Feb. 11 - Cuddling/Snuggling – Marty finds Alexei shopping for condoms at 1 AM with Kent. It kind of goes from there, 1.2K
“For water balloons,” Tater says dumbly, looking like he wants to put the pack of Magnums back but can’t because he’s lost all motion in his arm. “Prank on Poots.”
“Hm. Alright,” Marty says, still holding the Little Colds Multi-symptom Cold Formula meant for his son, who’d started sniffling at 8 PM and have not stopped since. “Why not just use real balloons?” he asks, pointing at the balloon packs hanging not far behind Tater.
Tater seems to be strangled by an unseen force. “Penis is more funny,” he says very slowly, then he visibly winces, like he wants to pitch himself into a ditch.
(Marty’s no fool. Everyone on the team knows that Tater has a boyfriend whom he has yet to refer to by name, which is peculiar especially when the latter refuses to shut up about him. At this point, between the two of them, Marty and Thirdy can probably recite the Boyfriend’s failed recipe for chicken salad by heart and how exactly he managed to conduct a mini-explosion in Tater’s kitchen. He just hadn’t expected the nameless significant other to be visiting Providence this week, or that he’d catch Tater buying…supplies.)
“O…kay,” Marty says, starting to take a step back, as if moving away from a provoked bear, which Tater may as well be. Marty swears he sees a sweat drop. “I should get going, Gabby wants me to—”
Of all the people that Marty could have imagined to see at that moment, Kent Parson decides to comes in from behind Tater, holding two bottles of rosé wine and a pack of Jell-O.
“Babe, please don’t get flavored lube this time,” Kent is saying, his face buried in his phone as he makes his way over. “All of them taste like cough medi—” Kent finally looks up and registers Tater’s frozen frame and Marty standing there awkwardly with his kiddy medicine and juice. “Oh.”
Marty clears his throat. Kent looks like he wants to shove a cactus in his throat, while Tater just looks like a man ready to commit a hit and run—the hit being clubbing Marty with the force of his embarrassment, perhaps.
“Parson,” Marty says, just to be polite. Because he is.
“Saint-Martin,” Parson says, mostly because he looks like he doesn’t know what else to say.
“Ehm,” Tater says, but it comes out like the sound of a dying moose. Marty has literally never seen Tater this speechless, and it’s terrible.
He decides to save them all the embarrassment by taking one for the team and sighing, “You know, my wife and I use—”
“Holy shit, shut the fuck up,” Kent yells, waving his hands. “Alexei, just fucking throw the condoms in.” Tater does so, almost comically, as he launches the Magnums into the basket without even looking away from Marty with a quick backhand toss. He completely misses, which means Marty gets to watch Kent Parson juggle the pack of condoms with one hand, have it fall to the floor with a resounding flop, then scramble to pick it up again with absolutely zero dignity left. “Okay, it’s nice to meet you off the ice, but I think I’m speaking for all of us when I say that we’re all going to collectively wipe this from our memories forever. This never happened. We never saw you. I don’t even know who you are.”
“I think that’s going a little too far—”
“I never saw you,” Kent insists, dragging Tater away determinedly. “Good night.”
“Good night,” Marty calls out. “Have fun.”
(He hears Tater make another choking noise before Kent pulls him sharply around the corner.)
He doesn’t feel too bad when he nudges Tater the next day and whispers, “You forgot to buy lube,” as he tosses Tater the tube he bought yesterday on a whim into the man’s lap. It’s absolutely worth it: he watches Tater turn a worrying shade of red, bury his face in his hands, then refuse to make eye contact with Marty for the entirety of practice, which he counts as a victory for that time Mashkov filled his entire locker with shaving cream and videotaped his reaction. Poots and Jack actually get concerned and ask Tater if he’s coming down with something.
“I won’t tell anyone,” Marty tells him at the end of practice, patting him on the back when he manages to catch up to Tater. Actually, he barely knows anything about the Aces Captain, but he’s observant enough to know that Kent has really toned down the whole ‘dirty, typical Aces hockey’ thing recently. He wonders if Tater has anything to do with it. “You two should come over for dinner.”
Tater actually cracks a smile. Well, a grimace, but Marty will interpret it as a smile. “Thank you, but I’m thinking Kenny is try to repress memories. Forever.”
“Wow. Well, let him know he’s welcome anytime.”
He’ll see Kent Parson again, he thinks. He just hadn’t known he’d get another chance the following month, when he bumps into the pair again in the same supermarket at around 2 AM, no less, now hunting for cough medicine for himself because apparently germs contracted from kindergarteners are more lethal than regular bugs. Really, Providence isn’t that small; why do they all shop at the same place?
Thankfully, Tater is looking at much more PG-rated items, squinting at jars of spaghetti sauce as he holds a blanketed (Batman blanket, Marty notices. His son would love it) Kent in his arms. Both are in their pajamas and looking very sleep-rumpled.
“You use my shampoo?” Tater asks, his nose buried in Kent’s cowlick.
“Maybe. Probably.” Kent’s holding a jar of sauce and studying it. “I just kind of reach out for whatever.”
“Kenny,” Tater whines, like he’s a toddler. A 6’4 toddler. “You say you don’t like my shampoo.”
“Yeah, smells like you’re overcompensating for something,” Kent says. “Should we get ‘flavored with meat’ or ‘extra mushroom and garlic’?”
