Work Text:
"He's huge and clumsy and barely speaks English. What the fuck does Parson see in him?"
"Uh, I think you mentioned he's huge? Probably has something to do with it," a second voice snickered.
"The second I hear they're not together anymore -"
"Give it up, man, Parson doesn't even know who you are."
"He will."
Alexei turned at that, because that sounded outright dangerous and no one threatens his Kenny with him standing in their vicinity.
"End of the second period, the Falcs are down by two when Alexei Mashkov drops gloves and goes after the Rangers' Brent Tillman before the puck even drops for a face off in the Falcs' zone. Tillman ends up bleeding and Mashkov is tossed from the game, but it seemed to light a fire under his teammates because they come back for the third and score four times. No one knows what sparked the fight between Mashkov and Tillman, but his Falcs teammates definitely sided with Mashkov and came back to win the game for him."
Jack and Thirdy had found him with the trainers during the second intermission while the trainers were icing his knuckles. He'd given them only the briefest explanation. Something about nasty language regarding Kenny. They'd clapped him on the shoulders and said the team would get back out there and win for him. He supposed they had done just that, which was appreciated. He was at least happy that no one was upset with him for the fight or game ejection (well, the GM was probably Not Happy but he'd face that later). They're not supposed to bring their personal lives onto the ice.
Alexei turned away from the Off the Puck segment airing on the screen above the bar. With both elbows settled on the bar, he pressed the cold glass that held his drink against his cheek where Tillman had landed a punch. While the rest of the team was winning the game in the third period, he'd showered and then waited for them to return to the locker room. He had ignored his phone, mainly because Kent didn't have a game tonight and had likely been watching his and he wasn't ready to explain what happened yet.
His teammates had dragged him out to their favorite bar after the win to celebrate. He wasn't in the mood, obviously, but after they'd won for him, he couldn't turn them down.
He pulled his phone from his suit pocket and thumbed through the texts from Kent. Most of them were asking what happened and to please call him back. He'd finally texted on the ride over to the bar that he was okay, and he'd explain to Kent later when he made it home.
Kent: Okay, baby. Love you
He stared at the last text Kent had sent him. He had no doubt that Kent meant it when he said he loved him. They'd been together for almost two years at this point, after flirting at an All-Star weekend had turned into texting had turned into in-person visits and real dates. Kent (and Kit) had basically moved in with him last summer and it had been the best summer he'd ever had.
All the chirps he'd ever heard, including shit about his English skills, and he'd never reacted like this before. Maybe because it was a conversation he wasn't supposed to hear (although he was one of six Falcs on the ice at the time, so he's not 100% that Tillman didn't mean for him to overhear).
Sometimes he looks at Kent and wonders how he got so lucky as to capture his attention. He is not clumsy (fuck you, Tillman), but he is large, and his English will never be perfect. Those things didn't seem to matter to Kent. Well, actually, that's not entirely true. Kent always made it clear how much he appreciated Alexei's size. And he didn't seem to mind the English at all, seemed to enjoy his accent, and he'd even been prompting Alexei to teach him some Russian phrases that he could use whenever they had a Skype call with Alexei's family.
So why was he letting Tillman's words make him feel like he didn't deserve Kent? Or that Kent deserved better?
He startled when his phone began to vibrate and he saw it was an incoming call from Kent.
"Kenny."
"Alyosha."
Kent's warm voice filled his ear as he pressed his phone tight to his head. "Am still at bar, so maybe hard to hear me."
"You know how I know you're still at the bar?"
"Because I not call you yet."
"No, because Zimms is texting me that there's a guy there checking you out. He thought I should know about it."
"What?" Alexei set his glass down on the bar top and glanced down the length of the bar where most of the team was sitting. He didn't even know Jack had come out with them tonight and he didn't even see him now. "Is no guy."
"Yeah, he says there's a guy there who's been staring at your ass all night."
"Pfff," Alexei huffed. "Have been sitting on my ass all night. Nothing to see."
"There's plenty to see, even when you're sitting, stud."
"Okay," Alexei rolled his eyes and was sure Kent could hear it in his tone.
"Seriously. Have you seen how broad your shoulders are? Do you understand how good I feel when you wrap your arms around me? Fuck, I get turned on just watching you hold a glass sometimes with those big hands of yours. You can wrap just one hand around my head when I'm blowing you. Do you know how sexy that is?"
Alexei stuttered out a breath. "Kent, am in bar. With teammates."
"And holy shit. Your voice. And the way your accent drags my first name out to two syllables? I want to just, like, climb in your lap and kiss the hell out of you every time I hear it. Say it again?"
"Kent," Alexei growled. He ducked his face and hoped none of the guys caught onto the fact that he was losing a battle between blushing and getting hard ever since he answered the phone.
"And, god, baby, when you skate?" Alexei heard Kent sigh loudly. "Your skating is so pretty I could cry."
