kiss before moving with him back downstairs, trying to quell any anxiety about being around his parents. 

Thankfully, neither acted like anything had happened and just settled into eating dinner that the guys had grilled up. It wasn’t anything special but having not really eaten all day it definitely hit the spot and Kelsey devoured her entire plate in no time. 

Nudging her side, Taylor offered her a little more chicken from his huge portion and Kelsey nodded, sliding a hand along his thigh in thanks. 

“T, you got invited to Justin Ross’s wedding right? I ran into his dad today.” Gary questioned once he had finished his own food. 

“Yeah…” Taylor confirmed between bites. “Think that’s coming up soon.” 

“Next weekend.” Gary declared. “Assuming you’re taking Kels as your plus one.” 

Taylor was quiet for a moment as if running over the calendar of Kelsey’s stay in his head. 

“Yeah, yeah I guess I am.” He grinned. 

Almost immediately, Kelsey’s fork clattered to her plate and Taylor let out a bit of a yelp as Laura kicked him under the table. 

“Breathe Kels.” Laura murmured. “You and I will go shopping while T goes to the gym in the morning and we’ll find you a dress and shoes.” 

Nodding, Kelsey relaxed though she couldn’t help but shake her head at how much Taylor still had to learn about women. 

“In the future, you might want to give your girlfriend a heads up if she needs to bring formal clothes for something Taylor.” Laura chastised softy. 

“I forgot it was when she was gonna be here.” Taylor mumbled, looking over at his girl. “Sorry Kels…mom will help you find something though if you’re willing to be my date.” 

“You know I’m always willing to be your date Tay.” Kelsey breathed, cheeks a little pink from the added surprise that had been dropped on her when today had already been a little bit of a mess. 

“After we clean up, can we go for a walk T?” Kelsey questioned softly as he finally finished up the food on his plate. “I could use some air if that’s okay.” 

“Gary and I have the cleanup tonight.” Laura insisted. “Go for your walk.” 

“Thanks mom.” Taylor declared, moving with Kelsey to the foyer to get their shoes. 

After probably forty-five minutes of walking around Taylor’s neighborhood, they finally returned to the house slightly sweaty with some of the tension giving way to fatigue. 

As Taylor headed inside to retrieve bottles of water, Kelsey sank onto the front stoop, feeling achy and completely drained after the roller coaster the day had been. 

“Think your parents would care if I went to bed?” Kelsey questioned softly as Taylor sat down beside her. 

“Course not Kels. Finish the water and we can head up to get ready.” 

It was technically only like 8pm Calgary time but that meant it was 10pm eastern and Kelsey had been up since 6am. Add in all the stress and all she wanted to do was sink into bed. 

Drinking the entire bottle of water, Kelsey passed it to Taylor to recycle before pushing herself up to head inside. Passing by where his parents were, Kelsey murmured her goodnights and headed upstairs to Taylor’s room. Running through an abbreviated nightly routine she changed and cleaned up a little before pulling down the covers on Taylor’s bed and climbing in. 

Within just a few minutes, Taylor had joined her, going through his own routine before slipping into the other side of the bed and pulling her close. 

“Tomorrow is a new day.” Taylor murmured softly and Kelsey nodded, ready to put today in the past. 

As she tried to soothe herself to sleep, her fingers worked up under Taylor’s t-shirt in search of his happy trail only to be met with smooth skin. If the day hadn’t been as stress-inducing as it was, she might have been fine, but immediately her bottom lip wobbled and tears pooled in her eyes, dripping onto Taylor’s arm and the pillow beneath her head. 

Rolling, Taylor pulled her up onto his body and wrapped himself around her, playing gently with her hair until the tears had stopped actively falling and she was just left breathing unsteadily on his chest. 

“Kels…” He whispered softly. “What was that all about?” 

When his question drew a few more tears from her eyes, Taylor sighed and just rubbed her back letting her work through all of the emotions coursing through her. 

“Kels…” He prompted once she had calmed down again. 

“Nothing. It’s stupid.” 

“Nothing that makes you cry is stupid Kels.” 

“Just wasn’t expecting you to have shaved it…” Kelsey mumbled, pure exhaustion and fatigue showing in her voice. 

“Shaved…? Oh.” Taylor mumbled as it dawned on him where her fingers had been when the crying started. “You liked the hair there?” 

“Love your happy trail…” Kelsey whispered forlornly. “But not gonna tell you what to do with your body…it’s just been a long day…sorry.” 

Squeezing her tighter, Taylor kissed her forehead. 

“I’m sorry I shaved your comfort spot. Didn’t realize how much you loved it.” 

“It’s your body. I’m just being silly.” Kelsey sniffled. 

“It’s just hair to me, Kels. But to you it’s comfort and security and that means more. So once it grows back I’ll keep it I promise.” Taylor murmured, urging her to lift her head so he could kiss her. “You’re my world Kels. Just wanna make you feel happy and safe.” 

“I love you.” Kelsey murmured when Taylor broke their kiss. 

“Love you too. Now sleep because you’ve had a hell of a day.” 

“Are you taking me anywhere fun tomorrow?” Kelsey asked, rolling off of him and back onto the bed with a yawn. 

“You’ll just have to wait and see.” Taylor mused, kissing her one more time as they settled in to sleep cuddled together.

#taylor makar #taylor makar imagine #colorado avalanche #colorado avalanche imagine #nhl imagine #nhl imagines #hockey imagines #hockey imagine #cavalanche #046

[hockeylvr59]

Here With Me Part 24 || Taylor Makar

Author’s Note: Taylor and Kelsey's relationship is put to the test as Taylor finally learns exactly how Kelsey and Bobby know each other and Kelsey's secret is revealed. FC: Marina Laswick (@marooshk on instagram).

Warnings: discussion of abortion, sexual assault (stealthing), angst, hurt, comfort // Word Count: 5,689

~~~~

March 29th, 2023

Bobby: T survive meeting your parents?

Kelsey: Despite my mom being a total bitch yeah thankfully. 

Bobby: Good. Now you have no reason not to tell him. 

Kelsey: Bobby…

Bobby: You know I’m right Kels…keeping this from him isn’t helping anything. 

Kelsey: I promised to tell him before summer and I will. Now please lay off. 

******

April 6th, 2023

Taylor walked into medical ethics with Kelsey’s favorite coffee in hand, ready to kiss his girlfriend good morning after not seeing her the night before because she had a headache. He was a little surprised when the seat in front of him was empty. If he and Kelsey didn’t come together she was always here before him. 

He figured that she had every right to be running a bit late once and awhile and he unpacked his things expecting her to appear any moment. 

And then the clock struck the hour with no sign of Kelsey. 

Their professor started class and no sign of Kelsey. 

Sneaking his phone out of his pocket he checked to see if he’d missed any messages from her….nothing. 

What the fuck? Taylor had slept like shit without Kelsey in his bed and now she wasn’t in class. She never missed class. 

Taylor: Where are you? Is everything okay?

Taylor stared at the screen of his phone waiting for something…anything. 

Kelsey wasn’t driving because if she was he would have gotten the automated response to his message. 

Taylor: It’s not like you to miss class Kels…

Nothing. She wasn’t even answering him and he found himself slightly annoyed.

Taylor couldn’t help but think over the last week or so…had he missed something? Had she already told him she wouldn’t be here today and he’d forgotten? 

They’d gone on their hike. She’d stayed over Monday and was fine in class Tuesday. She hadn’t stayed over Wednesday but Thursday’s class was normal though she’d been a bit tense when he’d tried to kiss her after. Last weekend they’d gone out and she’d spent Saturday night tucked against his chest while he watched his brother’s team play the Stars. Admittedly she’d been extra affectionate even for her but Taylor assumed she was just in a mood. 

She’d spent this Monday over as well. Everything seemed normal so why wasn’t she here or at least responding to him? 

From the back row, one of the class’s assholes piped up about how he didn’t see any reason why late term abortions would be necessary. That dude fucking needed to keep his opinions to himself because they weren’t good ones. Kelsey could probably list a dozen reasons why late term abortions could be necessary. 

Well…he assumed she could. If there was anything Kelsey was truly passionate about it was women’s health and so Taylor assumed that her views on abortion were what he predicted. But then again….he didn’t know. She never talked about it. 

In fact she’d been tense as hell all day Tuesday when they started talking about abortion. 

He’d noticed she hadn’t been herself but he assumed she just needed a break from talking. But god this was Kelsey…she never needed a break from talking about something that mattered to her. Without fail she had at least one well thought out comment or opinion each class. But Tuesday…Tuesday she’d been silent. 

And now she wasn’t here.

Something was wrong. Taylor just didn’t know what that something could possibly be. Maybe she was just sick but Taylor honestly didn’t think that was the case. 

Looking at his phone again there was still nothing from Kelsey and Taylor’s stomach sunk. 

Taylor: Hey Lauts….I need you to pick me up after my class and take me to Kels’. It’s important. 

With his roommate’s confirmation he’d be there, Taylor tried to pay attention to the class discussion. Honestly though he just kept looking between his phone and the clock waiting for this class to be over so he could go see Kelsey. 

____

When he knocked on the door to Kelsey’s apartment, it took a minute but eventually one of her roommates opened the door. 

“Is Kels home?” He asked, shifting slightly on his feet. Getting a brief nod in response, they gestured to Kelsey’s room and when he opened the door after knocking he was a bit shocked by what greeted him. 

It was plain as day that Kelsey had been crying, her skin was pale while her face was red and splotchy, her hair was lacking its usual shine, and her eyes looked sunken. Those same eyes went wide seeing him and she pulled her bottom lip between her teeth as he crossed the room sinking down onto the bed to pull her against his chest. 

Immediately the tears started all over again, soaking his hoodie and she shook in his arms. 

“What’s going on Kels?” Taylor questioned softly, worry and confusion on his face. 

“I had an abortion freshman year.” 

The second the words left her mouth Kelsey’s sobs increased and Taylor froze. 

Abortion. 

Kelsey had had an abortion…

Everything they had talked about in class…Kelsey had done that. 

Kelsey had been pregnant. Knocked up. With child. 

And then she’d made it go away. 

It was all just too much for him to process. Releasing her from his grasp, Taylor stood up from her bed and paced her room just trying to wrap his mind around what she had just dropped on him. 

An abortion….his girlfriend….the girlfriend who was anal as fuck about protection had had an abortion. 

“I…I gotta go.” He mumbled, walking out the door he had entered only minutes before, leaving Kelsey sobbing amongst her sheets. 

*****

Kelsey: I told him and he left. 

Kelsey: This is all your fucking fault Bobby. 

Kelsey: I knew he wasn’t ready and now I’ve lost him. 

*****

Bobby: I am driving up from Hartford T and when I get there we are gonna have a chat. 

*****

Taylor had taken a bus back to campus and made his way back to his apartment and he was there still trying to wrap his mind around everything when Bobby Trivigno, his captain last season, burst into his room. 

“WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU?!” He immediately yelled, glaring at Taylor. Dropping his voice to a more even level purely so that Taylor’s roommates couldn’t overhear, Bobby continued. “Kelsey tells you the most personal thing in her life and you fucking walk out on her you asshole. You just broke her a hundred times worse than she was broken two years ago.” 

“Wait. You knew.” Taylor stated, voice accusing as he stood up, moving to shove Bobby. 

“Sit your fucking ass down TMak.” Bobby grit. “If you’re thinking I slept with her and it was my baby you’re not even in the right universe. But if you sit the fuck down I’ll tell you what happened.” 

Continuing to glare at Bobby for a minute, Taylor finally flopped onto his bed, running his fingers through his hair. 

“I knew Kelsey through Carvy.” Bobby started. “She’d be around the rink trying to sneak five minutes of ice time whenever she could. We’d chat occasionally but that was it.” 

Taylor’s eyes were still accusing as he looked at his former captain. 

“It was late January, the season was going well and I’d started to get a sinus infection so I went to urgent care just to get it taken care of before it actually started to impact my play or whatever. So I see a doctor, get meds prescribed, and as I’m stepping out of the exam room someone is leaving the one across from me as well.” Bobby continued. 

“It was immediately apparent it was a young woman sobbing and she was wobbly on her feet. The nurse with her was worried that maybe she shouldn’t have tried to leave so soon and as her legs started to give out I reached out on instinct and caught her. That was when I realized it was Kelsey.” 

“She flinched at my touch until she looked up and realized it was me and then she relaxed. I asked her if she was okay and if I could take her home and after getting her permission and checking with the nurses that that was okay, I picked her up bridal style and carried her to my car while she cried against my shoulder.” Bobby shifted to lean against Taylor’s desk as he proceeded with his story. 

“I didn’t push her to talk but settled her into my passenger seat and drove her back to her dorm. It was once I had parked there that she mumbled out that she was pregnant. Dude she was a fucking wreck. I had seen Kelsey angry before but never had she been just broken like she was that day. All I could do was rub her back while she sobbed into her knees mumbling that she didn’t know how this could have happened. That she was always careful that the guys she was with used condoms.” Anger flickered over Bobby’s face that wasn’t directed at Taylor. 

“She very obviously didn’t know what she was going to do, she was in shock. We sat there outside her dorm for probably forty five minutes while she just cried and cried and cried. Like I didn’t fucking know how to help her. Even after she finally left my car I didn’t know what to do.” Bobby’s sigh reflected the helplessness he’d felt that day even now. 

“She’d been in the back of my mind constantly after that. And then two days later she’d texted me asking for a huge favor…could I take her to the doctor’s to take care of it. That she needed someone that could take her home after and she couldn’t tell her parents. And what was I supposed to do, tell her no?” 

“So I took her. I dropped her off at the clinic for her appointment and then waited outside doing homework. And when she finally texted me to please come in and get her, I did. She looked pale, but I’d never seen someone look so relieved. Like she’d gotten her life back. There was that glimmer of Kelsey in her eyes for the first time. She’d gone from a shell of herself to almost whole again just like that.” Taking a breath it was clear that Bobby was almost done, though not quite there yet. 

“I took her to get a milkshake and then once she signaled that she was ready I took her back to her dorm. We really didn’t talk about it after that. Though she was more herself it was clear that it still weighed on her and I’d hug her whenever I got the chance just to remind her that it was okay.” 

“Then at a party after the natty, she was there and looked like a ghost. I realized she was looking at a guy across the room with horror as he very loudly proclaimed to his buddies who were complaining about condoms that the way to avoid that was just to take it off while the girl wasn’t paying attention. It took everything in me not to punch his lights out. And to keep Kelsey from crossing the room to punch his lights out. I have never seen her so pissed off as when we realized that she had gotten stealthed.” 

Bobby went quiet for a minute and then shook his head. 

“So T. I can’t tell you why she made the choices she did. But I can tell you this. That woman you love…she’s who she is because of this experience. Because she made the choices she did. Do you think you’d be together if she’d continued with the pregnancy, had a child whether she’d kept it or not? Would she have the same ambition and drive and passion if she hadn’t been through that? Because I can tell you that I’m certain you would not and she would not. She would be a shell of the woman she is now. Just like she was for that week and the months following it as she pieced herself back together and dealt with the trauma.” 

“So like I fucking get it. I’d be in shock too if my girlfriend told me that. But that doesn’t give you an excuse to act like an asshole. You broke her today. She trusted you enough to admit something that only she, I, and the doctors and nurses that took care of her know. No one else knows. It’s her deepest secret and she shared it with you though she was fucking terrified of losing you over it. And you just walked out on her. You cracked that trauma she went through wide open again. You need to fucking fix it. Especially if you love her the way it seems like you do.” 

“I gotta get back to Hartford. But fix it. Don’t do her dirty like he did or I will come back here and kick your ass.” 

Bobby stared Taylor down for a full minute before finally turning and letting himself out of Taylor’s room. 

*****

Bobby: I talked to T. Told him how it all happened. Give him tonight to process and he’ll see sense. 

Bobby: He loves you Kels. I know he does. 

Bobby: I’ll come back and kick his ass if he continues to be an idiot. 

******

April 7th, 2023

Kelsey had given Taylor the night just like Bobby had suggested but now she needed to know where they stood. If Taylor couldn’t accept her past then they had no future and it would be better to just know that instead of waiting for him to reach out to her or push her away. After all, she couldn’t just continue to sit around sobbing forever no matter how much she hurt. 

Eating because one of her roommates had forced an omelet at her this morning, Kelsey made her way to Taylor’s knowing that he didn’t have class on Fridays. 

There was no one home when she arrived and knocked and so she sat on the floor of the hallway to wait. 

Twenty minutes later, familiar voices finally reached her ears from down the hall and when she looked up, Taylor’s roommates were looking at him with concerned expressions as they unlocked their door. 

A moment later, Taylor’s hand was reaching down to her in an offer to help her up and Kelsey took it, rising back to her feet. His roommates had already disappeared through the open door and Kelsey eyed Taylor wearily. 

“I’m sorry.” He mumbled, his hand shifting to guide her inside the apartment. Immediately Kelsey froze and shifted out of reach of his touch. Accepting his help was one thing, but that touch was another and Kelsey didn’t want it. Not after he walked out on her. 

His apology meant nothing either. Not when Kelsey didn’t know what it meant. Was it an “I’m sorry but we’re done” or an “I’m sorry but this isn’t something I can get past” or one of a million other reasons that the words I’m sorry could be leaving his mouth. 

Still she stepped into the apartment and continued the few steps down the hall to Taylor’s room with him trailing her. 

Once his door was shut Kelsey bit her lip before just saying what she had come over to say. 

“I just need to know if we’re done. I can’t…I can’t play this guessing game so if this is too much for you, if this isn’t something you can accept I need you to tell me now Taylor.” 

“Why would we be done?” Taylor asked, shocked that it had even crossed her mind. “I still love you.” 

“You walked out on me Taylor…” Kelsey whispered. 

“I knew something was off…but I wasn’t expecting you to drop that on me. I just…I needed time to think, Kels…” 

“Okay. You’ve had 24 hours. Where has all that thinking gotten you?” 

Taylor had had so many thoughts in the last twenty four hours and honestly most of them were still a jumble he hadn’t made sense of. 

"I want to kill the man that violated you like that." Taylor started. To Taylor, what that guy had done to her was nearly as bad as forcing himself on her. He had violated her trust and her consent all because he didn’t like the feel of a thin layer of latex. It was stupid and unacceptable. 

“Knowing you were so isolated, so alone going through that makes me sad…” It was still hard to process that outside of this room the only people that knew what Kelsey had been through were the nurses and doctors and Bobby. That he was the first person Kelsey had really told. "And now I'm even more in love with your strength." 

Kelsey’s expression wobbled at the last part of his statement, her eyes growing watery. 

“Come ‘ere Kels, please.” Taylor murmured, opening his arms in hopes that she would step into them. 

Though she hesitated for a moment, she did step forward, tucking her body into his and letting him wrap his arms around her. 

“I still love you and I’m not going anywhere.” He whispered into her hair. “I’m so sorry I left.” 

Almost instantly, the flood gates opened and Taylor felt Kelsey’s tears soaking into his shoulder. 

In response, Taylor held her tighter, his heart constricting at witnessing her pain. 

“I’m right here Kels. Just let it all go.” 

It wasn’t long before his own tears were streaming down his face and into her hair, yet Taylor never loosened his grip on her, not when it was clear how much she needed him. 

As she leaned on him more, it was clear that finding the strength to stand was difficult for her and so Taylor’s hands briefly swept down to her thighs, hoisting her up and onto his bed before he settled back between her legs and wrapped her back in a tight hug. 

“I love you Kelsey.” Taylor whispered once again. “Nothing's gonna change that. My incredible girl.” 

Taylor had seen Kelsey upset before, he’d seen her mad before, he’d heard her cry when he was in Calgary. None of that compared though to seeing her utterly broken in his arms, unable to control her tears. And to make matters worse was the knowledge that this was his fault, he was the reason she was like this…because he had walked out on her likely proving every single one of her fears accurate. 

No amount of holding her would fix what he had broken. And that gutted him. But it couldn’t hurt either and so he would hold her as long as she needed him to, laying soft kisses to her hair and just trying to reassure her that he wasn’t going to leave her, not again. 

Eventually her body went limp against his and Taylor peeked down at her to find that she had passed out against him. She had cried herself to sleep sitting up. 

Fuck.

Ever so carefully, Taylor shifted her to lay down on his bed and when she didn’t stir he grabbed a light blanket to cover her with. 

All of the observations he had made yesterday as to her appearance were even more emphasized and Taylor couldn’t help but curse again. This was his fault. If he hadn’t been such chicken shit maybe she would be okay. Honestly he deserved to have Bobby kick his ass. 

The rumbling of a stomach reminded him that he hadn’t eaten after their weight session this morning. Except it wasn’t his stomach that was rumbling, it was hers and Taylor knew that anything she had eaten in the last few days had likely been basic sustenance that was forced on her.  

She needed to eat. 

Kissing her forehead, Taylor stepped out of his room and into the kitchen trying to decide what he could make them for lunch. 

“Hey T…everything okay?” Mercs asked, seeing Taylor walk by his open door. Taylor’s shrug as he passed said it all and Mercs groaned, moving to get some backup from Lauts. 

“Anything we can do?” While they didn’t know what was going on, Bobby showing up and the way Kelsey had appeared sitting on the hall floor said enough for them to know that something big had happened. 

Sighing, Taylor rubbed at his face as he looked through the fridge and cabinets for something Kelsey might like. Then it hit him…Kelsey’s favorite food, especially for comfort was homemade mac and cheese. 

“Fuck…yeah could you run to the store for a few things?” 

Knowing that it wouldn’t hurt to get a few things for the weekend anyway, the two of them nodded. 

“Yeah. Just text us a list.” Mercs agreed, moving to grab what he needed to head back out. 

Once they were gone, Taylor pulled his phone from his pocket and called his mom. 

“Everything okay baby?” Laura asked upon answering. “Not your usual time of day for a phone call.” 

“No but it will be.” Taylor mumbled, adding an ‘I hope’ under his breath. “Can you send me a recipe for homemade mac and cheese?” 

“Of course Tay…” Laura trailed off, leaving silence in case Taylor wanted to say anything else. When he didn’t she just assured him that she would text it to him in a minute or two and expressed her love for him reminding him to let her know if he needed anything. 

“Love you too mom. Thanks.” 

Hanging up the phone, Taylor peeked in on Kelsey to make sure that she was still asleep while he waited for his mom to send the recipe. 

Once she had, he texted off a list of ingredients to Mercs and Lauts and settled onto the floor beside his bed to be close to Kels while she slept. 

Scrolling through his phone, Taylor sighed knowing that he owed Kelsey the world after acting like the biggest asshole and leaving her without even giving her a chance to explain. Texting Mercs again he asked him to pick up some flowers as well because…well honestly he just wanted to try and make Kelsey smile again even if he knew that was a feat that may be unattainable. 

When Kelsey shifted a bit, her hand falling over the side of the bed, Taylor looked up. Thankfully she didn’t wake and he reached up, brushing his thumb over her knuckles. He was going to be there for her whether she wanted to talk about it or whether she wanted to bury it once more. He owed her his respect and understanding after all, even if he still had so so many questions. 

Sitting there with her until he heard the front door of the apartment, Taylor got up and kissed her head again glad she was getting the rest her body clearly needed. Then he moved to help his roommates with the groceries, thanking them softly as he put a pot of water on to boil and pulled out another to make the cheese sauce. 

“We’re gonna go hang with some of the guys.” Lauts declared. “Give you and Kelsey some space…” 

Nodding his appreciation, Taylor pulled out his phone with the recipe his mom had sent to get to work making the food. 

He worked carefully and quietly, making sure to follow each direction exactly because the last thing he needed was to fuck this up too. As he cooked he ate a wrap he’d thrown together because this mac and cheese recipe was definitely not on his diet plan. By the time he had a steaming pot of creamy mac and cheese on the stove, everything else cleaned up and washed, there was still no sign of Kelsey. 

As much as she needed the sleep she also needed to eat so Taylor scooped out a bowl and poured her a glass of water, taking both of them back to his room and setting them beside the bed. Perching carefully on the edge of the mattress he shook Kelsey to wake her. 

It took a moment but eventually her eyes fluttered open and Taylor brushed his fingers over her cheek. 

“You wanna eat something for me?” He asked. “Made you mac and cheese.” Kelsey was visibly groggy as she struggled to sit up and Taylor kissed her forehead once again as she settled. 

“I…” She started but Taylor quickly shook his head. 

“Just eat Kels. You gotta take care of yourself.” Taylor insisted, placing the bowl into her hands. 

Her eyes dropped to it and she stared at it for a minute. 

“This is…” She started softly, tearing up before she could finish. 

For a split second Taylor felt insecure that maybe he’d fucked up even though the one bite he’d had tasted fine to him. Then he realized that she had been expecting something boxed or premade, not homemade. 

“I know homemade mac and cheese is your comfort food Kels and it was literally the least I could do.” The tears fell and Taylor sighed softly. “C’mon Kels don’t cry…it’s just mac and cheese.” 

Taking the bowl from her hand before she spilled it everywhere, Taylor twisted to pull her into his arms once more. 

“If you’re gonna cry over mac and cheese I guess I should leave the flowers in the living room.” He teased softly, wiping at her tears even as more fell. Though he’d tried to pull away to place the bowl of food back in her hands, Kelsey clung to him. 

“Alright…scoot forward a bit.” He finally instructed with a sigh. “Let me sit behind you because you gotta eat Kels.” 

When she complied, Taylor climbed onto the bed behind her, pulling her back to his chest and wrapping one arm around her torso. 

“I’m gonna be right here Kels. Now please eat.” He pleaded, grabbing the bowl and holding it in front of her with his free hand. Leaning against him, Kelsey finally compiled, taking the bowl from him. She ate slowly but it was eating all the same and that was the desired end result. 

“Do you want to talk about it?” Taylor whispered once she had finally finished. 

Immediately Kelsey shook her head. 

“Do you think maybe you should talk about it though…” He prodded gently. “Not good to bottle it all up and I promise you you’re not going to get any judgment from me and I’m not going anywhere.” 

Kelsey tensed a bit and Taylor sighed. 

“Not gonna force you though Kels…you know that. I love you and just want to see your beautiful smile again.” 

Kelsey’s left hand reached down to play with Taylor’s fingers and after a moment she sighed and swallowed hard. 

“Bobby has been bugging me for like the last month to tell you.” She whispered. “Kept telling me this wasn’t the kind of secret a relationship could survive hiding.” Taylor didn’t say anything when she paused, just letting her continue to trail a light touch over his hand. The fact that Bobby apparently had to push her to tell him stung a little though. 

“But I didn’t want to lose you.” She finally breathed. “You mean everything to me Taylor.” 

She paused again clearly trying to collect her thoughts and Taylor just nosed against her head giving her his silent support. He supposed that was fair for her to think given his reaction to the pregnancy test and the fact that he had walked out on her when she told him. 

“I didn’t plan to tell you like that.” She mumbled. “I don’t…I don’t know how I was going to tell you but it wasn’t going to be like that. I just…after class Tuesday I felt like I couldn’t breathe. I felt like I was barely twenty again sitting on that medical exam table as the nurse told me that the reason I’d felt like I had a flu I couldn’t shake was because I was pregnant. Like once again my whole world was going to crash down around me.” 

Kelsey’s shoulders slumped against him and Taylor pressed his lips to her temple, squeezing her hand. 

“Listening to all those comments from men who will never truly be able to understand…” She cried. “I didn’t have a choice Taylor…I couldn’t…my parents would never…what about my life!” Her tone was frantic and desperate and Taylor let her continue knowing she needed to get this out. “I didn’t want to have a baby Taylor. I didn’t want to put my body through that misery and all the risks of complications. Not when I was alone. Not when I want to be a doctor. I didn’t have a choice…” 

“I know you didn’t Kels….” Taylor finally whispered. 

“I was so scared.” Kelsey’s defensive tone shifted once again and she almost sounded like a child. “I was all alone to make the hardest decision of my life.” 

“You’re not alone now, Kels. Not anymore. I love you.” 

“Say it again….” She pleaded, fear still lingering in her voice. 

“You’re not alone Kelsey because I love you.” Taylor repeated without hesitation. “And no matter what I’m not leaving you.” 

Shifting, Kelsey turned to face Taylor, half straddling his lap. Her eyes searched his for a moment before she pressed a soft kiss to his lips and promptly buried her head into his shoulder. 

“I love you.” Taylor whispered in her ear again as she clung to him. He would say it as many times as she needed him to, until she finally believed him. 

****

Kelsey had again fallen asleep on him and Taylor continued to hold her knowing that she needed him to be her rock and steady her. He hadn’t been able to be there for her then, but he could be here now and at the moment she was his number one priority. 

When she awoke once more it was late afternoon and it wasn’t long before she was soaking his chest with tears clearly having bottled up so many emotions that were finally being released. 

“C’mon kels, let’s go shower…” Taylor urged knowing that she would feel better once she had cleaned up. Guiding her off of him and then helping lift her from his bed, Taylor grabbed clothes and then hugged her tightly before guiding her into his bathroom. After starting the hot water, he kissed over her head and face as he undressed her and then himself before stepping under the stream of water. 

“I love you.” It was a phrase he repeated over and over as he gently washed her. By the end of the shower, Kelsey’s body was more relaxed even if the hollow look in her eyes still lingered. 

Drying her, Taylor helped her back into her own undergarments and then into a pair of his sweats and one of his t-shirts. Though she swam in them, Taylor knew that they would help provide her comfort and signaled that he wanted her to stay. 

The evening wasn’t much different than the afternoon had been, Taylor keeping Kelsey wrapped up in his arms providing her as much comfort as he could as they had dinner, watched a couple movies on his laptop, and fell asleep on his bed. 

Though little by little Kelsey relaxed, Taylor knew that it was important to continue letting her stay close until her mind was fully satisfied that he wasn’t leaving. 

By Sunday, Taylor’s roommates were more than a little concerned, as Taylor normally didn’t spend an entire weekend just laying around doing nothing. Knocking on his cracked door softly, Mikey called him out. 

“Yo T, bring Kels and come play some COD with us.” 

Looking down at where his girlfriend was trailing fingers along the outer seam of his shirt, Taylor sighed, not sure if she was up to being around anyone else. When his eyes met her he could see the small lingering panic. 

“They’re not asking you to leave Kels, just want us to join them, but only if you’re up for it.” 

Though she hesitated for a moment, eventually Kelsey nodded. 

Taking her hand, Taylor led her to the living room and as he settled onto the floor he pulled her down with him to rest between his thighs. 

She lasted all of half an hour before she was wiggling out of his arms, murmuring about going to the bathroom. It took her awhile to return but when she did, she had one of his hoodies and a t-shirt in hand along with a small plastic container. 

“You cold or something?” Taylor asked as she settled herself between his thighs once he had died and was waiting to respawn. 

“You have a seam starting to split. And the hem stitches on the shirt are fraying.” Kelsey mumbled, setting the shirt aside and reaching for the hoodie along with her needle and thread. 

Taylor could only shake his head a bit. Of course Kels was going to sit on the floor between his legs and fix his clothes while he played video games. In reality though it was a relief because this was the first time she had seemingly wanted to do anything in the past few days. 

Behind him the roommates exchanged a look of ‘okay then…’ before they focused back on the game. Taylor and Kelsey seemed okay even if it was still obviously apparent that something had happened. 

Taylor enjoyed the focused look on Kelsey’s face as she worked to remove damaged stitching and replace it with new stronger ones.

“Thanks Kels…” Taylor whispered as she finished the hoodie while they waited in the lobby for another game. 

“Welcome T.” Kels replied, a hint of a smile on her face as she tipped her head back for a kiss. 

Returning it eagerly, Taylor felt himself filled with hope. Yes things might be hard for a little bit but they were going to be just fine. Kelsey would heal because he was going to do everything possible to support her and in the end this would bring them closer together.

#taylor makar #taylor makar imagine #colorado avalanche #colorado avalanche imagine #nhl imagine #nhl imagines #hockey imagines #hockey imagine #cavalanche #046

[hockeylvr59]

The Perfect Match Part Nine || Taylor and Cale Makar

Summary: When Taylor Makar meets Elizabeth “Liezel” Estroff he quickly discovers how compatible she is with his older brother Cale. Despite his parents early protestation to leave well enough alone, Taylor makes it his mission to set Cale up with his perfect match.

Authors Note: So uh this chapter got a little out of hand and does not wrap up the series (minus epilogues) like I had expected it do so you're getting one more before the main story wraps. Plus it's a long one...sorry not sorry.

FC Claim: Kirrilee Berger.

Warnings: cursing, sexual content at the end // Word Count: 9,388

