Hockey Imagines

34. #81 Lars Eller ft. #35 Dustin Tokarski (Montreal Canadiens)

Fifteen minutes later you are ready to go, wearing you brother's jersey and white jeans, combined with red All Stars.

"Wow, trying to impress my teammates?" you brother jokes and ruffles your hair.

"A new boyfriend is the last thing I need right now, 'Tin," you look at your brother and try to make your hair look a bit better.

"Great, you ruined my hair-do. Thanks a lot."
Your brother laughs again, ruffling your hair a bit more, making you squeal in annoyance.

After a short ride, you jump out of your brother's car and take his stick out of his trunk. Dustin grabs his bag and wants to take sticks away from you.

"I will carry them for you."
"Wow, what happened? Are you sure you are not trying to impress anyone?"
"One hundred percent positive. Come on, you don't wanna be late."

You step in the building and nearly crash into one of your brother's team mates.

"Y/N?"

"Lars? How are you? I haven't seen you in awhile."

Lars Eller, forward from the Denmark and one of the guys you go great along with, pulls you into a tight embrace. You inhale his scent and hug him back.

"I am great. How are you? How is Y/EXB/N?"
The sadness comes back again as Lars mentions his name and you freeze in Lars' arms. Immediately, he notices the change and looks at you: "Are you okay?"

"N-No. Sorry, I have to go."

With those words you wriggle free from his hug and walk away with a fast step, heading towards the stands where you are planning to spend your brother and his teammates practicing drills, hits, puck handling and more.

Throughout the practice you notice two different people shooting you worried glances- your brother and Lars. Everytime you see your brother looking at you, you smile at him reassuringly, but when you catch Lars' eyes, your gaze wanders away. One time you could've sworn you saw sadness fill his eyes, but you can't get yourself to look at him. It's not his fault, he didn't know, but when he mentioned Y/EXB/N, it hit you- you and him were over for sure and that still hurt.

When coach Therrien lets guys have a little break, Dustin calls you over. Next to him it's Max Pacioretty, one of the players who has earned your trust in a second you saw him.

"Hey, Captain," you greet him with a small fake smile.

"Look at you, Y/N. You have grown. How are you?" he pulls you into a hug. While hugging you, Brendan Gallagher seizes a chance and squirts ice-cold water in your hair.

"Brendan Adam Mathew Gallagher, I am going to kill you. What was that for?"

Brendan chuckles, squirting the rest of the water all over your head, making you squeal and try to punch his arm: "To welcome you back here. See you are still as feisty as you used to be."
"Eff you, Gally," you stick your tongue out. Pacioretty finally lets you go and you answer his question: "Well, been better but holding on. How are you?"
"Can't complain. What brought you here?"
"You mean who, right? My dear brother and his car."

Dustin shoots you a glance, but he is not serious: "Well since my baby sis can't really drive I am the only one who can bring her here."

"You still don't have a license?" Pacioretty asks surprised. You shake your head: "Nope."

"Guys, can I just have a word with her, please? Just give us a sec..."

As soon as the rest of his team skates away, Dustin says quietly: "What did Eller did to you?"
"Nothing. Just accidently reminded me of... you know who I mean?"

"That's it? Really, Y/N, because of that I've never seen him sadder. Look, I am not saying what he said was tactical, but he didn't know..."
"I know, I know... can you call him over, please?"
"Coach's gonna start again soon..."
"Please?"

Dustin sighs, but signalizes Lars to come over anyway.

"I can get you less than five minutes," he whispers to you before skating way. Lars skates closer to you, his eyes a bit distant: "You wanted to talk to me."

"Yeah. Sorry for overreacting. I...I couldn't admit Y/EXB/N and I are over..."
"I shouldn't have asked that anyway. It's none of my business."

Under your breath you mumble: "Maybe I want it to be your business..."
"What did you say?"

You look up at his hopeful eyes and repeat softly: "Maybe I want it to be your business."

Smiling, he gently grabs your face in his rough hands and pulls you closer, leaning you over the boards. You grab the boards with your hands not to fall face-first on the ice. Then his lips crash against yours in the sweetest kiss you've ever gotten. Warmth of your bodies is mixing with the cold air of an ice hall and your feelings are numb. You can barely hear other boys clapping and wolf-whistling.

Breathlessly, he pulls away, still holding your face in his hands: "I know you are broken right now, but I am willing to wait for you. I am willing to give you all the time you need to get over that douchebag and once you get over him, I hope you and I will have a future together."

You slip your fingers across his face, your fingertips finally stopping on his lips: "When I get over that douchebag, you are my first choice."
You kiss him again, but this time your brother interrupts the two of you: "Okay, Eller, don't eat her face. Y/N, I thought you needed to talk to him, not to snog him."

"I did need to talk to him..."

"Yeah, I can see that. Eller, just get this straight... hurt her, let her spill one tear over you and I swear, I swear to my entire career that the only hockey you'll be playing is-"

"Knock it off, Dustin," you shut your brother and continue as he looks at you, trying to say something: "I know now that it's not worth crying over anyone. And I am not a kid anymore, you don't have to threaten your own teammates. Beside, Lars is much more mature than Y/EXB/N was."

"Wow, coming from a girl who nearly cried her eyes out over her break up two days ago."

You smack your brother's arm, laughing with the entire team. After you talked to Lars, it seemed the huge burden had been lifted off your shoulders. However, four more months had to pass before you and Lars finally started dating. He kept his promise and waited for you.