Archive of Our Own ^beta

Jack tugged the baseball cap lower over his head as he exited McCarran International Airport, scanning the cars in the pick up zone for Kent’s silver Camaro. When he noticed the flashy car, he made his way over, drinking in the sight of Kent behind the wheel. Kent hadn’t noticed him yet, clearly looking down at his phone.

When Kent looked up and realised Jack was approaching, his smile lit up his face, and Jack felt his heart stutter the way it always did when Kent smiled that brightly at him.

Jack quickly put his bags in the back of the car, waving off Kent’s offer to help. Kent was easily recognisable in Vegas, and Jack could already see some people turning to look. Sweat dripped down his neck as he hurriedly made his way to the passenger seat, climbing in and shutting the rest of the world out.

“Hey,” Kent said softly, breathlessly. They couldn’t kiss, not yet, but Jack reached across and gently wrapped his fingers around Kent’s, and Kent grinned at him.

“Hey.” Jack studied Kent intently, taking in how much slimmer he looked. The Aces and the Falconers had both been knocked out of the playoffs, and it hurt so sharply that Jack felt like he hadn’t breathed properly, not until Kent had called him and invited him to Vegas.

Kent started the car and pulled out of the pick up zone, but as he waited behind a bright yellow minivan, he glanced at Jack. “Are you sure about this? About meeting--”

“I’ve never been more sure of anything.”

Kent shot him a hopeful smile and then focused on the road, leaving Jack to his thoughts.

The thing was, Jack was terrified. Just a little. When Kent had first Skyped, wide-eyed with wonder, tripping over himself to explain that Dani and Swoops were poly, Jack hadn’t really known how to react. When Kent assured him that he had permission to share, Jack had sat back for a moment. After ending the Skype call, Jack had opened several new tabs in Chrome and did a lot of reading.

It hadn’t been a surprise when Kent had Skyped him again a few months later, looking pale and nervous. Jack still remembered every word Kent had said, rushing to get them out before Jack had even said good morning.

“Swoops and Dani said that they wanted to include us in their, uh…polycule?”

Jack had taken some time to think about it. The thing was, he was in Providence, and Dani, Swoops, and Kent were all in Vegas. He had agreed, after another talk with Kent about boundaries and limits. Almost nothing changed in their relationship. They still Skyped daily, still called each other and texted each other. They still said “I love you.” When the Aces played the Falconers, they still went to each other’s apartments and kissed hungrily, touching each other and barely making it to a bed.

And now Jack was in Vegas for a week to meet Swoops and Dani and see where he slotted into their life.

“We can go to my apartment or to Swoops’ and Dani’s place first.” Kent broke the comfortable silence as he stole a glance at Jack.

Jack thought about it. “Let’s go to Swoops’ and Dani’s place. Are we doing anything for dinner?”

“Oh, Swoops will probably cook and Dani will make dessert or something.” Kent responded.

“I didn’t pack any dinner clothes. Just shorts and t-shirts and workout stuff.” Jack felt a brief stab of anxiety at the thought, but Kent was already reassuring him with a small shake of his head.

“That’s cool, they’re super casual. Swoops’ll probably be grilling on the porch and Dani will tell us to eat inside because it’s super hot.” Kent sounded fond as he spoke, and he had a look on his face that Jack recognised from all the times it’s been directed at him.

Jack waited to feel jealous, to feel angry, but he didn’t. Instead he felt expectant, like he was on the cusp of making a huge decision, and a little rush of excitement went through him.

He looked out the window as they drove past the Strip and continued on to a little gated community filled with gorgeous houses and wide yards. It was picturesque, and Jack’s fingers itched to be holding his camera to capture the dappled sunlight drifting through the trees, the soaring architecture, and the brightness of Kent’s smile.

The house in front of them was two stories. It had a bright red door and the arching windows and wrap-around porch made Jack smile.

Kent followed Jack’s gaze as he climbed out of the car and laughed a little. “It’s cool, right? They designed the whole thing themselves, it’s really nice. There’s a pool out back and a workout room in the basement.”

Jack grabbed his bags, allowing Kent to take one from him as they walked up the path to the porch steps. Despite the fact that Swoops and Dani were wealthy, there was something homey about the place that reminded Jack of the Haus, only without the lingering smell of weed or the disgusting porch furniture. Instead there was a watering can by the screen door, a welcome mat in flashy Aces colours and a pair of tiny hockey sticks.

Most huge houses that Jack has been to, including his parents’ house, has always been neat and pristine. The fact that this house wasn’t made his shoulder lose some of their tension.

The screen door opened and Jack found himself face to face with Swoops, who broke into a wide grin at the sight of them.

“Hey!” Swoops took a bag from Kent, stepping back “Come in! We’re making dinner in the kitchen. You can just leave the bags here for now, we’ll move them later.”

