Work Text:
“Did you seriously just eat my protein bar?” Macklin tossed his shoulder pads into his stall with more force than necessary, glaring at Will, who was already halfway through the stolen snack.
Will grinned at him, mouth full and he held up the remaining half like a peace offering. “It was just sitting there,” he said, swallowing. “Practically begging to be eaten. You’re welcome.”
Macklin snatched the half eaten bar back, scowling. “You’re insufferable,” he muttered, though the corner of his mouth twitched.
Will knew him too well. Knew that he would pretend to be mad for exactly twelve seconds before caving.
Then Will’s grin faltered. His fingers twitched, his knees shook and suddenly Will wasn’t sitting beside Macklin anymore. Macklin blinked, unsure about what he had just witnessed. Will had been there beside him and now there was a bunny? Yes, that was absolutely a bunny, blinking up at him, its twitching nose buried in the fabric of Will’s jersey. It was blond. Unnervingly blond. Like Will.
Macklin stared, his mouth slightly agape.
The bunny stared back. Its pink nose twitched, its whiskers trembling, and oh god, those were Will’s stupidly long eyelashes framing those big, confused blue eyes.
“What the…” Macklin breathed.
The bunny…Will…Will-Bunny…shifted his tiny paws uncertainly and then he sneezed.
Macklin’s brain short circuited.
“Oh my god,” he whispered, crouching down. “Oh my god, oh my god!”
Macklin glanced around but no one else was paying any attention to them. Too used to their antics by now. Plus the room was mostly empty with people either doing media or showering or already having headed home.
Macklin reached out his trembling fingers but Will’s ears flattened and he trembled violently and Macklin yanked his hand back like he had been burned. “No, no, no. This can’t be happening. This is…impossible. What the…Will?”
Will-Bunny tilted his head, his ears flopping to one side in a way that was disturbingly familiar.
Macklin’s hands hovered uselessly over the bunny, over Will, before he finally scooped him up, half hoping the universe would correct itself the second he made contact.
It didn’t.
Will’s tiny heart thrummed against his palm, rapid and terrified and Macklin’s own pulse spiked in response. “Okay,” he muttered, more to himself than the bunny currently trying to burrow into the crook of his elbow. “Okay, this is fine. Totally fine. You’re just…a…rabbit now. Cool. Coolcoolcool.”
The locker room doors burst open and three of their teammates barrelled in, still buzzing from beating the Capitals. “Mack what are you…” Cherny’s voice cut off as he took in the scene of Macklin, wide eyed and pale, still in half his gear, clutching the fluffy blond bunny.
Toff blinked at the bunny in Macklin’s arms and then at Macklin’s expression, which was somewhere between horrified and shell shocked and burst out laughing. “Holy shit, kid, did you finally snap and kidnap someone’s pet?”
“It’s Smitty,” Macklin hissed, tightening his grip as Will squirmed. The bunny’s nose twitched indignantly and Macklin swore under his breath. “One second he was stealing my protein bar and the next….this!”
Cherny’s laughter died abruptly. “Wait? What?” He leaned in closer, squinting at the bunny. Who did have an uncanny resemblance to Will, from the stubborn tilt of its ears, to the way that it was glaring up at Igor like he was being personally inconvenienced. “Oh, you’re serious.”
Macklin opened his mouth to snap something scathing, but their third teammate, William Eklund, suddenly held up a carrot. “Oh is that why this bag of carrots was outside the door?”
And excuse me?
Why?
Someone had planned this?!
Ekky waggled a carrot in front of Will’s twitching nose. “Hey, buddy, you hungry?”
Will-Bunny recoiled from the carrot like it was a pack of smelling salts, his tiny paws flailing in protest.
Macklin let out a strangled noise, yanking the offending vegetable away from Ekky’s grip. “Are you insane? He’s not…he’s…it’s Smitty! You absolute…” Words failed him and Macklin clutched the bunny closer, ignoring the indignant kick of his tiny hind legs against his chest.
