playing house - 1.2k words
"(Y/N), I already tried, they're only letting family in." TK explained.
"I might as well be family damn it!" I huffed, pacing back and forth in the parking lot. "I'll figure something out. Keep you updated, bye."
I could already picture Travis rolling his eyes with a smirk, "Call me later."
I hung up, starting for the doors of the hospital. Nolan had gotten here a few hours before, having suffered a broken arm from the game tonight, and immediately went into surgery. I assumed he would be slightly loopy but I needed to see him. I had to make sure he was okay.
I fixed my bag over my shoulder and went up to the front desk.
"Hi how can I help you?" The receptionist asked.
"I'm here to see Nolan Patrick." I thrummed my fingers against my leg out of nervous habit.
"And you are?" The woman raised a brow.
I said it with as much confidence as I could muster, "His wife."
"Well Mrs. Patrick, he's awake now, room 324."
"Thank you." I nodded. I walked down the hall and took the elevator up to the third floor, humming mindlessly to keep myself distracted.
I just hoped he wasn't in too much pain, the way he went down hurt to watch, and the arena fell silent as he screamed from the break. My best friend was one to keep his emotions and injuries under raps. He knew the difference between being hurt and injured, but this? This was gruesome to watch.
The elevator doors opened and I practically ran down the hall to his room. I slowed down as I approached, slowly peering into his room where he laid eyes closed, arm wrapped up in a cast.
I knocked gently, his eyes fluttering open as I stepped into the room. With his free arm he patted the spot next to him and I slid over to plop down next to him.
He gave me a small smile, voice gruff but filled with mirth, "How'd you get in here? TK texted and said they were only letting family in?" He seemed a little loopy.
I cupped his cheeks with my hands and gave him a mischievous grin, "Aren't you happy to see your wife?"
He gave a hearty laugh despite his flush and I was glad to see his broken arm hadn't broken his spirit. He was a fighter.
He lightly grasped my wrist that was flush against his cheek and brought the inside of it to his lips to lay a sweet kiss there. His eyes connected to mine and I held my breath. My heart exploded into butterflies that sent a wave of nerves into my belly.
It felt real. And I didn't really want it to stop.
His eyes flicked to the door and back at me, pulling me into his side with ease, "Thanks for getting here as fast as you could babe, I really needed you."
I furrowed my brows but I heard movement around the room and looked back to see the doctor with a clipboard.
"Mr. Patrick, I Have a prescription for you for the pain and you should be ready to go tomorrow morning." He nodded and she motioned me over.
I pecked his temple and he shifted in the bed. I could tell he wasn't quite ready to be left alone again just yet so I squeezed his hand. "I'll be just a second." He gave me a squeeze back before letting go so I could follow her just outside the door.
"You're his-"
"Wife." I said, "I'll be taking care of him."
She nodded slowly, going over her clipboard. "Make sure he gets a ton of rest and water and make sure he takes these twice a day. He's going to be pretty uncomfortable in that cast, just make sure he doesn't do anything too heavy with it."
I nodded glancing back into his room to see him already looking right at me. I gave him a grin and turned back to her.
She was smiling softly at me. "I think he'll be just fine." She handed me his medication.
"Thank you."
"Of course." She left down the hall and before I went in I could hear Nolan talking on the phone.
"I don't know Teeks, I think it's cute she pretended to be married to me... It- It means she cares... You could've said you were my brother or something, yeah show you care a little." He laughed. And my cheeks tinged pink at his first comments.
I waited a little while he was still on the phone, not wanting to interrupt their conversation that was clearly about me, but also wanting to eavesdrop a little bit.
"I'm glad she came... no I can't. I don't want to ru-" he paused for a moment listening on the other side, rolling his eyes. "I'll talk to you tomorrow."
I felt my heart race. I didn't want to ruin anything between us either. But I always want to be where Nolan is. I always come rushing back.
I took that as my cue and walked back into the room sitting at the end of his bed. "Doc says you need rest and to drink your liquids." I pat his leg.
He fisheyed me a little, not convinced of my nonchalant manner. He leaned forward so he was sitting up and winced as his broken arm brushed the rail of the bed.
"Easy there tiger, don't try to move too fast." I chuckled reaching out to steady his shoulders.
"I'm okay." He looked up at me, "How much did you hear?"
My words caught in my throat, "I-"
"It's okay (Y/N), you should know."
"Know what?"
His eyes lazily trailed down to my lips and then back to meet mine, "how I feel about you."
I think my heart went into shock, "We're just playing house Nolan, I just needed to make sure you were okay."
He clutched my hands in his. "We're not just playing house (Y/N). We haven't been for a long time." He looked so serious. Like it had to get through to me. Like I had to believe him.
I took a breath, "I don't want to mess this up, but I like you a lot. You've always meant a little more to me."
"You are the first person I think of when I wake up and the last person I think of when I go to bed... wifey." He grinned, "you've always meant a little more to me."
I leaned in a little closer, our foreheads almost touching as I whispered, "so what now?"
He leaned in slowly, nerves coming off him in waves as our lips touched. But as soon as they did those nerves vanished. Smooth lips covered mine in slow drawls, moving easily and in rhythm with mine. It was like we just fit.
He pulled back, brushing a stray hair out of my face, "Now you're my girlfriend."
"I like the sound of that." I chuckled and he leaned in again.
