Fandom: Hockey

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Antoine is a teen-ager, Josh is amused, and Chris is just too sexy for his own good.

Warnings: slash, silliness on the author's part

A/N: Well, here is the beginning of what might be termed a series of sorts. The stories are only loosely related though, so it's not really necessary to read all of them. This...is the product of a very bad case of obsession over my hockey players. The players are all from the AHL, although some of them have made stints in the NHL. They all play for the Binghamton Senators at the time of this fic.

This fic is the result of what might be a little too much fangirlness on my part, compounded by the lovely pictures that were handed out on Fan Night. My first thought upon seeing the picture (beyond realizing that Antoine Vermette is a dork) was exactly what Josh says to Chris. What can I say? When I get obsessed, I get *REALLY* obsessed! In any case, I hope someone out there enjoys my silliness and bad writing. ^-^

Brief Character Links Thingamabob:
Antoine
Chris
Josh
Alex
Christophe
McGrattan
These are the characters that will have repeated appearances in the stories following this one as well as whatever time they take up in here. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I in no way, shape, or form, have any association whatsoever with these players except for the fact that I like to watch them play. This story in NO way depicts anything that has happened in real life. 'Nuff said.

"Look at me! Look at me! I’m Chris Kelly!" Antoine yelled, doing his best impression of a monkey. Josh’s grin widened a little bit, and Alex gave Antoine a half-amused, half-weirded-out look. Considering that the loon was leaning on Alex’s shoulder, Josh could understand that. At the reasonably safe distance of about three feet, and with Alex between them, he felt safe enough in being properly amused. Reactions varied around the team, but invariably everyone was waiting for Chris’s reaction. Disappointingly, it was rather understated.

Chris tilted his head back and glared up at this juvenile teammate. "You are such a fucking teenager," he said, shaking his head.

"Hey, I think you really wounded him, Chris," said Christophe, German accent making his voice easily recognizable. "You know, since it isn’t that far from the truth." Several people laughed at that.

"Yeah, and look who’s talking!" jibed Joe Murphy, slapping Christophe on the back to nods and smirks from everyone above 25.

Christophe shrugged. "Hey, better young and strong like me than old and slow like you."

Joe smacked the back of Christophe’s head. "I’m not slow!" Nobody said anything, but a noise that sounded suspiciously like a snicker came from Brian McGrattan. Joe turned, glaring at him accusingly. "I’m not! Somebody back me up here! Brad? Dave? Dennis??"

No one answered.

The photographer spoke into the conspicuous silence. "Ok, we’re ready. We just need you guys to smile and freeze." He turned to take the picture.

Antoine, who had been pouting at being deprived of everyone’s attention, suddenly grinned. "Look at me! Look at me! I’m-Oof!" This was followed by the familiar sound of a body hitting the ice.

Josh turned his head to see Antoine lying flat on his back, Bala doubled over in hysterical laughter and Chris Kelly with the sexiest scowl to ever grace a human face.

"Hey! That was really mean, Chrissie! It’s not nice to hit people like that!" Antoine squalled, waving his legs dramatically in the air. Chris pointedly didn’t look at him.

Andy Hedlund rolled his eyes, and reached down to give Antoine a hand up. "Man, you need to be shot full of tranquilizers or something," he said as he helped the hyperactive center to his feet.

Antoine giggled and almost fell back down again. "It’s Josh’s fault! He gave me caffeine!"

Josh shrank a little into the goal as several of his teammates shot him glares of death. How was he supposed to know that caffeine transformed Antoine into a twelve-year-old with an attitude? Well, all right, so technically he did know, but he’d never imagined that it would be so bad. It wasn’t like he was psychic or anything!

"I don’t suppose you guys could just hold still for a minute so I could snap a few pictures and get this over with?" asked the photographer wearily. He’d just spent the last hour arranging everyone on the team to his liking, and probably had good reason to be tired.

Antoine ignored him and went back to his imitations, but the rest of the team turned their gazes expectantly toward the camera. The photographer waited a minute on the off chance that Antoine might knock it off, then shrugged fatalistically. It wasn’t his problem. He snapped a few pictures, then waved his hand. "You’re free to go."

There was a minor moment of chaos as the team sorted itself out, then they slowly began to file off. The photographer breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of their retreating backs. Who knew that hockey players - grown men! - could be so immature?

