Virtual Trick-Or-Treating
Oct. 31st, 2013 07:38 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rsadelleHappy Halloween! Welcome to the fifth annual edition of virtual trick-or-treating.
Knock or ring the bell by leaving me a comment, and I'll reply with a treat of some sort. It might be a fic snippet, a picture, a song, or something else I come up with in the moment. I will be virtually handing out treats until around eight PM Pacific Time, but if I don't get to it by then, I'll give you a treat tomorrow, or by the end of the day Saturday at the latest. Lurkers and anonymous trick-or-treaters are welcome! (But if you want a treat specific to your interests, let me know something about why you know me.)
(Not my actual door. Photo by Flickr user derekskey, used under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.)
Knock or ring the bell by leaving me a comment, and I'll reply with a treat of some sort. It might be a fic snippet, a picture, a song, or something else I come up with in the moment. I will be virtually handing out treats until around eight PM Pacific Time, but if I don't get to it by then, I'll give you a treat tomorrow, or by the end of the day Saturday at the latest. Lurkers and anonymous trick-or-treaters are welcome! (But if you want a treat specific to your interests, let me know something about why you know me.)
(Not my actual door. Photo by Flickr user derekskey, used under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.)
(no subject)
Date: 2013-10-31 06:14 pm (UTC)(hockey-related, please and thank you)
Love You Best (1/3)
Date: 2013-11-01 03:33 am (UTC)Also on AO3.
Tyler doesn't bother to do more than brush his teeth before he leaves his room to poke his head into Segs' room before he goes downstairs. Segs doesn't move, but Marshall jumps out of bed and follows Tyler down the stairs. Tyler throws on a pair of sunglasses and a hat with his t-shirt and pajama pants, slips his feet into a pair of sandals, and grabs Marshall's leash.
It's too bright out, but he takes Marshall around the block. Marshall behaves himself, and is even pretty quiet when they get back, just hovering around the kitchen while Tyler refills his food and water bowls.
Tyler was quiet coming down the stairs past Candace on the landing, but Benn chose to sleep on the couch instead of on the air mattress in Segs' room, so he has no problem running the coffee grinder.
Benn makes his way into the kitchen after the coffee's started dripping. Tyler pulls a second coffee cup out of the cabinet, but pours the first cup for himself.
"Thanks," Benn says when Tyler slides the second cup in front of him. He drinks some of his coffee, then says, "Hey, so, I think we kind of got off on the wrong foot."
Tyler just stares at him, because he has no idea what Benn's talking about. "Uh, no," he says.
"Are you sure?" Benn asks. "Because you seem kind of." He doesn't finish that.
"No," Tyler says. "We're good."
Benn says, "If you say so," and drinks more of his coffee.
Tyler can hear Segs stumbling down the stairs before Segs comes around into the kitchen. Segs slumps onto a stool and puts his head down on the counter. "I want something really greasy. Like McDonald's."
"Nope," Tyler says. He pours Segs a cup of coffee and adds milk and a tiny bit of sugar before sliding it onto the counter in front of him. "Summer of nutrition, and we already blew it last night."
Segs groans at the mention of last night. "How am I so hungover?" He rolls his head to look at Benn. "We drink during the season."
"Beer," Benn says, "not vodka."
Segs sips at his coffee, and then lets his head thunk onto the counter.
Tyler opens the fridge and starts pulling out ingredients. "We have turkey sausage."
"Yes," Segs says. "And Jamie should make omelets. He makes really good omelets."
Tyler exchanges a look with Benn.
"If you don't mind," Benn says. "It's your kitchen."
Tyler waves Benn into it and lets him make himself at home.
Candace comes into the kitchen while Tyler's pouring out protein shakes. Tyler holds up the blender in her direction. She shakes her head, so he only pours three glasses while she gets herself a cup of coffee.
"Drink this," Tyler says, putting one of them down in front of Segs.
Segs makes a face.
"Summer of nutrition," Tyler says. "Drink it, or no sausage."
Segs makes another face, but takes a large gulp of it. "Not fair that you're not having any," he says to Candace.
"When someone pays me to play hockey, then I'll drink protein shakes when I'm hungover." Candace eyes Tyler and Benn. "Hockey players cooking, nice."