Another kick, harder this time, and Mack reluctantly set Will-Bunny back down on the bench but unfortunately his outburst had attracted the attentions of Orlov, Ferraro and Wenneberg.
“Woah is that Will,” Mario breathed as the three of them crowded around Will-Bunny, pushing Macklin further from him and spiralling his panic further. Mario prodded the bunny with the toe of his stick. Will-Bunny let out an offended squeak and hopped backwards, nearly slipping off the bench.
Macklin’s stomach dropped.
That was absolutely the same indignant noise that Will made whenever someone messed with him.
Macklin snatched Mario’s stick away before he could poke at Will-Bunny again. “Stop it.” He turned to get rid of the stick and when he turned back one of them had somehow gotten ahold of the carrots and this time Will-Bunny was nibbling halfheartedly at the end that Wenneberg was offering him, his little nose twitching with each hesitant nibble.
“Oh you were too good to eat them when I offered you one though,” Ekky grumbled.
The absurdity of it all would have been funny if it weren’t so catastrophically screwed up.
“Can you quit feeding him the carrots! We don’t know where they came from! What if they’re poisoned? What if they are what is keeping him that way?!” Macklin yelled.
“Alright listen, kid,” Toff muttered stepping closer to Macklin and gripping his shoulder hard. “You’re freaking him out worse. Look at him.”
Toff jerked his chin towards Will-Bunny, whose ears had flattened against his back the moment that Macklin had raised his voice. “Screaming is not helping. You’re scared. But he’s scared more, kid.”
Macklin froze under his grip, of course he was right. His green eyes flicked to Will-Bunny, small, trembling and wrong and something in Macklin’s expression shattered.
“I know. I’m sorry.” Macklin rasped. He pushed Wenneberg out of the way. Staring briefly at Orlov, of all people gently stroking a thumb between Will-Bunny’s ears. Will-Bunny leaned into the touch, his tiny body relaxing slightly.
“Can I have him back?”
Orlov pulled his hand away and Macklin scooped Will-Bunny back into his hands. Clutching him once more against his chest, he let out a shaky breath.
Toff, the voice of reason in a room now full of chaos. “Okay, new rule. No feeding possibly poisoned carrots to the possibly magic bunny that might be Smitty... I can’t believe that I just had to say that.” He shot Macklin a look that was equal parts sympathy and panic. “We need to.. I don’t know…contain this. Before someone outside of this team walks in.”
Of course as soon as those words were out of his mouth the locker room door creaked ominously.
Someone else was coming!
Macklin’s pulse spiked again, his arms instinctively curling tighter around Will-Bunny, who let out a tiny, indignant squeak. “Shit,” Macklin hissed under his breath, glancing wildly at Cherny standing to his right. “We can’t let anyone see him!”
Cherny didn’t hesitate. In one smooth motion, he snatched Will-Bunny from Macklin’s arms, ignoring the way that Macklin made a noise like a wounded animal and he shoved the squirming bundle of fur into the nearest equipment bag. “Stay quiet,” he ordered, zipping the bag and glaring around the room. “Distract who that is I’ll get him somewhere hidden.”
Ekky’s mouth opened to protest. That maybe whoever was coming in could help them.
“Not a word! Or I swear…” Macklin threatened.
The locker room door swung open, revealing Coach Warsofsky. “What is going on in here?” His gaze landed on Macklin, who was still clutching the carrot like it was a lifeline and then shifted to the others standing around. He luckily didn’t seemed to notice as Cherny hoisted the equipment bag over his shoulder, his head down and he slipped past the coach.
Macklin’s heart thundered.
Warsofsky’s eyebrows climbed. “Macklin? Why do you look like you’re about to pass out?”
Eklund kicked Macklin’s ankle before he could blurt something disastrous. Something like ‘he took my bunny’. “Uh. Low ummm blood sugar?” Macklin managed to choke out, his voice strangled.
