Flightless Birds

Maggie Keith stopped mid pull from her beer, eyes growing wide, as she stared over her best friend's shoulder. Hanna Mills had been her best friend since before she was born. Their moms were best friends and their grandmothers before that. The only thing that would have made their mom's happier would have been if one of them had been a boy so they could have arranged their marriage.

"What? What's wrong?"

"I swear to god I just saw Malkin," Maggie said quietly, leaning in closer to her.

"No you didn't. Why would he be in a dive like this? They'd go somewhere better than this."

"I know we've never seen him but everyone else swears Neal has been in here. He could've brought them."

"Yes, because Sidney Crosby always wanted to visit the diviest of dive bars in Nashville."

"You don't know. He might want to have dirty bathroom sex in Nashville's diviest dive bar."

"Sidney Crosby does not have dirty bathroom sex."

"Probably not but I bet Geno would. He's probably checking one off in every NHL city. Man I hope I walk in on that. I bet he has a monster cock to match that ass.”

Hanna shook her head. "You have problems." Maggie's mouth ran before her head could stop her ninety eight percent of the time. She also talked bigger than her actual game. But she was always entertaining, and always wanted to make her friends smile.

"I know," Maggie shrugged casually. She hopped down from her bar stool at their corner table. "You ready for another round?"

Hanna finished off the last of her beer and set the empty bottle down. "Ready," she smiled as Maggie made her way across the bar. She looked around the bar as she waited on Maggie to rejoin her. There wasn't much in the way of prospects for the evening but that suited her fine. She'd rather let Maggie entertain her than have to fend off boys who had no idea what a woman wanted.

She was checking her work email when she heard Maggie approaching. She stared at the much taller man she pulled behind her. "Look what I found!" Maggie squealed.

"He's not a prize in a scavenger hunt."

"Says who? Did you see his butt? It's even better in person."

"Hello, I Geno," he introduced himself with a goofy grin, holding his hand out to Hanna.

"Hanna; it's very nice to meet you."

"You are fan?"

"I am; not Maggie though. She bleeds gold and blue."

"How you become Pittsburgh fan in Nashville?"

"College. I went to Pitt."

"You go too?" He asked Maggie.

"No, I went to school here in Tennessee."

Geno nodded. "You are going to game tomorrow?"

"Yep," Maggie smiled. "We have a bet and everything."

"I look for you, during warmups."

"Yeah, I'll be the girl wearing the best damn captain on the ice's jersey. And by best damn captain I mean Weber."

"You don't like Sid?"

Hanna groaned. "Do not get her started on Crosby."

"All I'm saying is that I get he's this great generational talent but did we really have to hinge any and all marketing around the guy? There are equally talented, and yes some even better, and handsome dudes on other teams. But because it's Pittsburgh and we like to forget the shitty years happened, which oh by the way was the only way you could even draft the pair of you and become this team, everything is about Crosby. The only thing I like about Crosby is his ass and I think Geno has a better ass anyway."

He raised an eyebrow. "You like my butt?"

"I wish you were wearing sweatpants right now you have no idea. Everyone who thinks Crosby has the best ass in the league is wrong. I can name at least five better asses and yours is number one G."

Geno laughed and grabbed Maggie's hand. "We find Sid, you tell him that."

"I will. I'll soften the blow by telling him that Hanna likes his butt."

"You like Sid?"

"He's a very good hockey player," Hanna answered diplomatically.

"She likes Sid; she loooooves Sutter," Maggie sing songed.

"Come on; we find them." Geno tugged at Maggie's hand.

"Fucking flightless birds," she muttered as Geno led her away.

"We best birds though," Hanna heard him reply. She giggled at that, shaking her head. She took a pull from her beer and glanced at the TVs above the bar, letting them distract her for several minutes.

She heard the raucous laughter nearby as she waited for Maggie to return but didn't pay it any attention until someone bumped her table, causing her beer bottle to wobble.

"I'm sorry," the offender apologized as Hanna looked up at him. "I believe my friends might have been raised in a barn. Do you need another drink?"

"No, it's didn't spill. Thank you though, Paul."

He chuckled as he leaned against the chair across from her. "So you know who I am but I don't know who you are."

"Hanna," she replied, reaching to shake his hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Hanna, the pleasure is all mine. You live here?"

"All my life, save the four I went to college in Pittsburgh and became a Penguins fan."

"You're here alone? You're welcome to join me and the guys."

"That's sweet of you but I'm actually here with my best friend Maggie. She has absconded with your Russian for the moment though."

"He's like a teddy bear that one; girls just love him. I think I caught a glimpse of them heading towards Sid but James intercepted them."