Benn looks like a deer caught in the headlights, Tyler rolls his eyes, and Segs groans.
"Don't you have a boyfriend?"
"Yep," Candace says cheerfully, "but he's not a hockey player."
"Stop perving on my friends," Segs says.
Candace chuckles, not very loudly, but drops it. "You know since I stayed over you're going to have to have a sleepover with Cass before Jamie leaves."
"I know," Segs says. "It'll be a little different from this one."
Candace shrugs. "Doesn't have to be. You could do shots with her."
"What? No," Segs all but yelps. They all wince at his volume, and he brings it down when he says, "She's too young."
"How old were you when you started drinking?" Candace asks.
Segs doesn't answer, which is enough of an answer, and Candace smirks at him.
"I'm not drinking with Cassidy," Segs says. "We can make cookies and watch movies."
Love You Best (2/3)
Date: 2013-11-01 03:33 am (UTC)Benn gives the first omelet to Candace and the second one to Segs.
"You make the best omelets," Segs says after he shoves a bite of it into his mouth.
Tyler brings the pan of sausage over to the counter to put some on Segs' and Candace's plates.
Segs smiles at him. "I love you best."
"Sure you do," Tyler says, but he can't help smiling a little.
*
No girlfriend and no contract meant no reason not to spend the summer in Toronto. Tyler's still training with NHL players, even if it's not with a specific team's staff, and the summer of nutrition thing he and Segs are doing means he feels good, like he's making progress.
He hangs back after their workout for the day because he's still working on some things with one of the trainers. He's been putting in some extra work all summer, so the other guys are used to waiting for him.
He can just hear the sound of Benn's voice when he comes out of the locker room. He can't hear what Benn says, but he can hear Segs saying, "It's not like that," and Blacker saying, "It could be like that," and then all three of them shut up when Tyler comes around the corner.
"We've been waiting forever," Segs says, pushing himself off the wall.
"It's been, like, ten minutes," Tyler says.
"Forever," Segs says with a grin, and he lets Tyler get a couple of steps ahead of him before he jumps on his back.
Tyler hooks his hands under Segs' thighs and carries him as far as the door before he dumps him onto his own two feet.
Benn says, "Lazy bastard," and thumps Segs on the shoulder as they go out toward the car.
Segs tries to jump on Benn, but Benn shoves him away, and they scuffle their way to the car.
"Your face is going to stick like that," Blacker says.
Tyler's not even making a face, but he shoots a look at Blacker, who just looks back at him.
"Jamie's going home in four days," Blacker says.
"I know that." Tyler doesn't actually have a problem with Benn, but he maybe mashes the button a little hard to unlock the car doors.
*
Tyler compromises on summer of nutrition for Cassidy's sleepover: he buys pre-made cookie dough, but they do homemade pizza. That's more fun anyway, the four of them crowding around the kitchen counter to put toppings on their pizzas, and Segs dropping slices of mushroom and pepperoni into Cassidy's careful arrangement of toppings just to make her yell and shove at him.
"You sure you don't mind?" Cassidy asks Benn when she puts on Mean Girls.
"Nah," Benn says. "This is like any Saturday with your brother."
They all know it's true, so Segs can't even say anything about it.
They take a break after Mean Girls to make cookies out of the cookie dough they don't eat raw.
By the time Cassidy falls asleep on the couch, there aren't that many cookies left, although Tyler was good about only having a few and Segs didn't eat very many either.
"You want some help?" Tyler asks when Segs picks Cassidy up.
"I got her," Segs says. "I deadlift more than this."
Tyler goes up the stairs ahead of him anyway and turns down the blankets on the bed on the landing so Segs can tuck her into it.
Tyler heads downstairs, where Benn is already rinsing plates in the kitchen even though he's a guest and doesn't have to.
"I got it," Tyler says, grabbing up the cookie sheet that should really be hand washed anyway.
Benn holds his hands up and steps back to let Tyler finish cleaning up the kitchen.
"She can't be drinking already," Segs says when he joins them in the kitchen. "She's too young."
Benn throws an arm around Segs' shoulders. "We all have to grow up sometime."
"She'll always be your baby sister," Tyler says, and Segs shoots him a smile for it.
