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The morning after Geno kisses him there are bright green stems shooting up from the snow in his backyard.
Sid puts down his coffee mug, grabs his phone off the counter and runs outside barefoot and without a coat.
The snow is up to his shins and soaks into the bottom of his sweatpants as he stands there counting.
Ten rows of five, fifty total.
He snaps a picture and texts it to Flower with the caption ‘It’s happening again’ , forgetting that he’s in a different time zone and no longer five minutes away.
Still, his phone starts ringing immediately and when Sid answers Flower only sounds a little sleepy when he says “what is it this time?”
Sid sighs and wraps his arm around himself. He’s starting to get cold but he doesn’t want to leave the young shoots even though he knows they’ll be fine.
“Geno kissed me last night.”
Flower’s quiet for a moment. “For real this time?”
“I don’t know. I hope.”
“If he breaks your heart again I swear to god I’m flying back there and kicking his ass myself.”
Sid is adamant that Geno did not break his heart the first time.
They were young and stupid and tipsy off the champagne they had been drinking around Mario’s pool. Their teammates and the Cup were floating in the water and the two of them were kissing in empty kitchen after volunteering to grab more ice for the coolers.
Sid had his back to Geno as he dug through the freezer and when he turned around Geno was right there looking at him with hooded eyes and a soft smile on his lips. Geno had said his name and that had been enough to finally make him lean in.
In the morning every single flower bed around the house was covered in red roses.
During the parade Geno refused to make eye contact with him. He wouldn’t even stand beside him or take the Cup from him. It was like Sid didn’t exist. Sid finally cornered him as they were cleaning out their lockers and with his eyes pinned to the floor Geno had admitted that it had been mistake. He was drunk and confused and he was sorry but he was going back to Russia and was going to try to make his relationship with his ex-girlfriend work.
Sid had been disappointed and upset but not heartbroken.
Not that Flower would ever believe him.
Sid went back to Mario’s, downed the rest of the leftover champagne, called up Flower and cried his eyes out.
He was emotional and drunk. But not heartbroken.
“I don’t think you could kick his ass,” Sid says and Flower snaps.
“Don’t tell me I couldn’t. I absolutely could.”
Even though he’s twenty one hundred miles away Sid’s a little afraid of him.
“I guess I’ll just keep you updated then,” Sid says and Flower scoffs.
“Yeah, I guess you better,” he says then adds more softly, “I’m always pulling for you guys. You know that.”
“Yeah,” Sid says as he bends down and touches one of the delicate sprouts. He wonders what they are and what they will be. He hopes he’ll get to see them bloom. “Me too.”
-
Sid waits for the water to boil while Geno holds the neck of a beer bottle between his fingers.
He’s leaning against the counter but he keeps shuffling his feet and clearing his throat. He seems uncomfortable and it’s making Sid uncomfortable. He hates feeling uncomfortable in his own home.
“Sid,” Geno says.
He glances over but Geno’s eyes are still downcast and he’s chewing on his lower lip. He doesn’t say anything else.
It’s going to be about three more minutes before the water starts to boil and he has to add the pasta. Then he’ll ask Geno to cut the bread and bring it into the dining room and that should break the tension.
He can live with another three minutes of awkward silence.
But apparently Geno cannot because he clears his throat, again, and Sid has to roll his eyes because it’s getting just a little annoying now and puts his bottle on the counter with a soft clink.
“Sid.” He squares his shoulders and lifts his eyes off the ground and now Sid’s the one that can’t seem to look up. “Want to apologize for kiss.”
Sid immediately looks out the kitchen window and into the backyard. The moon isn’t full enough tonight for him to see the green stems but he can feel them starting to wilt.
“Oh.” Sid says. “Okay. I understand, I mean, you were excited about your hatty and I was just there so…”
“What?”
Sid pulls himself away from the window and the stems and the hope that he felt and looks over at Geno.
Geno is looking back at him with his eyebrows furrowed and his lips pressed into a thin line.
“No, what...no not this kiss. Other one. From before.”
“Oh.”
There’s a stretching silence that’s only broken when the water boils over and steams and spits on the hot burner.