Jack followed Swoops inside, looking around curiously as he dropped the bags in the front hallway. There were pictures hanging in the hallway of friends and family, a staircase leading up to the next floor, a gorgeously decorated formal room, and a slightly messier one next to the kitchen with a huge TV and a massive sofa.

Swoops chatted to them both easily as he led the way to the kitchen, where Dani looked up from the chopping board to give them all a wide smile.

“Hey!” She quickly wiped her hands on a dishtowel and moved to give them both hugs. “You two can grab a seat at the island if you want.”

Dani was tall and gorgeous, with long brown hair twisted into a top knot and warm brown eyes. She waved off Jack’s offer to help and insisted he sit down.

Jack settled on the stool and looked around the kitchen. It wasn’t all gleaming stainless steel. The hardwood floors underneath worked well with the marble countertops, but the appliances were all a mismatch of different brands and colours.

Swoops ducked out the door to check the grill, and Dani picked up the conversation easily.

“We’re making steaks, fries and salad for dinner. I have wine somewhere, but we should limit ourselves to a glass so we can talk.” Dani resumed chopping before looking up at Kent and Jack. “Unless you want to have this talk at another time?”

Jack looked at Kent who simply looked back, letting him make the decision. Jack looked back at Dani who was focused on chopping tomatoes and lettuce, but he could tell that she was watching them.

“No, we can talk over dinner,” Jack said, and he smiled at Dani when she beamed at him. “Are you sure you don’t need any help?”

Kent broke into gentle laughter. “Honestly, Dani, just let him chop something, he’s Canadian, he won’t stop asking.”

Dani laughed at Kent’s words but smiled at Jack, and when he stood up, ready to do what she asked, Jack felt contentment settle inside him as Dani and Kent chatted easily.

He could definitely see himself fitting into this little family.

Dinner was a lively affair. Swoops had tried to encourage them to have dinner out on the porch, but Dani had glanced at the blue sky, felt the baking hot air, and refused.

Dinner was served at the little table in the corner of the kitchen. The steaks were perfectly cooked, the fries hot and crispy, and the salad deliciously fresh. Jack ate as he listened to Swoops and Dani talk about the lingerie company that Dani owned.

Throughout dinner Jack was relaxed, but as he speared the last bite of steak on his fork, he felt himself getting nervous again, tensing up and reaching for his wine glass quickly. From the look Kent gave him, he was being rather obvious about how he felt.

When the plates were cleared and hazelnut cookies were put on a dish in front of them, along with coffee and juice, Dani leaned forward and gave Jack a kind smile.

“How about Jeff and I talk a bit about our polycule and our partners? We have permission from them to talk about it.” She leaned back again and picked up her coffee, studying Jack intently.

Jack nodded, relieved that she seemed to be taking charge of the conversation, and picked up his own coffee so he’d have something to do with his hands.

“Jeff and I have been poly for eight years. We don’t do one night stands, but we do have long term partners we date and have sex with. Although over the past few months we’ve had to cut down on the number of partners we have. One of my partners, Stella, and I have agreed to stop seeing each other for a while because she and her husband are trying for a baby.” Dani looked completely calm and normal, as though she was talking about a grocery list rather than her partners.

Swoops spoke up next. “I have two partners. They’re a married couple and they’re currently travelling around the world, so for the next few months it’s just Dani and Kent. Dani has, not including Stella, me, or Kent, three other partners.”

Jack felt stunned, but he’s glad he’s been able to follow the conversation. “And…me?”

Kent looked at him then reached under the table to take his hand, squeezing his fingers gently. Jack squeezed back as he watched Dani and Swoops exchange looks.

“We obviously want you here. You can decide if you want to be with just Jeff or…” Dani trailed off delicately as she tried to figure out what to say.

“I...uh, I had a girlfriend in college. And I’m bisexual.” Jack smiled at her a little hesitantly.

Swoops grinned at Jack and Kent. “So you’re good with all four of us dating?”

Jack nodded. For the past year or so, he’d seen Kent’s soft eyes whenever he talked about what he had with Dani and Swoops, and the fact that Jack might actually get to experience that was incredible.

“Uh, are we…tonight…?” Jack cleared his throat, trying to voice his thoughts.

Dani immediately shook her head. “No, no. I have the spare room ready for you and Kent. Tomorrow or over the next few days, we can head out to restaurants, go to parks, get coffee. We can see if the spark is there.”

Despite being relieved at her words, Jack already knew the spark was there. He could feel it whenever he looked at Dani’s smile or Swoops’s kind eyes.

Kent looked then, still holding his hand, and then leaned forward. “Tomorrow, we can spend a lazy morning by the pool and get dinner at a restaurant.”

Dani and Swoops were in agreement, and they both waved Jack and Kent off when they offered to help.

“Go upstairs and get some rest, I’m sure you’re tired from travelling.” Dani smiled at Jack, and Kent stood up, pulling Jack up with him.