Love You Best (3/3)
Date: 2013-11-01 03:33 am (UTC)"Hey," Segs says.
Tyler raises an arm in a lazy wave.
Segs plops down next to Tyler and rubs behind Marshall's ears when he lunges halfway across Tyler's lap to get pets.
Segs sighs and leans back against the couch when Marshall's satisfied. Tyler can feel him staring at the side of his face.
"What?"
"I know you don't like Jamie-"
"I never said that," Tyler says. "He's fine. I don't know why everyone thinks I have a problem with him."
Segs holds up his hands. "Okay." He lets his hands drop again. "I'm not replacing you, you know."
"I know that," Tyler says, even though, okay, maybe he had that thought about Benn once or twice.
"I still love you the best," Segs says, and he doesn't say it like he's joking around or like it's a quick, "I love you, man." He says it like he means it, and Tyler looks at him, really looks at him.
"Yeah?" he asks.
"Yeah." Segs licks his lips, a motion Tyler can't help following with his eyes. He jerks his eyes up, and Segs is staring at him now, eyes wide. "Jamie said," he says, and then grabs Tyler's wrist when Tyler doesn't even move. "No, listen. I kept telling him it wasn't like that with us, but he said it could be. Could it be?"
And, well, it's not like they haven't been circling around this for years. No girlfriend and no contract also means no reason not to go there now.
"Yes," Tyler says. He slips his wrist out of Segs' hold so he can hold his hand instead. "I love you the best too."
Segs grins at him so wide that it makes it hard for Tyler to kiss him.
(no subject)
Date: 2013-11-02 03:54 am (UTC)Sid won the coin toss, so he gets to wear Pens sweats, a long sleeve Pens tee, and his yellow Crocs. It means it takes him less time to get dressed, so he's the one to get Alina into her costume. It's not hard. The whole thing is basically a black and white sleep sack with yellow-orange feet attached to the bottom.
As soon as she's in it, Alina takes to mouthing at the part around her face. Sid knows from experience that there's not much he can do about that; this is why he bought something washable and ran it through the washing machine before he put it on her.
He takes Alina downstairs, walking her around the house and talking to her while they wait for Geno. Geno finds them in the dining room, so Sid gets to take in his costume all at once, from the top down. Geno in a tux is enough to take Sid's breath away, until he gets to the shoes and can't help snorting out a laugh.
"Where did you get those?"
Geno grins and kicks up one foot with its giant, bright yellow dress shoe. "Had to special order." Then he takes Alina out of Sid's arms and coos at her in Russian Sid can't quite follow. He's working on it, but he's not quite there yet.
It takes forever to leave the house with a baby, but they get out of there eventually and head over to Duper's for the party.
Maeva answers the door, and they both exclaim over her costume before she takes their coats. Sid drops the diaper bag in the entryway, and they go in toward the rest of the party.
"Sid, Geno!" Flower's delighted yell reaches them across the chaos of hockey players and children. "You're a family of penguins!"
(no subject)
Date: 2013-11-02 04:00 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2013-11-02 03:34 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2013-11-02 04:24 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2013-11-02 03:34 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2013-11-02 08:22 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2013-11-03 02:51 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2013-10-31 08:38 pm (UTC)Ask For It (1/2)
Date: 2013-11-01 03:45 am (UTC)Also on AO3.
Tyler's sitting on the floor, closer to Jamie than Jordie, where he can lean against Jamie's leg. He was kneeling earlier, but when they do this, they're careful about not doing anything that could cause problems for his hockey, and he has permission to move around if he needs to.
Jordie unwraps one of the fun size candy bars and holds it out toward Tyler, but pulls it back before Tyler can take it from him. "What do you say?"
"Please?"
Jordie shakes his head, "Not tonight. What do you say?"
It takes Tyler a moment to catch on. "Trick or treat?"
Jordie holds the candy out so Tyler can eat it out of his hand. "You want another one?" Jordie asks when he's done.
Tyler nods, and Jordie nods his head at Jamie. "Ask him."
Tyler turns toward Jamie. "Trick or treat?"
Jamie picks out a different kind of chocolate, unwraps it, and holds onto it when Tyler bites it in half. He feeds Tyler the second half, and pushes his fingers into Tyler's mouth to lick clean. Hand feeding isn't practical most of the time, but it's a treat that works for all three of them.
