Archive of Our Own

Baby Shark Camp

“Mack, that's too far between” Will yells, his voice bouncing off the boards in the early morning. The arena is a lot darker than it is during a game. They will turn the full lights on later but it felt too harsh this early in the morning.

“What, we always put them out like this?” Mack groans.

“Yeah, we are also not five years old” Will laughs, already pushing the cones closer together.

“Oh” Mack remembers.

Will gets Mack to adjust the cones, doing his best to remind Mack of just how tiny the kids are going to be. 

They put out the pucks, the smaller goals and a whole lot more cones before making their way to the bench.

Mack lowers his gaze as he stands in front of Will, trying to focus on anything but how nervous he is. He adjusts the name-tag on Will's chest that really doesn't need to be adjusted.

“Hey Macky, don’t be nervous” Will can read Mack better than anyone Mack has ever met. Of course he can read this too. 

“Not nervous” Mack defends. 

Will kills the statement by raising his brows to immediately make Mack back away from it. “Okay, maybe a little” He looks almost ashamed.

Will gives him a brief hug before reaching for their cold cups of coffee they picked up on the way here.

It didn't take more than that first drive this morning to agree to just stay at the same place this weekend. The Friday morning traffic was anything but fun. It's earlier than their normal morning practices and since Mack refuses to drive, Will decided he would rather have Mack sleep on his couch than make the long drive to pick him up more mornings.

They spend the last few precious quiet minutes sipping their disgustingly lukewarm coffee next to each other on the bench, looking out over the mess of things they have set out on the ice.

They don't know the level of the kids they will get, so they plan on doing the first ice time as more of a test. Some skating through cones, shooting the puck in the boards to catch the rebound and finish with scoring on an empty net. 

Their few minutes of silence is interrupted by what can only be described as a tornado. The parents were instructed to help their kids get dressed and ready to hit the ice by 8.

First comes one of the older kids who are there to help them, followed by a train of fifteen 5-7 year-olds who look like they can barely walk in their gear. They all have gear at least two sizes too big. It's the very beginning of the season and parents are hoping that their kids can get through the season without buying new gears, which unfortunately results in the kids looking absolutely swallowed by their gears at this point.

Mack and Will share one look, taking a deep breath before getting started with this whole thing. They already regret the fact Will signed them up to this.

Three kids have already tripped over the edge, letting their faces be the first to touch the ice. Mack and Will collect all the strength they have to not start laughing. They can do that later, but they at least have to know the kids’ names before laughing at them.

The older kids are really not that old either, probably more like RJ's age. They help the smaller ones get up on their feet, before getting the kids somewhat collected together.

“Hello, my name is Will Smith, this is Macklin Celebrini” Will begins, gesturing to Mack who still seems too nervous to speak.

“We are going to be your coaches for the next three days. We have a lot of fun things planned” Will continues in his most cheerful voice.

A kid already raises their arm. Mack and Will are honestly just happy that they don't speak straight out. They are however too quick to make that conclusion as said kid speaks anyway.

“Are you guys married?” 

Mack and Will are too stunned to speak before the next kid chimes in.

“No dummy, they are too young for that. My mum says you can't get married until you are old.”

“Oh, so they are boyfriends” A third kid shouts.

The two older guys, Max and George, are already losing it. They seem to be trying their best, but they are almost doubled over from the laughter they try but fail to hold back.

“Two boys can't be a couple” Some stupid kid shouts.

“My uncle says people like you are stupid and deserve to die alone. It's 2026, get on with it” Some fierce little girl shouts at the top of her lungs. She can't be more than five years old, maybe three and a half feet on skates if you are being generous.

That finally snaps Mack and Will back to life. They can't help but laugh, nodding to the girl they already know will be their favorite.

“Okay, okay. Calm down everyone” Will laugh. 

“We are not boyfriends” Mack keeps on laughing, knocking his shoulder together with Will's.

“Can we maybe start out with a round of names before getting into the personal stuff” Will can't keep a straight face toward the end.

“Yes, names, good idea” Mack says after Will elbows him just a little too hard in the ribs.

“So, as Will said, my name is Macklin but you can call me Mack” Mack says, waiving for George to take over.

“My name is George, I'm here to help Mack and Will” George continues.

“Axel” almost whispers to a tiny kid who hides behind George.

“My name is Liam” The next kid says with a whole lot more confidence. He is one of those who have not managed to stay still for even a second.

Liam has to push the kid beside him, whispering to him to say his name. That kid apparently has even less of an attention span. “My name? Oh, Erik”, he says through missing teeth.

“My name is Zoe” says the kid who Mack and Will already love. She looks to be too young to be missing any teeth yet.

The kid next to her is the kid they both hate already, for apparent reasons. “I’m Ryan” 

Mack scoffs, only hiding it just enough. “Knew I would hate him” Mack whispers to Will, knocking his elbow into Will's ribs.

Will rolls his eyes but he can't do anything but agree, even if the name is the same as his friend. The friend who Mack just happens to hate.

The kids keep going. Cleo is one of the tallest kids, looking more than ready to hit the ice for some actual skating. Rose looks absolutely tiny next to her, but just as happy to be here. Leo is just shy like most of the others. Elliot avoids eye-contact. Theo looks to be something to handle, having already fallen over twice and slapped his stick over Ryan's states once. Mack doesn't hate that part though. Not his fault the homophobic kid has the name of another person he hates. What else is he supposed to think of the kid?

“Okay, are you all ready to get started?” Mack asks after Max is the last to introduce himself.

They get a mixture of shy answers and the tougher kids who scream at the top of their lungs, seemingly missing the middle ground, but they can work on that.

Will and Mack grab their own sticks, talking the kids through it as they show the different stations they have set up. Four stations, one for each of them to overlook. 

They let Max handle the shooting drill, George is put on the drill where they pass the puck into the board. Will gets the skating between cones and Mack takes the straight speed skating drill. 

Mack and Will apparently have zero clue to what music is appropriate. They just turn on their shared Spotify that begins playing the end song they listened to in the car this morning. It's good, Shake It Off by Taylor Swift is a hit among the kids. Less appropriate is the fact Will's favorite song is next, but they just put their hope in the fact that the kids probably don't know those words yet. Max and George however throw a glance to Mack and Will with a smirk on their faces. They definitely know.

Mack makes a mental note for them to make a good playlist for tomorrow before turning his focus back to the kids who are skating back and forth between the boards. The difference between a five year old and someone who is seven is huge. And then there is Theo, who Mack has already picked up from the ice a good five times already.

Zoe goes above and beyond her age, making the older kids look terrible. Despite her tiny legs and an age that fits on one hand, she is the fastest. She is also the one in the best mood. She sings along to the next song from Zara Larson as she skates her little heart out when it's her time.

Elliot keeps to himself, quietly avoiding eye contact with everyone. He flaps his hands adorably when he does something he feels happy about, just the way Mack does on all those videos from fifteen years ago. He skates absolutely beautifully, but only when the others keep their distance to him. The second someone gets too close, brushing against him his body freezes like a deer in headlights, shoulders up to his ears, arms scrunched up like a little t-rex.

Mack notices it from across the ice every time something bothers that kid. He also sees the way Elliot's shoulders drop the moment Mack skates near him, the way he follows Mack closely, listening to his voice as he gets more instruction and Mack's voice instinctively softens. The second he hears Elliot speak, he also notices that he hasn't heard anything other than just his name leave his mouth. He only really speaks next to Mack.

Ryan does what Ryan does. Theo falls over another time, crying a little. Ryan stops beside Theo, laughing and pointing. Theo practically flies up, waving his stick toward Ryan. Ryan is the one crying now as Theo chases him, stick held high. Theo gets one hit with the stick in before Mack picks him up from the ice. Theo is definitely a younger sibling. Mack knows very well he would do that toward Aiden when they were kids. 

Mack tells them off, going a little more harshly against Ryan, reminding himself to not put them on the same drill later. Ryan is just annoying, and Theo seems to be the kind of kid who has no limits, only when people deserve it though, which makes Mack like him just slightly more. Well, if he looks past the part where he just hit another kid with a stick to the helmet.

Mack gets jolted back to reality when he hears the loud clatter of a stick dropping to the ice. He turns around in a second, seeing Elliot with his hands over his ears, squeezing his eyes shut. He looks so vulnerable, tiny and fragile and all alone in the middle of the path as the other kids keep skating past him. Elliot flinches hard every time another kid passes by.

He leaves Ryan and Theo to handle themselves. The worst of it has calmed down and Mack has another kid in far more need of him. 