“Shit,” he says as he turns down the heat and moves the pot. “Shit.”
Geno touches his elbow to get his attention. He’s moved so much closer and Sid forgets about the water and the pasta and the bread and just about everything else in his life.
“Meant from before,” Geno says slowly. “When we were just kids...after cup win?”
“Yes. I know. I haven’t forgotten.”
Geno looks a little ashamed and a lot embarrassed and that really hadn’t been Sid’s intention.
“You already kind of apologized for that.”
“No, I give you excuse. Bullshit excuse.”
“It wasn’t. You had a girlfriend.”
“Ex-girlfriend and I knew it wasn’t going to work with her. Wouldn’t have been fair to her if it did. I liked you so much but I was so scared,” he admits. “Of everything. People finding out here, people finding out at home. But I’m 31 now. Think maybe it’s time to stop being scared.”
Sid nods and hope blooms in his chest.
“So if you want,” Geno says and Sid nod again, more emphatically this time.
“I want. I really want.”
Geno smiles. He still has his hand wrapped around Sid’s elbow and he squeezes. “Want to do this right, take it slow.”
“It’s been almost a decade. How much slower can we go?”
Geno slides his hand up and down Sid’s arm. “Want to date you. Would be so easy to fall into bed with you-.”
“You think I’m that easy,” Sid jokes but Geno still looks very serious.
“No. Know I’m that easy for you,” he says and Sid’s breath catches in his throat. “Want to do this right. Both deserve that.”
“Okay. Alright.” He has kissed Geno twice in the last ten years; that’s already double than he deserves in an entire lifetime. He can wait a few more days or weeks or however long Geno deems necessary before they kiss again. “Whatever you want to do I want to do.”
Geno drops his hand off his Sid’s elbow and wraps it around the back of his neck instead and in one swift motion he pulls him in for a kiss.
“Want to do that,” Geno says when he pulls back. “Okay?”
Sid nods again, dumb and useless with his brain still a bit offline and Geno smiles as he gently pushes him back towards the stove.
“Good, get water boiling again and I’ll cut bread.” He kisses Sid’s temple. “Very hungry.”
Sid gets it together enough to get the pasta cooked and a simple side salad made.
They eat and talk and smile and blush at each other until Geno announces that he needs to go home. Because he has to go home. Because he can’t spend the night.
But actions speak louder than words and right now they’re speaking right over his plans to leave as he presses kiss after kiss to Sid’s mouth.
“Have to go,” he says with one last kiss. “But we do again really soon.”
“When? We have that road trip coming up.”
Geno tapped his finger against Sid’s bottom lip and looked thoughtful.
“Soon.”
-
On the road and in Dallas Geno knocks on his hotel room door and asks him out to dinner.
“Sure,” Sid says as he ducks back into the room to grab his phone. He pulls up his texts and asks, “who do you want to invite?”
Geno puts one hand over the screen. “No, just us. Date.”
“Oh. Out? In public?”
Geno rolls his eyes but they still manage to look soft and warm. “Yes, out in public. Pick nice restaurant.”
“But won’t people see,” Sid asks, voice dropping to a whispers even though there is currently no one else in the hallway to either see or hear.
“Yes, maybe. Maybe they won’t recognize or care. Maybe I don’t care.”
“Oh.” Sid winces because that seems to be the only word he can say around him lately.
“Everyone has to know I like.”
“I didn’t know.”
Geno ducks down and kisses his forehead. “Is okay. Still like you even though you’re dumb sometimes.”
“I’m not dumb.”
“Dense. Blind. Slow.”
“I don’t think I want to go out with you anymore,” Sid says but he’s already stepping into his unlaced shoes and reaching for his jacket.
“I think you lie,” Genos says through a smile as he holds the door open and Sid slides his room key into his back pocket.
Their shoulders bump into each other as they walk down the hall to the elevators.
-
“Sunflowers,” Flower says and Sid tips his head at the buds.
“How can you be sure,” Sid asks into the phone.
When the he returned to Pittsburgh from the road the flowers were three feet taller than when he left them with a bud at the top. He sent Flower a photo immediately.
