NHL/CHL Imagines

Carter Hart ~ Everett Silvertips

This one was requested by @ARI_MANCHESTER97.  Hope you like it!!!

"I'll get it!" You ran to the door and slid, your new Christmas socks giving you some pretty good distance on the slide. "Hello!"

Carter grabbed you in a big hug before either of his parents could. They'd come over for yet another Christmas breakfast; something you always looked forward to.

"How's it going?" he asked.

"Great!" You hugged his parents quickly before you and Carter went off to sit in the sunroom.

Even though there wasn't any sun. The two of you had sat in the sunroom in the same beanbag chairs for the last six years. You pulled your legs up as you leaned back against the cool red plastic.

"How was the flight back?" you inquired.

"Not bad," he admitted, stretching back against his blue chair. "Not sad that it's over though."

You chuckled. You both hated flying, that was how you met in the first place. Six years ago, both your families were flying to Orlando for a vacation. You'd ended up right next to each other in the waiting area, both of you freaking out about your impending death on a flying hunk of metal.

It was a bonding experience.

You ended up getting to know each other when your families stayed at the same resort, and despite attending different elementary schools, were close enough to end up at the same high school.

Until Carter left to play hockey in Everett.

"Don't worry, you'll get to go on another one tonight."

"Ha. You're so funny Ari."

You grinned and he just chuckled.

"I wish you were coming," he began suddenly. "Flying doesn't suck as much when you're there."

"I just make everything better."

He laughed now.

"Ok. Whatever you say."

"You love me."

"Yeah yeah yeah." He still had that lopsided grin on his face. "You better be watching."

"I'll cheer so loud you'll hear me when you play in Montreal," you promised.

"Good."

"You guys wanna come in for breakfast?" your mom inquired, sticking her head out.

The two of you raced to the table, with you winning obviously, and sat down. Everyone chatted lightly while you ate, Carter telling you about some of the guys he was excited to get to play with.

When you finished everyone sat in the living room to talk and exchange gifts. Only you and Carter got stockings anymore, with the adults just exchanging cards with gift certificates or something. But you and Carter still loved the candy and goofy knickknacks you'd get in the oversized socks.

Afterwards there was more socializing, and you and Carter eventually ended up back in the sunroom. He asked you about school and people here, while you asked about his hockey and teammates.

"Can I ask you something?" he asked in a serious tone.

You blinked.

"Sure."

"Would you want to come out to see me? Ever?" he inquired.

"Well yeah, I'd love to see where you play and meet your teammates and billets, you talk about them all the time. But it's expensive to fly down there. Are you coming to Edmonton again soon?"

"February," he answered sadly.

You twisted your mouth to the side. That was still a long ways away.

"If it wasn't so expensive, would you?"

"You know I would."

He pulled an envelope out of his pocket and handed it to you. You stared at him, but slowly opened it.

A printout of an airplane ticket.

"You-Carter these flights are more than four hundred dollars!" Now you felt dumb about the hat you'd gotten him.

"I got some money when I signed with Philly," he stated.

"But—"

"Ari, just take it, please," he begged. "I miss you when I'm away. It-I just..."

You looked at him, and he looked back at you.

"I love you," he whispered.

You hoped you didn't look as shocked as you felt right then. You didn't want him to take it the wrong way—you just never knew.

"Carter I—really?"

"Ye-yeah."

You grinned, leaning across the beanbag chairs and planting a kiss on his cheek.

"I love you too."

Thanks for reading! If you liked it, let me know by giving it a vote! Requests are open; just another reminder to please inbox them, comments tend to get mixed up and this way we can work together to get an idea! Thanks again! 

I'm hoping to get back on the original update schedule of WEDNESDAYS, where, depending on the volume of stories I have available I will update TWO or MORE each WEDNESDAY.  I'm going to be away for the next week and a half though, and don't know when I'll necessarily be able to post as wifi situations are unknown at this point xD Thanks again for reading! Hope to see you again soon! <3