It works so well that Jamie has to use his free hand to adjust himself in his pants. Tyler moans around his fingers when he does, and sucks harder.
"You want this?" Jamie asks. He pulls his fingers out of Tyler's mouth so he can answer.
"Yes, please."
Jamie flicks a glance at Jordie. He started it, and he nods at Jamie to keep it up.
"What do you say?"
Tyler looks confused, then says, "Trick or treat?"
"That's it," Jamie says. "Good boy." He runs his hand through Tyler's hair before he unzips his pants and gets his cock out. Tyler always likes that, and he likes sucking cock too, moving up onto his knees and practically vibrating with want before Jamie pulls him forward and lets him get his mouth on his cock.
He's enthusiastic, and also objectively good, and he makes happy little noises when Jamie directs him with a hand in his hair or on the back of his neck.
Jamie keeps his attention mostly on Tyler, even when he can see Jordie taking out his cock and jerking himself off on the other end of the couch. Jordie's not really that into men, but he's really into the part where they make Tyler do what they want, and Jamie's not that into Jordie, but really into the part where someone else watches him make Tyler do what he wants, so it works out.
"Good," Jamie gasps out, "you're so good." He holds on maybe too tight to the back of Tyler's neck, but Tyler likes that too, and just moans around Jamie's cock. "I'm going to come," he says. "You're going to swallow." That's the point where Tyler can stop him if he needs to, but he doesn't this time, sucks harder until Jamie comes into his mouth.
Tyler's hard, cock obvious through his jeans even when he's on his knees, and Jamie nudges at his cock with the top of his foot before he uses the hand still on the back of Tyler's neck to turn him toward Jordie.
"Come over here," Jordie says.
They both watch Tyler shuffle over on his knees until he's between Jordie's legs.
"If you ask nicely," Jordie says, "I'll come on your face."
"Please," Tyler says, and then catches himself and says, "trick or treat."
"I've got a treat for you," Jordie says.
Ask For It (2/2)
Date: 2013-11-01 03:46 am (UTC)Tyler can't take his eyes off of Jordie's cock, and Jamie has to be the one to pay attention and tell him to close them just before Jordie comes.
Tyler always looks good with come striping his face, and he's bright red with arousal too. "Can I come?" He has both hands curled into fists on his thighs, like it's taking all his effort not to touch himself.
"What do you say?" Jamie asks since Jordie obviously isn't going to.
This time, Tyler gets it right the first time. "Trick or treat."
"What do you think?" Jamie asks Jordie.
"Mmmm?" Jordie opens his eyes and looks down at Tyler. "He was very good."
"And it is Halloween," Jamie says. "He deserves a treat." He nods at Tyler. "Jerk yourself off."
They usually let Tyler come, but he still tears at his jeans like he thinks they're going to change their minds and not let him today.
Jordie closes his eyes again, but Jamie watches Tyler jerk himself off. He likes this part, when Tyler's so desperate that he can't do anything but jerk himself fast and hard. Jamie thinks about it sometimes when he's jerking off by himself, or when they're teasing Tyler and making him wait.
"Please," Tyler says when he gets closer, and then, "trick or treat," and then he's mixing them both together until Jamie says, "You can come," and then he folds over himself as he comes with a wordless cry.
"Thank you," Tyler mumbles after a moment. He shuffles away from Jordie and back to where he can lean on Jamie. He's probably getting come all over Jamie's pants, but Jamie doesn't care that much.
"You deserved that," he says. "You were very good." He pulls Tyler up onto the couch and into his arms, because he deserves that too, and because the way he curls into being cuddled is almost as good for Jamie as the way he gives in to all the other things they do to him.
Jordie puts his cock away and tosses one of the candy bars at them. Jamie catches it before it can hit Tyler. He unwraps it without letting go of Tyler and doesn't make Tyler ask for this one. He's been more than good enough for it.
