It's Only a Change of Time (159527 words) by Sophia_Prester
Chapters: 29/29
Fandom: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Summary:
Every hockey player knows the Stanley Cup is supposed to be magic.
Most of them know the stories about wishes and curses and visions of things that never happened.
A few players know for themselves what the Cup's magic can do.
What no one knows is what the Cup's magic is.
What it is, is old. Powerful. Dangerous.
And it has been waiting for someone like Jack Zimmermann for a very long time.
Too bad Jack can't remember why. Or what he's supposed to do about it.
I was reading this fic as a WIP forever ago and was LOVING IT, but then as it got more complex I had to reread half of it with every new chapter, so eventually I said ok I'll read the rest when it's finished. It got finished last summer, and I just now got around to re-reading the whole thing and oh my GOD the places it wound up GOING after I'd left off!!
If you love metatexual fuckery as much as I do, you HAVE TO read this fic. Even if you don't normally read check please fic, if you know Jack's backstory and who Johnson is/his schtick, you know enough to enjoy the fic.
I have not been this INSANE about a fic in SO LONG. I am chewing on this fic like my late basset hound Fred with a bully stick, drooling everywhere with my jowls flapping disgustingly.
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I’ve decided to do something I’ve wanted to do for a long time: combine the comic, blog posts, extras, and tweets from Check, Please! into one document, because I’m crazy.
I read the main comic the night of The Sophomore Year Kiss™ and went back to read the extras shortly after. Going back and reading the extras was a daunting task back in 2016, and it’s much harder today - there’s so much stuff! Not to mention that Bitty’s Twitter was private by the time I started reading the comic, so I didn’t see most of the tweets until Chirpbook was published. Plus, I struggle to find all the blog posts on the official site, and I am a blog post truther! Sophomore Year doesn’t hit the same without the commentary! Nothing emotionally destroys me like: “The secret to drawing a younger Jack is making him smile, the end. Hahaha, now we’re all sad.” Lastly, some of my friends love the comic and find both Tumblr and the official site hard to navigate, so I wanted to make this a resource for them so they don’t miss out on all those delightful ask-a-wellies and sketch jams.
What I always wanted was to have that true multi-platform experience (comics, blogs, tweets, and extras) in order. With that, I present this slideshow.
The extras on these slides are ONLY things that (as far as I know) aren't available anywhere other than Tumblr/the website. Please buy the comic and also Chirpbook and Madison and the Huddles. They’re worth every penny!!!!!! (seriously please please please please this comic is so good you want to give Ngozi all of your money please please please you want to so bad subscribe to the patreon while you're at it)
Also, if you want to help with this project, think anything should be edited, or have ideas on how to make it more effective/better/fun, please let me know! I just love this comic so much!!! I have only done through the end of Year 2 right now.
OMG Check, Please! but it’s everything* i love being insane *only up until Year 3 is currently done
Ukazu says, a rising tide lifts all boats, including the S.S. Check, Please! She’s hopeful that the success of Heated Rivalry, as well as another queer romance graphic novel-turned-TV show Heartstopper, will make the dream of seeing her work onscreen into a reality: The book has been optioned for adaptation. — Vanity Fair
Check, Please! has been optioned for a film/television adaptation. A while ago, actually—and that’s lovely. Nevertheless, the vast majority of options do not become television because it takes a million things going right to get projects off the ground.
That being said.
Ahem.
Speaking of getting projects off the ground...
From when Bitty first stepped out into the rink at Faber, to when he kissed the ice at graduation, we've all been part of this fun, weird, magical world of Samwell hockey. But when I left the world of Samwell hockey, I left knowing Jack and Bitty's story was done. Bitty's journey as the first openly gay NCAA Division I hockey captain was done. We baked the last pie; we shut off the lights at the kegster; the story was complete.
…But as I looked around I realized, I had one more story to tell.
Which is why I'm thrilled to announce that a brand new volume of Check, Please! will be serialized in 2026. Dozens of new comics, exciting update drops, your favorite characters with brand new storylines, and characters you've yet to meet.
Hello, Internet Land—SMH is coming home.