Mack crouches on the ice in front of Elliot, reaching out but not touching. He wants nothing more than to embrace him in a hug, but a part of Mack is scared it will do more damage than good. “Hey buddy. You're okay.” Mack's voice is impossibly soft and Elliot finally un-clenches his eyes, revealing teary eyes. “Want to skate with me?” Mack asks, reaching for his hand, letting Elliot decide to take it or not.

Elliot grabs a tight hold on Mack's hand as Mack stands back up. He grabs onto Mack's thigh, wrapping both arms around it as Mack carefully makes his way over to the bench with Elliot, shielding him from anything that feels too big and scary.

Mack helps him onto the bench and Elliot's hands go back to his ears as he finally lets go of Mack. Mack knows it immediately. He is one to know just how awful the sounds of an ice rink can be, especially when you are tired. He lowers the sound of the music until Elliot's hands finally come down from his tiny little ears to rest in his lap with more ease.

The rest of Mack's kids seem to be handling themselves well. They keep going, skating back and forth, almost the same way as Mack had told them to. He lets himself take a minute to just sit here. It feels too harsh to just leave Elliot here, alone, as he leans his full body against Mack's side, wrapping his arm around Mack's.

When Elliot tugs at Mack's arm to go back on the ice after a while, Mack feels like he can breathe a little easier again. They get back out and Mack watches with a smile as Elliot spends the last of the time on his drill, skating his little heart out. Mack just makes sure to send him out with a slightly smaller group so there aren't too many things happening around him.

Will have his own things to handle over at his station. The kids are not very good at skating. Some are a little better, Cleo is a lot better, but the others are pretty helpless. Erik and Liam are messing around, not listening at all. They seem to be doing their best, but their attention runs out about three words after Will has just fought to get it back. They do eventually get the hang of it just in time for Will to change up the drill, making them skate between every two cones instead of between all of them. 

Alex skates straight into another kid, dropping his glove and scratching it over another that other kids skate, leaving Will with two crying kids. Mack can hear the crying from across the ice. Will crouches over, reaching out for them both. The other kid sits up but the tears are still falling down his face. Alex is all snotty and crying, still laying on the ice like a little starfish, the helmet as long as his arms and legs.

“Water break” Mack yells out, turning away from Elliot to not startle him before gathering his kids over to the bench where he turns the music off completely.

George and Max get their own groups over to the bench, as well as the rest of Will's kids. At least the ones who aren't actively breaking down.

Mack helps a few of the smallest kids up on the bench, lifting them one by one as the rest do as best as they can to jump up on their unsteady skates.

Mack gets right back onto the ice after making sure the kids are fine. Will gratefully accepts Mack's helping hand. They pick up a kid each, hugging them tightly as they keep on sobbing on the way to the bench.

They set Alex and the other boy down on the bench. The other kids remind them that the name of the second crying kid is Leo. They help them out of the helmets, crouching in front of their kid. Mack handles Leo, as Will takes care of Alex. 

Mack's kid stops crying pretty quickly, getting his water bottle and an orange slice.

Ryan snaps that Leo got the orange first and Mack just sighs, handing George the box of orange slices to give to the other kids. Just out of spite, George hands one to Ryan last. 

Leo is right back to smiling shyly, still not quite comfortable to laugh at Mack's horrendous attempts at joking with him, but it's enough to see that he is doing alright. He was probably just tired and overstimulated out on the ice, getting thrown over his limit when Alex took him down.

Alex is not as easy. Mack gets up to find the med-kit, not that the cut on Alex's hand is more than a shallow scrape that is barely pink, but they all know a band-aid can make it feel better anyway.

Mack wipes the snot away from Alex face with a wipe before helping Will put on the band-aid. Alex gets to pick out the one he wants, going for the Spiderman one because Paw Patrol was apparently for kids, says the five-year-old.

Will sits so close to Mack that the whole side of their bodies press together from shoulders to thighs as they work together to stop the kid from crying.

Mack moves with careful hands to get the band-aid on Alex's hand, having to squint to even see where to put it. Will holds Alex's hand steady as Mack places it on the tiny hand. The hand is so small that Mack touches more of Will's hand than anything else. Will's hand is just as soft and warm as he remembers it being from all the times he has accidentally brushed his own against it.

Mack should not let his mind float away to thinking about how Will would be as a dad, how they would be as dads. 

There is also absolutely no reason for Will to find Mack so very cute like this.

Elliot silently makes his way over to where Mack sits on the bench, standing there silently in front of Mack and Will before Mack swoops him up and sets him down in his lap. Mack takes the distraction to allow himself to lean further against Will's warm body. Mack might be the one who can make things feel easier for Elliot, but Will is for sure the one doing it for Mack.

Once the amount of crying kids is back to roughly zero again, they switch groups of kids on the different stations. They do another round of the drills, trying to keep it fun.

Will gets Mack's old group of kids that come with a warning about keeping Ryan away from everyone, and to keep Theo far away from those who could possibly deserve a beating from a tiny kid, which is mostly just Ryan though. He also tells Will to look out a little extra for Elliot.

Mack makes sure to prepare Elliot for what is going to happen next, telling him he can skate right over to Mack if anything feels like it's too much to handle. He tells him about how kind Will is, and that Will is safe, just as safe as Mack.

Mack gets the kids from Max, happy to hear it's a pretty carefree group of kids who are all just happy to be there. The minimal issues give Mack a lot more time to actually focus on teaching the kids how to skate. He does however overestimate the kids abilities when he starts talking about edge-control. He dials it back to the very basics, happy to see the kids actually improve their speed. 

Will manages to keep Theo and Ryan on opposite sides of the line which removes most of the problems. He can hear some crying from Georges and Max's groups over on the other side of the rink but they seem to have it under control. The kids are just increasingly tired and hungry and cold, which at their age is the most monumental thing they have to worry about. 

They are at the age that adults keep talking about being such a carefree time, only because adults have moved their description of hard things to actual hard things. Everyone does however keep forgetting that the issues you face at five, although tiny compared to an adult, still feels like the biggest thing in the world. At five, the biggest issue is being tired and hungry. At six you start learning more, gaining a fear of things like quicksand and pirates. At seven you learn that the sun will someday explode, leaving you sleepless for countless nights before realizing you will be long dead by then. Which only opens up the existential crisis of death.

The kids might be crying for reasons adults find ridiculous, but to them, it is real, to them it's the worst thing they know of.

“Lunch” Mack shouts after looking at the time.

The response is about ten cheering kids, and five sad ones. Five ones who would rather keep skating and shooting than eat their soggy pb&j sandwich or half cold mac n cheese. Mack for one is pretty excited for lunch. Yesterday when Will and Mack visited Toffs place, Cat sent them home with boxes of food for all their lunches. She knows they wouldn't be cooking for themselves, and it would be a whole big deal if they ate takeout in front of the kids.

After unlacing way too many skates, seeing as none of the kids apparently can do it themselves aside from Cleo, they finally head to the lunchroom.

The tiny kids look even smaller and so much more fragile without their gear on. Their whole body looks to be thinner than one of Mack's thighs. Not really, but it's close enough to make them look like a stronger breeze would pick them right up from the surface of the earth.

They lead the kids to the lunch room, sitting down beside each other after spending too much time opening packets and thermoses for the kids.

Will and Mack finally get to sit down beside each other, making sure to not knock more than just thighs and knees together, staying away from shoulders and anything above the table. The kids would pick up on it immediately, just as quickly as they apparently picked up on it before even having done a round of names.

Lunch is great and messy and loud but something about it is just good. A lot better than they thought beforehand. There is something about the messiness and the loud voices in that room that just manages to bring a kind of life into the space that they had long forgotten about. It's a reminder of what hockey is about, a reminder about the way they themselves fell in love with this sport at that age. How they fell in love with it somewhere between ragged skating and missed shots, messy lunchrooms and loud locker rooms. They fell in love with it at a time when they were still too young to tie up their own skates, when hockey was still just fun and pressure was just a word they hadn't yet learned the full meaning of.

They finish off the last of the drills, switching groups until all groups of kids are done with every station. The energy is a little higher after lunch among the kids but it runs out by the time of the last round of drills. 

The amount of tears and fallen kids rise dramatically the further into practice they get. Tired legs and cold hands might not be the kids' favorite parts, but the smiles on their faces seem to withstand even the most stubborn tears. 

Mack and Will are out of energy by the time they have un-laced every pair of skates. One pair is good, two is fine, ten starts feeling like it's just too much. 

Mack is so tired by the time they have gotten the place cleaned up that he lets his head rest against the car window on the drive back home. It's pretty late, nothing too crazy but the evening is definitely falling as they get into the last of the traffic together with all the tired people driving back home from work. 