(no subject)
Date: 2013-10-31 09:14 pm (UTC)Hockey, Not Gay Porn: A Mini-Picspam
Date: 2013-11-01 03:01 pm (UTC)Brendan Gallagher (Source)
James Neal (Source)
Tyler Seguin (Source)
Tyler Seguin, again (Source)
Sidney Crosby (Source)
Re: Hockey, Not Gay Porn: A Mini-Picspam
Date: 2013-11-01 06:28 pm (UTC)I'm proud of my thread/dissertation of which hockey star should be in which gay porn studio LOL
p.s. Thanks, especially for the Sidney one :D
Re: Hockey, Not Gay Porn: A Mini-Picspam
Date: 2013-11-02 03:38 pm (UTC)I don't know if you clicked through to the original Sid post, but you should definitely go look at the previous one. Someone reblogged one of them with a comment that was something like, "I love it when Sean Cody includes behind the scenes footage."
Re: Hockey, Not Gay Porn: A Mini-Picspam
Date: 2013-11-02 04:43 pm (UTC)Anyway, I love the one where Sid & Geno are on a red couch with the SC tag in the corner. Makes me nostalgic about the red couch during the early days of Sean Cody lol
Re: Hockey, Not Gay Porn: A Mini-Picspam
Date: 2013-11-03 02:52 am (UTC)Yes, that one is also great.
(no subject)
Date: 2013-11-01 03:01 am (UTC)Gimme Shelter (1/3)
Date: 2013-11-02 03:39 am (UTC)Also on AO3.
The need to get the fuck out of the house and do something that isn't getting roped into charity work with Segs' teammates' wives and girlfriends is what drives Tyler to volunteer at the animal shelter. There isn't much point to getting a job when Segs makes millions and they both want to see each other when they can, but volunteering is different. He doesn't need a resume for that, and they're pretty flexible about his hours.
He's been doing it for a couple of months when someone drops off a box of kittens. They're tiny, six impossibly small bodies, and Kathryn, the shelter's vet, shakes her head when she has Tyler help her give them all checkups.
"Are they going to be okay?" Tyler mostly works with the dogs, but he sometimes hangs out with the cats, and they haven't had any this small since he's been there.
"They're on the edge of being too young," Kathryn says. "They should stay with the mama cat for at least twelve weeks, but they'll be okay even though they're only ten." She checks each one out carefully, Tyler handing them to her one at a time and carefully petting the ones she's not working with. "At least they've already been spayed and neutered, so whoever dropped them off was somewhat responsible with them."
All six of them yowl when Kathryn gives them shots, and Tyler shushes the other ones, running the back of one finger down their backs. "Shh," he says. "It'll be okay. This is to keep you healthy."
Kathryn smiles at him when she hands him one of the kittens and takes the next one out of the box. "You're good at this," she says.
Tyler shrugs. "I'm better with dogs."
"You must be great with dogs, then."
Tyler shrugs again, and keeps petting the kittens.
After Kathryn's checked out all six of them and declared them healthy, Dan, the shelter director, has Tyler put them in their own enclosure.
"We'll keep them on their own for now," Dan says. "Just to make sure they're okay before we put them in with some of the other cats. Some company would be good for them if you want to spend the rest of your shift in here. They're already starting to know you."
Tyler has to be careful with his knee, but he can sit on the floor with his leg stretched out. Once the kittens discover that, they seem to think it's part of their play space, and they claw at his jeans while they try to climb over his leg. Tyler is more of a dog person, but it's still pretty cute.
*
Segs is on a week-long road trip, so Tyler spends more time at the shelter, and Dan has him take care of the kittens. Mostly that means cleaning up after them and making sure they're fed, but it also means sitting down with them to make sure they're socialized enough to be adoptable, and, after a few days, introducing them to potential adopters.
"Kittens go fast," Anna, the adoption director, says when three of the kittens get adopted in the first two days. "They're cute, and sometimes it's easier to take in kittens than older cats that already have attitudes and personalities." She smiles at Tyler. "We screen people pretty carefully before they even get to see the kittens. Your babies are going to good homes, and they're not going to get brought back because they're not kittens anymore."
"They're not my babies," Tyler tells her, and then Segs when Segs laughs at him when Tyler tells him about it later.
"I'm just trying to imagine you as a cat lady," Segs says.
"Oh, fuck you," Tyler says. He tries to keep it joking, but it stings a little. He's still not quite used to what his life has become now.
"Sorry," Segs says after a second.