This fifth year of Check, Please! will be filled with shenanigans, drama, hockey, pies, Haus parties, and a new message of acceptance that is near and dear to me. And it's been brewing over the last year and half! But with the latest boom in queer hockey stories, I figured, hey! ¯\(ツ)/¯ Here's another one to look forward to. :)
Marginalized athletes still face harmful bigotry, and for this reason, queer sports stories are more important than ever. I love Samwell hockey and how each of you has embraced this roster of athletes.
There's so much more to come.
Ngozi
🏒🥧❤️
=
MORE NEWS? SURE:
I’ll be at Emerald City Comic Con 2026, and yes, I will be dropping exclusive details about Check, Please! Year Fived during my spotlight panel: Ngozi Ukazu - From Check, Please! to DC and Back! (Be there!)
Follow me on Patreon for behind-the-scenes on the making of Check, Please!: Year Five. I'm gonna livestream...a lot.
If only there were an original mm romance that you could read right now while you wait for more Year Five updates! Good news—John Rich & The Big Picture is very cute and laugh-out-loud funny and you can read it now, for free.
My latest graphic novel FLIP has made the best-of lists for the New York Public Library, the A.V. Club, Kirkus Books, School & Library Journal—and more. Get it here.
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People don’t recognize hockey players out in the world as often as you might think. So Jack is surprised when Providence Falconer Eric Bittle walks through the door and he recognizes him immediately.
Wondering if you could help me find a fic? I've been looking all over the place for a fic I read years ago, where Jack ran away from home. I think it was posted to Tumblr. Bob had a not-so-great reaction to Jack coming out to him and Jack ran away and hid his identity. Eventually he runs into Bitty and they get married. At least part of the fic is from Bob's POV where he finds Jack (maybe in a cafe?).
Can anyone help out Anon? I don’t recognize this one, alas.
Wondering if you could help me find a fic? I've been looking all over the place for a fic I read years ago, where Jack ran away from home. I think it was posted to Tumblr. Bob had a not-so-great reaction to Jack coming out to him and Jack ran away and hid his identity. Eventually he runs into Bitty and they get married. At least part of the fic is from Bob's POV where he finds Jack (maybe in a cafe?).
Can anyone help out Anon? I don’t recognize this one, alas.
hi, i'm looking for a nurseydex fic where they're fwb and doing dom/sub stuff with no discussion or knowledge. at some point they're on a roadie and dex doesn't realise that nursey's stuck in a weird mood afterwards. ransom and holster realise this and holster gets really angry at dex for not taking care of nursey. thanks in advance!
Hmm, I don’t recognize this one. Readers, do you know it?
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Hey, everyone! Today I’m asking on my own behalf for a change: does anyone have a copy of Xiaq’s Like Real People Do that you could share? I discovered that when I cleaned out duplicate downloads, I deleted the full version and kept the one that only goes up to chapter 12. 🤦♀️ DM me if you’ve got it? — Stephanie
Author: wit Rating: teen Status: complete Length: 13K “Small world, huh,” Jack hears himself saying weakly. The moment stretches thin between them, until finally Bitty echoes, his tone laden with incredulity, “You don’t say.” Or: Jack and Bitty both reluctantly agree to go on a blind date. Coincidentally, it’s the same blind date.
AU where Bitty owns a bakery and never played hockey at Samwell, but he REFUSES to sell any goods to anyone on the Providence Falconers/any hockey team as a promise to his friends on SMH, all of whom root for different teams
However, since Bitty doesn’t personally watch hockey and actively avoids it, he doesn’t think it’ll be a problem and just jokes about it to Jack, the cute Canadian guy who he’s pretty sure is a sports photographer
Jack then awkwardly laughs, but spends his visits trying to make sure Bitty doesn’t figure out he’s one of the star forwards for the local NHL team
It gets worse by the fact that Bitty highkey does NOT recognize a single player except for people not on the Falcs and the somewhat nearby teams, so Jack keeps accidentally introducing Bitty to hockey players and they keep buying stuff
Snowy follows Jack to the bakery one day and just goes ‘Oh chill’ and Bitty thinks that he’s Jack’s art friend
Tater follows Jack once and Jack steps on his foot every time he tries to say his name is ‘Tater’ (since Ransom loves him), but Bitty thinks that Tater is just a Russian dude who works at the same magazine place Jack does
Georgia hears about it and Jack tags along one day, but Bitty recognizes Georgia as a past hockey player and just jokes with her “I’m glad y'all didn’t bring your team with you!” and Georgia makes direct eye contact with Jack
Kent tries going in once (while Jack was chatting with Bitty) and before he can even get a word out, Bitty shuts down the register, closes the displays, grabs the broom and tells Kent he’s not welcome here
Kent tries to argue, but Bitty’s like “No NHL players in my establisment!!” And Kent tries pointing at Jack, but Bitty’s swatting him with the broom to get out
One day Bad Bob and Alicia have a surprise visit, but Alicia has to make a phone call and so Bob goes in first and Bitty goes “Oh hi Mr. Jack’s Dad! It’s so nice to meet you!” And he recognize the blond baker that Jack’s been telling him and Alicia about for the past few days
Bob: I’m so glad my son found such a good *friend* (gives a look at Bitty) especially with his job
Bitty: Oh really?
