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It shouldn't be a big deal, not really. It's just a number and a name.
Jonny's not used to seeing them in this combination though.
He would be lying if he said he wasn't nervous, standing in line to get on the ice for the season opener at the UC.
He watches Kaner shifting restlessly a couple of places in front of him in the line-up, itching to get back out on the ice, to show the crowd what he can do. As if anyone would doubt his capability after last season. Fucking Conn Smythe throphy winner. Fucking Stanley Cup champions.
***
After they were done with the Cup celebrations, and had all the press stuff completed, Jonny had gone home to Winnipeg in hope to wind down a bit. To let it soak in, They had won the Cup. Again.
But.. All he saw when he closed his eyes was Pat. His ridiculous smile that hadn't shifted an inch the whole time throughout the partying.
Those stupid blonde curls, still cut in that horrible mullet, and how they looked after Tazer had gotten close enough to run his hands through them, messing them up even worse.
That stupid little dance he had done when he practically begged Jonny to spray him down with champagne, eyes closed and tongue hanging out in a way that really shouldn't had been hot in any way, shape or form.
But it was Patrick, so of course it was. God, jonny really is dumb and gone on him.
***
Jonny had lasted a week. Then he booked the first flight to Buffalo he could find.
He had been nervous back then too, standing outside Pats door. He knew what he was there for even if he really hadn't thought it through. Jonny liked having a solid plan, to work out his plays, fix small imperfections before setting things in motion.
But for once it was all clear in his head without any planning required. He just needed Patrick to approve.
***
They had been doing this thing for years now. They hadn't really put a name on it, it was just easier that way. Less shit to work through.
They were both pretty drunk the first time, following an epic win against Calgary. They had stumbled through the door to their hotel room, both trying to hold the other up.
It had been a flurry of messy kisses and bites in hard-to-hide places. Jonny still remembers the filthy groan Pat had let out the first time Jonny got his mouth around him. It had been horribly sloppy and uncoordinated, with alcohol still surging through his system. But Patrick really hadn't seemed to care, if the fingers scrabbling for purchase in Jonnys too short hair and Pat furiously bucking hips was anything to judge by.
After they both had gotten off, they traded lazy kisses and fell asleep wrapped around each other, limbs hopelessly tangled.
They had woken up the day after with hangovers and their memories still very much intact.
Jonny had thought it was a one-off and that they would just ignore it forever.
It wasn't.
***
It seemed such a long time ago, they had both matured a lot since then, won two Cups too.
While Jonny had stood there waiting on Pats doorstep he had thought about the first time he realized he loved Patrick. It was right after they had won their first cup. He remembers how he had thrown himself at Patrick, hugging him so tight, hands gripping his jersey so hard, whispering “we did it! Holy fuck Pat we did it.” over and over in Pats ear. Remembers how hard it was to keep from kissing him right then and there.
When they finally un-tangled enough to look at each other, Jonny had just known, Kaner had looked at him like he was the cup. Like he was the one Pat had fought for the whole season. He knew he reflected the same look back at Pat.
And in that moment he knew that Patrick loved him too.
They stopped picking up after that. No more random girls to keep up appearances, but they never said anything about it. They kind of just went with it. As said before, it was just easier.
***
When Pat finally had opened the door, Jonny didn't even bother with a “hello”. Just said, “I'm done with this.”
Pat had looked surprised to see Tazer at first, but he had quickly turned white when what Johnny had said registered.
“Not like that, idiot” Jonny had said, “We're doing this for real now.” And he had held out the simple platinum bands he had picked out before leaving Winnipeg.
Okay, so a little planning had gone into it. He's Jonny, what did you expect?
Patrick had looked stunned for all of a second, before a shit-eating grin had spread over his face, “So what, not even gonna give me a little 'down on one knee' action, way to be classy assface.”
Jonny just huffed, “We doing this or what?”
Pat's grin had gentled into a soft smile, “Yeah Tazer, we're doing this.”
Then he had promptly dragged Jonny into his house by his shirt collar and proceeded to give him the blowjob to end all blowjobs. So all in all it had been a total success.
***
They had a small quiet ceremony in Winnipeg, just their families and most of the team attending.
Turns out that they hadn't been quite as secretive as they thought. “Duh, we knew way before you stupid asses did, it was painfully obvious, that level of co-dependent isn't normal.” Sharpy had said.
Patrick and Jonny had just mumbled “whatever, douche.” In perfect sync, which made the whole team crack up.
Fuck them anyways.
***
And now, finally, they're here, waiting for the announcer to start calling out their names to go out on the ice.
Jonny watches as Pat turns to look at him, watches him take off his glove and reach in under his pads to retrieve the necklace with the same platinum ring Jonny presented him with all those weeks ago. He smiles that special full-on-dimples grin he saves just for Jonny, and kisses the band before settling it back against his heart.
Jonny smiles back, heart clenching in response to the gesture. Still nervous about what's about to happen, but reassured that they're doing the right thing.
***
They had discussed the name issue, and how they were going to handle this.
Kaner had been surprisingly determined. “If I'm doing this I'm doing it all out Jonny.”
He had given him that look that told Johnny he wouldn't be budging. And frankly, Jonny didn't really want him to anyway.
***
So Jonny holds his breath as Patrick gives him one last smile before the announcer finally yells, “Number 88, PATRICK TOEWS”
The crowd goes completely silent for what seems like an eternity, but then, the whole UC explodes in screams and cheers as Patrick jumps out onto the ice, grinning all the while.
Jonny breathes out, and then it's his time to skate out on the ice after the announcer shouts out his name, Pat skates over to him right away, taps Johnnys skate with his stick and says, “I told you it would be fine, didn't I?”
Jonny just watches Pat for a second, mesmerized by how his eyes lights up with happiness, then breathes out, “yeah Pat.”
He reaches out and tugs Patrick to him, and in front of 22.000 fans, kisses him hard, Pat flailing a bit before settling his arms around Jonnys shoulders with a barely there moan.
Jonny fists his hands in the back of Pats jersey, right in the space between “Toews” and “88”, both still so odd to see together, but in that moment he knows.
It might just be a number and a name. It shouldn't be a big deal.
But to him.
It's everything.