Mack orders some food on the way, hoping it will stand by Will's front door as soon as possible. They barely had time to eat their lunch and Mack can hear Will's stomach rumble even though he hasn't complained about it yet. 

The order of Chipotle arrives by the time they both have made it out of the shower and into some sweatpants and hoodies. Mack has not cared to pack his own things to bring to Will. He just steals anything and everything he can find at Will's place like he always does. If he likes something enough, there is no way that Will is going to get that thing back. Mack has a full drawer at home with just Will's things, some of which he wishes to have right now.

Mack finally collapsed down on the couch, bowl in hand. Will follows right behind. They sit with their backs against opposite armrests, feet tangled together in the middle.

For a moment, none of them speak. They just need a second of quiet calmness between. Not everyone works in the quiet, but they do. The silence between them is calming, comforting. It recharges them, settles their minds after the long day as it wraps around them like a blanket.

Will nudges Mack's foot lightly. “Hey” Will says quietly. “You were really good with Elliot today. You know that you are the only one he talks to”

Mack lifts his gaze to meet Will's. “Yeah, I noticed. I think he just had a rough time today”

Will knows just how to treat the silence. He knows just how long to wait for Mack to feel he has the space to continue, yet without making the silence feel like pressure to keep talking.

Mack sighs, leaning his head down, in part to not have to look at Will. It's easier to talk when he doesn't have to look at the one he is talking to. “He just… needs someone who gets it.”

Will’s brows pull together a little. “Get what?”

Mack shrugs, eyes on ceiling, “I don’t know. The noise. The chaos. The way everything feels too big sometimes.” He pauses, picking at the edge of his bowl. “It’s easy to help him. So easy that I don't get why no one ever did things like that for me when I was that kid.” His voice is more unsure toward the end.

Will’s chest tightens, but he keeps his voice soft. “You think so?”

“Yeah.” Mack huffs out a humorless laugh. “People always acted like I was being dramatic. Or difficult. Or whatever. But with him? It’s just… obvious. He’s overwhelmed. He needs space. He needs someone to talk to him like he’s a person, not a problem.” 

“Hey Mack” Will starts, trying to get Mack to look at him but his gaze is still glued to the ceiling. “Are you… are you okay”

Mack shrugs, exhaling heavily without answering. 

“Yeah, okay,” Mack says after a few more seconds like he is hoping to get out of this, “we seriously need a new playlist for tomorrow. I’m not letting a five‑year‑old go home singing your favorite song.”

Will doesn't love the way Mack deflects, the way he pushes these conversations away, but based on his own research, it's nothing crazy. So he gives in, lets Mack change the conversation and goes with it with a groan. “It’s a good song.”

“It’s a terrible song for children.”

Will laughs, leaning back into the couch. “Fine. Hand me your phone.”

They do a whole lot other than concentrate on making that playlist but as evening falls around them and their bowl clear out, they have at least put together two hours of music that is somewhat appropriate. They pick out some songs that TikTok tells them are popular among the younger kids, some of their own favorites, as well as some songs from Taylor Swift after they quickly learned today that the kids love those songs a whole lot.

Will and Mack finally make their way to bed when sleep threatens to pull them under. They had said that one of them would just sleep on the couch, but that was only an excuse to have them sleep in the same house. It was an excuse that none of them were thinking about fulfilling.

They start out with a respectable amount of space between them, but the countless nights they have spent, sharing a bed, have already taught them that no matter what they do they will in one way or another end up stacked on top of each other, limps tangled.

This time, Mack's full head rests on Will's chest before Will has even had the time to fall asleep yet.

It's warm, cozy, something neither of them would ever wake the other up to correct. They really should correct it, shouldn't keep letting their best friend sleep that tangled together with them, but as with many things, they let this one slide too. 

As morning rolls around and Will's alarm blares far too early, Will's arm is around Mack's waist, Mack's hair tickling Will in the face.

Will instinctively curls his arm tighter around Mack briefly before fully waking up. Mack takes a deep breath, exhaling onto Will's warm skin where his shirt has slipped off his collarbone. 

“Morning” Will says softly, voice thick with sleep.

“Morning” Mack groans, burring his face further into Will's neck as Will hugs him tighter around the waist. 

They don't have much time to spare. Will pushes Mack up, rolling out from under his warm body. Mack gets into the shower as Will packs his bag and grabs their breakfast from the kitchen. 

Mack meets Will in the kitchen, towel slung low on his hips and Will forces himself to keep his eyes high as Mack smirks at him. Mack continues right past Will, grabbing the overnight oats out of Will's hand before jumping up on the counter.

“Gotta shower” Will says, forcing his mind to keep up.

Mack chuckles a little, noticing the way he just turned Will's brain into mush. 

He eats his breakfast between getting dressed and packing his own bag. He is sitting on the floor, picking through his bag as Will emerges from the bathroom, towel slung even lower just to mess with Mack.

Mack has just a slightly better self control than Will, but he has to fight to keep his face a somewhat normal color as Will walks up to the closet right in front of him.

With both guys dressed and minds back to a functioning state, they brush their teeth, pick up their bags and head out to the car. 

Will pulls in by their favorite coffee place, ordering the drink he already knows Mack wants. 

They give their new playlist one more listen, hoping to catch any inappropriate song before letting a bunch of tiny little kids hear it all day.

It's still a little dark out but the first of the sun starts peaking through the high buildings as they get further into the city. 

The rest of the city is still asleep, thankfully making the traffic a whole lot better. Most people are enjoying their day off but not Mack and Will who were stupid enough to sign up for this. Well, Will signed them up for it when Mack was away, playing for team Canada at worlds. Mack should've known that Will manages to sign them up for something stupid anytime Mack is away.

Mack is sipping on his coffee as they make their way into the dark arena. Will makes sure to let the big lights stay off, only turning on the small lights that fill the rooms with a softness.

“U wearing my hoodie?” Will knocks his elbow into the side of Mack when he notices.

“No” Mack lies, smiling softly as he pushes right back.

“Don't stretch it out idiot” Will laughs, holding the door to the locker room open for Mack.

They quickly get into their gear before hitting the fresh ice. It will never matter how many days in their lives that have been the first guys out on the ice, it's never going to stop being magical. The way they put the first marks onto the shiny surface, the way the sounds of sharp blades on crisp ice silences any other thought. They love it, always have, always will.

Both of them are still yawning by the time the kids hit the ice. Mack and Will were probably supposed to prepare something but they didn't really have either the time or energy. They just spent their few minutes of alone time skating circles around each other, shooting a few goals and sipping coffee by the bench.

They are greeted by a million little hi and good morning. The kids already seem so much more comfortable than they did yesterday. Theo tries to hug Will but he trips before making it all the way. Cleo waives politely. Erik and Liam are too distracted to follow the group, falling behind.

Elliot just stands behind Mack, waiting for him to notice. Will sees Elliot and taps his hand against Mack who’s whole expression softens noticeably when he spots him. Mack crouches down to give him a big hug and the smile on Elliot's face goes from ear to ear underneath the helmet. Mack smiles even harder when he sees the way Will is looking at them.

Will feels his heart beat weirdly when he sees this shy little kid who refuses to talk to anyone else, bond with Mack in a second and a half. It reminds him of the way Mack was when they first met. The way Mack was so closed off but opened up real quick with Will.

“Okay, lets warm up” Will speaks loudly, getting the attention from the tired group of kids. “Just follow me or Mack around the rink”

Will starts skating, quickly gaining a train of kids behind him before Mack has even gotten up from the ice.

Mack takes Elliot's hand before skating after Will, going in circles around Will's group after Theo tripped for the third time.

“Sorry Coach Will but your boyfriend is quicker” Zoe says before abandoning Will's group. 

Mack skates away with a big smirk on his face, one that is met with a chuckle from Will. Unfortunately for everyone in Mack's group however, is the fact they got Liam and Erik who slows them all down as they lose focus and doesn't break when the rest of them do, resulting in a pileup of at least five kids who lie on the ice in a crying mess.

George takes over both groups, getting them away from the crying tangle of kids and helmets as Mack and Will deals with it.

Elliot stays close to Mack with his hands over his ears, giving him space to help the others. After a thousand hugs and lifting a couple of kids up from the ice with the promise to give them orange slices on the bench, they finally get all of them away from the pile. 

“You two are actually good at this whole co-parenting thing” Max says with a knowing look on his face.

“Co-coaching” Mack corrects, blushing just a little more than he should.

“Whatever you say” Max says with raised eyebrows before following the kids to the bench.