“Come on, Jack.” Kent led him from the kitchen, and Jack couldn’t help but glance over his shoulder, watching Swoops help Dani stack the plates, pressing a kiss to her cheek when she laughed at something he said.

Kent and Jack paused in the front hallway to grab Jack’s bags. Jack hoisted one over his shoulder, ignoring Kent’s baleful look for snatching the heaviest one away from him.

Kent led him up the stairs to a bedroom that had an attached en suite, and it was decorated in black, grey and white, with little pops of vibrant colours coming from the rug, pillows, and lamp.

“Do you want to shower before we go to bed?” Kent asked as he put the bags down.

“Yeah, I smell like plane.”

Kent’s laugher followed him as he dug his toiletries out of one of his bags and made his way to the en suite. He laid his toiletries out and then stepped into the shower, relaxing as hot water immediately hit his back. He could hear Kent moving about in the other room, and he took a moment to think about what had changed in the past few hours.

They were actually doing this, and Jack would be lying if he said he wasn’t the slightest bit nervous. He was in Providence for a good portion of the year, then Montreal for a week or two in the summer, and the rest of his time was dedicated to training, visiting Kent, and preparing for the next season.

Kent, Swoops, and Dani, on the other hand, were all in Vegas together throughout the season, and when Jack thought about that, he couldn’t stop the twist in his stomach. The three of them were going to be together a hell of a lot more than Jack was going to be with them. But he’d already done that for the past year, listened to Kent tell him about Swoops and Dani.

And. Well, technology was pretty amazing. He had no doubt that Kent probably had fake email and Skype accounts so that they could all communicate with each other.

Despite Jack’s reservations, he was actually pretty excited. He scrubbed his hair clean and rinsed it quickly, turning off the shower and stepping out, grabbing a towel and wrapping it around his waist.

Kent was sitting on the bed waiting for him, and there was a smile on his face as he looked at Jack.

"Hey, do you want to watch something?"

Jack nodded as he dried himself off, pulling on clean clothes and giving input to Kent's selections.

"We are not watching Grey's Anatomy again, Kent."

"But why?"

"Because then you want to watch six episodes in one night!"

Kent huffed but laughed, reaching out and pulling Jack onto the bed with him, ignoring the fact that Jack only had his sweats half on. "Fine then, you can pick. But no history documentaries."

"There's nothing wrong with a history documentary, Kent. Learning about the Irish famine and the impact it had on Britain as a whole is pretty interesting--"

"Wow. Wow, Jack."

They drifted off to sleep wrapped up in each other, the way they had always fallen asleep, even since the Q. Jack knew that Kent loved being able to feel him nearby, and he enjoyed knowing that Kent was nearby. When they woke up, Kent was sprawled half on top of Jack, head tucked into the crook of his neck.

"Bleh, it's early." Kent turned his head and buried his face in Jack's chest, prompting laughter.

"Up, I want to jog. Swoops will have a treadmill, right?"

"Mm, yeah, they have a whole workout room in the basement. Dani might be up already." Kent shifted his body off Jack and curled around the pillows, leaving Jack free to get up, brush his teeth and get changed into his workout gear, and then head downstairs.

Dani was already awake, standing in the kitchen as she poured coffee. She looked up when Jack entered, giving him a beaming smile. "Good morning!"

Jack ducked his head, aware that he was blushing. "Good morning." He felt like a teenager all over again. Dani was attractive and kind, wickedly smart and funny. There was a huge pad open on the kitchen table, sketches and designs scribbled all over the pages. "Working already?"

"You're one to talk." Dani lifted her coffee mug at him, and Jack glanced down at his under armour. Good point. "But yeah, I'm searching for some fresh ideas at the moment. I have a lot, but there's restrictions that I need to get around. Oh, there's water in the fridge. Jeff is already down in the basement."

Jack stepped forward and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge, giving her another awkward smile before fleeing to the basement. Swoops was up on a bike, cycling hard, but he looked up when Jack entered, giving him a grin.

"Kent still in bed?"

"Yep, you know how he is." And Swoops did know how Kent was, because he was dating him.

But rather than making it awkward, Swoops just laughed. "Oh yeah, it feels like he needs to be coaxed out of bed with coffee, cuddles, and hockey."

Jack laughed too as he made his way over to the treadmill. Working out had always been a stress relief for him, but as he set up the treadmill, he found that he wasn't actually stressed by anything. Kent was upstairs, Swoops was working out beside him, and Dani was working in the kitchen. Coming to Vegas had been an excellent decision, and Jack wasn't regretting it in the slightest.

After working out, he and Swoops headed upstairs to shower and get changed, and Jack finally managed to rouse Kent from the bed with promises of breakfast and coffee. Watching Kent smile slowly at him as he sat upright made his heart stutter almost painfully. That smile still had an effect on him, even after years of ups and downs.

Jack talked to him quietly as they headed downstairs together, the smell of coffee and eggs reaching them. "What are we doing today?"

