Chapter Text
Crowmark wasn’t usually an outdoor person, even though most of his work involved him being outside. Then again, most of his time spent outside was back in Brooklyn, looking over crime scenes… and dead bodies.
Okay, so he needed to get outside more. It seemed that the Universe decided to give him a break from beating his morality and existence into the ground because Craig texted him at his usual six in the morning telling him about an upcoming softball game with the Flapjacks playing against the neighboring city’s Seagull’s.
As usual, the game was going to be taking place at the softball field around 7 PM. It was only noon, so he had some time to kill. Might as well get around to looking like a somewhat functional human being. Better start with a shower then.
As Crow ran the dog shampoo Damien gave him through his hair (supposedly makes it softer and more shiny), he thought about his life, as one always does in the shower. Seven partners, three dogs, and a multitude of children. Definitely not what he thought his love life would turn into after his wife’s death. Of course he missed Alex everyday, but he knew for certain that she would be happy that he found a new family in the sleepy town of Maple Bay.
....Okay, that’s enough emotional vulnerability for a single shower. Time to get dressed. What does one even wear to sporting events?
“Amanda!” Crowmark called out out of the small crack of his bedroom door.
“Yeah?” She yelled back.
“Softball game, seven at night, what do I wear?”
“Polyester shirt, the small one, denim jeans, and sneakers!” She answered without preamble.
“Thanks, Panda!”
“No prob, Pops! Gotta teach you how to blend in with society before I shove off to college!”
I love my daughter so much. Now that the attire is set, I gotta find some way to sneak my coat out without her seeing it…
His coat didn’t make it.
“Trench coats aren’t what people wear to softball games, Pops! Besides, this thing is gonna become sentient if it goes another day without washing. I swear, you and this coat are just like Mr. Small and his leather jacket…”
Hmph. I’ll wear the sandals next time, just to spite her. With socks. Heh.
Alright, now where did Craig tell him to meet him again? Ah, right. Thirsty’s pizza. Crow still thinks that the name is contradictory to itself, but pizza is pizza. As he opened the front door that had all kinds of grease smeared fingerprints on it, he was almost immediately snatched into a hug that was just below the intensity of a bear hug, or, a bro hug.
“Crow, bro!” Craig’s booming voice sounded in his tinnitus-ridden ears. “You made it!” He sounded a mix of delighted and relieved. Crowmark could immediately see why when he looked over Craig’s shoulder to the crowd of women- no doubt the infamous softball moms that his boyfriend was lowkey terrified of. There was a gap in the middle of the hoard of women, Craig must’ve broke the circle they had him in to greet him in a hug that was definitely lasting longer than simple friends. And the softball moms probably noticed this according to their displeased faces.
“Wouldn’t miss it for the world, pal.” Crowmark said, patting Craig’s back. “Amanda would’ve come too, but she’s waiting for HIA to get back with her roommate survey results. She’s so excited to see who’s she gonna get.”
“I get that feeling, bro.” Craig replied, finally pulling away from their embrace. “Though I do remember in our college how it was just randomized. I got lucky with the best two roommates ever.” He beamed brightly.
Crowmark huffed, “Okay, first of all, I was a total asshole to you when we first met; second, Carl wasn’t only the best roommate ever, he was our mascot. Remember he would bark to let us know when The Bachelor came on?”
Craig smiled wistfully, “He was always a fan of the underdogs on that show.”
“Your dad jokes aren't appreciated.” Crowmark sighed exasperatedly. “I mean, they’re not even funny.”
“Don’t worry, bro.” Craig patted him on the back. “We all know you’re a pun master when you’re trashed. We’ll get Robert and Mary to draw 'em out for us, so we can see how bad they are.”
“You wouldn’t.” Crowmark called his bluff, eyes narrowed.
“I wouldn’t, but Mary would.” Craig shrugged.
“Can’t argue with that.” Crowmark conceded, crossing his arms.
Just as Craig was about to say something, and shrill voice called from behind him, “Oh, Craigggg! ”
Craig sighed, “You ready to face them, bro?”
“Right behind you, man.” Crowmark nodded. “Won’t leave your side for a second, I’ll even throw a few firefighter calendars to distract them.”
Craig laughed and they made their way back over to the team and the over-involved parents. He barely managed to sit down in his previously vacated spot in a booth before a bunch of women were quite literally all over him again. Crowmark chuckled at his boyfriend’s uncomfortable expression, he was never the jealous type, so the whole situation just amused him more than anything.
Crowmark suddenly felt a pair of hands grab him by each of his hands, they started dragging him to the booth adjacent to the one Craig was in. Crow knew that it was the twins, he could feel their matching braid bracelets brushing against his arm. He was sat down in a booth and an identical pair of eyes were staring at him in the seat across from him.