Bob: Yeah, I remember how hard it was for me before I met Alicia! All the fame and stuff really made it difficult
Bitty: Oh! You’re famous??
Bob: I mean, kinda?
Bitty: Oh wow! I didn’t know Jack got his photography talent from his dad!
Bob: What-
Bitty: Where can I see y'all’s work? Jack keeps it a secret, but I wanna know your’s at least!
Bob: UM-
When Alicia walks in, Bitty freaks out, and asks for a photograph since “I didn’t even realize you were in the area!” While Alicia is looking at Bob with the most ??? Face imaginable
Bob then has to pretend that he’s not MARRIED to Alicia for the duration of their visit since Bitty can’t make the connection with them to hockey or else Jack’s cover is blown
(Bob keeps flirting with Alicia and Bitty keeps smacking him in the arm since “She has a husband y'know!!”)
#omgcp#au#fic#zimbits#I love this#but wtf does jack hockey zimmermann talk about with bitty? wwii??#or does he get quizzed on pop culture by a horrified eric how-do-you-not-know-beyoncé bitty bittle?#jack starting any conversation and realising it’s hockey related and having to divert it into some weird metaphor#how much does bitty know?#can jack convince him the shootout he just mentioned is a photography term?
(via @otterlyrandom )
I’M CACKLING I LOVE THIS
So it works because Bitty tried to start small talk with the hot French Canadian guy who visits his bakery, but gets nervous every time, so he never really can say anything at first. The guy is always a bit curt and quick about his business, and holds his camera like a lifeline sometimes, so Bitty makes sure not to make him uncomfortable, but is interested in him for sure.
But then towards the end of one day, Halo gets put on and Bitty starts singing along while cleaning up the bakery. Bitty turns and accidentally makes direct eye contact with Jack, who was the only person there still, who has his cup halfway to his mouth and an amused look on his face.
Bitty is obviously embarrassed, but then Jack is like “I guess you like this song, huh?” and Bitty goes “Of course I love this song, who doesn’t like Beyoncé?” and Jack goes, “Beyoncé? Is she well known then?”
Dead silence.
Bitty just drops the broom he was holding. Jack looks concerned. Bitty looks horrified.
“Hun, how do you not know Beyoncé? HOW??”
Jack just looks away and is embarrassed and tells Bitty he’s been pretty “caught up in my job, travelling and stuff” and hasn’t had the time to really know pop culture. Plus, he’s French Canadian.
Bitty then immediately starts to chat with Jack about different artists and pop culture in general, and learns that Jack genuinely just knows none of it. Nothing. Jack has no reference point, he only knows country music. Out of everything. Country. Music.
Bitty then declares that Jack has to let him teach him pop culture if he wants to keep coming to his bakery because “I will not let a single person into this establishment if they don’t know BEYONCÉ!” Bitty is worried he took that too far but then Jack laughs (and it’s a wonderful sound that Bitty unashamedly tucks into his memory) and agrees. As Jack leaves, Bitty just watches him go, realizes the first conversation he had with the hot guy was about him not knowing pop culture and berating him for 15 minutes, and Bitty justs slams his head into the table
jack doesn’t miss the draft, is closeted and lonely so he subscribes to college student bitty’s onlyfans
(explicit text ahead... obviously)
jack doesn't know about onlyfans.
