requested by TheAnduin

"hey rowan, we're moving you up to the islanders. their photographer, john just quit and since you're the best down here. you're the choice to go to new york."

you were the photographer for the new york islander's ahl affiliate team, the bridgeport sound tigers.

you nodded to your supervisor in disbelief. it had always been your dream to take photos for the islanders.

"we have a hotel set up for you there, but you're permanent so i would suggest looking for a place soon." your supervisor smiled.

"thank you so much." you said with a big smile.

your supervisor smiled back at you and nodded.

it was your first day in new york, coming from connecticut. you were on your way to morning skate to take some photos there. you were beyond excited.

you arrived at the isles practice facility and bounced into the building. someone told you where to go and you went there. you sat at the boards and took photos of the players practicing and walking on and off the ice.

after the practice was done, you did a little bit of work before packing up for the day to go home and probably take a nap before the game tonight.

as you walked you looked at your phone and texted. it obviously wasn't a very good choice when you slammed into the front of someone.

"i'm so sorry." you rambled.

"watch where you are going next time." a man said.

you looked up and saw no other than mat barzal.

"oh are you the new photographer?" mathew asked.

you nodded.

mathew nodded slowly back at you and furrowed his eyebrows with a touch of a nasty face.

he swiftly walked off without another word.

"what the hell?" you whispered to yourself.

that's definitely not what you imagined, especially from a seemingly giggly, nice kid like mat barzal.

you gave him the benefit of the doubt and assumed he was having a bad day, but as days went on you soon discovered that he simply just did not like you at all.

everyday you hoped it would get better, but everyday you were let down.

1 year later

you had had this job for a whole hockey season now and you absolutely loved it.

you made great friends with a lot of the isles staff members and even a lot of the players, of course besides mat barzal still.

you two still loved to exchange insults and bicker with each other nonstop.

you were going out with the players tonight to celebrate their clinched playoff spot.

you got dressed into your favorite outfit and rode with brock nelson to the bar.

you were talking to leo komarov and jean-gabriel pageau for a while. you looked down at your glass and realized it was empty.

"i'm going to go get a drink real quick." you said.

"rowan, i can get you one real quick. i was about to go to the bathroom and then get drinks." anders lee piped in.

"no i'm alright. i'll get my own, but thanks anders." you smiled at him.

you went up to the bar and ordered yourself your favorite drink. you sat on the edge of your stool, watching the mixed drink get made.

"hey beautiful."

you turned your head to the side and saw where the voice was coming from.

it was a man that looked slightly older than you. he had dark hair, he wasn't very tall, but he looked very strong.

you smiled uncomfortably, "hey." you said back politely.

"how are you doing tonight?" he asked.

"i'm doing alright." you said, searching by the bathrooms for anders.

"let me buy you a drink. what do you like?" the man asked.

"um i just bought my own but thanks." you said with a uncomfortable laugh, still searching for someone to help.

"how about we get out of here?" this man asked rhetorically and grabbed your arm.

your heart began to race nervously and you tried to pull your arm away from his grasp with no avail.

"let me go." you pleaded, your eyes raking the room for any of the boys. 

"no sugar, we're going somewhere private." the man said and began to pull you towards the car door.

"hey, what the hell are you doing touching my girlfriend?" you heard someone say.

you instantly recognized that voice as mathew's. you looked up at him with pleading eyes, screaming to help her.

"what are you doing leaving a pretty one like this by herself? she wants me, not you bud. hate to break it to you." the man said.

mathew's eyes were dull and stern, "listen i'm going to tell you once, let her go and we won't have problems." mat said.

"why would i let her go? she chose to come with me." the man said.

"goddamnit man, let her go!" mathew yelled.

you spotted anthony beauvillier come behind mathew.

"fine." the man holding your wrist said and harshly pushed you onto the floor.

"you have no fucking right to touch her like that you fucking bitch." mathew yelled.

"what are you going to do about it?" the creep scoffed.

"fuck you." mathew said and took a swing.

anthony rushed over to get you up off the floor and away from the fight going on.

anders quickly pulled mathew off of the dude.

"it's time to go mat and take rowan with you." anders said to mathew.

mathew nodded, still severely pissed off.

mathew gave you the nod towards the door to signal he wanted to leave and you were coming with him. anthony kissed your forehead platonically and pushed you gently in the direction.

"have a good night." anthony said.

you left with mathew and got into his car. it was silent as he drove. you saw his already bruising eye.

"thanks mathew. you didn't have to." you thanked him quietly.

"i wasn't going to stand there and watch him harass you." mathew said bluntly.

"you don't like me so i don't expect you to save me." you said with a shrug.

"i'm not going to let you get taken advantage of even if i don't like you." he said, "which isn't true." he said quieter.

"what did you say? did you say it wasn't true that you don't like me?" you asked confusedly.

"i like you just fine rowan." mathew said, staring at the road ahead.

"no you don't, we are at each other's necks constantly." you snapped back.

mat sighed, "it's because you scare me rowan. there. is that what you wanted?" he sassed back.

"why would i scare you mat?" you asked as if he was ridiculous.

mathew rubbed his face with one of his hands then placed it back on the steering wheel.

"listen, i'm so in love with you and it scares the shit out of me." mathew admitted.

your whole body froze with surprise. if anything, you would've never thought that that would come up.

"that was such a dumb thing to say." mathew shook his head at himself as he pulled into the driveway of your apartment complex.

"good night rowan." mathew said quietly with sadness in his voice.

you were about to get out of the car, but you couldn't.

you looked at him straight in the eyes and said, "come upstairs with me please."

mathew tried to hide his smile as he nodded, "okay."