Rating: NC-17
Pairing: Rick Nash/Nikolai Zherdev
Original Date of Completion: July 2004
Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I own no one, but if you do, I'd like to place a bid. This is all fake, conjured in the confines of my demented little mind. That means fiction, and that you can't sue me.
Notes: This takes place in April, sometime before Easter. Rusty=Rusty (Rostislav) Klesla, Pascal=Pascal Leclaire, Syracuse Crunch/Columbus Blue Jackets goalie, Astro=Astroglide personal lubricant
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April 2006
“Here come’s Alex Cottontail, gliding down the bunny trail...” Rusty sang obnoxiously as readied the video camera, grinning evilly.
Alexandre shot a glare at him, grumbling as he stepped from the car. Rick and Pascal followed quickly behind him, snickering as they took quick charge of perfecting the traditional Astro Bunny costume; the pink rabbit ears were crooked to the left, the ball of pink cotton taped low on his backside, the Welcome basket tied tightly around his neck. It was a humiliating costume, as always, but that was what tradition called for. Without the costume, the tradition was just delayed “Welcome to the team” sex, and what’s special about that?
The tradition was different this year, however, with the absence of Nikolai, the 2005 Astro Bunny. His portrayal for Picard last year had been quite memorable, a favorite video for all the draft picks, and numerous teammates lucky enough to see it. Nikolai had relished the role, in a maniacally devious way that only Klesla could relate to. This year, unfortunately, he couldn’t see personally to his own revenge on Picard, a late season knee injury keeping him sidelined not only from playing, but from playing as well. He had been disappointed, but confident in the abilities of his teammates to handle things well. They had done just that, and then some, under the direction of their ever evil Czech ring leader. They had even paid tribute to their missing teammate, on Picard, with a scribbled “For Nikky” written just above the tail. But in the end, this time was all about Picard, and his welcoming of 2006 draft pick, Gilbert Brule. And like Rick and Pascal before him, he wanted to get the bunny part over with, and get to doing other things like bunnies.
He sighed as he walked the steps to Brule’s apartment, his elder draft picks following behind him, paintball guns and video camera in hand. He hadn’t given thought to running from the tradition, Brule alone was enough to convince, but the video of his own experience last year had sealed the deal. Not just from what he had experienced, but from the paintball gun “malfunction” that had seen Pascal become green in a tender area. He hadn’t played much during last year’s festivities.
So with that experience in his mind, Alexandre accepted his fate as the Astro Bunny and knocked. He could hear a mumbled “In a minute” from inside, then footsteps coming toward the door. His heart began to race in anticipation, and he could feel his body break out in a nervous sweat. As he heard the doorknob turn, he drew in a sharp breath, biting his lip as the door swung open. What he saw standing there made the others gasp, and made Alex realize how different this year’s tradition really was.
Because there in the doorway stood Nikolai, completely naked, spare for a set of blue rabbit ears atop his head. Confused, Alexandre glanced back at his teammates, who all stood dumbfounded (Klesla and Leclaire), and/or blatantly turned on (Klesla and Nash). Nikolai laughed at their reactions, and with a devious grin, he took it upon himself to answer the questions their befuddled looks asked.
“He does not like PINK bunnies.”
With that, he turned and strutted back inside, a puff of blue cotton shaking as he walked. The four men stared after him until he from their sight, entranced by the tail and still a little surprised by what they had seen. It was Klesla who finally broke their stupor, chuckling as he pushed past Alexandre to step inside. He stopped just inside the door, and turned back to address his cronies.
“Tradition obviously continues,” He said with a laugh. “And tradition says I have to get proof.”
He held up the camera with a devilish grin, then continued inside. The other three followed quickly without question, just like always. The tradition may have changed, but some things never would. Brule would find that out in ‘07.
END
© 2007 Triple X