~~~~~~

Cale: Safe travels today Liez. 

Cale: And give the baby giraffe a hug for me when you see him next. 

Liezel: I will. Thanks again for everything. 

Cale: Does that everything include what happened at the club? Because I can’t get it out of my mind. 

Liezel: I meant what I said. I really really like you Cale. 

****

Cale: So is this something you’d want to give a try? 

Cale: This being us. 

Liezel: Sorry, thought I could get a reply off before we took off but yeah….just got back to Amherst and I’m exhausted. 

Liezel: Are you sure you’d want a long distance relationship?

****

Cale: Liez…I’m a pro hockey player. Any relationship I have is going to have an element of long distance. 

Cale: And it’s not like plane ticket prices would ever be a barrier. 

****

Liezel: So you’re sure? 

Cale: Liez. I want to give us a shot so if that means zoom dates and late night facetimes then yeah I’m sure. But are you? 

Liezel: Will those late night facetimes include hints of what could have happened if your d partner and time weren’t against us? 

Cale: Yeah Liez. 

Liezel: Then count me in. 

Liezel: For the record, that was going to be the answer regardless. 

Twenty Four. There was nothing fashionable about the age other than it was another full revolution around the sun. Outside the ground was wet with a spring rain and if she didn’t have office hours scheduled for today, Liezel was tempted to skip her singular class and just stay home curled up in bed. It was her birthday after all. 

While attempting to be an adult about it and go on with her day, Liezel heard a knock at her door and when she answered it there was a flower delivery man with a bouquet of two dozen pink roses standing on the other side. Gasping softly, she nodded when he asked her name and signed for the bouquet before taking it from him and carrying it over to her coffee table. 

Searching for a card, Liezel eventually found one and when she opened it all she could do was shake her head. 

Happy Birthday Liez. Take some time for yourself today because you deserve it. - C. 

Attached to the card was a scheduling card for a local spa with today’s date and 3:30pm listed. She had class this morning and then office hours from 1-3 so Cale had picked a time that worked within her schedule. 

Shaking her head once again, Liezel grabbed her phone, shooting him a text even if she knew he’d be asleep. 

Liezel: You’re too much. The roses are beautiful. And you know I love a good massage. Thank you. 

Pocketing the appointment card and sniffing the roses one more time, Liezel grabbed her things and an umbrella and headed to campus to brave the day. 

****

By the time she returned to her apartment, it was shortly after 5 and Liezel was a bit surprised to see Taylor waiting by her door, grocery bags sitting beside him along with a gift bag and flowers. 

“Thought you were done with office hours at 3:30.” He murmured, standing up. 

“I was…but then I had a massage…” Liezel replied a little confused. “How long have you been waiting here?” 

Checking his watch, Taylor shrugged.

“‘Bout twenty minutes.” 

Shaking her head at him, Liezel moved to open her door and was immediately pulled into a Taylor hug. 

“Happy birthday.” 

“Thanks Tay.” She murmured letting him in and offering to take bags from him. 

“Nope I got them.” He insisted. “But these are for you.” He added handing over the bouquet of flowers. “They’re beautiful Taylor. Thank you.” 

“Looks like they aren’t the only flowers you got today though…” He trailed off as he stepped through the door and saw the big bouquet of roses from this morning. 

“Uh yeah…” Liezel murmured, her voice going a little sheepish. After all she couldn’t exactly tell him ‘yeah your brother sent them.’ 

“Someone likes you.” He teased, setting everything down before murmuring for her to go change while he started dinner. 

Yeah someone definitely did and she was lucky for sure. Changing, Liezel returned to find Taylor hovered over her stove, a bottle of wine and glasses behind him just waiting to be poured. Taking control of that, she popped the cork and poured them each a glass before sitting down at the small table to watch him cook. 

As she sat there her phone buzzed and she looked down seeing a return message from Cale. 

Cale: You deserve so much more. Wish I was there. 

Sighing softly, Liezel snapped a quick picture of Taylor’s back and sent it back to Cale. 

Liezel: Wish you were too but at least I have one Makar cooking me dinner. 

Liezel: Facetime later? 

Cale: Sounds like a plan. Have fun with T. 

Closing their text thread, Liezel turned her attention back to Taylor asking how his day was. 

As smells of good food filled her kitchen, Liezel inquired on whether she could open her present. 

“I mean it was for after dinner but I guess so.” Taylor relented, turning to watch her. Inside was another bottle of wine and a container of tiramisu from a local bakery along with a gift card for her favorite local restaurant ‘for a night when he’s busy but she doesn’t feel like cooking.’ 

“Thanks Tay. This is awesome.” 

“Course Liez.” Taylor murmured, reaching for her and pulling her in for a hug. “You’re my best friend and it’s your birthday.” 

Resting her head on Taylor’s shoulder, Liezel just relaxed once again grateful to have him in her life. Twisting her slightly so he could continue cooking, Taylor kissed her head murmuring for her to go sit down and he’ll bring dinner over. 

With their seating of choice being her couch, Liezel grabbed the glasses of wine and made her way over, getting comfortable and pulling a blanket over her lap.

Grinning as Taylor followed with the food, Liezel eagerly took the plate and dug in, thanking him for cooking. As they ate, Liezel flipped on a game show and she and Taylor took turns commenting on how stupid some of the contestants were. 

When they settled in for dessert, Taylor poured her another glass of wine, and by the time he left needing to go study she was finishing off her third. 

Locking up behind him, Liezel sent Cale a text that his brother had left and she was free to talk whenever. 

Within five minutes Liezel’s phone was ringing with a facetime from Cale and she answered it, propping her phone up against her thigh. 

“Hey handsome, how’s Cali?” Liezel greeted her boyfriend, her stomach swirling from the longing of distance as his ruddy cheeks entered her vision. 

“Warm but I don’t think you want to hear me talking about the weather.” Cale replied, situating his ipad beside him, giving her a glimpse of the long lines of his body hidden under clothing. 

“I mean I’d prefer other lines of conversation.” Liezel agreed, just drinking him in. It was hard starting a relationship long distance, but for Cale it was worth it. She definitely missed his body though. The brief tease in Denver just wasn’t enough.

“What did T make you for dinner?” 

“Just some pasta and chicken, nothing crazy.” Liezel shrugged, again zoning in on Cale’s body and missing whatever he said next. 