Warsofsky’s stared at Macklin like he had just announced that he was quitting hockey to become a mime. “Low blood sugar?” He repeated flatly, staring at them. “You know what. I don’t want to know. Get your shit together and meet me in the film room in ten. And where is Smith?” Before anyone could say anything he turned on his heel and left muttering to himself.
The second the door slammed shut, Macklin was lunging towards it. “Where did he take him!?”
*******
Igor slipped in through a door marked Physical Therapy - Equipment room door clicked shut behind them, sealing them in a dim room that smelled faintly of antiseptic and old mats.
The bag rustled violently and Igor winced as tiny claws scrabbled against the fabric. “Jesus, Will, stop.”
The equipment bag let out another muffled thump, followed by a sound suspiciously like a tiny, furious growl. Igor didn’t even know rabbits could growl.
“Fine,” Igor muttered, unzipping the bag just enough for Will-Bunny’s fluffy head to pop out, ears flattened in clear annoyance. God even as a rabbit, Will had that look, the one that said, “You’re all idiots and I’m deeply offended by your existence.”
Igor had notice that Celly was the only one who rarely got that look.
Igor unzipped the bag just enough for Will-Bunny to wriggle free, landing on the message table with an indignant thump. His ears twitched violently and Igor swore that he could see the outrage radiating off the tiny creature as he stared at Igor with wild, glassy eyes.
“Yeah, I know,” Igor whispered, crouching so he was eye level with the bunny. “This is batshit.”
Will-Bunny’s nose twitched furiously and then stilled, as if he realized that nodding wasn’t an option anymore. The absurdity punched a startled laugh out of Igor. “Christ, you’re still you, huh?”
Will-Bunny’s ears twitched sharply at Igor’s laugh, his whiskers vibrating with indignation. He kicked his hind legs against the massage table , once, twice, like he was trying to swear at Igor but he only managed to look like an overgrown dust bunny having a tantrum .
Igor snorted, reaching out to steady him before he toppled off the edge. “Easy there Smitty,” he muttered, his thumb brushing the soft fur between Will-Bunny’s ears. “You break a leg in this form and I’m not explaining it to Mike.”
Will-Bunny’s hind legs thumped against the surface of the table again.
“Fine I’ll go get Celly. Just stay there. I’ll be right back.” Igor said, hurrying to the door. He paused, turned back to the trembling ball of fluff. It felt wrong to be leaving him alone. “Five minutes. Stay there.”
*********
Ryan Leonard’s phone buzzed. Finally. He was sure that Will had been ignoring him. But it wasn’t from Will. It was from Cole. Who was sitting across the room from him. Ryan looked up but Cole wasn’t meeting his eyes.
**Lane texted to ask me if you remembered college?**
Ryan looked up but Cole wasn’t meeting his eyes. But his fingers were flying across the screen.
**He says that Jacob is up to something. That history is repeating itself and that you might want to check on Smitty.**
Ryan’s blood ran instantly cold.
College.
The incident.
The one that he was still trying his hardest to forget.
And now this? It could only mean one thing.
Ryan bolted for the door, his phone clutched in his fist. Not noticing Tom Wilson eyeing his retreat.
The halls were emptier than he had expected and his footsteps echoed off the concrete as he skidded around corners. For reasons unknown he was drawn to a door labeled Physical Therapy - Equipment.
The door was unlocked.
Ryan’s breath hitched as he pushed it open. The room was dark save for the light flooding in from the hallway. And there, curled in a trembling ball on the message table, was a small, blond bunny.
Will.
The bunny’s ears shot up at the sound of the door, his whole body tensing like a coiled spring.
Ryan’s chest tightened.
Will-Bunny looked terrified. His fur was fluffed up, nose twitching wildly and his blue eyes darting around for an escape route.
Ryan knew that look. Knew it in his bones.
Ryan’s eyes locked on Will-Bunny’s and he could feel his face draining of colour. “Oh god. Not again.” He whispered, his voice cracking slightly as the door clicked shut behind him.
