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Chapter Text

Gavin Reed sat on the bench in the locker room and stared at his goalie mask, discarded at his feet. Fourth loss in a row, and he was not happy. He’d spent too long with an AHL-NHL contract without having moved up. He was ready to be called up to the next league; that wasn’t going to happen if this season continued on a losing streak. They were 1-4, and Reed was going to lose his fucking mind.

Never mind that next week was home games against the fucking Chicago Bobcats, and he’d have to see fucking Nines again. That damned goalie was a machine, perfectly poised every time. His team was 5-0. He’d already had a shutout this season. Reed wasn’t fucking going anywhere, but that damned Richard “Nines” Stern…

Reed snatched his stick from the bench next to him and sprang to his feet, hauling the stick upward and motioning like he was going to smash it against the bench. Remembering how much the fucking thing cost and his coach’s warning not to destroy another one, he grit his teeth instead and tossed the thing on top of his bag. He needed an outlet tonight; being cooped up in the hotel was not going to work for him. He felt ready to fight someone.

“Waiting on you.” A voice came from the doorway of the locker room. Leo Manfred – one of the people Reed could tolerate and who tolerated him.

“I’ll be right there, hold the fuck up.”

Leo snorted. “What’s got your panties in a twist?”

“Oh I dunno, maybe just a four game losing streak?” Reed rolled his eyes and zippered his bag. “Wanna get a drink?”

“Or five. I’d like to forget the last week if we could.” Leo had his bag slung over his shoulder, hair slicked back with sweat from playing. “Definitely need a shower first.”

Reed nodded. He was no better off, shirt stuck to his back from the sweat. He was sure he stank something awful. Grabbing his helmet in one hand and tugging the rolling bag along with the rest of his goalie gear behind him, Reed followed Leo out to the bus. The last two on, and the others were quiet.

The silence of defeat.

Reed almost wished their Captain, Jefferey Fowler, would yell at them. Instead, Fowler sat with his head pressed into the seat in front of him, not looking at anyone. Annoyance, or maybe disappointment, rolled off of him as Reed passed by. 

He went all the way to the back and dropped his stuff in a seat before collapsing himself. The ride back to their hotel was short but uncomfortable. No one was in a good mood right now, and it was felt.

Chapter Text

Richard Stern, better known to his team as Nines due to his jersey number 09, watched the Detroit Devils lose their fourth game in a row. They were starting the season rough, and a petty part of Nines was happy about it. His rivalry with Gavin Reed was strong after the years of competing with each other. And they were about to face each other again.

The Devils were going to be either wrung out or furious for a win. Nines hoped for furious. He had his eyes on moving up to the NHL, and he needed the practice and to stack his stats a bit more. Plus, he loved to see the anger in Reed post-games when Nines did a stellar job. He liked to make the man squirm.

Nines sank back on his couch and shut the tv off. He should get some sleep for tomorrow’s weight training and cardio session. 

Instead, he stayed on the couch scrolling his phone longer than he should have, thoughts taken up by the coming game and Reed. Nines had been slowly admitting to himself that Reed took up entirely too much of his thoughts lately, but it was still something he could shove down for now. Whatever his mind decided to do while he slept was out of his control though.

The next day, Nines used his cardio session to drive those thoughts into the ground. He focused on himself, on progress. Nines would be drafted next season or it would be the end of his career.

“Rich. Are you coming with us?” Connor, his brother, hung on the door frame and peered into the workout room where Nines was. 

Nines looked up from the weights he was racking with a frown. “What?”

“We’re heading out, getting food.”

“Who’s we?” Nines wasn’t sure he was feeling in the mood to be around a lot of the guys just now. They were a lot to deal with sometimes.

“Markus, North, and Luther so far. Shaolin and Rupert are a maybe.” Connor stepped further into the room and gave Nines the damned puppy-eyes he was so good at. They might have worked on other people, but Nines had grown up with his older brother, and he was an expert at ignoring the man.

Wiping sweat from his forehead. Connor somehow widened his eyes as he held up his hands in a begging prayer fashion. Nines shrugged, “Fine. Let me shower real quick.” Okay, maybe not an expert exactly.

The training facility had showers, ice baths, even a fucking sauna. They were lucky to share it with the more professional league above them. The Bobcats often used the resources, so long as they weren’t in the way of the NHL team. 

Nines showered, dressed, and found Connor texting in the hallway, waiting for him. “Ready?”

Looking up with a smile, Connor nodded, and they headed out. 

The tavern they went to was their normal haunt, just a small, local joint that likely stayed open thanks to the Bobcats’ patronage. The five of them smashed up against the bar and Nines found himself between North and Connor. 

“Bet you’re excited to see that asshole again,” North smirked at Nines, mischief in her eyes.

Nines frowned, but he knew exactly who she was talking about. They all did. It was rare for goalies to have a rivalry like this one, but Nines and Reed’s was well known. “One of these days, I’m crossing the ice to get my fight in.”

“Last year to do it.” North took a swig of her beer and shrugged. “You’re moving up next year.”

“Who says?” Nines snorted out a disbelieving breath. He picked at the salad in front of him.

“Oh shut the fuck up, Nines. You know you’re being watched. You’re the best goalie in the damned league.”

Nines couldn’t help the smirk in the corner of his lips. She wasn’t wrong. His numbers were proof enough of that, and he had this year to really pad that out. Of course, Gavin Reed was right behind him. “I can still fight in the higher leagues.”

“There’ve been what? Three goalie fights in the last twelve years?” North shook her head. “This isn’t the 1900’s, Nines.”

“Maybe it’s time for a revival.” Nines laughed, chugging down a good portion of his own beer.

“Focus on blocking shots, Richard,” Luther interjected, peering over North’s head. “We’re supposed to have a shot at the Calder Cup this year.” 

“I know what I’m doing.” Nines twirled his beer on the counter, trying not to think about a fist fight with Reed.

Luther reached around and clapped his shoulder. “I know you do, big guy. But uh, leave the fighting to me, maybe?”

“Ha!” Nines nudged North’s shoulder. “Nah, I leave it to her.”

“Fair enough. She’d take us all on if she could,” Luther said.

As North shot a fist out at Luther’s shoulder then Nines’s, they all laughed together, and some of Nines’s stress started to melt away. They stayed in the bar for a few hours, and eventually the others trickled in. Connor swindled them at pool, and Markus won at darts too many times to count. By the time they were headed out, Nines’s head was full of cotton and his steps staggered.

He felt warm. And ready for bed.

Chapter Text

Reed pulled the helmet down over his face and grabbed his stick. It felt heavy in his hand tonight, and he knew it had everything to do with nerves. He led the Detroit Devils down the tunnel and toward the ice, his nervousness settling deep in his gut. This was not the right mindset to take to the ice with. 

Standing near the doors to go out, he shook his hands and took a slow, deep breath. A hand came down on his shoulder. Captain Fowler was right behind him and gripped his shoulder hard.

“We’ve got this, Reed. Just focus on the puck; get yourself in the way.” Fowler gave him a quick shake, then motioned for him to go. 

The announcer started the call and music for the Devils, and Reed hopped over the slight raise and onto the ice. As soon as his blades hit, a wave of calm washed over him. He knew his place here. Reed skated a large circle from half-ice to his net and tossed his water bottle on the top of the goal. 

Then he set about cutting up the crease. He had a pattern he preferred, a pass from right to left at the back of the crease, then left to right across the front, and a couple cuts at each top corner and back corner. He focused there as the Bobcats were called out, not trusting himself to not look up and seek out Nines across the rink.

  Once he was happy, Reed took his stance at the top of the crease, lowering his center of gravity, and finally looked up. Between the starting lines of skaters, he saw him. Richard “Nines” Stern, standing up straight in the middle of his crease, glove on the top of his stick and staring directly at Gavin. They couldn’t lock eyes, not this far apart, but he could tell Nines was looking at him specifically. Reed tipped his head up in greeting, fighting down the nervousness that tried to worm its way back in him. Nines returned the gesture.

Tina Chen and Leo Manfred skated over to where Reed was. They were his starting defense line and also two of Reed’s actual friends. 

“You doing okay there, Reed?” Leo asked.

“What about you?” Reed raised an eyebrow and gestured toward Markus Manfred, Leo’s half-brother on the other team. 

Leo scoffed. “Just fucking fine. Can’t wait to deny him a bunch of goals.”

“Damn straight. We got this,” Tina chuckled. 

“Right. Shut ‘em down tonight, boys.” Reed motioned for the two to head to center ice as the game was about to get started. While they skated off, Reed gave one last look at Nines and found the man going into his own crouch, attention now on the center circle where the first puck drop would happen.

Game on.

