“If I’m not busy, I don’t see that being a problem,” David says. Not that he anticipates being busy, but he doesn’t want to be too —

“Awesome,” Jake says, obviously not similarly concerned. “That’s pretty much it. Not that painful, right? We want to keep doing this?”

“Yeah,” David says, to both questions. When Jake said ‘talk about us’ he wasn’t expecting simple logistics. Simple logistics make sense.

“Awesome,” Jake repeats. “Want to have ice cream for dinner?”

David makes a face.

“That’s the exact same face!” Jake says, and won’t stop laughing until David pulls away from him, standing up and marching out of the room.

“No, come back!” he says, a thread of laughter still in his voice, and catches up with David in the hallway, wrapping his arms around him from behind. “Your face is so great,” he mumbles into David’s ear.

“Your face sucks,” David lies, and Jake laughs again, squeezing his arms around David until David goes breathless.

“You like it okay,” Jake says, and David doesn’t have the air to argue, so he doesn’t, lets Jake spin him around, tilt his chin up with his thumb. Jake isn’t laughing anymore, not even smiling, but somehow David can see the amusement lingering on his face. David knows it isn’t at his expense, not really, but he still wants it gone, so he leans the rest of the way in, kisses Jake until all he can find in his expression is desire.

“Bed?” Jake murmurs, and David nods, so close he can feel Jake’s eyelashes brush his cheek when he does, a pantomime of a kiss.

“Bed,” David agrees, and lets Jake lead the way.

*

David wakes long before his alarm the next morning. Jake isn’t leaving until late afternoon, so David doesn’t wake him, even though he wants to, makes breakfast while he sleeps in, eating his own and leaving Jake’s in the oven to stay warm.

Jake emerges after David’s showered, dressed, texted his trainer to confirm they’re on for tomorrow. Kurmazov has texted to ask if David wants to meet to discuss the upcoming season, and David agrees. Training camp has started to loom, and David hopes, so badly, that the Islanders will be more prepared for the season this year. David is, but there’s only so much he can do by himself.

David checks the flight times while Jake eats breakfast. Well, it’s closer to brunch now. Jake’s flight is on time. David will privately admit to wishing there was a delay, maybe even a cancellation, though that would be inconvenient for Jake, who has to finish packing before he flies down to Sunrise for training camp.

“Come shower with me,” Jake says, chin digging into David’s shoulder.

“I already showered,” David says.

“Come shower with me anyway,” Jake says.

“You’re going to be late,” David says.