Mack and Will turn around, looking toward the bench where all the kids sit with their water bottles and orange slices.

Elliot's hands are still over his ears.

“Hey, Elliot” Will whispers, getting closer but staying on his level. 

Elliot's hands come down carefully, looking between Mack and Will.

“Here” Will digs through his pocket for his emergency sour-patch-kids, holding a small handful out to Elliot. “Mack always likes these when things around him get a little too much” Will whispers, staying away from seeing Mack's face as he speaks.

Will never knows how much Mack is actually aware that all these little things he does for Mack are deliberate.

“Thanks” Elliot's voice is faint, eyes glued to the ice, but there is a growing smile as he eats them before tugging at Mack's sleeve to go to the bench.

Will skates on Mack's other side, unable to hide the smile that fills his face as Elliot already seems just a little more relaxed.

Mack tips his head to Will, knocking his helmet on Will's shoulder like he does when he wants to thank him but doesn't know what to say about it.

“Co-parenting” is the first thing Max says when Mack and Will help Elliot to the bench. Mack can't say a lot in defense as he is currently sharing a bottle of water with Will, taking turns to get a sip of water. They just laugh about it instead.

The practice gets going again, pretty uneventful and easy. Will shows the next drill and Mack finds himself receiving comments about the way he is staring at Will, which isn't doing anything good for the accusations.

Max and George keep whispering with the kids about something for tomorrow, like decoration and things but no one wants to fill Mack in on what they are talking about.

Mack and Will stand in the middle of the rink, each one of them passing pucks to kids before the kids skate toward one of the two goals.

Will gets his gaze stuck on Mack as Mack says something to make Elliot laugh when waiting for his turn. 

“Coach Mack, Coach Will is staring at you” Cleo tells Mack from where she is standing next to Elliot.

Will blushes immediately, “I’m literally looking at the puck”

“Naha you are not, ive been waiting but I never get mine” Leo says shyly beside Will where he has been waiting patiently to get his puck for at least a minute.

“Oh, shoot!” Will scrunches his nose, sending the puck to Leo who finally gets his turn.

“So you two actually are boyfriends?” Cleo asks like she finally found the evidence they have been searching for.

Will chokes on air, blushing even harder than before. “No,” he laughs. 

Mack laughs with him, sending Cleo her puck to get out of this conversation. 

“Hey, it was my turn. Not fair” Elliot protests.

“Oh, sorry. It's you next okay. I'm sorry, it was not fair but I will fix it right away” Mack apologies, well aware Elliot doesn't love the idea of being treated unfairly.

Will sneaks another gaze at Mack after a few more kids have had their turns, only to find Mack already staring at him with something soft in those eyes. They both look away, heat rising up their faces.

It's a struggle to get everyone ready for lunch again. Far too many skates and too few capable hands but they finally get the last few kids to the lunchroom.

Mack and Will are the last ones to walk into the loud room where the kids are already seated. Max and George work their hardest to open up various containers and bottles that the kids can't do themselves. One kid is crying because his chicken nuggets have cooled down too much. Another one is crying because he is too tired to chew his apple. One because another kid's lunch looks better than theirs, and Theo is crying because Ryan pushed him off the chair.

Mack moves Ryan to the very end of the table, setting him down beside Max with a stern warning. 

The kids stop crying, one by one. Cleo just sighs, wondering why every kid is so stupid and childish.

Will and Mack are happy to find the last two open seats are between their favorite kids. Will sits down beside Zoe who is great at keeping a conversation even though half of the kids he age can barely string a coherent sentence together, but she is really smart and funny.

Mack sits down beside Will after bringing their packed lunch there. Elliot is on the other side of Mack.

“Wait, so you two do live together” George laughs when he passes behind them.

Will and Mack both whip their heads around sharply.

“What?” Will tries.

“Is that your shared lunch-bag?” George's look is so knowing it burns right through any lie.

“Oh” Mack sighs, knowing there is nothing more to say about it. 

They let George walk away laughing, giving Cleo a high five as he passes by her chair for unknown reasons.

Mack turns his attention back to Elliot who just stares at his lunch, pushing it away after a little while.

“Whats wrong?” Mack asks softly.

“This is my sister's lunch. My mom sent me the wrong thing. Everything is wrong.” Elliot sounds like he wants to lie down on the floor and cry right now. “The things are touching, and the sandwich is cut wrong, and i don't eat tomatoes, and there are green things on that one” his eyes are going blank.

Will digs through his bag and before Mack has even noticed it, there is a cup of mac and cheese on the table in front of Mack.

“You want this?” Will asks softly. 

Elliot looks to Mack for answers. Mack gives him a tiny nod and Elliot lights up with a smile. “Yes please” His voice is small.

Will and Mack leave to use the microwave, promising Elliot to be right back.

“When did you pack that?” Mack asks, surprised.

“I always carry it,” Will shrugs.

“I thought you didn't even like it” Mack is still not sure why Will would carry it.

“Its your favorite. I mean, it's quite literally the only thing you can stomach before a game” Will have more things to say about it. Like how he always brings it anywhere they go for hockey, the way he looks at Mack during every lunch to know when to make his life a little easier by offering it instead of whatever they are eating.

“That's… thanks” Mack's face is going through things Will can't really point out.

“You want one? I saw the sauce leaked out of its compartment in our boxes” Will offers, putting his own food into the microwave but holding off on warming Mack's food.

Mack gives Will a small nod and Will takes another cup of mac and cheese from the pocket of his hoodie.

Mack looks at him with an expression filled with surprise as Will prepares Elliot and Mack's food, placing it into another microwave.

Will answers Mack's confusion, “What, how many times do I have to tell you that I know you?” Will taps his shoulder before heading back with his own food, leaving Mack with the two pots of mac and cheese and too many thoughts in his head.

Mack and Elliot both gladly eat their safe and bland little food, even as the room around them gets louder and louder as lunch goes on. Will just smiles, feeling good about helping both of them.

The kids are always a little less focused and a whole lot more clingy later in the afternoon as the energy runs low in their tiny bodies. Most of them skates slower, drifting more to Mack or Will whenever they pass by. They need to hear instructions a thousand times and tears escape easier.

Elliot spends some time alone in the locker room to get some rest after he had a little meltdown on the ice when Ryan slammed his stick in the ice right in front of him. Zoe was quick to shove Ryan away until Ryan was the one crying. Mack just hugged him tightly. His heart always breaks a little when Elliot does that. when he drops his stick, when those little hands come up to cradle his ears, when he shuts his eyes tightly. 

The rest of practice is nothing crazy. It's just the usual late-day mix of tired legs, slower drills and kids who keep forgetting everything to the point where they just skate straight into each other or the board when they forget how to break or turn. 

Mack and Will do everything they can to keep things moving as best as possible, switching groups, giving out encouragement, and doing their best to keep everyone somewhat upright.

By the time they finish the last drill and get the kids off the ice, the energy is drained from everyone. The kids are tired, clingy, and ready for snacks. Mack and Will are just as tired but they still manage to get everyone out of their gear, hand out the last orange slices, and send the kids home with smiles on their faces.

They leave the rink with mixed feelings. The exhaustion feels heavy, but so does the thought of seeing the day come to an end. They only get these kids for three days and two are already over. Time with the kids is coming to an end far too soon, just as they are starting to really like them.

Will gives Mack a bit of quiet time.

He doesn't talk as they walk to the car. Doesn't ask if Mack is okay, doesn't try to fill the silence. They both invite it to wrap around them like a blanket of comfort after a busy day. Will just stays close enough that Mack can lean into him if he needs to, but far enough that Mack doesn’t feel crowded.

Mack's shoulders carry that slight tightness. Will sees it all, sees the way Mack's jaw is set, the way his thumb is mindlessly rubbing against the seam of his hoodie, the way his breathing is slightly more shallow than normal.

Will unlocks the car and waits for Mack to get in first. He doesn’t turn the engine on right away, just lets the quiet sit.

Mack finally exhales, long and shaky.

Will keeps his voice low. “Want a minute?”

Mack nods without looking at him.

So Will gives him that minute. He just sits there, looking out over the empty parking lot as Mack leans his head back against the seat, eyes closed, breathing slowly until his shoulders drop.

Will waits for Mack's breathing to settle back to normal, waits for the tension to slip away. He waits until Mack is more fine before moving. 

Will turns the car on, setting the AC to a cooler breeze to give Mack something to focus on, keeps the music off. He does all the little things he’s learned help Mack decompress, without making a deal out of any of it.

After a while, Mack shifts, turning his head toward Will. “Sorry,” he murmurs.

Will shakes his head. “Don’t be.”

