Thread or AIM Log: AIM Open or Closed: Closed Characters: Nik Nappaaluk, Ian Tigh Setting: Outside on the Swan Hills grounds Summary: Nik & Ian run into one another in the hall and go for a walk together to get to chat and know one another
Nik grabbed a hoodie and headed out of his dorm room and into the hall. He hadn't had a chance to see much of the area, even on the grounds and he was anxious to do so. Over the years he had grown into an outdoors man and being cooped up was enough to drive him mad. As he headed out, he bumped into Ian "oh hey, sorry man" he said "I wasn't paying attn...you headed off to goof off in the pool with the rest of the guys?"
He didn't have a plan per se but he wanted to get out into the open. He had been playing nice for too long so he grabbed his smokes and was headed out for a quick break when Nik ran into him. Fuck he was sturdy. "Nah," he said sheepishly. "Was gonna get out for a bit. You?"
Nik just smiled "Same thing, going outside. I hate being inside, and, well I'm not much of a swimmer. It's not like I'm used to hot summers so I'd swim for fun. You wanna walk with me? I was just going to look around, that's all"
He nodded and slipped his smokes into the front pocket of his hoodie. "It's a pretty bit complex. Bigger than I though it was gonna be the first time I heard about it."
"Not big enough" he said, his smile lighting his face up. "I'd be happy if it were bigger...and J.J. were all the way on the other end of it"
He laughed softly at that. "I can't say I disagree with you," he said. "Sadly, he is good.... he should make the team."
"you will too....I know who you are, you'll make it. I just didn't want to say that yesterday on the ride here. He'd have jumped all over it." Nik made his way to the door, pushing it open and holding it until you follow him through
He walked through and waited until you joined him. "Yeah? Probably for not the best reasons," he said softly. He wasn't proud of the way the draft panned out but he had been convinced that it was the right path.
"What do you mean, not the best? Of course for the best" he replied, the excitement in his voice "you're probably the best guy that'll try out for this team. What, you're modest? Maybe you can teach JJ that talent"
"I'm sorry that I don't know the same about you," he said as he walked. "Mind if I have a cig?" he asked as they were well clear of the dorm and out of sight.
He wrinkled his nose 'That stuffs not good for you, you know? How can you skate when you're out of breath from them?"
He put them back in his pocket, shrugging. "I don't go through that many. Maybe a pack every two weeks. I admit it's a lame ass coping mechanism."
He watched as Ian put the pack back "You can if you want, I don't care. But, I guess I don't get it." He took a deep breath, as if to stress why. "Wow, smell that air. This is great"
'My folks have a place north BC but it's nothing like this. I feel like I'm in the middle of nowhere out here. It's almost too quiet," he said with a laugh.
"I like quiet...I used to go out hunting, so I guess I was used to it. Or even running, just you and the birds. Where are you from,anyway? A big city?" he asked. He had to keep reminding himself that most of the guys here wouldn't be from the smaller areas like he was
"Vancouver. Just east of the city. Not huge but not a whole lot of," he holds his hands out "this."
"Ohhh, you're gonna have fun when it snows, aren't you? You're not used to snow at all I bet". Nik couldn't help but laugh. It couldn't snow fast enough in his mind
He laughed with him. "I've been to the mountains a couple times, but no, I don't think this winter is gonna be easy on me in the least."
"I love the snow" he volunteered. "A fact that I'm sure JJ will jump on and start calling me polar bear or something like that next"
"You just gotta beat him to the punch," he said in a somewhat big brother way not that he knew of such things. "Start turning the tables on him"
"Yeah, except look at him...what exactly do I say to Mr blue eyed blonde haired I'm a god JJ?" he asked. "You know, honestly have that cigarette, it's OK"
Grateful that you don't care, he pulled the pack out and drew one out, "Some people have coffee...I do this," he said before putting it between his lips and lighting it. "Everyone has a weakness. You just gotta find his." " Maybe I can find it on ice...I mean you figure I'll be defending against him a few times. That'd probably hurt more than anything". Nik watched Ian take a drag, wondering what exactly people saw in cigarettes. Finally he held his hand out "OK, let me try once"
He eyed Nik with a glance. "You sure?" he asked as he pulled a fresh one out of the pack. "My dad always said one of the best thing he's done was not have a first cigarette."
He eyed the cigarette, glancing back up at Ian. There was no way he wanted a whole one. "Uh, can I just try yours? I don't want to waste the whole thing"
He smiled and nodded, handing him the lit one. "Don't breathe in too much, you will choke and it's pretty shitty. Just take a shallow breath," he advised while slipping the unlit one back into the pack.
