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There is two weeks left before training for the new season starts. That means Mack has 13 days to do the one thing he’s been putting off all summer.
The last season had ended… strangely to say the least. Missing playoffs by an inch had been a hard blow to deal with but what had happened at the end of the year party was enough to make it all feel worth it.
It wasn’t like they had been 100% platonic before that night but mutual blowjobs and a messy makeout session in the Toffoli’s bathroom had solidified something they had both been dancing around. Before going their separate ways for the summer they had finally agreed “it’s just us. Only us.”
The summer consisted of flirty messages and dirty FaceTimes, sustaining them enough over the long break. They had met in Vancouver for a week but had stayed mostly innocent as a house full of rowdy Celebrini’s hadn’t really gotten either of them in the mood. They had agreed on one thing that week however, it would probably be best to get tested before going all the way.
Neither of them had a super long list of previous partners but both had enough that they had wanted to be sure, just to avoid any embarrassing run ins with the teams medical staff.
And Mack hadn’t ment to put it off really, it was just… not something he wanted to prioritize. He didn’t even know where to go to get that sort of thing. Which lead to the first awkward conversation; his mom.
“Hey Mama,” he said quietly walking into the kitchen, Robyn prepping the chicken for dinner “Can I ask you a weird question?”
“Anything, baby what’s up?” She smiled “something up with Will?”
He had yet to confirm anyone’s suspicions about him and Will, not necessarily hiding it, just keeping it private until they worked themselves out.
“No,” he blushed “I um… oh god”
He cringed slightly and covered his face
“I uh, need to see like a special doctor?”
She paused and put down the knife she was using
“What’s wrong sweetie are you okay? Should we call your dad? He really should be the one to find someone he has plenty of connections.”
“No mom I’m fine! I just,” he sighed “I don’t want to talk to dad about this. I need a std test.” He whispered
“A what? Speak up baby…”
“An std test!” He exclaimed looking up just as Charlie walked into the kitchen
“Ewwww!” She groaned “gross Mackie, who gave you the clap?”
“Shut up!” He barked at her “leave us alone!”
“You’re the one having a private conversation in the kitchen!”
“Charlie please,” Robyn sighed “just give us a second.”
“Whatever,” she mumbled, rolling her eyes and grabbing a carrot before leaving
“What is going on sweetheart? Do you think you caught something?” Robyn turned back to him with a grimace
“No mom, again I’m fine!” Mack wanted to disappear forever “I’m… kinda seeing someone new. And we wanted to be careful before things got to serious.”
“Oh thank god,” she smiled relieved “well I’m glad you’re being so responsible. Do you want to tell us about whoever it is?”
Mack blushed even harder looking away and shaking his head
“Hey that’s fine baby, whenever you are ready,” a knowing look flashed on her face before she covered it “well there is a sexual health clinic I took Charlie to for her birth control. I will send you the website and you can make an appointment there, they were very nice and should be fairly discreet.”
“Okay,” Mack got up itching for the conversation to end as soon as possible “Thank you for understanding. And if you could please try keeping this from dad… I just don’t want to answer his questions yet.”
“Of course, I understand.” She nodded sending him the link to the clinic “dinner will be ready in an hour, go make that appointment.”
“Thanks Mama love you!” He smiled running up the stairs.
He stopped in Charlie’s room quickly to threaten her into silence. She threw a pillow at him but he knew she would have his back. At least until she needed blackmail next.
Booking the appointment was easy and two days later he drove to the clinic. He felt surprising nervous despite being fairly sure he had nothing to worry about. He checked it with the receptionist and settled in the waiting room with his hood pulled up.
A nurse called his name a few minutes later and he followed her to a room. She took his height and weight and told him to sit on the bed to wait for the doctor.
”Celebrini huh?” She hummed inquisitively “did you go to school around here?”
oh kill me, he thought
“yes, for a bit, until I was 12.”
”Were you in Mrs.Fields grade 5 class?”
”um yeah I was actually,”
”no way! My son Lucas was in that class! Small world! I remember your name from the science fair, you two made the volcano together!”
Mack could not for the life of him remember Lucas or the science fair or any volcano but he smiled politely and asked how Lucas was doing.