“I’m googling,” Flower answers, a clear duh in his tone. “They’re growing quick.”
Sid hums.
Geno took him out in Dallas, Phoenix, Anaheim, and Los Angeles. They held hands and split desserts and kissed goodnight before turning in.
It was a close to perfect as it could get.
“Is it still cold there?”
Sid shakes himself out of the fond memories and says “it’s fifteen degrees out.”
“Jesus, go inside.”
“I’m alright.” He touches one of the buds. “I like looking at them.”
Flower groans. “Do sunflowers mean anything to you?”
“No. They usually don’t. It’s random.”
When his parents brought Taylor home from the hospital the gerber daisies stayed fresh in the vase for months. When Sid scored his first goal, ever, when he was just a kid the orange and red leaves on the trees turned bright green again all the way home from the arena.
“But has anything just popped out of the ground like this before?”
Sid jams his hand in his pocket. His fingers are getting cold. “No.”
“I’m looking it up.”
“It doesn’t mean anything.”
“Sunflowers,” Flower says after he clears his throat, “can represent feelings of admiration, adoration, loyalty and strong bonds between two people. Doesn’t mean anything, huh?”
“I’m gonna go.”
“Uh huh.”
Sid hangs up and looks out over the rows of flowers. It’s freezing out but he feels warm all over.
-
Geno comes over whenever they have a free night.
They take turns cooking and bickering over the remote about which game they should be watching that night.
“You are obsessed with the Capitals like they are obsessed with you,” Geno tells him and Sid rolls his eyes and shakes his head and tries to reach for the remote as Geno holds it away.
“At least I don’t want to watch the Yotes. Why would you put yourself through that?”
“Is like car accident, Sid. Can’t look away.”
No one ever wins and no one ever loses because they ultimately end up making out with the game forgotten in the background.
Geno kisses him slow and thorough, coaxing Sid’s lips open with his his tongue and swallowing down the little noises Sid makes.
Sid thinks they’re wildly embarrassing but they seem to egg Geno on. He kisses him harder and presses their hips together. Sid lets him settle into the cradle of his thighs and digs his blunt fingernails into Geno’s shoulders as Geno shoves his hand beneath Sid’s shirt
Geno’s fingers brush over his nipple and Sid jolts hard enough for Geno to jerk back.
“Shit, fuck, sorry,” Sid says. “But you can’t do that. If we’re taking it slow you can’t do that.”
Geno’s eyes are wide and glassy and his lips are a deep red. It’s clear to Sid that he’s not the only one affected by this.
“Should probably go home,” Geno says and it kills Sid to admit it but he’s right. There’s nothing but coming in their pants like horny teenagers in their futures if Geno stays. “Gonna have a good game tomorrow.”
Sid laughs at the abrupt change in topics and he leans forward to kiss Geno once more, soft and sweet. “Have a goodnight. Text me when you get home, okay?”
“Okay, Sid,” he says. He lingers with his own goodbye kiss.
-
The sunflowers are over his head when he checks on them the next morning.
-
“So what does Geno think of this?”
“What does he think of what?”
Sid holds the phone against his shoulder and ear as he rinses out his coffee mug and looks out the kitchen window.
It’s a blizzard out there and he knows the flowers will be okay but he doesn’t feel right leaving them. It’s like his happiness is all alone in the backyard.
“What does he think about the flowers?”
“He doesn’t know.”
“He doesn’t know,” Flower repeats back. “How does he not know?”
“I never told him.”
“He doesn't see them?”
“It’s always dark when he’s here. I don’t have a light on them.”
“He doesn’t notice them in the morning?”
“He’s never here in the morning.”
Flower is quiet for a long moment. “So he just leaves after?”
“We’re not.” Sid turns the water off and he rubs a damp hand over his flushed face. “We haven’t done that yet.”
Flower doesn’t say anything and Sid is desperate to fill the silence.
“We’re taking his slow.”
Flower hums. It sounds judgemental and something in Sid snaps.
“I don’t know what your problem with Geno is, he’s your friend too. You love him. Why are you acting like he’s not good enough for me.”