“Flavored with meat,” Tater says at the same time Kent says, “Extra mushroom and garlic.”
Tater pulls a face as Kent puts the latter in the basket. “Then why you ask me?”
“I dunno, I thought you had good taste,” Kent says flippantly. “I was wrong. Hey, put me down—”
Tater’s peppering kisses up and down Kent’s neck, and it’s one of those over the top PDA things that Marty had always expected from someone like Tater. However, actually seeing it in action is a totally different thing, and it’s so embarrassing that Marty’s tooth is starting to hurt. Or maybe that’s just his swollen sinuses pushing at his gums, who knows. Kent’s face is red from trying to keep his giggling at bay.
“We’re gonna get kicked out,” Kent protests.
“No one else in store,” Tater says happily, nipping at Kent’s collar and blowing raspberries. “Tell me I have good taste and I let you go.”
Marty leaves them be. He wonders if they plan their late night shopping trips on purpose, because then Kent can slip his hands in the back of Tater’s jean pockets without worrying, and Tater can kiss Kent on his freckles down to his lips in front of rows and rows of pasta sauce and keep Kent to himself for a little while longer.
With a quiet sniffle, Marty heads to the self-check out lane. Kent Parson is a good kid, he knows. They’ll be alright.
Kit’s one of those funny cats that likes going on walks and so Kent takes her walking everyday at a park. There they meet a gigantic dog and his even bigger owner.
Summary: Soulmate AU where your eyes turn their true color once you kiss your soulmate. After a disastrous first kiss, Kent starts wearing colored contacts and swears that he won’t kiss anyone ever again. Too bad he never was very good at following the rules.
Rating: T
Wordcount: ~1,000
A/N: Patater Week AU day
He's been hooking up with Tater for a little more than 8 months when Alexei leans down to kiss him. Kent stumbles backwards. His pants are tangled around his ankles and he goes crashing down to the hardwood floor of Alexei's apartment. Kent yanks his pants back up and ignores Alexei's outstretched hand.
"No kissing," Kent says, hands braced in front of him as though he's going to be attacked.
The only person Kent's ever kissed was Jack. It was slow and sweet and achingly perfect until they broke apart and there were grey eyes looking back at him. Three days later Kent went first in the draft.
Years later, when Jack signed with the Falconers, his eyes were a piercing blue.
"But -" Alexei begins, lower lip jutting out in an pout.
"If you want this to continue," Kent says meeting Alexei's grey gaze steadily, "you have to promise me - no kissing."
Alexei nods at him and ducks down to press a kiss to the side of Kent's neck. Kent moans and lets himself be led to the bedroom. He doesn't want to think about what it means that Alexei tried to kiss him. He wants to grind down into Alexei's lap and forget himself with the motion. He wants Alexei to kiss and nibble at the junction where his neck meets his ear until he's hard and moaning. He wants to swallow down Alexei's cock and suck relentlessly until the man is writhing. He wants to never find out what would happen if they kissed. He doesn't want to know if his eyes would change into the color they were always meant to be or if they would remain the same muted grey they'd been for all his life.
True to his word Alexei doesn't try to kiss Kent again after that, but he does get bolder with his affection. When he returns home one day less than a month later to find Kent standing in his kitchen on a rare day off, Alexei presses a sweet kiss to the underside of Kent's jaw and drags him back to the bedroom.
The next time they're together in Vegas Kent ends up with a whipped cream mustache that Tater very carefully licks off. Three hours and two cans of whipped cream later, Kent returns the favor.
During the first week they spend together in the off season Alexei kisses Kent on the nose eleven times, the forehead three, and cheek twice - not that Kent's counting.
What bothers Kent aren't the almost kisses, it's that they are only almost kisses - even if there's no way in hell he'd ever admit it aloud. He knows the reason he's so adamant about the no kissing rule is because he doesn't want to kiss Tater and find out that they aren't soulmates. But if they don't kiss then Kent can pretend that he isn't broken - that maybe the two of them can be something together.
Two and a half weeks into the off season Kent is more than a little buzzed at four in the afternoon and desperately wants Chubby Hubby Ben and Jerry's ice cream. Alexei went out to grab dinner a half hour ago and hadn't answered his phone when Kent had tried to call him to let him know to pick up ice cream. Kent is moping on the couch wondering if he calls the Chinese food place down the street and promises to tip them a ridiculous amount, if they'll pick some up for him when Alexei comes home. He's got three bags from the grocery store in his hands and smiles at Kent as he passes him on the way to the kitchen. Kent gets up and puts on his best pout as he approaches Alexei.
"Lexi," he says, "I want ice cream - no I need ice cream."
Alexei pulls two pints of ice cream out of one of the bags and sets them on the counter. "Good thing I'm know boyfriend," Alexei says, grinning. And Kent loves him.
Kent jumps into Alexei's arms, wrapping his legs around Tater's waist as the man stumbles back under his sudden weight and places an euphoric kiss on his lips.
"You're the best," he says against Alexei's lips. He starts to pull back with a smile before immediately slamming his eyes shut. "Shit," he mutters, "shit, shit, shit."
"You are kissing me?" Alexei says with wonderment clear in his voice.
