Crossing the Line

Brittany laughed looking between Logan and Jackie as they told her about the interrogation they had received after their house warming party. “And to top it all off Tazer out of nowhere decided to sit in the living room and growl all night. Even Tuukka couldn’t get him calm down and he’s a fucking dog whisperer!” Jackie exclaimed shaking her head. Britt let out a low whistle. “You know it’s serious when Jackie admits something positive about Tuukka,” she said with a teasing tone. “What’s so serious?” Mel asked coming back with Katie each girl having multiple beers in each hand. “The number one perk of this box is bottled beer,” Logan said making the girls laugh at her. They all agreed that it was a definite perk before Katie repeated Mel’s question. “Wait a second, Katrina is making her way over and I don’t want to have to retell the whole story,” Jackie said dramatically waving her hands around. Logan rolled her eyes, she was used to Jackie’s antics after she had known the girl most of her life. “Why were you all staring at me as I walked over here?” Katrina asked looking around at group of girls. “Well someone was late to pregame gossip circle and we were waiting for you so Jackie wouldn’t have repeat her story,” Logan said taking a sip of her beer. Ignoring Logan, Jackie told the rest of the group about all the questions and Tuukka the dog whisperer not being able to calm Tazer down. “Wait a second, they didn’t know about your medals but we did?” Katrina asked looking between Jackie and Logan her confusion showing on her face. “I knew you ladies when we played in Vancouver, I didn’t know them yet. The only guy I even saw up there was Patrice but that was before I even really knew him. I was only just becoming friends with Stefanie and I was never really close with Melissa Thomas,” Logan said with a shrug. “What she means is that once something is over and done with she moves on. She moved on from playing world class hockey because she’s annoying and wanted to help people,” Jackie countered. Their banter kept the girls entertained until the lights went down in the garden signaling that it was time to pick their seats.

“I hate going home with him after a loss,” Logan sighed picking up her bag. “I agree with that, it’s not fun if they can’t let a loss go,” Katie said looping arms with Logan and Britt as she stumbled slightly. Mel laughed walking behind them as they made their way down to the locker room to wait. “You’re such a light weight Katie and don’t even deny it,” she teased and all the girls laughed at Katie’s protests. “Well I don’t know about the rest of you ladies but I’m going to have a good night tonight since Dougie owes me a drink,” Jackie said smirking. Logan looked back at her over her shoulder and it made sense now why Jackie had put her jersey in Logan’s bag. “You know Jacqs earlier I just thought you were trying to switch things up but you really look so you better have fun tonight,” Logan said tossing her a smile. Jackie bit the inside of her lip trying to hold back her grin. She wanted to look to go out with Dougie and wanted him to think she looked pretty, even if she would never admit that out loud. The girls stood around and waited mostly in silence each preparing for a different post-loss temperament. Dougie was among the first to leave the locker room, the media wasn’t looking to talk to him as much as the other guys. He offered Jackie a smile and Logan noticed how her roommate blushed before accepting his arm and saying goodbye to the girls. Logan sighed thinking about the pros and cons of Jackie having a crush on Dougie while she waited for Tuukka.