****

They handed out the posters on March 29th for Fan Appreciation Night. Josh thought it was kind of dumb that they handed them out to the players in addition to the fans. It wasn’t like he needed a picture of people he played with every day.

Then he actually looked at the picture.

Well, truthfully, he only glanced at it. It was pregame, and he needed to concentrate. He did get one major thing from that glance though. He realized that Chris Kelly was a distinctly sexy bitch when he was angry. Not that he hadn’t known that before, but having it presented so forcefully was a decided surprise. He pushed it from his mind as best he could after that one moment of startled epiphany. His best wasn’t too good though apparently. That...image kept cropping up throughout the game until he wanted to scream with frustration from more than just watching the refs make a million bad calls and the urge to wipe those smug smirks off the faces of the Admirals.

So he was the first one to leave the locker room, barely even taking the time to rinse off his over-heated body. Once outside, instead of heading for his own car, he made his way towards where he knew Chris Kelly always parked. Recognizing the car, he leaned easily against it, enjoying the feeling of the rain falling against his face. The poster was rolled up and kept carefully dry underneath his jacket. Couldn’t have the source of his inspiration getting damaged, now could he?

He didn’t have long to wait, just like he’d known he wouldn’t. Soon enough Chris could be seen approaching, hands in his pockets and head bowed slightly against the rain. Josh knew the minute Chris saw him by the slight falter to his step. Feeling vaguely foolish, Josh stubbornly remained. He refused to chicken out.

When Chris was within a few feet, he stopped. "What do you want?" he asked, clearly annoyed.

Josh’s reply was perhaps less subtle than he might have wished, but it certainly got the point across. "You know exactly how much of a sexy bitch you are, don’t you?"

Chris’s smile might have been flattered, or it might have been condescending. "I wouldn’t exactly have put it that way, but yes. Why do you ask?"

Josh shrugged, but his actions put the lie to his nonchalance. Moving swiftly, he covered the distance between them with just a few steps.

Chris tilted his head slightly to meet his eyes, but otherwise didn’t move. Josh decided to take that for a good sign, and leaned down just enough to touch his lips to Chris’s. Chris’s lips parted easily beneath his own, and Josh’s tongue followed, exploring eagerly. Chris responded willingly, moaning sexily into his mouth, and it was all Josh could do a short while later to pull himself away.

He took a step back, breathing heavily and scanning Chris’s face. Chris was flushed, and breathing in an open-mouthed fashion that Josh found entirely too enticing for his own good. Never having been one to deny himself, he stepped closer, leaning down to once again claim Chris’s mouth with his own.

Chris was the one to pull away this time. "So..."

"Yeah. So."

"I don’t suppose you thought beyond this point, did you?" asked Chris dryly.

Josh shrugged. "I'm more the spontaneous type, you know?"

"Yeah. Well...You want to come over to my place for a while?"

Josh grinned. "Hell, yeah. That sounds like my kind of plan." He leered playfully.

Chris mock-scowled. "Hey, who said we were going to do anything like that?"

Josh pouted, then pulled Chris close. "I guess I’ll just have to--persuade you then," he said, mouth hovering possessively over Chris’s. He leaned slowly closer, reveling in the sound of Chris's breathing growing heavier before claiming his mouth in yet another searing kiss.

Chris’s voice was decidedly breathless after that when he said, "Just get in the damn car."

"Ooh, demanding, aren’t we?" Josh teased.

Chris locked his eyes on Josh’s. "Maybe I am. If you have a problem with that then you’re perfectly free to leave."

Josh grinned again. "I don’t think so. I think that I kind of like the demanding type."

Chris smiled, and Josh’s heart nearly stopped. That smile had been pure invitation. His heart started up again with a little skip as Chris moved to get in the car. He watched transfixed, as Chris made his way to the driver’s side. Once he’d gotten there, he stopped and raised an eyebrow quizzically. "You coming, or not?"

Josh smirked and stepped toward the passenger’s door. "Hopefully this won’t be the only coming done tonight," he said suggestively.

Chris rolled his eyes. "Just get in the car."

Josh did as he was told without further comment. There were some orders that were just meant to be obeyed, and that was one of them. All in all, this night was definitely looking up. And to think, all of that because of one silly little poster that hadn’t even cost him any money, and a little teasing. It was definitely proving profitable now.