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1.
It’s the middle of November and Patrick Kane is drunk in a Swiss bar. Usually this time of year he is planning any possibility of seeing his family for Thanksgiving around the Blackhawks’ schedule; instead he is chatting up a pretty blond woman with enough of a grasp of the English language and enough patience to deal with any of Patrick’s German. It’s when Patrick attempts a German version of Maroon 5’s “One More Night” that he notices the small tattoo behind her ear as she throws her head back laughing.
Her eyes are twinkling as she lets her fingers run over the intricate ladybug. “Do you have any?”
“No… I’d regret whatever I got the next day,” he laughs, “But on other people,” and here he leans closer to whisper into the skin by her tattoo, “It’s really hot.” She scoffs but then turns it into a charming giggle.
“Why don’t we get out of here and you can show me how hot my other ones get you?”
2.
It’s the beginning of December and Patrick Kane is in Tyler Seguin’s apartment staring at the other man’s tattoos; a mostly consumed bottle of vodka on the coffee table between them. “Are you going to say anything or just keep creepily staring at me?” Tyler asks while finishing his Call of Duty mission and taking a swig from the bottle.
“Did they hurt?” Tyler glances down at his arm as a small smile grows.
“Thinking of getting some yourself man? I don’t know… with your sick playoff flow I don’t think the ladies of Chicago could handle it.”
“The ladies of Chicago love P.Kane dude. Don’t even start,” he replies, throwing popcorn at Tyler’s head. “But, no. I just find them interesting.”
“Interesting, huh? I think you mean hot as fuck,” Tyler leers, cocking his eyebrow.
“They do give you some hotness points… I guess. Now you’re like a 3.”
“So if Toews had tats he’d be what? Like an 11?” Patrick’s face flushes bright red and he opens his mouth to protest. “Save it man. I can see your hard-on for him all the way over in Boston.”
3.
It’s mid-January and Patrick Kane has just arrived at his Chicago penthouse. He is sorting through mail at his kitchen island when there is a knock at the door. He rolls his eyes but not before he can stop his grin. “It’s open, loser!” Jonny slips into the apartment; the cold air breezing in with him.
“I could have been your food delivery guy,” Jonny greets, toeing his shoes off at the front door.
“I know my food delivery guy didn’t miss me as much as you.”
“Alright. I think I’ve reaching my Patrick Kane quota for today,” Jonny announces, pretending to pull his coat back on.
“I missed you, too, idiot,” Patrick sighs long-sufferingly, “But on a serious note I’m starving. What do you want? On second thought, fuck that. We’re getting Chinese. Did you know the Swiss aren’t known for their Chinese food?”
“I never would have guessed.” Patrick can feel the eye roll as Jonny walks into the living room.
The food arrives and they are bumming on the couch as Jonny flips through the channels. He passes by Spike and Patrick sees a flash of a tattooed arm before the next channel flips on. “Wait. Go back.” Jonny clicks up ten channels, the corner of his mouth twitching up before going back to an episode of “Ink Masters” where some dude is in the middle of a complicated back piece involving what looks like dragons.
“Seguin convert you to the tattoo world?” Jonny asks, dropping the remote on the cushion between them.
“Nah… I’ve always found them interesting. I banged a girl with some in Switzerland. It was hot as fuck.”
“Nice,” Jonny says, putting his fist up for Patrick to bump before focusing back on the show and stuffing some pork fried rice into his mouth. Patrick lets his hand drop but his eyes are drawn to the skin behind Jonny’s ear.
“Would you ever get one?”
“Probably not.”
4.
It is late April and Patrick Kane is at a Target picking out a birthday card for Jonny. He is holding one with a Dalmatian puppy on the front and another that says “Happy 5th Birthday Buddy!” He slides the puppy one back into the slot and is heading towards the registers when he spots a display of temporary tattoos. He laughs to himself as he picks up several packages with a variety of designs.
The team goes to Jonny’s favorite restaurant for his birthday; taking it easy with playoffs starting the next day. It’s a good time and Jonny is smiling and slightly flushed from the couple of glasses of wine the guys insisted he drink. Most of the team chips in to buy him an Ipad so he can finally beat that level of Candy Crush he’s been stuck on for three weeks.
Patrick waits until most of the guys have head out before he gives Jonny his gift. Jonny reaches for the card first but Patrick stops him. “Gift first. I know it goes against all the rules or whatever but just do it.” Patrick got Jonny “Game of Thrones” sigil pint glasses because Jonny once spent an entire plane ride explaining all his theories about the show.
Finally Patrick lets him open the card and he reaches for his phone too late to get the incredulous, eye brow raised face he gives the card, but the best part is when the temporary tattoos fall into his lap and Jonny bursts out laughing.
“JUST IN CASE YOU WANTED TO GIVE IT A TRY… HAPPY BIRTHDAY LOSER.”
“Thank you Peeks. These are all great.” The tops of Patrick’s ear turn pink.
5.
It’s the end of June and Patrick Kane is stumbling into Jonny’s apartment with the owner of said apartment not too far behind him. “This is the greatest night of my entire life!” Jonny yells into the foyer, “Two times, Pat! Two times!”
