Page 16 of Speak in Fever
"Same time next week?" Percy asks as they reach the boards, and there's something almost hopeful in his voice that makes Rath's pulse skip.
"Wouldn't miss it," Rath replies, like it costs him nothing.
Chapter 5
Percy spends a restless night replaying every interaction with Rath Platts instead of getting proper sleep. He tosses and turns in his sheets, analyzing the way Rath had looked at him during yesterday's drill—that split second of eye contact that felt like it contained multitudes. It's one of the big red flags that this attraction is building into something no longer under his control, but he feels powerless to do anything but let the wave of it pull him under.
By 3 AM, he's given up on sleep entirely and finds himself staring at the ceiling, trying to categorize what exactly he's feeling. Rath is talented, dedicated, clearly committed to improving his game. But there's something else underneath that, something that makes Percy's chest warm when he remembers the small smile Rath had given him after a particularly good play.
He both wants and doesn't want to feel this way, and he finds himself a little overwhelmed by the warmth that spreadsthrough his chest when he thinks of how Rath had looked at him during yesterday's drill; challenging and inviting and something Percy couldn't identify but wanted to explore nonetheless.
When his alarm finally goes off at 6:30, Percy feels like he's been awake for days. He drags himself through his morning routine—shower, protein shake, gear bag check—with the mechanical efficiency of someone running on autopilot. The face looking back at him in the bathroom mirror has dark circles under his eyes and the slightly wild look of someone who's spent too much time thinking about things he probably shouldn't be thinking about.
The drive to the rink is usually Percy's time to mentally prepare for practice, to review the systems they'll be working on and think about areas where the team needs improvement. Today, though, his mind keeps drifting to whether Rath will be wearing the same cologne he had on yesterday, whether their improved chemistry from the end of last practice was a fluke or the beginning of something sustainable.
He steps onto the ice and already things feel different. The morning skate flows with its usual ease, his teammates moving through warm-ups with an energy that suggests everyone's locked in and ready to work. The familiar sounds of the rink wash over him—skates carving ice, pucks hitting boards, the sharp crack of slap shots against the goal posts.
But Percy finds his attention consistently drawn to Rath, who's skating through his routine with a confidence that is starting to seem more genuine. Gone is the tentative quality that had marked his first few weeks with the team. His crossovers are smooth and powerful, his edges clean and precise. When he fires a few warm-up shots, each one is placed with deliberate accuracy rather than just trying to find the net.
"Looking good, Platts," Coach Reeves calls from the boards, and Percy notices the way Rath's shoulders straighten at thepraise. It's a small thing, but telling—Rath still cares about making a good impression, still wants to prove he belongs here.
Percy completes his own warm-up routine, but he's hyperaware of Rath's presence on the ice. When they cross paths during skating drills, Percy catches glimpses of focused determination in Rath's expression. There's something almost meditative about the way Rath moves through his preparations, like he's found a rhythm that works for him.
"Alright, gentlemen," Coach calls, gathering the team at center ice. "Today we're working on transition play. Quick breakouts, clean entries, sustained pressure. I want to see those new line combinations clicking."
The assistant coaches have set up cones and markers across the ice, creating a complex maze of drill stations that will test everything from basic passing to complex breakout patterns. Percy mentally reviews the systems they've been working on, but part of his attention is focused on the fact that he and Rath will be working together extensively today.
"First up, three-on-two rush drill," Coach announces. "I want to see quick decision-making, clean entries, and follow-through on scoring chances. Killinger and Platts, you're first up with Torres."
Percy expects a lot of things from today's practice. What he doesn't expect is for everything to start falling into place in small, meaningful ways that had seemed impossible before.
The first drill is a simple 3-on-2 rush, but when Rath receives Percy's breakout pass, something feels different. Percy makes the pass from his own blue line, a crisp wrist shot that travels through the neutral zone with good pace. As the puck approaches, Percy watches Rath read the trajectory and adjust his positioning slightly—not a dramatic movement, just a subtle shift that puts him in better position to receive the pass cleanly.
The stilted tension from their plays before is gone and has been replaced with what might be actual understanding. Rath reads Percy's body language and adjusts his route slightly, creating a better passing angle while maintaining his speed through the neutral zone. When Percy calls for the return pass, it arrives with good timing and placement, though Rath has to stretch a bit to make the connection work.
The play develops smoothly from there. Torres provides good support on the opposite wing, and the three of them create sustained pressure against the two defensemen. Percy gets the puck back from Rath and immediately looks for the next option, finding Torres in good position for a one-timer that beats Harley cleanly.
"Better," Coach calls as they cycle back to the line. "That looked more connected than last week. Killinger, good read on the initial breakout. Platts, nice adjustment on your positioning."
Percy glances at Rath, who's wearing a small smile that suggests he felt the improvement too. It's not perfect chemistry yet, but it's progress—the kind of incremental development that builds into something special over time.
"Again," Coach calls. "Same rush, but this time I want to see you read the defense and make the extra pass if it's there."
The second repetition flows even better. Percy's breakout pass finds Rath in stride, and this time Rath's return feed is perfectly weighted, hitting Percy's stick in exactly the right spot for a quick release. The timing isn't supernatural, but it's solid—two players who are starting to understand each other's preferences and adjust accordingly.
They cycle through the drill several more times, each repetition building on the last. Percy starts to recognize the subtle cues that indicate where Rath wants the puck—the slight turn of his shoulders, the way he adjusts his stick position, thequick glance that suggests he's spotted an opening. Similarly, Rath begins to anticipate Percy's decision-making, positioning himself to be available for passes while maintaining good spacing with Torres.
The next drill is more complex—a 5-on-3 power play simulation that requires precise timing and spatial awareness. Percy takes his position at the point while Rath sets up in the high slot, both of them reading the defensive formation and making adjustments based on what they see.
"This is where the magic happens, boys," JP calls from the line. "Power play chemistry separates good teams from great teams."
Percy surveys the ice, taking in the positioning of all five offensive players and the two penalty killers. Rath has found good space in the high slot, but there's a defender shading toward him. Torres is positioned on the goal line, ready for a quick redirection. Martinez has set up as the bumper, ready to create chaos in front of the net.
When the puck comes to Percy, he has to look to locate Rath's position, but he finds him in good space. The defender who had been shading toward Rath has committed to pressuring Percy instead, leaving Rath with a clear lane to the net. Percy's pass gets through traffic, though it takes a slight deflection off a defender's stick that changes its trajectory by a few inches.
Rath has to react quickly, adjusting his stick position to handle the altered trajectory, but he manages to redirect it past Harley for a goal that draws nods of approval from the coaching staff. It's not a perfect play, but it's effective—two players who communicated well and adapted when the play didn't develop exactly as planned.
"Nice adjustment, Platts," Coach calls. "Good read on the deflection. Killinger, solid pass under pressure."
