Hockey Imagines

I Wouldn't Have It Any Other Way | Kirby Dach

#77, Center for the Chicago Blackhawks
Word Count: 2.5 K

Dedicated to BrookieMount

"Can't keep control of it
When you come around me
Gotta get a hold of it
Tell me if you're ready, 'cause I'm ready
Yeah, you know what you're doing when you walkin' in that dress
Baby, I can tell that you ain't easily impressed
I got tunnel vision, think it's time that I confess
If I could just get my arms around you"
- "Just Friends", Why Don't We

Kirby's POV:

"Dach, line change!" Coach calls to me from the other end of the bench. I immediately launch myself over the boards, and directly into the game. I intercept the Capitals player and steal the puck, heading for the other end of the ice in hope of scoring.

The defenseman do their job and make a clear space for me. I see Kane a few yards away from the goalie and pass to him, hoping he'll be able to score.

Seeing the goalie focused on him, he moves around to the back of the net. "Michigan!" He yells before tossing the puck over the net.

I hit it, not even paying attention to what part of the net I'm aiming for and, by some miracle, it goes in. We scored.

The team completely clears the benches, tackling me and Kane in hugs. We did it. We just won the game with less than a minute left. Unless, of course, the Caps manage to score a goal to tie within forty-seven seconds. All is possible.

As I'm skating back to the bench, a girl in the stands catches my attention. She's turned to talk to the person sitting beside her and engaged in a conversation, showing me the number eighty-eight and "Kane" on her back. So she's a Chicago fan. This is a good start.

Her smile is so big that I can see how perfect it is even from all the way back here. She turns her head to look back at the ice and catches my eye, her smile faltering slightly as she nervously tucks a piece of hair behind her ear.

Alex throws his arm over my shoulders and tugs me the rest of the way to the bench. "What the hell are you doing, Dach?"

I glance back up at the stands and see her making her way to the end of the aisle, bag in hand. Shit, she's leaving.

"I gotta go." I tell him, going straight for the locker room. I need to get rid of my skates so I can go after her. I need to find her.

"Dach! What the hell do you think you're doing?" Coach demands, yelling after me. I don't stop, knowing I need to talk to this girl or I'll regret it for the rest of my life.

I kick off my skates when I reach the locker room and then head straight for the exit, in a rush to get to her. I need to talk to this girl, to meet her. She intrigues me, and all we've done is make eye contact.

"Kirby!" I hear my brother yell. He's a rookie this season, and was sitting on the bench for the game. And now he's hot on my heels, determined to not let me leave the game.

"What?" I ask, not slowing down. I'll probably end of face-planting since I'm wearing socks, but I don't care.

He grabs me by the arm. "Where are you going?"