“It’s not like that.”
“Then what is it?”
“Listen, if the skate was on the opposite foot,” he pauses as Sid groans over the dad joke, “and you were the one that broke Gen’s heart ten years ago I’d be having this exact conversation with him. Minus the magic emotional plant growth. That’s unique to you.”
Sid sighs. “Okay.”
“I do love, Geno. I love both of you and I want you to be happy together but I’m fucking protective, man. I’m always trying to look out for you.”
“Okay. Sorry I snapped.”
“It’s fine, don’t worry,” Flower says and then adds “you should tell him.”
“Oh, I don’t know.”
“Oh come on. It can’t just be me and Mario for the rest of your life. You won’t even tell your parents.”
“I told you while I was under distress and it made sense to tell Mario at the sametime I told him the real reason why he needed to stop setting me up with the daughters of all his friends.” It had just made sense to get it all out at once.
“I think you should think about it.”
The wind rattles against the window pane and Sid winces. “I don’t know. What if he thinks it’s weird.”
“Are you kidding me? Geno loves that weird shit. Look at those hideous alien things he has at the end of his drive.”
“There a huge difference between statutes and someone that can magically grow or kill plants based on their mood.”
Flower is quiet, again, and Sid heaves a dramatic sigh into the phone. “Tell him. You won’t know how he reacts until you actually do it.”
“But what if he hates me.”
Flower scoffs. “Not possible. He’s been in love with you forever.”
“That’s not true,” Sid bristles. “Don’t say stuff like that.”
“You don’t think it’s true but it is. He just hasn’t said it yet. You’re both keeping secrets and one of you has to break first. Might as well be you, Cap.”
“I should never have agreed to be captain.”
Flower laughs and Sid hangs up on him.
-
Flower’s right.
Geno deserves to know the truth and they should start this relationship out by being honest with each other. It’s the only way it’s going to work. Relationships built on respect and trust and honesty are the only ones that work. Or at least that’s what he heard on all those daytime talk shows he watched while he was recovering from his concussion.
So he makes Geno his favorite meal and lights candles in the middle of the table. He puts on the jeans that Geno says make his ass look the best and fusses over his hair until he hears a car door slam in the driveway.
He greets Geno with a kiss and pulls him out of the cold and into the house. He has a plan. They’ll eat dinner and it’ll be perfect. Then Sid will bundle him back up in his coat and hat and scarf and give him one of the flashlights he’s left out on the counter and bring him outside to show him the flowers.
Geno seems to have his own plan because before he even knocks the snow off his boots he’s holding Sid’s face between his gloved hands and kissing him.
Sid makes a surprised noise and when Geno lets him go he starts to ask him what that was for.
But Geno barrels right over him with “I love you,” and the plan goes right out the window.
Geno has him backed against the wall and Sid is pulling off his coat and pushing his hat off so he can run his fingers through Geno’s hair.
They stumble their way through the house and up the stairs, tripping over each other and laughing so hard it’s hard to stay upright.
But Geno gathers him into his arms and stands him up so they can keep moving towards the bedroom.
By the time they make it there Geno has been stripped of his coat and his shirt is unbuttoned. He still has one of his gloves on and he flaps his hand around trying to get it off. Once he does both his hand are red hot on Sid’s skin as he pulls the shirt over Sid’s head and drops it to the floor. He starts to unbutton Sid’s jeans and Sid holds his hand to stop him.
Geno looks up and Sid licks his lips.
“I just want you to know I love you too. A lot. Forever. I was going to tell you tonight after dinner but you beat me to it.”
Geno smiles and bypasses the button to lay his hand over Sid’s heart. “I’m best,” he says, “first at everything.”
“Not the greatest thing to say in bed,” Sid says and Geno drops his head to Sid’s shoulder and laughs.
-
Sid wakes up to Geno kissing the back of his shoulder.
“Going to make coffee,” he says, “will bring it back up here. Go back to sleep.”
“M’kay,” Sid mumbles and buries his head back into the pillow. Geno kisses the back of his neck and Sid swears he can feel the smile on his lips.