Alexei bit back a small smile. Between his hockey playing dad and his figure skating mom, his skating style had always been a combination of both, and it wasn't the first time Kent had complimented it.
"You're also the friendliest guy I've ever met. Just genuinely friendly. Not faking it at all. You know you're the reason we're even together, right? I was so fucking cranky at that All-Star weekend but because you can talk to anyone, you made it so easy to warm right up to you. I began to look forward to any event if it meant I'd get to see you there."
"I was thinking you were too pretty to be looking so sad when I first see you that weekend," Alexei murmured.
"You sure there's not a guy there checking you out?"
"Not care."
"Look around anyway."
Alexei's eyes narrowed at Kent's insistence. The only reason Kent would want him to look around a bar for a guy would be… He swiveled on his stool and found Kent across the room, leaning against a pillar, smirk on his face and eyes already locked onto him.
Kent pulled his air pods from his ears and deposited them into his pocket without saying goodbye. Alexei slid his own phone back into his jacket pocket and watched Kent cross the room to him. Then Kent was standing between his knees and pressing his mouth to Alexei's. Alexei wrapped his hands around Kent's waist to pull him even closer and Kent groaned a little into the kiss.
"Hey, assholes, you're in public."
Alexei pulled his mouth from Kent's only so he could glare at Snowy on the stool next to them.
"Is hello kiss," he defended.
"You're the one who texted me and said he needed to be cheered up," Kent added while his hands straightened and smoothed Alexei's tie as if he would take any excuse to be touching Alexei.
Alexei glanced between them, surprised. "You have Kenny's number?"
Snowy shrugged. "I asked Jack for it earlier," he confessed before turning towards Kent, "I didn't think it would mean you'd hop a plane from Philly to dry hump him in the bar."
"Oh, I haven't even started that yet," Kent replied with a wicked grin and a glance down at Alexei's lap.
"Stop," Snowy groaned. "If you're here, I'm done babysitting his sad ass for the night." Snowy stood and leaned in close, so only Alexei could hear him over the bar noises. "I heard what that asshole said earlier. He doesn't know you at all, Tator Tot."
Alexei leaned back slightly so he could meet Snowy's eyes. He gave his friend a small, grateful nod.
"I'll take care of our tab," Snow announced with a quick pat to Alexei's shoulder. "See ya, Parse."
They both offered goodbyes in return and with Snowy gone, Kent wrapped his arms around Alexei's neck and squeezed him in a hug. "Take me home?" he murmured.
Alexei nodded quickly and pushed off his stool. They said goodnight to the other guys who were still there, all of them surprised (but happy) to see Kent had arrived. Then, with Kent's hand slid into one of his own, he led Kent out to the curb where the Uber Kent had already ordered sat waiting for them.
Kent sat close to him in the backseat, head on his shoulder and hand tucked within Alexei's hand. They didn't speak, mainly because the ride wasn't private, but it was a comfortable silence. He rested his head on Kent's and just breathed him in. The last of the anxiety or stress or worry or whatever the hell it was that Tillman had sparked in him eased out of his chest and by the time they were dropped off at his house, he was only thinking about the quickest way to get Kent naked.
"I traveled in just a hoodie and jeans," Kent mumbled through their kiss as he yanked at the knot of Alexei's tie before going for the buttons on his shirt. "You're the one complicating this with a suit."
Alexei laughed because he'd already swooped Kent's hoodie over his head and unbuttoned his jeans before Kent had even begun on his shirt buttons. He pushed Kent's jeans down and made him stumble as they continued to move towards the bed. Then he began to help Kent by shrugging off his suit jacket and (finally unbuttoned) shirt while Kent worked on his belt. He laughed again as it was his turn to stumble when Kent began to remove his pants.
When he realized how close they finally were to the bed, he grabbed Kent around the waist and tugged him to fall with him onto the mattress. Kent laughed into his chest and wiggled out of his briefs before Alexei rolled them, so he had Kent under him and bracketed between his arms, the way he knew Kent loved.
Afterwards, when they were both cleaned up, Kent rolled himself to lay on top of Alexei. He crossed his arms over Alexei's chest and rested his chin on top so he could stare up at him.
Alexei ran one hand through his messy blond hair and whispered, "Hi."
Kent smiled and Alexei ran his thumb across his bottom lip to trace the grin.
"Hi," Kent whispered in return.
"Still surprised you here." Even when the Aces and Falcs were on roadies on the same side of the country, they didn't make it a habit of ditching their teams in between games to see each other (except for when the two teams played each other, of course). "You said Zimmboni message you. Was Snowy, though?"
"Well, both actually. Zimms called me, although not to say some guy was staring at you at the bar." He grinned for a second before his expression sobered. "You told Zimms that guy, Tillman, said nasty things about me?"
"All the guys calling you for me." Alexei wasn't sure whether he was annoyed or extremely touched.
"Because they love you and were worried about you," Kent nodded as if he could read his mind. "And don't act like you and Jeff didn't swap numbers so you can talk about me," Kent said with an eye roll.