Kent keeps his eyes firmly shut and lets his legs slide to the floor. "God I didn't - I shouldn't have - I don't want to break up," Kent finally says.
"Why are we breaking up?" Alexei asks and Kent startles a little as he feels warm callused hands rub up and down his arms. "I love you."
Kent inhales sharply and presses his eyes closed tighter, willing the tears not to fall. "I love you too," he manages to say without his voice cracking. "That's why I shouldn't have kissed you."
"I'm not care if eyes are grey or not," Alexei says slowly, "I am love you so much. I choose you, I’m not let dumb eyes choose who I love."
Kent takes a deep breath and tries to calm his racing heart and the hope blooming in his chest. It doesn't matter to him either, they can still be together no matter what their stupid eyes say.
"Kotenok," Alexei says, fingers gently lifting Kent's chin. "Please open your eyes."
Kent takes a deep breath and releases it. In this moment, with his eyes closed they could be anything - they could be soulmates. He opens his eyes.
Brown. Alexei’s eyes are brown. A grin slowly spreads across Alexei’s face and then he’s kissing Kent again. Kent can’t help the bubble of jubilant laughter that escapes him and half ruins their kiss. It’s okay though, Kent has the rest of his life to spend kissing Alexei.
For Patater Week. Set in Careful the Tale You Tell verse.
It's about two months into their relationship. (Their proper relationship, not the year of fumbling that led them there.) Kent's bugging Alexei about his stuff taking up too much room in Kent's dresser drawers. "Can't we, like, pick a drawer that's yours and you can have that one, so your shit isn't all messed up with mine?"
"You're wanting to share drawers?" Alexei says, merrily putting a pair of pants in right next to Kent's pants, god damn it.
"At least can we fucking talk about it?"
"Pff. No, too early. We talk about it when we get married," Alexei says breezily.
Kent nearly trips face first over his own dropped jaw.
And from then on, it turns into a thing.
"You ate my pie," Alexei says one day after peering into the refrigerator. His face is still stuck behind the door, but the pout is obvious in his voice.
"Hey, this marriage is 50/50," Kent says, smacking his ass as he goes by. "Next time, read the pre-nup."
Another time, they're out on Alexei's boat, and Kent's quietly watching the horizon. "Nice view," he murmurs as Alexei puts an arm around him.
"Yes," Alexei agrees. "Is reminding me of our honeymoon."
Kent snorts a laugh. "Right, where was that again?"
Alexei mocks hurt. "Don't telling me now you're forgetting!" Kent swats him so hard it nearly knocks him overboard.
A few months later, Kent's indecisive about where to go for dinner. "You don't care, you don't care," Alexei echoes him. "How we ever decide on wedding cake, you don't even care about food?"
"The wedding cake is chocolate," Kent replies evenly. He's slumping on the couch in his living room, Alexei pacing behind him.
"Chocolate!?" Alexei's mortally offended.
"Yeah, what's wrong with chocolate?"
Alexei sniffs. "Wedding cakes are white."
"Yeah, to match your dress," Kent fires back.
"You're saying that, but I'm looking beautiful in my wedding dress." Alexei rounds the couch and promptly sits on him.
Kent yelps. "Yeah, your fucking pure white dress because you're a fucking blushing virgin. Get the fuck off me, Tate."
"Your wedding dress is bright red?" Alexei somehow manages to turn on top of Kent without ever letting up on crushing him. He sits atop Kent's knees, tucking his own knees forward to straddle him.
"I'm not wearing a... fucking... wedding dress," Kent manages between fruitless wiggles. "The hell are you made of, lead?"
"Oh!" Alexei's face lights up. "You're getting married naked."
Kent gives up the struggle. "Yeah, maybe I am." He tilts his head, giving Alexei a grin he knows is irresistible. "Wanna run upstairs and elope?"
The joke grows legs. By the second year of their relationship, Kent and Alexei are not only "married," they've got five kids and three dogs (and Kit, of course). Alexei ribs Kent about being a terrible role model to their children. Kent tells Alexei to stop spoiling them rotten. Bitty and Jack, when they're finally ready to double date, look at each other with expressions of utter confusion as the back-and-forth about the Parson-Mashkov fantasy family gets a little too long.
And then it's the All-Star Break, two seasons later, and Kent's up in Alexei's hotel room after a day of media and star sighting.
"You coming back to stay this summer?" Kent says. His hand cradles Alexei's, and Kent hefts it, feeling the weight of Alexei's palm balanced on his own.
"Or you come stay with me." It's a usual point of contention with them by now. Kent spent last summer in Providence; the previous one they split down the middle.
"Yeah, but if we're in Vegas," Kent starts.
"If we're in Vegas we're both melting," Alexei fills in. He curls his free hand around Kent's waist and nuzzles at his hair. "Come back, we're taking the boat up to Vineyard and relaxing."
"Tate." The word comes out a half-sigh. Alexei's pressing little kisses to his hairline now, and the shell of his ear, and it's hard to keep his train of thought. "I'm serious."
"I'm serious, too." Alexei's mouth quests downward, and his body's a solid line of warmth against Kent's. "What we're doing in Vegas we can't do in Providence? Hm?"
"Well, for one," Kent murmurs, "we could get married."
Alexei laughs. "Again?"