He staggered forward feeling like he had been punched, his fingers trembling as he reached towards Will-Bunny. “Hey. It’s just me.”
Will froze.
Ryan’s fingers hovered inches from Will-Bunny’s twitching nose, his expression torn between horror and something dangerously close to recognition. Will-Bunny didn’t move except for his twitching nose. His tiny body was a tense, trembling just faintly.
Ryan’s throat closed. God he hated this. Hated the helplessness, the way Will-Bunny’s tiny claws scraped against the vinyl table like he was trying to find purchase in a world that no longer made sense.
“I can’t believe that Fowler did this again. But why are you in here all alone? Were you alone when it happened? I can’t believe that Celebrini would let you out of his sight for that long.”
Will-Bunny trembled again.
Ryan swallowed hard. He knew exactly how that felt, the disorientation, the panic, the helplessness.
And now Will was here.
Alone.
Ryan felt a surge of annoyance at Celebrini not being here. Well if he wasn’t going to then Ryan would certainly take care of Will.
Ryan reached out slowly. “C’mere,” he murmured.
Will-Bunny hesitated and then launched himself into Ryan’s hands, with a force that made him stumble slightly. Ryan ignored the box that crashed to the floor behind him.
“Okay,” Ryan breathed, tucking Will-Bunny against his chest. “Okay…how about we get you somewhere safer. I wonder if I can get you to my hotel room?”
**********
Tyler had only ever seen Macklin lose his composure once like this before. The night of the game against the Penguins when Will had gotten hurt.
And right now, Mack was pacing the locker room like a caged animal, running both hands through his sweaty dark hair hard enough to pull stands loose. Tyler sighed, watching as Macklin unraveled like a cheap sweater.
“Kid,” he said carefully, finally stepping into Macklin’s pacing path. “You’re gonna wear a hole in the floor. Cherny was just taking him somewhere safe. Im sure that he’s going to be back any minute.”
“Or you could go let me find him!” Mack yelled at him.
Tyler took a deep breath. “I’m not letting you out of this room like this!” He didn’t raise his voice.
“Oh calm down. He’s safe,” Igor said as he walked back into the locker room. As if he hadn’t just completely shattered Macklin’s world.
Tyler managed to grab a hold of Macklin just before he lunged at Cherny.
Macklin strained against Tyler’s grip, his eyes absolutely wild. “Safe? You left him alone!!” The accusation cracked in his throat .
Igor had backed up against the door, his hands raised in surrender. “It’s not like I was leaving him alone for long. I just came to get you.”
Macklin tore free of Tyler’s grip with a snarl. “You know you could have just texted me, you idiot!” Macklin hissed, already halfway to the door. “Do you have any idea what could happen to him? He’s so tiny! Defenceless! Show me where he is!”
Tyler rolled his eyes and followed the two of them down the hall.
********
The therapy equipment room door was slightly ajar and Macklin nearly tore it off its hinges in his hurry to get inside. The hallway light cast long shadows over everything but all Macklin could see was the first aid kit spilled across the floor, the scissors from it gleaming faintly and the fact that Will-Bunny was nowhere in sight.
Macklin’s fingers curled into fists so tight his nails bit into his palms. Toff’s hand was back on his shoulder but he barely registered it.
Cherny swore under his breath. “He was right here! I told him to stay put.”
“Where is he?” Macklin’s voice sounded broken as his pulse roared in his ears, drowning out Cherny’s excuses.
Will was gone.
Again.
The thud of Macklin’s knees hit the concrete echoed through out the silence of equipment room.
Tyler stepped towards the table, and he pressed a hand to it where he still felt a faint warmth. “Wait. This is still warm. He must have just been here.”
“That door was closed when I left. I made sure,” Cherny said.
“Which means someone else was in here. Which means someone took him.” Macklin snarled. “Has anyone seen Leno?”
