RATING: R PAIRING: Darren McCarty/Kris Draper/Kirk Maltby
DISTRIBUTION: Ask please
DISCLAIMER: If you know I don't own them, I don't claim that any of this is true
DEDICATION: To Alex who's fic Nothing Else Matters first gave me this bunny and Chloe whose Malt's New Years spam fed it until it wouldn't go away NOTES: This is my first attempt at writing hockey slash so forgive me if it isn't very good. It is written from Kirk's POV
The stroke of Midnight
The party around me was in full swing but somehow I just wasn't in the mood to participate and I find myself hanging around the edges of the room watching the ebb and flow of the people around me. This year instead of the normal huge team New Year's party after the game we had decided on a smaller party with just all the guys on the team. It is rare where we can all hang out together and not worry about people seeing us or what others may think. As I watch the rest of the room, I sigh quietly to myself as I notice how many of my teammates have paired off with each other or are working on it. Steve is sitting on the couch with his arm wrapped around Shanny, which is really kinda cute that the two of them are still this affectionate after all their years together. They are chatting with Luc and Dandy who I notice have their hands entwined together. This must be a new development, I can't recall seeing those two together before or maybe the alcohol has been flowing a little bit more freely that I thought. Over in the corner Cheli has Brett backed up against the wall, I can't help but smile Chris has to be the only one I know who can truly shut Hully's mouth up. but I guess it is a little hard to talk with a tongue down your throat. Not that Brett seems to be complaining if the way he is groping Cheli's ass is any indication. I notice Sean standing directly across the room from me, nursing a beer and staring at something-or someone-rather intently. I arch my eyebrow as I follow his gaze and it come to rest on Fischy. I ponder that one for a minute, Jiri and Fido-hhmmm it could work, definitely have to keep an eye on this one to see how it plays out. In the other room playing pool are Cujo and Boyd or at least they are trying to play pool in between sloppy kisses and roaming hands. If there were two people I would have thought least likely to hook up it would have been those two but get them within six feet of each other and they can't keep their hands to themselves. My eyes continue to scan the room finally coming to rest on the one couple that bothers me the most, Kris and Darren. They are my line mates but more than that they are my two best friends, the people that know me better than anyone else. They are wrapped in each other's arms, dancing and staring into each other's eyes. I watch them for a few minutes and then abruptly turn away unable to handle seeing it anymore. Don't get me wrong, it's not that I don't like the fact that they are a couple, it's just that the two of them are so perfect together and are so obviously in love with each other it makes my heart ache to watch them. They have what I want, someone to love me unconditionally like that, someone who will always be there, to take away the pain when I hurt and to share the joys of life with me. Kris and Darren are that for each other and I can't seem to control the stab of jealousy I feel when I am around them. I love them both dearly but I envy what they have found together. OK I just think entirely too much when I've been drinking and the closer it gets to midnight the louder and rowdier everyone becomes and the more physical all the couples seem to get. I can't deal with this anymore so I decide to get some fresh air. I slip out of the room and head up the stairs. This is the house Darren and Kris bought so they could easily be together and since I helped decorate it, I know the layout and I am able to get around without turning on lights. I open the doorway to the master bedroom and let my eyes adjust to the dark. Crossing the room to the French doors, I ease them open and slide out unto the balcony overlooking the back lawn. I lean against the railing and just sit there, eyes closed, and enjoy the peacefulness of the night. My mind begins to wander-another year over, another year of being alone, of searching, for what I really don't know. I guess I will know when I find it. I just feel so incomplete sometimes. Here I am 30 years old and I still haven't found the person I am meant to spend my life with. I wonder if they even exist. "Here you are, we were wondering where you got off to. You know it's almost midnight. " I turn at the sound of Kris' voice, smiling as him and Mac join me on the balcony. "What ya doing out here all alone anyways Malts?" Mac asks as him and Kris walk over to stand one on each side of me. "Thinking and besides I am always alone in case you hadn't noticed." I reply without thinking then wish I hadn't, I try not to let the bitterness show but sometimes I can't help it. After an awkward silence, each of them slips an arm around my waist."Shouldn't think so much there Malts," Mac laughed, lightening the mood "You might hurt yourself" As I punch Darren in the shoulder, Kris glances at his watch as we hear the noise from downstairs rise in volume."Two minutes left" he remarked, winking at Mac. I glance over at Darren wondering what is up with those two, no good I am sure."So Malts" Mac grins down at me, reaching down to brush the hair that has fallen into my face back."How much have you had to drink tonight?" What the hell is Mac talking about, then it hits me, the interview knew I was going to regret saying what I had but I truly didn't think before I opened my mouth-as usual for me. Wait a minute just why is he asking, I stare up at Mac in confusion. Kris places his finger under my chin, turning me to face him. " I think he's had enough Dare.", he says voice lower and huskier than normal. I can't tear my eyes away from him as he smiles at me. Vaguely I hear the partygoers downstairs begin to count down to midnight but all I am really aware of is Kris' green eyes locked with my own. 10...9...8...7...6...Kris' hand moves to cup my cheek and my breath catches and my eyes drift closed . . . 