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“So we meet again” Kent winked at Alexei who was shoving another chicken wing into his mouth.
“Ah! Kenny!” Mashkov grinned after he swallowed his food. “Is good to see you. Sorry about cup.” He frowned sympathetically.
“Eh, we’ll get it next year.” Kent sighed. “I just wish it had gone to anybody but the hawks. Toews is a good guy, but as a whole their team just rubs me the wrong way.”
Mashkov nodded quietly in agreement.
“Like I said, we’ll get ‘em next year.” Kent sighed.
“Unless we get.” Alexei shook his finger. “But in any way, how is Kit? She look good on Instagram.” He smiled.
“She’s great, never better. She just got back from the groomer’s the other night, and you won’t believe how great she looked. I took a picture on my phone, but I wish I had had my camera on me.” Kent enthused.
“Ah yes, picture with ribbon, da?” Alexei asked.
“Yeah, the groomer always gives her a pink ribbon to wear home.” Kent chuckled. “You should see her, we get in the car and drive home and everything is fine, but the moment we walk in the door, she wants that ribbon OFF. She’ll like roll around on the ground and scratch at it if I don’t take it off quickly enough.”
“I would like seeing her.” Alexei nodded. “She is beautiful cat. Beautiful cat with beautiful owner.”
Kent paused for a second, lips parted a little. He, Jack, and Tyler Seguin were the only out players in the NHL...was Tater gay? Or did he genuinely just want to see Kit? I mean it would make sense if Tater was gay why he wouldn’t have come out when the rest of them had...the whole Russia thing…
“I’m sorry, is too personal?” Alexei asked with a frown. “I not mean to-”
“No, yeah, you’re fine. You just kind of took me by surprise is all.” Kent shrugged.
“I’m...I can’t…” Alexei looked frustrated.
“I think I understand.” Kent nodded, heart racing a little. “But...if you’d like, and you can obviously say no if it’s not cool at all...but if you want, we can go back to my apartment after this and get Kit drunk on cat wine, and maybe split a bottle between us?” He offered, trying not to feel too hopeful.
“I...Is cat wine?” Tater’s brow furrowed in confusion.
“Yeah, this really cool company makes it so it’s safe for cats to have.” Kent explained.
“Oh...well...yes, I like see drunk Kit. And maybe drunk Kenny too.” Alexei smiled, patting Kent on the shoulder gently. “What is say we get out of here?”
“Sounds good.” Kent smiled, fighting the instinct to hold Tater’s hand. It sounded like this could be a good thing, even if it took a little work.
They ducked out of the banquet as early as they were allowed and headed back to Kent’s house just outside the city.
“I think you live in apartment, not suburb.” Tater laughed. “Not seem like you.”
“I mean, I had an apartment like four years ago when I still was out on the strip on my off nights. Now I just kind of chill with Kit for the most part. I still go out maybe a couple times a month during season when we have breaks.” He explained, locking his car and walking up the steps and into his house.
“You getting old Kent Parson.” Tater chirped. “Next year you be knitting instead of party.”
“Not any time soon.” Kent chuckled. “Yarn is dangerous for cats.”
“Ah yes. Baby come first.” He nodded. “Where is baby?”
“Oh she’s probably on my bed. I can grab her if you want?”
“No is okay. She come to me when she ready, and we become best friends.”
“Haha, she’s not really a best friends kind of cat. She hates everyone, including me most of the time.” Kent scratched at the back of his neck. “But aaaanyway, wine?”
“Yeah, is good. You have cat wine to yes? I’m wanting to see.” Tater’s eyes flicked over to the kitchen.
“Here see? It’s got like catnip in it or some shit.” Kent explained as he put his knee on the counter to reach up and grab the bottle off the top of the counters. “I have to put it up here or Kit will get into it and become a lush.”
“What is lush? Like bath bomb? Zimmboni’s baker boyfriend likes those.” Tater cocked his head.
“No, it’s another way to say someone who drinks a lot of alcohol.” Kent explained.
“Ah, drunk kitty.” Tater smiles, getting on his knees as Kit made her way out of Kent’s bedroom. “Come here drunk kitty.” He cooed, trying to direct her toward him with his hands.
To Kent’s surprise Kit stepped forward and headbutted Tater’s thigh before bringing her nose up to inspect him.
“Looks like she likes you.” Kent smiled a little. “That’d be a first.”
“Of course she like me. I’m best.”
“Of course.” Kent rolled his eyes. “Let’s get the people wine sorted first, since Kit won’t wait for us.” Kent opened a bottle and split it between two glasses, setting the leftover wine into a chiller. “It’s been in my fridge for a couple days so it’s still cold.” He promised, handing off a glass to Alexei. Kent poured some “Pinot Meow” for kit into a glass bowl and set it on the floor, clicking his tongue lightly.
Kent took a sip and watched Kit lap at the red liquid in the bowl.
“Want to watch some netflix until she gets drunk off her ass?” Kent asked, nodding toward the TV in his living room.
“Yes. Sound good.” Tater nodded, sitting on Kent’s couch and taking a swig of wine.
Kent set up the TV and hovered over the remote before handing it to Tater.
“Pick whatever you want.” He shrugged.
Tater browsed a little bit before settling on Finding Dory.
“Is cute movie. I see with Zimmboni and Snowy.” Tater defended himself when Kent looked at him in surprise.
“No yeah, it’s fine. I saw it with Swoops. I was just surprised that you would have picked it is all.” Kent shrugged.
“I am what Itty Bitty call Teddy Bear. Big, fluffy, and warm.” Tater beamed, causing Kent’s breath to catch for a moment.
“I’m what Itty Bitty would probably call a hot mess.” Kent chuckled, sitting down with his own glass of wine.
They chatted casually as the watched the movie.
“Ah, I think princess Kit is drunk now.” Tater chuckled as Kit wobbled her way over to them, meowing loudly.
Kent picked her up gently and set her on the couch where she immediately took a nose dive into the pillows. She licked at the pillows and closed her eyes, purring softly.
“Aww, she is precious.” Tater smiled softly. “Sleepy kitty.”
“I think stoned kitty is more like it.” Kent smiled, running a finger around Kit’s ear and down her face, rubbing gently at her cheeks and whiskers, causing her purring to grow louder. He looked up to tell Tater that Kit liked being pet just about anywhere, but instead was interrupted by a pair of lips on his.
Kent froze for a moment before closing his eyes and kissing back a little. When Tater pulled back he smiled.
“You like?”
“Uh, yeah, but...why?” Kent stuttered. “Like, you’re not out, you’re from Russia, so it’s like four times harder for you to come out, I’m a mess, not to mention ‘the enemy.’ Why?”
“Because you cute and hot, and you nice to your kitty.” Tater shrugged. “I’m think you nice guy, and I’m want to date you.”
“Date?” Kent’s eyes widened. “I mean...I-I can’t really come to Providence super often, and you can’t really be here every weekend. I don’t really know how this would work-”
“Is off season. We worry about when we cross bridge.” Tater smiled.
Kent laughed breathlessly at Tater’s attempt at the saying.
“Okay, yeah...we can worry about it when we cross the bridge.” He chuckled, kissing Tater’s cheek.