Tyler closes his eyes. Why does this have to be so hard? "It's okay," he says. He might even be telling the truth.
Segs sighs, and then he says, "I love you."
"I love you too," Tyler says. It doesn't fix things, but it helps.
Gimme Shelter (2/3)
Date: 2013-11-02 03:39 am (UTC)Tyler looks up at her, and the last kitten takes that opportunity to pounce on the toy Tyler was holding out of his reach. "We have a dog," he says.
"Cats and dogs can live together," Anna says.
Tyler tugs the toy out of the kitten's paws and waves it at him. Marshall would probably do okay with the kitten, and Tyler has gotten attached. "I'd have to talk to Segs."
"Think about it," Anna says. "I'll give you a couple of days before I let anyone else adopt him." She leaves, or Tyler thinks she does, because he turns his attention back to the kitten. He has to be lonely, now that he's the only one left and no one's adopted him yet.
It's the last day of Segs' road trip, so Tyler says goodbye to the last kitten and leaves the shelter mid-afternoon to go home and take a nap before he watches Segs' game. He could make it through the game without the nap, but the flight from Phoenix isn't that long, and he wants to be up when Segs gets home.
The nap works, and Tyler is lying on the couch with Marshall watching Comedy Central when Segs gets home. Tyler has waited up for Segs after every game and road trip, even the ones where he had to go to sleep and wake up again later because Segs was getting in so late, and Segs still looks surprised every time.
"Hi."
"Hey." Tyler turns off the TV and gets up to greet Segs. He has to wait for Segs to stop lavishing attention on Marshall before he can get a kiss. "How was your flight?"
"Okay." Segs leans into Tyler's hug. "I didn't really sleep."
Tyler kisses his temple. "Do you need to eat, or do you want to go to bed?"
"I ate on the plane."
"Bed," Tyler says. He has to pry Segs off of him to get them both up the stairs.
"I'm too tired for sex," Segs says as they go up to their bedroom.
Tyler chuckles. "There's always tomorrow. Do you have practice?"
Segs shakes his head. "Complete day off."
"Then definitely tomorrow." Tyler gropes Segs' ass for good measure.
They let Marshall into bed with them, and once they're settled, Segs rubs his cheek against Tyler's shoulder and says, "Tell me about your kitten babies."
"They're not mine," Tyler says, and then he tells Segs about the kittens and potential adopters until Segs falls asleep.
*
Tyler wakes up before Segs and takes Marshall out for a walk, then leaves him outside the bedroom when he gets back into bed with Segs.
Tyler gets up again after they have slow, lazy sex and makes breakfast that he brings back to Segs in bed.
"I fell asleep last night," Segs says when he's eaten most of his breakfast and is picking at the end of his eggs. "Did all your kittens get adopted?"
"All but one," Tyler says.
"Does no one want the last one?"
Tyler must be quiet for too long because Segs hmms and asks, "Did you want the last one?"
"Yeah, kind of," Tyler says. "I've spent a lot of time with him. But we already have Marshall."
Segs hmms again. "We could have a dog and a cat."
"It might be too much."
"I think we could handle it, and you could handle it when I'm not here. It can be practice for having kids."
Tyler doesn't know exactly what kind of look is frozen on his face, but it's one that makes Segs put the tray they've been eating off of onto the floor and turn to fully face Tyler.
"We're headed there, one day," Segs says, not even a question because they are, most likely, headed there one day. "Baby-"
Tyler holds up his hand to stop Segs. They both know that Tyler's never going to play hockey again and that he's going to be the one taking care of the kids if they figure that part of it out before Segs retires; he doesn't need Segs to actually say any of it.
"This was supposed to be getting me out of the house," Tyler says instead.
Segs shuffles forward and puts his arms around Tyler. "Can we go see your kitten today?"
"Yeah," Tyler says. "We can."
Gimme Shelter (3/3)
Date: 2013-11-02 03:39 am (UTC)"No," Tyler says. "We're here to see the last kitten. This is Segs." Tyler tenses a little, but no one here knows anything about hockey and won't know who Segs is.
Anna shakes Segs' hand. "Nice to meet you." She smiles at Tyler. "You know where you're going. Come back up here if you want to sign the adoption paperwork."
