i look at your face every day...
Another drabble for candy_belle -don't worry, hun, eventually I'll finish these all, lol. Enjoy ;)
this is a BDSM!AU, still not sure if it's part of the Scars & Souvenirs 'verse yet. Either way, it's Dom!Jonny/sub!Pat, Dom!Duncs/sub!Seabs, Domme!Abby/Switch!Sharpy, with mentions of Dom!Geno/sub!Sid. Nothing major to warn for here, just kneeling. Not sure if this is going to stay a drabble or end up being something longer eventually. We'll see, I guess *shrugs*
*
Jonny took a moment to calm himself before snapped at the reporters; he knew that dealing with the media came with the territory, especially being the Captain. And after a big loss, it was always harder than it normally would have been.
Jonny felt a pang of sympathy for Sid; if he thought what he had to deal with now was hard, he could only imagine what it had been like for Sid last month. Being the face of the NHL as well as the first sub to ever be made Captain of an Original Six team meant every loss and every win was exaimed and shoved in Sid's face multiple times, regardless of what actually happened on the ice. Jonny had no idea how Sid hadn't gone off the rails yet; he knew Geno helped, of course, probably more than anything short of lifting the Cup again ever could, but it still boggled his mind sometimes.
Jonny mentally shook himself and focused back on the reporters in front of him.
"...feel to get this close and lose?"
"It's never easy," Jonny told them, his voice as even as he could make it. "And I can admit that it stings worse than it would have a few years ago, but we played our best tonight. It just didn't happen to be enough to beat the Kings. We'll make sure we're better next year."
Jonny's eyes drifted around the room quickly, taking note of everyone who looked close to needing a break; he didn't buy into that bullshit about subs being weak, but it was job to make sure that his team was alright, both Doms and subs. Talking to the media after a loss like this took it's on you, regardless of dynamic.
He noted the lines around Pat's eyes, the tight smile that had replaced Sharpy's usual easy grin. The way Shawzy'shead was tilted down, just a little, enough for Jonny to know he was blaming himself for the loss; Crow's shoulders were hunched even as he smiled and nodded pleasantly at the reporters talking to him, Saader's downcast eyes, his refusal to meet anyone's eyes even as he answered questions. Duncs was glaring at everyone indiscriminately, his anger with himself obvious and Seabs was almost pressed against his stall in an attempt to keep some extra distance between himself and the press. It all told him that everyone was taking this hard.
"Do you think the number of subs on the team factor in at all to your loss?"
"What did you just say," Jonny said flatly, his voice cold; he focused on the reporter, his eyes hard. He didn't recognize him, which either meant he was new or from LA. He saw some of the Chicago beat reporters wince and take a few steps back.
The rest of the locker room tapered off into a charged silence, the tension rising with every second.
"The Blackhawks have more active subs than any other team in the NHL, except for the Penguins," the reporter went on stubbornly; his voice held a slight echo of his power. Enough that it had to be on purpose, but not enough to be considered threatening. "And both teams that are in the Stanley Cup finals -teams that, incidentally beat you and the Penguins- are known for the fact that they have an unusually low number of subs. Do you think that that fact contributed to the loss tonight?"
"I think that sometimes luck doesn't go the way you want it; the puck bounces in the other guys favor all the time," Jonny said, the words clipped and harsh; his voice was hard, the power that rode it proved why he was considered one of the strongest Doms in the league. Reporters were backing up from him unconsciously, Doms and subs alike. "Not every team that deserves it gets even as close as we did tonight.
"This team is where we are because of who we are, how we play; talent doesn't care if you're the one kneeling or if you've got the lead in hand. And neither do any of us.
"The loss tonight is on all of us, not on some of us. The Kings played a better game, end of story. It has nothing to do with dynamics, who has how many on their teams; talent is talent, no matter what," Jonny almost snarled the last word, his temper pushed almost to the breaking point; he knew Q and the rest of the coaches would have head tomorrow, but right now, he didn't care.
The reporters left quickly after that, fast enough to make Sharpy smile before he slumped down on the bench in front of his stall.
"I meant every word," Jonny announced once the room was cleared; he worked to keep his voice steady and empty of anything that would push anyone. "We win as a team and we lose as a team, dynamics have nothing to fucken do with it. We played our asses off this series and it still wasn't enough, but that's on all of us, not just a few of us.
"I believe in all of us and I believe that we can win the Cup with this team next season.
