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Will knew about Connor and Mack. Hell, the entirety of the league must have, considering the fact that he himself had heard it from other guys around the NHL and not directly from Mack. News travels fast when everyone in the league is either acquainted or related— it’s a tight-knit group, so he didn't really feel guilty about not hearing it from Mack himself.
Besides, Will didn't think Mack would even want to tell him about it. What would Mack even say? That he and Connor were hooking up before Mack’s draft? Or worse, that they were in an exclusive— commitment-be-damned— relationship until it fell apart, and now they were just seen as prodigy rivals? Will just rolled his eyes to himself. He didn't think he had the nerve to listen to whatever Mack had to say about it either way.
Technically, his grasp on Mack’s relationship with Connor was just built on a string of gossip and whispers around the league. So, when Mack casually announced that he’d be hanging out with Connor the night before their game against the Blackhawks, Will had to snap his mouth shut before his jaw hit the floor.
Mack looked quite offended by the reaction. “dude, what was that?”
yeah. what was that? why are you hanging out with your ex? Will faked a cough to stop himself from verbalizing the thought.
“nothing. i didn't know you guys were still talking.” He stopped there, but his tongue was itching to press for more. Maybe he could flood Mack with questions. That way, they’d be too engaged in conversation for Mack to remember he was supposed to meet up with Connor.
That made Mack’s eyebrows rise. “uh, yeah. why wouldn't we be talking?” He looked genuinely confused, his lips quickly forming a pout as though he were thinking hard. It was the same pout Will found entirely too endearing, the same pinkish lips that plagued his thoughts far more than he’d ever admit. He would be swooning right now if only Mack hadn't just admitted that he was still talking to Connor Bedard. Not just talking, but apparently, they were still buddy-buddy. Will really needed to get over it.
“cause he’s your ex?” The words slipped out. damn it. He didn't even know he had such a big mouth. “just from what i heard from the other guys, it’s not like i actually believe it, though.” Turns out, he was a liar too. Because he did believe it. He had just been desperately hoping those guys were wrong, that speculations were just speculations. Where did they even get that idea? He wasn't sure. He didn't want to know.
“yup.” Mack popped the 'p,' sounding like he was proud of it. Will could feel his stomach dropping.
“yup?” Will tried, his voice tight.
“yeah, he’s my ex, smitty. we’re still friends, tho,” Mack replied casually, as if this were a perfectly normal topic of conversation.
Will really should have practiced some willpower, because he was certain the disgruntled look on his face was enough to completely give him away.
“for the record, it was never as serious as the gossip implied. so we’re just really cool about it,” Mack continued, clearly thinking this clarification would make Will feel better, rather than make him want to retch.
Of course. He wanted to laugh at himself for being surprised, as if he hadn’t already known beforehand. Being in denial only gets Will so far, and right now was the end of that road, which was a destination he didn't appreciate even a little. It wasn't just a rumor. It wasn't just some locker room talk invented by players looking for drama between two first overall picks. It was real. Mack had just confirmed it with less gravity than he usually used to decide what to order for dinner or what movie they should watch next.
Hearing Mack say it, hearing him use the word ex so casually and so easily, stripped Will of every argument he had prepared in his defense. All he could do was stare at Mack, his eyes wide as he processed the sudden shift in his reality.
Mack, entirely oblivious to the internal ruckus he had just caused, checked his phone and offered a quick, easy smile. “anyway, i gotta go if i wanna make it on time. don’t wait for me, okay?” He gave Will a playful nudge on the shoulder, and headed for the door without waiting for a reply.
The click of the door shutting behind Mack finally broke Will out of his trance. He let out a breath he’d been holding since Mack’s admission. His mind was a chaotic blur of pink lips, a gut retching sensation, and unfortunately, the looming shadow of Connor Bedard.
A bitter smile tugged at the corner of Will's mouth as he sulked his way toward the mattress, the physical movement grounding him against the heat of his own jealousy. He swallowed down the tightness collecting in his throat, letting the silence of the room wrap around him. It was a frustrating, irritating reality to accept. He should have let it remain a mere concept; he could have lived perfectly fine without Mack’s confirmation.
Yet, out of his newfound desperation, a more grounded thought began to settle over his irritation. He wasn't one to back down over the past.
Let Connor have the scraps of Mack’s time. Connor could have Mack for the night. He could have a few hours of catching up in a city Mack was just passing through.
Connor could have Mack tonight, but Will had him every day. Will was the one who got to drive Mack in the mornings, the one who had tended to him after he broke his tooth, and the one who got to wake up to that cute, sleepy pout tomorrow morning. Connor was just the past, a brief chapter written before the draft. It wasn't like they were serious anyway; Mack had said it himself. Will was the present, the everyday reality.
He’d be damned if he ever let Mack go anywhere.