he really doesn't, but one day, he happens on a recipe website for a more interesting kind of chicken tenders, because it's getting kind of boring, and when he gets through the comments, he sees that people aren't exactly happy with the results of this recipe. "e. rick's recipe is so much better! he has it on his blog!"
so jack writes that name down in google search, and finds 1. a mostly empty twitter, 2. an old blog with 2-3 recipes, none of which are chicken tenders, 3. an onlyfans.
cooking... fans?
but yeah, this must be where the new blog is, and jack has to pay to access it, which also makes sense, because how much do you usually earn with a normal recipe website? if the food is that good, he doesn't mind spending a few bucks per month for it.
he creates his profile - laurent carter, his usual fake name, and when he land's on e's profile, he gapes.
so, not a cooking website.
jack closes the app. then opens it up, after a minute or two.
it's a bit like an... instagram, but a bit more racy. there are mostly pictures, never showing a face, just- shoulders, chest, groin, legs, ass. and he's athletic. jack can see that. the pictures emphasize that.
it does stay tasteful, and a few pictures are definitely artistic. those catch jack's attention - the lighting, the quality of the camera, it's clear that e is not taking those himself. but there are a couple of iphone ones too, less pin-upy, more explicit. the outline of an erection in a jean. a picture taken in a mirror, showing the underside curve of his ass, just under his loose hoodie. always suggestive. (and jack understands. it works. it works even more than outright porn.)
he swallows, opens the little chat because there's no way in hell he's going to find that recipe here, and writes, Hey. Do you still have that recipe for chicken tenders?
at samwell, bitty's just done with his classes for the day, when he receives the notification. he sighs, because he doesn't really like receiving onlyfans messages - he's not into dirty talking the people who follow him, which is usually what they want. he opens the app, and stares at the message for a long, long time. a smile breaks on his face.
they get chatting. it's a surprisingly normal conversation for the type of content e is putting out there. but jack does enjoy it, even though he doesn't get the recipe - e lost is somewhere, and he's going to take some time later to type it back for jack. or well, for laurent.
outside of messaging, jack tries not to go on e's onlyfans. and miserably fails. he likes the conversation - they're chirping each other back and forth, about food, more often than not ("chicken tenders, really? how old are you?" - "old enough to be on here." and then: "25, if you want to know.") (because the internet is full of creeps and jack doesn't want to sound like a creep.) about photography (e is a model for his artist friend taking a photography seminar) and about hockey. because e plays. of course. so, they're kind of... friends? until the day e posts a picture of his ass in a jockstrap (not the hockey kind), as he's lying down on his bed, the small of his back suggestively curved. it's not a big ass by all means, but it's... cute. jack wants to touch it. bite it.
he closes the app as soon as the thought manifests. what he can't really stop is visualizing it as he jerks off in the shower, later that day.
fuck, he's got a crush on a... porn person.
it would be pathetic as hell if jack wasn't making friends at the moment. but shitty has taken him out a few times since he finished college (they met when shitty was doing a paper on toxic masculinity in the hockey world), and then, shitty showed up at a game with two friends, both wearing jack's number - lardo and bitty.
as much as jack doesn't like going out, he does enjoy that little group's company. during their first night out together, lardo goes after shitty to fetch drinks, and bitty leans in towards jack with a meaningful look, their shoulders brushing. "lord, how long do you bet before these two figure things out?" and jack stares at lardo and shitty, and goes oh.
after that, when they meet up, lardo and shitty are inevitably getting closer and closer, which leaves bitty and jack together. it's not a burden - jack likes bitty. bitty is fun. bitty is interesting. bitty makes him smile. that's always a good feeling.
until jack goes to reply to e, one evening, and lands on a short video of e wearing a hockey jersey, his erection poking against the fabric as he changes the angle of his body. a falconer's jersey. and he's facing the camera, so jack can't really see if it's his number (there are no chances it is, though), but it's easy enough to imagine, and so he slips his hand in his sweatpants and jerks off right then and there, eyes on his phone.
"a falconer's fan, eh?" - "oh lord, I bought that as a halloween costume." - "who did you go as?" - "this is embarrassing, but... jack zimmermann."
so it was his jersey. tabarnak. which doesn't mean e likes jack zimmermann. well, him.
