NHL Imagines

Anaheim Ducks #47: Hampus Lindholm

The Ducks had just fallen a tough 5-2 to the Colorado Avalanche. In all honesty, Hampus had thought that his team had deserved nothing more than those two goals: their passes were sloppy, they crowded the opposition's net, and they weren't quick enough getting back on defense. And as a defenseman, Hampus was aggravated by the latter.

After staying an hour at the Honda Center, Hampus finally came out to where you had waited by your car.

"Hey, babe." you greeted, standing on your tip-toes, expecting to receive a kiss from your boyfriend of three months. He just pushed past you to get to the driver's seat, mumbling an "I'm driving" before slamming the door after him. You scrunched up your face at his bitterness and reluctantly walked over to the passenger side and getting into the car.

The ride home was pure hell: Hamp's road rage was getting out of hand and after realizing that you could not take twenty more minutes of his awful driving, you laid a hand on his shoulder which was quickly and harshly shrugged off.

"What do you want?" Hamp spat at you, not taking his eyes off of the road. You drew your hand back as if you had been bitten.

"Ok, you guys lost. But this isn't the first time. Why is this bothering you so much?"

"Why do you even care? All you ever do is think of yourself? You don't care about me or my career." He still didn't take his eyes off of the road. You didn't say anything. You just stared at him with disbelief. After being by his side since he had started in the NHL, after being his best friend-later girlfriend-he believed that you didn't care about his career?

"Stop the car."

"What? No. I'm going home."

"I said, stop the car." You said, raising your voice in the way he knew you were angry. He pulled off on one of the streets in downtown Huntington Beach, not too far from where you and he owned a flat. You didn't so much as glance at him as you got out of the car.

"How will you get home?" Hampus said, his voice softer and a little bit concerned.

"I'm not coming home. Since I don't care about you or your career." You said, searching for a taxi and flagging one down once you had spotted it. You heard his car drive away as you approached the taxi and thoughts of where you were going to stay darted around in your mind as you realized you had no idea what was going to happen between you and Hamp.

***

The next morning you woke up and stretched out in the bed, realization of the night before hitting you as you didn't feel Hampus' body lying next to you.

Your phone buzzed on the hotel's bedside table and you picked it up, not having to check Caller ID to know who it was.

"(y/n)?" Hampus croaked. It sounded like he had been up all night.

"Yes?" You said, trying not to give away any emotion in your voice, but really, every bone in your body ached with how much you missed him.

"I need you." He took a deep breath before continuing. "I don't know why I said those things last night. I know you care about me and my career probably more than you care about yourself. I don't know I'm so selfish and angry all the time and I don't know how you put up with me. But please tell me where you are so I can pick you up and bring you home."

In about ten minutes you were walking out to Hampus' car, not able to contain the smile that crept onto your face when you saw him leaning against the car. You rushed up to him and threw your arms around his neck and he pressed you into his much taller frame. He pulled away to look at your face in between his hands.

"Never leave me." He said, placing a sweet kiss on your lips before smiling down at you.

You sure as hell weren't ever going to leave again.