The first period of the game went pretty evenly; both teams had significant time in the other’s zone. Reed and Nines found themselves getting in a good workout of stopping pucks and interrupting plays. Keeping his weight forward, glove and blocker up, Reed was really working out his thighs today. He kept on the balls of his feet, sliding across as passes flew from one side of the net to the other, popping up in time to snatch a puck from the air or knock it away to his team with the blocker. Constant movement. Reed hadn’t been on his knees this much for a game in quite some time, and he watched Nines doing much of the same. 

And that was a bit of a problem. Reed watched Nines a lot during the game, and sometimes when he really shouldn’t be. As their top scorer, North, came skating down at him, Reed had been caught up watching how Nines had stolen and passed the puck from his crease to her. He watched as the man skated beyond the top of his crease and stood up tall, like some statuesque thing overseeing everyone else. Infuriating, the amount of confidence, the gall of playing outside his position.

And Reed was so caught up on that that when Connor Stern swooped in, taking a pass from North, he was off balance. Reed watched him wind up for a slapshot and knew this one was going to hurt, but he had to stop it. He dropped down into an awkward half-butterfly, one of his off-balance skates catching weirdly on the ice, as Connor swung through his shot, and he tried to track the puck into his glove. 

Connor had tipped it upward, though. It wouldn’t hit center mass as he’d hoped, and Reed stretched his hand out to catch it in the corner. He was too slow. The puck slipped by his glove and Connor’s shot hit the bar and ducked down into the net. A bardown was hard to stop.

The horns went off, red lights rotating, signaling a goal. 

Reed had fucked up.

Feeling heat over his cheeks and the tips of his ears, Reed cursed at himself. He turned away from his defensemen and took a swig of the water from the top of his net. Forty seconds left in the first, and he’d let in the first goal of the game. Fuck. They were going to lose again. He wanted to turn and scream at his team, to ask how Connor even got into the position of being able to take such a big shot. But he couldn’t form words beyond cursing.

Andronikov and Allen, the current two defensemen on the ice, heard the words spilling from him and quickly skated back toward center, forgoing any apologies or encouragement. The teams set up, and they fucked around with the puck until the clock called an end to the first period. 

Reed skated hard for the lockers, coming close enough to Nines to be able to speak before they left the ice. “The fuck was that, coming nearly to half-ice, you dipshit?” Reed chirped at him.

Nines pulled his helmet off and grinned. “Didn’t like that? It was a good play, and it paid off.” The man’s hair was perfect, swept back with a touch. He didn’t look bad, even sweating.

“You’re a goalie, not a forward. Act like one.” Reed gripped the stick in his hand tighter, feeling the leather of his blocker creak under his hand.

With a laugh, Nines skated a little closer. Their teammates were hesitating at the gates, and one of the linesmen hung back to make sure nothing was about to happen between them. 

“Aren’t goalies supposed to stop shots, Reed? Take your own advice.”

“Oh fuck you, asshole.”

“You wish.” Nines waved his helmet at Reed, then headed for the gates to his locker room.

Firing off a few more curses, Reed finally skated for his team’s side. He was fuming, and everyone just stayed out of his way. Reed barely paid attention to the pep talk they were getting from Fowler in the locker room. He was more focused on what Nines had said, the bastard. 

Aren’t goalies supposed to stop shots…

The words circled in his head, and Reed felt like this season was being pissed away. He didn’t know what it was about these last few games, but the closer he got to needing to be moved up, the worse he seemed to be doing. Performance issues… or something in the back of his mind telling him he wasn’t meant to move up; he’d found his place here, and he’d never go any higher than this. 

The second period was aggressive on both sides, but it was the Bobcats who couldn’t keep up with the fighting. Some of their players went down, some of the Devils were tossed in the bin, but the scorers were stepping up. Anderson, Fowler, and Kamski made play after play against Nines, and it was paying off. Three goals in, and barely half the period had passed.

Reed was excited, and confused. It was like something in Nines snapped after the first goal was scored. His movements got jerky after that, questioning. Reed watched him carefully, seeing the tracking as he turned his head with the puck, but missed the set up of Kamski to one side or Anderson coming right up the middle at him. Nines went to his knees when he should have pressed to the post. He dove left and created a large opening to the right of the net. 

Frowning, Reed watched as the fourth goal was scored. He glanced at the Bobcat’s bench. Their coach didn’t look happy, and even some of the players were antsy, banging sticks on the boards to try and rally their goalie. Something was up, Reed thought, but it was to his advantage so he needed not to think about it too much. 

This time, as they skated away at the end of the second period, Reed didn’t chirp at Nines. There was nothing to say; they’d gotten the score to 1-6, and Nines knew as well as anyone, better than, that he was at fault here.

When Reed came back out for the third period, it wasn’t Nines in goal any longer. Their second goalie, Ralph Vladimery, was carving up the ice as Reed did his own dance. Interesting. 

Reed managed to keep his mind in the game, and the Devils finally took another win, but afterwards, he couldn’t stop thinking about Nines and what went wrong. He’d been so confident at the end of the first period… It wasn’t Reed’s business no matter how curious he was.

Chapter Text

“Great job out there, Con!” Markus clapped Connor on the back, glancing over Nines like he wasn’t standing next to his brother.

As their other teammates came in, they clapped North and Connor on the backs as well, congratulating the goal they made together. Someone, Nines wasn’t sure who as it happened too fast, gave his helmet a pat in passing as well. And it all grated on his nerves. Sure, the forwards had gotten a goal in, but Nines was the reason the score was still 1-0. He’d kept the Devils’ goals out.

“Yeah good job golden boy,” Nines growled as he thumped down onto the bench at his spot. He pulled his catcher and blocker off, flexing his hands and getting some air on them. He’d been thinking about getting gloves to wear beneath to keep the sweat from making his hand slip in the soft leather of the hockey glove and blocker.

Connor sat next to him and elbowed him. “What’s the matter with you, Rich?”

“Nothing. I’m doing fucking great out there.”

“You are!” Connor said in a bright tone. 

It wasn’t mocking, not really, but Nines was already feeling some sort of way about things and it rubbed over his nerves like sandpaper. “Fuck off.” 

He grabbed a cloth to wipe down the plastic dangler, condensation from his heavy breathing fogging it over. It didn’t really affect his sight, but it still bothered him none-the-less. And it gave him something to do with his hands.

“Alright, for real, what’s your problem?”

“You’re my problem! Go pal around with your friends and let me focus,” Nines snapped.

“Boys,” Markus interrupted in a drawn out almost sing-song tone. “We’re having a great run at the Devils; let’s not turn on each other and lose it here.”

Nines rolled his eyes and went back to equipment checking. Markus took that as good enough and started in with a pep-talk. North interrupted with a few cheers to really get them all going. And still, Nines kept to himself. 

Back on the ice for the next period, Nines sunk into position and watched the players skate around. He should have been watching the puck more closely, but his attention kept straying to his teammates. Annoyance built in his head, distracting him.

Nines needed to do better. The argument with Connor between periods was what really set it all off. An off-hand comment turned to something more. Because that’s how they were, the brothers, argumentative and competitive. Nines didn’t want to admit how much of that was his own fault; second-born and infinitely jealous. 

Connor was just so affable. Everyone liked him no matter where he went, and he’d moved teams a few times as he found his groove. Nines on the other hand had difficulty fitting in with anyone, even this team with which he’d spent the last couple years.

Reed’s words hadn’t helped much, telling him he wasn’t a forward. Nines knew that, and he didn’t want to be a forward, didn’t want to be what his brother was. Nines was his own person, and he was good at goal. Not that this second period proved that.

When Nines was pulled, he was tempted to stay in the locker room, to feign being sick. But he owed his team better. That’s what good teammates did, right? So he sat on the bench and cheered Rupert on. Vladimery didn’t let a single other shot in, but neither did Reed. 

The Bobcats lost, 1-6. It was a bad game, and it was Nines’s fault.

At the next pre-game practice, Nines kept his head down. He wasn’t sure he’d be put in to start like was originally planned. He wanted another shot, but he wouldn’t blame anyone if they decided to keep Vladimery in goal for now. They didn’t want another round of last night’s mess. 

But Nines proved himself in the net at practice. He kept his thoughts from Connor, and focused on what was important. He would need to correct those points lost yesterday if he wanted to keep his save average high for the next season’s draft. There were retirements happening in the NHL this year, and a few of them were goalies. New blood was needed for the higher league, and Nines was determined to be one of them. 

Glancing across the ice as their minutes dwindled down, Nines caught Reed looking his way. They both stood still, locked in some sort of assessing stare down. It was Reed who broke first, giving an uplifted head nod to Nines. He returned the gesture and sank back down into position, tapping his stick to the goal post to assure he was situated correctly. 

Reed was gunning for the same thing Nines was, and that definitely built some of the fire between them. As Nines caught a puck, knocked another away, and reset himself for the team’s next game, he wondered how well Reed got along with people. There was a sort of stereotype about how odd goalies were, and maybe this struggle with personal connections wasn’t something that just Nines had trouble with.

