theassofwonder

[theassofwonder]

there she is… our beautiful wife

[theassofwonder]

Do other writers ever get this like, hyper-specific dialogue exchange drop into their brains and you know exactly where these character are standing and what they’re doing and how they’re saying these words but that’s all you get. You don’t have much other context and this specific moment that exists only at this time in your headspace??

[theassofwonder]

nhl all-star game – feb 4, 2023

[theassofwonder]

[theassofwonder]

hmm that’s some sizzling chemistry

[theassofwonder]

we love family outings 🥰🥰

[theassofwonder]

Extremely displeased to announce I just opened my writing doc to find the fic has not yet written itself. Will check back in tomorrow to see if it’s made any progress

[theassofwonder]

If you're reading this...

go write three sentences on your current writing project.

[theassofwonder]

[theassofwonder]

a crown prince

[theassofwonder]

he really does 👀

[theassofwonder]

sidney crosby in his crown prince era (nhl media day 2022)

[theassofwonder]

idk if this is controversial or not, but I really like when non-professional writing like fic has hints of author bleedthrough when it comes to like, what different people assume is common knowledge. Like sometimes I’ll be reading a fic and it’ll just be obvious that the person writing it is either obsessed with medicine or has been to medical school, because they’ll use terms that are just a shade too technical without explaining them. It’s never the super specific stuff that they’d know other people are unaware of, it’s always the things that once you’ve known it for a while you forget it’s niche knowledge. It’s fun because as a fanfic reader it reminds me of how this is a fun hobby community, where everyone has their own thing going on outside of fandom. Everyone’s got their own specialties and they can’t help but write that into their work sometimes

[theassofwonder]

actual russian disney prince evgeni malkin.

[theassofwonder]

“yeah, you guys got lots of time left. you guys are old… but you still got it.”

[theassofwonder]

what's your very favorite fic? the one you go back to when you want to read something but you can't decide or nothing else really appeals, because you know it'll make you happy no matter what?

[theassofwonder]

All this talk of dogs, I had completely forgotten about Jeffrey. Technically, Geno got him in 2006, but I had it in my head that it was 2004, so he got written into Lightning, Before the Thunder now.

Things settle back into the rhythm of games and daily life once the Crosbys go back to Canada. Sidney and Evgeni go through a stretch of days where it feels as if they see more of a hotel room than the inside of their own apartment.

Their schedule is so strenuous all they do is train, eat, play games, and sleep when they can. They don’t even have sex for more than a week, not even so much as a handjob—a true travesty, and which is probably the biggest reason why Evgeni stops the car to pick up the puppy that’s been abandoned on the side of the road as he’s making his way home from an emergency grocery run.

That and the sleep deprivation.

And besides, it’s not as he can just leave him there. It’s pouring down outside.

Sidney makes a valiant effort in trying to convince Evgeni that keeping a fifty kilo French Mastiff puppy is a “Fantastically bad idea, Geno! We don’t have the time. And besides, just look at him! He’s huge now. My neighbours used to have a dog like this. He’s gonna be close to seventy kilos as a grown dog!”

But then Sidney follows his own directions, looks the puppy in the eyes, and promptly melts on the spot.

Evgeni coos at the dog in victory. “His name Jeffrey,” he informs Sidney, because if there were ever a last chance of Sidney not letting him keep the dog, it vanishes once the dog has a name to go with it’s adorable face.

Sidney gives a startled laugh, and the dog barks as if to join in his amusement. “Jeffrey? You named the dog Jeffrey?”

“Jeffrey is good name! Puppy is totally a Jeffrey!”

Sidney giggles. He gets down on his knees next to Evgeni and Jeffrey, reaching out to give the puppy long, petting strokes along his side.

Jeffrey goes boneless, tail wagging hard against the floor. Sidney smiles at the sight. “This is such a bad idea. What will we even do when we’re out of town?”

“Mama and Papa watch him. Have Denis walk puppy, pick up poop.”

Sidney snorts, and Evgeni grins, tongue poking out of his mouth in a poor imitation of Jeffrey’s happy pants.

“We’ll need to take him to the vet. And make sure he isn’t just lost. He might not wear a collar, but someone could be looking for him.”

“If puppy lost and owner look, we give him back.”

Sidney eyes him knowingly. “Oh, Geno,” he sighs out, and Evgeni shrugs.

If Jeffrey has an owner out there looking for him, he absolutely will give the puppy back.

It’ll break his heart. But he’ll do it.

**

The next day, they bring Jeffrey to the veterinarian to make sure he’s healthy and doesn’t have any diseases. They print up flyers with Jeffrey’s face and put them up all over town.

Two weeks later, no one has come to claim him.

Sidney says, “I guess he’s ours then. We should get him a collar. A family dog should have a collar.”

Evgeni is so happy he kisses him breathless until Jeffrey gets between them determinedly, upset that no one is paying him attention.

Evgeni blinks as Sidney falls to his knees and showers Jeffrey with kisses and pats. He eyes Jeffrey suspiciously. “This is how it’s gonna be, then?”

Jeffrey barks smugly.