“Woah, woah, woah!” Toff protested. “You can’t just go around accusing people! Macklin! Stop!”
Macklin didn’t wait for permission. He was already barrelling down the hallway towards the visitors room as Toff’s shout of protest bounced uselessly off his retreating back.
Macklin’s pulse hammered against his ribs, each beat screaming “find him find him find him!”
The room was nearly empty with a couple of players scrolling through their phones, Macklin registered that one was Lane’s younger brother and Ovechkin nursing a beer. However there was no Ryan Leonard. And no sign of a blonde bunny.
“Where’s Leno?” Macklin demanded, breathless.
He didn’t fail to notice that Cole sucked in a sudden breath.
Ovie just raised an eyebrow over the rim of his beer. “Haven’t seen him since...”
“Since when!” Macklin slammed his palms down on the table hard enough to make Ovie’s beer slosh.
“Macklin,” Toff hissed.
Ovie settled his drink down with deliberate calm and eyed Macklin. “Since he sprinted out of here like his skates were on fire. You look like hell kid.”
Macklin barely registered the comment as a movement to his side caught his gaze. Tom Wilson was leaned against a wall his arms crossed. His gaze flickered over Macklin’s disheveled state. “Leno bolted about ten minutes ago. Nearly took out the water cooler. You looking for something specific? Or just causing general chaos?”
Macklin’s jaw worked. “Did he…have you…”
“You’re looking for a bunny aren’t you?” Cole spoke up.
“How did you know that?” Macklin whirled on him.
Tom blinked. And then burst out laughing.
Macklin’s hands curled into fists.
“Jesus Christ, you’re serious?” His laughing died just as quickly as it had started as he realized no one else was laughing.
Macklin lunged forward and grabbed the front of Tom’s shirt. “Where! Did! He! Go!”
Toff grabbed him before Tom could react. "Macklin!" The warning in his voice was sharp enough to slice skin. "Let go."
Macklin’s fingers twitched in the fabric. Tom hadn’t even flinched but he forced himself to release the fabric.
Tom straightened his collar, his eyes never leaving Macklin’s. “He’s here somewhere. But kid, if you’re about to commit a felony over a rabbit…”
“It’s not just a rabbit,” Macklin hissed. “It’s Smitty.
“Oh god,” Toff muttered behind him. “Come on we’re going back to the locker room. We need to regroup.”
*******
Tom levelled a look at Cole as the Sharks exited. “What exactly do you know about this?”
“I…” Cole was already to deep in this. “Lane. He texted me that Leno needed to go check on Smitty. There’s always been this story floating about. Something with Leno and Fowler and being a rabbit.”
Tom rubbed his face. He met Ovie’s eyes, who just shrugged. Of course there was. “You’re coming with me. We’re finding Leno.”
“Don’t miss the bus,” Ovie called after them.
********
Leno had to be around here somewhere.
And then Tom saw the light on under a room that probably shouldn’t have had anyone in it. Tom strode towards it with purpose, Cole trailing behind him and pushed the door open.
Leno was crouched down beside a bench, his back to the door, his hands cupped around something small and blond.
Tom frowned. "Dude. What the hell are you doing?"
Leno stiffened, before he glanced over his shoulder. His eyes narrowed as he spotted Cole behind Tom. “Nothing. It doesn’t concern you.”
But he had moved enough that Tom’s gaze landed on Will-Bunny, who was aggressively grooming his ear. “You really do have a rabbit in here? And any chance that that’s the rabbit that a certain Shark is currently freaking out about?”
Leno opened his mouth and then snapped it shut as Will-Bunny thumped his back feet. “What? No? It’s just…”Leno didn’t even know how to finish that sentence. “It’s uh…my emotional stress bunny?”
Tom took a step closer, and Leno scooped Will-Bunny into his arms as Tom backed him against the cinderblock. “The hell it is.”
Tom stared at the bunny in his arms, and then at Leno’s guilty expression. “Leno. You need to give Celebrini back his bunny. And apologize for taking his bunny. And the bus is leaving in like twenty minutes so you need to do it now.”