The Bobcats created a half-circle around the net, and Nines locked in. The last part of practice was always the roughest, and this would be where he would prove he was capable of being on the starting ice. Nines sank down and angled his glove hand high, ready.

The scoreboard read 3-3 as the buzzer for end of period three went off. A tie meant they were going into overtime: two seven-minute periods with only three skaters per team until one team got a goal. And if that didn’t happen, a shootout. Nines hadn’t been in a shootout in over a year, and he really hoped they wouldn’t have one today. While he was confident enough, he didn’t like that sort of risk.

Three on three was rough for the players. There was a lot more movement, and they tired much faster. Nines felt tired just watching them. But he felt like he himself was getting off easy. The Bobcats were better at keeping control with fewer people on the ice than the Devils were. It was their precision. While the Bobcats attempted more puck handling and passing, the Devils weren’t afraid to play dirty, unthinking of how it might hurt their own players in the process. Foolhardy, Nines would describe it. And the Bobcats were able to dance around them, keeping the puck down toward Reed.

That man was working his ass off as North, Connor, and Markus drilled play after play and shot after shot at him. Each round of fresh players only kept the puck further in their end, and Reed was up and down like a man praying in a Catholic church. Nines was honestly impressed. 

But he did a damn good job, and so the first overtime passed without a goal. As they went into the second overtime round, Nines was ready for it all to be over. He wanted to go home, get some food, and relax. His mind was too full of bullshit, and this game was not helping it.

The rest of the Bobcats were slowing down, too. Nines saw more action this time, and he fought through the haze building in his head to help his team. He would not let them down again, not like yesterday. He was better than that. 

When the buzzer went off again and still neither had scored, Nines felt his chest tighten. Shootout.

It was a good chance to show off his skills, but he knew the Devils had some good forwards to contend with. He especially didn’t want to go up against Kamski, who had a penchant for being tricky. But of course, that’s who they put him up against first. 

Nines had enough time to get water, stretch out some kinks, then he was put in the goal and pitted against Kamski. He watched his skates more than the stick. He was looking for a sign of a quick shift in direction. And he saw it. A sudden push off one foot at the last second, and Nines dove, stretching his glove along the bottom of the goal, kicking a foot up, and trying to put his blocker over as much of the corner of the goal as he could. 

The puck hit his blocker, bounced down, and Nines closed his glove over it on the ice. Kamski had failed. 

Now it was one of the Bobcat’s turns to try against Reed. They pulled North from the bench, and Nines smiled. She didn’t have tricks like Kamski; she had strength. She was no nonsense and hit the puck hard. 

Having a break and needing relief from the heavy pads, Nines lounged back against his goal with his elbows on the top bar. The goal held the weight of the gear, and he watched as North set up. Reed looked ready, slight movement on his skates, hand poised to catch the puck. While part of Nines wanted Reed to miss so the game would be over, another part of him felt bad and didn’t want to see the other goalie fail. 

What he wanted didn’t matter. North skated in fast and slapped the puck into a corner, Reed unable to stop it in time. The buzzer rang out, the lights flashed, and the game was over. Bobcats won.

Nines’s team spilled from the bench, and they all swarmed North, congratulating her with hugs and cheers. Then they turned to Nines and yanked him down for congratulations as well. He’d stopped some good shots. He’d stopped Kamski. They each dragged him for head-butts and victory pats; he had done well.

They pulled apart to shake hands with the Devils, and tried to make quick work of it considering how temperamental the others seemed. Nines was at the end of the line as Reed was at the end of his, and as they came up to each other, the tension burst. 

“Not so hot with the one-on-one, huh Reed?”

“Says the guy who couldn't keep a puck out to save his life yesterday.” Reed sneered. “Quite a gangbang, Nines.”

“Come closer, Reed. I'll kick your ass.” Nines grinned back, knowing they wouldn't fight now. The teams would hold them back. But he knew he could get Reed fired up anyway, and it was too amusing to watch.

Nines did not think Reed would react like he did; the man shoved through his teammates, trying to launch himself at Nines. His face was red, teeth bared. He was looking for a fight. The teams didn't allow it, though. Reed’s people grabbed him, and Nines’s team stepped in between, North putting a hand on Nines’s shoulder. 

“Forget him. We won, and we'll kick their asses next time, too,” North said with a chuckle. 

Nines let himself be pulled away, glancing back to see Reed being pushed down the hall by his Captain. Reed's temper was…interesting.

Chapter Text

Travelling for games often took a lot of energy, on and off the ice. Reed hated the buses, much preferring the weekends in one city where they could fly in. But the Devils had a couple weeks of away games they were making a bus circuit on, and Reed was feeling restless. He would turn his music up and stare out of the bus window at the long stretch of highway, at rest stops they passed, at trees, and grass, and…nothing. 

He lost his thoughts to his last game, how well he did. And then strayed to thoughts of Nines. How he’d botched the first game, and then won the shoot-out. Reed wondered what had made the game turn around so quickly, wondered if Nines got lost in his own head as much as Reed did. He wondered what Nines’s team told him when those things happened. Reed’s team was supportive, tried to bulk him back up to do better the next time.

Even now as he sat in his own head while they rode to a new state, Leo and Tina kept bothering him, talking about defensive strategies and recapping plays that didn’t go well for them. Or Hank would wander back and sit with him, making Reed listen to some new song. 

“For your pre-game playlist. Gets the heart rate up,” Hank said about a new black metal song.

Reed rolled his eyes, but he added it to his playlist anyway.

Every time they got to the next city on their circuit, Reed was on the ice as soon as he was allowed. He got to stretch his legs, envision the upcoming game, and think about what it would be like to move up a level. Sure, the AHL paid well and he was comfortable here to an extent, but he’d get an increase if he moved up, and that was definitely a factor in his goals. Reed didn’t like the idea of stagnation, in his position, his game-play, or his life. And he was really starting to feel like he was stagnating in all of those things.

So, Reed skated. He worked on his stances, his glove positions, his puck tracking. He was the first on the ice and the last one off every practice. The team noticed, but not many were brave enough to check on him when he was this focused. Chen and Manfred though, they loved to bother him. And Reed honestly loved them for it. He would miss them when–if–he was traded.

As Reed sank down into place in front of the goal, Tina and Leo skated over with a couple of pucks. They both shot at him at the same time, smirks on their faces as they did. Reed sprawled to knock one away and catch the other, not sure if he’d actually done it. He opened his glove and looked in, seeing the puck sitting squarely in the fold. 

“Ha, assholes, got ‘um both.” Reed straightened upright and threw the puck back at them. 

“So.” Tina pushed a puck around, too stiff to look like she was going to actually hit it. Reed sensed danger here, some on-coming conversation that he wouldn’t enjoy. “Things are starting to pick up.”

They’d won a couple of their home games since the win-loss weekend with the Bobcats. It was definitely better than their four-game losing streak, but Reed wasn’t satisfied with it. He needed his team to do better. He needed to do better. “Barely,” he scoffed.

“You uh, really have something against that goalie, Stern?” Leo leaned his chin on his stick, grinning like he had more to say.

“He goes by Nines.” Reed crouched and gestured at them to hit the pucks again. They both lined up and between shots, they talked. Bantered may be more accurate.

“Nicknames already, huh?” Leo laughed.

Reed rolled his eyes. “It’s his sweater number, dipshit.”

Skating over to collect some of the pucks knocked to the side, Tina grinned at him. “Want us to call you thirty-eight then?” Tina chirped, poking at the 38 on Reed’s back with the tip of her stick.

He swatted her stick away and knocked the puck to the boards. “Get your puck and shoot some shots. You’re both talking too much.”

“Now you’ve done it, Chen. You made Reed cranky.” Leo said, and both he and Tina laughed. 

“Reed’s always cranky. It’s part of his charm.”

They kept it up for a while, and it took Fowler and Hank telling them to leave the ice three times before Reed finally caved and headed for the locker rooms.

“We going out tonight?” Tina asked.

Reed felt himself tense at the thought immediately and knew tonight wasn’t a good night for socializing. “Uh, I think I’ll pass this time. I just wanna go pass out.”

“I’ll go with you,” Leo said to Tina. 

Reed caught his eye and gave a slight head nod, a sign of good luck. The two had been dancing around each other for a while now, and maybe Leo had finally gathered enough courage to ask her out. Reed not being there might help. 

As the team spilled out of the building, Reed jogged off to the Uber he’d called and headed to the hotel they were staying at. While he wasn’t actually planning on sleeping, he did want to crawl into some comfortable clothes and have some time to himself. 

Showered, changed, and lounging on the shitty hotel couch with some Indian take-out, Reed scrolled through his phone. He had a few messages from Tina already, which he just emoji-reacted to, but not much else. Hearts for her announcing she was dating Leo.