Mack’s voice is quiet. “Just… a lot today.”

“Yeah,” Will says softly. “I know.”

Mack breathes out again, deeper this time. His hand drifts toward Will’s thigh, just resting it there as Will drives them home in the kind of silence that is quiet in the best way. 

Mack stares out the window, watching the city blur past. Will keeps one hand on the wheel the other right beside Mack's hand.

Halfway home, Mack’s fingers brush Will’s knuckles lightly. Will doesn’t look over. He just turns his hand so their fingers line up.

Mack exhales softer as he braids his fingers into Will's hand where it feels safe.

By the time they pull into the driveway, Mack looks calmer. Tired, but okay. Will knows he’ll be fine. Mack is always fine when they’re inside, when he’s in soft clothes and on the couch and not surrounded by bright lights and loud voices.

Will kills the engine and glances over. “You good?”

Mack nods, more cheerful than he has been in the last few hours. “Yeah” his voice is clear.

Mack is a new guy after leaving the shower and getting into a set of Will's sweatpants and hoodie. Will heads in after him, leaving Mack to lie on the couch with his phone for a second of well deserved rest.

He looks just like normal when Will sees him again. The tense shoulders are long gone, jaw is relaxed, breathing deep and steady. Most of all, the life in his eyes is back in the way that tells Will that his Mack is back.

“Dinner?” Will asks, walking into the living room with a matching hoodie and sweatpants, hair still dripping wet.

Mack nods enthusiastically. “M starving” 

“We could cook some pasta Alfredo”, Will says happily, dragging Mack out of the couch and over to the kitchen.

Mack hops up on the counter with a sigh. “We can order food” 

“Mack, we are cooking, it's good for you to learn” Will protests, already pulling things from the fridge.

Mack is not very good at telling Will no. “Fine,” he sighs again, even though he was never about to fight it.

“Boil the water” Will instructs, pointing Mack to the pots. Mack knows where they are already, which says a lot about how much time he spends at Will's place, and less about how often he is actually cooking food.

Mack boils the water as Will turns some music on in the background. 

Mack might not be particularly confident in the kitchen, but there is something about the way they work so well with each other that translates to any situation at all. Mack doesn't know what he is supposed to be doing, but he does know exactly where to be at every moment to help Will. He knows when to hand Will something, knows when Will gets stressed out over the way the water is boiling to know when to turn the burner down.

They sing along to the music, moving around each other in the kitchen as smoothly as they would on the ice. If Mack treats it as hockey, he is actually not horrible at it. If he treats handing things to Will like doing an assist, treats looking over the chicken like patently surviving a penalty-kill. 

Mack is back up on the counter, sitting beside the stove as Will throws some more spices into the store bought Alfredo-sauce. He makes Mack taste it every now and again, holding a tiny spoon up to Mack's mouth, refusing to let go of it as he slots himself between Mack's legs. 

Will keeps watching Mack's face carefully for what flavor to add even when Mack says it's good. Will figures it out every time.

Mack rolls his eyes as Will holds the spoon out again but he opens his mouth again anyway.

“Needs pepper,” Will says before Mack even has time to answer. Will is right though.

Mack shrugs. “If you say so”

When Will is finally happy with the flavor and Mack's face apparently reacts good enough to the taste of it for Will to be happy, Mack takes the whisk out of his hand, stirring mindlessly. 

Mack really only does it to keep Will from stepping back in front of the stove and it works. Mack slugs an arm over Will's shoulder and Will melts into it, resting his face against Mack's chest as they wait for the garlic bread in the oven to finish baking.

Will only slips out of Mack's hold when the bread is done. Mack jumps down from the counter to handle the pasta that finished boiling at the same time. He walks past Will in the tight space, moving smoothly like they know exactly where they have each other at every moment.

Will hums to the music from the speakers as he cuts the bread and Mack plates the finished pasta, putting the leftovers into containers to go in the fridge.

It kind of feels like they have done this a million times before. Cooking with another person is something that requires a surprising amount of understanding and awareness of the other. What Mack lacks in actual cooking experience is more than made up for in the way he knows Will. 

They finally make their way to the couch, bowls in hands, shoulders brushing as they walk. They sit down with their knees touching, thighs glued together under a shared blanket. Mack steals half of Will's garlic bread as he is too busy putting on a movie.

“Did you see how many times Theo fell over today?” Mack asks around a mouthful of pasta, letting Will take back a piece of his garlic bread.

Will snorts, sinking deeper into the couch until his shoulders press further into Mack's. “I stopped counting after five. He is like a god damn baby dear on ice with two left skates”

Mack laughs, warm and tired sounding, “He is going to have so many bruises after this weekend”

“Yeah, it's so bad. Did you see his knees today when we helped him out of his gear? Looked like he lost a fight against gravity” Will’s voice carries a little more care.

“He really did. And Ryan, mostly Ryan” Mack sighs.

“You really still hate him” Will chuckles.

Mack's face scrunches in disgust “His name is Ryan” As if that is enough grounds to hate someone over. 

Will jabs a finger into Mack's ribs, making him flinch. “Still not over my Ryan?” Will laughs, shaking his head.

Mack rolls his eyes. Both of them know the answer is yes, very much still not over him.

Mack leans his head slightly against Will's shoulder after taking a few more bites. “Erik and Liam are trying hard” 

“Yeah, they really are. Still goes downhill fast after lunch though” Will agrees. “Cleo is doing good. I can see her going somewhere” he continued.

Mack nods against Will's chest, keeping his eyes glued to the movie he hasn't really been watching.

“Zoe too. Love her but she is also terrifying” Will laughs.

“YES, she is amazing until you get on her bad side. So fierce” Mack turns his eyes back to Will.

They both turn back to eating every so often, neither of them able to finish their meal before it's cold. It's nice though. Nice with the way they can just so effortlessly slide in and out of conversations, jumping right back in after minutes of silence have passed.

“I didn't think I would like this job so much,” Mack says, voice just above a whisper. “I mean, the kids just make this so good. I didn't think i would like them”

“Yeah, I never thought I could like these messy little children who can't stay quiet for even a second, but now all I'm thinking about is how much I'm going to miss them. Will explains, putting words to the same feelings Mack has been dealing with today.

“I even like the annoying ones, and the shy ones, and the ones who do nothing but bring trouble.” Mack breathes a laugh, voice settling in softer as he talks.

“Even Ryan” Will teases.

“Don't test me” Mack laughs.

Will tugs Mack closer, wrapping an arm around his shoulders as they go back to watching the movie.

The night crawls closer no matter how much neither of them want it to. They are really tired, so tired it feels too exhausting to get up. But if there is one thing they have learned in their lives, it's how to get up, even when it feels exhausting.

They help each other out of the couch, padding over to the bathroom to get their teeth brushed. 

The place is dark by now, the only source of light coming from the streetlights lining the streets outside the window.

Mack leans back against Will to keep upright as he brushes his teeth before they both happily crawl into bed.

“Hey Mack” Will whispers as he lays down beside him, unsure if Mack is still awake.

“What” Mack asks, turning his face to Will even though they can't see each other in the darkness that lays thick in the room.

“You know he is autistic right?" Will says, not knowing how else to bring it up.

“What?” Mack is surprised. “Who?” 

Mack doesn’t need to see Will’s face to know his brows are raised high. “Elliot.” 

“What? No. There is nothing wrong with him. He is just like… like me” Mack's voice goes through too many things all at once.

Will waits. He wants to correct the comment about there being nothing wrong with him. Not because it's false, but because being autistic never meant there was something wrong about him. It's nothing wrong, only different, but Will knows that this is the time for him to hold his words back and let Mack think about this.

“What? You think…?” Mack's voice is unsure.

“It wouldn't be that crazy” Will have done enough research to bet his entire god damn hockey career on being right when it comes to this.

“Fuck–” Mack lets his head sink into his pillow, eyes staring up in complete darkness.

Will gives Mack more time to think about it, yet not so much he starts spiraling without anything to hold on to. “I’ve done some research Mack” Will says quietly.

Mack's breathing just keeps on speeding up as he lays on his back, staring up into nothingness.

“Hey Macky” Will is stressing out now. 

“Mack, just breathe okay? It's okay baby. Just keep breathing” Will cringes at the word the second it leaves his mouth, but there is something about it that doesn't feel all that wrong.

Mack hears it too. “Yeah, yeah. I'm breathing. Just… freaking out” Mack's voice is strained but he is fighting through it.

“This doesn’t change anything,” Will says, steady and gentle. “Really. It doesn’t, okay? You’re still the same person you’ve been for the last twenty years.” 