Kent rubbed at his eyes for a moment, almost missing a step on the stairs until Jack reached out to steady him. "I think we're gonna do some stuff together. Head out by the pool, a restaurant."

Jack knew that this was all to see if there was a spark there. But there was. Jack reached out and took Kent's hand, halting on the stairs for a moment, turning to look at his boyfriend properly. "I just...this was a really good decision, Kent. To come here."

Kent's face softened. "It was. I'm really happy you're here."

"I feel like I've been here for months or years." That was how comfortable he was around Dani and Swoops. They were lovely. Kind, but not pushy. Not to mention they weren't pressuring him to make a decision immediately.

"Come on. Let's go eat and make plans." Kent tugged on his hand and led the way down the stairs, a smile on his face.

"You only want the coffee."

"Well....yeah, you're right."

Breakfast was fun. Swoops had cooked omelets and served them filled with vegetables. It was a good breakfast, filled with laughter and plenty of jokes, and Jack relaxed into the seat. He even participated in some of the jokes, telling them prank stories from the Falconers. Dani moved to clear up, and Kent stood up to help, leaving Jack caught in a brief moment of panic. Should he get up and help too?

But Kent turned to him and Swoops. "You two stay here, Dani and I are making plans for later."

Jack glanced at Swoops and found the older man grinning fondly. "They are incredibly bossy."

Jack laughed quietly, because Dani and Kent seemed so similar. "But we love it."

"Yeah, we do."

Jack and Swoops shared another fond grin, and that was enough to make something within Jack's chest grow. He knew that the relationship extended to Swoops too, that Swoops would be doing this with him, Kent, and Dani. And he'd be lying if he said the older man wasn't very attractive.

He and Swoops continued talking quietly over the remaining coffee, and Jack felt so relaxed and at ease that he almost didn’t notice Dani and Kent walking over, their heads bent close together.

“Hey.” Jack reached out and Kent immediately took his hand, squeezing it gently.

“Hey. We’ve made plans.”

Dani pressed a kiss to the top of Swoops’ head, a smile on her face. “How does lounging by the pool all day until dinner sound?”

“And we can go to a steakhouse for dinner,” Kent said, sitting down beside Jack. “They do really good desserts.”

Swoops and Jack share a look before nodding.

“That sound great,” Swoops said. “Let’s head out to the pool.”

Despite the sunscreen that Kent had slathered all over Jack, he still burned a little along his shoulders. Kent, on the other hand, only got more tan and freckly, but at least he was sympathetic.

“I’ll rub aloe over your shoulders for you.” Kent climbed out of the pool and walked over to the sun lounger where Jack had spent the better part of an hour stretched out.

“You better.” But Jack grinned at him. Kent was damp and tanned and gorgeous, even though he was wearing the most ridiculous American flag shorts that looked almost indecent. Kent followed his gaze and shrugged unrepentantly, his smile amused.

“I put on muscle. These don’t really fit me anymore.”

Dani, stretched out on the sun lounger beside Jack, snorted in amusement, looking up from her Kindle. She wore a gorgeous burgundy red bikini, her hair piled on top her head. “Kent, one wrong move and those will split open across your ass.”

Swoops laughed as he carried a tray of cold drinks over to the loungers, sitting on Dani’s and making her laugh playfully. “Nope, you are damp from the pool, go sit with Jack.”

Swoops grinned as he shifted to Jack’s lounger, and Jack didn’t move away when he felt bare skin on his own. Kent stood in front of them, and truthfully, Jack thought that the shorts were definitely going to split.

Kent eventually perched on the edge of the lounger, sipping at the lemonade, and talking with Dani. It was incredibly peaceful, and Jack lowered his head to his arms again, ready to doze for a bit until Kent woke him up before he burned too much. But then the lounger made a loud ominous creak, and all conversation fell silent.

“Um.” Jack lifted his head and looked at Kent, only to shout in surprise when the sun lounger gave way under the combined weight of three hockey players.

“Ow!”

“Fuck!”

Jack found himself with Swoops and Kent practically on top of him, and he grumbled for a bit until he was helped to his feet. Dani was laughing wildly, wiping tears from her eyes.

“Oh, I wish I had filmed that,” she laughed. “Jeff, your face!”

Kent, Swoops, and Jack started laughing too, and Kent stepped forward, only to freeze when the fabric of his shorts ripped, exposing his ass.

That, of course, only made the rest of them laugh harder.

They dressed for dinner separately. Swoops gave Jack a smart shirt to wear, which he paired with his normal slacks. Kent decided to wear something similar, and of course, so did Swoops.

Dani shook her head fondly when she saw them. "Hockey boys, honestly."

She looked stunning in a cross body dress in a gorgeous shade of red. She held onto Jack as she slipped her feet into heels, and then took her clutch bag from Swoops with a smile.

"Who's driving?" Kent asked, looking around at them all. They could easily order an Uber, but something about this night felt more sacred, and letting a stranger be privy to that felt wrong.