So he stretched his legs out and watched YouTube shorts for a while. Switched to TikTok, then over to Instagram. Scrolling, liking hockey videos and other funny shit. Mind-numbing. Boring himself into not thinking about anything at all. Reed sighed at himself and was just about to put the phone down when he came across a post by Nines. Just some shots of his warm-up routines, but there were a lot of likes. The guy had a fair amount of followers, it looked like. 

Reed didn’t mean to, but he found himself watching post after post of Nines’s account. There were a bunch of videos of warm-ups, some mic’d moments, and then stills. Almost all of it was him on the ice. There were a few though, of him just out in the world. With his brother, some of his team, usually doing some activity with them.

And then Reed made the mistake. It was quick enough to click again and take it away, but it still put a panic through him when he liked a post from two years ago. Two years, he’d scrolled. Fuck, he was in trouble if that’s what he was doing with his night. 

He dragged his bottom lip between his teeth, biting down. His thumb hovered over the screen of his phone, and he scrolled all the way back up. He hesitated between backing out and sending a message. Why would he? That would be ridiculous. But a feeling of need pushed him anyway, and Reed opened the DMs. 

Hey, nice content - he erased the message. That was stupid.

gg against hammerheads another shut out huh? Yeah, that would work. He sent it and flipped his phone over, setting it next to him. His heart was thudding, a jackhammer in his chest. That was stupid. Why would he send that? Send anything? Like Nines was actually going to message back with anything other than “fuck off”. 

His phone vibrated. Steeling himself, Reed flipped it back over and found a response already.

Thanks. Saw you had a good home weekend. Ready to face us again?

fuck yeah, Reed fired back.

You don’t post?

Reed frowned, confused for a moment. Then he realized what app he was messaging on. Reed had put up maybe twenty posts on Insta over the last few years, being more of a lurker than anything else.

nah id get in too many fights bout how awesome i am

Ha! Right, a hardship for you, I’m sure.

yeah man, jealousy is real u seen me outta goalie gear? hot as fuuuuck

There was a long pause where Nines didn’t respond and Reed thought he’d made a misstep. He hadn’t realized how much he’d been enjoying the back and forth until the pause. He flipped the phone back over and tried not to overthink. A drink, he could use a drink. 

Practically sprinting from the couch, Reed went for his fridge and grabbed a couple beers. He was fine; even if Nines didn’t respond, it didn’t matter. They weren’t anything but a couple rival goalies both aiming for the same thing. This stupid messaging didn’t mean shit. Fuck him.

Sitting back down and taking a swig, he glanced at his phone and found a message waiting. His heart skipped a beat.

I saw that gym post you snuck in. Pretty hot, for an asshole.

Reed’s breath stuck. He ground his teeth together at this change. His heart hammered again but from excitement now. Nines couldn’t seriously be hitting on him. But then, Reed had started it. And he could keep it going.

u got too many clothes on in ur posts

Wait a second

Reed frowned and tried to wait patiently for whatever was about to follow. When the phone vibrated again, he nearly choked on his beer. Nines had sent him a photo of himself, shirtless in some low slung shorts. The man was goddamned perfection. 

drink some water you dipshit, Reed sent back.

What?

u look dehydrated ur so fuckin cut

Is that the jealousy you were talking about earlier?

fuck you

Fuck me yourself.

Reed stared at the sentence. He stared at the period at the end. Pretty definitive. Pretty straightforward. Well, not exactly straight… 

bet.

Chapter Text

Nines stared at his phone, at the DM he'd just gotten. Gavin Reed. He wasn't sure what Reed could possibly want from him, probably just chirping, but Nines was curious.

Reed texted just the way Nines expected he would - singular letters and half-spelt words. It fit him so well. Nines messaged back, stuck his phone in his pocket, and walked to his kitchen. He was putting dinner together and enjoying a night in. While he'd been all set to not interact with people for the next twelve and some hours, this was an interesting distraction. Unexpected.

As the food sizzled in the skillet, Nines pulled out his phone and scrolled through Reed’s posts. The very few there were. Not a social media guy, apparently. That seemed odd to Nines. He thought the man’s Instagram would be full of shirtless gym photos (there was only one) and hockey content of him bragging. He expected tank tops, bathing suits, vanity.

You don't post? He asked, curious.

Nines shuffled the pan back and forth, flipping the food to heat on the other side. His stomach growled as the smell reached him. Then, curious, he checked his phone again.

nah id get in too many fights bout how awesome i am

Nines could imagine Reed in a fight. Goalies didn't often throw down the gloves, too protected by the rest of the team, but Nines thought that Reed would enjoy fighting. The two of them had nearly fought a couple times, and honestly, he really hoped they'd get a chance this year.

Ha! Right, a hardship for you, I’m sure.

yeah man, jealousy is real u seen me outta goalie gear? hot as fuuuuck

Well. Reed was the one opening this up. If the man was open to flirting, Nines could oblige. Flirting and arguing had a similar tension, plus it wasn't much of a hardship with how good looking Reed was. A short tempered, feisty asshole, but hot nonetheless. Nines really had bad taste. His brother reminded him of this fact frequently.

Nines scanned the photos on Reed’s feed again and zeroed in on one that fit what he was looking for. It was a gym photo that showed off Reed’s body, along with the trailing tattoos on his arms and back. He clicked the little heart even though the post was months old, and then he shot back a text: I saw that gym post you snuck in. Pretty hot, for an asshole. He couldn’t straight up compliment the man, so he threw in the asshole part for good measure. Even if they did start flirting, their tension and arguing was a key point to their whole dynamic.

u got too many clothes on in your posts

Reed clearly took that well. And now he was fishing for something more. Nines couldn’t leave the taunt unanswered. He had to be the one to win whatever the hell this was, so he had an idea to hopefully catch Reed off guard. 

Wait a second

After firing off a response, Nines pulled the food from the stove and turned off the burner before heading back to his bedroom. He could do a quick change and photo before settling down with dinner. He pulled out a pair of his shorts, stripped down, and set the shorts low on his hips. Nines knew he looked good, and he was definitely digging for a compliment with this one. Or some angry comment. Getting Reed fired up was a favorite pastime lately, and now he was getting the chance outside of ice-time. This was exciting.

Turning on one of the good overhead lights, Nines snapped the photo, checked it briefly, then sent it over. For a short moment he wondered if this was a mistake. Reed could use that photo for whatever he wanted now that it was in his possession. He could be upset that Nines was sending something like this at all. Was Reed actually flirting? Sometimes it was hard for Nines to tell; he’d often found himself with an exasperated Connor, North, or Kara who pointed out he’d just missed all the signs of someone flirting with him. What if he was getting it wrong again?

Nines gripped his phone tight as he looked for the response. Of course, Reed chose behind a dick. And Nines fired back. 

A little more back and forth and it was the ‘fuck you’ that got Nines to pause, and to take a leap further along this track of flirting they definitely had going. Steeling himself, Nines typed in his phone and sent the message: Fuck me yourself.

He wasn’t sure what he expected from Reed. The man was unpredictable, and this was pretty new territory for them. What Nines wasn’t expecting was the bet.

Somehow, they spent the next couple of hours chatting back and forth. Nines settled on the couch with his food and phone, and had an NHL game playing in the background but most of his attention was on Reed. They’d moved on from outright flirting to mostly ribbing each other, but it was fun nonetheless.

By the time Nines crawled into bed that night, he was both confused and excited. He had something to look forward to in the coming week facing the Devils again. Maybe even something after the game. 

The texts didn't stop all week. Nines had fallen into a pattern of messaging with Reed, a weird mix of antagonizing each other and flirting. Others noticed. 

As Nines sat on the bench, skates half-laced for a casual, out of gear skate day with the team, he was texting. And North was being nosy, as was usual. 

“You've been distracted,” she said, pulling her own laces tight. “Who's got you grinning at your phone like that?”

“No one,” Nines snapped and tightened his lips to stop smiling. He was currently arguing with Reed about technique. Or rather, they were bashing on one another’s technique. 

The newest text from Reed vibrated his phone. u need a lesson in butterflies? ill show u bendy u tall ass fuck

Reed was always so eloquent.

You know, your phone can autocorrect grammar. And are you purposely allowing the capitalization mistakes, or did you put your settings that way just to annoy me? Nines decided to avoid the possible sexting avenue while having North so close, knowing how quickly their conversations could turn that direction. He hoped being annoying about his texting would steer the conversation to safer waters.

Still, North tried her best to be a menace. She leaned over and when Nines tried to slide down the bench, she followed after. North snatched at his phone and Nines pushed back, getting in a little grappling match with her all of a sudden. 

“North! I will not hold back just because you're a girl!” Nines warned, hoping to fire her up and get her attention from the phone. 

“I'd kick your ass any day, Nines. Bring it!” North wrapped an arm around his neck and jerked him to the side, nearly off the bench. 