After repeating her name a few times Cale chuckled. 

“How much did T give you to drink Liez?” 

“Two…no three glasses of wine.” 

“So you’re a little drunk huh? Is that why you can’t take your eyes off me?” 

“Just want to see that body of yours.” Liezel murmured, pouting a bit because for some reason Cale was always wearing clothes. 

“Is that right?” Cale teased. “Is this what you want?” He questioned, pulling his shirt over his head with one hand revealing what seemed like acres of pale skin. Liezel immediately licked her lips and shifted a bit on her couch because god was he hot. Broad shoulders. Abs defined but stomach still soft. There was absolutely nothing about his body that Liezel could complain about. 

“I cannot wait until I get to touch you.” She practically purred, eyes heavy with the combination of alcohol and desire. 

“Yeah? What would you do to me?” Cale questioned, playing into Liezel’s desire. 

 “Well…first I’d kiss you.” Liezel mused. “Because I certainly didn’t get to kiss you as much as I wanted to when I was in Denver.” Then she paused for a moment as if planning her next move.

“Then I’d touch every inch of you, appreciating all those muscles you work so hard for.” Her eyes flashed with want as she thought about it in detail. “I’d rub those nipples of yours that like to peek through your shirt sometimes and then I’d kiss down your body to that soft happy trail.” 

Through her phone Liezel could see Cale getting just the slightest bit red and ruddy. 

“And after kissing all over, I’d pull your sweats down to see what you’re packing down there. Get my hands on you properly.” Sighing, Liezel flashed Cale a wicked grin. “And if your suit pics are any indication…I’m gonna have my hands full.” 

Cale’s blush deepened and Liezel’s grin grew. 

“Hmm…I really want to see just how red you can get there bud…” She teased. “And whether your dick gets just as rosy as your cheeks.” 

Lingering on that thought, Liezel got up and shifted to her bed where she could get more comfortable. “But you know…since I’m the birthday girl…maybe you should be telling me what you’d like to do to me….” 

Though phone sex clearly wasn’t something Cale was fully comfortable with, by the time they hung up twenty minutes later, both were basking in the afterglow of orgasm having touched and talked and explored. And if the phone sex was that good, Liezel couldn’t wait until Cale could actually do all the things he’d talked about. 

After Birthday phone sex, Liezel and Cale had frequently taken a few minutes out of their day to listen to and talk each other through mutual pleasure in addition to the talking they did, mostly over text, about anything and everything. And with Cale starting playoffs in just two more days, they were taking advantage of what was probably Cale’s last off day until playoffs were over. 

“You like doggy style huh?” Cale groaned, imagining fucking into his girlfriend from behind. 

“Can feel you so deeply that way…” Liezel replied with a moan. “Want to feel your cock buried inside me Ca….” 

“Hey Liez!” Taylor’s voice called out as he made his way into her apartment much to her surprise. Frantically, Liezel pulled her fingers out from her pants where she’d been teasing at her clit and raced to hang up the facetime with Cale before his brother realized just who she’d been talking to. 

Her cheeks were red as he rounded the corner and immediately Taylor froze seeing her slightly mussed state. 

“Did I uh…walk in on something…?” He questioned a bit embarrassed but also teasing her heavily. 

“Shut up Taylor…yes you did…” Liez whined, reaching for a tissue to wipe her fingers on and rushing to fix her rumpled state to look less like she was in the middle of phone sex. 

“That the boyfriend?” 

“Yes Taylor.” Liezel replied, a little annoyed even though she was the one that had given Taylor a key in the first place. 

“Eh you can call him back later…there’s a new food truck I wanted to try and you’re coming with me.” 

Knowing that Taylor wasn’t asking, Liezel sighed and moved to clean herself up, taking her phone with her to the bathroom. 

Cale: Holy fuck Liez….was that my brother that just walked in on you?!

Liezel: Sorry C. Your brother failed to mention that he was coming over…and I’m not sure he would have been quite so teasing/chirping if he knew it was you I was in the middle of phone sex with. I’ll make it up to you tonight…promise. 

Cale: He doesn’t know it was me right? 

Liezel: Nope, just that it was ‘my boyfriend’ 

Dating a pro hockey player generally was one thing, but dating one during playoffs…it was another entirely. It wasn’t anything that Liezel couldn’t handle though. Sure Cale’s texts were more sporadic and he was more focused on the team but she had her own life and things to do. 

But when word of Cale’s suspension reached her with a text from Taylor saying that it looked like he wasn’t the only hot headed Makar, Liezel’s faith in dating a hockey player was put to the test for the first time. 

Liezel: T says they suspended you for the hit last night. I can’t say it’s undeserved but I’m sorry. 

Cale: Why the fuck is T telling you it's not any of his fucking business

Liezel: I mean YOU could have told me but apparently that didn’t cross your mind. 

Cale’s read receipts showed Liezel that he saw her reply but he didn’t send anything after that. Cale’s anger toward his brother was completely uncalled for and Liezel sighed, sinking into her couch. She’d never dealt with Cale being angry before and it wasn’t something she particularly liked. 

She was on her fifth episode of Say Yes to the Dress when Taylor let himself in, calling out that he had brought food. 

Liezel simply lifted a hand in acknowledgement and snuggled further into the couch, her mood having sunken when first one hour, then two, then three passed without an apology from Cale. 

Abandoning the food, Taylor rounded the couch and lifted her feet, sinking to the couch before draping them back over his thighs. 

“You having a bad day or something Liez?” He questioned softly. 

“Something like that…” She agreed, sighing softly. 

“Alright…wine and dinner coming right up then.” Taylor declared, shifting her feet again so he could stand to go retrieve the items from her kitchen. When he returned he handed her a glass and a plate of food before moving to get his own dinner. 

Lifting her legs again, he settled onto her couch and pulled her feet back into his lap foregoing any comments he may have about her moping television choice. 

While Taylor had no interest in the show, it was mildly entertaining watching Liezel’s reactions to the dresses. Mid episode his phone buzzed and pulling it from his pocket Taylor saw a text from his mom. 

Laura: Have you talked to your brother at all today?

Taylor: Nope. Came over to have dinner with Liez and she was having a bad day so now we’re chilling and she’s binging Say Yes to the Dress. 

Laura: Sure you’re just thrilled about that…

Taylor: Still don’t know why she enjoys this but she does so it’s whatever. At this rate I could probably pick out her wedding dress when she marries Cale for her. 

Laura: Oh yeah? 

Taylor: yeah. Slim silhouette or whatever…no ball gowns or whatever the hell mermaid is. 

Taylor: She likes lace. Not crazy about massive amounts of ‘sparkle’. 

Taylor: Basically something simple with a little pop to make it hers. And nothing overly sexy. 

Laura: Sounds like you’re an expert. 😂

Taylor: I mean I could have done without…but it makes her happy. 

After a few more hours, Taylor left and Liezel crawled into bed having still not heard anything from Cale. This was something they were going to have to have a chat about at some point. Because it wasn’t fair to her…or to Taylor who apparently hadn’t heard from Cale at all today. 

Each tick of the clock on the scoreboard brought the avs closer to defeat and when the final horn sounded, Liezel sighed softly. 

A first round exit in game 7. An utter disappointment after a year of struggles. No repeat as Stanley Cup champions. Liezel couldn’t even bear to keep the broadcast on because Cale just looked so sad and defeated.

Though it was late, Liezel was determined to stay up for a bit in case Cale wanted to talk. She’d never dealt with him like this before but what good was she as a girlfriend if she wasn’t there to support him. 

And then she saw the photos as she doomscrolled twitter. 

Cale sitting in his locker in full gear as the locker room cleared out around him. 

Liezel knew Cale well enough to know that he was carrying the weight of the loss on his shoulders. Especially with the suspension. 

Closing twitter, Liezel pulled up her usual travel site. There was a 7:15 am flight leaving Boston nonstop to Denver which would get her there around 10:30 am. With the semester over in less than a month anyway, most of her classes had switched to workshops for their papers and such so it wasn’t like there was any reason she couldn’t be off campus for a couple of days. 

Booking the flight, Liezel climbed out of bed and quickly packed a bag with everything she would need. Then she set an alarm on her phone and crawled into bed to nap for an hour or two before getting in her car to drive to Boston. 

When she arrived at the airport she checked in and then pulled out her phone to text Taylor before he showed up at her place to find her missing. 

Liezel: Think I forgot to mention it but I have to go out of town for a couple days for a meeting. I’ll let you know when I’m back. 

Though she felt bad about lying to him, she couldn’t exactly tell him that she was up and flying across the country to comfort her boyfriend, his brother. Taylor would have a conniption. 

Thankfully her flight boarded on time and she was able to sleep a little on the flight even if she was still absolutely exhausted. 

Arriving in Denver she booked an Uber to take her to Cale’s building. It wasn’t until she arrived that she sent him a text attaching a picture of his building.

Liezel: Hoping you’re awake by now….you wanna come let me in? 

Cale: Wait…you’re here? 

Liezel: Would I be asking you to let me in if I wasn’t…?

Cale: Holy shit Liez…calling down to the front desk now to let you in. They’ll get you to the right floor. Turn left off the elevator, end of the hall on your right. 

A minute after receiving the text the building’s front door was opening and as Cale promised she was directed to the elevator and to Cale’s floor. Once on his floor, she followed his instructions and by the time she got to the end of the hall Cale was there waiting for her from his doorway. 

He looked cozy in a pair of joggers and a pullover, glasses on his face which wasn’t a look that Liezel had seen all that often. He looked completely shocked to see her and quickly pulled her into a soft hug. 

“What the hell are you doing here Liez?” He murmured softly in her ear. 

“You looked like you could use a hug or two….dozen.” Liezel replied. “And no reason I can’t work on school work remotely for a couple days.” 

“You…geez Liez…come in…” Cale declared pulling her into his condo and offering to take her bag. “I can’t believe you’re here…” 

Setting her bag in the hall he hugged her again and swept her into the kitchen, immediately searching for something to make for lunch. 

“Cale…you don’t have to go all hosty on me you know…” Liezel declared. “I came to check on you not to have you doting on me.” 

“I could eat.” Cale said simply. “And I wouldn’t believe you if you said you weren’t hungry.” 

Rolling her eyes slightly, Liezel relented and hoisted herself onto the counter closest to her to watch Cale as searched his kitchen for something to cook.  She was a little hungry but she was also exhausted having slept for like two hours and then dozed on the plane. 

“You know I’m sure there are plenty of places we could order from…” Liezel suggested. “And then you could let me cuddle you while we wait….” 

Cale continued to stare into his mostly empty refrigerator before he turned and looked at her a moment later. “Yeah, I guess that could work.” He agreed. “Anything in particular you want?” 

Shaking her head, Liezel hopped off the counter. 

“Nope. Order whatever. I’m gonna use your bathroom and then I’ll meet you on the couch.” 

Liezel breezed through his apartment with a familiarity that reminded Cale this wasn’t her first visit. For a moment he nearly forgot that he was supposed to be ordering an early lunch but then he pulled himself together, placing an order from one of his regular places he hoped Liezel would enjoy. 

Nothing about any of this felt real. From a fucking first round exit against Seattle of all teams, to his girlfriend just showing up at his door like she lived down the street not across the entire country, Cale felt like surely he must be dreaming. 

But then Liezel called for him from his couch and his body moved in her direction before he’d even given it that instruction. She looked soft in a pair of black joggers and an oversized hoodie from travel and despite the pain and shock still raging through his system he couldn’t help but smile a bit. 

His girlfriend was here. 

She’d flown to Denver for him. 

Fuck. 

That might just be the sweetest thing anyone had ever done for him. 

Setting his phone on the coffee table, Cale flopped onto the couch beside her and after a moment’s hesitation, Liezel slid to press her body against his, tucking herself against his side. 

“Hey.” She murmured softly, peering up at him, her gaze warm. 

“Can’t believe you’re here Liez.” He mumbled. 

“Thought you could use a little love…” Her words heightened that twisting feeling in his gut that Cale couldn’t seem to describe other than it wasn’t a bad feeling. 

As her head rested against his shoulder, Liezel’s fingers brushed against his chest and side and Cale let out a deep breath, his body relaxing under her. 

After that she didn’t say anything and neither moved until Cale’s cell was buzzing from the front desk asking if he had ordered food and should they send the guy up. 

Liezel was still quiet as they delved into lunch and Cale was worried until he realized that she looked exhausted and was clearly trying not to fall asleep mid meal. 

“Did you even sleep last night?” He questioned softly. 

“An hour or two and then dozed on the plane…” She murmured softly, shrugging. “And you don’t look like you slept all that much more than that.” 

Admittedly, Cale had tossed and turned for longer than he would have liked after he finally got out of his gear, cooled down for the final time of the season, and headed home. 

Finishing her lunch, Liezel tossed her trash and then turned to him leaning against the counter until he was also finished. 

“Come nap with me Cale.” She stated softly, kissing his cheek before letting him stand. 

Though Cale wasn’t big on taking naps, even pregame naps were sometimes a struggle, he nodded and motioned for her to head to his room. 

Cale watched as she turned down the sheets on one side of the bed, took her glasses off and then tugged her hoodie up and off her body, leaving her in just a thin layering tank over her bra. Slipping under the covers she looked at him, her eyes communicating ‘are you coming or what?’ loud and clear. 

Pulling back the rest of the blankets Cale slid in beside her, feeling her shift close as he did so, her body tucking against his. 

This was admittedly not how he pictured things going when he had her in his bed for the first time. At the same time though it provided him comfort that he didn’t realize until now that he needed. Playoffs had sucked. Hell this season had sucked. And the last thing he deserved was his girlfriend catching an early morning flight to come be with him. Especially not after the way he had treated her during playoffs. 

“Tell your brain to pipe down Cale...it’s being too loud.” Liezel mumbled, her voice filled with the fatigue from lack of sleep. “Just close your eyes and nap with me.” 

Yet here she was, soft and warm with curves he had dreamed of more than once. She was way too good for him and it amazed him that she had done this for him. 

God he adored her. 

With the rise and fall of her breathing while she slept, eventually Cale drifted off too. He slept steadily for a while and then started dozing in and out for a bit longer before finally tensing and causing Liezel to stir against him. When he looked at the clock it was almost 3:30 and they had been napping for a little over two hours. 

She still looked tired as she stretched against him, yawning, but she rolled to face him, eyes warm. 

Cale didn’t think that he had ever seen her without her glasses on but either way she was beautiful. 

“Got any plans for the rest of the day?” She whispered, her voice still laced with sleep as she pressed her lips to his gently and quickly. 

“Not really.” He replied, shrugging a bit. Cupping her cheek for a moment, Cale pulled her into a soft kiss just trying to communicate how much it meant to him that she was here. 

“We could go for a walk…you could show me some of Denver…” Liezel murmured between kisses. “If you’re up for it…” 

It took a minute, but eventually Cale nodded. 

Pulling herself out of bed, Liezel put her glasses back on and then moved toward Cale’s bathroom to clean up a bit and get ready to go out. 

Within fifteen minutes, Liezel was letting Cale lead her out of his apartment and down to the garage where his car was. It wasn’t long before they were nearing Ball Arena and Cale was pulling into a parking lot near the river where there was a park. 

Liezel let Cale lead the way, occasionally asking questions about things she could see off in the distance or some of the art in murals along the riverway. Though he didn’t make a move to hold her hand, Liezel was okay with that, it wasn’t who Cale was and they were in public and she completely understood. 

He always paused to wait for her though when she stopped to look at something and when they reached a bit more secluded portion of the trail, he pulled her into a tight hug murmuring a soft ‘thank you’ against her ear. 

“Yeah well I kind of really really like you.” Liezel replied back, kissing his freshly shaven jaw before withdrawing. 

Walking a while longer, Cale suggested getting dinner somewhere and Liezel agreed feeling a bit hungry herself and achy from trying to keep up with her pro athlete boyfriend. She definitely was not in as good of shape as he was. 

Thankfully, Cale had a place nearby that he enjoyed and they settled into a back corner where they were most likely to go unnoticed. 

During dinner Cale asked about how her papers were going and they talked about the implications of her research before finally heading back to the car and back to his apartment. 

As they settled in to watch episodes of the Office so that Cale could talk her through where she was in the series, they continued sharing tidbits about anything that didn’t involve hockey. 

After just a few episodes Liezel murmured that she was ready for bed given that her body was still two hours ahead and she had only gotten about four solid hours of sleep in the past day. After changing into shorts and slipping out of her bra, she settled into the same side of the bed as she had earlier knowing that Cale would join her whenever he was ready. 

Though she was asleep by the time he did join her, Liezel relaxed as the weight of Cale’s body shifted the bed and he slid just a little closer. 

****

By the time they woke, Cale’s body was pressed up against hers and Liezel could feel his morning wood pressing against her hip. 

Though she’d slept with a few guys, this was the first time that she had actually spent the night with someone without having had sex. It held a weight that made her breath catch and the feeling of him made her stomach pool with lazy arousal, her body as into him as his clearly was into her. 

Feeling his fingers flex along her hip, Liezel glanced up at him seeing those blue eyes peering down at her. 

“Morning.” She whispered, holding his gaze for a moment before pressing her lips against his. What she had intended to be a light greeting morphed into deeper exploratory kisses as Cale responded. There were no complaints from Liezel though because she certainly had not gotten to kiss him enough. 

After a few minutes, they pulled themselves from bed and while Liezel used the bathroom, Cale moved to make her coffee and start some breakfast. 

Sitting at the counter of his island, Liezel sipped at the coffee while watching Cale move around the space making some eggs and sausage. 

“So any plans today?” She questioned, watching as Cale seemed to think for a moment before his shoulders slumped. 

“Locker clean out.” He mumbled. 

Liezel knew that was not going to be a fun time for him but she tried not to make a big deal of it. 

“Well…while you do that I can spend some time on my papers and then later we can do whatever you want.” She offered. 

And that was exactly what they did. Liezel made herself comfortable on his couch with her laptop to do some writing and Cale headed to the rink to pack his stuff up for the summer. 

It wasn’t long before Toewser was inviting him over for dinner to help him get out of his head. 

“Appreciate that but I’m gonna have to pass.” Cale declared, trying to prevent his cheeks from giving him away. 

“C’mon. You’ve had a day to mope, you shouldn’t be alone.” 

“I can’t okay…” Cale insisted. “Won’t be alone.” He added in a mumble. 

“Facetime date with Liez doesn’t count as not alone….” Toewser accused before his eyes quickly went wide as he spotted a strand of long dark hair sticking to the back of Cale’s shirt as he turned. “Unless it’s not just a facetime date…” 

Though Cale tried to hide it, now that Devon had noticed that one thing, more pieces clicked into place one after another. Long hair on his clothes, a tinge of tinted chapstick on his lips, a slight whiff of what was decidedly feminine perfume. 

“Alright. Fair enough. Spend time with your girl.” He whispered, shoving Cale gently. “I won’t interrupt this time. Just be smart and use protection unless you want to join the dad club.” 

“Fuck off.” Cale mumbled. “We’ll do a Nuggets game or something before I head home for the summer.” 

“Sure. Not sure how long she’s staying but dinner invitation is open for you both.” 

Thankfully Toewser was the only one that seemed to catch on to the fact that Liezel had come to town to see Cale. After chatting with a few of the other guys as everyone packed up, Cale headed out to get back to his girlfriend. 