Swoops volunteered. "I will. You three can drink if you want."

Dani led the way to the garage, before pausing by the practical SUV. "Jack, I'll sit in the back with you. Kent, up front."

They all agree, and get into the car with little fuss, but Swoops immediately broke into laughter when Kent reached for the radio. "Nope, we are not listening to Britney today."

Kent pouted at him, before rolling his eyes. "Fine, we'll listen to your old man rock then."

Swoops spluttered as he tried to excuse his music taste, but Jack could barely hear them bicker as they pulled out of the garage. He was too busy looking at Dani. Her hair was up in an elegant style, and she definitely noticed him looking because she smiled slyly at him. She was beautiful.

Dani leaned a little closer and easily drew him into conversation. Jack, even after years in the NHL and being around teams all his life, still struggled with making small talk. But with Dani, it wasn't small talk. She was engaging, confident in her words, and listened politely whenever Jack spoke. It was oddly thrilling.

Jack glanced up to check their surroundings, only to find Kent studying him in the rear view mirror. There was a look of distinct satisfaction on his face, and Jack knew it was because he had watched him and Dani talk for the better part of their journey.

When they finally pulled up at the steakhouse, Jack hurried out of the car and moved to open Dani's door for her, prompting a teasing grin from her. "Aw, you're a gentleman."

They all laughed together as they walked into the restaurant, and it was the easiest thing in the world to brush against Swoops, or shift a little closer to Dani when they were seated. Kent couldn't stop peering at him with a wide smile on his face, and Jack leaned back in his chair. This was perfect.

"Oh shit, I think I tripped over those shoes," Kent laughed as he made his way into the house, one hand in Jack's, and the other in Swoops's. "Dani, can we watch Grey's Anatomy?"

Dani giggled and paused in the foyer to nudge the discarded shoes to the side, before turning to look at Kent. "One episode."

"But you can never watch just one episode of Grey's Anatomy!" Kent protested as he walked over to the sofa, ready to flop down on it.

"Only one," Dani spoke firmly as she removed her heels. "I'm going to go get changed into something comfortable--no, not like that, Jeff, stop laughing!"

Swoops grinned at his girlfriend, raising his hands apologetically. "Fine, fine. I guess we should get changed too."

Jack and Kent headed upstairs, Dani and Swoops following close behind them. Jack changed into sweats, and then pulled Kent close to kiss him.

Kent made a happy surprised noise and kissed him back. "What was that for?"

"I've already mentioned it but you have the best ideas."

Kent grinned at him. "I really do, don't I?"

When they headed back downstairs, Swoops and Dani were already on the sofa, the screen paused on an episode of Grey's, and Jack settled down beside Swoops and Kent.

Dani was wearing sweats and an over-sized Aces shirsey, and Swoops was shirtless, which made Jack politely avert his eyes before sneaking another look at him. Kent caught him looking and beamed, before mouthing, 'I know!'

It was barely twenty minutes into the episode when Kent fell asleep, leaning against Jack. His soft snores tickled his neck as he wrapped an arm around his boyfriend. "Well, he didn't last long."

Swoops laughed gently, and after giving Jack a careful glance, reached over to push back Kent's cowlicks. It barely made Kent stir, and Jack waited for the howl of envy to rip him open, but nothing happened. Instead, he only felt pleasant and warm. Swoops and Dani were good to Kent, and Jack knew that by the end of this trip, he was going to experience that goodness for himself.

But he also knew that this relationship between all of them wasn't going to be built purely on sex. It was dating, communicating. And Jack really wasn't the best at communication, but between the four of them, he had a feeling that they would figure something out very quickly.

And he was excited.

Dani stood up and smiled fondly down at Kent. "I think the excitement got to be too much for him."

Jack looked at her, and nodded with a matching smile on his face. "Yeah...he's usually wide awake and talking about Grey's."

Swoops smiled at them before reaching out to take Dani's hand. "We'll see you in the morning, Jack. Goodnight."

There was something in Swoops' eyes that made Jack want to say something, anything, but all he could do was nod and say goodnight. Once Swoops and Dani had headed upstairs, Jack gently shook Kent awake enough to help him up to bed. He wasn't willing to risk carrying Kent only to wreck his back.

In bed, with Kent tucked around him and his arms wrapped around his boyfriend, Jack glanced at the space in the bed, and could easily imagine two other people sharing it with them.

The next morning over a lazy breakfast, things felt more charged than usual. Dani allowed her hand to linger on Jack's shoulder when she thanked him for helping her carry bowls and plates. Swoops brushed against him as he moved to sit on the sofa, and Kent outright kissed him as they sat down together. All four of them watched a comedy show that Jack couldn't remember the name of, and Kent shot him a quick look before leaning over to press a kiss to Dani's mouth, quick and sweet.

And Jack.

Jack stared.

