Page 5 of Brace and Chase

I know for a fact every player in this team would put not only their faith and trust in Jules’ hands but their life too.

Mater is also a leader for us. He’s been here almost as long as me, and he’s kind of like a father for all of us in a weird way.

But it’s Bear who I would hide a body for. He looks out for us in a way no one else does. From his silent spot in the corner of the locker room he sees everything, just like he does from the net.

Bear hates to fight but he’s fought for Jules plenty. He hates confrontation but he’s never afraid to get in one of our faces and make us get our heads straight.

Bear is steadfast, loyal, kind, and the best fucking goalie I’ve ever played with.

So of course I follow him without question, out of the elevator, down the long hallway full of offices, and into a meeting room. He points to the chair at the head of the table for me to sit, then sits in the one right next to it.

“I know you hate him,” he starts once my ass is in the chair.

He’s the only one who knows that, the only one I’ve let see that side of me outside the ice.

It doesn’t happen often, but after games against Atlanta I’ve always been in a foul mood and that’s not usual for me, so I don’t want anyone else to see me like that.

I don’t want my teammates or anyone in the Pirates organization to think I’m this angryenforcerwho has so much rage he gets paid to slam people against the boards. At my core, that’s definitely not who I am, and only those closest to me get to see it.

Here, in this building, I want to be seen as what I am—a damn good hockey player who has a mind for strategy, natural talent, and an unbreakable work ethic. Goofball is also a word that many employees of the Pirates have used to describe me, and I take pride in that. I love making people laugh and have a good time, I love celebrating the goodtimes, and I love turning my teammates’ frowns upside down.

I’ve worked hard on making sure that’s the side of me that my Pirates family gets. I’ve succeeded, but Charlie fucking Heart brings out the worst in me. He’s not even here yet and I’ve already turned into a grouchy asshole, storming out of the start-of-the-season party we always throw.

“Yes,” I answer for no apparent reason, since he wasn’t asking a question.

“I’ve never asked why and I’m not about to do that now,” he tells me, and my shoulders drop with relief. I don’t feel like explaining my feelings and reasons to anyone when it comes to this subject. “I’m only going to tell you to trust Gab. You know we needed reinforcements since Fire got banged up a couple of weeks ago.”

I nod, because yeah, that’s true.

Philip “Fire” Von Bruun is a defenseman, just like me and Heart. He normally skates alongside Mater on the first line for our team, but he took an ugly—legal—hit during the pre-season and his leg landed wrong. It happens to the best of us, but he managed to tear his MCL which means he had to have surgery, and that he’s out for at least six months... so the whole regular season. Maybe even the playoffs if his recovery isn’t super smooth.

I haven’t given much thought to who would take his place in the first line, but now that I’m thinking about it, I realize that breaking me and Bates up on the second line to bring either of us to the first line wouldn’t have been thebest idea. We have a rhythm of our own and work well together. The four players in lines three and four also have their own thing going and get shit done, and I’m not too well versed in who’s in our farm team that Gab could’ve brought up to fill the void.

No one who’s as good as Fire more than likely, and so Idosee her reasoning.

I see the logic of it all, I’m notthatdelusional.

Charlie Heart is not only the best option she and our GM, Barlow, had... but he was probably their first choice as well.

And he agreed.

Why the fuck did he agree to come here? We’ve fought enough on the ice for him to know I’m not a fan of his.

He knows damn well he’s coming into hostile territory, and I’m not about to lie down and let him walk all over me and get a spot in our first line. That’snothappening.

I trust Mater and Fire, as well as Bear, to protect Jules accordingly in the first line. I won’t ever trust Heart enough to do that. And I sure as hell will never call him by his stupid-ass nickname.

No, the asshole has to know how much I don’t want him here, so the only logical conclusion has to be that he doesn’t give a shit. Well, I thought I couldn’t hate him more.

Now I do.

After our talk,where we don’t say much more, so I encourage Bear to go back to the celebration, and leave the practice rink without talking to anyone else.

He doesn’t look too happy when I tell him I want to be alone, probably because he knows that’s not something Ieverwant—I thrive around people.

But in the end he relents when I tell him to go be with his fiancé, Drew, and everyone else. Everybody’s kids always put their skates on at this event and they spend hours taking shot after shot on goal. They’re probably champing at the bit to get a goal in on Bear by now.

I love that even knowing how much anticipation there is for him to be down there he still took the time to come talk to me, to try and help me. I should maybe send him something as a thank you. Maybe some lube? I hear that’s always appreciated by gay couples. I snort at myself just thinking of the deadly stare he’d give me if I ever gave him a gift even remotely sexual. Could be fun, but I file the idea away for a time when I’m feeling more like myself.

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