“Sssh,” Patrick giggles, “Neighbors.” He closes the door gently and trips over his own feet turning around.
“Two times, Pat,” Jonny whispers in the dark of the entryway, eyes shining. “We’re incredible. This team’s incredible… this city… Pat…”
“I know Jonny I know,” Patrick sighs; tears threatening to fall as he pushes past a suddenly close and clingy Jonny. He’s fumbling around in the kitchen looking for a bottle opener, two beers curled between the fingers of his right hand when Jonny finally follows him. He pulls open a drawer and the package of tattoos he got Jonny are lying there. The gaudily designed top package is labeled “Sports Star” and Patrick can’t help but laugh. “Jonny, Jonny. Come here.”
“What’s up?”
“Just come here.” Patrick motions while dampening a washcloth under the faucet. It’s a testament to Jonny’s drunkenness that he doesn’t question any further and comes to stand next to Patrick at the sink. Patrick grabs Jonny’s arm and presses the tattoo and washcloth onto the inside of his left wrist.
“You found the tattoos,” Jonny smiles, leaning closer until their foreheads are almost touching so he can watch Patrick’s hands on his skin.
“Yea,” Patrick breathes, watching the clock on the microwave switch to 3:57 and then he slowly remove the washcloth and backing paper. It’s a cartoon sketch of a gold trophy with “Winner!” printed underneath. Jonny looks at it for a bit before looking up at Patrick.
“It’s perfect.”
+1.
Patrick Kane wakes up the next morning and grimaces, pressing his fingers into his temples with a groan. “Never again,” he whispers as he cautiously gets out of Jonny’s guest bed and heads to the kitchen. Jonny isn’t up yet so Patrick starts the coffee maker and searches for Advil. It’s then that he notices the packages of tattoos on the counter and his face slowly turns crimson. “Oh shit…” He doesn’t have the chance to add on to that because Jonny is padding out of his bedroom.
Patrick’s eyes are drawn to Jonny’s wrist instantly and Jonny looks at him in confusion before following his gaze. “Oh, yea,” he laughs, running his fingers over the design gently, “I forgot we did this.”
“Yea, we were really drunk… how’re you feeling?”
“Gross. That coffee and those pills will definitely help though.” Patrick places some of each in front of Jonny before joining him at the kitchen island. It’s quiet for a minute before Patrick can feel Jonny’s eyes on him.
“What?” He snaps nervously, his heart beating faster.
“You don’t have one…” Jonny says, waving his wrist toward Patrick like he honestly thought Patrick could ever forget it was there.
“They were your presents.”
“You should have one too. We both won.”
“I don’t know man. I don’t really do tattoos…”
“Neither do I and you gave me one,” Jonny points out, pouting around his coffee mug.
“Alright. Fine. God.” Patrick reaches for the tattoos across the counter but Jonny slaps his hand away and grabs them. “Ow, fucker! You just said…”
“You chose mine, I’m choosing yours.” Patrick groans as Jonny heads toward the sink dampening a cloth. Jonny shifts through the packs until he’s smirking down at one of the sheets. “Perfect. Come here.” Patrick groans again before joining Jonny at the sink.
“Where...” Before Patrick can finish the question, Jonny presses the tattoo and the warm cloth on to Patrick’s bare chest. A flush starts to build through Patrick’s body, turning his chest and face scarlet. Jonny’s eyes widen slightly as Patrick shifts nervously in front of him.
“Your heart… it’s beating really fast,” Jonny whispers and swallows visibly. “Do you want me to stop?” Patrick shakes his head and squeezes his eyes shut, breathe coming in quick gasps. He doesn’t see Jonny raise his hand and flinches when fingers brush his cheek. His eyes flutter open and are once again drawn to the cartoonish trophy on Jonny’s wrist. There’s a second of hesitation before he leans in and kisses the design. Jonny’s breathe catches in his throat.
“Shit. Fuck. I’m sorry, Jonny. That was so stupid,” Patrick fumbles out quickly pulling away as Jonny’s face contorts into a hurt expression. Patrick can only stare uncomprehendingly until he looks down.
The image is a little difficult to make out upside down and it’s a few thumps of Patrick’s heart before he can look up again. “Pat, I…”
“I’m going to kiss you now.” Patrick interrupts stepping closer to Jonny as Jonny’s lips quirk up into a smirk and then Patrick is crashing into him. It’s sloppy and uncoordinated until Jonny tangles his fingers into the stupid mullet and steadies them. The kiss gets slower then and deeper as Patrick slips his tongue between Jonny’s gasping lips, trying to chase the taste of coffee out of Jonny’s mouth.
They break apart to breath for a few seconds, Jonny’s forehead pressed to Pat’s shoulder, his fingers tracing the design on the other man’s chest. Patrick huffs out a laugh, “Why would they even make this a tattoo?” Jonny lifts his head up to glare at Patrick, his eyebrows rising in disbelief.
“Because Canada is the greatest country in the world,” he scoffs. Patrick laughs glancing down at the red maple leaf on his chest while sliding his hand into Jonny’s and leading him to the bedroom.
“Well, this American is about to rock your world.”