She was going to get hold of his phone, he just knew it. Stretching his arm out away from her, he fumbled for the button on the side to lock it. No one knew his lock code, not even Connor. It would be safe that way. North’s hand wrapped around his wrist, pulling his arm back to her. When North did eventually win it, she wasn't able to open it. Nines just smirked at her.

She rolled her eyes, handing it back. “Bet it's Gavin Reed.”

“How-” Nines choked on his surprise and tried to quickly school his features. Too late. “So what if it is?”

“I didn't say anything bad about it. He's hot and a jerk. Just our type.” She flipped her braid over her shoulder and gave him a wink. 

North was right. The two of them did like the same type of guy and would often play wing man for each other, or compete to see who could pick the guy up first. It was fun, but Nines felt an odd protective streak about Reed. A claim on him. The thought of North stepping in between them made him tighten his jaw involuntarily. He wasn’t used to feeling that way and it made him uncomfortable.

“Yeah well.” He didn't know what to say, but he was saved by Markus calling them all to center ice. He hurriedly tied his skates and checked his phone one last time.

im not havin some ai bot tell me what to do

You're so difficult, Reed.

u like it shutup

Nines turned the phone off and joined his team, mind still very much on Reed. The skate-only practice was not one of Nines’s favorites, and his thoughts were easily distracted. As they raced up and down the rink, working cardio and balance, Nines imagined seeing Reed at their upcoming game. 

Any attraction he had was still laced with a competitive burn; he still wanted to punch Reed in the face, that was for sure. As much as Nines prided himself on precise, exact movements, on being exactly where he needed to be at all times, Reed was so much the opposite. In Nines’s mind, it shouldn’t work. He shouldn’t be able to flail about, kick a leg up, or swing an arm out while sliding across his knees and actually stop something. It was too erratic. 

Maybe Nines was just annoyed that he put in a lot of work to be perfect, and seeing Reed and his flamboyant rogueness made it all feel like too much effort for too little payoff. 

Yeah, he wanted to fight that motherfucker.

Chapter Text

Period 2 with just under twelve minutes on the clock. Bobcats had 0 goals, Devils had 0 goals. 

Reed was drenched in sweat and still had a lot of time left to go. The game had been intense, and one of the more physical ones that they’d played this early in the season. Watching his teammates fly down the ice and slam the Bobcats into the boards did make Reed a little jealous. He had a lot of tension he’d like to work out, but no one would come down and intentionally start something with a goalie, not unless they wanted the whole team to go up against them for touching the net minder. 

Sometimes Reed felt cheated not being able to fight for himself, but most of the time he felt…special wasn’t the right word, but Reed wasn’t fully sure what word to put to the feeling. Having people ready to throw down for him, to give him head pats when he did a good job. Normally, all of that was a good feeling in spite of the jealousy.

Whatever. Tonight, he just wanted to throw gloves. 

As the puck dropped at center ice again, his boys got hold of it and brought it back down to Nines. He was looking as worked up and worn down as Reed felt. Still, he didn't let in the goal or rebound as his net was charged. A machine. As Anderson passed the puck across the blue line to Fowler, Nines shifted his weight but kept to the top of the crease, tracking with fast eyes and a slight change in the angle of his glove. He was fascinating to watch. Nines went down on one knee, pushed with the toe of his blade as the puck went behind the net, and he swatted the puck up through the middle of the ice away from his goal. Allen caught the puck before it went too far, slinging it around the boards and back toward the other two forwards.

Reed leaned back against his net, arm slung over the crossbar to hold up some of the weight of his blocker and pads as he watched from down the ice. Anderson made a mistake. As he skated up with the puck, Connor Stern swiped across the front to keep him from shooting a goal, and Anderson tried to dodge around him. Well, he made the quick crossover, keeping control of the puck, but he lost his feet. One skate clipping the other, perhaps, and Anderson flew across the ice and right into Nines in the goal. 

Big. Mistake.

The Bobcats swarmed, yanking Anderson from the goal and away from Nines, and fights broke out among all the players on the ice. Reed watched as excitement thrummed through the crowd, shouts and cheers echoing through the arena. All the players on the ice partnered up. Slowly, Gavin skated forward.

He watched as Nines took to his feet again, shaking off the accidental hit from Anderson. They locked gazes, at least Reed thought so. It was hard to tell from that far away. But when Nines lifted his head up at Reed, he knew. Reed lifted his stick and thwacked it down three times on the ice, calling Nines over. 

Weeks, they’d been arguing and flirting. Weeks they’d sent semi-risque photos to each other. Weeks of tension. And now… A fuck and a fight were very similar, and Reed wanted at least one of those things to happen tonight. It looked like a fight was what he was going to get. Nines navigated his way through the pairs of fist fights toward center ice; the refs were too busy pulling the others apart to notice the ensuing goalie fight. And Reed couldn't be happier about it.

Dropping his stick, flinging his gloves, and setting his helmet safely on the ice behind him, Reed skated into the center circle to meet Nines there. Grinning as they circled around the painted blue circle, Reed gave a soft, starting jab to draw Nines in.

“Come on, you think that’ll work on me?” Nines shot back. He dipped away from the punch, but then kicked forward and grabbed at Reed’s sweater.

As they got pulled closer, Reed grabbed Nines too, and they swung each other around as they both reached up to toss a fist at their faces. Reed felt Nines’s knuckles smash across his jaw and a shiver went down his spine, enjoying the rush of pain. Reed threw a hand back up and connected with Nines’s cheek. 

They couldn’t go to the ground or it would be over, so Reed did his best to keep his feet. It was hard to stay close with the large pads between them, and as their leg pads crashed together, Reed started throwing fists without thought. He was going to get his licks in if he could, but Nines was much taller. And his hits were dropping down on Reed in quick succession, bursts of pain over his face, adrenaline running high. 

Exciting. 

Painful. 

And finally they hit the ice. Not a second after they did, hands were attempting to pull them apart. The refs had realized that the goalies had gone after each other and were determined to break that fight up over the others. It could have ended there, but Nines and Reed didn’t feel like they were done. They both swung fists at each other while they were down, shoving away the refs. That was not what was allowed, and they should have known what would come from it. Continuing a fight when one or both players fell and shoving a ref away… 

They were going to get at least 10 minute penalties. Likely more.

Ejection, the refs determined as they shoved each of them away from each other, escorting them across the ice. They’d be out of this game and possibly have fines to pay depending on the ref’s mood. Reed hoped for a happy ref, but he was still excited about having gotten to fight. And having gotten to fight Nines.

Reed and Nines gathered their pieces of discarded equipment and were taken off the ice with official penalties awaiting announcement.

In the tunnels toward the locker room, Reed hurried to the main hallway. There was a brief moment where he’d be able to see Nines passing to his own locker room and he hoped to beat him to the crossroads. Luck was on his side, and as Nines stepped in the hall where he could see him, Reed called out to him. 

“Hey! Nines!”

Nines stopped, shifting his helmet under his arm as he paused. He didn’t say anything. He just stared and waited for Reed to continue.

“Nice right hook.”

Nines smirked and tapped just under his eye. “Pretty sure you blacked my eye, Reed.”

“Need me to kiss it better?” Reed tried to wink, basically closing both eyes. The gesture was clearly understood though.

With the crook of a finger, Nines beckoned him over. “You think you could reach, little man?”

“Oh fuck you. I’ll take your legs out if I need to.” Reed stood his ground, making a sweeping motion with his stick.

“You really think you could?”

“Took you down to the ice didn’t I?”

Another smirk and then Nines was headed his way. Thankfully, the hallways were empty, the game continuing on without the two. The crowd was loud enough that they echoed like thunder through the tunnels, accenting each step Nines made toward him. Reed stepped forward as well, meeting Nines halfway, a mirror of their time on the ice.

They stood face to face, Reed looking up at the man who was several inches taller than him. Nothing was said for a long time, heartbeats hammering out the seconds, and then Nines slowly bent down. He was so close, and Reed was feeling called out on his flirting. Something was going to happen, and he would have to be the one to complete the action. 

Nines stood crouched, face so close to Reed’s that he could feel his breath on his lips. Then Reed dropped the glove he was carrying and wrapped his hand around the back of Nines’s neck, pulling him the last few centimeters into a kiss.

Chapter Text

The Bobcats decide to go out after the game and have a few drinks. There’d been a lot of fights, they were roughed up, but they’d won. Celebrate and get rid of some pain. Since they were home, they went to their usual dive and took over some of the back booths. Nines always sat on the outside, next to his brother. North sat across from him, also on the outside of the booth and the quickest way out. 

“Finally got your goalie fight, Nines. Feel better?” North asked, raising her beer glass to cheers him. 

Nines lifted his own and they tapped the glasses together. “Yeah.”

“Happy it was with Reed? The little fuck.”

There was a flash of the kiss they shared heading to the locker rooms that ran through his mind at her words. No one else had seen that. North didn’t know. He smiled, looking down at the table, and that was a mistake.