Sid rolls onto the side of the bed that Geno slept on and starts to drift off again. It’s warmer over there and smells like him and he doesn’t think he’s ever been this happy. Not even being handed the Cup beats this.
He yawns and burrows even deeper and then from downstairs Geno yells his name and Sid’s eyes fly open.
There’s light coming in beneath the bottom of the curtain and Geno is downstairs in the kitchen with the window with the view into the backyard.
He throws back the covers and jams his feet into his slippers, right on left and left on right and flies down the stairs.
“Geno,” he yells back as he slides into the kitchen. It’s empty and Sid throws himself against the edge of the counter so he can look outside.
Geno is in nothing but his boxers and the shirt Sid was wearing last night standing beneath the sunflowers.
They’re in full bloom, bright yellow petals reaching towards the clear blue sky and at least a foot and a half taller than Geno.
“Fuck,” Sid repeats as he walks through the house to the back door. Dinner is still on the dining room table, cold and spoiled, and the candles are melted all the way down to the holders but he ignores all that for a bigger problem.
Geno’s lost between the stems and when Sid finds him in the middle of the patch flowers his back is turned and his head is tilted up.
“Geno, I explain. Please, just let me explain.”
Geno turns on his heels with a huge smile on his face. His face is flushed from the cold but his eyes are bright. “Sid. You see this? This is amazing. Am I still dreaming?”
“No, no, you’re not dreaming. It’s real.”
“How did you do this? Are they real?” He touches a leaf and gasps when he feels it between his fingers. “Is alive, Sid? It’s freezing out, how is it alive.”
“I don’t know,” Sid answers. “I don’t understand it but it’s just always been that way. I don’t know how I do it. Just why.”
“How you do it?” Geno crosses his arms over his chest to warm himself up and steps up close to him like he’s going to absorb Sid’s heat. “What’s that mean?”
“It’s me,” Sid says with a shrug. “I did this.”
“You planted these?” “No. They just grew. It’s….a thing. Like magic. I have it.”
Geno blinks at him.
“I’ve had it since I was a kid,” Sid rushes out. “Whenever something would happen that would make me happy flowers would grow or leaves would turn green or something like that. But when I’m upset they wilt. It was crazier when I was little. I had no control over it. I killed a lot of my mom’s flowers out in the yard. I didn’t mean to but the other kids and the parents were so awful….my emotions were all out of whack and it just decimated her roses. I felt doubly terrible then.” He glances up at Geno. He looks a little sad on Sid’s behalf. “It got better as I got older but still, if something happens that gets me feeling one extreme or the other something like this happens.” He presses his lips together and waits for Geno to say something.
Geno chews on his bottom lip and looks around at the flowers. “These flowers look good.”
Sid nods.
“They’re beautiful,” he says and takes another step towards him. “Happy flowers means happy Sid?””
Sid nods and Geno cups his face in his hands. “Start growing last night? This quick?”
“No. They started the night you kissed me have been growing ever since. I think last night was the final push.”
“Happy because of me?”
“Now who’s the dumb one,” Sid says under his breath and Geno tilts his face up.
Geno’s eyes are watery with unshed tears and Sid clutches at his sides.
“Don’t cry. I’m sorry, I’d stop it if I could but-.”
“Don’t apologize,” Geno says. “You make me so happy, Sid. I can’t make pretty things so this is it. Not nearly as good but is all I have. Always knew you were special but never knew..." He trails off and Sid leans up and kisses him.
"I could only do this because of you. There's nothing else that would have made this happy."
"Cup?"
"We've won three. It's not like this. You're more to me than that. This is it for me, you're it for me."
Geno kisses him again, cool fingers up against the side of his neck. "It for me, too," he says. "Was always you."
-
When Flower wakes up in Vegas there's a text from Sid with a photo attachment.
He opens it and smiles.
Geno's clearly the one taking the photo, holding the phone away from them with his long arms. They're kissing beneath the flowers wrapped up as best as they can in each other's arms.
Flower spends the next five minutes texting both of them sunflower emojis before ending the message with "happy for you. Always knew it would work out."