Summary: It’s been ten years since the draft and seven years since he talked to Jack without their C’s on. But Kent is captain and captains pick up trades from the airport. So Kent goes..
Written for @pimmsweek Day 4: Smirk
I don’t have time to write for all of these amazing prompts but go check out the collection for other pimms works!
Thank you to Anna @halfdesertedstreets for the beta and the title!
ao3 | ko-fi
_X_
Kent heard about the trade from management; it was his team that Jack was coming to after all. But he heard about the breakup from Deadspin.
Zimmermann traded to Aces, Dumps Boyfriend for Ex, Ace Parson?
Kent laughed and tucked the headline away for a chirp on his new teammate.
He’d been out since about a year after Zimms had come out in a Stanley Cup fanfare. Several other players had come out that off-season but Kent hadn’t until the next year. He just wasn’t ready for the combination of coverage about him being gay and coverage about his and Zimms’ past.
By the time he’d come out, he’d been ready.
Mostly.
Kinda.
Whatever, it was time.
The coaches sat him down and asked if he needed one of his A’s to take over captain duties for Zimmermann so they must have seen the article too, but Kent assured them that he and Jack fell out of touch a long time ago and there was nothing to worry about. They exchanged a look but eventually agreed. They trusted him, that’s why he was captain.
So the next day, Kent drove to the airport to pick up Jack Zimmermann, first out NHL player and Kent’s first boyfriend. Not that the two were related. And Kent had been telling the truth. He and Jack hadn’t really spoken to each other since Jack signed with the Falconers his senior year of college. There had been Captain Handshakes and interview soundbites but direct contact? No, Jack had made it perfectly clear he wanted none of that from Kent
But now they had a fresh start. Kent was going to make the most of it.
(keep reading on ao3 or below)
Jack ducked into Kent’s car with his signature pout on. His eyes looked red and tired. Kent was taken off guard. Had Jack been crying?
“Hey,” Kent said, opting to forgo his typical greeting. “How was your flight?”
Jack stared straight out of the windshield. “Fine.”
“Ooh-kay,” Kent said, drawing out the first syllable. He threw the car back into drive and pulled away from the curb. “You eat?”
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Jack shake his head, jaw clenched tight.
“I’ve got some Angie meals in the freezer, we can just have those?”
“Okay,” Jack said after an awkward pause. He continued to stare out the window as Kent got on the highway. Then he spoke again. “Is Angie your girlfriend?”
Kent barked a laugh. “She’s the team nutritionist,” he coughed out. “Jack, I’m. I’m gay. Still.”
“I didn’t know.”
“Thought it was pretty obvious with how much I had your dick in my mouth in our teens.”
Jack glared at him. “You could be bi. I am.”
Well now Kent felt like a dick.
“We didn’t really… talk much back then. I didn’t want to assume.”
Kent hummed, considering if he wanted to continue being a bit of an ass to mess with Zimms or pull out his Captain spiel. He settled on the latter.
“Well, welcome to Vegas. We’re really glad to have you here. I mean it. And if there’s anything I can do—“
“Kent,” Jack cut him off. “What the fuck are you doing?”
“Being your captain, Zimmermann,” Kent smirked.
“Glad to see you’re still a chirpy little shit,” Jack shook his head. “You don’t gotta do the spiel. I asked to be traded. I’m happy to be here. And, as you’ve so elegantly put it, we used to suck each other’s dicks in high school, so I think the formalities are unnecessary.”
That first bit was news to Kent but he tried not to let it show. Had Jack actually asked to come to the Aces or just to leave the Falcs? He decided to go for another chirp instead of letting the news get to him.
“Heard you dumped your boyfriend for me. Bit of a rash move, Zimms, you could’ve just called.” Another smirk.
Jack rolled his eyes. He’d matured a lot in the last ten years but Kent could still push his buttons.
“You wish, Kenny.”
Kent choked on air at the nickname and Jack frantically patted his back as Kent tried to keep control of the car.
“I’m fine.”
“Sure.”
“Are you, uh, okay though? That whole thing with Bi—“
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Okay.”
Silence fell in the car and Kent had no idea what to do with it. Finally, Jack spoke again.
“I missed you, Kenny.”
Kent stole a look at him but Jack was still staring out the windshield as though it was Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Championship.
