Word Count: 1740

You haven't known Nick for long. In fact, you could say it was a crush at the first sight. He joined AHL's Chicago Wolves after his OHL team Owen Sound Attack got eliminated from the western conference semifinals against Sault Ste. Marie Greyhouds. You met him when he first came to the practice and you were there to keep company to your older brother, Tyler Wong. Well, he promised you to take you shopping afterwards, that was the only reason you actually agreed to attend the practice with him.

"Just hurry up after practice," you wrap yourself tighter into your sweater. Tyler looks at you, weary expression in his eyes. This is not the first time you said that since you left his place and it's slowly starting to get on his nerves.

"If you say that one more time, we are going home after practice."

Tone in his voice hints he is serious, so you huff in annoyance and cross your arms on your chest.

"I am serious, Y/N. And drop the attitude."

"Just because you are older, doesn't mean you can act like my dad."

He shakes his head in disbelief: "I can't believe I agreed to let you stay with me for a few weeks."

"I can't believe I agreed to stay with you," you quickly find an answer. Being second youngest out of four kids and the only girl, you quickly had to learn to stand up for yourself. And since your other two brothers, Austin and Colton, also play hockey and moved out very early to play for different teams- Austin for Okotoks Oilers of AJHL and Colton for Cochrane Generals of HJHL- all three guys have more in common. That doesn't mean you don't get along, though. But somehow it's sometimes difficult to be on the same page as Tyler, who is the oldest and sometimes convinced that he is the smartest.

"Next time, you can stay at the hotel, if that's what you want."

You are just about to say something to him as one of his teammates walks around the corner, approaching the two of you. Something about him makes you forget what you were about to say. Tyler catches on to your hesitation and turns around, seeing his teammate: "Ah, Nick. You just witnessed how to deal with annoying younger sister. Sis, this is Nick. He joined us recently after his OHL team was eliminated. Nick, this is my sister Y/N."

Nick, as Tyler introduced him, smiles and stretches out his hand. Tyler has to nudge you. Still in trance, you shake his hand and muster a shy smile. Nick chuckles and turns to Tyler: "I didn't know she doesn't speak much, unlike her brother."
"She usually talks more shit than anyone else on the team. She doesn't play hockey, but sure as hell swears like a hockey player."

You are still too much in awe to respond to your brother's comment. Nick notices your lack of words and, being a gentleman, says nothing. Instead, he turns to Tyler: "I already overslept yesterday's practice and I am late for today's while neither of us is dressed. Maybe we should get moving?"

Tyler turns to you with a grin: "Guess a knight in shining armor just saved you."

~~

During the practice, you sit just behind the players' bench, the closest you could get. Mostly, your eyes find Nick and you can't help but to look at him. You try your hardest to keep those glances short and unnoticeable, but your efforts are in vain as Tyler notices every little glance. He smirks to himself and lets you believe you are good at hiding your apparent crush for a while. Well, until their water break. He takes a small sip of water and skates to the boards closest to you.

"What?" you ask him, annoyed by his know-it-all smirk. He shrugs his shoulders, still smirking smugly.

"I am gonna wipe that smile off your face, Ty, if you don't tell me what's wrong?"

"You like him, don't ya?"

"Who?"

"You know who," he winks and skates away, joining his teammates. As soon as his back is turned to you, you blush. You didn't think you were that obvious. They were just little glances, nothing more...

After the practice, Tyler is one of the first guys out of the locker room. You wait for him outside, by his car, and it doesn't take long for him to show up. As soon as he sees you, he grins again.

"What is your problem?"

"Nothing, nothing. Was it only me or was the air in the arena a bit...tense today?" he remarks as he opens the door for you. You look up at him, eyes wide and unable to say anything.

"I think there was some sexual tension in there. Do you know anything about it? It involved one of the players, Nick Suzuki."

"I have no idea..."
"Did you know he has a crush on you? He told me on the ice that my 'sister is a great looking gal and would like to get to know her better'."