Stopping for some groceries on the way home since he didn’t have much, Cale also picked up another bottle of the wine Liez had liked so much the last time she was here wanting to surprise her. 

When he got home she was basically just as he had left her, though her hands sped along her keyboard as she typed whatever thoughts needed put to paper. 

Moving quietly so that he didn’t disturb her, Cale put everything away and then leaned against the counter watching her. And the more he looked at her, really looked at her, the more beautiful she was. From the way she bit her lip when she was focused to her mussed hair from running her fingers through it when something didn’t come out the way she had intended it to, and every other little quirk in between Cale said his thanks that Taylor was stupid enough not to want her for himself. 

Eventually Liezel looked up and immediately a smile and a blush adorned her face. 

“How long have you been watching me?” She asked, blushing more when Cale could only shrug. 

“Didn’t want to interrupt.” Cale stated simply. “Your brain looked like it was firing away with something important.” 

Turning to the fridge, Cale pulled out a bottle of water and moved to take it to her. 

“Any thoughts on lunch?” He asked. “I stopped at the store.” 

“I’m not picky.” Liezel insisted, taking the bottle of water to sip at. “But let me come help.” 

“Nope.” Cale assured her. “Focus on school. I’ve got it.” 

Because she did still really need to make some more progress on her paper Liezel complied, only pausing to eat the salad that Cale put in front of her. After eating, Cale settled in beside her with a book of his own and the two of them sat in silence, together but doing things independently. 

By three o’clock, Liezel had made good progress on her paper and closed her laptop. With her neck feeling stiff, she attempted to stretch, wincing slightly. 

Without hesitation, Cale closed his book and gestured for her to come closer, his hands immediately going to her neck and shoulders. 

“I get finding a zone and staying in it, but you really should try to stretch more.” He chastised softly. 

“Probably not going to listen.” She declared though she knew he was right. 

“Didn’t expect you would.” He assured her just continuing to massage some of her tension away. 

As her muscles relaxed, Liezel tipped her head back to kiss Cale’s cheek in thanks before getting up to stretch and use the bathroom. 

When she returned she stood looking out Cale’s window. 

“Taylor texted me earlier asking when I was coming home…” She murmured. “Told him I was going out of town for a meeting when I left so I'm not sure how long I can stay under that cover.” 

The longer they hid this from Taylor the harder it got, but Liezel certainly wasn’t going to tell him without Cale’s approval. 

At first, Cale didn’t say anything but after a moment he set his phone aside and got up, coming to stand beside her. 

“Tell him you’ll be back Thursday.” He murmured. “There are flights and I want you for another day.” 

“Thursday.” Liezel agreed quietly. After all, it was up to him how long she was welcome since she had just dropped herself on him. She was glad though that he wanted to be greedy and keep her for another full day. 

Cale was very different from Taylor in that Taylor always let her know with physical affection that her presence was wanted and that he enjoyed her company. Cale held his affections tighter to his chest and it was the little things, him declaring that she shouldn’t leave until Thursday and the way he had been looking at her while she studied that communicated that. 

Still, he hadn’t made the effort to kiss her since she had arrived, only returning her kisses. It meant that Liezel couldn’t help but wonder if he really did want her even if she told herself that it was just how he was. 

“I’m gonna go check in with Taylor.” She eventually stated, brushing past him to grab her phone and call her best friend before he flipped out and put out a missing person’s report on her. 

By the time she finally got Taylor off the phone, Cale was in the kitchen, cutting vegetables in preparation for dinner. 

“He’s worried about you.” She declared softly. “So you might want to check in with him yourself at some point.” 

Cale nodded in acknowledgement, pushing the cutting board and knife in her direction as a signal for her to take over while he started on another part of whatever he had decided to make for dinner. 

Taking over, Liezel quickly tired of the silence and paused, pulling out her phone to put some music on. 

It didn’t take long for Cale to smile as Queen played over the speaker. 

“You know when my brother told me he had met someone with the same music taste as me I didn’t think anything of it. Certainly didn’t think I’d end up really really liking them.” Cale grinned. 

“You know how mad at me he was when I couldn’t go to your game in Boston with him that first year…” Liezel replied. “He really wanted me to meet you.” 

A thoughtful look crossed Cale’s face and after a moment he shook his head. 

“Has he been trying to set us up this whole time?” 

“I wouldn’t put it past him.” Liezel admitted. “If so he’s gonna kill us for hiding things from him.” 

“Eh he’s gonna kill us for doing that regardless.” Cale teased. “We’ll tell him when he brings you home with him this summer.” 

Knowing that they had just put a timeframe in place for telling Taylor took a weight off Liezel’s shoulders. Just another month or so of hiding this, that was doable. 

Once dinner was ready, they settled in to eat and then cleaned up before making their way to the living room where Cale put on the Office once more. 

Shifting on the couch, Cale stretched his legs out to lounge and let the arm closest to Liezel fall open. With him glancing over at her with a tired but relaxed expression, Liezel chewed on her bottom lip for a moment before scooting closer to Cale and settling into the gap beside him. 

As she did, his arm tightened around her and his body relaxed. Cale had actually made the first move to cuddle her. This was definitely a first. 

Focusing on trying to follow the episode, Liezel glanced over at Cale a few times to find that his eyes were always on her every time. After about the fourth time, she turned her head to face him. 

“Do I have something on my face?” She questioned softly. 

“No.” Cale replied quickly. 

“Then why are you staring at me?”

“Why wouldn’t I want to stare at my beautiful girlfriend…” 

Unconsciously, Liezel’s cheeks flushed and she turned back to the tv not sure how to take that compliment. 

After a moment, Cale’s head dipped and his chin rested against the top of her head. A few minutes later, his fingers brushed lightly as he ran his hand up her arm making her shiver. 

Her shiver in turn made Cale inhale sharply. Still Liezel continued to focus on the tv causing Cale to move his other hand to her jaw, brushing against the sensitive skin there for a moment before turning her head toward him. 

Their eyes met until Cale shifted to bury his face against her neck, the small stubble he’d grown overnight scratching slightly as he mouthed kisses into her skin. It felt good and Liezel appreciated having her boyfriend’s attention solely on her. 

When he pulled away, he kissed down her shoulder, his hand shifting to her waist. 

“C’mere Liez.” He murmured subtly guiding her to straddle his hips, his hand on her waist sliding to rest at her side just under her boobs as he pulled her close. 

It wasn’t until his thumb brushed against the side of her boob in a way that definitely wasn’t accidental that Liezel pulled away. 

“What are you doing Cale?” 

“Trying to get you in the mood.” He looked caught off guard that she had pulled back and Liezel sighed. 

“Because you just want sex as an escape or because you want me?” Liezel further questioned, only making Cale look more confused. Climbing off his lap, Liezel moved to the other side of the couch. 

“Okay what did I do wrong?” Cale asked, trying to take things back a notch and discuss this like adults. 

“I’m not going to have sex with you because it’s a distraction from being eliminated or because it’s something you think we’re supposed to do.” Liezel replied. “I’m not going to have sex with you when you haven’t even kissed me since I got here.” 

“I’ve kissed you…” Cale defended almost immediately. 

“No. You’ve kissed my body and you’ve returned kisses when I’ve kissed you. You haven’t kissed me once.” Liezel clarified. “And that’s fine. I get that you aren’t overly physically affectionate. You don’t have to be. But I don’t have to have sex with you when I’m not sure you want it for the right reasons. So I’m going to get a shower.” 

Letting out a breath, Liezel pushed herself off the couch and moved towards Cale’s room to gather her things for a shower from her bag. She didn’t like pushing him away or telling him no but she also didn’t want to have sex when things felt forced. As she started the water and began undressing she couldn’t help but sigh. Maybe coming out here unannounced had been a mistake. 

By the time she finished, slipping into pajamas and returning to Cale’s bedroom, he was sitting at the foot of the bed waiting for her. 

“Come here please?” He requested, patting the spot beside him and shifting awkwardly. Once she was seated he continued. “I’m sorry. You’re right, I didn’t go about this the right way.” Cale looked a bit like this was the last thing he wanted to be doing but then he licked his bottom lip and his tone shifted. “I just…ever since the first time you were here and maybe even before that I’ve wanted you so bad. And since we started dating I’ve only wanted you more. I’ve had dreams about your curves and the way you sound when you moan. And I assumed that you wanted it just as badly so I guess I skipped a few steps and didn’t actually ask you what you wanted.” Cale rambled. 

“Can we start over? I promise I’ll kiss you properly, that I won’t skip straight to second base.” 

Biting her lip, Liezel turned her head to look at Cale. Holding his stare, she could see the want for her deep in his eyes. That was ultimately all she wanted. To know that he didn’t just want sex, he wanted her. And it wasn’t like she was entirely blameless, she hadn’t communicated her needs earlier and had just assumed that he would know when clearly that wasn’t the case. 

“Yeah.” She agreed. “We can start over. But maybe not right this minute. Let’s go watch tv for a bit and see where it goes.” 

Though Cale’s shoulders slumped for a moment almost like he was disappointed he quickly composed himself and nodded, heading back to the living room while she finished putting everything from her shower away. 

“Cute pjs.” Cale murmured from the couch as she entered the room and he saw the oversized band t-shirt she was wearing over a pair of black sleep shorts. 

Liezel was about to ask if that was sarcasm but the look in Cale’s eyes assured her that it was completely genuine and he really did think she looked cute even with still wet hair and no makeup. 

“Thanks.” She declared, blushing a bit while sinking into the couch about a body’s width away from him. 

Within just a few minutes, Cale let his arm fall palm up into the space between them, silently signaling that Liezel could hold his hand if she wanted to but that the ball was in her court. 

Lacing her fingers with his, Liezel bit back a smile and just focused on the tv, somewhat lost now that Cale had watched a couple episodes without her. 

After about ten minutes or so, Cale tugged at their joined hands gently pulling them towards his body. It was a signal that he wanted her to come closer, but lacked any force to make her if she didn’t want to. Nodding her assent that she would, Cale tugged again, pulling her toward him until their hips bumped together. 

“You’re amazing for coming here…” He whispered softly. “I definitely didn’t deserve it but I’m happy to have you.” 

“It’s what partners do Cale.” Liezel declared. “Support and comfort each other. Be there for each other.” 

His thumb brushed against her hand as he murmured his agreement and when she looked up, his gaze was warm as he watched her. That statement had given him a whole new level of appreciation for her and made the twisting feeling in his stomach return with a vengeance. 

“I’m going to kiss you now.” He mumbled before dipping his head to press his lips to hers, soft but firm. Though Liezel returned the kiss happily, Cale ended it after a moment not wanting her to feel like he was ignoring her request for some time before he made a move sexually. 

“You didn’t have to stop…” She murmured in assurance. “I wouldn’t mind making out with my boyfriend.” 

“Well come here then…” Cale stated, a smug smile on his lips as he used his free hand to grip behind her left knee pulling her over onto his lap once more. Rolling her eyes slightly, Liezel reached up to mess up his hair knowing it would drive him slightly crazy. Then she waited, lips pouty, for him to initiate the kiss again. 

When he did, it blew every previous kiss out of the water. It was deep but exploratory, as this was the first time that they could kiss without fear of any interruption or fear that they weren’t on the same page. It was sensational, it made Liezel’s toes curl and set hormones on high alert all through her body. 

After dropping Cale’s hand, Liezel carded her fingers through his hair while they kissed, drawing pleased sounds from his throat as she lightly scratched his scalp. Cale’s hands in turn shifted to her waist and remained there, his fingers massaging the skin of her hips over her clothing. 

After a few minutes, Liezel reached down to guide Cale’s hand up to cup the side of her breast. She had stopped him when he tried this before but now she was content that Cale really did want her and she was ready for him to touch her. 

The smug smile against her lips while they kissed was expected and she scraped her nails against his scalp a bit more as a silent ‘you’re a jerk’ signal. That train of thought was killed though when Cale brushed his thumb over her nipple, separated only by the thin material of her t-shirt. It sent a flood of desire to her core and she moaned into the kiss pushing Cale to continue his teasing touches. 

As things continued to get hot and heavy, Liezel shifted further into Cale’s lap, grinding her hips against his. She needed more. Cale was quick to respond, shifting from thumbing her pebbled nipple to aligning her over him in a way that pressed his hard dick right where she wanted him most. If it weren’t for their clothing he could slide home easily. 

Breaking their makeout session, Liezel dropped her head to Cale’s shoulder as she ground against him, getting wetter and wetter by the minute, his occasional curse only adding to the sensations. 

“Liez. Fuck. Bed now before I cum in my clothes.” Cale mumbled, hands gripping tightly at her hips to still her. 

Nodding, Liezel moved to stand and then reached to pull Cale up off the couch, kissing him again before retreating toward his room with a peek over her shoulder. She could see the line of his dick pressing against his sweats and it only made her want to see and feel everything he was packing more. 

As she reached the foot of his bed, Cale murmured for her to wait. In a moment his hands were sliding around her waist from behind and he was pressing kisses to her neck. 

“Can I take this off you?” He questioned, fingers playing with the bottom hem of her shirt. 

“Only if yours comes off too.” Liezel replied, her voice slightly sultry. Despite all the workout pictures Taylor had sent her and all the times she and Cale had facetimed each other since they started dating, she had only seen Cale shirtless a couple of times and she was eager to see his body in person. 

Lifting her arms so that Cale could pull her shirt off of her, Liezel couldn’t help the pang of nervousness that hit with Cale also seeing her body in person for the first time. When he spun her, his eyes raking over her body, Liezel ducked her head, only to be stopped as his fingers brushed against her chin. 

“Don’t get shy with me now.” He murmured before kissing her deeply, lifting her to lay her onto his bed. “You’re beautiful.” 

Cale kissed her again before shifting back to pull his own shirt over his head. Miles of pale skin revealed to her gaze along with a spattering of chest hair that Liezel couldn’t wait to feel against her skin. 

“Damn.” She breathed, licking her lips in appreciation because yeah all that is hers for the taking and she wanted nothing more. She’d been dreaming about touching him like this for so long and now she finally could. 

Things continued to get hot and heavy as they continued to kiss, chests pressed against each other and hands exploring as Cale hovered over her. When Cale pulled away, his fingers drifting to the waistband of her shorts, Liezel could only lift her hips in approval, permitting him to remove them and show him all of her. 

Though he didn’t comment, his eyes grew dark as they took her in and the intensity of the want in them made her shiver. 

Before he could settle back onto the mattress, Liezel shifted to scoot up to the head of the bed instead of in the middle and then propped herself up to watch as Cale pushed his sweats and boxer briefs to the floor, his dick standing proudly against his stomach. 

“Get over here…” She murmured, the anticipation only building having wanted this for weeks if not longer than that. 

Cale quickly complied, and if Liezel thought the feeling of Cale’s chest pressed against hers was good, it was nothing compared to the feeling of him pressed against her head to toe. 

“Need to be inside you…can I?” Cale mumbled after a few more minutes of lazy, heated kisses. 

“Yeah…please,” Liezel replied with a whimper as the head of Cale’s dick brushed against her clit. 

Wrapping her legs around his waist, Liezel felt Cale align himself before slowly pressing into her, ripples of pleasure rolling through her immediately. It was the perfect stretch as her body relaxed around him, welcoming him into her depths. 

“Fuck Liez.” Cale groaned, sweat starting to gather on his skin. 

“You should do that.” She gasped, nails digging into his biceps. 

Cale snorted fondly and reached between their bodies to gently brush his index finger against her clit, wanting to make sure that she was fully relaxed. While lazily touching her, he pulled out slowly before pressing back inside her, spurred on by the breathy moans spilling from her throat. 

“Cale….more.” Liezel pleaded softly. Slow was good but she knew that this could be so much better. 

Complying with her request, Cale picked up his pace a bit, his hips moving smoothly as he thrust inside of her. 

Liezel wasn’t unfamiliar with the way sex could make her feel but somehow this was different. The mechanics were the same, and Cale’s penis wasn’t all that different from men she’d been with before even if he had a bit more girth, yet the intensity of it all felt like it had been cranked up to eleven. 

Honestly there were so many sensations to focus on that Liezel’s brain struggled to land on any of them. Cale must have felt her slight detachment because after a moment he pulled out of her and pulled his hand from her body, his gaze warm and concerned. 

“Talk to me Liez.” He requested, kissing her nose. 

“Too many things….” She mumbled. It wasn’t a good explanation but it must have been enough for Cale to gather her meaning because he shifted off of her, moving to sit with his back against the headboard, his dick still hard and standing proudly against his stomach. 

“C’mere.” He requested, his fingertips stroking up her arm as her body settled enough to move. As she did, Cale reached to help pull her onto his lap, her chest facing his and his dick pressed against her stomach. After kissing her deep and slow for a few minutes one of his hands moved to her hip. 

“Lift up for me just a little.” He prompted and when she did she felt him settle the head of his dick back at her entrance. “Now slide down Liez.” With his hand guiding her hips she lowered herself until he was buried fully inside her once more. For a moment all she could focus on was how full she felt with him stretching her like this. When Cale’s thumb brushed against her clit she shuddered and moaned softly, her hips jumping against his a bit. 

“Just grind against me Liez.” Cale murmured as he trailed kisses along her neck. Rolling her hips in small circles provided a new layer of sensation, one very different from thrusting but more intimate at the same time. She could feel every twitch of Cale’s dick inside her, and each time she gasped out. 

“Cum for me Liez.” Cale groaned after a few more minutes. “Let me see you cum on my cock.” 

Crying out, Liezel’s orgasm rolled over her, causing her to clamp down tight around him as her whole body shuddered once more. It was not her usual orgasm, but instead left her drowning in much more of a haze. 

“Liez…fuck…I can’t…” Cale grunted, making a half effort to pull her off of him before his release hit, causing him to fill her with pulse after pulse of his sticky semen. 

The feeling of it drew a whine from her throat and she clamped around him again as aftershocks rolled over her. Cale twitched inside her again and Liezel whimpered, some sensitivity starting to create some discomfort. 

Pulling out of her, Cale continued to hold her close as they both came down from their orgasms, their lower halves sticky with each other’s fluids. 

It was a few minutes later that Cale went a little tense, his heart rate accelerating beneath her. 

“Shit Liez we didn’t…condom..” He mumbled. Nosing against his neck, Liezel processed his words. No they definitely hadn’t used a condom, but it wasn’t the end of the world. 

“IUD Cale. We’re fine.” She replied, feeling him immediately calm beneath her. That had been nothing like what she had expected her first time with Cale to be like but they got the result, and well there would be plenty of time to figure the rest of it out. 

For now she was just going to enjoy being in Denver with him until Thursday.

#cale makar #cale makar imagine #colorado avalanche imagine #colorado avalanche #nhl imagine #nhl imagines #hockey imagines #hockey imagine #taylor makar #taylor makar imagine #cavalanche #042 #cale makar smut #cale makar nws #nws #lemon #nhl smut #hockey smut

[hockeylvr59]

Here With Me Part 27 || Taylor Makar

Author’s Note: After a trip away, the school year rapidly comes to a close and Taylor and Kelsey enjoy every remaining moment they can before Taylor returns to Calgary for the summer. FC: Marina Laswick (@marooshk on instagram).