Leno let out a frustrated sigh. “Fine.”
“Come on,” Tom gripped his elbow, he was going to make sure that Leno returned the bunny.
********
Igor had never seen Macklin like this.
Now that they were back in the locker room, still without Will-Bunny Igor was positive that Macklin was about to have a complete breakdown.
And then the doors opened and Tom Wilson, Ryan Leonard, and Cole Hutson were standing there. And in Leonard’s arms Will was cradled.
Macklin’s face went from furious to shattered in half a second. “Give him back!” He choked out.
Will-Bunny squirmed frantically towards Macklin, his ears flat against his head.
Leno hesitated for a second and then gently passed the trembling bunny over.
Macklin clutched Will-Bunny to his chest like he was afraid that he would vanish again. Will-Bunny immediately burrowed against him, his tiny body shaking.
Leno’s jaw clenched so tight that Macklin heard his teeth grind. The silence in the locker room was suffocating, broken only by Will-Bunny’s frantic panting.
“I was just trying to help him.” Leno muttered, his fingers twitching at his sides like he was resisting the urge to grab Will-Bunny back.
Macklin bristled, shifting to block Leno’s reach if he tried. “Back off,” he growled but Leno didnt even finch, his eyes were locked on the bunny like he was seeing a ghost.”
“You don’t understand,” Leno said, his voice low and urgent. “This happened to me. In college. One minute I was tying my skates and the next…” he held up his hands helplessly, fingers curling as if remembering paws. Leno’s hands trembled, fingers twitching like he was reliving the moment that his own hands had vanished into fur.
Macklin’s grip tightened around Will-Bunny, who had gone unnaturally still, his tiny breaths rapid against Macklin’s skin.
“It was Jacob Fowler. Out goalie. He… let in a terrible goal and I laughed at him.” Leno’s eyes flickered to Toff and Cherny, staring at him like he had grown a second head. “He hated that. Last night you guys stomped the Habs. Goalies…they’re all a little unhinged but Fowler? He’s got magic.” Leno said it like it was a dirty word. “And he hates being humiliated. Holds a grudge and has a knack for turning people into fucking rabbits."
Leno’s hands dropped to his sides, his fingers curling into fists. “When I got Cole’s text about college and the past repeating itself. I just knew that he had done something like this.”
Macklin’s pulse pounded in his temples, his grip on Will-Bunny tightening reflexively. Will-Bunny let out a tiny, protesting squeak and Macklin forced himself to loosen his hold, exhaling through his nose. “How did you know?” He demanded from Cole.
“Lane?” Cole shrugged
“How did he know?” Macklin’s hands curled demanded.
“Everybody knew,” Leno snapped. But at Macklin’s confused expression. “You didn’t did you?”
“How did I not know you had been turned into a rabbit!” Macklin shouted and Will-Bunny tensed in his arms. “Sorry.”
“Cause the sun could go supernova and unless it affected your game you wouldn’t notice!” Leno’s shouted back.
“I mean…you may have a point.” Macklin tried to take a calming breath. “But Fowlers not here. So how do we fix this!”
Leno’s jaw tightened, his gaze darting about like he expected Fowler to materialize on the spot. “You’re right. He’s not but he would leave a loophole. Goalies love their fucking theatrics.”
Cherny, who had been silently gaping at Leno, suddenly blurted, “Wait? You’re saying that you got turned into a bunny too? And just…hopped around until it wore off?”
Leno’s mouth twisted into a grimace. “No, dumbass. We fixed it. Fowler’s magic always has a fail safe. Some stupid poetic loophole…like true love’s kiss or…”
Will-Bunny chose that moment to launch himself out of Macklin’s grip, landing squarely on Leno’s head with a thump.
“Jesus! Will!” Leno yelped as he staggered backwards, his hands failing as his tiny paws tangled in his hair, and then his hand hit Will-Bunny’s tiny furry body, knocking him off his head.