“Oh shit, you actually like him, don’t you?”

“He’s a good goalie. And he hits hard.” Nines didn’t feel the need to elaborate. 

Connor elbowed him from the side. “You gunna actually talk to him?”

“Here’s your chance,” North grinned, wagging her eyebrows at him.

Nines turned in the booth to look at the door. The Devils were walking in, and Reed was leading the way, face already bruising, lip busted. He was boisterous, talking loudly with the others as they came in. His voice carried easily over the crowded bar.

“I’m not mad, Collins. But you gotta get Andronikov figured out. He’s not covering shit, and I’m making saves with one or two of their forwards shielding me.” Reed was at least a head shorter than most of the team behind him, and seemed much smaller without all the goalie gear on. “Be more like Chen and Manny. Those two get it.”

Nines watched as Tina Chen and Leo Manfred both clapped Reed on his shoulders, grinning.

“We’ve always got your back buddy,” said Tina.

“Now buy us some drinks as a thank you,” tacked on Leo. He slung an arm around Tina’s waist before they headed for a table just off to the side with enough seats for most of them, and some empty tables close by. 

Reed rolled his eyes, shoved his hands in his pockets, and strolled his way to the bar. Nines watched him post up, waiting as the bartender ran back and forth in the busy evening traffic. 

“You’re staring,” Connor said, then elbowed him again with enough force to make Nines tip out of the booth. He caught himself as well as he could, and stood up properly, straightening his clothes. Shooting a quick glare at his brother, Nines brushed his shirt down one last time then headed over to the bar as well.

He leaned his forearms on the counter, looking straight ahead and not directly at Reed. Still, from the corner of his eye, he watched. Reed shifted, glanced at him, and chuckled before turning his face down at the bar.

“Reed,” Nines offered. “Good game.”

“Uh huh. The game, that’s what you’re thinking about?”

Nines fought down the rushing feeling of his heart picking up speed, willing away the flush he hoped wasn’t actually building in his cheeks. “And the fight. You have a good right hook.”

“Hmm.” Reed cleared his throat and twisted where he stood, leaning his elbow on the counter and cutting away some of the space between them. “I was thinking about something else. Wondering if that’s where we’re leaving everything.” He hooked a thumb at the row of bottles on the wall. “If you need a few drinks to think about it, I’ve got time.”

Finally, Nines turned to him, more fully taking in his face. “How about I buy you a ‘no hard feelings’ beer and we see where things go.”

“I have to deliver some drinks first.” Reed licked his lips, eyes tracking Nines’s movements. “You got a table to yourself, or am I crashing your little team bonding session?”

“I’ll stay right here.” Nines pulled out a stool and sat, not bothering with checking to see if his team was waiting or watching him. He knew they were watching him.

He watched as Reed snagged the drinks and dumped them on his team’s table with a quick grunt. He received a punch in the arm from Tina as he sloshed her and Leo’s drinks in front of them. As he quickly turned away from them, Reed hurried back to Nines, some comments following him that Nines couldn't hear. He wondered what his team thought of the two of them doing this; Reed didn't seem to care. 

Nines held up a hand and flagged down the bartender again, ordering two beers, before settling his attention on Reed. “So, tell me, Reed. Where did you think we were leaving things?” 

Reed grinned, lip pulling up to reveal his canines in a manner that read wolfish. “I’d like to leave some things on your bedroom floor.”

It was awful, but Nines found himself chuckling. He shook his head and took a long pull from his beer, eyes never leaving Reed’s. “That so?” he asked, licking his lips. “And you think I’m going to invite you home?”

“Yes.” Reed sounded so confident. He took a swig of his own drink, and he didn’t look like he was ready to get up and walk out though. Instead, he shifted on the seat and leaned closer. “We’ll flirt over these beers, I’ll drag you around back so you can let me have a smoke. That’ll have far too many connotations for your pretty little head, then you’ll take me home with you.”

Nines raised his eyebrow at this, wondering at this man’s audacity. “You’re very confident about that.”

“You started that kiss in the hallway.”

Reed, the fucker, had a point. Nines had been the one to lean down, tempting him. He’d made Reed finish the movement, but it had been started by him. “And you finished it.”

“Finish that drink. I’m ready for a smoke.” Reed downed the last of his beer and patted his jacket pocket, likely for his cigarettes.

Nines wasn’t big on the smoking, but he’d make an exception for this man. Maybe make him brush his teeth before they kissed again. He tipped his glass up, drinking it slowly but steadily. He could feel Reed’s eyes on him, tracking that slow movement of his throat as he swallowed. Nines knew exactly what he was doing, and it seemed to be working. Reed shifted on the seat and hissed a frustrated breath at him. 

When the beer was empty, Nines put the glass down and stood up. He brushed his hands down his clothes, taking his time with each movement. Reed proved to be just as impatient as he imagined him. 

Reed grabbed his arm and yanked him toward the backdoor of the bar. Out to the alleyway. “You’re annoying.”

Nines snorted. “You’re obnoxious.”

“But also hot.”

“Hardly.” Nines and Reed both knew he was teasing.   

The way Reed slipped the cigarette between his teeth, a grin in the corner of his lips, let Nines know he wasn’t taking that seriously. He locked eyes with Nines as he lit the thing, inhaling slowly and letting a plume of smoke trail over his shoulder and away from them both. “Does your team know?”

“Know what?” Nines leaned his shoulder on the wall, watching the other man carefully. 

“That I’m going to fuck you.”

Nines chuckled. “Who says that’s what’s happening?”

Reed took another inhale, putting time between the response. He drew his tongue over his teeth and winked at him. “I say.”

Nines had pictured them fucking a few times, and considering how most of his other hookups had gone, he’d always assumed Reed was a bottom. Everyone always wanted Nines to top considering his height, and he got tired of never getting to be fucked. Reed though didn’t seem to have that notion. Now the images in his head were quite different, and an excited thrum ran through Nines. 

He pushed off the wall and stalked over to Reed, grabbing his jacket and pushing him against the wall. Reed’s hand with the cigarette fell away, but the free hand grabbed back at Nines. He shoved Nines back, flipped him around, and pinned him to the wall.

“Ah ah, knock it off.” Reed yanked so that Nines slouched enough for him to lean up and kiss him. “You’re taking me home, but I’m in charge here.”

Nines smiled against his lips and kissed back, cutting off his words. Reed was shorter, but there was a lot of strength in his arms. The pressure holding him to the wall was not insignificant, and Nines’s head swam with possibilities. “As you say.”

“Good. Let’s go.”

Nines opened the door to his apartment, and Reed pushed him inside. He managed to kick the door shut behind them just before he was tumbled against the wall in the little entry hallway. Reed’s hands were yanking at his jacket, shedding it from his shoulders. The two were all teeth and hands, using the wall to help keep them upright. Nines did his best to direct them toward the bedroom at the back of the apartment, but they stumbled over the clothes Reed was pulling off of them.

As Reed’s shirt came off, Nines gawked. He’d seen hints of the tattoos the man had, but he hadn’t realized just how covered in ink the man was. Across his chest and arms. He was a canvas of color and designs. Nines liked it.

 As they stumbled into the bedroom, Nines’s bottom lip between Reed’s teeth, they were both nearly naked. Nines groaned at Reed’s hunger, at the way the man was already devouring him and they’d barely begun.

They each scrambled back across the bed, but Reed took top. He pushed Nines against the pillows stacked at the headboard and sank his teeth into his neck, down his collarbone, over his chest. His lips kissed along Nines’s abs. Lower. 

Nines sank his hands into Reed’s hair, twisting and petting him. Head tossed back when Reed’s warm, wet mouth wrapped around his cock. Back arched. Reed groaning around him, swallowing him down. 

Reed gripped at Nines’s thighs as he blew him. Nines felt his balls tighten, and he had to take a deep, settling breath. Everything was so fast. Hard and gripping. Like the fight. 

When he got too close, Nines yanked Reed up by his hair, panting. “I wanna cum with you fucking me, not in your mouth.”

Reed grinned, wiping the back of his hand over his mouth. “Yessir.”

Shit. That worked.

As Reed grabbed his leg and adjusted him, Nines moved easily under his guidance. He reached to the bed side table and grabbed the lube, pressing it into Reed’s hand. 

Slick, cold fingers at his ass sent a shiver up his spine, and Nines tossed his head back when Reed pressed his cock there next. A slow, steady push. Skin against skin. Nines felt full. Content. He dug his heels into the bed and thrust up against Reed. 

Reed wrapped his hands around Nines’s wrists and fucked him hard. Fast. The crescendo of grunts and groans came quickly, and neither of them lasted long. Reed spilled his orgasm inside Nines, and Nines came on his own stomach. A spent mess, the both of them, as quickly finished as their fight.

Lying there panting afterwards, Nines looked over Reed. “Round two?”

