Off The Ice | NHL Imagines

Draft Night

Connor Bedard
670 words
Not requested

"With the 23rd pick in the 2024 NHL draft, the Chicago BlackHawks select..." There's a pause that puts every person in the draft on the edge of their seats.

"From the Michigan Wolverines," she can hear the cheering as her name gets called, "y/n l/n." She stands from her seat to hug her family, tears streaming down their faces as she begins her walk to the stage. She hands off her suit jacket and climbs the steps to shake everyone's hands.

"Congratulations." She hears it multiple times, then once more as she stands in the middle of the group to take a photo. The applause doesn't stop as y/n walks off of the stage.

This is where her life begins.

...

"Could you follow me for a quick second. We're getting a few of our newest players together for photo for our admin to post." A girl with a camera asks over the noise in the building. y/n nods, following her out of the door. Connor Bedard is standing by himself, awkwardly, when they arrive.

Something shifted in the air when he looked over at y/n. Her breath got caught in her throat and her heart skipped a beat.

Something in the air shifted when Connor caught y/n's eyes on him. His hands stopped tapping his sides in boredom and his chest seemed to tighten. y/n moved closer to him, he almost forgot they they were here before he was instructed to hold up a 1 and y/n with a 2 on one hand and a 3 on the other.

...

It's y/n's first practice and she's the first one there, or so she thought. When she makes it out onto the ice Connor is on the ice shooting. If someone ever said something about dedication they'd need to mention him. This guy breaths, sleeps, and eats hockey.

"How early did you get here?" y/n asks. Connor jumps as y/n's words ring through the air. He turns around, the same effects as draft night. There's something about her smile that does something to Connor.

"About an hour ago. It's been a couple days since I've really practiced and I needed to go something in." Connor says. y/n steps onto the ice with him, skating wide circles around him as he stands there, motionless. He watches her as she skates, then the words just fall from his mouth.

"We should go out," there was silence between the two, "like, just us, not with the team or anyth-"

"There's no need to convince me, Connor." y/n interrupted him, protecting him from nervous rambling. He smiled, looking down at the ice in front of him. This was the first time y/n has seen him genuinely smile and it's something she definitely wants to see again.

"So, when are you thinking?" y/n asks, skating closer to Connor. They're close enough to be considered not-just-friends.

"To-" Connor went to speak, but practice was about to start.

"Stop flirting and start picking up the pucks you left out!" A voice echos through the rink and Connor stops talking.

"Let's go out tonight." y/n says as she skates away to pick up Connor's pucks. Connor takes in a breath of contentment before skating around to help y/n.

...

Connor and y/n were walking on the dimly lit sidewalk as neither of them had a car to borrow just yet. y/n hand was intertwined with Connor's.

"You know, I've liked you ever since draft night." Connor spoke softly without looking at y/n. She smiles at the remembrance of that night.

"I felt it too. The whole love at first sight feeling." y/n's eyes find Connor's and they slow their walking to a stop. They stand there for a moment before they both start leaning in. It was like they both knew what was going to happen next and they both wanted it so much. Ever since draft night.