Looking Up

One

July 2012

Jonathan Toews always found that coming back to Chicago in the summer was nearly unbearable. It was hot and humid and sticky and he hated it. Rarely did he even come back, save the Blackhawks convention which was mandatory. This was not mandatory. This he was roped into.

He shouldn't say he was roped into it. He was happy to attend. He just wished it wasn't summer. Then again, he probably wouldn't have been able to go if it were during the hockey season.

Of course, that was also before he was informed it was a masquerade ball. And that in addition to it being black tie and his making a sizeable donation to the charity hosting (which he was actually really happy to do), he had to wear a mask. Lennon West was lucky he loved her and understood how important this was to her.

The off season had started too soon for his team, getting bounced in the first round for the second straight year. There had been a night that was mostly a drunken blur immediately following their early exit before everyone had parted for home. He had made a quick leave from town himself and hadn't looked back. Not until Lennon called and begged him to come back for this.

This was the Chicago Masquerade, an annual Lupus benefit, a charity close to Lennon's heart as her mom was living with the disease. While her mom was lucky to have far more good days than bad, others weren’t so lucky and fundraising and helping raise awareness were something very important to her. So when she called, he agreed.

Since meeting her four years earlier, she had become a good friend, someone he knew he could trust and wouldn’t say or do anything that would embarrass him or the team. The PR department had enough to worry about with Kaner running around so when they came to him during the previous off season, asking him to be more discreet with his choices in women, particularly at Blackhawk functions, he had been happy to oblige. More than once that season, Lennon had done him the favor of attending Blackhawks events with him. Now it was his turn to return the favor.

“Johnny Toes! Where are you?” Lennon called out, letting herself into Jon’s condo an hour after his arrival.

“Don’t call me that!” Jon yelled back.

“There you are, Captain Serious,” she smirked as she leaned in the doorway of his bedroom.

Jon groaned. “Please call me Johnny Toes.”

“Okay,” Lennon agreed happily, running and throwing herself onto his king sized bed. “How are ya?”

“Good.”

“Summer treating you well up there in Canada? Are you training hard? Are you keeping up with your serious classes?”

“Why am I friends with you again?”

“Cause Pat looooves me and you looove Pat.”

Jon frowned and rolled over, pulled Lennon into him and tickling her sides. “I don’t love Kaner.”

“Alright, so you like him. But he totally likes likes you.”

“I hate you.”

“Whatever, Toes. Thank you for coming this weekend.”

He rolled to his back, pulling Lennon to him and hugging her to his chest, kissing the top of her head. “Wouldn’t miss it. Who else did you rope into this anyway?”

“Patty and Dan. Because you’re my favorites.”

“You think it’s a good idea to bring Patrick Kane to a charity event with free booze?”

“Why do you think I invited you?” she asked, peering up at him innocently.

“And Dan?”

“Muscle, in case you can’t handle that tiny little shit," she laughed.

Jon chuckled. “You know Pat likes you. I bet the minute you called and said I have a favor that he was booking a plane ticket.”

“He doesn't like me.”

“He’s always liked you, since the minute he met you in that damn bar and tried to outdo Steeger and impress you.”

Lennon giggled. “That was pretty funny actually.” She sat up and looked down at him. “Pat doesn't think that me and him, does he?”

“Naw, he knows there’s no chance. Doesn’t mean that a little part of him hopes you might one day change your mind though.”

“I’m supposed to pick him up at the airport tonight; wanna come with me?”

“Do I have to?” he whined.

“No, but I was gonna get pizza after, maybe some beers. Do you really want to leave me alone with Patty and Dan?”

“You know I’m not supposed to have be the captain during the summer.”

“Who asked you to be the captain? How about you just come with and let loose? You do know how to let loose, right?”

“Of course I do.”

“Really? I’ve never seen that. Oh no wait, there was that one time, right before you went home for the summer when you banged my friend in your laundry room while the rest of us listened.”

“You listened?!”

“Of course we did. You had a house full of sad, drunk, and horny hockey players. We totally listened to you bang that girl.”

The house party after the playoff loss to Phoenix had been cathartic release from a nightmare end to the season. Most of the team had been there, their significant others, and other friends. Jon had gotten drunk, really drunk, more so than he normally would. And he had hooked up with Lennon’s friend. He couldn’t for the life of him remember her name and he didn’t really care. She was pretty and willing and he needed to let off steam before going home.

“I should really bang a hockey player; if you’re all half as good as you sounded, it should be amazing,” Lennon said as she climbed off Jon’s bed.