Again, there was no jealousy, no anger. The only thing that happened was that Jack wished he could kiss her too, but he remained where he was, gave them both a smile, and returned his attention back to the TV.

They didn't do much for the rest of the day, preferring the company of each other. But Jack still noticed the discreet little glances that were flying around. Kent watched Swoops, Swoops watched Jack, Dani watched all three of them, and Jack couldn't decide where to settle his gaze. He knew that he was the odd one out here. Kent had been with Swoops and Dani before, and it thrilled Jack that they wanted him here with them, but he also desperately wanted to talk more about this.

When he told Kent this, Kent immediately nodded. "Of course, Jack. Of course we can talk about it. What do you want?"

Jack considered Kent's words for a moment. He wanted to know that he belonged here, and when he spoke about that, Kent looked like he was automatically going to say something along the lines of he already belonged, but Jack told him what he meant.

"You, Swoops, and Dani, you've already been together. I'm pretty sure if we wait any longer I'm going to work myself into a panic or something." Jack felt a little embarrassed.

Kent nodded determinedly. "Okay, I'll talk to Swoops and Dani."

"We should both do it."

And that was it.

Swoops and Dani were pleased by their explanation, and they sat around the table and talked. It didn't mortify Jack as much as he thought it would.

"Jack, do you want to be with both of us at first, or just one of us?" Dani seemed to be taking charge of this, looking at him with expectant eyes. Jack knew that no matter his answer, it wouldn't disappoint them.

"How about just one at first? And tomorrow, if it feels like a good fit, all three of us can..." He trailed off, but he caught Swoops and Kent exchanging grins.

"Excellent. Jeff, Kent, you boys can share the guest room. Jack and I can take the master bedroom." Dani sat back and smiled at Jack. She was clearly taking charge of everything, and he was relieved.

Jack looked at Dani, and smiled back, even though he was questioning what they were about to do. He knew that they would all have to spend time together, and he was excited. So excited he could barely sit still, and Kent shot him an amused but understanding look. But he was also worried about how smoothly this was going to go. He had asked for this, after all, and he knew that they would take things at the pace he was comfortable with. The problem was, he had no idea what pace he actually was comfortable with.

Later that night, after a light dinner and curled together on the sofa in front of the TV, they shuffled around a bit so Dani was pressed against Jack's side, and Kent and Swoops were doing their best to lay on top of each other. Dani and Jack watched them in amusement, and Dani glanced up at him.

"Are you still good with this?" There was a strong confident look in her gaze, but a hint of vulnerability in her voice, an understanding that made Jack smile at her.

"Of course. If I wasn't, I'd say something. I promise."

It was a little odd to be climbing the stairs and going to the master bedroom instead of the guest bedroom. He didn't look back over his shoulder, but kept his gaze fixed on his and Dani's joined hands. He barely took in the decor of the master bedroom, too busy looking at her. Dani noticed, because of course she did, but she simply smiled at him.

"I'm going to get changed. You can make yourself at home."

Dani headed to the en suite, leaving Jack to sit on the bed and wonder how on earth he had gotten to this point in his life. He was about to have sex with his boyfriend's girlfriend, and then potentially end up having sex with the both of his boyfriend's partners. But Jack felt safe, even though he was just a little worried. He hadn't had sex with anyone else since college. He and Kent had gotten back together, and that was it. No one else until Dani and Swoops.

He was broken out of his thoughts when Dani entered the bedroom, wearing a simple pair of shorts and a t-shirt. She smiled at him and climbed onto the bed beside him. She studied him carefully, and to Jack's relief, she made the first move, leaning forward to kiss him.

And it was strange, to be kissing someone who wasn't Kent, but Jack reacted to it all the same, reaching out and sliding his hand along her jaw, slowly smiling against her mouth when he felt her do the same. There were things Kent liked when he was kissed--hands in his hair, being pressed against Jack--but Jack quickly learned that Dani was different.

They kissed for what felt like hours, and Jack broke off when he heard a familiar noise coming through the wall, and he and Dani looked at each other and giggled when they heard Kent’s moans.

“They’re having fun,” Dani remarked with a quiet laugh. “And so will we.”

She rolled over and resumed kissing Jack, and he smiled into the kiss as he listened to Kent and Swoops next door, running his hands down Dani’s body.

Dani pulled back to grin at him when the noises next door got louder. Her smile was sweet, but there was an undercurrent of sharpness to it that piqued Jack’s interest.

“I wonder if we can make some noise of our own to shut them up.” Dani pressed her mouth to Jack’s neck, and yep, Jack definitely made a noise that made the sounds coming from the other bedroom falter for a moment.

Dani’s grin turned wicked for a moment, and Jack smiled back, anticipation rising within him.

The next morning, Kent shuffled over to him and grinned. There was a blooming hickey on his neck, his hair was even messier than usual, but his eyes were bright with unabashed curiosity.

"So. Did you have fun?"

