девятка! Devyatka! (I Want It!)

“Modano’s house is huge,” Tyler spoke up one day during lunch. Jordie, Jamie, and Tyler were out on the patio at a bistro that allowed Tyler to have Marshall sit next to his feet, and Marshall huffed out something that sounded like an agreement if dogs could talk.

“Yeah?” Jamie asked, putting his sandwich down.

“It echoes a bit,” Tyler played with his fork. Jamie watched the younger man’s eyes track the movement of a woman with a kid and then a guy with a puppy.

“It’ll be filled one day, kids and stuff,” Jamie said. Tyler’s mouth twisted though, and it was an expression he got when he was given a compliment for something he didn’t think he did well enough on.

Jamie narrowed his eyes at Tyler. “No kids?” he asked.

Tyler sighed and looked over at Jamie. “Do you honestly think I’d be a good dad?”

Jamie sat up straight and sort-of glared at Tyler. “Do I? Seriously, man? You’re great with kids… and Marshall! Well, he’s not an actual kid, but still he is spoiled and loved. Do you honestly think you’d be a bad one?”

Tyler flushed and ducked his head. He put down the fork after a second and sighed. “I dunno, I’ve fucked up a lot of things. Boston, Marchy…”

“But you never fucked up with Marshall, you’ve never fucked up with any of the kids you meet at charity stuff.” Jamie flashed a sweet smile.

“Whatever.” Tyler’s cheeks were a bright red now. “It’s not like I’m getting a kid anytime soon.”

Jamie made a thoughtful noise, as Tyler tore up a small bite of his sandwich and gave Marshall the roast beef part, which the chocolate lab happily scarfed down.

****

“Do you think Tyler would make a good dad?” Jamie asked Jordie one afternoon.

The two brothers were eating and hanging out at a chinese restaurant in Dallas. It was a rare time alone for the two of them to be brothers and be alone together. The question seemed to catch the Dallas defenseman off-guard.

Jordie nearly choked on his lo mein and Jamie busied himself with making sure he was alright. The older Benn brother cleared his throat several times, before looking at him with a glare. “The only reason people ask questions like that is if they’re looking to make babies or adopt them.”

Jamie could feel his face heat up and he shook his head. “No, just Tyler was talking about how Modano’s house feels so empty and I mentioned it would probably be filled with kids one day and he got all sad and said he would be a shitty dad.”

“First of all,” Jordie stated. (Jamie knew this was serious, because he put the lo mein and fork down) “He was fishing for a roommate, second of all, he thinks he’s never going to get to be a dad because he’s into guys way more than girls and that’s not a thing you can have in the NHL and he knows it. Look at what happened with Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews in Chicago?!”

Jamie blinked and nearly dropped his sweet and sour chicken. “Wait, what?”

“Oh god,” Jordie sighed. “Does Brenden try to cuddle up to you and sit in your lap?”

“No.”

“Kevin? Cody?” Jamie kept shaking his head horizontally.

“Yeah, I didn’t think so.”

“Doesn’t mean he’s more into guys,” Jamie carefully picked his food back up.

“True, but when was the last time he picked up a girl when we were out?”

Jamie casted his mind back like a fisher, but couldn’t even think of a time when Tyler picked anyone up, much less a girl. “He usually comes back to the apartment with me.”

“And how many instagram pictures did he take with a girl this offseason?”

Jamie frowned.

“The boy is more into guys than girls and that’s why he’s lonely.”

“Whatever,” Jamie sighed and thought about it. If it was true, then why did Tyler never say anything to him?

****

Jamie loved dogs. He didn’t think he was responsible enough to own one though, and admired Tyler for being able to raise one of the best behaved dogs he’d ever met, while playing hockey. So when he saw a woman that was walking five puppies he practically dropped to his knees to pet them all. Their teeth were still puppy sharp and their nails pricked at his pants as they all tried to crawl over him.

“They’re adorable.” He grinned largely.

The woman laughed at him. “You don’t have to deal with them at home, now do you? I don’t think my house has been this loud since my kids left.”

Jamie stared up at her for a second and made a decision. He kept his grin on, as he cleared his throat and asked the woman, “Are you keeping them all?”

She shook her head, “Three of them already have homes, we’re still looking for a home for the smallest, and we’re keeping the last one.” She indicated the smallest puppy with her head, which was also the one trying to climb onto Jamie’s shoulders.

“How much?”

“Are you serious?”

“I can get references if you need them.” Jamie looked up at her, still smiling.

“No, I just, you’re Jamie Benn and you want to buy one of my dogs without even seeing any of their parents or papers, or anything!”

Jamie laughed and took out his phone, while petting the smallest one. “Here, call me and we can set up a meeting and stuff whenever they’re ready to leave their mom.” He gave her his number and then took down hers. Then she bid her farewell and the woman walked away, still in shock.

****

“No, seriously, where are we going?” Tyler pestered his newest teammate, as Jamie drove him to the house of the woman with the dog.

“It’s a surprise.”

“Okay,” Tyler managed to not say anything for a good five minutes, but it was hard to keep quiet. “No, seriously,”

“We’re almost there, its a surprise, so stop asking!”

“Ughhhh,” Tyler squirmed around in the passenger seat, unable to contain some of his excitement he felt inside.

The house they pulled up to had a huge backyard that you could see from the front. Tyler perked up when he heard some of the puppies and another dog barking. They both got out.

“Jamie?” he spun to his friend, as Jamie walked around to the back.

The dog ran over to him as soon as he walked through the gate, or well, he ran as best he could and managed to trip over himself twice.

“Oh god thats the cutest thing I’ve seen since Marshall was a puppy,” Tyler whispered, and Jamie hid his grin, by kneeling down to scratch the puppy’s ears.

“Wait,” Tyler questioned, as Elizabeth, the dog’s owner, came walking over to them with a leash and a few papers. “Oh god, you’re getting a dog?”

“Sort of, I mean, you did say you were lonely in that big empty house, right?”

Tyler’s eyes grew large and he stared at Jamie like he was in love. And he was!! Jamie’s mouth went dry and his eyes felt like they were watering, so he picked up the jet black labrador puppy. “His name’s Midnight, but you’re allowed to change it.” He handed the small animal over to Tyler.

“You got me a puppy,” Tyler exclaimed, looking down at Midnight. “You got me a puppy.” He laughed in shock, before kissing Midnight on the nose.

Jamie stood to the side, quickly signing the papers and watching his teammate with awe. He signed the last one and then the woman left them, thanking them for their help. Jamie walked over to Tyler who was dancing around with his new friend and present. It made the Dallas Captain’s heart melt with happiness. Tyler was happy, so he was happy.

“Come on, Tyler, let’s get Midnight home.”

Notes

Midnight!!!! <3
See, I want to believe that this is the truth. I want to think that Jamie got Tyler Midnight (or rather Cash), because that's a BROMANCE!! :D


Next up: Well...okay...the dog isn't Midnight! It's CASH!!