How It Should Be

Geno left early that morning and Violet didn't go into work. She instead chose to sleep until 11 and proceed to eat a carton of chocolate ice cream for breakfast.

"Why...haven't we had a productive morning?" Matt slammed the door shut as Violet was licking the spoon. Violet slowly put down the carton. "You just woke up didn't you?"

"...Yes. Why are you home?"

"I had a fight with Julie on the phone at work and my secretary heard and told my boss who was a little "too understanding" and sent me home. What are you doing home?"

"Last night was the last time for a friggen month I'm going to get Geno to myself. His stupid parents are coming today. He left to go pick them up at the airport before practice without even waking me up so I didn't feel like going into work."

"Are you pissed...depressed....hungry?"

"A combination of the three, I believe." Violet said, chucking her spoon into the sink.

"Well, on the bright side, Mark is coming tomorrow. You can look forward to that." Matt smiled. He liked Mark, only a little really, but yes, he liked Mark.

"True. He and I are going to the zoo, because Evgeni wasn't so into the idea of both the zoo and the aquarium yesterday."

"Really? I'd thought you'd whipped him by now." Matt smirked.

"No, I don't think I've ever whipped a guy. I'm not sure what to think about that." Violet stood up. "Want to go play video games?"

"Yes!" Matt ripped off his tie and followed Violet into the living room.

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Violet nervously fidgeted from foot to foot staring at the people trickling up and down her street. She was excited and nervous and happy. Mark had supposedly arrived in the Burgh but he himself hadn't arrived yet to her apartment.

Violet sighed and looked behind her to make sure she hadn't missed him. While looking the other way Mark snuck up behind her and picked her up in a swooping hug.

"MARKY!" Violet shouted, making a scene. The best friends embraced.

"I've missed you, Squirt." Mark laughed, warping an arm around her as they walked inside her building.

"I've missed you, Stretch!" Violet giggled. "It's been too figgen long since we've just hung out. It'll be just like high school, minus the drinking binges."

"You mean we're not going to be playing beer pong?" Mark stopped short. "We're Team Fucking Awesome, no other partnership has ever been able to beat us. We have to hang out with a bunch of people and play pong. I haven't played pong since college graduation."

"Shit, me neither! You're right. We're playing. Maybe I can set something up with the Penguins! Wouldn't that be sick?" Violet smiled. As they made their way upstairs Violet's phone buzzed. She pulled it out of her back pocket and saw it was a text from Geno.

What doing?

Violet crinkled her nose, debating whether or not to reply.

"Yes, it would be sick! Imagine playing pong with Kris Letang! That's the shit dreams are made of." Mark chuckled. "Now, unlock your door so I can put these bags down and take a piss."

"Ahh, you and Matthew will get along swimmingly." Violet said as she unlocked the door. As Mark made his way to the bathroom Violet replied to Evgeni.

Mark just arrived! We're going to make lunch together. How are your parents?

Evgeni responded rather quickly, which made Violet feel a little guilty that she didn't respond immediately. But she put it behind her because she only took a few minutes.

They good. Want meet you. What cooking with Mark?

We're going to make baked macaroni and cheese. Violet sent this text as Mark walked out of the bathroom.

"Shouldn't you be at work?" He questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm working from home today, claiming I'm still too sick to come in, but not sick enough to not be able to work."

"Called in sick yesterday?"

"Yeah. I'm thinking about quitting my job."

"Really?" Mark asked as Violet went about collecting things from her kitchen for the macaroni and cheese.

"Yeah, I hate it."

"Join the club. Hey, you're going to Ryan's wedding right?"

"Well, duh." Violet snorted. "I fricken planned the thing."

"Good. I'm invited and your family is mad annoying."

"Word." The two friends stood in silence assembling the macaroni until Violet's phone buzzed rather loudly.

Can I come?

"Geno," Violet said without looking up from her reply.

"I see," Mark chuckled.

Don't you have skate? You can come over after if you like, but shouldn't you be entertaining your parents?

"Ummm...Violet, your oven confuses me." Mark said, playing with the knobs and buttons.

"HOLY FUCK YOU'RE GUNNA BLOW UP MY APARTMENT!" Violet shouted tackling Mark to the floor. The two wrestled for a bit before Violet stood up and turned the oven off, turned it back on, and set the numbers.

"You coulda' just told me, crazy bitch." Mark laughed, getting up and dusting himself off.

"Shuddup." Violet giggled. The two continued to make their macaroni cheese while catching up, like old friends do. About an hour later Violet remembered she had texted Evgeni.

"Potatoes," Violet murmured and went to grab her phone. She did have a reply.

You right about skate. I come after. Violet frantically eyed the clock, practice had ended about twenty minutes ago.

"Ahh, Geno is coming!" Violet squealed. "Fuck! GENO IS COMING." Violet ran out of the kitchen and slammed her bedroom door.

"Can you explain what exactly you're screaming about?" Mark asked from the couch, staring at Violet's door with interest.

"I look like a hag!"

"If he's fucking you then he should already know -and not care- about what you look like, you crazy bitch." Mark stood up and opened Violet's bedroom door.

"Will you please stop calling me a crazy bitch?" Violet pleaded with him.

"Only if you stop acting like one." Violet and Mark proceeded to have a staring contest after this. Violet staring angrily at him while Mark smiled. Neither noticed Evgeni knock on the door and then open it, and neither noticed him walk up to them.

"What doing?" Violet half turned her head and shrieked, Mark blinked and shouted and Violet threw her arms around Evgeni's neck. "Hi," Evgeni murmured, caught off guard. "You okay?"

"I'm perfectly okay, I'm just happy to see you," Violet smiled in buried her face into his neck.

"How come he gets a greeting like that and I just get a random shout?" Mark snorted.

"Because he's my boyfriend, duh. Mark, this is Evgeni Malkin, Geno, this is my old friend Mark." Violet introduced the two men. Mark stuck his hand out and Geno took it. Violet watched as the muscle in Mark's arm twitched, it seemed to be a power struggle and Violet decided to cut it off.

"Geno, shouldn't you be home entertaining your parents?"

"They no idea when skate ends. Wanted see you before game." Violet smiled at him and noticed he kept shooting tiny glares in Mark's direction.

"Um, how about I get you some macaroni and cheese, yeah?"

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Violet, Matt, and Mark were situated in Mellon watching the Pens play the Caps. Violet was on edge, it was a very close game against the Capitals and Evgeni's dislike for Alex was fueling a fire.

The game had been pretty heated, 1-1 with Max and Alex claiming goals, that is, until Ovie got a breakaway and scored again. Pissed off Violet turned to Mark and told him it was his fault because he was bad luck.

Mark turned to her and raised an eyebrow, effectively starting another staring contest. Geno, who had glanced from the bench took their intense stares as something different, and as soon as he was on the ice, flung the puck toward the wall where they were sitting, creating a bang and causing Violet to jump and look at the ice where a fuming Evgeni was skating away.