“Hey, girls.” He greeted with a small smile.
“Hello, Pops/Crow.” Briar and Hazel said at the same time. Crow didn’t mind that some of the children called him by his name, he sometimes preferred it since it just seemed too early to be calling him anything over than ‘Crow’.
“You two look like you’re scheming, what is it?” He asked with a suspicious but playful narrowing of his eyes.
“Ugh, how can you always tell!” Hazel huffed in aggravation.
“Intuition comes with the job.” Crow simply said. “You learn to pick up on these kinds of things.”
“Fine.” Hazel pouted. “We are planning something.”
“But it’s something you’ll like!” Briar added on.
Crowmark sat back and rubbed his chin, feeling the prickliness of his seemingly permanent five o’clock shadow. He had to admit, he was curious. “Lay it on me.”
This is a terrible idea, Crowmark mused to himself as he sat idly, watching the Flapjacks crush the Seagull’s. He didn’t want to disappoint the girls since they seemed to have been planning this for over two weeks, so he just decided to go with it despite the embarrassment he knew he was going to face. If he could perform Ska in front of a crowd of judgy hipsters for Mat, he could do this.
“That’s halftime!” The announcer’s voice called over the field. Crowmark sighed and started trudging down the bleacher, that was his queue.
Of course, he was beaten to Craig by the softball moms, unsurprisingly. However, Craig wasn’t his intended target, he instead went to where the Flapjacks were gathered and was immediately yanked towards the group by the twins, who had immediately spotted him walking over.
“Is this Coach Cahn’s boyfriend?” One of the girls asked the twins.
“Yes.” Hazel said. “You all remember the plan, right?” She asked the rest of the team of girls, to which some nodded and muttered yes’s. “Great.”
“I would just like to say that I would’ve never agreed to this if it wasn’t for the puppy eyes.” Crowmark said, absolutely not pouting.
“Your opinion has been thoroughly noted and ignored.” Briar said cheerfully.
Craig was mentally counting down the minutes until halftime ended as he struggled to keep up with the multiple women attempting to catch his attention. Just as he was about to think of a desperate excuse, a voice broke over the statements of adoration and comments on his physique.
“HEY DAD! YOU KEEP TALKING TO THOSE LADIES AND POPS MIGHT START TO FEEL LEFT OUT!” Briar yelled from across the field, holding up Crowmark’s hand as if to make sure no one could mistaken who she was talking about. As this all was happening, the team of Flapjacks simultaneously held up signs which had messily drawn arrows pointing to Crow with hearts, kiss marks, and pops of glitter strewn all over them. Amongst the bright pinks and reds, one sign stood out saying, "One, two, three, four: don't yawn, Coach Cahn, kiss your mon!" Crowmark didn't bother pointing out that not everyone would pronounce 'man' like a Jamaican accent would. The girls have been working on this for what could have been a couple of days, he's not that cruel.
Crowmark couldn’t do more than give a small, awkward wave when the moms, and pretty much everyone’s attention went to him and Briar. Despite the amount of embarrassment he felt, he couldn’t help but feel he did the right thing when Craig’s infinitely relieved expression popped out from behind the women and started jogging over to him. He practically jumped into his arms and Crowmark huffed in surprise as he felt Craig’s legs lock around his waist, he was quick to loop his arms under Craig’s thighs. He never thought he would be thanking the rigorous training he went through as a rookie cop, but here he is.
“Sorry, babe.” Craig said, emphasizing the pet name as he gave Crowmark a sweetheart’s kiss. When Craig deemed the kiss long enough, he unwound his legs from Crow and steadied himself back onto the ground with the help of the detective. Craig made it a point (as if he hadn’t enough of one yet) to grab his hand firmly and drag him back his team’s setup area, away from the moms.
Once they had taken a seat on a designated bench, he and Craig watched as the Flapjacks played some kind of game that had them sitting in a circle.
“That was their plan, wasn’t it?” Craig suddenly spoke up.
Crowmark didn’t even try denying it, “Yes.”
“Well, it should get Janet and her herd off my back for a few weeks before they’re back at it.” Craig sighed, smiling as he ran a hand through his black hair.
“Guess I gotta be here to remind them, huh?” Crowmark chuckled lowly.
“Yup. It’s your duty as my bro-friend, bro.” Craig punched him in the arm. “Anyways, we got about seven more minutes 'till halftimes up. Help me get some bicep workouts in?” He asked, getting to a push-up position.
“Anytime, man.” Crowmark said, settling himself onto Craig’s back.