”oh he’s pretty good! He’s away in Calgary at med school!” She smiled continuing to take his vitals “are you back from school for the summer?”
He just nodded, easier than telling the truth that actually he’s an NHL player and he needs this std test to start hooking up with his best friend, another NHL player.
“well it was lovely to see you again Mack!” She wished him goodbye and left him to simmer in embarrassment.
The doctor came in a few minutes later and thankfully didn’t recognize him. After a few personal questions about his history, an easy couple of cheek swabs, and a blood test he was heading out to the car when he was stopped by a girl in a red team Canada Olympic sweater.
“Oh my fucking god no way,” she gasped “You’re Macklin Celebrini right?!”
He took a deep breath and tried to smile, what fucking luck today.
“Ha yeah,” he awkwardly laughed “last time I checked.”
She laughed a little too hard as he shifted from one foot to the other, contemplating just running away.
“Can I please get a picture? Oh my god nobody is going to believe me,” She borderline squealed already getting her phone out
He nodded awkwardly and tried to smile as genuinely as he could as she hugged around his waist snapping selfies.
“Can you please sign my hoodie? Fuck I don’t even have a pen? Can you wait here as I get a pen? Wait I might have one in my purse,” she started digging in her large bag as Mack contemplated buying a plane ticket to Siberia and disappearing forever “found it! Oh thank god!”
She continued to chatter as he signed her back and nodded politely before mumbling an excuse about being late and hurrying to his car. He breathed a sigh of relief and started the drive home, at least she hadn’t seem to notice he was coming out of the building.
Once home he striped quickly and got in the shower hoping to wash the smell of doctor’s office off his skin. Finally clean he settled on his bed and opened his phone. He noticed a lot of activity in the Sharks group chat;
Misa Misa - *Screenshot of a selfie of Mack and the fan in front of a sign reading North Vancouver Sexual Health Clinic* Anything you need to tell us Celly?
Dicky - this would not happen to anyone else bro
Eky - did you knock someone up
Misa Misa - you’re so dumb if he knocked her up he’s not gonna take a selfie with her outside
Eky - he could have knocked someone else up
Dicky - yeah probably Will
WSH - if anything I’d be knocking him up
Eky - Ew
Misa Misa - 💀💀
Dicky - Gay
WSH - stfu. Mack defend yourself idiot
Ty - hey be nice to your baby mama
Mack groaned and opened his burner account to find post after post of the selfie with various jokes and theories. He thanked god his parents weren’t big social media people before switching back to the chat.
Mack - god forbid a guy take his health seriously
Dicky - whatever nerd.
Misa Misa - that was gayer that having Will’s baby dude
WSH - can everyone stop calling us gay
Ty - we call it like we see it
Mack was about to respond when he was interrupted by a FaceTime request.
“Hi,” he smiled as Will’s face came into view “this is so humiliating.”
“I know,” Will laughed “why would you take that fucking picture.”
“I didn’t know how to say no! And I couldn’t see the sign in the back I figured I was in the clear!”
“What are you gonna say to your parents?”
“Well my mom already knows she told me about the clinic, and my dad stays off line for the most part.”
“Wait you asked your mom where to get an std test?” Will laughed harder
“I didn’t know where to even start! I was kinda stressing about it!”
“Why not just google it!” Mack blushed, he actually hadn’t even considered it, he knew his mom would be cool about it
“Whatever,” he whispered “what do I tell the guys?”
“Don’t stress about it, just let the jokes run their course and they will get over it.” Will smiled “at least I know you actually went.”
“Of course I was gonna go,” Mack blushed at how eager he sounded, might as well just stay red permanently with all the humiliation he’s been through in the last few days he thought to himself.
“I just know you’re a little bit of a wuss about needles.”
“I can handle it if I’m getting rewarded,” he giggled “just a shame I have to wait two weeks for my reward.”
“Hmm that is a real shame. Maybe I can do a little something about it…”
—————
10 days later Mack was back in San Jose. Will was arriving the next day so he busied himself in the apartment unpacking and getting things back to how they like it. His playlist was interrupted with his dad’s ringtone making his brow furrow at the unexpected call.
