Fantasy World

Maci was tucked into Steven's bed with pillows surrounding her. He'd stuck to his promise and given her a pair of his comfiest sweat pants to wear after her bath. She should have been comfortable, but she just couldn't stop tossing and turning. 

Steven wandered in, hands in his pockets. "How are you feeling?" he asked. 

She scrunched up her face as she wrapped her arms around one of his pillows. He gave her a sympathetic smile. "Anything you want?"

She shook her head. "You could come cuddle, though," she mumbled. 

He crawled up beside her and tossed the pillow she'd been hugging onto the floor. He leaned back and pulled her into his side. Maci wrapped her arms around him before resting her head on his chest. His arm wrapped around her back, his hand resting on her hip. 

Steven tapped different patterns against her skin as he watched her drift to sleep. He would fly to Russia and back to help her feel better. She'd gotten sick almost as soon as she'd gotten to his house and then again after she'd gotten out of the bath. 

"If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?" Maci mumbled. 

Steven looked down at her, surprised she was awake. He was sure she would be asleep. "I don't know... Maybe go see Greece or Australia," he answered. 

"Australia would be fun," she commented. "Heard that girls there are more likely to sleep with you on the first date than American girls," she mumbled. 

Steven chuckled. "American girls don't even wait for the first date," he teased. 

She smirked against his T-shirt. "I'm Canadian," she reminded him. 

"Eh, details," he responded. She laughed softly. "Where would you go?"

"I've always wanted to go to Paris, of course. Maybe London," she told him. She lightly drew patterns against his side. "One thing you want more than anything else?"

Steven stopped tapping against her hip to think. Automatically, his mind went to the Cup. He was a hockey player, that was drilled into their heads growing up. But in the end, what did he want? "To live a happy life," he told her honestly. 

She peeked up at him. "You aren't happy?" she asked with a worried frown. 

He gave her a smile, lightly brushing her hair away from her face. "I'm happy. I just want to stay happy for the rest of my life."

She gave him a smile back before resting against his side again. "What about you?" he questioned. 

Maci debated it. What did she want? She wanted to finish school. She wanted to have a family one day. She wanted her best friend to come back. But over all, her mind kept going to her father. "When I get married and have kids, I want for my kids to always have their parents together or at least involved in their lives. I don't want them to grow up with a missing father and I don't want to be left," she mumbled. 

Steven lightly pressed a kiss to her burning forehead. Her eyes slid shut at the contact. "You will get a good man like that. One day," he promised. 

Maci let her body relax against him. "Number one thing you are proud of?"

He smiled, knowing the answer already. "Being drafted into the NHL, and first over all at that. You?"

Maci let out a long, tired breath. "Being told I'd graduate a whole year earlier than most students," she answered. 

"How is your finals studying going?" he questioned, knowing she'd been working on it for weeks now. 

Maci slumped, feeling defeated. "Like crap. I feel like I don't know anything about it now..."

Steven chewed on his lip. "What was the first thing you guys went over?" She mumbled out some word he couldn't identify. "What's that about?" he asked. 

And just like that, she was going on rambling explanation of something that went right over his head. Her eyes were shut and he would've believed she was asleep had her mouth not been moving. He listened to her describe processes and formulas that went over his head. "And that's all, pretty much... After that..." She let out a big yawn. Her words mixed together after that, slurring into one long phrase. 

He smiled to himself. She was adorable. That fact never escaped him. Once she had worn herself out and fallen asleep, he closed his own eyes. He never wanted to move from that spot. Her legs were twisted around his left one, her body clinging to him like a monkey. He knew perfectly well that if she'd felt well she wouldn't be that close to him.

An annoying buzz sounded from somewhere on the mattress. He opened his eyes and looked around. He grabbed the small phone and looked at the screen: Stephanie. "Hello?"

"He-Why are you answering Maci's phone?" his sister asked in confusion. 

"I told her she could come stay at my place since she'd probably feel more comfortable. Her phone went off and she's asleep," he explained softly. 

