NHL & Umich fics

I missed you so much-N.M

"One more kiss?" I pouted, giving Nolan my best puppy-dog eyes as he stood by the door, his hockey bag slung over his shoulder.

"You said that 20 kisses ago," he chuckled, his warm brown eyes softening as he looked at me. He was always so patient with my antics, even when he had a big away game ahead.

I sighed dramatically and let myself fall onto the couch, throwing my arm over my eyes. "I just don't know how I'm going to survive without you for the weekend," I mumbled, exaggerating my despair.

Nolan kneeled down beside the couch, his fingers gently brushing my arm. "You're going to be just fine. You've got your friends, your Netflix queue, and a fully stocked fridge."

I peeked out from beneath my arm, giving him a half-hearted smile. "But none of those things give me the kind of cuddles you do."

He leaned in, his lips brushing against my forehead. "You know I wish I could take you with me, right?"

I nodded, snuggling into his touch. "I know, but I can't just hop on the team bus and crash the away game, can I?"

He chuckled, his fingers tracing circles on my arm. "As much as I'd love that, I don't think the coach would be too thrilled."

I sighed again, this time for real. "Fine, go be a hockey superstar and leave me here to wallow in my loneliness."

Nolan's smile softened, and he cupped my cheek with his hand. "I promise I'll call you every chance I get, and I'll be back before you know it."

I leaned into his touch, my eyes closing. "You better. And you better bring me back a souvenir."

His laughter was warm and soothing. "I'll see what I can do."

With a reluctant sigh, I let him go and watched as he stood up and grabbed his bag. He looked so handsome in his hockey gear, and I couldn't help but feel a swell of pride knowing he was mine.

As he reached the door, he turned back to me, a mischievous glint in his eye. "You know, I could always send you a virtual kiss whenever you miss me."

I rolled my eyes playfully, but a smile tugged at my lips. "Oh, great. Virtual kisses. Just what I always wanted."

He winked at me. "It's the thought that counts, right?"

I laughed, my heart feeling a little lighter. "Yeah, yeah. Now get out of here before I get even clingier."

Nolan opened the door, but before stepping out, he blew me a kiss with an exaggerated mwah sound. I caught the imaginary kiss with my hand, pretending to press it against my heart.

"Have a great game, superstar," I called after him.

He grinned, his eyes lingering on me for a moment. "You're my good luck charm, you know that?"

I felt a blush creeping up my cheeks. "Just make sure to win, and you can call me whatever you want."

Nolan laughed and waved as he disappeared out the door, leaving me alone with a mixture of emotions. I was going to miss him like crazy, but I knew that supporting his hockey dreams was important. Besides, absence makes the heart grow fonder, right?

Over the weekend, I busied myself with Netflix, ice cream, and video calls with friends. Nolan kept his promise and called me whenever he had a free moment, even sending me pictures from the away game. It wasn't the same as having him here, but it helped ease the ache of his absence.

Finally, the weekend came to an end, and I eagerly awaited Nolan's return. As I stood at the airport gate, my heart raced when I saw him walking toward me, a tired but triumphant smile on his face.

I rushed into his arms, not caring about the curious looks from other passengers. He held me tight, his warmth and familiar scent enveloping me.

"I missed you so much," I mumbled into his chest.

He pulled back slightly, his eyes searching mine. "And I missed you too. But guess what?"

I raised an eyebrow. "What?"

Nolan leaned in, his lips brushing against mine. "One more kiss?"

I couldn't help but laugh, a mixture of relief and happiness bubbling up within me. "You said that 20 kisses ago."

He grinned, his eyes twinkling. "Well, consider this the 21st."