"Go home, relax and try to remember that we are all in this. I'll see you guys on Thursday."
"Damn, Tazer, I think that's the most I ever heard you say at one time," Sharpy called out, breaking the last of the tension in the room and making everyone chuckle as they finished changing and left.
Jonny made sure to have a couple words, one on one, with everyone before they left. Eventually it was only Jonny and the four other guys he trusted on and off the ice more than anyone else.
He took a deep breath and looked over to where Pat was done getting changed and swaying slightly on his feet; Jonny walked over slowly, making enough noise so he wouldn't startle his sub when he started talking.
"Hey, you alright?" Jonny asked softly as he slid his hand around the back of Pat's neck and squeezing gently; his hand covered the slim black leather collar that Pat wore during the season.
"Yeah, I just," Pat hesitated before he went on in a rush, "I need to kneel, I think. I feel like I did before Madison, Jonny, my head is so loud and I can't -"
"Stop it," Jonny interrupted firmly; he led Pat over to where half his game day suit was still hanging up in his stall. Pat followed easily, his head tiped forward and his eyes fixed firmly on the floor. "Of course you can kneel if you need to, Pat.
"Here," Jonny ordered and pressed down on his sub's shoulder; Pat folded down obediently and linked his hands behind his back automatically.
Jonny sat down on the bench and threaded his fingers through Pat's hair and tugged gently until Pat pressed his forehead against Jonny's thigh. He shuddered before he made a low noise and relaxed into it, anchored by the feel of his Dom surrounding him.
Sharpy wandered over and sat next to Jonny, leaned his weight against Jonny's side. "I'll wait with you guys for a little bit, I let Abby know I needed to be here with you guys right now."
Jonny made an agreeable noise and nudged Sharpy gently with his elbow.
"We'll win next year," Duncs added confidently, his hand slowly petting Seabs hair; Seabs had his face buried in Duncs neck, his hand fisted in his Dom's dress shirt, but he nodded at his partners words.
"Yeah, we will," Jonny agreed and felt some of the anger from the loss leave him; Pat shuffled around a little, so he was still pressed against Jonny's thigh but could wrap his hand around Jonny's ankle.
"We'll kick everyone's ass next season," Jonny promised.
At that moment, he knew they would make it happen.
this is a BDSM!AU, still not sure if it's part of the Scars & Souvenirs 'verse yet. Either way, it's Dom!Jonny/sub!Pat, Dom!Duncs/sub!Seabs, Domme!Abby/Switch!Sharpy, with mentions of Dom!Geno/sub!Sid. Nothing major to warn for here, just kneeling. Not sure if this is going to stay a drabble or end up being something longer eventually. We'll see, I guess *shrugs*
*
Jonny took a moment to calm himself before snapped at the reporters; he knew that dealing with the media came with the territory, especially being the Captain. And after a big loss, it was always harder than it normally would have been.
Jonny felt a pang of sympathy for Sid; if he thought what he had to deal with now was hard, he could only imagine what it had been like for Sid last month. Being the face of the NHL as well as the first sub to ever be made Captain of an Original Six team meant every loss and every win was exaimed and shoved in Sid's face multiple times, regardless of what actually happened on the ice. Jonny had no idea how Sid hadn't gone off the rails yet; he knew Geno helped, of course, probably more than anything short of lifting the Cup again ever could, but it still boggled his mind sometimes.
Jonny mentally shook himself and focused back on the reporters in front of him.
"...feel to get this close and lose?"
"It's never easy," Jonny told them, his voice as even as he could make it. "And I can admit that it stings worse than it would have a few years ago, but we played our best tonight. It just didn't happen to be enough to beat the Kings. We'll make sure we're better next year."
Jonny's eyes drifted around the room quickly, taking note of everyone who looked close to needing a break; he didn't buy into that bullshit about subs being weak, but it was job to make sure that his team was alright, both Doms and subs. Talking to the media after a loss like this took it's on you, regardless of dynamic.
He noted the lines around Pat's eyes, the tight smile that had replaced Sharpy's usual easy grin. The way Shawzy'shead was tilted down, just a little, enough for Jonny to know he was blaming himself for the loss; Crow's shoulders were hunched even as he smiled and nodded pleasantly at the reporters talking to him, Saader's downcast eyes, his refusal to meet anyone's eyes even as he answered questions. Duncs was glaring at everyone indiscriminately, his anger with himself obvious and Seabs was almost pressed against his stall in an attempt to keep some extra distance between himself and the press. It all told him that everyone was taking this hard.