"Obviously. So did you and Swoops, by the looks of things." Jack gestured at the mark on Kent's neck, and then smiled. "And sounds, too."

Kent blushed, which was exactly what he wanted, and he couldn't help but laugh as they sat at the kitchen table. Dani and Swoops were exchanging soft words over coffee, and they looked up at them with wide smiles.

"I feel like that was a success," Dani said, looking at everyone. “From the sounds of it.”

Swoops laughed, which caused Kent to blush even more.

Jack wondered how he could’ve been nervous about coming here.

Breakfast was lively, and Jack didn’t notice how they were all up in each other’s space. Dani brushed past him gently, Kent all but sat on his lap more than once, and even Swoops was pressed against him, their elbows and forearms touching as they moved about the kitchen. The kitchen was huge, perfectly big enough for four adults, but they were stepping in and out of each other’s spaces constantly. Jack liked it.

They ate eggs and whole wheat toast, drank coffee and juice, and Dani then took turns kissing them all briefly before she headed upstairs to her office to get some work done. “Have fun, boys.”

Kent turned to them, his smile wide. “What kind of trouble should we get up to now? A wild day in watching Grey’s Anatomy? Or Friends?”

Swoops rolled his eyes easily, standing up and picking up his plate and mug. “First, we’re gonna clean up. Then I’m gonna go downstairs and workout for a bit, and then we can head out to the pool again.”

“You just don’t want to watch Grey’s Anatomy with me,” said Kent as he stood up to grab the dishes, smiling at Jack when he stood to help.

“I can’t imagine why,” Swoops said dryly.

Jack swam laps in the pool, and when Swoops came out carrying drinks, he hauled himself out of the pool and walked to meet him. Kent was stretched out on a lounger, wearing replacement shorts from Swoops that he had complained bitterly about.

“I could just go naked, it’s no big deal,” Kent had whined. “There’s no one around.”

Swoops had spoken with excruciating patience, but his smile had been fond and wide. “Kent, I have neighbours, and they have smartphones. Do you really want pictures of your ass splashed across Deadspin?”

Kent had shrugged. “It’s not that big of deal.”

“Imagine calling your mother after she sees that.”

Kent had gone pale and nodded, while Jack had tried his best not to laugh.

Swoops and Jack sat down side by side, drinks in hand as they talked. Jack learned that Swoops and Dani were childhood sweethearts, and had started dating when they were sixteen. Dani had gone off to business school, taking classes on running a business and design, while maintaining a long distance relationship with Swoops, who had been drafted.

In return, Jack spoke about Kent, and how they had gotten together so young. He tried not to omit the ugly stuff that followed after, but Swoops smiled at him softly when Jack spoke about reconciliation with Kent, how it had started off as a proper friendship and grown from there.

Almost as one, they turned to look at Kent, sprawled out on the lounger, his huge gaudy sunglasses in place, glancing at each other and smiling.

Swoops and Jack continued to talk for a bit, sipping at their drinks and then drawing Kent into conversation when he stood up and shifted closer. Remembering how the sun loungers had collapsed beneath them yesterday prompted them to drag cushions off the outdoor furniture and place them alongside the pool. All three of them dropped down on the cushions and spread out, closing their eyes and tilting their faces into the sun.

Dani found them like that, and she snorted as she made her way over to the pile of cushions. She sat down beside Kent, and Jack didn’t miss the way she touched his back almost absent-minded, before turning to kiss Swoops.

“How’s business?” Swoops asked as he relaxed onto the cushions, his body a line of heat against Jack’s.

“Good! We’ve got some new designs ready for the Fall line, we’ve finally agreed on a sale to clear out some old stock, and we’re thinking of doing a swimwear line next.” Dani sounded pleased as she told them about her company.

Jack laughed a little, remembering how Kent’s shorts had betrayed him yesterday. “Maybe you could make a special pair for Kent.”

That prompted more laughter as Kent blushed and tried to change the subject. “Are we heading out again for dinner?”

Swoops looked at them all before shaking his head. “I don’t know about you guys, but I kind of just want to sit out here with all of you and relax, and not worry about dressing up or assigning a designated driver.”

Jack agreed immediately, and he was relieved when Dani and Kent nodded too. Kent turned to look at him with a small smile on his face, leaning close to kiss him.

“Are you still good?” Kent asked. “Are you still good with all--”

"This has never mattered more than it does right here, right now."

Jack was aware that Dani and Swoops were discussing dinner quietly, but he lost himself in the feeling of Kent’s mouth under his, the sun beating down on them and the press of two other bodies against him.

Dinner was pasta and chicken, because hockey players were nothing if not predictable. Dani poured some wine and sat back down on the cushions, leaning against Kent, and Swoops sat down beside Jack.