Mack swallows hard. “But–”

“No,” Will says softly. “Listen to me. Nothing changes”

Mack's breathing stutters.

Will shifts closer, leaning his face toward Mack's until they are close enough to feel each other breathe. “I didn't want to tell you before figuring out a system” Will almost whispers. “You know all those things I do to make life easier for you? Dimming lights, letting things be quiet, easy food, headphones?” Will continues.

Mack freezes and Will keeps going, voice barely above a whisper. “I don't do it by accident. These are all things that I can do for you to feel better. That is the only thing this means, okay? Nothing else, nothing have to change”

Mack’s breath catches.“I’m… I’m sorry you had to do all that.”

Will shakes his head immediately. “No, no. I didn’t have to. I wanted to.”

When Mack doesn't say anything, Will keeps going. “You know how you are with Elliot?” Will says softly. “How do you just… know what he needs? How do you make things easier for him without thinking about it? You don’t do that because you have to. You do it because you care.”

Mack’s breath shakes.

“It’s the same for me,” Will whispers. “I do those things for you because I want to. Because I care. Because it makes your life easier.”

“I changed every light-bulb in my apartment because the old ones bothered you,” Will says, voice soft and gentle. Making sure not to make any of it seem like a big deal. “I keep the volume low because loud stuff overwhelms you. I keep your safe foods stocked because you forget to eat when you’re tired, or just don't want to when there are too many things going on around. I bring your headphones everywhere because you never remember them when we travel. I drive you everywhere because driving stresses you out. I keep your full schedule on my phone so I never push you away from what feels safe.”

Will's voice is lighter now, almost a giggle, “I changed the thread count on the sheets because the old ones made you sleep worse.”

Mack is still quiet but Will can feel his breathing becoming just slightly more even.

Will nudges their foreheads together again. “I’ve been doing all of that for years, Mack. Years. And you didn’t change then. You’re not changing now.”

Mack’s voice finally comes out, tiny and cracked. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Will exhales softly. “Because you didn’t need to know. You just needed to be okay. And I knew it would be easier for you to learn about it when we already had those things figured out. When the only new thing is just the name of it, not the things we do to make it easier”

Mack’s breath shakes. “Will…”

Will reaches out in the dark, finding Mack’s hand under the blanket, threading their fingers together like it’s the most natural thing in the world.

“You’re still you,” Will whispers. “You’re still my Mack.” 

Mack sees it clearer now. See the way Will calmed him down after the day before they even got back home. Sees the way it was all for him, the way his whole life could have been made a little easier if he just had Will by his side through all of it the way he does now.

Will doesn’t dare fall asleep before he can feel Mack’s breathing slow. He stays exactly where he is, head pressed to Mack’s chest, listening to every beat of his heart like it’s the only thing that says Mack is still okay. The only thing that stops Will from hating himself for telling Mack.

He stays awake through every uneven inhale, every shaky exhale, every tiny tremble of Mack’s fingers against his own. He stays awake until Mack’s breathing finally evens out. slow, deep, steady, until Mack’s chest rises in that familiar rhythm Will has memorized over the years.

Only then does Will let his eyes close.

The morning comes quicker than either of them would've wanted. Mack stirred awake first, met with the comfort of Will's body pressing his deeper into the sheets. The sheets that Will apparently picked out just for him. 

“Morning” Mack whispers, threading his hand through Will's hair without thinking about it. 

“Morning” Will's voice is impossibly sleepy, the word barely audible where his face is tucked under Mack's chin. 

“How are you?” Will asks, lifting his head slightly when he remembers yesterday, dropping it back after asking the question.

Mack thinks about it for a second, really thinks about it. He thinks about what this means for him and comes up with nothing. Nothing catastrophic. Nothing that feels like his life is suddenly different.

Nothing other than the fact that he feels far too strongly about how he wants Will in his life forever.

Will has been his best friend since they first joined the team, but it feels even stronger now, so strong he can’t imagine living without him.

 Mack lifts Will's head up to look at him. “I’m okay”

He wants Will to see just how sure he is about this, and needs Will to see he will be okay.

Will smiles wide, letting the corners of his smile spread wide enough to touch Mack's thumbs where he holds him so close their noses almost touch. 

Will props himself up on his elbows, adjusting the rest of his body to lie on top of Mack's body, elbows on either side of his head. “I'm really proud of you. You know that right?” He blinks slowly.

Mack tips his head back just a little more, smiling as the words register in his brain. A part of him has always known. Will have never really done anything to say the opposite, but it's always different to hear the words. It feels more real when someone actually says it.

“Yeah” Mack smiles through the word, wrapping his arms around Will, tugging slightly to make him drop back down.

Will goes easy, burring his face into Mack's neck, letting Mack hug him close. Like letting Mack know he is never going anywhere. Will stays until Mack decides to let go, not just now, but for the rest of eternity.

Breakfast is leftover pasta from yesterday. Time is running low after spending all their time in bed that morning so they have to stray from Mack's routine but it's fine. Will is enough of a routine to be fine messing the rest up. Will makes it feel fine to miss out on that morning shower and regular breakfast. Makes it feel fine to not double check the packed bags, makes it fine to rely on each other to make it out of the house on time.

They eat in the car, Mack helping Will as he drives through the city with the sun creeping up above the ceilings. The sun finds its way back to them just like every other morning. It's something they can rely on, a routine, that no matter what ever happens, no matter what they find out about themselves, no matter how tough the day before was, the sun will rise again. Now and forever.

The parking lot is still empty as Will parks the car. They get their bags, Mack carrying an extra one to let Will finish his food on the way into the dark arena.

They've only done this for two days but they already have a routine. Will turns the lights on, Mack unlocks the locker rooms. They get themselves some coffee from the coffee machine since their favorite spot isn't open this early on a Sunday. They get into their gear, give themselves some time to enjoy the fresh ice in silence before the place gets filled with that loud lovely chaos they have quickly come to love.

The kids are just excited to be there.

They do a quick warm-up, letting the kids get their tired bruised bodies get used to skating again. Everyone is in a good mood, singing at the top of their lungs to the music blaring in the speakers. They skate around playing tag and Elliot gets Mack every time. Theo falls over, Ryan crashes straight into the boards and Cleo is fast enough to not get caught a single time. Erik and Liam are too distracted to remember who to stay away from, getting caught a million times. 

The rink fills with laughter. The kind of genuine laughter you only really hear from happy kids, the kind of bubbly laughter that fills every inch of the space with pure happiness.

They move on to playing some smaller games, dividing the group into four teams. Max, George, Will and Mack get one team each. Mack just makes sure to get Elliot and as far as the rest goes, they try their best to make it even.

It's fun and competitive, lasting all the way until lunch with a water-break after the first two games. They make a whole tournament out of it. Every team meets the other ones first, getting the points for a win or a draw. The top two teams finally go against each other in the final.

Will's team wins every single game. Of course they do. He has Cleo on the team who carries it all. The game against Mack's team is a close one but Will's team gets the last goal right before the time runs out.

Max's team is hopeless, losing as much as Will’s wins. They are having a tough time. Their players are quite good, but the focus is lacking so badly they can't keep it together through a full game. They tend to make the first goal, but then it goes downhill.

The real competition is between Mack and George's teams. Mack is not one to lose, he will not let his kids play the bronze game. Final is the only option.

He gets his team together, using every kid's best skill to win the tight deciding game against team Curious George. Zoe is put on bringing the puck up the field, using every bit of her speed and size to get past. Elliot is a surprisingly good striker, and Leo has gotten out of his shy little shell and transformed into a tough defense-man. Theo is one to fall a lot, but he can do defense if he just stays stationary enough and Rose scores goals with the power of happiness and love for the sport. No one knows how she does it, but she loves the feeling of scoring enough to be successful at it.

The kids get to recharge with some orange slices and fruit snacks before the last game. The kids from team Curious George, and Magical Max, decide they would rather watch the final than play a bronze game. 

Its team Willy Wonka against team Mack n Cheese for the final game. The final game is however just called The Couples Cup apparently. The kids love naming things.

Will and Mack go right into their coach role. Will's team has been doing well from the first game. They started at the top but development never kicked in. Mack's team however, had a bit of a worse start in the tournament but have quickly been climbing. Mack can only hope it's enough.

The game starts and the bench is electric, George and Max decide to instead compete over who can get their kids to cheer the loudest.

Elliot gets right into his zone, scoring a goal almost immediately after Zoe got the puck through the field.

Cleo makes sure to change it right back around, scoring two in a row for team Willy Wonka. 

The bench cheers louder but Elliot doesn't let it face him. With some encouragement from Mack, his team finally gets an equalizer into the small, empty net.

