#I've never written for moschicane before and it was a lot of fun!

[ohducknewton]

42, moschicane?

“I’m only here to establish an alibi.”

Duck and Aubrey glance between Ned and Boyd, silently trying to figure out if there’s any truth behind Boyd’s words. For his part, Ned just rolls his eyes. “He’s kidding.” The two of them sit down on the frankly hideous couch the bowling alley has provided for its patrons. “Always were one for good first impressions, huh?” he teases.

“Not really a first impression if we’ve met before, love.”

Ned hums, putting his arm around Boyd’s waist. “Well you know what they say, there’s always a second chance at a first impression.”

“Yeah uh, that definitely ain’t how the saying goes,” Duck comments from his end of the couch as he finishes tying his bowling shoes.

Aubrey laughs, “I like it though, sounds good.”

“Oh don’t encourage him,” Boyd shakes his head, smiling all the while. “Now are we going to bowl or what?”

“Well before we get this show on the road, why don’t we make this a bit more interesting?” Aubrey smiles- A smile that Ned knows means she’s up to something. “I’m thinking me and Duck versus you and Ned? Bit of friendly competition? Help build teamwork skills and all that?”

“And what do the winners of this ah, friendly competition get as a reward?”

“Losers buy drinks for the night?”

Before Ned can reply, Boyd shoots him a look. “Prison wasn’t exactly known for its shining bowling lanes and we both remember what happened the last time you attempted to bowl”

Laughing a hearty laugh, Ned pulls Boyd closer to his side. “Have faith Boyd! They don’t call me Ned ‘Lanesmen’ Chicane for nothing.”

“So we gotta deal?” Aubrey holds out her hand and Ned glances one more time to Boyd before taking it.

“Deal.”

After getting some bowling shoes of their own, Boyd gets up from seat and up to bowl, Duck ready with a pencil and paper to record his score …

Which wasn’t really necessary because he got two gutter balls in a row.

That’s how the game went- Ned and Boyd getting it straight in the gutter or maybe knocking down a few pins once in a while. Meanwhile, Aubrey and Duck were absolutely destroying them. Ned found out three rounds in that Duck had actually worked at this particular bowling alley in high school. He’s good, Ned will admit it.

Also, the whole thing is a lot of fun. Ned is silently thankful that Aubrey and Duck seem to be taking to Boyd. He might not admit it, but he really does want them all to like each other. Hell, Duck and Aubrey hadn’t even believed that he had a husband when he casually mentioned Boyd the first time- They thought it was another one of his joking-lies. And you know what? Ned didn’t go out of his way to correct them. He would talk about needing to get home for a date with Boyd or how such-and-such reminded him of his vegas wedding, and Aubrey and Duck truly thought it was all an intricately spun tale. It had only ended the day that they had run into him at the grocery store and Boyd had greeted him with a kiss and a question of whether he’d be home in time for supper.

The look on Aubrey’s had been priceless and the pitch at which Duck exclaimed “Oh fuck he’s real?!” is one that Ned thinks about sometimes to cheer himself up.

But now that Boyd’s not a cryptid in his own way, Ned wants them all to get to know each other.

“Good game everyone” Duck says as they count up their points. Not that they really needed to. People across town probably could see how bad Ned and Boyd had lost. “Looks like y’all will be picking up tonight’s tab then?”

“Now hold on just a second,” Boyd looks at them with nothing short of sheer determination. “Double or nothing.”

Duck raises an eyebrow. “Uh, you sure? We can continue playing, no bets or nothin’ if y’all want?”

Boyd shakes his head. “No, I think I’ve got the hang of it now. How about you love? Think you’re up for another little wager?”

“Perhaps, I certainly feel warmed up now, but don’t you think we should ah, up the stakes as it were?” He turns to Aubrey and Duck. “How about this- You win and Boyd and I will be your assistants for your next magic show at the lodge and as for you friend Duck,” Ned pauses, trying to think of what Duck would want. “We’ll look after both Beacon and your cat during that little weekend getaway you’ve got planned with Indrid.”

“And if y’all win?”

“Hmm?” Ned taps his chin. “How about this, for next week’s Saturday Night Dead, I’m planning to show some real classics- Creature From the Black Lagoon, The Wolfman, all the good stuff. And well, I need some volunteers to don the masks and truly become the titular characters.”

Aubrey and Duck share a quick look between themselves and then to Boyd and Ned and then down to the score sheet.

“Deal.”

Boyd smiles, gets up once again and grabs a bowling ball. But instead of going towards the lane, he strolls back over to the couch and leans down next to Ned. “Kiss for luck?”

Laughing, Ned pulls him down even more and gives him a kiss. “As if you’ll need it,” he whispers.

And then Boyd goes back to the lane, glances behind him, gives Ned a wink, and then in one fluid motion, surges forward as he brings his arm back and forward again as he lets the ball go.

Now Ned was pretty focused on how nice Boyd’s ass looked in those jeans of his, but he’s pretty sure that isn’t what his fellow Pine Guard members are staring at.

Because Boyd just got a strike.

Ned knew he would.

Duck is silent.

Aubrey’s mouth hangs open.

Boyd’s smile is infectious as he comes back over, wrapping an arm around Ned as he sits down.

Finally, Duck turns to the two of them, looking like he’s just barely holding back laughter. “Did y’all hustle us?”

Ned shrugs, his own laughter barely contained either. “Like I said, they don’t call him Ned ‘Lanesmen’ Chicane for nothing.”

Thinking about it, maybe Ned and Boyd will need an alibi for how much they’re about to murder Duck and Aubrey at bowling.

This should be fun.