“Will!” Macklin lunged forward as the force of the hit knocked him off Leno. Macklin managed to catch him before he could hit the floor, cradling him instantly back against his chest.
Leno hit the floor with an oof and then he felt his phone vibrate. He yanked it out of his pocket and the message read “Hope he likes carrots.”
“Oh fuck you,” Leno snarled at the phone. His gingers flew across the screen, typing something furiously before shoving it back in his pocket. “He’s mocking us now.”
Will-Bunny ears were flattened against his head as he glared at Leno, like he was the one that had turned him into a furry projectile.
Macklin tightened his grip fractionally as if he expected Will-Bunny to escape again. “You said there’s a loophole?” Macklin demanded, his voice rough. “I mean it can’t be you know…”
“True love’s kiss?” Toff, his oh so unhelpful team mate said.
Will vibrated slightly as Macklin glared at him.
Leno was staring at Macklin but then he exhaled sharply. “It’s always something stupid,” he muttered. “Last time, I had to get hit by a puck. Which hurt by the way. He can be poetic but he can also be a sadistic little shit.”
Will-Bunny’s ears flicked against Macklin’s collarbone, his tiny body rigid with panic.
“What?” Macklin just about roared. “I am not hitting him with a puck! He’s a rabbit! A puck would kill him! How did a puck not kill you?”
“Oh calm down,” Leno said. “I said that was my loophole. Fowler wouldn’t use the same one. It’s got to something to do with him. Maybe with the two of you.”
Macklin’s grip on Will-Bunny tightened instinctively. “Like what? You want me to sing him a lullaby?”
“Oh no one wants to hear that,” Leno’s voice was dripping with sarcasm. “I still think that…”
Will-Bunny wriggled in Macklin’s grasp once again and Leno backed up a step.
And suddenly the door opened and in walked Ned, he froze staring at the standoff.
Everyone froze. Even Will-Bunny stopped trembling in Macklin’s arms.
Ned blinked at the scene. His gaze landed on the blond bunny clutched to Macklin’s chest.
“Huh. That Will?” Ned asked. And without waiting for an answer he snapped his fingers.
The sound cracked through the locker room like a gunshot. Will-Bunny’s fur rippled and then stretched, elongating in a dizzying blur of limbs. And then Macklin’s arms were suddenly full of a very human, very naked Will, who gasped for air like he had been on the ice for three minutes straight.
“What the fuck?” Leno said, eloquently.
Will buried his face into Mack’s shoulder as Tyler rushed to grab something to cover him with. His breaths came in ragged gulps. “Ned?” He croaked, voice muffled against Macklin. “You? How?”
“Magic? I am a goalie.” Ned’s shrug was almost insultingly casual. “It’s what we do.”
Macklin gaped at him as Tyler draped a coat over Will. Macklin adjusted his grip but had no intention of letting go of Will anytime soon.
“Need anything else?” Ned asked.
There were many shaking heads and Ned nodded at them before stepping back out of the locker room.
“Come on, we’re going to miss the bus.” Tom tugged on Leno’s elbow.
“I’ll text you later,” Will muttered as Leno hesitated.
Leno nodded reluctantly as Tom herded him and Cole away.
Tyler shooed the rest of the crowd away and soon it was just Macklin and Will standing too close together.
“Hey? I’m okay.” Will breathed. “Are you good?”
Macklin shuddered out a breath, his arms locked around Will. He couldn’t speak but he managed a shaky nod.
Will somehow pressed closer, his lips just inches from Macklin’s ear. “Hey if this ever happens again? A kiss would have totally worked.”
“But…you kicked up such a fuss when Leonard brought it up?” Macklin finally found his voice.
“It’s a little too soon for jokes, Mack,” Will scowled, pretending like he was going to pull away. Macklin’s arms tightened around him. He wasn’t letting him go anywhere. “I just didn’t want you to do it in front of all of them.”