“I hope you don’t mind a short walk,” Dougie said pulling Jackie closer to him as they left the TD Garden walking down Causeway. Even though the game had let out a while ago there were still plenty of people milling about and vendors trying to sell their products off carts. “Care to tell me where we’re headed?” Jackie asked looking up when they stopped walking to Dougie could adjust his hat. “You know, if I knew I would tell you. I was honestly just going to keep walking until we found a classy bar,” Dougie admitted causing Jackie to laugh. “Classy bar that’s a good one,” she snorted in an unladylike manner. “How about you Miss? Looking for a puck slut tee-shirt?” a vendor called pointing to Jackie. It took her a moment to realize the man was talking to her and Dougie saw her jaw clench as she turned to face the man. “Did you just call me a puck slut?” she asked slowly, her words dripping with venom. “I asked if you wanted a puck slut tee-shirt,” the man corrected as if he had said nothing wrong. “Do I look like a puck slut to you?” she asked drawing herself up to her full height. “Jackie,” Dougie said putting a hand on her arm only to be shaken off. “You know what I bet it is that makes me look like a puck slut, my bronze medal from Italy. Or no, I bet it was actually the silver medal I won with my team in Vancouver. Or maybe it was my four years of college hockey. Or it was my lifetime of playing. Watch you call a puck slut asshole,” Jackie spat as Dougie grabbed her hand and pulled her away. She was still seething, as they walked not even noticing when he navigated them into a bar. Fighting their way through the crowd Jackie noticed a change in Dougie. His facial muscles were drawn and his movements seemed stiffer than before. Jackie bit her lip thinking it might have been her attacking that guy in the street but her fears were calmed when they slid into a booth and he reached for her hand. “You’re not a puck slut and I never thought you were,” he said looking at her, his tone was low and his words were truthful as he searched her face wanting to make sure she believed him. “I’m sorry I made a scene,” she said with a sigh looking away from him. “Hey,” Dougie said putting a finger under her chin so she had to look at him. “You were defending yourself Jackie. Aggressively yeah but sometimes that’s what it takes,” he said offering her a smile. Jackie smiled back before it turned into a smirk. “So about that drink you owe me,” she began making him laugh. “Yeah yeah I owe you a beer you won the bet from coffee yesterday,” Dougie said looking for a waitress. “Dougie, I’ve won every bet we’ve ever made when we go for coffee on break. Which is just about everyday and I plan on making good on all the beer you owe me,” Jackie said laughing.

The car was silent aside from Tuukka’s Metallica playing softly and Logan didn’t even raise her voice in protest when she heard it. She could feel the tension rolling off his body and laid her hand on her arm while he drove. Tuukka let out a sigh that he realized he had been holding and took Logan’s hand in his knowing the contact would help him. Bringing their hands to her mouth Logan kissed each of his knuckles before letting them rest on the console between them. “I can’t do it any more,” Logan said breaking the silence and changing the playlist on his phone to their common ground music. Tuukka laughed in spite of himself and felt his bad mood from the game slowly lifting. “I am willing to do just about anything after a rough game because I know you put a lot of pressure on yourself and don’t even try to deny that. But I have to drawn the line at listening to Metallica the whole ride home. I can’t even understand them,” Logan said explaining herself, her tone alluding to no apology. Tuukka just rolled his eyes and kept heading for his place. “I have to admit that it helps to have someone who always has faith in me. Even when I play horribly and I know you want to wring my neck you always have confidence in me and want to harm the guys who played in front of me more,” Tuukka said his words true even though his tone was teasing. Logan blushed but didn’t deny that he had her thoughts pretty much summed up. “I could tell you exactly what I think after watching tonight’s game but you might pass along the information and the last thing I need is a bunch of children in full grown men’s bodies after me,” Logan said dramatically shuttering. Tuukka just laughed at her feeling the last of his post game stress leave his body and pulled into his parking spot. “Before you even ask, no I will not give you a piggy back,” Tuukka said looking at Logan and seeing her wide eyes at his accurate prediction. “But it’s cold and we get places so much faster when I’m not jogging to keep up,” she begged clasping her hands looking at him with her best puppy dog face. Tuukka shook his head and looked away but couldn’t get out of the car before she grabbed his hand. “Tuukka please,” she whispered tears gleaming in her big blue eyes. “Fuck,” he swore getting out of the car and going over to her side.