"I don't know if we're taking him," Tyler says.
Anna laughs. "Sure. Go on back."
The kitten rubs up against Tyler's ankles as soon as he goes into the room. Tyler gets down on the floor carefully, not looking at Segs while he does it. Segs still tends to get a pinched, worried look on his face when he gets reminded of how careful Tyler still has to be with his knee.
Segs sits down with him, close enough that he's a warm weight against Tyler's shoulder. "How do we do this?"
Tyler picks up the kitten from where he's trying to climb his way over Tyler's outstretched leg. The kitten, used to Tyler, only meows a little at being taken away from his game, and he calms right down when Tyler brings him to his chest and pets him.
"All right, little guy. This is Segs." He carefully transfers the kitten over to Segs, who's careful, in exactly the same way all the little kids who came to see the kittens were.
"Hi," Segs says.
The kitten freezes, like he can't decide what he's going to do, and then he tentatively butts his head against Segs' chest.
Segs looks up at Tyler with a smile. "I think he likes me."
"Yeah," Tyler says, even though he's looking more at that smile than at the kitten. "We probably smell kind of the same, and he already knows me."
The kitten gets tired of being held after a minute, and squirms around until Tyler takes him from Segs and puts him down on the ground where he can go back to climbing on Tyler's outstretched leg.
Segs hooks his chin over Tyler's shoulder to watch the kitten. "We're taking him home with us, right?"
Tyler leans against Segs. "You don't think Marshall's going to freak out?"
"Nah, he's pretty calm." Segs rubs his chin against Tyler's shoulder, like one of the cats. "That's your cat. He should come with us."
Tyler stops watching the kitten to look at Segs instead. "I love you," he says. It's still not going to fix everything, and neither is taking the last kitten home with them, but both of those things are going to help.
"I know." Segs presses his lips to Tyler's shoulder. "Me too." He stands up and holds out a hand to help Tyler up. "Let's go adopt your cat."
Re: Gimme Shelter (3/3)
Date: 2013-11-02 08:15 pm (UTC)Re: Gimme Shelter (3/3)
Date: 2013-11-03 02:54 am (UTC)I had a whole backstory for this and I was going to do maybe a five times pieces of the story thing, and then I just got focused on the cat. All of which is to say: I still make no promises, but it might happen someday. (One of the problems is figuring out why TBrown isn't playing hockey anymore. I googled career-ending hockey injuries, and it's mostly concussions and their aftermath, which I do not want to write.)
Re: Gimme Shelter (3/3)
Date: 2013-11-03 03:16 am (UTC)Well, things I have experience with!
I fucked my knee over and had to quit soccer at college. I can't tell you much about the technicalities, but I can walk you through rehab and what I can and can't do now. I have no idea how hard/easy it would be to hurt your knee in hockey, but I hurt mine in a car accident, so.
Also, I am super aware of why you wouldn't want to write Post Concussion Syndrome, as I also get to deal with that! Most it effect my night vision and causes migraines and neck issues and stuff, but it's awful and it would be no fun to write (watch, now I totes will).
Re: Gimme Shelter (3/3)
Date: 2013-11-04 06:44 pm (UTC):((( I can't even think too much about how common head injuries are in hockey because then I won't be able to enjoy it at all.
One other idea was for TBrown to only be the househusband temporarily. His contract is up at the end of this season, so what if he got injured at the end of the season? Presumably no one would want to sign him to a new contract until they knew he was going to be able to play again. If recovery/PT for whatever the injury was takes the whole summer and then some, then Segs invites him to come stay with him in Dallas. By the time TBrown is better enough to be signed, it's so late in the season that no one's going to/it's not possible. (Uh, this would require a little research into injuries and contracts and whatnot.) He still has to wait until the next season, so he stays in Dallas with Segs until Segs' season is over, and then they're together in Toronto, and then TBrown gets invited to development camp(s) over the summer. (And then possibly TBrown signs with the Stars since they've seen him work hard during his recovery in Dallas, plus they think he's a good influence on Segs and he's worth the money for both his work ethic/playing ability and for keeping Segs happy. He's still in the AHL, but the Texas Stars are in Austin, which is close enough that he and Segs can work in occasional visits.)