#bc86

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"Do you miss home?" Braeden stared at the tiny creature in his hands. It was always weird holding Chase in his palms. The texture was odd and hearing his clear voice from a creature that didn't seem to have a mouth was unnerving. But Braeden would be a liar if he said he didn't enjoy it,

"A lot. I've never been gone this long before." The crash had been almost a month ago now, the dirt they piled into the crater has begun to sprout small weeds and grass. From what Chase has told him, he hasn't even been away from his family for this long let alone his home,

"I'm sorry. It would probably be easier if you crashed in the backyard of like a NASA employee or something," He could feel Chase laugh at that, "I don't really know how we're going to get you back."

"If I'm stuck on this planet, then I'm stuck," His tiny hands tap against Braeden's fingers in thought, "I can still see the snow, I can still skate. I have you at least too."

Chase Stillman has been traded twice in the span of four months after a frankly shitty season. Braeden Cootes wants to know more about whatever the hell is going on there.

touch prompts 11. linked pinkies

-

Losses always hit harder on bad days. Sawyer is already going through every play his mishandled as soon as the buzzer sounds. He was supposed to be a better defenseman than that, supposed to be able to make simple blocks. The weight of disappointing Young eats the most at him. Something about not doing enough for your goalies was always the worst,

"Hey," Braeden practically slinks up next to him, hoodie already on and hair wet from the shower, "Next time."

Sawyer can see the way his shoulders are sagging as well, a smile that doesn't feel as bright as usual. He kind of wants to just lay against Braeden and forget this whole game even happened, "Next time."

30 angsty dialogue prompts welcome back fantabby au,,

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Sawyer yanks his arm away from Braeden's touch quickly, hissing at the sharp pain that comes with it, "Don't touch me." The wound on his arm is bad, but not the worst he's endured. Karly has taught him enough to deal with this at least,

"I didn't- I wasn't going to-" Braeden's hurt face sears itself into Sawyer's mind as he watches his face morph into one of frustration,

"We both know you were going to try. Brae, you can barely stand up right now, what makes you think I'm gonna let you waste even more of your energy?" He doesn't like getting mad at Braeden. It creates something ugly and gross in his chest that eventually settles in the air between them, but he can't watch him waste himself away even more,

"Well maybe if you didn't get hit in the first place I wouldn't have tried." The words seem to die the moment they come out of his mouth, Braeden's eyes going wide before his shoulders slump and he takes a step back.

Sawyer can only stare, tears brimming his eyes from hurt, "I'm leaving tomorrow." There's a sick satisfaction that curls in his gut at watching Braeden be struck by the words before it turns to nausea,

"I didn't mean it," Sawyer can see his arm twitch, but it doesn't reach out, "Sawyer, you can't be serious."

-

"You don't have to do this, y'know." Sawyer watches as the skin knee knits itself back together, Braeden's hands glowing as they hover above. He watches his eyebrows scrunch together with closed eyes that barely contain more glowing light from behind his eyelids,

"Kinda do." The light fades as Sawyer's knee looks good as new, "How else am I supposed to get better at it." Truthfully, it's better for Braeden to practice on small cuts and scrapes that Sawyer always seems to obtain than push himself on larger wounds. There's just the underlying fear that sits at the back of Sawyer's mind that his body won't know how to heal itself without Braeden's help,

"Why not like animals or something." He gets fixed with a glare as he moves to pack all his shit away, "Oh yeah, you do."

"You know I can't just do it on animals alone. Not like I can flaunt this without the Nucks guard grabbing me by the scruff and forcing me into their ranks." A small pout sits on Braeden's lips that Sawyer rolls his eyes at,

"Fine, whatever," His bag is packed, the soft clinking of vials hitting each other and the rubbing of drying flowers swinging about filling their ears, "Come with me instead of staying here then. The Abbys are always getting into shit, Sammy especially. Just fix up small wounds and leave the rest to Karly."

"Aren't the Abbys on the run from the Nucks?" Nimble fingers help close Sawyer's bag while it sits on his back. A practiced motion between the two,

"Kind of. Long story and I don't even know all the details," There's a small smile on Sawyer's face as he holds his hand out, "Coming with?"

