“Clair?” Roman calls through the apartment.

“In the office babe,” Clair answers typing away on her laptop.

“Hi Liebling,” Roman greets from the door of the office, watching Clair work furiously.

“Hey, how was the rink?” Clair looks up from her work for a split second to smile and ask the question before going back to work.

“Busy, traffic is already bad,” Roman tells her. They only live a 5 minute drive from the arena, still fairly downtown but somewhat out of the way from all the country concerts and hockey games.

“We are probably gonna have to leave early then huh?” she asks.

“Yeah,” he answers. “How much more work do you have?”

“Only like 10 more minutes, can you turn the water on for your pasta? I will start on lunch soon,” Clair tells him.

“Sure babe, I will let you finish work,” Roman leaves and Clair gets down to quickly finish. Clair works for a lifestyle magazine in Nashville and can do a lot of her work at home which is beneficial for game days when she wants to be home with Roman as he is on the road a lot. She usually writes about healthy food and workouts but lately she has been writing about the preds and Roman.

Minutes later Clair joins Roman in their kitchen and begin to prepare Roman’s lunch before his nap. Roman eats a lunch, naps, showers, and then eats his pre-game meal so usually the lunch is something light. Today, Clair and Roman make a salad and Roman is making his pasta for his pregame meal before so its easy to get ready. Roman usually eats a couple of noodles with his salad also. Clair doesn’t eat Roman’s pre game meal she usually eats dinner at the rink or the WAGs grab a bite to eat before the game and have a couple drinks.

Clair is cutting strawberries to put into the salad when Roman wraps his arms around her waist, lightly kissing her neck.

“Are you nervous?” Clair asks and feeds a strawberry to Roman.

“Yeah,” he admits with a sigh.

“Just play your best, the win’s will come,” Clair encourages.

“Yeah,” Roman says kissing her shoulder and just relishing in the silence.

“Just know I’m proud of you and that Nashville is SO proud of you and the guys,” Clair tells him trying to make him feel better.

“They want a cup,” Roman mutters.

“So do you babe,” Clair points out. “But like you made it so far already, be proud of that.”

“I am,” Roman finds his way under Clair’s t-shirt and rests his hands on her stomach. “Its just were so close, I can taste it,” Roman whispers the last part.

“I know,” Clair whispers back. Its at times like these where she didn’t really know how to comfort Roman. The words she says is never going to actually help it get over this. So she just turned around in her spot and wrapped her arms around his waist, her head leaning on his chest. His familiar scent encasing Clair and him dropping his head to rest on her neck. “I love you, I’m so proud of you,” Clair tells Roman softly.

“This season has been the best having you here supporting me,” he comments. “I love you Liebling.” Roman gives me soft kisses my neck.

Roman and Clair have been dating for over 2 years but Clair had been living with Roman since this season began. Clair had been in university in Nashville studying english and lived in a sorority until she graduated last year. She plans to go back to school soon to get her journalism degree but she is content with her life right now.

Tonight if Nashville didn’t win, Pittsburgh would win the Stanley cup so it was a must win for Roman and the team. Clair was nervous, but she didn’t want to show it to Roman to try and keep his nerves at ease. Carrie, Melanie, Kayla, and Clair were going to dinner before the game and Clair was already wanting to get some white wine into her to calm herself down.

__

Clair couldn’t even begin to comprehend what was happening. Off a lucky bounce, the Penguins took the lead with minutes left and from then on all the life was sucked out of the predators line up. Clair could see the disappointment on Roman’s face from the WAGS suite and her heart went out to her boyfriend.

Clair watched the seconds tick down and the Penguins pour onto the ice celebrating back to back Stanley Cups. Clair along with Carrie and Mel head down towards the locker room arm in arm ready to console their men. They knew this was going to crush the team and that there might never be a playoff run like this one ever again. The expansion draft looms in Clair’s mind, she knew Roman was safe, but James? He might get picked up by Vegas, they would be stupid not to pick him if he was available. But also Nashville would be stupid to let him go unprotected.

“How long until they come out, you think?” Mel asks us as we arrive to the family/ friends waiting area.

“Long,” Clair says sadly.

“The offseason comes with so much uncertainty,” Carrie admits to the group.

“Mike’s coming back next year, right?” Mel asks her face becoming weary.

“I’m not so sure anymore, he says he is gonna have to think long and hard about it,” Carrie whispers to us not wanting the other family members to hear.

“What- what do you mean?” Clair questions exasperated. “They just had the franchise’s best playoffs ever and he wants to retire?”

“I know, believe me at first I thought he was crazy when he first told me about it. It was just before the playoffs started. But with time I began to accept it and almost want it to happen. That doesn’t make me a bad person right?”

“No- Care, it doesn’t. I just never thought he would want to after this run,” Clair tells Carrie truthfully.

“I know, so who knows where his head is at right now? This might give him the push to stay one more season or two.”

“Do you still want him to retire?” Mel asks. “After this playoff run?”

“Yes and no. I don’t know. The more I thought about having Mike with Isaiah at home full-time or being able to come on tour with me as a family, the more I wanted it to happen. But theres a part of me who wants Mike to keep going after his dream in Nashville and I will miss everything about this place including you guys and the team. I know I will be happy with whatever he chooses, but I’m not so sure Mike will be and we need to make sure he doesn’t regret his decision.”

“Wow,” Clair breathes out.

“I know sweetie, but you have plenty of seasons before these thoughts come into your head,” Carrie comforts.

“I love you too, so much,” Mel says squeezing Carrie and Clair.

“Until next season,” Clair says. “I love you ladies.” The three let go of each other to see the team file out of the locker room together. It was sweet to see them all together but their faces were heart breaking. One by one they find they’re significant other or family and head to the parking lot.

Roman finds Clair and wraps his arms gently around her. Clair plays with his hair at the nape of his neck and ignores the scratchyness of his playoff beard. Clair searched for something to say, to comfort him.

Clair started with “I’m sorry.”

“Me too,” Roman croaks out.

“Lets go home,” Clair lets go of Roman and he immediately finds her hand and laces their fingers together.

Clair unlocks Roman’s car and lets him put his hockey bag in the trunk before Clair buckles into the drivers seat. Roman slowly gets in the passenger with a sigh.

“How about we run a hot bath and pour some wine, Ro? We can order take out from wherever and just relax,” Clair suggests to her boyfriend as he lays his hand on Clair’s thigh.

“That sounds good Liebling,” Roman says his voice raspy.

“It will be good to let your muscles relax. When do you clean out?” Clair tries to bring up lightly.

“Two days. But I don’t wanna think about that, I just wanna hang out with you,” Roman says softly, his voice getting stronger.

“I like the sound of that Liebling,” Clair always let Roman call her that, but she felt that tonight it was fitting for him.

Notes

a lot of fluff

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