"For real." Kent turns to face him, to be serious, but he just gets Alexei's mouth on his for his trouble. The kiss is deep and bone-meltingly good. Kent has to take a breath to ground himself. "No, listen. I mean it. We could sneak off and get married and nobody'd know."
"Nobody excepting our five kids," Alexei says.
"Would you cut it out?" Kent pushes at him, and the shove is serious enough that Alexei sits back and looks at him anew. "Come on. We talk about it enough. Why don't we just get hitched already? It'd be cheap, and sure, we couldn't tell anyone, but... why not?"
"Ken." Alexei runs his fingertips over Kent's hairline. "You're being serious?"
"I just said I was, Jesus Christ," Kent says, trying to summon up a little frustration, but right now he's looking at Alexei and he's saying these words and it's a little scary how much he means them. "C'mon, Alexei. Alyosha," he tries, experimentally, even though the name never feels half as intimate as "Tate" does. "Lemme make an honest man of you."
Alexei looks a little puzzled at the expression, but if he's inclined to question it, he pushes the inclination aside. "Why you want to do this now?"
And isn't that the seven-million-dollar question, because Kent has no idea. The concept of getting married -- really getting married -- occurred to him months ago, when they had their first meetup of the season and Kent spent a good twenty minutes just staring at Alexei's face pressed into his pillow. Since then, Kent's been nursing the sentiment, like a secret child, telling nobody but his psychiatrist that he was even considering it. To her credit, Eleanor said she thought it was a good impulse, so long as Kent didn't let it become a fantasy that consumed him. It hasn't -- at least, he doesn't think it has -- but it's something that makes his heart smile every time he thinks of it.
And now that he's said it out loud, it feels three times as scary and ten times as right.
"I don't--" he starts, and rewinds. "I don't think I'm the kind of guy who's gonna have a bunch of relationships in my life, you know? I mean, you know me, you know how long it took me to get past--" He shakes his head, because there's no reason to bring up the names of ghosts. "And you and I, we've been what, two years now? Almost?" It's closer to a year and a half, if he doesn’t count the nearly a year it took them to get there. "I ... just don't think there's gonna be anyone else for me." He pauses. "I don't want there to be anyone else for me, is my point."
"Ken." Alexei's lost even the pretense of mirth in his face by now. His lips are pursed, and his hand is a gentle presence at the side of Kent's face, thumb stroking gently over his jaw.
"You're the best thing in my life, Tate." Kent's a little surprised to hear his own voice break, but he pushes forward. "And, you know... sue me, but I just want to know you're mine. I want it to be official. That we..." and Jesus, it makes him embarrassed every time he says it, but it needs saying. "That we love each other. That we want to be together, even if we can't be all the time."
"You're really wanting this," Alexei says, his voice low and careful. "You're wanting to marry me."
Fuck, Kent won't get misty, he doesn't get misty, but... "Yeah. Yeah, Tate. I'm... really wanting to marry you."
There's a moment, a terrifying moment, where Kent doesn't know what's going to happen. Whether Alexei's face will light up or curl into a skeptical frown. Where it feels like once again he's put his entire soul on the line, with no guarantees and no safety net, and maybe he'll just go crashing through to the ground.
But in the next moment Alexei's kissing him, and there's a smile curling at his pursed lips.
"Okay," Alexei tells him. "Okay, Kent Parson. Let's get married."
"Tate..." escapes Kent's lips. And then the tears escape his eyes, and he surges forward to throw his arms around Alexei. Shit, this feels good, it feels so good, with Alexei in his arms, those big hands on his back, and Alexei's "okay" ringing in his ears. Okay, then. Okay. He's going to spend the rest of his life with Alexei. They'll be tied to each other forever. Every inch of Kent's sensibility wants to find that terrifying, and he just can't. He's happy. He's so goddamn happy.
"But," Alexei says with that damned lilt in his voice, "we can still be married in Providence."
Kent shoves him. "You fucker," he says, "that's where we'll get divorced."
But he's grinning the whole time.
And the early-morning trip to the jewelers the next morning means that as they battle each other in the skills competition that night, they're wearing matching rings threaded onto gold chains beneath their uniforms. When Kent scores, the ring thumps against his chest and gives him a thrill. Forever, he thinks, starts right now.
Is this a day late? Yes it is. Does it still have ridiculous Patater fluff? Of course!
Kent was furious. He stomped through the underside of the arena, ears and cheeks red with anger. Logically he knew it was an accident, and James wouldn’t have done it on purpose, but it still had happened. Kent rounded the corner into the visiting team’s trainer’s room and visibly relaxed when he saw his boyfriend.
“Kenny, why you here?” Tater frowned and sat up a little, his trainer pushing him back onto the exam table.
“Mr. Parson, he’s still being examined, so if you wouldn’t mind, could you wait outside?” The trainer requested.
“He’s my boyfriend, I’m staying right here.” Kent insisted.
“Is okay, he stay, I’m not be distracted.” Tater promised the trainer, laying back down against the slightly sloped table.
Kent sat in a nearby chair as the trainer finished his examination. The moment the trainer cleared him for the night Kent was on his feet.
“How do you feel?” He asked, straining on his toes to try and look at Tater’s head.
“I’m have small headache but trainer give me medicine. I’m get better soon.” Tater smiled, leaning over so Kent could see. “Not even a bump.”
