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you're an asshole the text from Leon reads, and Matty smirks and sends back you love me you know you do
everyone is going to think I’m the bad guy now you piece of shit
Matty settles on the bed and replies with just a string of angel emojis. Leon doesn’t reply, but soon enough Davo sends a link to the video in their groupchat.
You made Chucky cry Drat
fuck you I did not cRY
That gets a series of crying laughing emojis from Johnny, then a middle finger from Leon, and Matty falls asleep before he can reply.
The All-Star Game had been fun, being in his hometown with his family and friends had been a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The fact that he’d gotten to play on a line with Leon, score a goal with Leon, had just been the icing on the cake. They played together in their unofficial scrimmages when they happened to be in the same city, but it was nothing like scoring an actual goal with a screaming crowd around them. He caught the replay after he got back to Calgary, how he had smiled at Leon and Leon had smiled back, and sent it to Leon.
people are going to figure out you actually like me if you keep smiling at me like that
you smiled first moron
😉
you're an actual idiot
Matty’s still not sure when Leon had become one of his best friends. He’d been friendly enough with Davo, mostly due to them both being friends with Marns. Matty had assumed that they were legally obligated to hate each other due to the Battle of Alberta rivalry, and he had enjoyed the early days of their rivalry, where there was heat and tension and maybe checks that were just a little too hard.
Then, he’d been invited over to Davo’s for dinner after a game, had found himself in a corner with Drat with a beer, and the guy had been….nice. He’d been darkly funny, a little sarcastic, a bit of an asshole, and that had been it. They’d progressed from mutuals on Instagram, to texting, to video calls, and soon enough Matty had what he considered one of his best friends.
The fact that it didn’t translate to the ice just made it even better.
The Battle of Alberta still raged, and Matty still took every opportunity he could to pester Leon Draisaitl, #29 of the Edmonton Oilers. He’d check, chirp, and slash to his heart’s content. At the end of the day, he’d get a fond eyeroll and a punch to the shoulder when they hung out after. It was fun, to have this…this secret friendship when the public thought they couldn’t stand each other. It made it fun, made it felt like they were pulling one over on everyone else. They’d poke and prod and Leon would talk shit about him to the press, and then Matty could call him afterward and give him hell.
“You’d get off the ice if you saw me, huh?” He’d greeted one night after a particularly mean soundbite had spread.
“Of course, I can’t stand you.” Leon hadn’t hesitated, and Matty watched from here Leon had perched his phone as he put together a salad.
“Aww, babe, I’m hurt, truly.”
“You’re full of shit.” Leon glanced up from where he was chopping a radish to roll his eyes.
“Seriously, you’ve destroyed, like, all three of my feelings.”
“I’ll never get over the guilt.”
“Just for that, I’m going to make sure I assist on one of your goals at the ASG.”
Leon had chuckled, mumbled ‘sure,’ and changed the subject to the ongoing renovation of Davo’s house.
When Matty had done just that – made sure that Leon got a goal thanks to him – he’d nearly cracked up at the ‘fuck you’ Leon had sent his way.
“You coming to Edmonton for Leon’s birthday?”
Matty nods, then remembers that Davo can’t actually see him over the phone. “Yeah, for sure. We don’t have a game the next day, so I’ll drive up after practice.”
“Great. Does he know you’re coming?”
“I mean…it’s his birthday, I thought he would just know?” Davo chuckles on the other end of the line.
“True, you two are attached at the hip.”
“Shut up, you’re just mad that I stole your best friend.”
“Lauren’s my best friend.”
“Well, Lauren is awesome and you’re lucky she gives you the time of day.”
“True.” Davo chuckles again. “We’ll see you in a few days, Chucky.”
The drive to Edmonton is long, but not unfamiliar, and he’s early enough that it’s only Davo, Lauren, and Leon. Davo’s house is nice, if a little impersonal, but the cheesy blue-and-orange decorations Lauren had set up as a joke warm the place up. Leon pulls him in when he walks through the door, wraps his arms around his shoulders and holds him tight.
“Happy birthday, man.” He says into Leon’s neck, his nose tickled by the stubble he keeps at just the right length.
“Thanks.” Leon seems slow to pull away, keeps his arm around Matty’s shoulders after as they chat with Davo and Lauren.
Matty drifts once the rest of the guests start to arrive. They’re mostly Oilers, but after so long they’re used to a Flame in their midst. Nuge and Nursey are friendly enough; Barrie is new, but he’s Matty’s exact kind of chaotic; Kassian gives him a wide berth and Matty does the same.