You still don't say a word, but that doesn't stop him. With his eyes fixed on the road, he continues: "Oh, the team is coming over after we come back from shopping. Around seven. Including Nick."

You glare at him in utter shock, but you finally get your ability to talk back: "What?!"
"You heard me, the team is coming over. And Nick has just joined us, so that would help him get more comfortable."

"Why do you hate me?"
"It's not about you. It's about a team getting together and welcoming a player who will be with us for a bit."

You shake your head, hardly believing what he said. Or what he did.

"And before you start nagging me, we decided to have a get-together at my place last week before you showed up."

"But..."
"You will have fun. Trust me," he smiles. However, his smile is tense and going by the tone is his voice, he might be concerned.

After shopping, you return to Tyler's apartment and while you lock yourself in guests' bedroom, he sets up the place for the evening get-together. It doesn't take long for the team to arrive, Nick arriving among the first ones. As soon as you see him, your heart skips a bit and you feel yourself blushing. He approaches you with a smile: "I know we have been introduced, but I felt it was a bit awkward. So...Nick Suzuki. And you are?"

"Y/N Wong, Tyler's sister. Nice to meet you. So, how do you like it here?"

"Well, so far so good. Everyone is super nice...well, I guess pranks are a part of being a newbie."

"Have you seen a lot of Chicago?"

"No, not really...are you going to give me a tour?" he smiles and touches back of your hand with his fingers. His shameless flirting sends shivers down your spine. It has been some time since you felt this way... but the problem is, this guy is your brother's teammate and having anything with him would get the both of you in some serious trouble. You look up at him and realize getting in trouble would be worth it.

Sometime later, with the party in the full swing, you and Nick get even closer to each other. So close, in fact, you realize you would need some privacy. Avoiding your brother, you somehow manage to sneak to guest – now your – bedroom. Both high on booze and anticipation, you stumble in, giggling and holding each other tight. You pull him on the bed, not even bothering with locking the door. His lips attach to yours and your make out session soon gets pretty heated. He sneaks his hand under your t-shirt and you are quickly unbuckling his belt. Both completely into your goal, to get the clothes off each other as soon as possible, you don't realize Tyler, being an older brother, followed you to make sure everything is okay. You don't hear the door open and don't even hear him clear his throat. Completely dazed, the world around the two of you disappears until Tyler, after realizing clearing his throat is not going to work, storms in the room and pulls Nick off of you.

"Tyler, what the fuck?"
"I could say the same thing, Y/N!"

You are completely oblivious to the fact you are in your underwear and that your hair is all messed up. You are completely oblivious to your red and heated cheeks and heavy breathing. You are completely oblivious to everything else, enraged by your brother's actions. Instead of arguing with you, Tyler turns to Nick: "I might not be around all the time, but when my baby sister is staying with me, nothing is happening. Especially not in my apartment."

"Like you never brought chicks over," you spit out and grab your previously discarded shirt. The glare he sends your way is cold enough to make the water freeze, but you don't even flinch. Nick looks at you, then at Tyler before speaking up: "I know, Tyler... but you said it yourself to try with her, that you saw something."
"I wasn't talking about a one night stand. I thought a date. When you are sober. Not drunk make out in my apartment."

Nick looks at you again, ruffling his already messed up hair, causing it to stick out in every direction even more: "So, a date?"

"If this asshole of a brother won't be around, when and where?"
"I will let you know," he smiles shyly. Then he turns to Tyler: "If I promise you we will be back in five minutes, are you going to leave?"
"I give you two. And if you are not back, I am going to visit this room again and drag you out by your hair. Both of you."

As soon as Tyler leaves, Nick approaches you and kisses you gently, yet passionately. You kiss him back, only for a second, before he pulls back. 

"I will take you on a proper date, okay?"

"It better be a great one," you chuckle and hand him his clothes. You get dressed in silence. He waits for you to make yourself look presentable before stretching out his hand: "Let's go back out there, miss Wong."