Page 27 of Well Played

From downstairs, I heard Mason's voice, calling out to us. "Hey, you better not be doing anything inappropriate up there."

I groaned, burying my face in Seth's chest. "I need a new brother.”

Seth chuckled, his arms tightening around me. "No, you don't," he said. "You love him. Just like I do."

I sighed, a small smile tugging at the corners of my mouth. "Yeah, I guess I do. Even when he's being a pain in the ass."

Seth grinned, pressing a kiss to the top of my head. "That's what family's for, right?" he said. "To drive you crazy and love you anyway. Now go and get changed, you’re dripping potato on the floor.”

And that was a sentence I never wanted to hear from him again.

6

I was ready for tonight.I had spent the past week practicing my routines, perfecting my moves and trying to anticipate any potential pranks or retaliations from Mason. As I skated out onto the ice, the polar bear head obscuring my vision slightly and the bulky suit weighing me down, I realized that there was no way to truly prepare for what was to come.

The first period passed without incident, as the team playing hard and fast, their focus solely on the game. At halftime it felt a little weird. As the buzzer sounded, I felt a sudden sense of unease, the hairs on the back of my neck tingling, telling me something was about to happen.

I waited as the team skated off the ice, and I turned towards the crowd, ready to do my thing, when I heard a shout from behind me.

"Hey, mascot!"

I turned, my heart pounding in my chest, to see the entire team lined up at the edge of the rink.

Why can’t I see their hands?

Then in one swift motion, they were pulling out nerf ball guns, the bright orange barrels pointed directly at me.

"Oh, shit," I muttered, my eyes widening behind the mascot head.

It was hunting season.

For me.

The team yelled as they opened fire, the little foam balls bouncing off my suit and ricocheting across the ice. I yelped, my arms flailing as I tried to dodge the onslaught, but it was no use. The balls were coming too fast, and I was completely outnumbered.

I could hear the crowd start a chant of "Get the bear! Get the bear!" If only I could get my paw to flip them off, I would.

That’s it. I’m not surrendering yet. I felt a sudden surge of adrenaline.

I took off across the ice, my skates kicking up ice behind me as I dodged the orange balls as they went whizzing past my head or bouncing off my back. I could hear the team calling out my name behind me as they tried to box me in. I grabbed a hockey stick and tried to bat them away. Surely, they would run out of ammo soon?

Slowly they boxed me in, until I found myself surrounded. Knowing I was outnumbered and defeated, I put the stick down as they formed a circle around me, their nerf guns pointed at my chest. I was very glad the suit had a lot of padding.

I held up my paws as the crowd increased the chant toGet the Bear. The team began to lower their guns, their faces red and sweaty and grinning at me. As one, they dropped to one knee, their heads bowed in a gesture of respect for their mascot. They now knew it was me and they accepted it. I felt a sudden lump in my throat, tears pricking at the corners of my eyes behind the mascot head. I turned to face the crowd, my arms spread wide in a gesture of triumph. Then, with a wiggle of my fluffy butt and a wave of my oversized paw, I took off on a victory lap around the rink, the team clapping and cheering me on as I went.

As I skated past the kneeled players, I caught sight of Seth, a smirk playing on his face. I felt a sudden rush of heat, a fluttering in my stomach that had nothing to do with the exertion of the past few minutes. He was the one for me. In that moment, I knew exactly what I wanted to do to him tonight. Exactly how I wanted to wipe that grin off his face and replace it with something else entirely.

As I finished my lap, I couldn't help but smile to myself. I had everything I wanted. A team, a family, a home – all who accepted me for who I was.

As the Zamboni rumbled onto the ice to clean up after us, I headed for the locker room with the players, my mind full of the ideas of Seth and the night to come. I caught a glimpse of Seth, his eyes dark and hungry as they met mine across the crowded locker room.

Oh, yes. Tonight was going to be a night to remember.

I crossed the room as I tore the bear head off, the team whistling at me as my hands were already reaching for him, my lips already parting. Then, I was in his arms, his mouth hot and insistent against mine, his hands roaming over my body like he already owned every inch of it.

“Get a room,” one of the team called out to us.

“No. Do not get a room!” my brother said as he looked at us and groaned. “Really? Here? Can you just wait until I’m not in the room?”

---