“The worst part is that I know those are fake tears,” he muttered just loud enough for Logan to hear as he walked into the building. Logan just kissed his cheek. If there was one thing she knew about him it was that he loathe making her cry and would do anything to keep it from happening. “You’re the best person in the whole wide world,” she said with a shit-eating grin on her face and he just rolled his eyes in response. Walking into his condo Logan dropped down from Tuukka’s back and made her way to his room. Tuukka hung up his coat and looked around before following her. His place was always clean because whenever Logan stayed here she cleaned in the morning as if to thank him for letting her stay. Tuukka walked into his room to see Logan standing in a pair of his sweatpants and a sports bra looking for a shirt. “I always forget about this one,” Tuukka said with a soft voice, his fingers gently tracing the crossed hockey sticks on the back of her neck with a date underneath. “Speaking of, I called Mama the other day. She said that if you’re unable to be with any family on Thanksgiving that you should fly out and have dinner with the family. She said that we could probably fly home that night in order to make it back for your morning skate,” Logan said leaning back into Tuukka’s chest so that he couldn’t see her nerves written on her face. Tuukka smiled to himself, he had been invited to Thanksgiving with Logan’s former foster family last year but hadn’t been able to go because he had a game the day before. “I would love to go with you,” Tuukka said kissing the top of her head. “Now we should go to bed, you have an early shift tomorrow,” Tuukka said scooping her up in his arms and plopping her on the bed. Logan laughed as he stripped down to his boxers and crawled in next to her pulling her close to his chest. They whispered nonsense stories from their childhood back and forth until Logan finally fell asleep her body pressed tightly to his.

“I heard you were a light weight but wow Jackie,” Dougie laughed helping an openly drunk Jackie into the elevator at her place. “Fuck yourself Hamilton, I hold weight around here and I can have Logan do bad things to you,” she threatened stabbing her finger into his chest. Dougie just laughed and wrapped an arm around Jackie to steady her. “Am I even allowed to leave you alone when you’re this drunk?” Dougie asked looking down at her thinking about the rule that Logan couldn’t be left alone when she was too drunk. “Are you implying I can’t handle myself? I will have you know I can get to my apartment all by myself thank you,” Jackie retorted starting to walk out of the elevator but only making it a few steps before she sat down. “I lied. I can’t get to my apartment all by myself,” she said with a shrug when Dougie stopped in front of her raising his eyebrows. “Really, you don’t say?” he asked sarcastically helping her to her feet and once again wrapping an arm around her. Jackie grumbled under breath, the only word Dougie caught was bastard repeatedly. “It’s the purple one,” Jackie said handing him her keys so he could unlock the door. “You should stay because I have no idea how drunk I am,” Jackie said but got distracted by Tazer the second she opened the door. “Hi buddy,” she said squatting down and almost falling over when he rushed at her. “I know, I love you too,” Jackie laughed pushing herself up and putting a hand on the wall to steady herself as she walked to her room. “Third drawer on the bottom in Logan’s room is all Tuukka’s clothes unless you want to wear my brother’s clothes but Tuukka’s would probably fit better since he’s taller,” Jackie rambled using her hands as she spoke. Dougie laughed and left her with Tazer to get changed.

Walking back into the room he saw Jackie sitting on the bed telling Tazer a story. “Dougie just in time! I was just telling Tazer about Vancouver. I assume you already know about the Olympics. Tuukka or Logan or someone, maybe even me I can’t remember right now must’ve told you,” Jackie rambled. Dougie laughed and turned off the light. “You’re a chatty drunk, aren’t you?” Dougie asked trying to get he to consent to go to bed. “I’m not the only drunk one here,” Jackie retorted referring to the fact that they had taken a cab rather than driven because Dougie didn’t want to worry about driving. Dougie just laughed and didn’t want to argue with her. Jackie was quiet for a moment study Dougie’s face before she leaned forward and kissed him on an impulse. He responded after a moment of surprise, kissing her back with intensity. Jackie wrapped her arms around his neck tangling her fingers in his hair, tugging on it gently. He nipped at her bottom lip getting Jackie to part her lips before slipping his tongue in. Jackie moaned softly and situated herself on his lap molding their bodies closer together. Neither said a word when they came up for air but just looked at each other in the dim lighting. Without speaking Dougie gave Jackie a gentle kiss before laying her down and pulling her close to him. She looked at him for a few moments smiling to herself before closing her eyes and listening to the sounds of the city on the street below them.

Notes

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I hope you all have a wonderful day!