Nik took it carefully, holding the cigarette up to his mouth, taking a small breath. He started to talk but suddenly started to cough, his face turning green "uh.....maybe....not"
Putting the cig between his lips, Ian put his hand on Nik's chest. "Just take a deep breath. Don't force it."
Nodding, Nik tried to take one, having trouble catching his breath at first but finally able to, eventually back to normal. He laughed softly "Well...I can say I tried at least?"
He smiled easily. "And now you're cured of the curiosity. You gonna be OK?" he asked with a touch of concern in his voice. "I don't wanna go ruining the lungs of a guy who might be looking out of me on the ice."
He nodded once more, waving his hand to say he would be fine. "So..what else do you like to do... hopefully you have some other hobby that won't kill any friends you make in here?" As if to stress the joke, he nudged Ian
He let out a breath of smoke away from Nik with a soft shrug of his shoulders. "Hockey basically," he said with a nod to get walking again. "And I like pool for what that's worth."
"Oh" he said, a hint of disappointment in his voice. He had hoped that someone would share his interests, and Ian was as good of a person as any. At least he felt comfortable with him for now. He'd yet to look at him differently. He doubted most of the others would be so accepting. "I'm not very good at pool at all. Actually, I'm pretty bad"
He sat on one of the benches that lined the path they had been walking on. From here there was a view of the lake which Ian liked. "How about you then? What do you do away from the rink?"
Nik sat next to him, a good amount of room between the two. "Well...hunting? Fishing? Running outdoors? " he said, watching Ian's face for any hint of interest. "Oh, and...video games"
He smiled softly. "I used to go fishing with my dad." He made a face before smiling again. "I don't remember catching anything but it was still good to hang out with him."
"Used to? Your dad...he's not....uh.." Nik's voice softened "dead, is he?"
He shook his head quickly. "No, no, thankfully," he said with a soft smile. "I just got more into hockey and fishing took a back seat and eventually there just wasn't time."
He looked at him, confused "That's what the off season is for....I go out with my father and grandfather all of the time"
He let the off season comment slide because there wasn't really an off season for Ian. He smiled instead. "Maybe I'll pick it up again here. That lake, through there," he pointed with his cigarette hand "has to have fish."
"That lake, I bet, has incredible ice fishing. We should do it!" he said, the excitement apparent. "Well, not now obviously...I mean in January or February"
He let out a soft laugh. "Like through the ice?" he asked smiling. "Remember not used to winter over here."
"Oh, yeah...guess not" he said , matching the laugh "Yeah you go make a hole in the ice, drop your lure in, and sit and fish. Right through the ice!"
He laughed nervously as it'd been a while since he'd not been good at something. "If you are willing to teach and possibly jump in after I go under, I'm game."
"Oh, you won't go under...that ice will be nice and thick by then. I'll teach you. I'll have to have my parents ship me some of my stuff." Nik suddenly laughed "I'm really not this...I don't know...anxious? I'm just nervous up here, that's all"
He drew one more drag of his cig and scraped it out on the bench before putting it back into his hoodie pocket to trash later. "Why are you nervous? We're all here for a reason right? We all have a shot at this."
"You guys all played a lot more than me...I lucked out because Coach happened to see me play and he thought I had the potential. But you guys...." his voice trailed off a bit "you guys are all worlds above me"
He shook his head softly. "If Coach Jackson came up to see you...from what I've heard of him, he doesn't fuck around. If he wanted you here, you're heads above." He laughed a bit. "You think he flew his ass out to see JJ Superstar?"
"Superstar probably thinks everyone who ever saw him play was there for him....I wonder what JJ stands for anyway? " he asked, his mind suddenly thinking it could be a way to get to him
As if the light bulb popped over them both, he grinned brightly. "Oh we'll find out," he said laughing.
"See, you are thinking like a true tormentor."
"There has to be a reason he goes by JJ and not his name. It's probably something like....I dunno, what's a horrible J name?" the laugh returned
Ian leaned back against the bench and thinks. "I'm not very good at horrible names, I've heard plenty trash talkers about mine."
"Ian? What's wrong with Ian? Maybe he's a..." Nik thought a moment, finally grinning "Jonathan...maybe he has some long smart name that makes him sound like a big old smart nerd?"
He shook his head, "Not the Ian part, the Tigh part. Jonathan? Nah, he could go by Jon that way." He laughed softly at the nerd part though. "Jody?"
Nik slapped Ian's arm softly "C'mon man, we've gotta go find out...there has to be something posted somewhere, right? A beginning roster or something?" he jumped up, anxious to find out. The two headed back, a jump in their step. They were on a mission to get the name, praying that it was something worth ridiculing.