“What happened?” Kent asked quietly. “Tell me the truth. Did James do it on purpose?”
“No, you know he not do that.” Tater frowned. “I fall forward and he try to avoid me, can’t go to the wall or into Marty, and going too quick to stop. He try jump over and catch me in the head with skate. Complete accident.”
“Okay. I’m glad.” Kent sighed, wanting nothing more than to just collapse into Tater.
“You not yell at him, did you?” Tater frowned.
“What? Oh, no.” Kent picked up Tater’s hand and squeezed gently. “I was pissed and scared, but I told him to talk to coach while I tried to figure things out with the ref. After the game we talked and he said he didn’t do it on purpose, and he felt awful, and all that. I was still really fucked up about it, but I just told him we’d work on control in practice. I’ll apologize to him tomorrow.” Kent rubbed at his forehead.
“I’m proud of you. No yelling at teammates.” Tater smiled, kissing Kent’s forehead gently. “I’m have to talk to press a little before go home. Trainer say is not good to drive, but I can get uber if you wanting go home now.”
“No, I can stay with you.” Kent smiled.
“Look tired. Go home and order food, get Netflix ready? I’m not drink, but maybe wine if you want?” Tater suggested. “Might take a while, and I’m have to talk to captains and coach too.”
“Are you sure?” Kent frowned, debating between setting up a nest of blankets and pillows for them to relax into and staying with Tater to make sure he was okay.
“If you stay much longer, press will think you dating me.” Tater winked.
“Yeah...I guess you’re right. I already looked really mad on the ice I think, so maybe I should go home…” Kent put his thumb nail between his teeth. “I mean, I don’t want to leave you here alone...What if your head gets worse? Head injuries are so unpredictable!”
“I’m have trainer and coach and GM here. Will be fine. Ten minute uber ride not hurt me.” Tater kissed Kent’s cheek. “Go home. I’m be there before you know.”
Kent reluctantly kissed Tater and gave a wave as he headed out the door to face the press. Kent waited a safe amount of time before exiting the room as well and heading to the home team’s locker room.
“Parse!” James jumped up as soon as Kent entered the room. It looked like he was the only guy left.
“Woah, why are you still here?” Kent raised an eyebrow. James had been completely showered already when Kent had left to see Tater, so he should have been long gone by now.
“I just...I wanted to say sorry again. I really didn’t mean to, I promise.” James’ eyebrows were furrowed in concern.
“It’s all good James, I know it wasn’t on purpose. I’m not mad at you, and Tater’s not either. It was an accident, and he’s fine. You didn’t even get a penalty for it, so obviously even the refs didn’t think it was your fault.” Kent put a hand on James’ shoulder. “Thanks for apologizing though. You’re a good guy.”
James smiled a little.
“I’m really glad Mashkov’s okay. I just still feel really bad.” James frowned.
“It happens to everyone kiddo. Hockey’s a dangerous sport. Tater’s had worse before. He’ll be fine, and you have nothing to worry about.” Kent patted him on the back. “I gotta go now, I’m in charge of getting dinner tonight so…” Kent shrugged.
“Yeah, uh, have a good night.” James nodded, waving a little.
“Thanks you too. Don’t let it keep you up bud.” Kent waved back, stepping out the locker room door with his bag. “Rest up tonight, we’ve got a roadie in two days.”
The drive home felt weird without Tater in the passenger seat. Logically Kent knew he drove home from the arena all the time, but it still felt wrong enough that he seriously considered turning around to wait for Tater.
Kent pulled out his folder of takeout menus before settling on Tater’s favorite italian place. He placed their usual order and added some cannolis to it since he figured Tater could use them, and the trainer would probably forgive him.
Kent flipped on the television and looked through netflix, finally settling on Gray’s Anatomy while he waited for Tater, and then Finding Dory for when he finally got back.
The takeout arrived maybe five minutes before Tater did.
Kent was laying it out on his coffee table when he heard the key turning in the lock. He immediately put down the container of spaghetti and jogged to the front door, throwing his arms around Tater when he stepped in.
“I’m fine kotehok.” Tater smiled, wrapping his arms around Kent. He kissed at Kent’s neck.
“I got us dinner, and I highly doubt it’s healthy for you to be having any kind of sexual interactions right now.” Kent frowned, pulling back. “Let’s eat.”
Tater whined a little but followed Kent to the couch.
“Is Finding Dory okay?” Kent asked, before pausing. “Wait, are you even allowed to be watching TV? I know it’s bad for concussions…”
“Hmm I’m not sure.” Tater shrugged. “But trainer not say no, so I’m think is okay. I’m tell you if it hurt and we turn off.”
“Okay…” Kent was a little uneasy but pressed play.
“Cute fish.” Tater mumbled through a mouthful of spaghetti.
“You’ve already seen Finding Nemo right?” Kent asked skeptically.
“Yes, but Dory grown up in the other one.”
“Okay, just making sure. I didn’t want to ruin your Disney Pixar experience.” Kent leaned his head on Tater’s shoulder, closing his eyes as he chewed at his food.
“You look tired. Maybe you take nap instead of dinner?” Tater suggested.
“No, I’m fine...I want to stay up while you’re here.” Kent insisted, yawning a little. “I’m definitely less hungry than I thought I was though. Take as much as you want.”
Tater nodded and took a forkful of Kent’s lasagna.