Warnings: casual drinking, allusions to sex, possible cursing // Word Count: 6,981

~~~~

Twenty Six

Hiking Mount Greylock with Taylor had taken most of the day the Saturday after their trip to Connecticut. They’d gotten up early to drive up and by the time they returned home from the 9.3 mile hike which included multiple waterfalls and some stunning views, Kelsey was ready to fall into bed she was so exhausted. She’d even let Taylor drive home, afraid that her legs would cramp up during the drive. But as exhausted as she was, it had been exhilarating being out in nature again with her boyfriend and sharing those experiences and making those memories with him. 

Kelsey had no idea though how Taylor had managed to go out to a party with his roommates when she’d snagged a quick salad with grilled chicken before falling into bed and passing out before 9pm. 

****

April 29th, 2023

It was strange to think that besides his disaster of a birthday get together, they’d yet to go to a party together since they’d started dating. So when Taylor mentioned the following Saturday after a morning round of golf that he was going to a party some of the guys were planning on having at the hockey house, inquiring if she’d want to come along, Kelsey quickly agreed. 

Parking at the rink, Kelsey walked to the address Taylor had given her and followed his direction to come around to the back yard. There she scouted the yard before finding her boyfriend wearing gray athletic shorts and a brown hoodie leaning against the porch railing. 

As she approached and Taylor spotted her, the smile on his face grew bright and he held his arms out reaching for her to join him. As she slid into his grip, he didn’t break his conversation but he did pull her close, handing her the can of Truly he was holding. It was open but still mostly full and Kelsey took a sip before holding onto it when Taylor refused to take it back, instead using that hand to graze lightly against her hip. 

It only took a moment for Henry, one of Taylor’s teammates who Kelsey had met prior to even meeting Taylor, to turn and spot her, eyes going wide for a moment before lighting up in delight. 

“Well there’s a stranger.” He declared, opening his arms to offer a hug. With Taylor’s arm sliding free of her waist to permit her to hug his teammate, Kelsey returned the greeting with the walk-on goalie. 

“How’d T manage to lock you down?” Henry teased quietly into her ear. “Never seen him so happy.” 

“Apparently I'm a goner for a man who needs custom tailored pants who would have known…” Kelsey teased, glancing back at Taylor. “But really…he's my rock when I need it, always makes me laugh, and makes me feel like the only girl in the world. It's not hard to love him.” 

“Mark me down with a plus one for the wedding.” Henry grinned cheekily before letting her go to return to Taylor’s grip as she smacked his arm lightly for that comment. 

Taylor raised an eyebrow for a moment but otherwise didn’t react, just pulling her back into his grip when she stepped toward him. 

After talking for another minute, he ended his conversation and spun her in his arms, his other hand cupping her cheek. 

“Hey.” He grinned, leaning down to kiss her softly. “I’m glad you’re here.” 

Resting his forehead against hers, Taylor and Kelsey just basked in each other for a moment before Taylor pulled back, kissing her again. 

“How’s my girl today?” He questioned, thumb rubbing her hip again. “Get the paper done that you wanted to?” 

“For the most part.” Kelsey murmured, still not finished despite her deadlines being just over a week away. 

“Take a break and relax and then go back to it with fresh eyes later.” Taylor murmured, kissing her temple gently and squeezing her tight until she nodded against him.

“C’mon, let’s get another drink and then I’ll introduce you to some people.” He grinned, excitement visible at getting to show her off to people. 

After grabbing another drink of which he let her pick her own and took his own can back, Taylor dragged her through the yard, introducing her to his teammates she hadn’t met.

Finding that two of his teammates were kinesiology majors, Kelsey chatted with them for a bit until Taylor waved someone over. 

“Ryan, bring Kaitlyn…” Taylor called out. When a couple approached after a moment, Taylor quickly made introductions. 

“Kels, this is Ryan and his girlfriend Kaitlyn. Guys this is my girlfriend Kelsey.” As Kelsey shook their hands, Taylor leaned in and whispered in her ear. “Try to get to know her, I think she’s one of the girlfriends you’ll really like.” 

“I always thought Ryan and I were the cutest couple on the team but then I saw you guys after Hockey East and I think you might just have us beat.” Kaitlyn declared, a genuine smile on her face. 

The unexpected compliment drew a blush to Kelsey’s cheeks and she looked back at Taylor. 

“Thanks.” She murmured. “I guess we are kinda cute. How long have you guys been together?” 

The look they shared was complete fondness before Kaitlyn replied. 

“Almost six years.” 

All Kelsey could do was blink, having not expected that answer. 

“Oh wow…that’s a while.” Kelsey murmured. “High school sweethearts then?” 

After looking at Ryan, Kaitlyn started to gush about their relationship. Though Kelsey listened, in the back of her mind was how she couldn’t even imagine still being in a relationship with someone she’d dated at 14. 

“But enough about us…” Kaitlyn finally trailed off. “How did you guys meet? Do you go to UMass Kelsey?” 

“Taylor kept me from being in a foul mood all night after chewing out my uncle by making me laugh about hiding dead bodies in the woods rather than the rink. And no, I’m premed at Hampshire.” Kelsey replied. “Finishing up junior year.” 

Kaitlyn was just as amused by the fact that Taylor was dating his coach’s niece as everyone else who found out had been and after talking about classes and majors, they talked about travel and how Kelsey had never been out of the country or away from the east coast for that matter while Kaitlyn had gone to Africa. 

Kelsey didn’t even notice when Taylor slipped away for a minute before returning with fresh drinks. 

Kaitlyn was definitely someone that Kelsey could get along with and before she moved to catch up with Ryan, they exchanged social handles and made plans to sit together at a game the following season. 

“Yo T. Come play with me!” Mercs yelled from the porch where a well used beer pong table resided. 

Shoving Taylor lightly so that he’d listen to his roommate, Kelsey followed him back onto the porch where Mercs was setting up a fresh game. 

“Doubles?” She suggested looking at Taylor and his roommate to see what they thought about the idea. 

“Sure.” Mercs agreed, promptly calling over Mikey to join them. “I’ll even let you have T.” 

“Gee. Thanks.” Kelsey teased, moving to the opposite side of the table from her boyfriend. 

Kelsey wasn’t horrible at beer pong but she also wasn’t as good as college athletes, so despite holding her own to keep it semi-close, she and T still lost. 

Declining a rematch because she still had to drive today, she and T mingled and talked to a few other people before Taylor dipped his head to whisper in her ear. “Want to go back to mine to cuddle before you finish your paper?” 

“Yeah we could do that.” Kelsey agreed. She certainly wasn’t about to turn down some alone time with her boyfriend to decompress and let her head clear out before getting back to work. 

Walking hand in hand they headed to the rink to get Kelsey’s car before driving across campus to Taylor’s dorm. Once parked she followed him up to his apartment and kicked her shoes off in the entry, making her way into his room and onto his bed. 

Taylor followed her, climbing in and resting his head directly on her chest. 

“And my koala bear is back.” Kelsey teased, moving her fingers to play with his hair as he held her close. She would be deluding herself if she thought he’d asked her to cuddle for her sake when it was clear he was the one that wanted the cuddles more than anything. She wasn’t complaining though because she loved having a boyfriend who wanted to be around her just sharing each other’s space. 

Staying for about an hour and a half, Kelsey dozed in and out while Taylor chilled against her body. But she did have papers to finish so eventually she nudged Taylor to let her up so that she could head back to her dorm knowing that she’d see him Monday evening. 

Though he pouted a bit he shifted and got up, pulling her into a hug. 

“Love you Kels.” He murmured, squeezing her tight. “Thanks for coming with me today.” 

“It was fun.” Kelsey shrugged, hugging him back. “And I love you too Tay. Let me know if I should come over before or after dinner, Monday.” 

Nodding, Taylor kissed her before letting her go put her shoes back on and gather her things. Assuring him she didn’t need him to walk her down, she headed home and texted him to let him know she was back so that he didn’t worry. 

May 1, 2023 

Taylor: Come over before dinner? 

Kelsey: Sounds good. 

Taylor: Also my mom wants to facetime about making plans for your trip fyi. 

Reading Taylor’s heads up message made Kelsey smile because even if talking to his parents was still a little bit anxiety ridden for her at least he had learned not to drop it on her out of nowhere. It enabled her to change into a shirt that showed a little bit less cleavage before driving over to Taylor’s after a study session. 

When she arrived, Lauts answered the door, directing her to the kitchen. 

“T’s on dinner tonight.” He explained and suddenly Taylor inviting her over for dinner made more sense. 

“So that’s why he told me to come before dinner.” Kelsey joked as she kicked off her shoes and took her bookbag with overnight necessities into Taylor’s room. 

With her things stashed away, she headed back to the kitchen where Taylor was doing his best cutting up vegetables. 

“Need a sous chef?” She offered, sliding her arms around his waist from behind. Instantly he relaxed a bit at her touch and Kelsey couldn’t help but smile. There was nothing like knowing that her presence affected him so much. 

“I’m not the greatest at cooking chicken…think you could take over that part?” Taylor requested. “We’re having fajitas.” 

“Sure.” She agreed, grabbing the chicken from their fridge and the biggest skillet she could find. As she cooked, she explained to Taylor what she was doing so that he’d be able to take something away from it. Once he had finished with the vegetables and Kelsey had them and the chicken cooking away on the stove while tortillas warmed in the oven, Taylor turned some music on and pulled her close. 

Slow dancing while cooking dinner. If this was going to be a new tradition it was one that Kelsey could get on board with. After all, there really was nothing better than feeling Taylor’s arms wrapped around her just swaying back and forth with him. 

Every few minutes they’d shift so Kelsey could check on the food before resuming their dance, Kelsey giggling softly as Taylor whispered the lyrics in an exaggerated manner and made light jokes about random things. 

Neither noticed as Mercs entered the room, snapping a few photos of the two of them dancing before sitting down at the island. 

“You guys are sickeningly cute.” He mumbled as Kelsey turned back to the stove to check dinner before pulling it off the burner deeming it done. Taylor just shrugged and dipped his head for a kiss before pulling out everything from the fridge while Kelsey got the tortillas out of the oven. 

Mercs called Mikey and Lauts to come get dinner and together they all settled into the living area to eat what Kelsey and Taylor had made. 

Over the past few months, Kelsey felt less and less like an outsider around Taylor and his roommates. After all, she saw them multiple times a week and they’d all seen her looking less than perfect be it just a lazy day or mussed up post sex with Taylor. 

Through dinner, chirps flew around the room and once everyone was done, Kelsey and Taylor retreated to his room while the roommates cleaned up so that they could facetime Taylor’s parents. 

Taylor opened up and logged onto his macbook situating it on his desk before plopping into the chair and pulling Kelsey onto his lap once she had grabbed her own laptop to be able to check her calendar and flights and such. Starting a call with his mom, he sat back kissing Kelsey’s temple as he waited for his mom to answer. 

When she did, a smile immediately graced her face as she took in the sight of them. 

“Well hey guys. Taylor, did you finally give Kelsey a proper heads up for once?” She teased noticing Kelsey’s relaxed body language for the first time in their interactions with her. “How is the end of your semester going Kelsey?” 

“Hey now don’t go ganging up on me…” Taylor joked in a complaining tone. Placing a quick kiss to his jaw Kelsey shrugged before responding. 

“It’s busy. I have a paper presentation next Tuesday that I am not looking forward to but I just keep telling myself that by the end of next week I’ll be done with everything but pulling this one’s rear through medical ethics with me.” 

Laura’s gaze flickered to Taylor for a moment and he just shrugged behind her seemingly saying that yeah he was well aware she was going to pull his ass through that class.

“The home stretch of the semester. You’re nearly there. Now how about something to look forward to. I know T mentioned that we’d love to have you come up to Calgary this summer. Taylor’s going to be here most of June and a bit in August I believe and we don’t have to worry about Cale’s schedule anymore...is there any particular time that looks like it would work best for you Kelsey?” 

Kelsey glanced at her calendar. Really she didn’t have much of anything planned other than submitting med school applications but as long as she had her primary ones done in June and her secondary ones done in July she was otherwise free. 

“I don’t really have plans other than med school applications and I can work on those around any trip. I applied for an expedited passport as soon as Taylor mentioned it so hopefully I should be getting that at the beginning of June.” 

As Laura nodded at her comment regarding the passport, a thoughtful look on her face, Gary appeared behind her waving a hand toward the camera. 

“Hey there! Didn’t expect to hear from you so early T. Was still on a work call.” Taylor’s father declared eagerly. “What did I miss?” 

“We were just trying to figure out when Kelsey is gonna come visit.” Taylor declared, watching as his dad moved around the room before finally settling in beside his wife in front of the camera. 

“How long are we going to get you for Kelsey? A week? Two?” Gary questioned. 

“I don’t want to impose or overstay any welcome when you’re already generously opening your home to me.” Kelsey stated softly, caught off guard because she had expected a week to be the longest they would welcome her for. 

“I mean you’d be doing us a favor keeping T entertained…” Gary joked, chirping at his younger son. 

“Kelsey if your schedule and your parents would allow you to spend two weeks of your summer with us, we’d be happy to have you and get to know you better.” Laura assured her warmly. 

Kelsey wiggled on Taylor’s lap a little at the mention of her parents but just nodded. 

“If you guys are sure….that would be fine with me.” 

“Then we’ll plan for two weeks then.” Laura insisted. “Why don’t we go closer to mid June to make sure that you get your passport in time. You could fly in Monday the 12th, spend a couple of days here in Calgary and then we could go out to the lake house for a week or so before getting you back to Calgary to leave like the 25th.” 

Looking at her calendar there was no reason Kelsey knew of that that plan wouldn’t work so she blocked it off as vacation. She would just have to get med school applications done before that so that she could just relax and enjoy time with her boyfriend and his family. 

“My calendar is marked.” She verbalized, starting to get a little excited that she wouldn’t have to go from the end of may until mid July before seeing her boyfriend. Her continued wiggling had given Taylor a semi under her but he just seemed content and relaxed as well now that plans were coming together. 

“Ours too.” Gary declared. “Once it gets a little bit closer we’ll get your flight booked for you.” 

“I can take care of my flight.” Kelsey insisted firmly. They were already going to be housing her, feeding her, the least she could do is take care of the flight. Laura and Gary shared a look that told Kelsey this wasn’t the last she was going to hear about this, but they dropped it for now. 

“We’ll have to have T find a hike to take you on while you’re here since we’ve heard how much you love it and there are lots of great hikes around.” Laura mused, changing the topic. 

“That would be awesome. I really do love hiking.” Kelsey declared, thinking about the few hikes she and Taylor had already taken this spring. She could only imagine how amazing the views would be out in the Albertan Rockies. 

“Well that’s all we really wanted to sort out tonight so we’ll let you guys go.” Laura concluded. “T we’ll talk to you tomorrow, we love you. Kels, you’re going to do just fine on your finals and your presentation, we can’t wait to see you in six weeks or so.” 

“I’m looking forward to it.” Kelsey agreed, saying her goodbyes before getting up and stepping out of Taylor’s room to get a glass of water, suddenly feeling a bit thirsty. 

Taylor ended the call with his parents before waiting for Kelsey to return. When she did, he wrapped his arms around her waist and spun her around excitedly, making her squeal trying not to spill her water. 

“You’re coming to Calgary!” 

“Course I am…” Kelsey replied, resting her head in Taylor’s neck. “Not looking forward to not being able to see you…so definitely not going to turn down the chance to spend part of summer with you.” 

“And it’s not gonna cause issues with your parents?” His voice questioned softly, concern tempering some of the excitement. 

“I mean mom won’t be happy…” Kelsey mused shrugging. “But that’s no surprise and dad will back me. I’m gonna be a senior in college…not really her choice how I spend my time anymore.” Kissing his skin softly, Kelsey breathed in his scent before smiling. “And before you go there…it’s not about you. She’d hate any guy I fell in love with because it means she’s losing control over me.” 

“You’re in love with me?” Out of everything Kelsey had just said somehow it wasn’t surprising that that was what Taylor had picked up on first. 

Nodding, Kelsey pulled back to look Taylor in the eye. 

“I know we still have things to figure out and life paths to navigate but I can’t imagine anything better than spending the rest of my life with you.” 

With Taylor suddenly kissing her, Kelsey sighed happily, feeling so loved and safe in his arms. 

“Someday I’m gonna make that happen.” He declared. “So long as you’re still willing to put up with me when the time comes.” 

She really hoped that was something he could make come true. For now though she was just going to enjoy kissing him and basking in the way he makes her feel. 

May 9th, 2023