Will and Mack use all the things they can to get their team to win. Sabotaging each other is not below them. 

“Looking forward to bringing another silver medal home?” Will smirks, hoping it's not too low of him.

“Oh fuck you” Mack laughs, punching his shoulder with a chuckle. 

“Go Elliot, go! Score for me” Mack shouts loud as Elliot takes the puck from one of Will’s players, deep in their own zone. He skates like his life depends on it, right past Will's sleeping defense and buries the puck in the net.

Mack cheers and Will can't help but smile when he sees the way Mack's face lights up as he collects his whole team in a big hug, giving Elliot an extra tap on the helmet.

After another goal from Mack's team, Cleo equalizes right before the timer runs out. Mack's kids look a little sad as they head back to him. 

“Golden Goal finish?” Mack asks Will, well aware neither of them wants to go away from here in a draw.

“Sure” Will says, tapping Mack's shoulder before heading toward his own team.

“Will. you are on our team. Please stop talking to the villains” Alex tells Will when he joins them.

Will can't help but laugh at that comment.

“We get that you want to talk with your boyfriend but we need to beat them first” Cleo says more seriously, dead set on taking home the win.

“I… we are not” Will stumbles over his words.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever you say” Cleo waves it away, focusing on the game.

Will giggles before locking in. He was not planning on this thing being taken so seriously but he loves the attitude from the kids.

Mack talks through some formations and tactics far above the kids level of understanding as their two minutes of rest runs out.

The kids take their spots out on the ice again and the energy is even more electric. Everyone is set on taking on the challenge, not letting anything face them.

It's a tough fight, shots being blocked, kids falling over, tackling each other, shots hitting the frame more than once.

In the end it's Mack's team who steals that last goal, letting Mack's silver medal curse come to an end.

Will teaches his kids sportsmanship while Mack lets his group celebrate the way they have seen on the TV. He makes them keep their helmets on but their sticks and gloves are free to be thrown into the air before they all collapse into one big pile of hugs on the ice.

Mack snaps a photo of it just to remember the feeling of it.

Once he has helped all his kids to get back on their skates, he leads them through the way you thank the other team for the game, shaking hands with Will's kids.

“You did good” Will whispers to Mack, letting his lips brush against his ear in the way that sends shivers down Mack's spine.

Mack doesn't have time to say anything before Will has passed him. He can only let the wide smile take over his face. The smile that stays when Will turns around to face him again after giving all the kids a high five.

George and Max have already unlaced the skates from all the kids on their teams, sending them off to eat lunch as Mack and Will get their own teams off the ice.

They work quickly to get the kids to the lunch room, following the last few kids.

George and Max are already packing their empty containers up by the time Mack and Will get their own food heated up.

“We’re gonna… fix some things” George says, walking out through the door.

“Yeah, me too” Max follows, leaving Mack and Will with the rest of the kids.

Will and Mack haven't gotten to take a single bite of their own food before more of them leave.

“Bathroom” Liam says, walking out followed by Erik.

Mack helps Elliot open his containers and cuts his sandwich the only way he will tolerate it.

“Bye” Theo shouts, followed by another three kids.

Mack takes his first bite of his own lunch by the time there are five kids left.

Will is done helping kids pack their things up as another few leaves. 

Before they know it, the room is silent again, only Mack, Elliot and Will sitting beside each other in what is otherwise an empty room.

Mack and Will try to eat their lunch quickly but it's completely cold again before they are even through half of it. Elliot just keeps talking about things that make Mack and Will fall even further behind in their schedule.

They can't leave until Elliot is done. All three of them keep glancing at the watch, Will and Mack getting more stressed as Elliot gets less.

Finally, Elliot shuts his lunchbox with a happy little click, stands up, and tugs at both their arms.

“Come on!” he says, practically vibrating.

They put their things away before following the suddenly very cheerful little kid down the stairs and toward the rink again.

Mack laces up Elliot's skates before doing his own, getting into his own gear.

Elliot runs through the tunnel ahead of them, stopping right at the entrance to the rink. He turns around, grinning so much it looks like it hurts.

He peaks his little head out, waiving his arm in some signal before turning back around. “Ready” he asks.

Mack frowns. “For what?”

Elliot doesn't answer, only tugging at their arms to get them to step out further.

Mack and Will break out in laughter the second they see the whole rink transformed.

Cones have been lined up to an aisle, paper hearts, cut messily, are taped to the boards around the rink. Every kid stands lined up along the cones, looking right at them with excited smiles.

A WEDDING sign hangs crookedly over the goal that is moved closer to center ice to act as an altar. The sign is drawn in crayon with every color imaginable. George holds two paper rings made from tape and pipe cleaners. Rose has a handful of confetti made from shredded homework. Max stands proudly with a clipboard he definitely stole from the coaches’ office. Cleo stands in the center like she’s ready to make this great.

Elliot skates forward, grabs Mack's hand and pulls him toward the aisle leading up to the goal. “Just stay here” Elliot whispers as he stops Mack in front of the goal, taking his own place right beside.

“Okay” Cleo announces. “Everyone take your places”

Music comes on, Zoe skates up to Will and George hands the rings to the kid who is apparently taking the role of ring bearer. Rose makes her way over to stand in front of Will, with Leo, carrying the rings, between them.

The music changes once everyone is in the right place. That's Rose's cue to start skating. She slowly makes her way up the aisle, throwing the paper confetti around her all the way up to the altar. She tucks into the front row as Leo follows, handing the rings to Max before Zoe starts leading Will up the aisle.

Mack can't help but stare at Will. 

Everything has caught him so badly by surprise he hasn't been able to think about how ridiculous and adorable all of this is. But seeing Will being skated down the aisle toward Mack does something to his heart. Will looks unfairly good, blond hair sticking out under the helmet, perfectly pink cheeks, the tarp that reminds him every day that they are in this together.

Zoe lets go of Will's hand, leaving him in front of Mack. Both of them stare at each other with wide eyes and flushed cheeks.

“Give me your gloves, you have to hold hands” Elliot leans out from behind Mack.

Will and Mack giggle a little but do what Elliot tells them to. They hand him the gloves, and he has to use the full length of his arms to hold on to all four of them.

Mack and Will braid their fingers together, blushing harder every time they look up at each other.

“Okay” Max clears his voice and the kids stand up straighter, staying more quiet than ever. “We are gathered here today to finally marry Coach Mack and Coach Will”.

Will's fingers tighten slightly around Mack's and Mack's heart stumbles.

Elliot leans forward, whispering, “you have to look at each other”

The world narrows as they do. Things around them turn into a blur.

Max continues reading from his clipboard, “do you promise to be husbands forever?”

Mack swallows and Will's cheeks go even more pink. Both nod.

“Do you promise to help each other with hockey and life and everything?” Max continues.

They both know they can promise that. They are more certain about it than they have ever been about anything else in life.

They nod again.

“Do you promise to be nice even when you’re tired?” Max adds.

Another nod.

“Do you also promise to not be mean even when you have to compete against each other?” 

The nod is accompanied with some giggling, but yes. Yes they promise that too.

Elliot tugs at Mack's tarp. “You’re doing good,” he whispers. Mack shoots him a smile, thank you.

“Then I declare you two husband and husband” Max cheers, holding out the two rings.

“You put them onto each other's hands” Elliot whispers behind Mack.

They listen, taking one each, threading them onto the other hand. The rings are absolutely tiny, as if the kids used their own fingers as a guide. They don't get further than up to the first knuckle of their pinkies. 

“You may now kiss your husband” Max continues.

Mack and Will should've known it would come to this. They have been to weddings, they know this part exists but it hits them anyway.

“Kiss! Kiss! Kiss” The kids cheer.

Elliot drops all four gloves onto the ice to cover his ears but his face is still filled with a wide smile.

Will’s fingers curl tighter around Mack’s. Mack steps closer, heart pounding so hard he can feel it in his throat. 

Will whispers, barely audible, “Mack…”

Mack whispers back, “It’s okay.”

“U sure?” Will asks.

“Yeah, U?” Mack might not be so sure anymore.

Will sees it in his eyes. He lets Mack make the decision for them.

It has never been about Mack not wanting to kiss Will. It's the opposite. It's the way he is scared over just how much he does want to.

They give each other a small nod before Mack leans in, pressing his lips against Will's.

Will inhales sharply, then melts into it, kissing back with a steadiness that makes Mack’s knees go weak. Will’s hand tightens around his. Mack’s thumb brushes over Will’s knuckles. Their helmets bump lightly.