"I've heard he's an asshole." (e takes a long time to reply) "he's not! he really isn't. he looks a bit stiff during interviews, but that's how all hockey players are, if you don't know. I'm sure it's only because he wants to do things right. he's... passionate."
jack smiles. okay.
jack catches himself smiling at bitty, one day, as bitty is telling him about how practice went. and fuck. because crushing on a random internet person is kind of... fine, because it's not like anything is going to happen, crushing on your friend, who is definitely out of your league, is a whole other deal. bitty is walking proof that jack isn't good at any of this.
on the other hand, he gets closer to e. and e seems to enjoy talking with him - enough that he tells jack how to get a snapchat, and exchanges his contact with him. so now, jack has erb1995 on his phone, which he can send texts and pictures to.
they keep on chatting there. one late night, jack learns that e doesn't have a boyfriend, but that he'd like to. "doesn't seem like you'd have any problem finding one," jack writes. e is young, in college, sweet, interesting and hot. "I know, I know, but... I really like this one guy. and he doesn't even know I exist. or he does, but he's straight. lord, sorry, I don't even know why I'm telling you this." - "he's missing out, then." - "😊"
e's onlyfans just gets more and more explicit. until one day, jack goes to bed in his hotel room to the sight of e, legs open, two fingers stuck in his ass.
around christmas, late at night again, jack receives a new snap message: "lord Im bored" - "you okay?" - "not rlly, date just threw up onmy shoes 😩" - "sorry" - ";__; do u like me?" - "yeah?" - "I mean physically. u never said." - "yeah." / "I'm still on your onlyfans, aren't I?" / "you're hot."
jack isn't sure what this is all about, but maybe e needs a bit of comfort because he's crushing on a straight guy and his date just threw up on him. e replies with a snap, of his naked collarbone, shoulder and neck, blushing red.
another snap, thirty second later, where e unzips the front of his jeans, bringing his erection out, tugging at it a few times, with a winking emoji sticking in one corner.
this isn't onlyfans, this is just for him. he's- sexting. with a stranger. kind of. fuck fuck fuck.
another snap, of e really going at it now, his hand blurry over his dick, little breathing sounds in the phone's speaker, and jack replays it a few times as he jerks himself off along.
"fuck, you made me come." - "rlly?" - "yeah" - "can I see? 😳" - "... seriously?" - "fair is fair, mister 😤"
and yeah- he's right. so jack takes a snap of his chest, his abs covered in come, and his now-soft dick, and sends it to e.
"😳😳😳😳😳" - "what?" - "ur not what I expected" - "what did you expect?" - "I do porn on the internet, laurent, you could be anyone. seventy. or... not a hunk." - "you already know I'm 25. what's a hunk?" - "a man whos an superhero actor in hiding. please tell me youre not captain america." - "I'm not an actor. and I'm canadian." - "as if i couldn't recognize chris evan's chest on sight. captain canada, then. happy to have served queen and country. 😌" - "you're not canadian." - "what I am is going to sleep, captain obvious. sleep well. 😘"
it's not... the last time that happens.
in the meanwhile, bitty distances himself a bit from jack. it's the spring semester, which is hard enough, jack understands, but he also wonders if he did something wrong. did he?
until the day jack gets on e's onlyfans, and sees the latest - and longest video that's been posted on there recently. it's a shot taken from above, of e's shoulder, chest and neck, flushed red as his arm moves in a recognizable way, his hand outside of the frame, the movement accompanied with a characteristic wet sound as he touches himself. jack doesn't even think about it and jerks himself off - the video is long enough, in real time, that pressure is building up just as e makes a few guttural sounds, the wet sounds speeding up. jack closes his eyes, trying to think about nothing in particular, until he hears his name -- "jack!" -- and orgasms to the thought of eric bittle calling out his name.
he calms his breathing down, sitting on top of his bed, for a few moments, until his eyes spring open. it's not a thought that came from him. sure, bitty has been the subject of a few fantasies lately, but jack wouldn't imagine this.
so he rewinds the video, places his ear against it, and then and there, between two quick breaths, his name.
a lot of people are called jack. it could be any other jack on earth. but then. but then.
but then, the puzzle pieces come together. e likes cooking. e plays hockey. e is from the south. not still in the south, like jack thought, but from the south. he has his jersey. a video that came up a few days after bitty went to his first game with shitty. his onlyfans name is e. rick for fuck's sake. oh, fuck.
