#come throughhghghghghghgh with the kid fics
I’m noodling a little with the idea of Jack and kids. And since I am old, I still don’t know how to do one of those fancy read more things.
Bitty had always known Jack had helped coach a peewee team when he was…recovering. That had not prepared him for the sight in front of him. It made Bitty clutch his hands to his chest with the entire preciousness of it all. He’d been a little put out when Jack had texted him to say meet him at the Falconer’s practice rink as it meant he wouldn’t be able to kiss Jack silly the minute he saw him. But this, this was worth it.
There were tiny kids all wrapped up in hockey padding and helmets that looked entirely too big for them circling unsteadily around Jack, sticks half forgotten in one hand as they tried to balance long enough to make it around the rink. Jack was wearing his sweats along with his skates and Bitty could see the fond, soft look on his face. One of the kids started to fall and Jack was there, in an instant, helping them regain their balance. Bitty shuffled into the stands, nodding at a few people who were obviously parents and hauled out his phone. He was just in time. One of the other guys on the ice – Bitty thought they were a coach or something – said that time was up. The kids groaned pretty much in unison and two or three of them attached themselves to Jack’s legs, as if to say “don’t make us go”.
Jack started laughing – chuckling, more like it – and his face was still soft as he spoke to the kids, too far away for Bitty to hear. Instead of having whatever effect it was supposed to have, the kids just seemed to hold tighter and Jack accumulated a few more tiny bodies. One of them stared up at Jack with such admiration that Bitty just had to sigh as he snapped a few pictures. Jack started moving towards the side of the rink, bringing his extra weight with him, moving so slowly, so gently.
The moms came down to start detaching children and Bitty followed them, hanging back as skate guards were slid on and helmets removed. There was a babble of excited chatter and a lot of longing looks back towards the ice and towards Jack. The kids waved as they trotted back to the dressing rooms and Jack made sure he made eye contact with each and every one of them before they left.
It was about halfway through that Jack noticed him and his smile deepened, for just an instant, before he went back to the very serious job of saying goodbye properly. He even gave out an extra hug when one especially brave girl lurched forward to seriously tell Jack, “I’m going to marry you, Mr Zimmerman.”
Jack leaned down and whispered to her. She looked at him for a long moment and then turned her gaze onto Bitty. She looked at him very seriously for a moment before nodding. “That’s okay, then,” she chimed and Jack hugged her one more time before waving her off.
“If I’d known, I could’ve baked some mini-pies. Or cookies.” Bitty looked down the corridor after the kids. “They were just adorable.”
“They tried really hard,” Jack said, before he fixed Bitty with one of his patented “I am Jack Zimmerman and you need to eat more protein” looks. “Better at taking a check than you.”
Bitty tried to be annoyed but he still broke into helpless giggles at Jack’s attempt at humour. He grabbed his bag and followed Jack back to the locker room, happy enough to bask in his company for a little while.
It was only later when they were lying in bed, after Bitty had kissed Jack within an inch of his life as he’d wanted to do for weeks. Skype was no substitute for the feel of Jack’s skin, for the way he bit his lip before muttering something French sounding. And it was definitely much better to be able to meet Jack’s eyes across a shared pillow than through the distance of a computer screen.
“What did you say to the girl? The one who wanted to marry you?” Bitty traced his fingertips over Jack’s stomach, revelling in all the touching. “At the rink?”
Jack didn’t answer him and Bitty had to look up to check Jack was still awake. Time and experience told Bitty that Jack was embarrassed and unsure about what he should say. “You don’t have to say,” Bitty said, stilling his hand until his palm was flat on Jack’s chest. He could feel Jack’s heart beating.
“I…” Jack hesitated before rolling closer and dropping his voice to a whisper. “I said thank you but that I was already promised to someone else. And I said it was you.”
“Already promised? What are you? Some kind of Disney princess?” Bitty tried to play it off casually but he could feel his own silly heart beating in triple time as well.
“I thought the fairytale creatures followed you around,” Jack responded, keeping his voice flat. “For the pies.” He brushed his nose against Bitty’s, before dropping a kiss, soft, onto his lips.
Bitty kissed him back. Then stopped. “So basically you proposed to me through a small child?”
Jack froze, eyes wide, looking like a frightened deer. Or, Bitty supposed, it should be moose. And did moose get frightened like deer… “It’s more of a proposal for a proposal.” Jack sounded as if he was forcing the words out. “If you…”
Bitty couldn’t stand to see his Jack, his ridiculous boy, panic. “Yes. I’m saying yes. I mean, not while I’m at college because that’s just not practical but yes.”
They whispered I love yous between kisses and that was the end of the talking. Bitty guessed Jack did deserve a blow job for proposing to propose after all.