Kelsey knew her paper like the back of her hand, she had prepped every question imaginable that her professor and other staff could ask her about it but she still couldn’t shake the nerves and dread as she walked across campus for her last big presentation of the semester. Feeling her phone buzz in her pocket she pulled it out, eyes going wide in surprise at the text notification on the screen. 

Laura Makar: Gary and I just wanted to wish you good luck on your presentation today. You’re going to do great, we have no doubt. 

Kelsey hadn’t gotten a text from Laura since they were in Massachusetts arranging hockey east game plans. It was out of the blue and yet showed that Laura had remembered Kelsey mentioning not looking forward to this presentation. 

And honestly…Kelsey wasn’t used to people remembering things like that. People being supportive like that. Her own parents always expected her to do well but never provided any emotional support to assist in that regard. 

This was….unexpected…and a bit overwhelming. 

As the text rolled through her mind, Kelsey arrived at the building, getting called in just a few minutes later in order to make her presentation. After the fact, she honestly couldn’t remember a single moment of it, so she had no idea how it had actually gone but all the same, a weight rolled off her shoulders and as she stepped back outside she sank to the ground under a tree. 

Unable to stop staring at the text Taylor’s mom had sent her, Kelsey eventually started to cry softly and found herself dialing Taylor’s number. Directed to voicemail after a few rings, Kelsey tried to regain control of her emotions, though her voice still betrayed the tears rolling down her face. 

“Hey T…it’s me. I don’t even know why I’m calling, everything’s fine just uh call me back when you get a chance. I love you.” 

It was no surprise that Taylor and his brother both had found the success they had when they had such supportive parents to back them. Parents that they could tell anything. Who they wanted to talk to every day. 

Kelsey was honestly a little jealous of the relationship that Taylor had with his parents when there was very little she saw eye to eye with her own parents on and rarely did she get any emotional support from them. 

*** When Taylor’s phone rang on the golf course where he was caddying for his teammate Tyson Dyck, he was a little surprised. He couldn’t exactly answer it, though as they drove to the next hole he saw that it had been Kelsey that called. 

Kelsey never called. At least not without them planning it first. She always texted. 

Taylor: I’m caddying for Tys today so can’t listen to your message rn. Everything ok? 

After a few minutes his phone buzzed again and he peeked at her message. 

Kelsey: Fine. Just call me when you can please.

By the time they finished it was about three hours after Kelsey had called him. As they headed back to campus Taylor listened to Kelsey’s message and hearing her tears on the call made him curse softly. That message didn’t exactly sound fine. 

Quickly he dialed her number waiting for her to answer the phone. When she did he skipped past all greetings. 

“What happened Kelsey? Your voicemail sounded the opposite of fine. Is everything okay?” 

“Your mom texted me.” 

Double checking his phone Taylor verified that his mom hadn’t texted or called him so everything had to be okay with his family. 

“Okay and?” 

“She and your dad wished me luck on my presentation this morning. And I…Taylor I couldn’t tell you the last time my parents wished me luck or told me they were certain I was going to do great. It’s stupid and silly but…” Kelsey trailed off with a sigh. 

"I mean of course you were going to do great. I'm sorry if she made you uncomfortable, that's just who my parents are though Kels."

“I said it was stupid and silly. I don’t know why it made me cry.” 

“Not stupid Kels.” Taylor assured her. 

“Anyway I’m sorry for interrupting your golfing, didn’t realize you were doing that today.” Kelsey murmured. 

“It’s fine.” Taylor stated. “How’d your presentation go anyway?” 

“I mean I can’t remember any of it so I couldn’t really tell you…” 

With Taylor snorting laughter but assuring her that he’s confident she did fine, their conversation shifted to other topics and within minutes he had her giggling as he told her about golf and how his roommates were preparing for finals. 

May 15th, 2023

Kelsey could only smile as she lounged on Taylor’s bed while he sat at his desk working on final edits of his paper for medical ethics. Her semester at Hampshire had ended on Friday but with the help of her aunt she’d managed to convince her parents that she was staying there until her UMass class was also finished. So after moving all of her stuff out of her dorm room and dropping it at her aunt’s, she’d made her way back to Taylor’s where she’d been staying since.

It was only three days, but it was extra time with Taylor that Kelsey was absolutely going to cherish. Summer was approaching far too quickly after all and even with plans in place for her to go to Calgary mid June she was still going to miss him. 

After a few minutes he pushed his chair back and stood up, bringing his computer over to her. 

“Would you mind reading it before I print it out?” 

As she’d joked with his parents about, Kelsey had expected Taylor to ask her for help multiple times while working on his final paper for medical ethics from topic to research, etc. Instead, he’d insisted that he knew what he was going to write about and that he had it all under control. So of course if he wanted a proofread or final thoughts Kelsey was more than willing to give them to him. 

“Of course.” She declared, taking the computer from him after sitting up on his bed. As soon as her eyes scanned over the title of Taylor’s paper, Kelsey immediately felt all the air leave her lungs. 

The Psychology of Abortion: Why Forced Pregnancies are Unethical

Kelsey practically held her breath while she read Taylor’s paper. It was good. He had clearly done considerable research, his argument was organized and well supported. There were a few typos that Kelsey fixed and a few phrasing things she highlighted that could possibly be a little clearer but it was everything beyond the page that held her captive. 

Reading this paper, no one would ever know that this subject was personal to Taylor. They would think that he was combining the knowledge from one of his majors with the class and that was it. 

But Kelsey knew. She knew that Taylor had picked this topic because of her. She knew that this was his way of showing her that he was trying to better understand what she had been through, that he supported her, and that he loved her. 

As she finished reading, tears rolled down her cheeks. 

“Taylor…” She whispered, voice wet. 

“Does this mean you like it?” He questioned, nervously running his fingers through his hair. 

“I can’t believe….god I love you Taylor…” She replied, shifting up onto her knees to kiss him. “You don’t know what that means to me.” 

“I love you Kels. And I’ve got your back. Always.” 

May 25, 2023

As fast as the school year had started, it came to an end. Taylor’s semester had finally ended and he was scheduled to fly home the next afternoon. With Kelsey taking him to the airport, he was doing one final dinner with his roommates. After that, they’d made plans for Taylor to meet her at her aunt and uncle’s for an early summer bonfire before spending one more night together. 

Having arrived at her aunt and uncle’s, Kelsey greeted everyone before grabbing a drink and settling into the backyard to relax for a bit and wait for Taylor. Really she’d just wanted to get out of her parents house so she’d left a bit earlier than anticipated. She knew at some point they’d probably get company be it her aunt and uncle or cousins before they went to bed but she was looking forward to one more evening spent with Taylor. 

When the back door burst open, Kelsey was not expecting Taylor’s roommates to come crashing through it. 

“There she is!” Mercs exclaimed. 

“I’m right where you should have expected me to be given that Tay and I are stealing my uncle’s fire pit for the night.” Kelsey mused, a tad confused. 

“We couldn’t leave without saying goodbye.” Lauts explained. 

Standing, Kelsey laughed as Mercs lifted her off her feet in a hug. Lauts’ hug was gentler but still firm and Kelsey grinned. 

“Is it really goodbye when I’m probably going to see you in what…like a month?” Kelsey questioned. 

“Tell yourself that when you drop T at the airport tomorrow….” Lauts trailed off with a knowing look. “And you’re gonna see him in what like two weeks.” 

“Don’t.” Kelsey insisted. “I don’t need to start crying.” 

“Then I guess I probably shouldn’t say it either since it actually is goodbye…” Mikey piped up from behind them. 

“Get over here.” Kelsey declared, hugging Taylor’s third roommate. “As if you won’t be around now and then…” She teased, though she did get choked up a little. “Don’t think those three are gonna get rid of you so easily and it’s only like 2 hours away.” 

Mikey nodded and gave Kelsey another squeeze before whispering in her ear. 

“Cut your idiot a little slack next year since he’s losing one of his chauffeurs. And try to keep him out of trouble…well all of them really.” 

“Yeah. Will do. You take care of yourself and don’t be a stranger.” As Mikey worked to shift his roommates back in the direction of the car since they did have places to be tonight, Kelsey sniffled softly. 

“Oh boy. I might have to take your aunt up on the offer of a tissue box won’t I.” Taylor declared having already said his goodbyes over dinner. His arms wrapped around her and Kelsey buried her face into his chest while taking a few calming breaths. 

“I’m fine.” She mumbled. 

“So I shouldn’t give you your present now then…” His voice was gentle but teasing and Kelsey pulled back to peer up at him. 

“You got me a present? What for Taylor?” 

“Just open it.” Taylor declared, picking up the large gift bag from its spot at his feet. 

Lifting the tissue paper off the top revealed lots of grey fluff. As she pulled the item out of the bag Kelsey’s eyes softened. A koala bear. At least 16 inches tall and supremely fluffy. It was absolutely adorable. 

“So you always have a koala to cuddle even when I’m away.” Taylor explained with a shrug, a self satisfied grin on his face. 

Though she tried, Kelsey could not find any words to say…Taylor had left her speechless. This had to be top 5 in the most romantic things he’d done since they started dating. 

Hugging it tight, Kelsey got a faint whiff of Taylor’s cologne and suddenly found herself crying while laughing. 

“I love you so goddamn much Taylor.” She murmured before launching herself at him to kiss him fiercely. 

Kissing her back, Taylor hummed, pleased that she liked her present. 

“Love you too Kelsey. But if you want a fire tonight you’re gonna have to let me go so I can get it started for us before it gets dark.” 

Pouting a bit, Kelsey kissed him once more before pulling back, hugging the koala to her chest. She legitimately has the best boyfriend in the whole world and even though it was sad to think about him leaving, the way he tried to make it just a little bit easier meant everything. 

And it was only going to be 2.5 weeks until she’d see him again anyway which objectively wasn’t that long. 

Watching as Taylor gathered the things needed to make a fire, Kelsey sunk into the chair behind her just snuggling her new present. Even once Taylor had finished building their fire and moved her to sit on his lap, she continued holding onto the stuffed koala bear. 

And that was how her aunt, uncle, and oldest cousin Kat found them when they joined them outside after sending the younger kids to bed for school in the morning. Cuddled together with Kelsey on Taylor’s lap, snuggling a stuffed koala, and sharing occasional kisses and soft conversation as they relaxed. 

“Haven’t I told you to keep it in your pants…” Greg declared, rolling his eyes at how wrapped up his niece was in her boyfriend. 

“Leave them alone dad, they’re cute.” Kat insisted. 

“Don’t go getting any ideas Kathryn.” 

“I’m just saying they’re cute.” The teenager sent her cousin a wink before immediately asking her mom if they had things for s’mores in the house. 

With her aunt unsure, Kat ran back inside to check and see, leaving Kelsey and Taylor with just her aunt and uncle. 

“So I hear you’re taking Kelsey home to meet Cale…” Carvy chirped. “Man would I love to see that.” 

Kelsey couldn’t help but be a bit confused on why anything would be exciting about her meeting Taylor’s brother when she’d already met his parents and seemingly gained their approval. 

She wasn’t going to let it bother her though knowing her Uncle was probably just being a bit of a jerk. 

“My parents love her so Cale’s outnumbered.” Taylor simply shrugged as if he wasn’t worried at all. “Hell I’m more worried that Mark, Joey, or Lucas are going to steal her from me.” 

“Think you might be stuck with her.” Carvy continued chirping. 

“Fine by me.” Taylor grinned, kissing Kelsey’s head gently because she was the only person he wanted to be with. 

“Any exciting plans for when Kels is visiting?” Her aunt inquired. Though Taylor insisted that they didn’t have a full agenda planned yet, he mentioned taking her on a hike as his parents had suggested and that they were going to spend a week at the lake house among other things. 

When Kat reappeared with things for s’mores, Taylor shifted Kelsey enough to make them both a fireside treat as conversation settled for a bit, everyone enjoying the early summer evening.

As the fire started to die down with no more wood being added to it, Taylor felt Kelsey yawn against his shoulder and he kissed the top of her head softly. 

“Think we should probably head out.” He mused knowing that otherwise Kelsey was going to fall asleep on his lap. 

Bidding goodnight to her aunt and uncle, Kelsey and Taylor made their way out to Kelsey’s car, koala still tucked under her arm. 

Finally releasing it, Kelsey drove them back to Taylor’s dorm for the final time, something that felt weird, even if it was only going to be a month or so until she was right back to it. 

It was weird how quiet the apartment was with all three of Taylor’s roommates already gone. As Kelsey moved through to Taylor’s room she saw his packed bags tucked inside the doorway and the sight made her heart clench. She knew it was silly to get emotional when she was going to see him in two and a half weeks but he was going to be thousands of miles away during that stretch and she knew it was going to be impossible not to miss seeing him multiple times a week. 

Sensing the turmoil rising in her, Taylor’s arms slipped around her from behind and he dipped his head into her neck. 

“It’s just a couple weeks Kels.” He murmured. “And you have med school applications and your thesis to keep you busy, plus I’m only a phone call away.” 

“Doesn’t mean I won’t miss you.” 

“Just like I’m gonna miss you.” Taylor confirmed. “But we’re going to have so much fun in Calgary and at the lake. I just want you to get excited, not sad.” 

“I’ll try. But no promises.” Kelsey shrugged. Gently turning her in his arms, Taylor cupped her cheek, his thumb brushing over her skin. 

“Hey…we’ve made it through much bigger bumps than this. We’re gonna get through the next two weeks just fine, they’re going to fly by and before you know it you’ll be on a plane to come see me.” 

Deep down Kelsey knew he was right and she took a deep breath trying to suppress that sinking feeling in her gut. The last thing she wanted to do was ruin their last night together by moping. 

“I know. You’re right Tay. Just don’t make fun of me when I cry dropping you off tomorrow.” 

“Wouldn’t dream of it.” He assured her, dipping down to kiss her softly. “Now….are you gonna stand here moping or can I show you how much I love you?” 

Kelsey was never going to turn down being on the receiving end of Taylor’s love. Sliding her palms down his upper arms she squeaked as Taylor gripped her ass before lifting her up onto his bed and slotting himself between her thighs. 

There was something about being kissed like this that Kelsey adored. There was no hurry, no sense that this was a mere formality before transitioning to something else, it was just them enjoying each other in one of the simplest ways. Of course, as they kissed, hands wandered and explored, stroking skin softly as each committed the other to memory. 

Eventually the make out shifted fully onto Taylor’s bed, not an inch between them as they expressed their love and desire. Clothes fell to the wayside piece by piece and by the time they both finally began dozing off, both were spent and sated from the intimate activities of the evening. 

***

Waking ungodly early with Taylor’s alarm, Kelsey watched as her boyfriend did a final check of his room, gathering his things for his trip home. She’d known this morning would be hard but now that it was here it was hitting her just how hard it was. Locking up, they made their way to her car and after a stop for breakfast and coffee they were on their way to the airport. As she drove Taylor played music having connected his phone to her speakers, his hand rubbing back and forth against her thigh. 

He didn’t push her to speak as if he knew as well as she did that once she started crying she wouldn’t be able to stop. 

Once Kelsey pulled to a stop in the drop off lane, Taylor gathered his bags out of the back of her car before pulling Kelsey into a hard hug. 

“I love you and I’ll see you in a couple weeks.” Taylor promised as her tears started soaking his shoulder. 

“Love you too.” Kelsey managed to mumble before her voice cracked completely. 

“Hey.” Taylor whispered comfortingly. “18 days. That’s all.” Though Kelsey nodded, that number didn’t stop her from continuing to cry. “Kels…” Both knew there was nothing Taylor could say to stop Kelsey from crying so he just held her until he knew he had to leave because they were tying up the drop off lane. 

Stealing one last kiss, Taylor gave her a squeeze and then gathered his bags up off the ground. 

“Hey Kels, please don’t drive home while crying. Promise me.” He pleaded as she climbed back in the car. Even when she nodded he repeated for her to promise him. 

“I promise.” She mumbled softly as she settled behind the wheel. “Call me when you’re home safe.” 

“You know it.” 

Watching as he entered the building, Kelsey drove to the free short term parking lot and let loose all her tears. As much as she wanted to just go home she had promised she wouldn’t drive while crying and that was the least she could do after making Taylor deal with her heavy emotions over him leaving. 

When she finally composed herself, Kelsey made the trek back to her parents, grateful they were both working and therefore the house was quiet. Napping for a bit, new koala in her arms, Kelsey woke and finally checked her phone to see if Taylor had sent any updates. To her surprise, her lock screen was a photo of them from the night before cuddled up and enjoying the fire at her uncles and there was a widget counting down the days until she was going to Calgary. 

Kelsey had no idea where Taylor had gotten the photo but she couldn’t help but smile at how sneaky her boyfriend was and how he would have known that it would make her smile. 

Only 18 days until she was back in his arms. 

She couldn’t wait.