"Why are you whispering?" she inquired. 

He rolled his blue eyes. "Because she's asleep," he repeated. 

"Go into the other room then, creeper," Stephanie replied. 

Steven stayed quiet for a moment. "I can't.." he mumbled. 

"Why not?" she asked. 

"I just can't," he returned, unable to think of a good excuse. 

She sighed. "Whatever. Anyways, how is she?"

Steven looked down at the sleeping girl. "She's okay. I got her to eat some soup. I'm pretty sure it's gone, though, since she threw up. I think she just has a stomach thing and is stressed out," he answered. He frowned as he spoke. He didn't like her not being healthy. 

"Poor Mace... She's so stressed about her finals," Stephanie commented. 

They talked for a few more minutes about the sleeping brunette. Steven did his best to make sure everything he said didn't sound too caring. If he let anything slip, Stephanie would notice it in a heart beat. 

"So, I should be getting to Tampa the Tuesday after next. My plane says it should arrive at about one," Stephanie announced. 

Steven nodded his head. "I'll be around to pick you up. I think Mom and Dad are going to get here on Saturday. I think they're planning on staying until after Mace's graduation. Are you going back with them or staying here with us?" he asked. 

"Probably staying. You have no idea how sucky it is to not have my best friend around... I'm gonna be in tears when we finally meet up again," Stephanie commented with a laugh. 

Steven groaned. "Great. Just what I want, tears. If you cry, she'll cry."

Stephanie laughed. "Be prepared. Are we all staying at your place?"

Steven debated it. He wanted his family around, but he knew that if they were there he would never get the chance to spend time with Maci alone. He couldn't kick them out, though. That would make him a douche bag. "Yeah. Mom and Dad can take my guest room and you or I can take the couch," he decided. 

"Don't sound too happy there," Stephanie warned teasingly. 

Steven laughed a little. "Shut up. How are your finals?" he asked. 

Steven hugged Maci a little tighter to him. He wasn't prepared to have to back off once his family got in town. It would mean no more hugs, no more snatching kisses randomly, and definitely no more cuddling. He wanted to slap himself. He sounded like such a girl, no matter how true it was. He didn't want to give up the time he spent with her when they were alone. 

"They're good. I took one last week, have one tomorrow, two the next day, one after that, and then I'm done! I'm going to hang around Paris until Tuesday when I fly back. Soak up some of the city a little more before I have to leave it," she told him. 

"You can always go back and visit. Just don't move there, I don't think your best friend would appreciate that very much," he joked. 

Stephanie laughed. "No, she's moving with me. We're going to find a nice little place-"

"No," Steven muttered before he could stop himself. He didn't want Maci that far away from him. And in a city as big as Paris, there was no way she wouldn't meet another guy. Thinking about her with someone else made him a little angry. 

Stephanie snorted. "I will do whatever I want," she returned. 

Steven let out a breath, glad she didn't take it as his response to Maci leaving. "I don't want my baby sister anywhere out of this continent."

Stephanie made a mocking sound. "Whatever. I don't think I could live here for good, anyways. Too far from home," she decided. 

"Good. Are you still thinking of transferring for next year?" he asked curiously. If she was, he'd be dying. If Stephanie lived in Tampa, he would never see Maci. He might as well kiss his sanity goodbye. 

"Yeah! I started getting paperwork on it. So far, it looks like I can graduate next year still if I transfer."

Steven held in his groan. "Sweet! My baby sister can come cheer me on at my games. I think Mace was getting lonely," he joked. He grimaced. Wow. Not suspicious at all. 

Stephanie laughed. "Like hell I'm going to your games! Unless you've got some cute singles on the team," she added in. 

Steven scoffed. "You are not dating a hockey player. Go date one of Maci's geek friends," he told her. 

His sister laughed. "I think I might take one of your teammates out now just because you said that."

Steven dropped his head back, but jerked forward when it hit the wall harder than he thought it would. "Shut up. No dating teammates."