𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞 | 𝐧. 𝐦𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐧

one.

A/N: Hi! thank you for reading! This was my first ever commission and was originally commissioned as a standalone single part story. I with the permission of the commissioner have adapted the story into seven parts as a mini fic! Thank you!

Part 1

The numbness of a buzzing arena was something that took time to adjust to. The screaming fans, the shouting of managers and staff- the bruiting smell of athletes, the smallest things had such a major impact on the atmosphere of Ball Arena. Home to both the colorado avalanche and the denver nuggets, both teams were no stranger to an exhilarating energy on game night.

Alternate for the colorado avalanche, Nathan mackinnon had spent his entire adult life and quite a chunk of his youth in the spotlight. Having been an elite prospect in the world of hockey, the nova scotia native felt right at home =. The energy of game night was something he relished in, the lights, the waves, the sparks- everything felt like pure heroin to his veins. But over time, the buzz began to fade, the excitement started to drift and he was left feeling motionless as his adventures became routine.

With every passing year in the NHL, The young athlete found himself growing more and more comfortable with the industry, which was a good thing- but sometimes he wished that he could go back to his rookie years, when the excitement and passion was so fresh that his heart thumped and stomach twisted in anticipation at just the thought of getting on the ice in front of a crowd.

The drive home is a blur, Nathan can barely recall what happened that night. He knows that he showed up for work at 5pm. His usual arrival, before that he had spent the better half of his day napping and eating a pregame meal of spaghetti and meatballs. It was routine and tradition. The team had won, the game having practically ended in the second period where they secured a 6-0 lead. It was a fantastic night, so why wasn't he able to enjoy it all?

It was a regular occurrence. Nothing about the night had been unusual, Nathan knew exactly what to expect- he knew exactly which staff members would be standing where, which ones would give him a high five as he passed, and he knew which players would end up leaving first. Even the drive home felt all too familiar. Although he wouldn't dare, Nathan felt like he could close his eyes and that the car would take control of itself- having driven the same road so many times that the conditions never changed. He was coasting through his life and letting the world lead him.

When he gets into the house, the first thing he does is kick his shoes off at the door- an expensive designer cluttering to the floor, thrown in with his dirty running shoes like they were nothing. Sorry, louis vuitton. His hockey bag is discarded next- tossed in the coat room and abandoned as he walks through his house.

Nathan knows exactly how his night is going to turn out. He will unbutton his too expensive dress shirt and roll up his sleeves, stretching himself out before pouring a glass of bourbon, straight into a pre-chilled glass and served neat.

His house keeper has already finished for the day, his dinner sitting in the fridge on a platter and the fireplace lit to keep his house warm. He expects that when he sits down his phone will be filled with notifications, some from friends congratulating him on the game, others from family doing the same- in the mix of friends and family you'll find his lovers, current and or past. He wasn't a womanizer, but he was known to go out every once and a while.

As of recent times, he had only been seeing one lady lately- Her name was Angela but even with her beauty and wit, Nathan had been growing bored. It seemed like she didn't have anything he was looking for outside of physical attractiveness and sex.

She was nothing like Y/N. A specific woman in his phone that would probably hit him if he ever claimed anything of the sort about her.

Y/N had been his best friend for as long as he could remember, she grew up with him in Springhill and had been by his side since day one. She was the most important woman in his life besides his mother and sister.