Paul sat down and they made pleasant small talk for a few minutes, talking football until Hanna heard Maggie's voice ring out over the din of the other patrons.

"Hanna! Hanna! You are not going to believe this!" She exclaimed as she emerged from the crowd and then skidded to a halt, her eyes widening at the sight of Paul. There was only one Penguin Maggie would ever fess up to being a fan of and he was sitting beside her best friend with an easy smile.

"I bring Sid," Geno's voice boomed next as he stopped behind Maggie before nudging her forward. "Paulie, you find Hanna," he grinned.

"I did," he smiled in return. "You must be Maggie," he said to the other woman. She nodded mutely and Hanna laughed.

"Cat got your tongue?" She teased. Hanna knew the crush Maggie had on Paul Martin and for all the embarrassment Maggie's mouth had ever caused her, she was going to enjoy this moment.

"Shut up," Maggie hissed, shoving lightly at her best friend. "Hi," she smiled at Paul. A loud cheer went through the room as the band stepped onto the stage and started playing. "Do you want to dance?" Maggie asked, finding her bold voice again and taking a step towards Paul and leaning into him.

"Me? But I thought Geno..." He trailed off.

Maggie shook her head. "Nope. You though..."

Paul hopped off the bar stool and laced an arm around Maggie's waist without hesitation as her eyes fluttered down and then back to his. "I have no idea what I'm doing," he told her, looking out at the other couples involved in what looked to him like a very intense line dance.

"That's okay; neither do I."

"But you like my butt?" Geno asked in confusion.

"Sorry G; I've just always preferred American made," Maggie answered. She kissed his cheek sweetly before disappearing with Paul.

"But she like my butt?" He repeated to Hanna.

"Yeah, but you're not Paul Martin. Maggie likes you but she loooooves Paul," she answered, imitating the way Maggie had outed her earlier.

"Paulie is good guy and Maggie is nice girl. They make pretty babies."

Hanna laughed. "They just met and already you're giving them babies together?"

He shrugged. "She cannot resist flightless birds forever," he winked. Hanna laughed at that.

"What's so funny?" Hanna looked over Geno at the new voice to join them and was momentarily stunned to find it belonged to Sidney Crosby.

"Sid, this is Hanna. Hanna nice girl, doesn't care we are flightless birds."

"Flightless birds?"

"Maggie calls your team the flightless birds as she is not a fan," Hanna replied. "She follows the Predators. Hi, I'm Hanna."

He shook her hand."Nice to meet you," he smiled. "Maggie was the girl with you before?" He said to Geno.

"She didn't mouth off at him?" Hanna asked in surprise.

"She too busy telling Lazy to kick flightless bird ass to notice him," Geno answered.

"Now that sounds like Maggie."

"She seemed nice," Sid added.

"Unless you cross her," Hanna smiled.

"She like my butt better than yours. Said she'd name other better butts but she leave with Paulie."

"Left?" Sid said with panic. "But we have a game tomorrow."

"They're dancing," Hanna told him. "They didn't actually leave although I wouldn't put it past her to try."

"We have a curfew," he informed her. Geno rolled his eyes.

"Lighten up, Sid." He grabbed Maggie's untouched beer and handed it to him. "Have fun. Hanna like your butt."

She blushed furiously. "Geno!"

"What? I not supposed to say that?"

"No, you're not supposed to say that."

"But Maggie, she say it first."

"Maggie talks too much."

"I like she talk too much."

"Yeah, because she said she liked your ass the best."

"Is true. I best," he replied solemnly.

"Nealer is the best, because he's a Predator," Maggie said as she and Paul rejoined them. "Thank the hockey gods your looney tunes management decided he was a problem and shipped him here."

"But who will take care of him?" Hanna countered.

"I volunteer as tribute," she smirked in return, raising her hand.

"You volunteer for nothing," Paul said, lowering her arm and tucking Maggie into his side.

"You don't live here though," she countered.

"James is Canadian."

"Which is basically American. I mean, we share a border and I think in some places they just call it Way North United States anyway."

"Please talk some sense into your friend," Paul implored Hanna.

"You could get traded," Maggie spoke up. "I'd be okay with that."

"We kind of need him," Sid told her.

"Do I look like I care about a bunch of flightless birds? My needs are more important and your friend won't indulge me because of a game because his dumb captain will have a heart attack. His words."

"Those were not my words," Paul protested.

"Semantics," Maggie said, waving it off. "Come buy me a beer and I'll make out with you in that dark corner," she pointed vaguely.

"That I can do," Paul grinned, steering her through the bar.

"She's interesting," Sid observed as Paul and Maggie faded into the crowd.

"She's my entertainment," Hanna replied. "And the best friend a girl could ask for so if you're going to say something else that isn't nice, I suggest you don't. Otherwise I will call her over here and let her unleash the full diatribe about how much she dislikes you and it will not end well for you."