Alexei shrugged. It was true, sometimes he needed to see how Kent was really doing after a rough game, and he trusted Jeff to tell him the truth. And, Jeff had called him a couple times if he was worried about Kent and thought Alexei could make a difference, even from afar.
"Was that it, though?" Kent prodded. "Was it homophobic shit? Because I know that sucks, but it's not the sort of thing that would typically keep you sad, especially after you decked the guy." Kent offered another small grin, but Alexei could see the concern in his eyes.
"Was… not homophobic. Was... opposite. Sort of."
"Opposite how?"
"Wants in your pants."
"Ew." Kent's nose scrunched in distaste.
"Also said not sure why Kent Parson with me. Know I shouldn't listen, but…"
Kent stared at him, eyes wide and full of disbelief. "That asshole made you wonder why I'm dating you?"
"But then Kent call me and make me happy in bar with many nice compliments." Which was true, but having Kent here in person also affirmed their relationship for him. Kent had traveled just to see him. Just to cheer him up. And Kent always felt right in his arms. He was familiar in a way that didn't even make sense at the start of their relationship, as if they were just meant to be together.
Kent continued to study his face but must've seen something reassuring because he inched forward and pressed his mouth to Alexei's for a slow kiss.
"Я тебя люблю, Alyosha."
Alexei smiled into the next kiss. "Loving you, too, Kenny."
"I'm glad you decked him," Kent chuckled.
"Well," Alexei added. He'd already told Kent most of it anyway. "He also make it seem like he get to know you whether you like it or not. Then I am dropping gloves."
"Son of a bitch," Kent muttered, looking slightly horrified for a few seconds before his expression morphed into something thoughtful. "So, my big, hot, Russian stud defends my honor, and the creep ends up bleeding all over the ice? I mean, I don't want to be a damsel in distress here, but, babe, that's both fucking hot and sweet at the same time. At this point, I hope I'm worthy enough to be with you."
"Best, Kenny," Alexei insisted with a shake of his head. He didn't like how he felt earlier, and he didn't want Kent feeling anything like it. "Best. Favorite person."
"Thanks, baby," Kent whispered before he leaned in to kiss Alexei again.
"How long I have you?"
"I have to leave at five to get back to the airport. The flight's only about an hour. I'll rejoin the team in time for morning skate."
"Kent," Alexei practically chastised, "five is only in few hours. You have game tomorrow night."
"Alyosha," Kent replied in a serious tone, eyes locked with him, "I wouldn't care if I was scratched from tomorrow's game. I won't be, I'll just be tired. But it'll be worth it to have been here with you tonight."
Alexei swallowed hard and nodded, unable to put to words all the sappy things he was thinking about Kent Parson.
"Want me to wake you before I go?"
He nodded again and pulled Kent into another kiss.
Alexei couldn't help sitting on the edge of the couch cushion, elbows planted on his knees as he watched the Aces take on the Rangers the following weekend. Snowy sat at the other end of his couch, planted comfortably back into the cushions. He was half watching the game and half playing on his phone.
They hadn't planned on hanging out today, and when Alexei had opened his door earlier and found Snowy outside it, he had a strong inkling that Kent had sent Snowy to keep Alexei from watching the game solo.
So far, he'd seen the Aces' 6'5 rookie defensemen, Samsonov, an eighteen-year old that Kent described as a large puppy who still needed to learn how to use all his limbs, slam Tillman into the boards at least four times.
Alexei now understood the puppy reference. Each check on Tillman could've been passed off as a routine part of the game, except that Sams shot a proud grin over to Jeff after each one and definitely looked like a puppy waiting to be told he'd done a good job. He wasn't subtle and it made Alexei chuckle.
"Troy wins the draw and sends it back to Parson. Parson spins away from Tillman -"
"Spins away and looked like he iced him a bit, too."
Snowy snorted from the other end of the couch as they listened to the commentators.
"Tillman trying to chase Parson down, but – oh, there's Samsonov again to slam Tillman into the boards."
"Samsonov has really had Tillman's number all night."
"Parson sends it across the blue line to Coyle. Coyle sends it back to Parson who ONE TIMES IT AND IT'S A GOAL FROM THE CAPTAIN!"
"Yes!" Alexei fist pumped.
"Hey! No. Bad Tater," Snowy scowled. "I'll watch the game, but we are not cheering for another team."
"Cheering for boyfriend," Alexei laughed, not sparing Snowy a glance as he grinned and watched Kent's ecstatic face in the middle of his celly. Once Kent had skated off to bump gloves with his benched teammates, he pulled his phone out and sent a text to Kent.
Alexei: Beautiful goal! Best Kenny! Proud of you ))))))))))
9:42 pm
Kent: Thanks baby. Love you
10:20 pm
Kent: Three days and counting to see you
10:21 pm
Alexei: 💙
10:24 pm