“HECK, YES!” Marcus cheers and is literally lifting him up like he doesn’t weigh 230 lbs. “Good for you, Liam! We gonna find you some cock tonight!”
“YEAH!!” We all agree and cheer him on which makes him actually laugh.
“Fuck man put me down,” he chuckles. “I’m afraid of heights.”
“You’re five inches off the ground,” Garrett teases as Marcus lowers Liam down. “Good for you man. I’m proud of you.”
“Really?” Liam asks and sighs. “Fuck. I’ve been keeping that in for weeks. Feels good to be free of that burden.”
“How did you even know?” Wolfgang inquires.
I’m intrigued as to why he asks, but I don’t comment or give him attention, so he doesn’t feel intimidated.
“That I was gay and wanted to explore?” Liam asks. “Honestly, at first, you kind of feel like you’re losing your damn mind.”
Felix laughs. “Yeah, that’s a good way of explaining it,” he agrees. “I went to therapy, thinking I was losing it. You feel all these different emotions. Start feeling attracted to the same sex or noticing the little thing, you know? The physical turn-on. The emotional distress and nerves. Wondering if you’re mentally ill because you still want to be with girls but now you also want to experience what it’s like to be with guys. It’s a mind fuck honestly, but once you brave the storm and gather the confidence to fight for what you want, all that’s left is pulling the trigger.”
“What he said,” Liam declares. “Man. Seriously, thanks guys for not judging me and shit. I was scared you guys would kick me out.”
“Kick you out?” Ace questions and huffs. “Bro, we ain’t your strict Russian parents man.”
“Right,” Garrett comments. “We accepted Felix with open arms the moment he told us on day one. Why did you think we wouldn’t do the same with you?”
“I-I don’t know,” he admits shyly. “Since I don’t talk much with you guys or in the chat, I just assumed you guys would be mad.”
“We’re a team, Liam,” I remind him and sit on the bench. “We got your back just as you got ours. Doesn’t matter if you don’t join our stupid antics in the group chat.”
“They aren’t stupid,” Wolfgang comments as he heads to the showers. “But what Captain said.”
“I don’t talk much, either, and you don’t see any of the others worrying about it,” Damien acknowledges. “As long as we’re here to support one another and reach our goals to keep doing what we did tonight, you can rest easy that no one will be kicked out over their sexual orientation. I made sure that was in the contract.”
“Wait, you did?” I question for the rest of the team because none of us expected that.
“Yup,” Damien announces. “Made sure to add in that no matter a player’s sexual orientation or their relationship outside of the rink, whether be straight, gay, or even poly, it can’t be used against them nor take away their signed position on the team.” He specifically looks my way, and his dark eyes cloud over with devious mischief.
“So none of you guys need to worry. Off the rink, we can do what we want, and we’re protected.”
“Damn,” Ace whispers on behalf of the rest of us. “Damien, you should have become a damn lawyer.”
“That was my third choice,” Damien says with a wink. “I have to make sure I know my shit. Never know when you have to counter-sue anyone who wants to ruin your entire life with lies and bullshit because of their fragile masculinity.”
“Isn’t that the truth of this generation,” I huff.
“So, you think Jayce will ever come out?” Clayton brings up.
“Nah,” Ethan shakes his head at the mere mention. “With his Winchester Empire father who controls his whole fucking life, I doubt it.”
“I’m still trying to get over the fact you think he’s gay,” Knox mutters. “Who would he be crushing on?”
The way Ace, Damien, and Felix look my way doesn’t go unnoticed.
“Maddox?” Marcus just has to yell it out. “No way. Yo, O’Riley, do you have a thing for Jayce?”
I don’t answer immediately, but not because I don’t know how to answer, but more so, I want to be truthful.
“I did,” I finally reply which leaves my team in a moment of silence. “But I realized he’d never express those feelings in return. The idea disgusted him, which made me question myself and my beliefs in general. In the end, I fell for Mkaykay, and just forgot about it.” It feels odd being so open with them now, but at the same time, I also feel like I have nothing to lose or hide.
We’re a team, and everyone is being open, so why not?