Hockey Imagines

Pumpkin | Auston Matthews

#34, Center for the Toronto Maple Leafs
Word Count: 3.4 K

". . . I was seven and you were nine
I looked at you like the stars that shined
In the sky, the pretty lights
And our daddies used to joke about the two of us
Growing up and falling in love
And our mamas smiled and rolled their eyes
And said, 'Oh, my, my, my'"
- "Mary's Song (Oh My My My)", Taylor Swift

Seven Years Old

"Auston, slow down!" I yell after him, getting frustrated. I told him I can't run as fast as him, but he ignored me and continued to run off without me.

I reach my backyard and stop, knowing I need to take a second and try to breath normal. I feel like I'm not getting enough air.

"Auston." I call, but not loudly this time. I don't have enough air to yell for him, and I'm staring to freak out.

He finally turns up in front of me, looking worried. "Y/N? What's going on?" He's two years older than me, so usually he can take care of things that I can't. He'll know what to do.

"I feel like I don't have enough air."

His eyebrows push together, making him look weird. I want to laugh, but I'm too scared to do that right now. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that I'm out of breath. And not like normal." I tell him, angry. This is his stupid fault. If he hadn't of run off without me, this wouldn't be happening.

"Let's go inside." He grabs my hand and hurries to get me into my house. Mama is in the kitchen, making dinner for Auston and me. I rush over to her, but have to stop halfway to catch my breath. Auston hurries to my side, looking more worried than ever.

"Y/N? What's going on, sweetheart?" Mama asks, stopping her cooking to check on me.

I shrug. "I don't know. I feel like I'm not breathing right."

She tilts her head. "Okay, I'm gonna call Auston's mom and ask her to finish dinner, and the two of us can go to the doctor, okay?"

I nod, but Auston cuts in. "Let me go, too. I gotta make sure Y/N is okay." He argues.

Mama sighs, but gives in. "Okay. Let me call Ema, and then we can go."

Auston brings me to the kitchen table and makes me sit down, standing beside me the entire time. The only time he leaves me is to get me a water bottle, which he makes me drink as soon as he gets back.

"Back off." I mumble. I'm still angry with him. Whatever is happening, it's because he had to scare the crap out of me and run off while making me chase after him.

Soon, Ms Ema is at our house and Mama, Auston and me are at the doctor. After getting a few checkups, the doctor comes in and sits down with us. He looks really serious, so I grab Auston's hand just in case. He squeezes it and gives me a small smile, trying to make me feel better.

"So, Y/N." The doctor smiles at me to try to calm me down, but it just makes this worse. What is she going to tell me that she needs me to calm down for before? "You have this thing that we doctors call bronchial asthma, but you're just gonna call it asthma. Basically, it's where your airways are inflamed and fill up with mucus, making it hard for you to breathe."

"That sounds scary." I whisper.

"It sure does. But I'm gonna help you." She turns in her seat and picks up something from her desk before giving it to me. "This is an inhaler. You use it whenever you're having a hard time breathing, and it will help you. You keep it on you at all times, just in case." She sighs. "Now, it won't help you one hundred percent, but it'll make your life a whole lot easier." I nod. "Whenever it starts to feel really light, you let your mom or dad know and they'll get you a new one, okay?" I nod again so she knows I'm listening.