Reed heaved a breathy laugh. “Give me time to recover, damn.”

Chapter Text

i keep thinkin bout your dick in my mouth

Reed knew he was being crass, but he wanted to get a rise out of Nines, and he figured this was a good way to do that. He stuck the phone in his pocket as he stood in the locker room, gathering his gear in a big canvas bag. The other Devils were putting their gear on hooks to be cleaned by the arena staff who were paid to do so. Reed squatted down and shoved his chest pads into the bottom of the bag first.

“I never understand why you’re so adamant about doing that yourself, Reed.” Hank stood behind him, staring down at him. Hank’s gear was messily tossed in the cubby, some pieces hanging on proper hooks, but mostly looking discarded.

Reed looked up from his crouched position, shoved in his blocker, and shrugged. “I don’t trust those fuckers not to mess something up. And if I mess it up, then it’s on me. Plus, I don’t want someone else’s fucking hands on my shit. Ruin the luck I built up on this shit.”

“Goalies are weird, Hank, you know this,” Fowler said, patting his back on his way out of the locker room. “Especially Reed. Good thing he’s damned good at stopping pucks though.”

“Yeah, you’re fucking lucky I am, with the way you’ve been lettin’ breakaways through,” Reed fired back. He slung his bag over his shoulder, grunting at the heavier weight of all the goalie pads. His helmet and glove dangled from one hand, no room left in the bag for them. Then he fell in step with Hank, grabbing his stick on the way out. The two walked to the parking lot together.

Hank made a couple of aborted noises as they walked, but finally he built up the nerve to make a comment. “You seem like you’ve been more…happier than usual.”

Reed raised an eyebrow, dropping his bag on the ground at his trunk. “We’re playing better. Actually winning.”

“Getting ejected and fined didn’t even phase you.” Hank scratched at his beard, looking at Reed like he was trying to figure out some puzzle. 

Reed didn’t like being looked at so closely. Especially not by Hank, whom he had an odd relationship with. There had been some mentorship early on, but they’d had a falling out. Some difference of opinions that had ended up in a big fight behind off the ice, and slowly they’d been rebuilding as they played together, but it was still hard to lose some of the bitterness from before. 

“Nah, I got to fight. Doesn’t happen often.”

Hank sucked his teeth and nodded. “Sure doesn’t. Well, glad you’re happy. I’ll see you at practice tomorrow.”

“Yeah, see ya.” Reed popped his trunk, dumped his bag in, and closed it. Hank was getting into his car a few spots down, and Reed watched him for a moment. He wondered if they'd ever get fully back to the mentor/mentee relationship they'd had a few years ago. Shaking his head and climbing into his car, Reed opened his phone looking for messages from Nines.

You can come suck my dick again, if you want. 

Reed smirked; Nines had taken the bait, and it had gone well. Reed had felt a fifty-fifty on sending the message to begin with. 

ur so fuckn far away u cum to me and i will

What would you do with me if I did come see you?

Shit, that would need some thinking about. Reed really needed to be home so he could put his full attention into this. But he also needed to clean his gear. 

fuck i got shit to do n ur makin it hard ;)

Too busy to tell me how you’d get on your knees for me?

Nines was going to be the death of him, Reed was certain. He sighed and called him.

“Um, hello?” Nines answered, a chuckle in his voice.

“Hope you’re not busy, but I’m sitting in my car in the rink parking lot, and I don’t want to be here anymore. So you get a phone call.”

Nines laughed in earnest now. “I still want to hear you tell me what you’ll do with me if I were to come see you.”

“Fuck, I’ll get on my knees if you ask nicely. You have a nice cock.”

“Thank you. Yours isn’t so bad, either. It felt good inside me.”

Reed felt his throat constrict as he started driving to the car wash. “If you were at my place, I’d fuck you all over the apartment. Ruin every surface.”

There was a noise like Nines had dropped something, and then he answered. “I’d let you ruin me.”

“Just show up, baby, and I’ll fuck you so good.”

The laugh Nines gave this time sounded like it came with rolling eyes. “You’re so well-spoken. It’s hot.”

“I’m a real wordsmith. Wanna hear more?”

“Sure, what do you got?” 

Reed took a thoughtful breath, wondering what would really get Nines going. “If you came to see me, you’d barely get through the door. I’d strip you down right there and drag you to the living room.” He paused, speaking slowly and keeping his voice dropped low and gutteral. “I’d put you over the coffee table…” He heard a grunt, a heavier breath. “Eat you out until your legs shook, then fuck you over it.” Reed tried for a hungry hum of a noise, like he was really there with Nines, enjoying this. “I’ll let you collapse on the ground, got a nice fluffy carpet for you to die on while I suck you off.”

Reed turned into the carwash, parking in one of the self-service bays. His timing was awful, but he didn’t want to stop this conversation. 

“You really like being in control of every aspect, don’t you?” Nines asked. 

“Mm, I don’t hate it. I like to give.”

Nines huffed. “Keep talking. I’m on my bed, picturing this. My hand is wrapped around my cock. It’s not as nice as your mouth, but your voice helps.”

“Shit, okay. I’d have my mouth all over you, Nines. My hands on your thighs, grabbing your hips while I take you down my throat.” Reed was hard in his jeans, but he was in public and couldn’t do much about that right now. He could get Nines off, though. He tugged at his jeans to make some space, and kept going as he heard Nines groan again. “I’d get impatient and sit back against the couch, let you fuck my face.”

“Nn, I wish you were here, I can almost feel you.”

“That’s it baby, stroke yourself faster, like you’d fuck me.” Reed’s voice was a low growl now, more animalistic than words. “Cum for me, Nines. Cum thinking about fucking my throat.”

From the gasp and groan that followed, Nines must have. Reed grinned, rubbing a quick palm over his own erection and hoped washing his gear didn’t take too long. 

“Oh man, I haven’t done that since I was a teen,” Nines said with a panting laugh. “You uh, you didn’t get off, did you?”

Reed chuckled. “No, I’m in a car wash about to clean my gear. I’m going to be jerking off thinking of this and you when I get home though.”

“Mm, I’ll send some pictures to help you.”

“Still would rather have you, but I won’t say no to some pictures of you instead.” Reed got out of the car, going to the trunk for his gear. “Hey, so I hate to leave so quickly, but I really do have to get this done.”

“You wash your own gear? You know there are people who do that for you?” 

Reed scoffed. “I’m not letting someone touch my gear! I’ve put my sweat and blood into it, and if someone else touches it, I’ll lose all of that and then start losing games.”

“Start?” Nines chuffed. “Did someone wash your gear before you started the season then?”

“Oh fuck you,” Reed shot back, tossing his gear on the ground and grabbing the vinegar and laundry detergent he’d stashed in the back seat. “We’re doing better now.”

“We still beat you last time.”

“Alright, that’s it, I’m not going to fuck you, I’m going to fight you.” Reed poured the vinegar then the detergent over his gear then fished out a scrub brush and coins for the water. 

Nines tsked at him. “Go scrub your gear. I bet it stinks.”

“Go shower, I bet you stink,” Reed fired back. 

“I expect you to message me when you jerk off to my photos.” 

Before Reed could answer, the phone cut out. Nines had hung up on him, the dickhead. Still, Reed was smirking. The antagonistic flirting they did really worked for him; now he just needed to get his gear washed and get home. He grabbed the sprayer and blasted the sweat and stink from his pads, scrubbing them as he thought about Nines and pictures he might send Reed.

Chapter Text

Lying across his couch, Nines stared up at his ceiling thinking about the phone call he’d just hung up from. His breathing was ragged, hand covered in cum, and mind absolutely swimming with the echo of Reed’s voice in his ear. It had been so long since he'd done something like that, and something about Reed was bringing out feelings he missed and also hadn’t experienced in some time.

He needed to get up and clean himself up. But he also needed to get up and take some photos of himself for Reed. He couldn’t believe the man scrubbed his own gear, and in a carwash no less. The man was chaos embodied, and not the type Nines would typically go for. That sort of chaos introduced into his life would normally make him uncomfortable, but so far, Nines was interested in introducing Reed’s brand of messy into his world. It was exciting. 

With a sigh, he finally pulled himself from his couch and headed to the bathroom. Stripping down and cleaning up, Nines looked at himself in the mirror. The trim musculature he upkept looked harsh in the dull yellow light of the bathroom. He thought of Reed snarking at him about not drinking water and needing to take better care of himself. His skin was pale, covered in a smattering of stray freckles, some dusting of dark hair on his chest, down his navel, over his arms and legs. Nothing like the colorful painting of Reed’s tattoo and thicker hair covered body. 

He rolled his eyes and took himself to his bedroom where the lighting was better. If he was going to return the favor from Reed’s wonderfully filthy phone call, he was going to do it right. 