-

Watching Chase step onto the ice was not unlike watching a baby deer find it's legs for the first time. His grin was wide before his face morphed into one of shock and fear as his skates slid out from under him. Braeden laughed as he moved to catch him, holding his arms as Chase gathered his footing,

"Need me to hold your hand?" Braeden flashes a smirk as Chase scowls,

"Just because I've never skated on ice like this before doesn't mean I don't know how to skate." He forces Braeden's hands off and stables himself before pushing off, gliding easily with just a little wobble, "This ice is weird. I thought you were lying when you said Earth has places specifically for ice."

The more Chase talks the more confident he seems to get, skating easily next to Braden as they circle the quiet oval. There's not too many people out for a public skate, especially during the summer, but enough where Chase fiddles with the collar around his neck nervously, "I've already told you I play hockey in one."

"And you still haven't shown me what hockey is." Braeden huffs and moves in front of Chase, skating backwards lazily,

"That's because you're refused to watch any of the videos I wanted to show you and it's offseason."

"Seeing it is better than looking on some screen thing," Chase shrugs, "Since you said you are a player after all."

"Annoying…" A small giggle comes from Chase as Braeden quickly turns around. He falls back beside Chase who's still grinning like he's the happiest he could ever be, "Guess you weren't lying about skating a lot from your planet."

"Oh were you wishing I was always falling over so you could laugh and skate circles around me?" Well that was partially it,

"Yeah, it would've been pretty funny. Maybe I also wanted to teach you how to skate and make you hold on." Braeden laughed before skating to a stop as a hand pressed into his own, linking their fingers together,

"I like holding on," Chase was practically beaming, "My brother would make me when I was small. Now I like doing it because it means if I go down, I take him down with me."

-

Chase handed Braeden a cup that was definitely alcoholic as he sat next to him on the log. Some sort of team bonding gathering with all the new draftees and shakeups within the roster happening, didn't mean it had to be just barely on the outskirts of a forest on a frankly humid night. At least the fire burning in front of them wasn't too hot,

"Thanks," Braeden smiles before taking a sip, a slight face being made before he continues to drink, "Did you spike it?"

"I think someone added it long time ago and nobody bothered to deal with it." It's not like anyone here was underaged enough for someone to care too hard. Canadian kids always seemed to be drinking young anyway, "Not hanging out with your draft buddies?"

"Maybe I wanted to talk to you." Chase rolls his eyes and downs half his drink, eyes flittering to the group of younger prospects all laughing and slapping shoulders. He'd probably be considered a young prospect if the title of draft bust didn't overshadow it.

Suddenly drinking feels like the smartest option here.

"I don't really have much to talk about." Chase stares into the fire, watching the flames dance against the wood as someone laughs loudly. He wishes he was back at the cabin, staring up at the stars with Riley and making up constellations. Maybe that was selfish, not wanting to socialize with his new teammates. He knows he'll cave soon enough, connection was always something he craved,

"You were drafted in 2021, right? First round? You gotta have some stories since then. Awesome plays or wins, some fights." There's a genuine smile on Bradens face, like he's joking but still wants to listen to Chase talk,

"I was a first rounder in the same draft class and team that Luke Hughes was drafted so there's not much that was going on with me involved. Covid also kinda fucked it so everything was over video call." He doesn't think he could ever forget his draft day, "I didn't actually play in the AHL until 2023 though. Not even a single game in the NHL when I was called up. Now I'm here."

Truth be told, there was plenty Chase could've talked about. The fight he got into at the Memorial Cup, playing against his brother for the first time, actually getting to play in the minors. They're all fond memories that maybe any other day he would've shared joyously. For now the self loathing was comfortable when he talked to Braeden. Like he had to knock himself off the pedestal the other boy had set him on,

"Then tell me something not hockey related. Something that happened off the ice," Braeden points over to the group of younger Abbotsford players, "Myni used to drive me to the rink before I could drive."

Chase laughs and he doesn't know why. The sudden random factoid startles it out of him and he pretends not to notice the way Braden's eyes light up and his cheeks redden, "Have you heard the story about the bat I had to fight at 1am in Simon Nemec's room?" A breakout grin spreads across Braeden's face and Chase can't help but match it, something lighter filling his chest,