and what about e saying he's crushing on a straight guy? doesn't that mean- no. it can't. jack shouldn't go there.
a few days later, bitty comes to the game, and jack still doesn't know if he should make himself known or not. what if bitty takes it badly? that he and jack have been... fooling around, anonymously. bitty might not even like jack. their friendship might be done over this.
but then, jack sees bitty, small and athletic and beaming at him, and the first thing that escapes jack's lips is, "you still haven't given me that chicken tenders recipe."
shock on bitty's face. then, understanding. "oh my god. oh my god, you're- you're...! oh my god, I've seen you naked!"
bitty is so red, jack laughs. "I've seen you naked too, if that makes things better."
it kind of does. bitty is still so, so red, so jack explains how he didn't know until a few days ago, wasn't even sure until now. and bitty seems so embarrassed, until he looks up at jack. "so... do you want me to cook those chicken tenders for you?"
they end up at jack's place. they're nervous in the car, and once they get to jack's apartment, bitty nearly jumps on him, closing the distance between their lips. it's a scorching first kiss, until jack breaks them apart. "what about the chicken tenders?"
and bitty laughs, and laughs, because he didn't come here to cook, lord, no, that was just an excuse, but now he's go the confirmation that jack isn't a creep just using him for sex, that he's just an awkward, silly boy really into chicken tenders. and into eric bittle.
okay but it becomes a tradition, right? jack will be 32 and bitty will be 27 and a cousin’s wife will ask suzanne just before the fireworks start if it’s true that jack zimmermann comes here for the 4th and could she be introduced? and suzanne will sigh and reply that they took the truck and went out, knowing full well that her son is off somewhere getting involved in a field
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“So you remember,” Holster starts, leaning against the counter, “how sophomore year, we had that talk with Bitty? About the—”
Ransom’s already nodding from the table. “The people you’ll love in college, yeah,” he says. “What about it?”
There’s the classmate you crush on every time they write something down. There’s the person you see once across a party and speak to once — just once, that’s crucial — just a fleeting moment of wow, the universe got this one right before you kiss and never see each other again. There’s the person you wreck your sleep schedule for, the person you shouldn’t end up with but do, the one whose number you delete years afterwards after being bolstered with cheap booze and your best friends. There might be a first kiss, there might be a first time, there might be someone sweet you go on dates with to pass the semester; each of those is a love in its own way. And there’s all of your friends. Everyone’s a little in love with their friends.
Holster doesn’t really know why it’s coming up now when he’s spent years being okay with it, but it’s that class they shared freshman year, and it’s that time they kissed in the corner of a party and never talked about it afterward. And it’s definitely, definitely that sleepless, frantic night built on years of waiting and wanting and hoping, staying up too late and blinking bleary-eyed at the next morning, bedsheets spilling onto the floor before finally stepping back into reality.
“You’re all of them for me,” he says. “All of them. At least in some way or another. I think I’ve fallen in love with you at least a thousand times since I’ve known you.”
“Oh,” Ransom says softly. “Hey, Holtzy.”
It’s a come here and an I want you, don’t you see that, and Holster loves him. Holster loves him as he walks toward him, and Holster loves him as he takes his hands, and Holster loves him as he cradles Rans’ face, loves him as Rans pulls him in for a kiss.
Rans tilts his head back and Holster leans down and their next kiss is too smiley to last long, but it’s a forever kind of kiss. So is the next one, and the next one, and the one after.
Prompt: Retired NHL player Jack Zimmermann takes ownership of a sports bar in Pittsburgh and accidentally falls for the Penguins’ (closeted) new left winger.
A/N - just the start, I’d like to get around to more of this; the basic idea was an It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia AU, but I couldn’t manage to make everyone that terrible so Jack owns and operates a gay sports bar and starts crushing on one of his patrons.
“Can’t believe you’ve owned this place since ’89.” Jack coughs, waving the dust away from his face. “Did you ever come back after we moved home?”
It’d be disingenuous to say Jack had been expecting anything other than cigars and whiskey when his father had invited him on a trip down to Pittsburgh to see Mario and glad-hand some Penguins sponsors. In fact, he’d kind of been looking forward to sulking and getting shit-faced, not limping around a condemned building dodging roaches and rats.