5 . . . 4 . . . 3 . . . 2 . . . 1 . . . Right as the clock strikes midnight Kris closes his lips over mine and any thought left in my head is gone, all I can do is feel. The feel of his lips on mine is electric. It's not a hard or demanding kiss by any means, just a light feathery caress that is sending shockwaves of pleasure through me. Just the slightest touch from him is affecting me more than anything else from anyone ever in my life. Kris' hand is still holding the side of my face, his thumb slowly rubbing back and forth over my cheekbone and I can't help but shiver from that simple caress. His other arm encircles my waist, drawing me closer to him but he doesn't deepen the kiss even though I want him to. At this moment I feel like the whole world has dropped away and all I am aware of are the places where Kris and I are touching. Slowly he pulls away from the kiss but keeps his arm around me. I open my eyes to find him looking at me with a smirk and an expression in those eyes of his that I just can't place. I open my mouth to ask him why but never get the chance. "My turn" Mac whispers near my ear his breath warm on the side of my face. His hands close on my shoulders turning me around to face him. His grin pretty much matches the one Kris' face but his eyes are much more intense with a heat in them that transfixes me. One hand of his goes straight to my hip as he steps closer to me until there is no space separating our bodies. Darren's other hand slides around to cup the back of my neck, pulling me even closer until out lips meet. He increases the pressure and I whimper as his tongue flickers out and licks along my bottom lip. I part my lips and Mac slides his tongue in, slowly exploring and finding every sensitive spot until I am sure I can no longer stand on my own. I feel two strong arms wrap around me and a warmth at my back and I realize that Kris is there, holding me upright, as he has been any time I've needed it. I fall back into Darren's kiss, moaning as our tongues tangle. This kiss is everything Kris' wasn't, whereas Kris' kiss was gentle, passionate, and heartbreakingly tender, Mac's is hot, needy, and stealing every ounce of willpower and sanity I have left until I am clinging to him like a drowning man. We are both breathing harder by the time our kiss ends and I feel like every nerve in my body is hypersensitive. Darren locks eyes with Kris over my shoulder than leans forward to share a kiss with Kris while they are both still holding me. I lay my head onto Mac's shoulder and watch them through half closed eyes while I attempt to catch my breath. The familiar words of Auld Lang Syne drift out to us as I stand there sandwiched between the two of them. I close my eyes content to have this one moment in the shelter of what they share together. When they break apart, Kris lays his head over on mine kissing the back of my neck and I can't help sighing in pleasure. I feel him smile on my skin as he whispers "Happy New Year Kirk." Darren quickly echoes his sentiments brushing a kiss across my forehead. "Are you coming back inside with us?" Kris whispers his breath feathering against the back of my neck send yet another shiver of desire down my spine."Not yet" I reply, wanting to get both my body and my emotions under control before going around the rest of the guys. I think they understood because they both smiled at me and kissed the top of my head before walking arm in arm into the house. They are only gone for a couple of seconds when Darren walks back out to me, tipping my face up to his. "Kirk, don't be out here too long, OK?" he says smiling while dropping his jacket around my shoulders"Its pretty cold out and we can't have you freezing to death can we?" and with a quick brush of the back of his hand down my cheek he is gone. I wrap his jacket tighter around me, and realize I am now alone with my racing thoughts. I feel off balance as if the world as I knew it has been turned upside down. I am trying to make sense of how this happened. Was this some kind of practical joke because of some offhand comments I made in an interview? Or was it something more? Do I really want to know? I knew I now had a choice to make and I had a feeling it could possibly change my life forever-for better or worse. I could go back inside to the party and try to discover the reasons for tonight or I could go down the balcony steps, leave without anyone noticing, and try and forget it happened. I don't think, no I know, I have never been so scared or unsure about something in my life. I feel as if I am on the edge of a giant cliff but afraid to take that first step because I don't know if anyone will be there to catch me when I hit bottom. I lean my head back against the cold wall, debating with myself-stay or go. Thinking back to what happened and how it made me feel I make my decision. I close my eyes, take a deep breath, reopen my eyes and head through the doors back inside. No looking back now, I've stepped off the edge and I just hope the landing isn't too hard.
Tbc
Click on Drapes and Kirk to go on to the sequal "After Midnight"
