Tongue Tied

6

"Game three." Nathan said as he fixed his tie.

"Game three." Alex repeated.

She looked up from her school work and smiled. She loved seeing him dressed up before his games. He finished playing with it and looked himself over. He turned to her with his hands out at the sides. He raised his eyebrows, pleading for her approval. She nodded slowly.

"You look amazing." She told him, books across her lap. "Like, model status."

He rolled his eyes, walking over to you. "Thank you, but not quite." He said, placing a hand on her thigh as he kissed her. "Are you coming early or do you have work to finish up?"

"I have an assignment due Friday that I have one thing left on, so I'll finish that first." She explained, looking over her work. "That way I have plenty of time for you when you win the cup." She smiled.

"Hey, anything could happen." He shrugged, sitting down beside her.

"Yeah, like a sweep." She smirked. He shook his head at her. "I'll finish up and go over with your parents."

"Come down before puck drop. I need luck." He said against her lips.

"Of course." She pressed her lips against his. "Now, go before you get in trouble."

"Worth it if I'm kissing you." He mumbled as he kissed her again.

She put her hands on his chest, pushing away slowly. "Go."

He let out an exasperated growl as he rose. She whack his butt as he walked away. He looked over his shoulder, giving her a glare. She grinned. He grabbed his equipment, carrying it out with him. She looked back to her work, finishing what needed to be done.

An hour or so later, Alex was ready and waiting for Kathy and Graham to tell her it was time to go. She had finished all her work, and more. She had done her work up to the end of the month. She knew this month was important. If the Mooseheads won the President's Cup, they'd be going to the Memorial Cup, and Alex didn't want to miss a second of it.

A knock on the door pulled her out of her thoughts. She stood up, smoothing her clothes out as she reached for Nathan's Mooseheads jacket. She draped it over her arm and walked to the door. She opened it to a smiling Kathy. Alex smiled right back.

"Ready to go? All finished your work?" Kathy asked as she guided Alex to the parking garage.

"And then some." Alex stated.

"Did some extra?" Kathy smirked.

"I did all my work for the rest of the month." Alex explained. Kathy gasped. "I know that this is a really big month for Nate and I wanna give him my undivided attention."

Kathy threw an arm around Alex, pulling her into a hug. "I sure hope Nathan makes it aware how lucky he is to have you everyday." Kathy said as she held her son's girlfriend. "You such an amazing girl, Alex." She pulled away, holding onto Alex's shoulders. "We're lucky he found someone like you."

"I'm just as lucky as he is. You and Graham have raised the sweetest boy I've ever met." Alex told Kathy.

"God, let's not get all sappy before the game." Kathy chuckled as her eyes watered. The two females climbed into the car Graham was waiting in. "Alex finished all her work for the next month just to be there for Nathan."

"The entire month?" Graham gasped, looking at Alex in the rear view mirror. She giggled. "I'm shocked Nathan scored such a smart girl."

Alex smiled from ear to ear. "It helps that I really enjoy all the courses I took." She admitted.

"Regardless, we're proud of you." Graham said, smiling at her from the mirror.

The rest of the drive consisted of talking and laughter. Graham MacKinnon was one of the funniest men she had ever met. Most of his jokes consisted of teasing Nathan, which Alex thoroughly enjoyed. They got to the Henry Leonard Centre. Alex told them she'd meet them at their seats as she walked down to the change rooms.

She could see Nathan standing near the change room door. She weaved through the bodies, waiting for the teams. Nathan had his head up high, but he was looking in the opposite direction. Alex walked up to him, grabbing his waist. He looked down at her, a smile spreading across his face.

"You'll never guess what I did." She sang.

"Oh god, what'd you break?" He sighed.

"Your face if you don't shut up." She threatened. He chuckled. "I finished all my work."

He furrowed his brows. "Yes, you already told me you were going to do that?" He laughed.

"No! Like, all my work." She explained. He still looked confused. "You know how I get all my assignments and lessons for the month at the beginning of it?"

Realization hit Nathan and his jaw dropped. "Holy shit, Alex! Why?" He exclaimed.

"So I can focus on you and your games." She chimed, wrapping her arms around his waist.

He wrapped his around hers as he shook his head. "You're insane." He stated.

"Yeah." She agreed, grinning up at him.

"What happens if we don't even make it to the Memorial?" He cocked a brow.

"Plenty of time to celebrate all the other wins we didn't get to celebrate." She smirked, bringing her lips to his.

Since Nathan was already dressed, he was a total of eight inches taller than her. Alex was 5'7, while Nathan was 6'0, without his skates. She had to push onto her very tip toes to reach his face. He held onto her as she did so. She pulled away slowly, staying pushed up. He looked down at her.

"Get me a win, baby." She smiled before kissing him once more.

They didn't get a win. Alex frowned as the clock ran down. Nathan had got a penalty in the first, he was mad at himself for it. Luckily, no goals were scored. In the second, Halifax got four penalties, while Baie-Comeau got two, and a goal. The third was a goal for each team. The game ended 3-1, the home team. Alex watched Nathan whack his stick off the boards as the teams walked off the ice. She decided she needed to go down and talk to him.

