A/N: I have no idea what the Kings' social media people are like: I just made them that way to highlight the problem of sexism in the workplace. If you have ever experienced sexism or harassment, please know that it is not your fault and you have every right to report whoever did that to you.
Warnings: Swearing/language, angst, sexism, mentions of catcalling and harassment
Word Count: 1.8k
Another night, another loss.
You sighed as you turned off the post-game coverage, knowing that Adrian would be home any minute now. The Kings had not been doing well recently, and your boyfriend was in a perpetually sullen mood. You didn't want to make him feel worse than he already did.
As soon as you put down the clicker, you heard the telltale signs of keys jingling outside the door, a string of curses, and finally, the lock turning. The door burst open, and Adrian came stomping inside. There was a wild look in his eyes that you had never seen in the seven years you had known him.
"I'm so fucking sick of losing!" Adrian exclaimed, throwing his hockey bag down on the ground.
Your heart hurt for him. You stood up, walked over to him, and wrapped your arms around him in a bone-crushing hug. You whispered in his ear, "I know, babe."
Adrian's body tensed and he pulled away from your embrace, but you still kept your arms around him. "No, you don't, (Y/N)! All you do is study, and work, and study some more! You have no idea what I'm going through!"
"I'd beg to differ," you responded, keeping your voice calm. "We do completely different things, sure, but frustration is central to both of our jobs. When I hand in a paper that I know is subpar, I feel like a loser."
Adrian's eyes darkened. "Are you actually trying to compare grad school to being a professional athlete?" The venom in his voice cut through you like a knife. "Come on, (Y/N), get real! I not only have to play games five times a week, but I also have to stay in perfect physical shape and put the puck in the net! Grad school is child's play."
The last comment made you snap. The floodgates opened, and tears started streaming down your face. "Don't you dare tell me that what I do is child's play!" you screamed. "I know you've been down lately, so I've tried to be as understanding as possible, but you just crossed the line!"
"Really? You're going to throw a temper tantrum now?" Adrian's voice was dripping with snark.
You were overwhelmed by your emotions, but "That's it, I'm done," was all you said as you turned away and walked into the bedroom.
You went into the closet and grabbed a blanket. It was too late at night to fight like this, and you needed time to think. You plucked Adrian's pillow off the bed before returning to the living room, putting them on the couch, and informing him: "I think it's best if you sleep out here tonight."
The possessed look in Adrian's eyes vanished immediately, and remorse replaced it. "(Y/N), baby, I shouldn't have said that, I'm so..."
"No." A suppressed sob made your voice sound choked. "You hurt me. You really hurt me, and I need some distance from you now, so please, just stay on the couch." Your voice was reduced to a squeak by the time you finished.
Adrian's green eyes looked suspiciously watery, but he just nodded and grabbed the blanket, unfolded it, and laid it out on the couch while you walked back into the bedroom and closed the door, locking it before you climbed into bed and shut off the light.
**********
You drifted in and out of sleep, never able to relax enough to rest. You hated nothing more than restless nights, so you eventually gave up on sleeping and sat up in your bed.
The clock read 4:15AM, and you groaned, running a hand over your face. Your heart ached when you looked at Adrian's empty side of the bed. How could your loving boyfriend who had done nothing but support and lift you up throughout your five-year relationship belittle you like that? His statement stung, and it kept replaying in your head, confusing you the more you thought about it.
You didn't feel any better physically. Your eyes hurt from crying yourself to sleep, your nose was all stuffed, and your throat was scratchy. More than anything, you wanted water, so you reached over to the bedside table for where you normally kept your water bottle, but your hand only made contact with air. "Shit," you cursed quietly: you left your water bottle in the living room.
The last thing you wanted to do was go outside, especially because you didn't want to wake Adrian if he had managed to fall asleep, but your throat screamed for water. You compromised on leaving your water bottle in the living room and getting another one from the kitchen.
You crept over to the bedroom door and tried to make as little noise as possible while you unlocked the door. You were successful, so you slowly turned the knob and opened the door halfway. You looked through the door and saw Adrian lying on his side on the couch, facing away from the bedroom. He appeared to be asleep. Sighing, you stepped through the doorframe and tiptoed to the kitchen, where you took out a new water bottle and filled it without making too much noise. When you walked back into the living room, though, Adrian was sitting up on the couch and facing the kitchen, clearly waiting for you to come out.