“Not as good as my spaghetti, but still okay.” He nodded as Kent rolled his eyes.
Kent put his head in Tater’s lap with a sigh.
“I was worried about you. I’m glad you don’t have a concussion...when I was still a rookie we had a guy who retired because of a really bad concussion, and I...I love you and would love to be around you more often, but I know how much you love Providence and playing for the Falconers, and I know it would kill you to have to retire so early...I just didn’t want that to happen, and you were down on the ice for so long-”
“Kenny. Kotehok.” Tater dropped a cannoli into Kent’s mouth. “I’m love you too, and glad you think about me, but is okay. I’m okay, and you’re okay and we both still playing hockey. That the important part. I’m down on ice for long time because head hurt, not because I’m can not get up. It just was hurting. Didn’t even want to go see trainer about it.” He promised.
“I know Alyosha.” Kent sighed, pulling half the cannoli out of his mouth. “These are good by the way.” He finished chewing and set the other half of the cannoli on the coffee table. “I just was scared. I’m glad you’re okay. Is your head still hurting?”
“It hurt less if we cuddle.” Tater smiled, shifting onto his back on Kent’s giant couch.
Kent climbed on Tater’s chest and tucked his head under Tater’s chin.
“Best pain reliever.” Tater kissed Kent’s hair and closed his eyes, humming softly as he let his hand drift across Kent’s lower back, under his button up he was still wearing from press.
“Yeah.” Kent muttered drowsily. “Well you’re going to have to cuddle me tomorrow when my eyes hurt because I left my contacts in overnight.”
“I’m make you take them off before we move to bed.” Tater chuckled.
“Best Boyfriend.” Kent mumbled, smiling against Tater’s suit jacket.
Intended fan fic for Feb 11th of PataterWeek = Cuddling/Snuggling. But I missed the deadline. So it’s here now and that’s just the way it’s gotta be.
Fandom: OMGCheckplease
Pairing: Alexei Mashkov/Kent Parson
Rating: PG-13
Word count: 2869
(Also on AO3)
The apartment is quiet when Alexei opens the door. He listens out for signs of life but there's nothing save for the hum of the refrigerator followed shortly by a slight tinkling sound and then soft thudding across the hardwood. Alexei crouches, folding his huge body nearly in half to greet the tiny animal who captured his boyfriends heart long before Alexei tried for it. Kit mewls softly as she rubs her face along his extended hand, letting him pay her due attention before she winds her body through his long legs, brushing her side against his ankles. When she's done she takes off for the kitchen pausing only long enough to send back a look that clearly says 'come along then'. Not one to ignore the cat even though objectively he knows it's ridiculous to let an animal call the shots, he follows stopping with an amused smile when he sees Kit staring up at the cupboard where they keep her food.
She's clever he'll give her that. Genius even, because Alexei didn't think he was a cat person at all until he met Kit. Alexei is pretty certain he's in Kent's heart but Kit is still making him work for it and seeing as he loves Kent as much as Kent loves his cat he takes the bowl out and fills it up. She rewards him by dipping her face delicately into the bowl, eating a few pebbles and then sauntering away as if she didn't really want it.
"You just like to see men dance." he whispers accusingly. He swears he sees the cat shrug.
Coming back into the hallway he toes off his sneakers and strides to the living room. Because of his size Alexei can't seem to walk anywhere quietly so when he reaches the warmest room in the house Kent's squinting up at him sleepy eyed and ruffled. He has a pillow scar on his cheek and he looks so adorable Alexei has to take a breath.
"Hey." Kent croaks.
"Hi." he tips his head to the side, "Tired?"
"Practice was tough."
"You hurt?" A gentle bolt of concern pierces him.
Kent makes a face, "No. Just old."
Hockey players are terrible at admitting when they're hurt. Like any career athlete injury is the difference between sitting out a few games and ending their career. Most of the time guys cover it up hoping that an ice bath, massage or rest will cure whatever phantom ache they've picked up. They rub some dirt on it and carry on hoping no one is the wiser and if asked point blank about it they'll lie. Their coaches and PR are just as bad. The key to handling an injury is misdirection. Which means that when Kent says he's fine Alexei doesn't believe him but he doesn't want to argue so instead he says, "Still a few years left in you."
"For hockey or for you?"
Alexei grins, "Both."
"Be nice to me." Kent groans.
"I always nice to you. Very nice." He gives Kent a hot look and the other man, too tried to check himself, blushes. It's a good look on a man who frequently has more front than Brighton. He nods towards the sofa, "Room for me?"
Kent nods and Alexei shrugs out of his jacket and unbuckles his belt, pulling it mock seductively through the loops.
"Take it off." Kent says in a funny voice looking more awake now.
"Easy." Alexei breaths crawling over his boyfriends form and easing into the gap between the back of the sofa and Kent's sleep warm body. Without prompt Kent lifts his head so Alexei can slide his arm under it, providing a nice bicep pillow. His height makes him the perfect big spoon, a role he plays often and eagerly. He loves it, the feel of Kent curled up against his hard muscles, pressed fully into every dent and ridge like the spaces were made just for him. He inhales the smell of Kent's shampoo and nuzzles the soft skin at his nape pressing his lips there, tasting him.