“Didn’t you and Dan share a bed that night? Why didn’t you bang him?”

“Dan? Dan Carcillo? Goofy, chess loving, music fanatic Dan Carcillo?”

“Yes, that Dan Carcillo. The one you met and became best friends with in like twenty minutes and debate the merits of Led Zeppelin versus Black Sabbath on a regular basis.”

Lennon blushed. “It’s not like that with Dan. Plus he has that stupid mustache.”

“Yeah, that mustache is pretty stupid,” Jon agreed. “Have you told him to shave that off yet?”

She laughed. “I told him he had to shave before the ball tomorrow actually.”

“You’re such a control freak.”

“Takes one to know one. Captain Serious.”

~*~*~


Jon leaned against the SUV that was chauffeuring them for the evening as Lennon came out of her building the following night. Her dress was long and sleeveless, black lace over nude colored lining and a mermaid silhouette. She gave a little turn, revealing the open back and he whistled. “Shut up, Johnny Toes,” she said as she shoved him lightly.

“What? You look good, Len. Really good. I’ve never seen you this dressed up.” That much was true. Sure, she had attended one black tie event with him but she had gone simple and classic for that in a basic black dress, basic updo, little makeup. This Lennon had a sexy but sophisticated dress, her hair swept back in a knot just to the left on the nape of her neck that made him think about kissing her there and he never thought about kissing Lennon. Her eyes were smokey, her lipstick a faint pinkish color.

“Thanks, Johnny. You look good too.”

“I always look good,” he boasted. She shoved him playfully before he helped her into the vehicle. “Are we picking up Dan and Pat too?”

“Yes.”

“Did you get a suit for Pat today?”

Lennon groaned. Over beers the night before, Patrick had revealed that he didn’t have anything to wear to the benefit, causing Lennon to have a minor freak out. “Can you believe him? Who doesn’t leave a nice suit behind or bring one with them when they know they’re going to a black tie affair?”

“You know you have to be very specific with him.”

“I thought this was self explanatory. Jesus; how do you captain him all season? It’s like a full time babysitting job.”

They picked up Dan next and Pat last, who jumped into the backseat with a boisterous shout. Jon rolled his eyes. “You are cut off.”

“What?! Johnny!” he whined.

“You’re drunk.”

“I am not drunk,” Patrick protested.

“You’re eighty eight percent drunk,” Lennon chimed in. “Please don’t embarrass me.”

“I’ll be good,” Pat agreed begrudingly.

“Thank you. Now, masks.”

“Masks?” Dan questioned.

“It’s a masquerade ball. It’s sort of a standard requirement, Carcillo.” She reached into the bag at her feet and pulled out the top mask, handing it to Dan, a harlequin pattern in blue and gold with an antique finish.

“This isn’t so bad,” he shrugged, holding it up to his face. He turned his head and Lennon tied it into place with a smile.

“And for Johnny Toes,” she continued, passing the silver metallic mask with two winged horses to him. It was regal and manly and to Lennon, it perfectly summed up Jon. He held it up to his face and let Lennon fix it in place. “Perfect.” She reached in again for Pat’s and handed it him. He grinned and held the red mask with horns to his face.

“Awesome!” he announced.

“How come Kaner gets a devil mask?” Jon complained.

“Because he is the devil,” Lennon answered matter of factly. “Now can you please tie my mask on?” she asked sweetly. Jon nodded and Lennon held the mask to her face as he tied the black ribbon. “How do I look?”

Her mask was electric blue with black lace detailing and billowing blue feathers and shiny blue plumes with sequin and lace ovals to draw your attention on the left side. It was a show stopper of a mask and Jon told her so.

When they arrived, Jon stepped out of the vehicle first and Pat and Dan tumbled out after him before Lennon emerged. He offered his arm to her and they followed behind the other two.

"You do look fantastic," Jon whispered. "We'll all be watching you tonight, make sure no one gets inappropriate with you."

"I want inappropriate though. I need a boyfriend."

"A boyfriend would hate all your hockey player friends."

"Then he'd have to get over it. Just don't cock block me, yeah?"

He chuckled. "I'll try not to but I can't make any promises for Kaner."
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I've clearly lost my mind, posting another work in progress story for y'all. I might even add my Geno story into the mix next week too. ;)

If you've read any of my other stuff then you'll know Lennon. This of course does occur before Into You and man I hope I get my timeline straight. There was a lot of flipping between stories to make sure I matched details but I think I got it right.

This plot bunny all thanks to Jayess.

And that little bit about Lennon meeting Kaner and Versteeg in a bar? There's an orgins story there....one day.