She waited patiently. One by one, an upset team of Mooseheads filed out. A mixture of guys from the other team, as well as her team began to come out. One of the guys smiled at her. She gave him a nod, not wanting to be rude. That nod meant more to him than it did to her, evidently, because he approached her.

"Sorry about the loss." He nodded his head at her jacket.

She looked down to see the Moosehead emblem on Nathan's jacket. "Yeah, it was pretty sad." She frowned.

"I'm Felix." He extended a hand, his accent heavy. He was definitely French.

"Alex." She smiled, shaking his hand.

"You have a very nice smile." He complimented.

She took a silent breath. "Thank you."

Inside, Alex was begging for Nathan to come out. Every time she heard a door open, she looked over. Felix was chatting her ear off, doing a great job of throwing in subtle passes at her while he did. She heard the door open, her head shooting towards it within a second, and she spotted Nathan. He looked over at her, his eyebrows furrowed. She smiled, looking back at Felix.

"I have to go." She said, walking over to Nathan.

He went to ask her who she was talking to, but she cut him off by kissing him as soon as she reached him. His hands held her close as she held his face and kissed him deeply. She pulled away slowly, giving him another peck. He didn't argue. Instead, he threw in a kiss of his own. She smiled halfway through it and pulled away, biting his bottom lip.

"Okay." He chuckled.

"Sorry." She felt her face flush. "That guy was hitting on me and I wanted to show him I was taken." She whispered.

"Yeah, that kid's always going for any girl in Moosehead merch." Nathan stated.

"Maybe he thought I was cute?" She pouted.

"Everyone does." Nathan smiled, kissing her.

Alex frowned, rubbing his cheeks with her thumbs. "I'm sorry about your game."

His smile fell. "I think we should get back to the hotel." He almost whispered.

"Bus or parents?" She asked.

"Parents."

Alex nodded at his response. She walked over to Nathan's equipment, draping his bag over her shoulder. She picked up his sticks and started walking. Nathan laughed, shaking his head. She turned to see he wasn't following. She narrowed her eyes.

"C'mon!" She called.

He stepped to her, placing his hands on his bag. "Babe, it's bigger than you."

She shrugged. "I'm fine. Let's go, MacKinnon." She said, sternly, before she continued her walk.

She guided him outside and to the car. Graham popped the trunk so the equipment Alex was carrying could be put down. Nathan helped her put it in, closing the trunk after. They climbed in different sides of the back seat. Nathan behind his mother, Alex behind his father. Nathan sighed, laying with his head in Alex's lap. She played with his hair, subconsciously as she stared out the window.

They arrived at the hotel. Graham offered to take Nathan's equipment upstairs. He thanked him before lacing his fingers with Alex's. She frowned up at his as they walked. He looked emotionless. It broke her heart to see him that upset. He dropped her hand when they got to their room. He moped over to the washroom, closing the door behind him.

Alex went over to his suitcase, digging around it. She pulled out some pajamas for him. She knocked on the bathroom door, hearing a faint 'yeah', before she opened it. She set the clothes on the washroom counter, frowning at his suit tossed in the ground. She picked it up, draping it over her arm.

"I left you some sweats and I'll hang your suit up, okay?" She told him.

"Thank you." He called from the shower.

That was the extent of their conversation. She frowned, walking out of the washroom. She closed the door behind her slowly. She sighed, throwing her hair up. She hung up his suit, placing his jacket beside it. She changed into some shorts and an old hoodie, crawling into the bed.

Nathan walked out of the washroom, tossing his towel to his suitcase. He dropped on the bed, face down, an arm draped over Alex. She rubbed his upper arm as he laid there. She rolled over, onto her stomach, moving her hand over his shoulders and down his back. He just breathed slowly, face in the mattress. She brought her lips the the side of his face, kissing him. He turned his head towards her, attaching his lips to hers.

"Sorry." He sighed as he pulled away.

"For?"

"Being a bummer."

She rolled her eyes. "You're never a bummer." She argued, cuddling into him. "I love being around you."

He smiled a bit, pulling her into a kiss. She kissed back. He held onto the back of her neck as he rolled on top of her. She held his face as he kissed her, kissing him back with just as much passion. He pulled away, very slowly. He stated down at her, his eyes dark.

"I," He hesitated, hovering above her.

The way she was looking up at him made his heart melt. He wanted to say it. He wanted to scream it. He wanted everyone to know he was in love with her. But he choked.

"I think I should go to sleep." He frowned.

She nodded. "Tomorrow's a new day." She smiled, giving him another kiss.

He rolled off her. He turned away from her, even more angry at himself. She cuddled into his back, essentially taking the place of the big spoon. She draped a leg over him, her arms around his waist. His hand rested on her leg, slowly stroking thigh. She smiled and buried her face in his back.