"She hates me that much?"

"I wouldn't say hate but she definitely despises you."

"But not G? Or Paul?"

"Who could hate Geno? Look at that adorable face. As for Paul, well, she has a weakness and somehow it's name is Paul Martin."

Sid sat back thoughtfully. "So you know who we are, your fans, but you're not fawning over us."

"Unless you count Maggie telling Geno he has a great ass."

"I can let that slide."

"You're just people. Rich people but still people. I don't particularly care what you do so long as you're a good person. And both my parents and Maggie's parents are loaded so your bank account is really of no consequence to me."

"How loaded?" Sid asked with interest.

"No joke, but Maggie's mom invented toaster strudel. My dad helped her sell it to General Mills."

"I love toaster strudel," Geno declared. "Sid, we get them downstairs after game tomorrow."

Hanna looked across the bar where she spotted Maggie talking animatedly to James Neal and Paul close beside her. "I'm pretty sure Maggie is handling that part." She pointed and Sid and Geno's eyes trailed in that direction. "When she knows what she wants, she goes after it and right now, she wants your defenseman and she will exploit the crap out of Nealer to have it."

"What do you want?" Sid asked, leaning towards her.

She smiled coyly. "While you smell divine and your ass is a wonder, you're not my type Crosby. Sorry."

"Well that's disappointing."

"Hey; some of us are heading back," Brandon Sutter said as he walked over. "Did either of you want to head back with us?"

"I will," Sid said as he stood.

"I stay, make sure Paulie get back in one piece," Geno grinned slyly.

"I wouldn't leave without that dime piece if I were him. Wonder if she has a sister..."

"She have best friend. Suttsy, this Hanna."

"Nice to meet you," Brandon said.

"Hello," she returned with a smile.

"I get beer. Suttsy stay with pretty lady," Geno said. "Come on, Sid. We get you cab with others."

"So how do you know Sid?" Brandon asked as the two walked away.

"Met him tonight after Maggie found Geno."

"Really? Huh; I just assumed you already knew each other. Sid doesn't normally talk to people he doesn't know in bars. I guess it's pretty hard to be him, know who's using him and who's not."

"Yeah, that probably sucks."

"So you live here?"

"Yep. Me and Maggie both."

"You like it?"

"I love Nashville," she said slowly.

"But?"

"But I went to college at Pitt and I really loved it there too."

"Would you move back?"

"I would if I could find the right job. Maggie doesn't know I've been sending out my résumé."

He made a zipping motion across his lips. "Your secrets are safe with me."

She saw Sid and a few of the others exit out the bar. "Looks like your ride is here," she pointed. "You probably don't want to miss that."

Brandon glanced towards the door and then back to Hanna. "I think I'm gonna stay awhile longer after all," he smiled. "Tell me more about you."

An hour passed quickly as the two talked and laughed. Geno appeared behind them, clamping a hand around Brandon's shoulder. "Sid lose his mind if we don't head out in twenty minutes. Nealer get girls downstairs after game tomorrow so we see again before we leave," he grinned. "I find Paulie and Maggie. You get Hanna's number though, Suttsy," he added.

"Check the bathroom!" Hanna called out to him. He flashed a thumbs up over his head in response.

"She wouldn't, would she?" Brandon asked.

"I'm pretty sure she wouldn't. She says she would but she isn't really a one night stand kind of girl, definitely not a wham, bam, thank you ma'am in the bathroom kind of girl. But when else is she going to have the shot?"

"What about you?"

"I am most certainly not having sex in a dirty bar bathroom."

"I wasn't suggesting," Brandon blushed. "Shit. I didn't mean to say that."

"It's okay," Hanna told him. "I made Maggie sound way worse than I meant too. She's attracted to Paul physically, yes, but if she found she didn't like him after talking to him, she would've ditched him ages ago. She's obviously enjoying his company but she wouldn't sleep with him just for the sake of saying she did. We're not nuns but the both of us crave a little more than just a physical attraction when hooking up with a guy."

"Makes sense."

"And no matter what she says, I know she's not that easy. Paul Martin can not walk in, bat his little Minnesota eyes and have her. She would make him work for it."

Brandon laughed. "Are you making me work for it too then?"

"You'll never know," she teased him.

"I really would like your number, if that's okay with you. I'll give you mine, you know, so you'll have a couch to crash on when you get offered a job in Pittsburgh."

He offered his phone to her so she could put in her details and when she handed it back, he immediately sent her a text so she'd have his info too. Brandon stood. "Should we help G find Maggie and Paul?"