“Hey Dada what’s up?” He hummed putting him on speaker as he continued unpacking their dishes
“Hey bud, uhh,” Rick paused “I got an odd email today.”
Mack froze, blood pounding in his ears
“It’s uh from a medical clinic that I haven’t heard of but I guess they forwarded some results to your doctor who just automatically sent them to me.” I’m going to fucking die he thought to himself
“This isn’t happening,” he whispered unconsciously
“Well unfortunately for both of us this is.” Rick chuckled uncomfortably “I opened them without really thinking I’m sorry buddy. I’ll forward them right away I just wanted to reach out so you weren’t blindsided.”
Mack couldn’t make himself speak responding with just a hum
“I want you to know I’m not judging you and I’m happy you’re being safe,” Rick continued “and if there’s anything-“
“No dad I’m fine thank you,” he rushed out “just send them. Thanks, I’m sorry, okay bye.”
He hung up as quick as possible groaning again and hurrying his head in his hands. His phone pinged with a new email seconds later
Rick - all negative by the way! *1 attachment*
He dialled Will’s number immediately
“Hey superstar,” Will greeted easily “I just finished packing, can’t wait to see you.”
“Well that might be kind of hard because I’m going to kill myself.”
Will barked out a laugh “what’s wrong baby? Get photographed outside a sex shop this time?”
“Shut up. It’s worse. It’s so much worse,” he whined “the clinic sent my results to my fucking dad and now he know.”
“No fucking way,” Will cackled “Sheriff Rick knows his little baby boy is slutting it up now.”
“Oh I will kill you as well,” Mack groaned “a murder suicide, I’ll make it look like an accident.”
“I’m sorry Mackie,” Will hummed through another laugh “but it’s not that bad, was he even mad?”
“Not that bad? Will imaging your dad reading your std test results!”
“I told my dad when I got mine. He was curious cause he’s the one who drove me,” Will shrugged
“No no no your parents know too?”
“Baby this is not that big a deal.”
“It’s just embarrassing! He was supportive but I just don’t want to talk about this kinda thing with him. Or anyone! God he’s gonna try and have another safe sex talk with me. Oh no we can never tell him about us or will make a fucking slideshow about anal sex safety, oh fuck I can’t do this.”
“Hey breathe sweetheart,” Will stifled a laugh trying to support his neurotic panicking boyfriend “it’s gonna be fine. Hey I assume because this is all you’re freaking out about the results are good?”
“Yeah I’m all clear.” Mack mumbled trying to calm his breathing
“Good because this summer has lasted forever,” Will smiled “you’re still picking me up tomorrow?”
“Obviously, I’ve barely lasted this long without you.”
“Good. Okay I need to get to sleep, my flight is in like 6 hours.”
“Okay I love you, I’ll see you soon.”
“Love you too baby.”
————
Mack was practically bouncing with excitement waiting beside his car. A familiar mop of blonde curls appeared out of the airport doors and bounded towards him wrapping him in a big hug
“Hey sweetheart I missed you so much,” Will whispered burying his nose in Mack’s hair and breathing deeply. Mack hid in his neck and tried to act cool
“Hi,” was all he could choke out. The months really had slugged by and he forgot how at home he felt in Will’s arms. They stood hugging for a few minutes before pulling apart and looking into each other’s eyes.
“You look really good,” Will hummed looking him up and down “tan looks good on you.”
“And you got huge,” Mack giggled squeezing his muscles “summer bulk looks good on you.”
“We should get home, like right now,” Will smiled big and shameless
“Down boy,” Mack smiled back tapping him on the nose like a dog before turning and putting his bags in the trunk “good things come to those who wait.”
“Oh I have waited long enough,” Will said before climbing into the pass manger seat “you’re lucky if I even wait until we are home.”
Mack blushed yet again at the thought getting into the drivers seat and starting the car. Will laughed seeing him blush and leaned over to kiss his cheek.
“I’ll wait. Wouldn’t want to have to tell our baby it was conceived in the back of your car.” He whispered
“Shut up!” Mack laughed hitting him in the chest.
It was gonna be a good season.