“It was an investment opportunity. That was the trend back then, famous athletes buying up restaurants and clubs — I had big plans for this building. Then your mother got pregnant and I realized I didn’t really give two shits about running a nightclub.”
“Realized you were pretty lazy, huh?”
As Bob laughs, Jack picks at the peeling, lacquered bartop, trying not to imagine how many decades of grime he’s just collecting under his nail, the situation made even more disgusting in such close proximity to the glittering gold championship ring his father had insisted he wear to their lunch meeting with the Penguins front-office suits. Jack flicks the gunk away as Bob levels him with a weighty look, hands braced in the air as if outlining a play and not offering a tour of a cobweb-filled dive.
“Here’s my thought,” Bob says. “The bar. It’s yours.”
Jack leans against the counter, taking some weight off his braced leg, and asks, “What’s mine?”
“This place,” Bob gestures around the room. “The whole building. It’s just sitting here, empty, the bar, the liquor license, there’s apartments and office space upstairs, we’d just need to do some renovations and —“
Jack can’t help himself. He barks a laugh and says, “I’m not moving to Pittsburgh.”
“How many times have you and I talked about opening a sports bar? I’d wanted to get this place fixed up so it’d be ready when you retired, but since the final — you could make it a gay bar, even, if you wanted!” Bob says quickly, offering another awkward olive branch. “A gay sports bar. I wouldn’t care.”
“A gay sports bar. In Pittsburgh,” Jack echoes, reaching for a chirp to defend himself, but he closes him mouth as he realizes a sports bar run by a Zimmermann might not be a terrible investment idea. “The building needs a ton of work,” Jack settles. “I just saw a rat.”
“That was a mouse,” Bob dismisses, not bothering to look at the rat still clearly in view. “Nothing that can’t be fixed. Got a dollar?”
Jack pats his pockets, finds a spare looney and hands it over. Bob doesn’t hesitate, pulling an envelope out of his back pocket to exchange for the coin.
“Congratulations. You are now the proud owner of,” Bob looks around helplessly. “I actually don’t know what they call this place now. A Bar?”
“I’m sure we’ll figure something out.” Jack swallows against the tightness in his throat, holding the deed carefully in his hands. “Thanks, Dad.”
Bob brings Jack in for a loose hug and they both ignore the soft squeaking coming from the backroom.
Five Years Later
There’s a man examining the announcement board in the vestibule, and Jack knows that posture: the forward hip cant, thick thighs, a small but definite bubble butt — guy’s a hockey player, and he has been for some time.
(Happy Writer’s Appreciation Day! Here’s a mini part 2!)
___________
Jack looks up from the soda gun and finds Bitty waiting patiently among the rowdy crew lining the bar, wearing a fitted suit with a small Penguins pin on the lapel. Bitty’s hand, extended to offer a folded twenty braced between his knuckles, bears a glittering NCAA championship ring. Upon gaining Jack’s attention, he smiles timidly, showing off his missing tooth, and Jack loses focus long enough to overflow the the glass in his hand.
“Tabarnak,” he curses, shaking dry as Bitty fights a laugh; abandoning the mixed drink to pull Bitty’s usual beer from the cooler, prying off the lid with his own championship ring as Eric looks on appreciatively.
“You’re going to have to teach me that one so I can impress all my hot dates.”
“Getting a lot of offers, eh?”
“A few,” Bitty teases, bringing the bottle to his lips slowly, deliberately, completely oblivious to the women trying to get his attention as he watches Jack. “One I’m particularly interested in pursuing.”
This is flirting. Jack knows this is flirting, because what the hell else could it possibly be?
“So, liking our Friday night bro-downs with the Pens, eh? Straight enough for ESPN, gay enough to hold a bachelorette party’s attention; and I’m not just talking about my ass.”
Jack will never admit to practicing that line in the shower, but he is extremely proud when Eric snorts hard and starts to cough, waving off assistance from a statuesque woman beside him.
“Please don’t die, I don’t want to have to put up another memorial plaque.”
Ransom whistles sharply, and Jack just misses getting beaned with a champagne bottle, so distracted by Eric’s distress. “Behind you, Boss, we need a couple bottles of Lagavulin upstairs — the guys are doing shots. It’s somebody’s birthday, I think.”