Jack realised that he’d obviously kissed Kent, and kissed Dani, but he hasn’t kissed Swoops yet. He glanced up at the older man before leaning in and kissing him. It was so different from kissing Dani and Kent, and he gasped when Swoops lifted his hand and curved it around Jack’s jaw. It was intense, overwhelming, and Jack leaned closer, letting out a bitten off moan when Swoops teasingly bit down on his lower lip gently.

Swoops pulled back and smiled down at him, his hand still on Jack’s face. “You good?”

“Uh huh. Really good.”

Swoops smiled at him, leaning forward and pressing a kiss to his mouth again, and Jack relaxed, felt like he could do this forever, when there was a quiet, amused cough from beside them. They pulled back from each other to look at Dani, who looked at them fondly.

“I think we should all be in the master bedroom tonight. All four of us. Kent agrees, and, well…” She trailed off and reached out and ran her thumb along Jack’s lower lip, her eyes dark and intense, and Jack nodded in agreement.

“Yeah, that would be good.”

Dani beamed at them before resuming chatting with Kent, and Swoops wrapped a solid arm around him, pulling him close again, and Jack closed his eyes in the sun and allowed himself to relax. Tonight was going to be good.

The master bedroom was lovely, and Jack knew he had already been here, but he couldn't stop himself from looking around. He knew that he would get distracted by the sight on the bed, of Kent and Dani making out, one blond head and one dark, their laughter filling the room so easily.

Jack immediately became aware of Swoops behind him. Swoops felt comforting, a warm presence, and Jack relaxed a little when Swoops reached out to touch his shoulder before sliding his arm down to take his hand.

"You still good with this?" asked Swoops, his dark eyes curious and his smile small but sweet.

"Yeah, I am." And that was all it took for Swoops to pull him forward to the bed, to press him down beside Kent and then kiss him so thoroughly that Jack had to pull away to breathe, every nerve in his body flaring with excitement.

Jack glanced at Kent beside him, saw the flush on his cheeks and the softness in his expression as he looked back, and then they were moving to each other, kissing each other quickly before paying attention to the others in the bed with them.

They didn't have sex that night. They just kissed and touched and learned and explored, and Jack felt peaceful and calm when he fell asleep, bracketed by Kent on one side and Swoops on the other. Dani took the spot on the other side of Swoops, claiming that being between two bodies always overheated her.

And the next morning, when he woke up to find Swoops and Kent had both thrown arms over him, he almost wanted to go back in time and berate himself for being apprehensive about this. There was nothing he was worried about. This was completely and utterly perfect.

They had to talk again, about the upcoming season, and Jack found himself nervous. He would be with the Falcs all season, while Kent, Swoops, and Dani would be in Vegas together. He wasn't entirely jealous, just pained at the thought of making this work, and when he told the others that, they all frowned at him.

Dani was the first to move, reaching out to take his hand and squeezing it. "Jack, we can set up Skype and Facetime, we can have a group chat. I'm pretty sure Kent has already made dummy email accounts for us or something so no one will find out."

Kent nodded. "Damn right. Dani's username is DaniCalifornia, Swoops' is SwoopsIDidItAgain, and I have no idea what to call mine and yours yet, but it's gonna be great."

Jack laughed at that, rolling over to look at Kent. "Are you going for the music theme?"

"Possibly."

Swoops spoke next, touching Jack's arm. "And during our bye weeks we'll try and visit each other. And whenever we play in Providence or Vegas we can spend time together. We can make this work, Jack."

Jack nodded, believing the words. They really could make this work. They had to.

When Jack had to leave Vegas, it was sad, but it was also hopeful. He knew that this wasn’t goodbye forever, but he still spent a solid three hours just making out with Dani and Swoops. Kent was coming with him, heading to Montreal, but they had made plans to go back to Vegas for a week before the end of summer, and Jack had already marked that down in his calendar and gotten tickets.

So he was excited. Sue him.

Kent watched Jack look over his shoulder when they got an Uber to the airport, and then spoke lightly, trying not to give anything away to their driver who could be eavesdropping.

“You miss them already?” asked Kent.

Jack didn’t even have to think about it before he nodded. He missed Dani’s bright smile, missed Swoops’s gentle eyes and even gentler hands, and he knew he was going to be thinking of them for a long time.

“We’ll be back.” Kent reached out and discreetly took his hand, and Jack smiled down at him.

On the plane, they sat side by side. The first time he had visited Kent in Vegas, he had been upset at leaving him behind when he had flown on to Montreal. He felt the same right now, like he was leaving something behind, something important and precious.

He whispered all this to Kent, and Kent smiled slowly at him. “Jack, you’re not leaving them behind. You’re going back. You’ll always go back.”

Jack smiled back, and leaned closer. He was leaving Vegas, but not forever, and he had Kent beside him, and Dani and Swoops’s numbers in his phone. He was heading back to Vegas before the end of the summer, and he imagined what they would get up to then, imagined Kent’s smile, Dani’s bright laughter, and Swoops’s eyes.

He was content enough to close his own eyes and dream of theirs.