It's soft and warm and gentle but most of all, it's filled with everything they try not to feel about it.

The kids cheer, throwing more confetti. Ryan is crying because he has changed his mind and realized love is just as powerful no matter who feels it toward who.

Mack doesn't hear any of it. He only feels Will. Feels the warmth of him, the softness, the way Will kisses him like he's been waiting for it just as bad as Mack has. Like they have already done this a million times before, yet the excitement of it being a first makes his whole body buzz.

They pull apart, leaning their helmets against each other for a second, sharing something between them in their gaze that they can't quite explain but something tells them this isn't the last time.

Elliot tugs at their arms to make them follow him down the aisle, whispering for them to keep holding their hands. Elliot tells them how good they were, just in the same way as Mack has been encouraging him all weekend. Mack would cry about leaving the kids if it wasn't for the fact his mind was currently too occupied with filing away the taste of Will's mouth into some secure place of his brain where he is never going to lose it.

The kids are already cleaning things up before Mack and Will have even made their way back down the aisle.

Rose is scraping confetti from the ice. Max goes to find an ice scraper to help. Liam and Erik start peeling the tape off the boards. Three kids get the goal back to where it's supposed to be as a few others pick up the cones.

Mack and Will follow Elliot slowly, still holding hands because Elliot keeps reminding them every few seconds.

“You have to stay together,” he whispers, like it’s a rule.

Will laughs under his breath. Mack can’t stop smiling.

They reach the bench and Elliot assures them they have to stay and let everyone else clean up. Once the rink is clean again, the kids swarm them, handing them various presents and cards.

Mack and Will get pulled into a million hugs, helmets knocking together, uncoordinated arms squeezing their waists.

Max taps his clipboard to get attention. “Okay! Wedding cleanup is done. Time for the game against the newly-wedds!” 

Mack and Will blink at each other, still flushed, still buzzing, still trying to process the kiss they just shared. 

Will opens his mouth but he can't think of what to say.

“No talking! Game time!” one of the girls shouted, pulling Will's arm to get him out on the ice.

Max and George go over the rules once everyone is back out on the ice. It's Mack and Will against all the other kids, first to three goals win.

Will bumps Mack's shoulder gently.

“Come on, husband,” he whispers, teasing but warm.

Mack’s face goes red all over again. “Lets win” He giggles, lining up for the puck-drop.

Max drops the puck, blowing his whistle far too loud. Mack wins, passing the puck back to Will but both of them are quickly swarmed by five kids each.

One kid drops his own stick to grab Will’s, Theo skates straight toward Will without stopping, sending him with full speed crashing into Will's skates. Will stays upright by some miracle, threading the puck through ten other sticks to hit Mack's blade.

Mack gets tackled by seven kids at once, losing his balance. He ends up in a pile of laughing kids and tiny sticks swinging all over the place.

Will steals the puck from under some kid, taking it toward the goal but he loses it right as he is about to shoot. 

Cleo takes the puck. Skating as fast as she can as the rest of the team focuses on holding Mack and Will back. The kids score.

It's not a game that follows a single rule. The first one is broken from the fact they are two against fifteen but that's far from the only breach of rules.

Once Mack and Will know what level the kids are choosing to play at, they are right back to winning. Scoring two goals quickly despite the way they have at least five kids on them at all time, abandoning their sticks just to go after a tackle. They grip their legs, Mack gets a kid holding onto his skate, dragging along as he skates up to make that second goal.

Mack and Will laugh so hard they can barely breathe. They celebrate every goal in a tight hug, laughing hard as the kids do all they can to win.

“We should probably let them win right?” Mack says before lining up for the next puck-drop, whispering into Will's ear close enough to let his lips brush against Will's skin.

“Yeah” Will sighs. They both know the happiness of seeing the kids that happy, is going to be better than a win ever could. Who even tries to win against a group of kids anyway?

They still act like they want to win. Putting up a good attempt but deliberately messing up before scoring.

They keep letting the kids swarm around them, allowing the kids to get the puck sometimes. Giving them some hope.

Mack is absolutely ecstatic as Elliot scores after taking the puck on his own. Elliot looks happier than Mack has ever seen before and the way the whole team celebrates him warms Mack's heart.

They let the last of the part game for as long as they possibly can. Making sure not to score and holding off the kids from scoring for as long as they possibly can. They know they will have to say goodbye to the kids after this, know the kids' parents are already waiting in the locker room. A few parents even come out to sit on the bench, laughing as they watch their kids attack Mack and Will time and time again.

It hurts to see them go, hurts to not know if they will meet these kids again. It's a group that three days ago was just a list of names that have turned into fifteen kids they love. It's a group of kids they quickly learned to love, quickly started to care about. Each and everyone of them is special in their own way. It's crazy how much personality is able to fit into such a tiny frame but they love every part of it.

It hasn't been three easy days, but it has for sure been worth every second of it. Worth every sticky hand holding onto their own. Worth every tear they have dried, every band-aid put onto invisible injuries just to make them feel better, worth every skate they have laced up.

The goal made by the kids hurt as much as seeing the USA score in OT at the Olympics. This time, not because of the thought of losing an Olympic gold, but at the thought of having to say goodbye to the kids.

But they have to keep strong for just a little longer. Will and Mack sit in the pile of kids who tackled them to the ice as the kids cheer. 

Mack takes Elliot into a hug, whispering to him how proud he is. The kids keep cheering, skating over to their parents who are all watching from the bench. The smiles all around are wide. Only Mack and Will's smiles are fake. They are happy to see the kids look so happy, proud to see how much every kid has developed into better and stronger players and kids, but it can't make up for the sadness of knowing this is the last time.

They slowly follow the kids to the edge of the ice, hugging each and every one of them before letting them head out with their parents. 

Some kids are harder to say goodbye to. Those kids are the ones who stay back. The ones who don't really want to step off the ice. 

After another million hugs, most of the kids are ready to go home with their parents. 

Elliot stays, hugging Mack's leg. Mack keeps a hand on his shoulder, protecting him from what is probably an overwhelming amount of people and noise.

“Hi Macklin. I'm Elliot's mom. I have heard a lot about you and just wanted to thank you. Elliot hasn't stopped talking about you for a second” A woman says with a wide smile, walking up to stand on the other side of the board in front of Mack.

Mack smiles widely. When he looks toward Will, he sees Will beaming with the widest smile, looking impossibly proud of him.

“I know it's a lot to ask. But is there any possibility we could come to some of the open practices during the season” She is careful, not wanting to ask for too much.

“Yes” Mack's eyes open wide. “Yes, yes, absolutely. Just message me and I will make sure to come find you before or after” Mack looks really excited. 

Elliot hugs him tighter and his mom gives him a grateful look, thanking him so much.

Elliot finally feels ready to leave after hugging Mack once more, giving Will an equally big hug.

With that, Mack and Will are left all alone again. The door shuts behind Elliot's mum and silence falls around them in the stadium.

Will wraps an arm around Mack, tugging him into a tight hug.

“We did good,” Will whispers, letting his helmet knock into Mack's.

“Yeah, yeah we did” Mack sounds sad.

“Still tough to leave them” Will knows what Mack is thinking about. 

Mack nodded, closing his eyes tight.

“But you will meet Elliot again. And I'm sure the others will be around sometime again” Will assure him.

Mack nods, closing his eyes tight for a second. Will keeps his arm around him, letting Mack lean into him the way he always does when things get a little too heavy. The rink is quiet now, the kind of quiet that feels strange after three days of constant noise.

They stand like that for a moment, just breathing, letting the silence settle around them. Mack opens his eyes again, catching the way Will looks right back, soft in a way Mack isn’t used to seeing. It makes something warm settle in his chest.

They stand long enough for his breathing to slow. Long enough for the sadness to settle into something softer. Long enough for the warmth of Will’s hands on his back to feel like the only thing keeping him upright.

“Guess we are married now” Mack laughs softly.

It catches Will by surprise, "yeah, guess we are” he giggles, looking down on the ice as he blushes.

When Will looks back at Mack's eyes, they are glued further down his face.

Will barely even have to lean in to feel Mack's lips against his again. Will kisses him, slow and gentle, one hand sliding up to hold onto the back of Mack's neck like he’s afraid he’ll disappear. Mack’s thumb brushes over Will’s jaw. Their helmets bump again, but neither of them care. 

Mack kisses him back with something more than in the kiss at the wedding. That kiss shuffled his whole mind, but this is different. This is theirs.

They pull back just enough to rest their foreheads together, both of them smiling in that small, tired way that says everything without needing words. 

The rink is quiet. The weekend is over. But this part of it feels like the beginning of something much greater.