~~~~

Kelsey's koala:

#taylor makar #taylor makar imagine #colorado avalanche #colorado avalanche imagine #nhl imagine #nhl imagines #hockey imagines #hockey imagine #cavalanche #046

[hockeylvr59]

Here With Me Part 20 || Taylor Makar

Author’s Note: Only a day after saying I love you, Taylor drops another milestone on Kelsey....meeting the parents and Taylor's sophomore season comes to an end. FC: Marina Laswick (@marooshk on instagram).

Warnings: cursing, anxiety // Word Count: 6,295

~~~~

Nineteen

Kelsey had been a little surprised when Taylor had asked her to meet up Monday evening. She honestly hadn’t expected to see him again after Sunday before the opening round playoff game for hockey east unless he came to class in the morning. 

But if he was going to make the time for her, she would gladly make it for him. So, after finishing up a bit of lab work, Kelsey drove over to Mullins to meet him as requested. 

As soon as she pulled into the lot, Taylor was coming outside and sliding into her passenger seat, immediately greeting her with a kiss. 

“Hey Kels.” He murmured. “You look pretty.” 

“Thanks T. Had a meeting with my advisor this morning.” After all, she normally didn’t wear a dress, tights, and boots to class. “So what’s the plan?” 

“Dinner at Johnny’s Tavern. We’re meeting my parents.” 

As soon as Taylor said the word parents, Kelsey immediately froze, her face going white with shock. 

“Come again?” She gasped, thankful the car was still in park because her hands felt numb. 

“Dinner with my parents.” Taylor stated softly. “You knew they were coming to town and want to meet you.” 

“Yeah…soon…not tonight…” Kelsey mumbled. “Holy shit Taylor I am not dressed to meet your parents.” Quickly Kelsey’s breathing grew more ragged as the anxiety over what Taylor was dropping on her hit. Meeting the parents was something you needed to prepare for and Kelsey was so far from prepared. 

“Kels. You look beautiful.” Taylor assured her, a little taken aback by her reaction. His palm slid over onto her thigh and he spoke softly. “Kels, they’re gonna love you, you have nothing to worry about. They just want to get to know you because they know I’m completely infatuated with you.” 

His words did nothing to stop her shaking and after a minute Taylor got out of the car before moving around to her side, urging her out of the driver’s seat. 

“I’m not going to force you to go Kels.” He whispered into her hair as he hugged her. “But it’s not the big deal that you’re working it up to be either. They’re going to love you because I love you. They’ve been so damn excited to meet you.” 

Pulling back, Taylor grinned down at her, mischief on his face. 

“To be honest, I’m the one that should be worried. Because odds are they’re going to love you more than they love me or they’re going to bring up every single embarrassing moment in my life to share it with you.” 

Kelsey couldn’t help but let out a long soft breath at that. 

“Just trust me Kels. Please?” 

“I trust you.” She murmured. “Just not sure I can drive right now.” 

“If you’ll let me, I can.” Taylor offered, kissing her temple still trying to soothe her. Swallowing hard, Kelsey nodded and after a moment stepped away to let him adjust the driver’s seat while she moved around to the passenger’s still trying to calm her racing heart. 

“Breathe Kels.” Taylor insisted, lifting her hand to his mouth to kiss as he was stopped at a red light. “How’d your meeting go?” 

Kelsey knew he was trying to change the topic so that she stopped focusing on the stress of the moment. 

“Fine. Everything is on track. She doesn’t think I’ll have any problem getting into med school.” 

“That’s awesome Kels. I have no doubt you will either.” Taylor stated softly. “You’re so fucking smart and so passionate, any school is gonna be lucky to have you.” 

It wasn’t long before Taylor was pulling into the parking lot of the Tavern and coming around to help her out. 

“Just trust me Kels.” He repeated. “I love you and they’re going to love you too.” 

Taylor let her take a few deep breaths after gathering her purse from the car and then took her hand to guide her inside. 

“Come on, it’s cold out here.” 

Once inside, Taylor led her to a table, his hand on her lower back. By the time they approached, his parents had both stood up and while his dad hugged Taylor, Kelsey found herself pulled into a hug by his mom. 

“We’re so happy to finally meet you.” His mom whispered in her ear. “You’re even prettier than the pictures we’ve seen.” 

Switching off, Kelsey briefly was hugged by Taylor’s dad as well before Taylor guided her into the seat across the table from his mom, taking the one next to her and resting his hand on her thigh.

“Kels, this is my mom Laura and my dad Gary. Mom, dad this is Kelsey.” Taylor’s hand squeezed softly in reassurance. 

“We’re so glad you agreed to meet us.” Laura proclaimed, her smile warm. Kelsey’s face must have given away her hesitancies because Laura looked at her for a moment before looking over at Taylor. 

“Taylor David…you didn’t tell her she was meeting us?” 

“I did…” Taylor defended. “Just not until she picked me up.” 

“Taylor.” Laura chastised. “I’m so sorry Kelsey. I tried to teach him manners but apparently some things he takes after his father in.” 

Thankfully, the waiter interrupted as he dropped by to get Taylor and Kelsey’s drink orders now that they had arrived.  

Though Taylor ordered ice tea for himself he ordered Kelsey a glass of wine and a water knowing that she could use a little help taking the edge off her nerves. 

After getting carded, Kelsey bit her lip softly feeling the nerves rise. 

“So Taylor mentioned that you coach girl’s hockey? His dad asked. 

“Yeah. I started a learn to play program when I was a senior in high school and right now we have probably thirty girls enrolled. Age range of four to eight or so. It’s a lot of fun. We meet once a week to practice skills and scrimmage and a couple of times a season we go to a ‘tournament’ with other learn to play programs and they get their first taste of actual games.” Kelsey explained, pausing to thank the waiter as he brought drinks over. 

“It’s basically a first taste of the game for young girls who may not be all that familiar with hockey.” Kelsey continued. “We’ve had over 50 girls pass through the program already and I think at least half of them are playing on local girls teams now.” 

With Gary having coached before he immediately jumped into discussing drills and other things that he’d noticed being the most effective and Kelsey listened eagerly while glancing over the menu trying to decide what she wanted to eat. 

“Duck or Bass?” Taylor leaned over to whisper in her ear. 

“Bass.” Kelsey whispered back before again nodding at his dad and then talking about one of her girls favorite skill games that she’d found online. 

When the waiter circled around to see if they were ready to order, Laura and Gary both nodded having gotten a chance to look at the menu before Taylor and Kelsey even arrived. With Taylor nodding, Kelsey didn’t even bother looking back down at her menu, just letting him order for her once again even as his mother’s eyes went wide. 

“It’s fine.” Kelsey murmured. “Taylor orders for me basically anytime we go out somewhere. I can be a bit indecisive.” 

“Indecisive and price tag conscious.” Taylor elaborated after their orders were placed. “And I gave her options.” He shrugged. 

Hearing the confirmation that Kelsey was fine with it made Laura relax and not say anything. As Gary turned back to coaching, Kelsey couldn’t help but smile as Laura rolled her eyes. 

“Gary. We are not talking about hockey drills the entirety of dinner.” Laura chastised before changing direction. “So how did you two meet?” She questioned having never really gotten an answer out of Taylor. 

“Oh uh at the rink.” Kelsey admitted. “I was more than a little pissed at Carvy because he was kicking my girls off the rink like twenty minutes early and I literally ran into Taylor who made a joke about hiding dead bodies in the woods behind Silvan instead of the rink. It threw me so off guard that I kind of forgot how mad I was.” 

“Then I saw her at a party shortly after that and we just hit it off. Started talking more.” Taylor threw in, his cheeks turning a little pink at everything that wasn’t explicitly being said. 

“When Taylor asked me on a date I was so excited.” Kelsey admitted. “And it couldn’t have been more perfect either. An outdoor rink all to ourselves. Homemade hot chocolate. Dinner and then him asking me to be his girlfriend.” 

Sipping at her wine after giving a very brief rundown of the beginning of their relationship, Kelsey glanced at Taylor hoping that everything she’d said had been okay. She really wanted his parents to like her. 

“So what else do you do for fun?” Gary questioned. 

“Well I’m waiting for the weather to get warmer but I love to go hiking on weekends so I’m hoping that I’ll be able to drag T with me now and then.” 

She hadn’t mentioned that to Taylor yet but if his smile was any indication, she was going to have no problem dragging him out for hikes and she was really looking forward to it. 

“And you sew?” Laura added. “Taylor sent us a picture of the pocket squares you made him. They’re beautiful.” 

“Yeah I love to sew.” Kelsey enthused. “I love going to thrift stores and getting clothing or fabric and making them into something new or just making them fit in the way that off the rack clothing usually doesn’t. And if I can mend clothing to last longer then even better.” 

“Yeah she saved one of my favorite pairs of athletic shorts.” Taylor grinned. 

The conversation regarding sewing triggered a reminder in Kelsey’s head and she made an ‘oh’ face before turning to reach into her purse. Pulling out a small tissue paper wrapped item she turned to hand it over to Taylor. 

“Before I forget…” She started. “Not sure if Carvy is having you guys wear suits for playoffs but in case he is…happy early birthday Tay.” 

“You want me to…now?” Taylor questioned for a moment as Laura and Gary watched with interest. 

With Kelsey nodding confirmation, Taylor tore into the tissue paper to reveal a tie in the same navy with white polka dotted fabric that one of his pocket squares was made from. 

“It matches.” He grinned, looking it over. “Thanks Kels, love it and you.” Kelsey blushed again a bit at the words and the kiss to her cheek that followed. 

“I’m glad.” Kelsey grinned, missing the look that Taylor’s parents exchanged at their son dropping the L word. “I like making things for you.” 

Without his parents even asking, Taylor passed the tie over to his dad for examination with Laura leaning in close as well to check it out. 

“Very nice.” Gary praised. “She’s going to have you looking all snazzy.” 

“You have a talent Kelsey.” Laura agreed. “Was this your first tie?” 

“Probably second.” Kelsey admitted. “I made one for my dad before. Still a learning curve though because it’s been awhile.” 

The moment was broken by the waiter coming by to deliver their meals. As they ate, conversation dipped, though Kelsey took the chance to ask questions like what Taylor was like as a little kid, trying to learn things about him that might not come up in natural conversation between them. 

A story of their family pet, D.O.G., was brought up and Kelsey couldn’t contain her laughter hearing about Taylor making a whole ass powerpoint on why they should get a dog that wasn’t stuffed. It was a nice try even though it clearly hadn’t worked. When Laura showed her a picture of Taylor with the stuffed dog, Kelsey smiled brightly because yeah he was a really cute kid for sure. 

On the subject of pets, Kelsey brought up that she had had a bearded dragon named Pebbles for a good majority of her life up until a couple of years ago which seemed to catch Taylor by surprise as they’d never talked about her having a pet before. It had been a low maintenance pet that she’d finally been able to wear her parents down to and she had loved him, though she was definitely open to a furry pet at some point in the future. 

Enjoying her meal, Kelsey listened as Taylor’s parents spilled a few other stories about her boyfriend. By the time his parents were grabbing the check to pay, Kelsey felt a little bit more relaxed because it seemed like dinner had gone well. 

“Do you want to come with us to Boston for the game on Wednesday?” Laura asked. “That way you don’t have to drive or worry about parking or anything.” 

Kelsey should have known the question was coming. But she didn’t and it completely caught her off guard, flaring up the panic she’d been feeling since Taylor first mentioned her meeting his parents. Yes, tonight seemed to have gone well but going to Taylor’s game meant that she would be with them not just for an hour for dinner but for nearly 6 hours between the drive and the game itself. All without Taylor there to steer away from anything that may be uncomfortable or to serve as a buffer. 

With Gary nodding approvingly and both of them giving her expectant looks, Kelsey really couldn’t say no without looking like a bitch. 

So she’d agreed, murmuring with as much enthusiasm as she could muster that that sounded really great. Internally though she was trying to hold onto her composure knowing that it was going to be a rapidly losing battle. 

With Laura declaring that they would get her number from Taylor, Kelsey thanked them for dinner as they headed out of the restaurant exchanging brief hugs before parting ways to head to their respective vehicles. 

Sinking into the driver’s seat, Kelsey let out a loud sigh and leaned her head back against the headrest just trying to breathe. After a moment, Taylor’s fingers curled over her thigh as he rested his palm there over her dress. 

“You feeling okay?” Taylor asked softly, his thumb brushing back and forth. 

“I’m fine Taylor.” Kelsey murmured though her use of his full name and inability to force a smile spoke loudly to the contrary. Taking another deep breath, Kelsey buckled her seatbelt and then looked to him to do the same so that she could take him back to his apartment. 

After a moment Taylor secured his seatbelt as well and Kelsey pulled out of the parking spot to make the short drive across town, her fingers tapping on the steering wheel as she drove. 

When she arrived at the dorm she pulled up in front of the building along the curb to drop him off rather than searching for a parking spot. 

If Kelsey wasn’t drowning in her own anxiety she would have noticed Taylor’s confused and slightly hurt expression. 

“What’s going on Kelsey?” He eventually asked, his voice timid. “You’re not coming up?” 

“Not tonight Taylor…” Kelsey stated quietly. “I don’t want to be a distraction, you have an important game Wednesday.” 

“Kelsey…” Taylor pleaded. “Did I fuck things up tonight for us?” 

“No T.” Kelsey mumbled, closing her eyes for a moment. “Just….you’re not the only one that gets anxious. And you’re not the one who is going to spend the next 48 hours stressing over saying or doing something to make your parents hate me because I’m spending six hours alone with them two days after they met me.” 

“Kelsey…if it’s going to make you this stressed out, you don’t have to go to the game.” Taylor mumbled. 

“What and have your parents think I’m a bitch and an unsupportive girlfriend?” Kelsey exclaimed. 

“Kelsey.” Taylor stated, his tone suggesting that that was a little bit ridiculous. 

“Taylor, it’s fine. We’re fine.” Kelsey sighed. “I just…I need to be by myself tonight to work through all of this. Okay?” 

Taylor was quiet for a long moment before nodding. 

“Okay.” He declared. “Can I get a good luck kiss for Wednesday before you go?” 

“Yeah Tay.” Kelsey murmured, turning her head to kiss him softly. As they parted, Kelsey pecked his lips again. “I love you Taylor.” 

“I love you too, Kels.” Taylor sighed before finally moving to climb out of her car and head inside leaving Kelsey to make her way back to her own apartment where she poured herself a large glass of wine and sunk into bed until she could work up the energy to do a long yoga and meditation session to work through the flurry of emotions she was feeling. 

*****

With the team heading off to Boston Tuesday afternoon to settle in and prepare for Wednesday’s game, UMass Athletics held a brunch Tuesday morning for any of the parents who were in town for Hockey East playoffs. Making their way down from their hotel room to the conference room of Hotel Umass, Laura and Gary greeted the parents they knew from Taylor’s freshman season or had met over in Northern Ireland in November. 

Grabbing food they settled at a table and into light conversation with the parents that joined them. After a few minutes Coach Carvel and the other staff started the obligatory season recap to date, discussing how it had been a tough season as they were well aware but how he appreciated their boys being so even keel win or lose and that playoffs were a big opportunity for them to end on a positive note. 

Mingling and light conversations followed the speeches with Lucas Mercuri’s mom Dina taking a spot at their table to catch up as their sons had been roommates for two years now. 

“So Luc says you took Taylor out for dinner last night? Must have been nice to catch up a bit.” 

“Well it was more than that.” Laura admitted. “Taylor brought his girlfriend so that we could finally meet her.” 

“Big step bringing her to meet the parents.” Dina declared. “I remember when Luc brought his girlfriend home. From what I hear, Taylor has this girl around a lot, he must really like her.” 

“If his indirect dropping of the L word is any indication I think he more than likes her.” Gary mused. 

“And what do you both think of her?” Dina inquired. 

“She seems to really care about him.” Laura replied neutrally. “They share some interests and it seems like she’s independent but it’s hard to really have an opinion after just one dinner.” 

“But there were no red flags that jumped out?” 

“No. She was polite, attentive, affectionate but not inappropriate. Taylor didn’t tell her until just before they headed to the restaurant that she was meeting us so she seemed a little on edge but that’s on Taylor not her. Taylor can be a bit daft sometimes, takes after a certain someone I know.” Laura stated, finishing with a chuckle as she looked over at her husband. 

After a few more minutes Dina bid her leave, following after quite a few parents who had already left leaving the room more sparsely occupied. 

Discussing softly between themselves a plan for the rest of the day, Laura and Gary looked up at the sound of a chair sliding along the floor to find Coach Carvel sinking into the it with a cup of coffee in hand. 

“So I overheard that you met my niece last night…” Greg stated casually. 

Brows furrowed as Laura and Gary looked between themselves before looking back at their son’s coach, their confusion evident. 

"I know, imagine my surprise when I found out from my niece that she's dating your son." 

There was a moment’s pause before Laura’s eyes widened. 

“I’m gonna kill him.” She mumbled under her breath. First Taylor failed to warn his girlfriend ahead of time about meeting them and then he failed to mention that his girlfriend was related to his hockey coach. 

How hadn’t it crossed his mind that maybe that was an important thing for them to know and not have dropped on them unexpectedly. 

“They both have strong personalities but they manage to balance each other out somehow.” Greg added. “They’re both good kids and have good heads on their shoulders. Even if they both piss me off sometimes.” 

Though still shocked, Laura and Gary both laughed a bit at the last comment because yeah that sounded like Taylor for sure. It made sense that they were cut from the same cloth, good and bad. Still, Greg knew that he needed to put in a good word for Kelsey because apparently she loves the younger Makar and admittedly they were kind of cute together and he had a feeling based on overhearing that she had been on edge that it was important to her to have the Makars like her. 

"As soon as she told me they were together, Kelsey threatened me against letting their relationship impact his position on the team so she's pretty serious about him.” Greg stated, giving Taylor’s parents some time to mull over his words. 

“Taylor has made some major strides this season, it’s good to see all the hard work paying off.” He complimented, changing topics. “Still has lots of work to do but it’s a positive thing to see.” 

Talking for a couple of minutes more, moreso about Taylor than Taylor and Kelsey, Greg took his leave, moving to stand up.  

"You know it's ironic that someone who hates men's hockey so much fell for one of my players...hadn't seen that coming." He quipped because he was still shocked that Kelsey had ended up interested in someone on his team after hearing her rants about men’s hockey. 

As he left, Laura again considered murdering her son for failing to mention it and Gary couldn’t help but shake his head at what a ballsy move it was by his son getting involved with his coach’s niece. 

****

After thoroughly chastising her son over text, Laura obtained Kelsey’s phone number and messaged her about the game Wednesday night, subtly offering her an out if it wasn’t something she was comfortable with by checking to make sure that it wouldn’t interfere with her schoolwork. 

The last thing Kelsey wanted though was for Taylor’s parents to think that she wasn’t a supportive girlfriend so there was no way she was going to back out of the game even if she was more than a little anxious about it. 

Laura had offered a few options for meeting including getting a bite to eat on campus, picking her up at her apartment or meeting somewhere else and Kelsey had suggested just meeting at Mullins because she could easily leave her car there and it was relatively convenient. 

Plus she wasn’t sure that she was going to be able to eat with the nerves swirling through her. Tuesday night she had stressed over her outfit and made a mess of her closet before finally settling on black leggings, a grey and black oversized hoodie, and black sneakers along with the hat Taylor had given her. 

After her Wednesday afternoon class, Kelsey had gone to the library for an hour or so before heading to Mullins to meet up with his parents at the designated time. 

Through the car ride, Laura and Gary talked amongst themselves, occasionally throwing a question Kelsey’s way to give her the opportunity to engage as much as she wanted to with them. Kelsey tried to find the balance between not being rude but also not putting herself out there in a way that would risk her saying anything that might not go over well. 

As much as she tried to hide her nerves, it was obvious that she was as much on edge tonight as she had been at dinner Monday though Laura and Gary tried to put her at ease. They knew she was nervous about being around them without Taylor and that she clearly wanted to make a good impression. 

In the arena, they found their seats amidst the rest of the parents, families, friends, and girlfriends of UMass. 

“Want something to drink Kelsey?” Gary asked. “Water? Beer? Seltzer?” Prepared to just ask for water, Laura leaned over whispering softly. 

“You’re allowed to drink in front of us Kelsey. It’s probably going to be a stressful game. But no one is going to force you.” Stressful was probably going to be an understatement with so much on the line and Kelsey sighed. 

“Truly or something?” She asked, thanking Gary softly. 

Running her fingers through her hair, Kelsey fixed the ball cap on her head before shifting slightly in her seat as Laura talked to a few people around them. By the time warmups started, Gary had returned and Kelsey took the can of booze in hand, smiling softly in thanks. 

Sipping at the drink, Kelsey focused on watching Taylor on the ice going through a warmup routine that was familiar to her even if she’d only been to a handful of his games. 

Standing for the anthem, Kelsey wanted to be hopeful but couldn’t quell the feeling that this was about to be a painful night. And just over a minute into the game before Taylor had even taken his first shift that feeling was proven right as BC got on the board early. 

Taylor showed that he had his legs on his first shift causing Kelsey to let out a sigh of relief. Right off the faceoff on his second, number 11 for BC tugged on the back of Taylor’s jersey holding him up from taking off into the offensive zone and Kelsey threw her hands in the air because what the hell you can’t do that. 

Though she didn’t want to be a bitch, Kelsey couldn’t help but mumble under her breath when Morrow made another turnover leading BC to head the other way. Sighing during a stoppage Kelsey murmured softly that at least Taylor’s line had showed up tonight because she wasn’t sure anyone else had. 

The seniors certainly hadn’t as they were on the ice for BC’s second goal with just under three minutes to go in the first. 

As the first period waned, Kelsey sat on the edge of her seat as Mercs brought the puck into the zone before passing it back to Mikey who immediately sent it cross crease to Taylor who buried it into the back of the net. Instantly she was out of her seat screaming and jumping up and down in excitement because that was the first goal her boyfriend had scored with her in the building. 

The smile on her face was so bright watching him skate back to the bench for fist bumps and Gary stated simply that that put him in the lead for goals on the season. 

If they could just carry a one goal deficit into intermission that was at least something. 

And then the seniors came out on the ice and less than a minute after Taylor’s goal with fucking 15 seconds left in the period gave up another goal to extend BC’s lead back to 2. Immediately Kelsey deflated and cursed softly because of course it was the fucking seniors who had been shit all season when they were supposed to be leading the team. 

She was trying to be polite because she knew their families were possibly around but it was so hard when of the 3 goals against so far they had been on the ice for two of them. Downing the rest of her Truly during intermission, Kelsey found it hard to keep still. 

When halfway through the second they allowed a third goal against as a line, Kelsey waited for the next stoppage in play before excusing herself from their row, her body radiating anger as she made her way to the concourse. Her uncle should have fucking benched that line a period ago because they looked like absolute crap out there and yet Taylor was trying so hard to get something going for his team. It just wasn’t fair. And if she sat there for even one more minute she was going to snap at someone. 

It wasn’t long before Kelsey felt a warm hand brush against her shoulder as she paced in a small circle. 

“Are you okay?” Laura’s soft voice asked. 

“Do I look okay?” Kelsey asked, her voice breaking as anger turned to sadness at the realization that there was no way they were coming back from this deficit and Taylor’s season was about to be over. “Taylor is fucking trying to put this damn team on his back and get something going and the fucking seniors who are wearing the letters are just damn liabilities on the ice. The game would be fucking tied if they could play some damn defense.” Her voice lowered as she spoke and her legs started to shake as tears pooled in her eyes. 

After a moment, Laura’s arms wrapped around her pulling her into a hug and Kelsey sobbed softly. 

“T might make dumb decisions sometimes but it’s because he gives a damn about this team and is trying so hard.” She cried. “And there are nights it feels like no one else is. The leaders suck at leading and it’s so demoralizing to watch.” She mumbled into Laura’s shoulder, letting Taylor’s mom hold her until she was able to pull herself together. 

“Go clean up Kelsey.” Laura eventually directed, “And I’ll go get you another drink because I think you’re gonna need it to get through the third.” 

Kelsey didn’t have the energy to argue with that and she couldn’t deny that maybe a buzz would help numb some of the pain. So heading into the nearest women’s bathroom, Kelsey proceeded to clean up her makeup before heading back to the entrance to their section where Laura was waiting. 

Sinking into her seat, Kelsey took the can from Laura and watched the final few minutes of the period with slumped shoulders as she sipped at the alcohol. 

During second intermission, she pulled up some flashcards on her phone just needing to center her brain anywhere but here. She missed Laura and Gary’s shared look and mouthing of ‘she’s upset his line is the only one trying’ as she tried to mentally recite chemical reactions formulas. 

When the third period started, Kelsey put her phone away just in time to see Taylor’s line take the ice to start the period. Which was about damn time. She’d understood her uncle elevating the seniors to the first line for senior night but she could not understand why they’d been kept there when they really didn’t deserve it. 

And right away they got the puck deep into the offensive zone leading to an Ufko goal 20 seconds into the period. Though Kelsey knew it wouldn’t be enough at the same time it felt like a bit of a fuck you to her uncle because now he certainly wouldn’t be able to deny that Taylor’s line had been the best out there all night long. It was a moral victory, albeit a small one. 

Again, Umass could not feed off of scoring and instead let BC score once more, except this time it wasn’t the senior line. By the time Taylor took a penalty late in the third, that Kelsey wasn’t sure was even a penalty, she was beyond ready for the game to be over because that had been awful. 

As she followed Gary and Laura and realized that they were heading down toward the locker rooms with the rest of the families, Kelsey did her best to not look sad or stressed because she knew that wouldn’t help Taylor any. 

When he finally appeared in the hallway, Kelsey let his parents wrap him in hugs first before stepping forward to sink into his arms, his head immediately dipping into her shoulder. For the first time all day she felt herself relax and just held him close rubbing his back. 

“I love you Taylor.” She whispered in his ear. 

Watching their embrace, Laura and Gary made note of the way they melted into each other, providing each other with security and strength. 

Though Kelsey could have praised him for the way he played, she knew that he wouldn’t want to hear it and instead just pulled him into a soft kiss, their lips barely grazing yet sharing so much. 

Eventually he looked up at his parents while still wrapped around Kelsey. 

“Can I ride home with you guys?” He asked quietly. “Coach said he didn’t care if we went with our parents.” 

After ensuring that it definitely was okay for Taylor to ride home with them, they left the arena and headed back to the car, Kelsey and Taylor piling into the backseat. Kelsey started on the driver’s side with Taylor on the other but by the time they stopped for Raising Cane’s because Taylor could always eat and Laura and Gary suspected that Kelsey hadn’t eaten since at least lunch, Taylor had pulled her into the middle of the backseat under solely the lap buckle. 

Taylor, having ensured that Kelsey ate, wrapped himself around her as his dad drove them back to Amherst. Within twenty minutes after finishing eating, both Taylor and Kelsey were asleep, his right hand on her left hip, legs tangled around each other, her head on his shoulder while his rested on top of hers. 

“We’re not making them either sleep apart or cram into Taylor’s dorm bed are we?” Laura inquired of her husband. “Because it’s pretty obvious that he needs her as much as she needs him and while I’m sure they’ve spent nights squeezed into his single, his body deserves better rest than that after tonight.” 

“What do you propose?” Gary murmured, peeking into the backseat as well. “Getting them a hotel room for the night? Because I’m fairly sure that’s in the parenting don’t column.” 

“Gary.” Laura declared. “They’re adults. And I’m pretty sure they’re just going to crash but at least they’ll be able to do it comfortably. Plus you know how much trouble Taylor has sleeping sometimes. If it takes sharing a bed with Kelsey to get him to rest then so be it.” 

Waving a hand for her to call the hotel, Gary focused back on the road. 

“But we’re taking him to Costco to buy condoms tomorrow.” He murmured with his wife clearly on hold. Laura had no qualms about that because they should stock Taylor up on some things before they left anyway. 

Getting the front desk, Laura inquired about whether there were any rooms near theirs available before securing the one across the hall for Taylor and Kelsey to spend the night in once they got back to Amherst. 

As they approached campus, Laura reached back to gently shake Taylor awake to see if they needed to stop by his dorm for anything or if his overnight bag from Boston would be sufficient. Him stirring woke Kelsey as well and they both groaned softly. 

“We got you guys the hotel room across the hall so you can sleep more comfortably.” Gary declared. “Do we need to stop anywhere to get anything first? Kelsey, do you need to get a change of clothes or something?” 

Still half asleep Kelsey didn’t really follow the conversation so Taylor answered for her. 

“We’ll figure it out dad.” 

By the time Gary pulled into the underground lot at Hotel Umass, Kelsey was gathering herself and feeling confusion wash over her. 

“Come on Kels, we’re just going to go to bed.” Taylor assured her, helping her out of the car before wrapping an arm around her and pulling her against his side. As they headed for the elevator, his parents stopped at the front desk, grabbing the room key and a spare toothbrush, sliding them to Taylor as they rode up to the proper floor. 

Outside the rooms, Laura hugged Taylor’s free side and kissed his head and Gary patted his back. 

“Know tonight didn’t go how you wanted but we’re still proud of you.” Gary murmured. “And I know a certain someone is too.” He added, nodding at Kelsey as she leaned against Taylor’s other side looking completely exhausted. 

“We’re just across the hall if you need us T.” Laura murmured. 

Nodding, Taylor unlocked the door to the room he and Kelsey would be crashing in, and guided her inside, flipping on the bathroom light to provide just enough to move by. 

“Time for bed Kels.” He whispered, walking her back toward the king bed before untucking the covers. Pulling the hat off her head, Taylor lifted her sweater off her body and slipped her bra off after unclasping it leaving her in just a layering tank. “Tights off?” He asked and when she nodded, his hands slipped under the fabric pushing them down off her legs so she could kick them off. Then he lifted her up into the big bed before moving to secure the deadbolt, flip off the light, set an alarm for class tomorrow knowing she would kill him if she missed it, and strip down to his own boxer briefs before crawling in beside her

Despite having more than enough space for both of them, Taylor pulled Kelsey into his chest and held her close, letting the slow rise and fall of her chest lull him back to sleep after a shitty night that ended a shitty season.

#taylor makar #taylor makar imagine #colorado avalanche #colorado avalanche imagine #nhl imagines #nhl imagine #hockey imagines #hockey imagine #cavalanche #046

[hockeylvr59]

Here With Me Part 26 || Taylor Makar

Author’s Note: Kelsey and Taylor's Patriot Day Weekend pt. 2 FC: Marina Laswick (@marooshk on instagram).

Warnings: smut, lingering trauma // Word Count: 3.080