“Boss?” Bitty clears his throat, bringing Jack’s attention back. “You’re ‘Boss’, now? Did you get promoted?”
“Always was! It’s my place!” Jack calls over Ransom’s shoulder. Bitty gives him a confused look, so Jack turns slowly, deliberately, to his framed Las Vegas Aces jersey — hung dutifully beside his father’s vintage Pens sweater — and gestures between himself and the display above the bar. Back and forth, back and forth, until Bitty’s eyes go wide with recognition.
“Wait, that’s you? You played?”
“What, you though those medals in the corner are just for show?” Jack jokes, trying to lighten the mood. “I’m practically a legend.”
‘A big, gay legend’, Jack doesn’t say. ‘How the hell don’t you know who I am?’
“I didn’t — I’m sorry, I thought you were just a bartender.”
There is something flattering about Bittle admitting he didn’t recognize Jack; it adds a welcome context to their past meetings and floods Jack with a sense of pride. A handsome, professional athlete had showed genuine interest in a waiter with a limp. The old ‘Zimmermann Charm’ brings it home again.
“I mean, I am. Also, the owner. I’m retired.”
“You thought I recognized you,” Bittle realizes, shock abating as he looks around the bar with new eyes. “And you recognized me. I’m so stupid,” Bittle covers his face with his hands, but Jack can still see the man’s ears go pink. “Who wanders in to a sports bar and doesn’t expect to get recognized. A gay sports bar!”
“I’m not going to tell anyone,” Jack assuages, reaching over the pat him on the shoulder gently (awkwardly). “And if it helps you’re not that well known.”
Bittle drops his hands and shoots Jack a withering look.
“Yet.” Jack amends sagely. “You need a minute? Rans! Cover for ten.”
Ransom flashes a thumbs up that becomes two thumbs up when he notices Bittle. “Won’t yell if I need you, Jack.”
__________
“It’s a little quieter back here, you can process without witnesses.”
“I can’t believe I didn’t put it together, of course you’re you, god how didn’t I put it together, my god, your ass, of course you play —”
“Past tense.”
“I know,” Bitty decries, gesturing at his own face as if to mimic Jack’s facial hair. “I know who you are but I didn’t know you were you. You can’t tell the guys this. They won’t let me live it down.”
“For several reasons, I bet.” Jack fights the stiffness in his knee and comes around his desk to face Bitty properly. “Can I kiss you?”
Bitty nods eagerly, and Jack swoops in to capture the man’s lips, relishing Bitty’s excited whine at the contact, his arms coming to rest on Jack’s hips, holding him tightly.
“I’m not out,” Bitty breathes when they separate. “No one knows.”
“I won’t say anything,” Jack laces his fingers in Bitty’s hair and tugging him back up. “But I am out. So, if you’re planning on hanging around, people are going to talk. Having been out of the spotlight for five years means I’m in extremely high demand. TMZ follows me everywhere.”
“I’ll take that under advisement.” Bitty breathes against Jack’s lips. “I like you, a whole lot, even before I knew you played. And you’re so damn pretty —”
Jack shoves some papers aside and sits down on the edge of his desk so he’s at a better height allowing Bittle to stand between his spread thighs as they make out like horny teenagers stealing a moment behind the bleachers; Bitty finally taking initiative and getting handsy, much to Jack’s delight. At least until Jack loses track of time and there’s a loud banging on the office door.
“Yo! Jack! Penobscott just puked all over Sid’s date you gotta get out here.”
“I’m busy, Shits!” Jack calls, holding the back of Bitty’s head steady as the man tries to suck a hickey onto Jack’s neck. “Get someone else to handle it!”
“What, you jacking it in there? That’s a health code violation, man. Don’t make me report you.”
Bitty moves to cup his palm over Jack’s crotch, rubbing the heel of his hand over a very sensitive area robbing vital blood from Jack’s brain. “I’m on a call — with a new vendor.” Jack raises his voice, chasing a kiss as Bitty gropes away. “Give me ten?”
“Only ten?” Bitty whispers.
“You are a little shit, eh?” Jack rasps, nipping at Bitty’s ear. “Look at you.”