Sometimes they make love like this, their bodies so close they can't even really move, they just breathe together' Alexei savouring the feel of himself inside Kent's body and Kent savouring the feel of Alexei inside him, around him. In those moments Alexei thinks their bodies must have been made for one another, there's no other explanation for how well they fit together. It's a powerful feeling he’ll never get enough of.
"You're cold." Kent bitches with no real feeling.
Just to be a brat - usually Kent's job - he rubs his cold nose against Kent's skin. "You're warm." He sighs.
Kent grabs his hand pulling it over to rest on his firm sculpted belly. Alexei spreads his fingers out letting the tips of them dip just slightly beneath the sweatband of the grey joggers that stretch deliciously over Kent's backside. He doesn't make a move to tuck his hand in further or reach for Kent's dick, it's enough to tease, to just be this close and know that when they wake they'll still be together.
"Missed you." Alexei rumbles.
"It was only a few days."
He freezes. These are not Kent's words they're Alexei's and he said them with an exasperated sigh just before walking out of the apartment for four days to go to Dallas. He doesn't know what Kent means by this, they both know that being together while their teams tour and train is difficult. Hell it took them a year to get to this point, with Alexei essentially squatting at Kent's when he's near Vegas and Kent living out of a giant suitcase when he's near Providence. During their long drawn out courtship there was a whole four months where they just missed each other coming in and out of states. Kent would text Alexei that he'd be in town just as Alexei was watching it fade from view.
Kent: Just arrived in Detroit.
Alexei: Bus just cross state line.
He wasn't used to being the mopey one on the bus.
"Kent." he tries not to sigh but he doesn't want to argue. He's missed him too much to spend the time they have together arguing about something that neither of them can or even really wants to change. Well, that's not strictly true. Alexei does want to change the way it feels like they're always just snatching time together but in order to do so one or both of them would have to give up hockey and as much as they love each other they also love hockey. It's who they are not just what they do. It's what makes them great players.
Kent's given up so much to get where he is now. To give up hockey too would make all that sacrifice for nothing. Alexei doesn't want either of them to give up what they love but it does kill him to know that every visit starts a countdown. He loves Kent, he wants to move in with him or have Kent move in with him but they've both been putting it off because they're training grounds are in two different states meaning it's cheaper to keep two apartments rather than stay in hotels or wear out their friends sofa's.
Even if they can afford to room hop at nice hotels Alexei hates hotels. Everything is too small for his giant hands and as nice as it is to have your breakfast cooked for you he likes cooking his own breakfast thank you very much.
It's just hard because they miss each other and rather than talk about it (because really, how many times can you argue about something that you can't ever change?) they find themselves sniping and snarling. Maybe it's an effort to stave off the hurt of departure. To prompt the pain before it can surprise attack you. Stupidly they think that parting on a fight means they'll both be too mad to be sad about missing one another but it never works that way. The anger just piggybacks onto the sadness making them feel worse.
For Kent it's worse. Alexei knows this because he knows him. Kent is a stewer. He lashes out over fights and arguments he doesn't really care about, hell he spends his fair share of time in the sin bin so he's not afraid to throw down and be seen to throw down but when it comes to arguing with the ones he loves an onlooker could be forgiven for thinking it never happens. Alexei knows better. He and Kent fight, they fight about being apart, they fight about their apartments and their future with the NHL and after it, but it's a quiet fight. It's a resentful grumble beneath the breath. It's a door slammed in one of their apartments. It's a strained exchange before they turn in for bed, sleeping next to one another but on opposite sides as far as they can get without falling off. They might exchange a few words about the actual problem and, yeah okay, they blow up at each other and shout but for the most part Kent will keep what bothers him about their situation to himself.
With a breaking heart Alexei knows it's because Kent is afraid he won't care. That one day he'll turn around and say something like, 'You are right. I am sick of this fight. I don't want to have it anymore because I am tired of you.'. Alexei would never brush off Kent's fears like that because they are his own but Kent is very used to people turning from him. Wound tightly together in bed after some particularly intense sex Kent had admitted, with his face buried in Alexei's chest, that he doesn't like to tell the ones he loves that he's upset with them or frustrated by something they do because they don't need him as much as he needs them so it would be easy for them to decide to up and walk away, to decide that they were tired of how needy he was. Kent is very insecure about his place in other people's worlds. Even the teams.
Alexei still gets mad when he thinks about it and yes a little frustrated because he doesn't know how to tell or show Kent enough just how important he is to him, how loved he is by him. It's not that Kent is constantly moving the goal it's that he doesn't even bother setting one up on his ice because he doesn't think anyone would wanna score.
Alexei wants to score.
He loves Kent so much it makes him breathless and he can't stand the knowledge that Kent will have spent four days festering about their last fight but not mention it because he's afraid Alexei will leave.
"We should talk about before I left." Alexei feels Kent stiffen in his arms.
"It's fine. It was silly." he shrugs his broad shoulders to illustrate how not big of a deal it was.
It wasn't a big deal, they didn't say things they would regret or be unable to come back from but it was deal enough that he thinks they should talk about it. "You were upset."
"I'm over it."
"Are you?" Kent doesn't say anything and that feels like progress because though he doesn't say anything he isn't lying either. "I'm sorry I stormed out. I know you were upset. Me too."
"I know." he whispers his breath fanning out over his forearm.
