Rating: PG
Original Date of Completion: November 2003
Pairing: Rick Nash/Dan Fritsche
Disclaimer: I own neither man, nor the Columbus Blue Jackets. This is all fiction, conjured in the confines of my demented little mind. So please, don't sue me.
Notes: Dan scored his first NHL goal on 11-20 against Detroit. That same game, Rick scored the game winner.
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The point of the airplane struck Rick in the temple, then fell into his lap. He stared down at the folded paper in question, rubbing the point of impact as he scanned his surroundings. A few stalls down, Dan sat staring at him with an innocent smile, his hands resting inconspicuously in his lap. Rick knew first hand that that expression always spelt mischief, and with an arched eyebrow he unfolded the paper:
I told you so.
Chuckling to himself, Rick turned and began digging in his locker, searching futilely for some sort of writing utensil. When he didn't find one, he glanced again around himself, this time searching for a pen. He found one immediately in the stall beside him, in the grasp of Rusty Klesla. With a smirk, he reached over and grabbed it from the defenseman's hand, sticking his tongue out at Rusty's objections. Rusty rolled his eyes as he stood, flicking Rick in the forehead as he walked away. Rick rubbed his forehead for a brief second, before returning his attention to the paper in his lap. He scribbled a few quick words onto it, then refolded it along the creases and tossed it back to Dan.
Dan snatched it from mid air as it aimed for his head, flashing a quick smirk across the room at Rick. Rick glanced away in innocence, resulting in snickers from Dan. Shaking his head at his cohort, he unfolded the paper, and frowned at the words he read:
So what? I have 11, 1 isn't special.
He glanced across the room at Rick, sticking his tongue out at the other man. Rick laughed in response, a devious grin on his face. Dan shook his head, muttering the word "bastard" under his breath as he reached beside himself to grab his pen. Biting the cap between his teeth, he pulled the pen free, and brought it swiftly to the paper. He chewed at the cap as he jotted his message, then drove it back onto the pen. With quick fingers, he refolded the paper and tossed the airplane back towards Rick, working fast enough to hit the unsuspecting forward square in the shoulder.
Rick jumped from the contact, turning back to Dan with a glare. Dan simply grinned in reply, pointing to the airplane where it lay on the floor. Arching an eyebrow, Rick bent forward and snatched up the paper. He wasted no time in unfolding it, and quickly he scanned over the words Dan had written:
So, you know the deal, Nash. Or do I have to tell everyone about MR. SNUGGLYBOOTS?
Rick's eyes widened in horror as he read those last words, and quickly he crumpled up the paper. Across the room Dan cackled gleefully, pointing mockingly at Rick. Rick shot him a cold glare, tossing the paper into his locker behind him. Glumly, he got to his feet, shaking his head at himself for what he was yet to do. It had been a harmless bet when it was made; Rick had agreed to it to simply keep quiet his younger teammate. When Dan had told him before that night's game that he would score his first goal that night, Rick had laughed and dismissed the notion. That was when Dan had suggested the bet, and at first Rick had said no. Then Dan had thrown up Mr. Snugglyboots, essentially blackmailing Rick with his own stuffed bear. Rick had acquiesced to the bet then, agreeing to Dan's one term; if he did indeed score, Rick owed him a passionate kiss in the locker room, for all of their teammates to see. He didn't believe for a moment that his young friend would manage to score that night. But Dan had indeed managed to do just that, and with the goal, he had won the bet. And despite the initial excitement Rick had felt for his friend's first NHL goal, he was wishing now that the shot had gone wide.
Sighing, Rick ran a hand through his hair, trudging slowly across the room to where Dan sat. Dan looked up at him with a victorious smirk, crossing his arms smugly across his chest. Rick glared down at him and shook his head, kicking him lightly in the shin.
"I hate you, just so you know," Rick said quietly.
Dan rolled his eyes. "You've said that so much, the words have lost all meaning,"
Rick scowled. "Well, I mean it this time,"
"Aw, Rick," Dan pouted, jutting out his bottom lip exaggeratedly. "It's not THAT bad, is it?"
Rick sighed, shaking his head at the pouting man sitting before him. What he had to do wasn't really bad, it was just doing it in that place that Rick didn't like. He was far from ashamed to be doing it; kissing Dan was something he'd become accustomed to since Dan’s arrival at Training Camp. But doing it in the locker room, in plain view of their sure-to-tease teammates, was a different situation. It wasn't that his teammates would have problems with such actions; with a couple like Cassels and Sanderson in their locker room, most were accustomed to such displays. But Rick was a private person, one who preferred to keep his love life behind closed doors. Dan was the total opposite of that, a junior exhibitionist who wanted nothing more than for the world to know what he shared with Rick. That was why he had suggested the bet he had, and through blackmail and pouting, got Rick to agree. And despite his objections, Rick was a man of his word, and had no intentions of backing out of his end of the bet. He only wished all of their teammates just looked the other way while he did it.