"Couldn't sleep?" Adrian asked, his voice sedate but scratchy.
You shook your head.
"Me neither," he said.
You just stood there, staring at him. Everyone said there were two responses to potential conflict, fight or flight, but you knew there was a third option: freeze.
"(Y/N)? Do you want to come sit?" Adrian asked you for the second time. You snapped out of whatever trance you were in and gingerly walked over to the couch, sitting on the opposite end from Adrian.
The silence was killing you, so you brought the water bottle to your lips and took a sip. The cool water felt like heaven, so you drank the rest of the bottle before setting it down on the coffee table.
"Feel any better?" Adrian said.
"Yeah." You tested your voice, and it sounded clearer.
"Good."
The silence took over the room again, but you turned to Adrian and broke it: "Why did you say what you did? I mean..." You searched for the words. "You've never belittled me before, and while it hurt, what really bothers me is I don't understand where it came from."
"I didn't mean it, (Y/N). I was frustrated with myself, so I took it out on you, but I shouldn't have."
"I believe you," you replied, "But that wasn't the question. Where would you pick up such a notion? It was sexist, and you've never behaved that way before: quite the contrary, actually. You always treat girls as equal, and that was why I liked you in the first place."
"I don't know, it's just..." Adrian ran his hands through his hair, which told you he was lying. He knew where it came from.
"Adrian," you said, moving a little closer to him on the couch so that you weren't so far away but also had enough distance between you, "It's okay: you can tell me. I won't judge or anything."
Adrian sighed. "You know the new guys in social media?"
You nodded, your blood already boiling. The Kings had hired a new social media team this year, and there was only one female member. The rest were boys in their early to mid 20s who were known to hit on fans and occasionally, a player's SO. Fortunately, they didn't try that with you, but it happened to Tyler's wife, Cat. They were pigs.
"They're always talking shit about girls, and they were on me today, or I guess yesterday now, about you."
"What about me?" You asked, despite dreading his answer.
"That they forgot I had a girlfriend half the time because you don't go to a ton of games," he admitted.
You stiffened. "You know I want to go to your games, but I can't control the fact that my classes are all at night."
"I understand, (Y/N), I really do, and I'm so proud of everything you're doing at your PhD program. I don't know what came over me."
"I do," you said. "Those assholes knew you've been upset over losing a lot lately, so they took advantage of it and spread their poison." You closed the distance between you and Adrian on the couch and put your fingers under his chin so he would be forced to look you in the eye. "But you can't let them do that anymore, okay?"
"I won't, I promise," Adrian said, and you knew from the earnestness in his eyes that he was telling the truth.
"Okay, then. I forgive you."
Adrian's eyes widened. "You do?"
"Yeah. It wasn't really you talking earlier. But promise me one thing."
"Anything."
"Tell management to fire those jerks," you said. "Did you know that a bunch of them hit on Cat last week and were catcalling her?"
Adrian's jaw clenched. "No, I did not know that. No wonder she's been acting strange whenever she comes to the facility. Tyler's been really worried about it, I have to tell him..."
"No," you said. "I'll call Cat in the morning and convince her to tell Tyler herself. He needs to hear it from her, Adrian."
"You're right. God, I'm so sorry about all this," Adrian said as he wrapped his arms around you and hugged you tight. You returned the gesture and rested your head in the crook of his neck.
"Don't be sorry: we're going to handle this together tomorrow," you replied.
Adrian released you and stood up. "That's right: we're a team, and I won't forget that again. Let's go to bed, shall we?" He extended his hand, and you took it, letting him pull you up from the couch and into bed.
After you were settled in the bed with Adrian as the big spoon, he whispered into your hair, "I was so worried I was going to lose you."
"Because of those jackasses?" You chuckled and turned around to face him. "You're not losing me because of them."
Adrian smiled and kissed you on the lips. You leaned into the kiss before pulling away.
"Let's not lose any more sleep over them, okay?"
"Amen to that," Adrian agreed, and you turned back over so that you could resume your original position. Both of you fell asleep within five minutes, happy that your fight was over.