"Away is difficult."
"It's only going to get tougher."
"Is okay."
Kent turns in his arms and the forlorn look on his face makes Alexei's heart beat out of time. "What if it's not?"
He pauses a little scared. Is Kent asking him or telling him? "What you mean?"
Kent opens his mouth to answer and Alexei inhales subtly not because he's steeling himself (well maybe he is a little bit) because he doesn't want to spook Kent back into silence. Except it doesn't work. Kent closes his mouth then lies and says, "Don't worry about it."
He can't help the growl of frustration that leaves him. "Kenny. I am here now."
"I know babe and I'm loving it trust me." he throws a leg over his hip pushing their groins together trying to prompt the sort of reaction that guarantees no talking for...thirty minutes at least.
Alexei stills him with a hand on his thigh fighting the urge to slide it up and over his firm bubble butt. "Kenny stop."
Kent blinks at him self-consciously. He blushes, embarrassed not turned on. "Okay." he tries to withdraw his leg but despite the theme of the situation Alexei quite likes it there so he holds on.
"You were upset about my leaving. I was upset too-"
"I know."
"You still upset?"
At length he replies, "Yes. I just-" he breaks off with a sigh and Alexei prompts him with a gentle but insistent look. "It's hard to keep doing this. Six months of not seeing each other for more than a few days. Weeks apart while we play tournaments. Staying in hotels...alone?"
The implication is not subtle and Alexei bristles. "I am alone."
"I know, I know!" Kent presses his palms against Alexei's chest. "But I'm just saying that if you wanted to, you know not be alone...I'd get how that happened."
"I never cheat on you. I never ever cheat on you." he can't even believe Kent is saying this right now. There is no one else Alexei wants. He has what he wants right here and he's so Goddamn happy. "Do you want? Other men?" The thought makes him sick. Kent isn’t the only one who can make secrets of his feelings. Alexei has a secret fear, the kind of fear you can visualise clearly when you realise how real it’s potential is, that Kent will break his heart. He doesn’t know how he’ll do it, intentionally or unintentionally, reluctantly or eagerly but he knows he can. Kent thinks he’s the only one with fears but he’s not.
"No, God no."
"Then why say it?" Kent shrugs but Alexei knows why. "I love you."
"I love you too."
"No, Kent." he whips out the use of his full and proper name. "We are apart for long time. A lot I know and I miss you, painfully. But there is and can never be anyone else. If you want others you tell me now but I want you only and I want you to want me only too."
"I do. I do want you only. I get...scared." he says the word like he had to pry it from the iron vice of his throat. "It's lonely on the road."
"Are you lonely?"
Kent nods and Alexei feels like he’s been hollowed out. "But only for you. I miss you." The words don’t sound as nice as they did a moment ago.
"I am lonely too. But I miss you. I don't miss other men. I miss you." He ducks to meet his boyfriend’s gaze hoping that it helps Kent to believe him.
"Okay."
Alexei really hopes it is okay because he doesn’t want to have this conversation again. Long distance is hard but Kent is worth it. What they have together is worth the late night face times, the fumbling skype sex and the quiet phone calls on the bus as they drive through the night. When he’s on the phone he catches eyes with Jack who gives him a sympathetic smile. He remembers these days. The days when he and little B were stuck in separate time zones with the date of their reunions seeming so elusive even as they drew nearer. It’s not even just about keeping the relationship a secret. They’re not intentionally hiding the relationship from the public but their own expectations can be challenging enough without the expectations of perfect strangers leaping out at them through twitter or at their games. Alexei has never once thought of cheating on Kent no matter how lonely he felt. No matter how hard things seem Alexei knows that it’s all worth it for this man.
"Okay?"
Kent nods. "Yes okay."
"No cheating. From me or you. Promise me?"
Kent looks him right in the eyes, the pale absorbing blue of them drawing him in looking happier than a minute ago. More confident. "I promise." He presses their lips together and they kiss slowly, deeply. Alexei kisses him like he missed him. Passionately. When they break away they’re both panting.
"I missed you." Kent sighs dazedly.
"Oh yeah?" Finally, finally! Alexei dips his hands into Kent's joggers giving him a teasing stroke through his briefs. His dick twitches to life beneath his palm immediately. "How much?"
Kent bites his bottom lip. "You can't tell?"
Alexei can definitely tell yet still teases, "I not sure. Could be morning wood."
"It's the evening." Kent smirks.
He works his hand beneath the boxers and curls his fist around the warm hardening, pulsing flesh. With a wicked grin he decides, "Then we should go to bed.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Alexei "Tater" Mashkov/Kent "Parse" Parson
Characters: Kent "Parse" Parson, Alexei "Tater" Mashkov, Eric Bittle, Jack Zimmermann, Shitty Knight
Additional Tags: patater week, AU, matchmaker, fandom trumps hate, Bad dates
Summary:
Alexei is lonely and wants to find love, and Kent is the best matchmaker around, but he has to remind himself that he can't date his clients, no matter how sweet, funny and hot they are.
I tried to write another get-together fic but it requires like five days of effort and I haven’t got that, besides Careful the Tale You Tell is pretty much my definitive get-together for Patater at this point.
So I’m gonna write the rest in CTTYT verse. So I will write something tonight! Fuckyeahhhhhhhhhhh