"Yeah, I just need to close out my tab." They approached the bar and she motioned to the bartender who made his way towards her. "I need to settle up for tonight, Justin."

"Already taken care of."

"By who?"

"That guy Maggie's clearly enjoying ruling over."

"The blond one or the Russian one?"

"Blond one."

"He's trying to impress her," Brandon said. "Paulie never picks up the bar tab, ever."

"Yeah well, I think it's working," Hanna replied, pointing across the room where Paul had Maggie backed against a wall, one arm against it, supporting his weight, the other on her hip as he leaned in to kiss her.

"And if I want to impress you?"

"You're already doing it....but if you want to score a goal tomorrow night, I wouldn't be opposed to that either."

Brandon chuckled. "Yeah, I'll see what I can do about that."

They watched as Geno wedged himself between Paul and Maggie with a smile. He picked Maggie up into a bear hug and carried her over to a table where a few of the other players still sat. Brandon and Hanna made their way towards them and he introduced her to them before they all stood to leave.

"Thank you for paying our tab," Hanna said quietly to Paul.

"I thought that was the polite and southern thing to do."

"That's the polite and Minnesota thing to do," she corrected him.

He laughed. "Your friend is something else," he said, nodding to where she stood with James.

"Yes she is."

"I kind of wish we lived in the same city, or at the very least she hadn't met Nealer who actually lives here."

"Don't worry about that. James is flash and no substance. Maggie wants substance and maybe the occasional flash. Did you get her number?"

"Yeah."

"Did James?"

"No."

"Then there you go."

"Hey, what are you two gossiping about?" Maggie asked as she snaked an arm around Paul.

"You," Paul answered.

"An excellent topic," she smirked. Paul said something lowly to her, causing Maggie to blush as he led her outside. Hanna followed and Brandon fell into step beside her.

"See you tomorrow?" He asked.

"Yep; I'll be there in my Penguins jersey."

"Hopefully you bring us some luck then."

She laughed. "Hopefully."

He leaned down and hugged her, kissing her cheek. "Bye, Hanna."

"Bye, Brandon." She waved as he ducked into one of the cabs and laughed as the guys yelled at Paul until he separated himself from Maggie. He waved at both of them before closing the door behind him.

"So I'll leave some passes for you guys at will call tomorrow," James said. "You'll be able to get down after the game and stuff."

"Thank you, James," Maggie replied sweetly, kissing his cheek. "Kick ass tomorrow."

"I'm gonna try. Where are you parked?"

"Just over there," Hanna pointed. He nodded and started towards the car with them, waiting until they were both inside and the engine turned over before doubling back to where he was parked.

"Well that was an interesting night," Hanna mused aloud as she drove towards Maggie's house.

"We met the flightless birds. Can you even believe that?"

"You kissed Paul Martin. Can you believe that?"

"No!" She swooned, leaning back in the seat. "OMG I kissed Paul freaking Martin!" She squealed in her seat. "Did you kiss Brandon? I saw you talking to him."

"I did not kiss him. But he asked for my number."

"Shut up!! Did you give it to him?"

"Yes." Maggie squealed again. "So you're gonna wear a Pens jersey tomorrow then?" Hanna asked.

"Hell no! I told Paul I'd never cheer for his team, not even when I go to Pittsburgh. Damn flightless birds."

"Go to Pittsburgh?! Excuse me?"

Maggie blushed. "We have to look at the schedule but yeah, I'm gonna go to Pittsburgh to see him."

"You just met him!"

She shrugged. "But I want to get to know him so we're gonna talk and text and if we both still want to, then I'm gonna go and stay with him for two or three days."

"And then what? He's in Pittsburgh, you're in Nashville."

"I don't know. Lots of people do long distance you know."

"Can you? He plays professional hockey. He travels constantly, he's got team obligations. He'll be busy, a lot. Can you handle that?"

"I won't know unless I try. Jeez; Debbie downer much?"

"I'm just looking out for you. You know I want you to be happy but that's a big leap to take with someone you don't know."

"Which is exactly why I gave him my number, so I can get to know him and then decide. If all else fails I'm sure I can seduce James Neal. Options, Hanna Jo Mills. Options."

"I am not letting you sleep with James Neal. Ever."

"He's pretty though."

"Go back to focusing on Paul."

"You only like Paul because he's a penguin and James isn't."

"Ok, maybe a little but seriously, you were all over him. You really want Neal instead?"

"No. Paul's so much cuter....and Minnesota-y."

"Minnesota-y? Really?"

"Did you tell Brandon we've seen his penis? Or is that inappropriate?"

"That's inappropriate. Please don't ever tell him that."

"I'll try not too." They pulled into Maggie's driveway and she leaned over to hug Hanna. "I'll see you tomorrow girl!"