Still, he finds himself back with Leon over and over again. It’s usually Leon who finds him, presses up against him, slings an arm around his shoulders, or guides him to another part of the house with a warm hand on the small of his back. He seems loose, a few beers in but not drunk, and his smiles are easy and bright. It’s a good look on him, Matty has to admit – happiness looks good on Leon.
They’re at the beginning of the season, but the party still breaks up pretty early. Soon enough, it’s back to just him, Leon, Davo, and Lauren sprawled out on the couches. Lauren’s leaning against Davo across from where he and Leon are sharing a couch. She looks half-asleep, comfortable with her head resting on Davo’s shoulder. Matty feels a pang of longing in his chest – he hasn’t had a boyfriend in…longer than he’d care to think about. He’s happy in his life, happy with his career and his team and his family and his friends, but it doesn’t mean that he doesn’t want more.
“You okay?” He feels Leon nudge his shoulder with his own, as if he could read his mood.
“Yeah, just tired.” He replies, sinking further into the couch as he listens to Leon and Davo talk quietly. He feels himself list over toward Leon, and he’s half-asleep when he hears Davo.
“I just don’t get you two.” Leon doesn’t tense under him, but Matty can tell that Davo’s talking about two of them. He keeps still, keeps his breath even as Leon replies.
“What do you mean?”
“You’re so clearly into each other. Frankly, it’s a little ridiculous. You do these…these…what are they Laur?”
“Hearteyes.” She mumbles, clearly half-asleep herself.
“Yeah, those. You can see your hearteyes for him from space.”
“You cannot.” Leon mumbles, a tinge of grumpiness that Matty wants to laugh at, but he wants to hear the rest of this conversation more.
“And he does the same thing. He drove three hours for your birthday, Drat.”
“He’s my best friend.”
“Leave him alone, Con.” Lauren interrupts, and Matty can hear shuffling that must be her pushing him up off the couch. “Let’s go to bed. Are you okay to drive, Leon?”
“Yeah.”
“Oh, and you know the best part?” Connor interrupts, sounding further away. “The best part is how you haven’t noticed you’ve been holding his hand this entire time.”
It’s only then that Matty feels the weight of Leon’s hand on top of his, resting between their legs. It had felt so natural that he hadn’t even noticed. He hears Connor and Lauren head upstairs, and Leon doesn’t move, and he doesn’t move his hand away. Matty feels nerves swirl in his gut. He could…he could wreck one of the best things in his life. Or, he argued, he could be brave and maybe get something even better in return. Leon hadn’t denied…
Matty twists his hand slowly until his palm is pressed against Leon’s and twines their fingers together.
“I knew you were awake.” Leon gripes, but he squeezes Matty’s hand tighter and Matty smiles into the fabric of his sweater.
“You have hearteyes for me.” Matty chirps, and Leon huffs out a breath.
“Your mom has hearteyes.” It’s the lamest comeback of all time, and Matty likes him so fucking much.
He twists, throws a leg over Leon and settles down into his lap. Their hands come untangled, and Matty hates that until Leon’s hands settle on his hips. He stares up at Matty, and Matty stares down, and it feels like the most natural thing in the world to lean down and press his lips to Leon’s. It should be awkward, like all first kisses are, but to Matty it just feels right, like coming home, especially when Leon’s mouth opens on a gasp and Matty licks inside. Leon’s grip on his hips tightens and he surges up, turning the kiss from fairly chaste to filthy. Matty groans, digs his fingers into Leon’s short hair, and he barely registers that they’re doing this on Connor Fucking McDavid’s couch.
That is, until they hear Connor’s voice from the top of the stairs.
“You two better not fuck on my couch!”
Matty pulls away, presses his face into Leon’s neck, and shakes with laughter.
“Yeah, yeah, we’re going.” Leon calls, though he sounds wrecked, and Matty can’t help but wonder just how wrecked he can make him sound as Leon pushes him off of him.
“You coming?” He asks, staring down at Matty, and Matty feels his heart stutter in his chest when Leon holds hand out. It’s nothing, really, something so small but Matty feels positively soft when he slips his hand into Leon’s and lets him pull him up. Once he’s standing Leon leans in, pecks his lips, and tugs him toward the front door.
“One can only hope I’ll be coming very soon.”
Leon’s smile despite his eyeroll is worth the terrible joke.