~~~~

Twenty Five

April 15th, 2023

Waking up in Taylor’s arms was forever going to be one of Kelsey’s favorite things. He looked so peaceful still in that state of half sleep, her koala bear of a boyfriend refusing to let her get up right away. Things were okay. They were okay. And for that she was grateful because she couldn’t imagine losing him. 

Eventually though, the needs of her bladder became too demanding and Kelsey forced Taylor to let her up, returning from the bathroom to see him stretching lazily in bed. 

“So we need to go to the store today because I only shopped for one dinner and breakfast but that can wait for a bit if you want to go for a run with me or take the kayaks out for a bit…” Kelsey mused as she moved to her bag to figure out what she was going to put on clothes wise. 

“I’d be down for a run.” Taylor mumbled, his energy appearing quickly as he shook off the remnants of sleep. 

Nodding, Kelsey grabbed the work out clothes she had brought before starting to change, not caring that Taylor’s eyes clearly lingered on her as she did so. He’d seen all of her before anyway. 

Together they put in about six miles, taking in the scenery of the small town that surrounded their weekend beach house before returning to shower and change to go shopping after having breakfast.

It had looked like a really cute small downtown with quaint shops when they’d run through but nothing had been open yet as they’d awoken fairly early for a Saturday morning. So when Taylor suggested that they walk back through town before doing their grocery shopping, Kelsey had agreed eagerly. 

Taylor had laced his fingers with hers before they’d even reached town and Kelsey couldn’t help but smile at the secure feeling it provided her.

Some of the things in the shops made her smile because they were just so silly but others were cute or unique and some set off ideas of things she could do with some of her scrap fabric. After all, Taylor’s parents had invited her up to Canada and she couldn’t exactly go empty handed, so maybe some hand towels or pot holders were in order. 

Kelsey knew that boutique shopping probably wasn’t at the top of Taylor’s list of fun things to do but not once did he complain as she pulled him into another shop. 

Though she didn’t buy anything besides a postcard to remember the trip by, Kelsey enjoyed window shopping and browsing all the same and she appreciated Taylor being willing to come along for the ride though she was sure he knew what he was in for when he had suggested it in the first place.

It was also Taylor that spotted the European cafe style restaurant and suggested that they have lunch before going to the grocery store. 

Agreeing, they were seated out on the patio and immediately ordered water while they considered the menu. 

Deciding to indulge since they had walked, Kelsey ordered sangria while Taylor got a beer. Then, seeing that they had award winning lobster bisque on the menu, Kelsey decided to try that for lunch while Taylor got a salmon salad. 

“We should figure out our shopping list…” Kelsey mused once they had placed their orders and were just waiting for their food. “We’ve got breakfast for three days, lunch for at least two, and three dinners to plan for.” 

“I’m good just continuing with omelets for breakfast.” Taylor declared. “So maybe just a few more things for that and more eggs.” 

Nodding, Kelsey pulled her phone out to start a list in her notepad. Starting with condoms, because she certainly wasn’t about to let them forget those, she added eggs, vegetables that she knew Taylor enjoyed in his, plus a small thing of cheese for her. 

“Any thoughts on dinners?” Kelsey questioned, switching over to her Pinterest to see if it supplied any ideas that might fit with her boyfriend’s no dairy, no gluten diet. 

Eventually they settled on making chicken fajitas with gluten free wraps, doing gluten free spaghetti and meatballs, and making ribs on the grill with vegetables and potatoes - regular for her and sweet for him. 

Kelsey had just finished typing up her list when their lunch was brought out to them and she smiled because it all looked delicious. They might have to come back here for another lunch since they hadn’t really figured that out beyond leftovers. 

Chatting lightly about classes and Taylor’s off season training led to a discussion about another hike together and led to them making tentative plans, weather permitting, to hike Mt. Greylock the following weekend. 

After finishing lunch, they walked home to get the car and finally made their way to get groceries. Immediately Kelsey sent Taylor to pick up a box of condoms while she worked her way through the rest of the store. In addition to all of the food they needed, they picked up two six packs of Truly’s since they had two and a half full days still to relax and chill. 

By the time they made their way home and got everything put away, Kelsey was more than ready to sit back and watch the waves for a bit. With the knowledge that Taylor wouldn’t be able to sit and do nothing though, she roped him into playing a board game with her at the outdoor dining table. 

Finding a two player version of Catan on the game shelf, they settled into it, drinks in hand. After figuring it out, they played two games before realizing that they should probably start dinner, especially since after Kelsey won the first game, Taylor had won the second and therefore had stopped pouting. 

Tonight, they cooked together, Kelsey cutting vegetables while Taylor seasoned and grilled up the chicken, adding the vegetables to the grill as Kelsey got them ready. Amidst cooking, they shared soft touches and occasionally a kiss or two as they moved around each other. It left Kelsey feeling warm and content beyond the buzz of alcohol coursing through her. They were okay. 

Before long they had settled down with some delicious looking fajitas and Kelsey couldn’t wait to dig into the meal she’d made with her boyfriend. There was something so domestic feeling about cooking with Taylor and she wanted so much more of it, could see them doing this beyond this weekend or this year…long into the future. 

With Taylor looking as relaxed as she felt, Kelsey grinned at him and nudged his foot under the table. Love you, she mouthed before sipping at her second Truly. 

Taylor couldn’t help but grin back at her, feeding off of the happy vibes she was sending. She had needed this weekend and it was nice seeing his girlfriend reappear right before his eyes. She’d been so tense and clearly off in her own head lately but right now he could tell that she was relaxed and content, just enjoying the moment. 

“Love you too Kels.” He murmured softly, wanting her to hear it. The way the words made her flush a little with joy was something he’d never tire of. 

As they cleared away dishes and cleaned up the little bit of leftovers, Taylor bumped against her hip playfully. 

“So I hear there’s a hot tub?” He questioned casually. At the same time, his eyes communicated that his motives may have included seeing her in a bikini. 

“There is…” Kelsey agreed. “If you want to finish up here I’ll go get it started and we can give it a go.” 

A light tap to her ass with a hand towel signaled that Taylor agreed and so Kelsey moved to start the hot tub up as her friend had assured her it had been cleaned prior to their arrival and was ready to go. 

While the hot tub got going, Kelsey moved back inside to get her suit out of her bag. With Taylor using the bathroom off the master, Kelsey worked to change into the top before heading into the bathroom when Taylor was done to pee and change into the bottoms. 

“Damn.” She heard Taylor murmur under his breath when she reappeared in the suit and she made a mental note of how badly she could drive him crazy this summer if she brought some other bikinis to Canada. 

“Beach towels are in the hall closet.” She instructed Taylor as she moved to put her hair up in a messy bun so that it didn’t get wet. 

Finally ready she led Taylor back out to the hot tub which was now bubbling from the jets, steam forming against the cool evening air. 

With the towels set off to the side, Kelsey climbed the stairs and swung herself into the hot tub, sighing at how good the warm water felt. 

Sinking into it she waited for Taylor to join her, sliding to rest against her side. 

“Good idea T.” She grinned, flexing and stretching her calf muscles which were a little tight after their run and subsequent walk as she relaxed back against the arm he had thrown over her shoulder.

“I have those sometimes.” Taylor grinned, squeezing her gently. 

 “It’s been so long since I’ve used one of these, forgot how good it feels.” 

“Did I wear you out today?” He teased noting how her eyes fluttered shut as she continued to settle. 

“Nope.” Kelsey assured him, popping the p. “But I’m hoping that you will tonight…” As she trailed off, her eyes opened to peer up at him. 

“Is that right?” He questioned, speaking low against the shell of her ear. 

Holding his gaze, Kelsey let her eyes do all the talking as her fingers dipped to scrape her nails gently against his thigh. 

For a long moment, Taylor looked down at her before reaching to tug her to straddle his lap under the bubbling water. 

The way he kissed her after that made Kelsey’s toes curl. It was deep, his tongue delving into her mouth as he held her body tight against his. It was lazy, but held all the promise that whatever she wanted, he’d give it to her in time. It made the desire pool in her core more and more as the minutes passed with only pauses to breathe. 

Grinding down against him, Kelsey moaned softly. He felt so good and she needed him badly. And not just to make love to her as good as that was. She needed him to use his big body against her, driving her completely wild. 

“Take me inside.” She mumbled, breaking the kiss to speak softly into his ear. As much as she needed fucked, that was not happening in a hot tub. She couldn’t help but mentally cringe at the thought of how unsanitary that would be. 

Taylor pulled her mouth back to his, nipping at her lips before he finally pulled back and carefully shifted her body off of him so that he could slide out of the hot tub. 

“Come on then…” He agreed, offering her a hand and a towel as they quickly dried. With Taylor pulling her inside, Kelsey giggled as she reached to put the tub to its inactive mode before finally letting him drag her into the privacy of the house. 

Taylor’s hands felt amazing as he worked to strip her out of her suit, leaving a pile of wet clothes on a towel for them to collect later. 

“Don’t be gentle…” She assured him, communicating how she wanted all of this to go. 

“Got it.” He mumbled, pushing his own trunks to the ground, kicking them aside before picking her up, his dick pressed against her belly as he carried her back to the bedroom and dropped her onto the bed unceremoniously. 

Instead of climbing in beside her, Taylor’s hands wrapped around her ankles, pulling her toward the bottom of the bed. It was then that he sunk to his knees, his body settled between her thighs. Though he pressed a couple of kisses along her hips and against her knee he wasted no time in getting his mouth on her core. 

Kelsey could only moan as Taylor worked her body closer and closer to the brink with his tongue and lips. Somehow every time he did this it only seemed to get better. Her fingers tangled in his hair, tugging gently, which only spurred Taylor on further. It wasn’t long before his arm was pinning her hips to the bed as she bucked beneath him. 

“Kels…” Taylor mumbled in warning, his face messy with her fluids as he pulled back to peer up at her. She knew that he wanted her to stay still but it wasn’t exactly easy when his mouth was doing such incredible things to her body. 

“You could just fuck me already.” Kelsey replied breathily though she knew that he wouldn’t, not until he’d made her cum. 

“I could huh?” Taylor prompted, tone on the edge of teasing as he kissed along her thighs because he knew that at this point she expected an orgasm before he was inside of her. 

“Taylor…” She whimpered, going crazy having been so close prior to him pulling away. 

Thankfully Taylor was too much of a sweetheart to keep her hanging and he lapped back over her core, sucking at her clit until she was falling apart into pieces beneath him. 

While she caught her breath, Taylor moved to get a condom from the box they had bought earlier and slid it on, mimicking the way she had applied it yesterday. 

“Knees Kels.” He directed, tapping her side gently. She had said not to be gentle and for Taylor that meant putting her into the position where he could slide the deepest and get the best leverage at the same time. The fact that she had previously communicated that it was one of her favorite positions only added to it. 

Once Kelsey had settled comfortably, Taylor knelt onto the bed behind her, his hands drifting to her hips. 

“T…please.” She pleaded softly and unable to deny her, Taylor lined himself up to press inside her in one smooth stroke. 

Immediately she let out the prettiest sound and Taylor cursed softly as his dick twitched because of it. Holding her hips still he continued thrusting into her, varying his speed and force and drawing more sounds from her throat. 

The rougher his thrusts were, the louder she became and so Taylor let himself go knowing that she would tell him if it was ever too much. It definitely wasn’t, his body knowing hers as well as it did, and Kelsey knew that this orgasm was going to be incredible. The way it rolled over her forced her to clamp around him drawing out his own climax and they collapsed together onto the bed, Taylor taking precautions not to crush her under his weight. 

“Fuck…” Taylor mumbled, his head tucked into her shoulder. Kelsey could only nod in response, making Taylor’s chest rumble with laughter. As he shifted to pull out, Kelsey dug her nails into his forearm. 

“Not yet.” She pleaded softly. The pressure and fullness created from him just resting inside of her even as he grew soft was too good to give up just yet even though she knew that he needed to pull out so they could both clean up. 

Taylor certainly had no complaints about remaining with her warm, wet core wrapped around him. The fact that she regularly requested he stay for a few more minutes made a wave of contentment roll through him. Clearly there was something about it she liked a lot. 

When he finally did pull out he did so carefully, making sure that the condom remained intact until he could remove it and dispose of it into the trash. With that done, he grabbed a washcloth and ran it under some warm water before taking it back to Kelsey to clean her up. Then he kissed her gently, silently checking in to make sure that that had been okay and what she had wanted from him. He really did take the best care of her and she kissed him back just as softly, pouring her love for him into the kiss. 

After finally getting feeling back in her legs, Kelsey untangled herself from Taylor’s nude body, getting up to pee before returning to the bedroom where Taylor was digging clean boxers out of his bag. 

“You know we could sleep nude…” She mused, drawing his attention. 

“Not sure my dick is ready for that.” He replied and the look he shot her told her that this was going to be one of those protecting her things, at least for a while longer. 

“Okay.” She agreed, moving to grab underwear from her bag while stealing the t-shirt he had worn this afternoon after their post run shower. 

“Are you trying to kill me?” He questioned seeing her. 

“Always.” She teased. “At least a little.” 

Her giggles turned into a squeal as he pulled her flush against his chest and tickled her before kissing her deeply until they both fell into bed. 

*****

April 18th, 2023

While in Connecticut, Kelsey and Taylor maintained a similar low key routine. They woke up and exercised together, be it a run or yoga or taking the kayaks out on the bay. Then they showered and had breakfast or brunch before either enjoying the beach, playing a game, adding in another round of sex, or just relaxing. Dinner each day was followed by either another trip out in the kayaks, some slow dancing, or time in the hot tub before they fell into bed whether to sleep or fool around. 

By the time they were packing up the car to head back to campus late Tuesday morning, Kelsey’s demeanor was completely different, she was back to the girl Taylor had fallen in love with in the first place. After everything, she finally felt secure once more and for that alone, Taylor wouldn’t have traded this trip for anything. 

Though he knew that she wouldn’t be quite as relaxed once they were back in the real world, he hoped that the feeling of security she had gained would remain with her through the coming weeks and months as they headed toward summer and their first real time apart.

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