"Do you think the number of subs on the team factor in at all to your loss?"
"What did you just say," Jonny said flatly, his voice cold; he focused on the reporter, his eyes hard. He didn't recognize him, which either meant he was new or from LA. He saw some of the Chicago beat reporters wince and take a few steps back.
The rest of the locker room tapered off into a charged silence, the tension rising with every second.
"The Blackhawks have more active subs than any other team in the NHL, except for the Penguins," the reporter went on stubbornly; his voice held a slight echo of his power. Enough that it had to be on purpose, but not enough to be considered threatening. "And both teams that are in the Stanley Cup finals -teams that, incidentally beat you and the Penguins- are known for the fact that they have an unusually low number of subs. Do you think that that fact contributed to the loss tonight?"
"I think that sometimes luck doesn't go the way you want it; the puck bounces in the other guys favor all the time," Jonny said, the words clipped and harsh; his voice was hard, the power that rode it proved why he was considered one of the strongest Doms in the league. Reporters were backing up from him unconsciously, Doms and subs alike. "Not every team that deserves it gets even as close as we did tonight.
"This team is where we are because of who we are, how we play; talent doesn't care if you're the one kneeling or if you've got the lead in hand. And neither do any of us.
"The loss tonight is on all of us, not on some of us. The Kings played a better game, end of story. It has nothing to do with dynamics, who has how many on their teams; talent is talent, no matter what," Jonny almost snarled the last word, his temper pushed almost to the breaking point; he knew Q and the rest of the coaches would have head tomorrow, but right now, he didn't care.
The reporters left quickly after that, fast enough to make Sharpy smile before he slumped down on the bench in front of his stall.
"I meant every word," Jonny announced once the room was cleared; he worked to keep his voice steady and empty of anything that would push anyone. "We win as a team and we lose as a team, dynamics have nothing to fucken do with it. We played our asses off this series and it still wasn't enough, but that's on all of us, not just a few of us.
"I believe in all of us and I believe that we can win the Cup with this team next season.
"Go home, relax and try to remember that we are all in this. I'll see you guys on Thursday."
"Damn, Tazer, I think that's the most I ever heard you say at one time," Sharpy called out, breaking the last of the tension in the room and making everyone chuckle as they finished changing and left.
Jonny made sure to have a couple words, one on one, with everyone before they left. Eventually it was only Jonny and the four other guys he trusted on and off the ice more than anyone else.
He took a deep breath and looked over to where Pat was done getting changed and swaying slightly on his feet; Jonny walked over slowly, making enough noise so he wouldn't startle his sub when he started talking.
"Hey, you alright?" Jonny asked softly as he slid his hand around the back of Pat's neck and squeezing gently; his hand covered the slim black leather collar that Pat wore during the season.
"Yeah, I just," Pat hesitated before he went on in a rush, "I need to kneel, I think. I feel like I did before Madison, Jonny, my head is so loud and I can't -"
"Stop it," Jonny interrupted firmly; he led Pat over to where half his game day suit was still hanging up in his stall. Pat followed easily, his head tiped forward and his eyes fixed firmly on the floor. "Of course you can kneel if you need to, Pat.
"Here," Jonny ordered and pressed down on his sub's shoulder; Pat folded down obediently and linked his hands behind his back automatically.
Jonny sat down on the bench and threaded his fingers through Pat's hair and tugged gently until Pat pressed his forehead against Jonny's thigh. He shuddered before he made a low noise and relaxed into it, anchored by the feel of his Dom surrounding him.
Sharpy wandered over and sat next to Jonny, leaned his weight against Jonny's side. "I'll wait with you guys for a little bit, I let Abby know I needed to be here with you guys right now."
Jonny made an agreeable noise and nudged Sharpy gently with his elbow.
"We'll win next year," Duncs added confidently, his hand slowly petting Seabs hair; Seabs had his face buried in Duncs neck, his hand fisted in his Dom's dress shirt, but he nodded at his partners words.
"Yeah, we will," Jonny agreed and felt some of the anger from the loss leave him; Pat shuffled around a little, so he was still pressed against Jonny's thigh but could wrap his hand around Jonny's ankle.
"We'll kick everyone's ass next season," Jonny promised.
At that moment, he knew they would make it happen.