#I also just like neurodivergent Rusty cause I don’t think we talk about his stutter enough in fic

[lovethytendytenderly]

Found this in my drafts so have however many words of Jars/Rusty this is

When Tristan comes to him, they don’t talk. Tristan seeks him out, finds him in back corners of the rink, the edges of the lounge areas, trainers rooms that otherwise should be empty. Tristan doesn’t talk, his brain overstimulated from the noise of the crowd and the slap of stick and puck on ice, his words dried up in his throat until all he has is helpless gestures that struggle to get his point across. Too busy straining for the next puck to think about the words on his tongue. Bryan doesn’t talk because he’s sick of it. Sick of pushing himself. Sick of feeling himself trip and stumble as he tries to make himself known. He’s better. He’s so much better than he was but sometimes the effort leaves him feeling wiped out and exhausted. His teammates know to give him space when he gets like that. The frenchies and the esl guys looking on with sympathy. English is a bitch of a language when it’s not even your first, and to struggle with it when it’s supposed to be native is met with sympathy though not a lot of understanding. Tristan always knows when he’s too tired to fill the space and comes looking for some peace and quiet. Together the two of them are a wall of quiet nobody can breach. It’s nice sometimes. Tristan is taller but Bryan is thicker outside of their pads. They make it work, huddling in corners and couches until one of them feels like speaking again.