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Jack was in a hurry to leave the house, well on his way to being late to his pre-game warmups. Bitty had let him nap longer than usual on the day of game seven of the Stanley Cup Finals, and then he had looked so irresistible in one of Jacks dressshirts and boxers that Jack had felt the need to kiss him breathless. And that led to, well, more kissing. And handjobs.
Now Bitty was back in the dressshirt and pushing his lunchbox with his pregame PB&J into his hands, kissing him goodbye one more time and whispering “Good luck, baby. I believe in you.” against his lips.
Jack ended up being at the rink early enough to eat his sandwich in his favourite spot in the mess hall without a hurry, so he did just that. He was already looking forward to the note Bitty always stuck on the wrapper around the sandwich.
But when he opened the lunchbox, the note didn’t read “I’m so proud of you, honey.” or “Never forget how much you are loved :)” or any of the other little things that always made Jack smile.
No. Today it read something different.
Today it read “Marry me?”.
Jack’s breath caught in his throat, only to come out in a choked laugh that made Tater, who entered the mess just then, look at him in confusion. Jack picked up the note, only for it to bend down immediately. Jack turned it around to find a plain silver ring taped on the other side.
With a shaking hand, he removed the ring and slid it on his left ring finger. He smiled at it goofily for a moment before picking up the sandwich and eating it, glancing at the ring and smiling every other bite.
He smiled through getting into his gear, earning him chirps from the guys. It was Tater who noticed the ring first. “What is this, Zimmboni?” he asked, pointing to Jack’s left hand.
The locker room went silent as Jack’s smile grew. “Bitty proposed.” he answered. The room immediately erupted in cheers, and Snowy shouted “Goddammit, Zimmermann!” and handed Guy, who smirked, money. Jack laughed and finished putting on his gear, clapping once to silence the room. “Look, guys. This” he held up his left hand, “is not the only ring I want to get today. So let’s win this game and get us that cup!”
The room cheered again, everyone finished putting on their gear and they went into the rink.
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Jack heard the final buzzing. The game was over.
They won.
Jack started grinning right as the first guys reached him to pile on top of him.
They won .
Jack laughed and put his arms around the nearest person, who turned out to be Poots. He looked up at the blue and white confetti raining down on them and he couldn’t stop laughing.
He kept grinning as he shook the opposing players’ hands. He kept grinning as he watched the Stanley Cup being brought out. He grinned as he skated up to it as the announcer congratulated his team for winning and he kept grinning as he finally hoisted it over his head. He skated around the rink with the cup when he saw Bitty entering the rink and passed off the Cup to his nearest teammate.
He skated straight to Bitty and kissed him before he could say anything. He lifted him into his arms, he listened to Bitty laugh and tell him “you did it, baby, you did it.” and he kissed him again.
Georgia came up to him and clapped him on the back with a grin. “Come on, big guy, one interview and then you can celebrate all you want.”
He reluctantly let Bitty down and followed Georgia to a guy who asked him the usual questions. How does it feel, what are your next goals, your dad must be proud. And then the interviewer said “Your boyfriend must be proud.” and Jack grinned and said. “He’s my fiancé, actually.” The interviewer looked surprised and congratulated him before Bitty came crashing into Jack, kissing him again.
“So that’s a yes?” Bitty asked him once they separated.
Jack chuckled. “Of course, Bits. I love you.” he said, pecking him on the mouth again.
Bitty laughed. “I love you, too.”
“Congratulations, sweetheart!” His mother’s voice warmly said. He didn’t even notice them come up behind Bitty.
“Merci, maman.” Jack grinned. He turned to his dad. “Papa.”
“I’m proud of you, son. Nothing could make me happier than knowing you’re happy.” his dad told him.
Jack smiled and looked at Bitty. “I am. I really am. Thanks, papa.”
He noticed Tater come up behind his dad, holding the Cup. “Mr. Bad Bob Zimmboni! You must hold Stanley Cup, too!” he exclaimed, holding the cup out to Bob. He took it and turned to grin at Jack and his wife.
Jack kept grinning. He grinned until it was time to take the celebration off the ice, he grinned through his shower, he grinned through his drive to Tater’s house and he grinned through the entire party.
He looked at Bitty on the loveseat beside him, at his parents talking animatedly with Georgia, at his teammates drinking themselves silly, at his college friends who joined the celebrations, and he can’t help thinking that he’s happier than ever. He’s happier than he ever thought he deserved.
He looked at the ring on his left hand and thought back to the post it, now safely in the lunch box and waiting to be hung on the fridge. He looked at Bitty again, smiled and said “Really, Bits?”
“What?” Bitty asked, clearly confused.
“A post it? I always thought you were more of a big romantic gesture kind of guy.” Jack explained.
Bitty huffed an amused laugh and cuddled up to Jack. “I wanted to ask you after the game on the ice, but I know you’re a private person. This seemed more personal. And not as public.”
Jack smiled and pressed a kiss to Bitty’s forehead. He was so lucky to have found someone who knows him so well.