Reaching down, Rick grabbed hold of Dan's hand, pulling him up to his feet. Wasting no time, he pushed the younger man back against his locker stall, and slipping his hand behind Dan's neck, he brought their lips together. Whistles and catcalls sounded around them instantly, springing blush to Rick's cheeks, but still he held the kiss. He had promised Dan a good kiss, and that was what he planned on delivering. Forcefully he drove his lips onto the other man's, his tongue slipping easily into Dan's mouth as he gasped from the intensity. Their tongues writhed eagerly together, teeth gnashing as their kiss deepened. It was a passionate flurry of lips, teeth and tongues, and both men were quickly swept up in it. Neither was even aware they were still in the locker room, they had slipped into their own world from the first touch of lips, until a voice cleared from behind them and they came crashing back to Earth with blushing cheeks and sheepish giggles.
"I'm glad you felt he need to congratulate Dan on his goal, Rick," Their coach said with a hint of amusement in his voice. "But save it for the trainer’s room like Sandy and Cass,"
Rick blushed furiously, staring down at the floor. "Sorry, Doug," He mumbled, scuffing his foot on the floor.
"Yeah, sorry Doug," Dan echoed, biting back a giggle.
Doug shook his head, clapping each man on the shoulder. "Just keep your hormones in check in the room, or the chastity belts are coming out of your salaries,"
Dan burst into giggles as Doug walked away, while Rick's cheeks burned nearly red, and he ran back to his locker. Teasing words and laughs were thrown at him from every which way, serving to greatly increase his embarrassment. He could take only seconds of that torture before it became too much, and reaching back into his locker, he pulled from it a towel, quickly covering his head. Their teasing continued regardless of his state, but it was a comfort knowing they could no longer see him blush; that would only egg them on. Taking it away from them meant that they'd stop their mocking sooner rather than later. Or at the very least, that they'd enjoy it a lot less.
But their enjoyment continued uninterrupted, keeping Rick's head hidden, and his gaze on the floor. Across the room, Dan was starting to feel guilty for subjecting Rick to such torture, but he was still too happy to have had that kiss to feel too bad. Instead, he set out to make it up to Rick, in the only way he knew how. With a grin, he turned back into his locker, ripping from it a notebook. Pulling a pen from the spine, he flipped to a blank page and quickly scrolled a note. When finished, he tore the page from the book, and worked swiftly at transforming it into a crude, but sufficient airplane. At completion, he wasted no time in putting the plane in flight, aiming low in hopes that Rick would see it. That flight plan proved smart as the plane struck Rick in the leg, and he quickly snatched it up from the floor.
Rick's fingers traveled quickly along the folds of the paper, anxious to reveal whatever words Dan had written. Rick was never quite sure what to expect from his young friend in these notes; they ranged anywhere from sweet loves notes to vicious teasing, all depending on Dan's mood. Rick was unsure what Dan's current mood could be with what had transpired earlier, and the teasing that still continued, but he was preparing begrudgingly for the latter. But as his eyes scanned the messy script, he was pleasantly surprised to see this particular note fell somewhere in between the two he was most used to.
It was lost in my stunning display of ability tonight, but you scored too. And you know what happens when you score...
Rick grinned, throwing the towel from his head as he sat up. Glancing across the room, he saw Dan staring at him, a devious grin plastered across his face. As the two made eye contact, Dan licked his lips lasciviously and jerked his head in the direction of the trainer's room. Rick nodded his agreement, mouthing the words "you first." Dan agreed with an eager nod, pulling off his shirt and tossing it into his locker, before walking off toward the trainer's room. That slight delay gave Rick just enough time to reply with a note of his own; scribbling as fast as possible, he jotted three little words, then refolded the plane and sent it promptly on its return flight, straight to the back of Dan's head.
Dan squeaked at the contact, glancing around to see what had made it. When his eyes caught glimpse of Rick, Rick pointed down to where the note had landed on the floor. Smiling, Dan bent down and grabbed the note, arching an inquisitive eye at Rick as he returned vertical. Rick just smiled sweetly in return, pointing again at the note. That only increased Dan’s inquisitiveness, and distrustingly he unfolded the note. But as his eyes read over the words Rick had written, his distrust proved unnecessary, and with a soft giggle, a bright smile came to his face.
I love you.
END
© 2003 Triple X