Nines spent far too long getting some good naked pictures of himself. He sent them along to Reed, got into comfortable clothes, and made himself a meal while he waited to hear back.  Lounging on the couch, Nines turned on the latest NHL game and tried not to keep checking his phone over and over. 

When it did beep with a notice, he practically sprang to answer it. There was a text from Reed waiting for him. Opening it up, he found a picture of Reed lying back on his bed, cum on his belly and a smirk on his face. The accompanying message read, just got off to u thx cant wait to have u irl again

Anytime. What are you doing the rest of the night?

idk food a book mayb

Would you be interested in video chatting to just hang out together while we do whatever it is we’re going to do?

Nines glanced about his apartment. It was a little messy but not unclean. It would be fine if Reed saw it like this.

sure

Just as Nines read the message, Reed called with video. Sitting up from his lounging position, Nines swiped his finger over his screen and answered the call. 

“Hey,” Reed greeted.

“How’s it going?”

Reed shrugged. His phone was sat in some sort of holder while he shuffled through a book shelf. “Not bad, trying to decide what to read.”

Nines tried to see some of the titles on the shelves, but the phone was too far away. “What genres are you into?”

“Sci-fi mostly, some mystery.” Reed glanced at the phone and chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. “I picked up some hockey romance books recently.”

“Really?” Nines laughed. “Are they any good?”

Reed held up a hand and wavered it back and forth, “Sorta? I mostly found straight romance ones, which are fine, but not exactly my thing.”

Nines shook his head, liking seeing something new about Reed. He hadn’t expected romance reader to be one of those things. It was…nice. “You could pick your favorite and read it to me while I try to actually get some housework done.” Nines wasn’t sure why he suggested it, but the idea was one he now couldn’t get out of his head.

Reed’s face broke into a big smile at that. “Okay, that could be fun. I’m going to do voices, and you’re going to tell me how great a job I did.”

“We’ll see if you actually do a great job,” Nines chuckled.

“Bet.” Reed grabbed a book and flopped on the floor, angling the phone down with him. He cleared his throat dramatically and began to read.

Nines liked his voice, and his affected voices. He managed to actually get his house cleaned up as he listened to Reed. They interrupted the dramatic readings to make comments on things, laughed at parts of the story, and Nines thought that if they kept doing things like this, he just might fall in love with this fucking asshole.

Nines leaned back on his goal, kicking one of his feet back and forth over the ice as he watched North trying to get control of the puck from Luther and Kara. The couple worked well together, and it would not be an easy task for her. But if she did get it, Nines would have to step up. She could outskate most of the team. It was always exciting when that happened. North was the one to give Nines the best one-on-one breakaway practice. And Nines wanted all the practice he could get before going up against Reed’s team again. The Devils were aptly named; the assholes played hard, and it was always a challenge for Nines.

The whole-team-practices between games had been a big help to Nines as things started to intensify in the season. It also helped to keep Nines’s mind focused while he’d gotten other things that kept bombarding him. Like thoughts of whatever this weird relationship with Reed was.

The puck came flying down toward Nines and he pushed off the goal, bringing his stick around in a sweeping arch to cradle it. He eyed those heading his way - North and Connor up the middle, but Kara up along the boards and wide open. Nines dropped the stick lower so he could handle it with both hands and slapped the puck toward the far wall, watching it slide its way right to Kara’s stick. As she turned and skated hard to the opposing goal, Connor and North cursed and spun around to go back for it. 

Nines smirked, and settled back in, waiting for them to manage to get things back to his end again. The couple of hours the team spent working on the ice ended in sweat and exhaustion.

Collapsing on the bench, Nines fished around in his bag for the instructions he was going to leave with the crew to clean his gear. He always left step-by-step instructions, and he’d sort of made friends with Jerry, one of the men who cleaned their stuff and kept the locker room pristine. Jerry knew how he liked his gear handled, and Nines knew Jerry’s favorite snack. It was always left in the cubby with Nines’s helmet and the instructions. 

He still wasn’t over the fact that Reed cleaned his own gear. He looked over the rest of his team, and they all seemed to be leaving their stuff behind.

“What would make you take your gear home to clean yourself?” he found himself asking out loud.

Markus looked over and shrugged. “Why, something wrong with your gear?”

Nines shook his head. “No, I’ve just heard about some guys taking their own kit home to do themselves.”

“Sounds like a superstition thing,” Josh suggested.

“Or control issues,” North said. “I think I could be convinced to do it myself if I cared just a little more. Honestly, I’m surprised you don’t do that, Nines. Is that why you’re asking?”

“No.” Nines scoffed and looked back at his gear. “Jerry knows what he’s doing.”

“What if Jerry wasn’t around. Would you trust someone else?” Markus pressed.

Now Reed’s sentiment was starting to make sense. Nines had gotten lucky getting along with Jerry, and Jerry being so competent. If he didn’t have a Jerry, he wasn’t sure how comfortable he’d be with a new person suddenly jumping in to handle his things. If they did something wrong, he’d have to deal with that on game day.

“So who washes their own kit?” Luther asked.

North grinned though, then chuckled. “It’s Reed isn’t it?”

Nines could feel the damn blush warming his cheeks. He hated how his body reacted so easily to some of his feelings. “Yeah. He brings it to a carwash, one of those self-serve things with the high powered hoses.”

“Damn.” Luther laughed, and the others chuckled too.

“I can absolutely picture that. Your boyfriend is a little feral,” Josh said.

“He’s not my boyfriend. We’re just…”

North raised an eyebrow. “Uh huh. Keep telling yourself that, big guy.” She patted his shoulder and headed for the door. “I’m going out for a burger, anyone wanna tag along?”

There was a smattering of yes and no around the team, and Nines decided to go with the ones getting food. He could use some time with people, some time to get more thoughts on Reed and himself. He knew he wouldn’t even have to dig for it; the team would just tell him their thoughts whether he wanted them to or not.

Art by Faxaway - Tumblr

Chapter Text

The text from Nines beeped on Reed’s phone, and he jogged across the apartment to grab it. He’d been waiting for one from Nines for a minute, and he’d even changed the tone so he knew when Nines specifically was messaging him.

See that play by Petrochov? Nines must be watching college hockey games. The same game was also up on Reed’s television. He typed back, yeah hes 🔥 and hit send. 

Must you use emojis?

Reed loved to bother Nines, and he knew the man hated texting in ways he thought children texted. must u txt like a Boomer? i bet u use ;

He could imagine Nines sitting on his couch, one long ass leg crossed over the other, back stiff as he typed into his phone. I do, in fact; does that bother you?

stfu ur so old 

Reed chuckled as he sent his response. He loved to see Nines get all defensive. Any time he could rile the guy up, he would. 

I’m literally the same age as you.

do me a favor try not using a .

How about you come here and make me?

Reed licked his lips and paced the apartment, mind racing with all of the ideas that brought up. If only the man wasn’t so fucking far away. Reed wanted to take him to bed again. 

tempting

They’d been messing around a while a now. Reed found that Nines was just as fun off the ice as he was on it, and he was getting to know a little more about him. It was exciting. And frustrating when they had to spend so much time apart. 

Reed found himself reaching for his phone a lot more lately. Each time, he was looking for that notification from Nines. Anytime the ping was someone else, he felt disappointed. Reed wasn’t used to these feelings, and those closest to him were starting to notice. Chen was the one to say the most to him, digging at him each time he started texting too much. Leo was the one to give him looks. He knew too much, all the time. He saw things about the rest of them that no one else did, and Leo was good at keeping it mostly to himself. Aside from the grins and winks.

Still, Reed was happy. He was enjoying himself. He and Nines had even been video calling each other some nights, showing each other around their respective places or showing off the fun hotels they were stashed in while playing games across the country. A few times, they’d even taken their video calls to the bedroom. 

It had been a few years since Reed had had anything beyond a one night stand, and by everything Nines was saying, it was at least similar for him. Not that Reed could picture Nines having a one night stand, but certainly some shorter term dating. However, neither of them had spoken the words yet - they were just…friends. Getting to know each other. And sometimes it was sexual.

Like this coming weekend. They had a game against each other again, and the plan was to go back to Nines’s place afterwards. They both promised to keep it on the DL and not say much to their team about the plans. Though Reed was worried that wouldn’t matter much and people were going to find out anyway. They’d seen them take off together at the bar a while back, but a one night stand was all they knew Reed had done. The Devils didn’t know Reed kept messaging Nines specifically, that he was starting to…like Nines. But some of his team saw too much, and he figured one of them was bound to figure it all out soon.

He worried most that it was going to be Hank. The man was butting into his life more again, trying to build back what they had. And Reed was letting him, as much as Reed let anything happen. The problem was that if that perceptive fuck got too close, he would definitely figure out what was going on.

And if Hank found out, then he’d tell Jeffery, who would tell Allen and Collins. Once Allen knew, it was over. The man couldn’t keep a secret to save his life. Anything Allen knew, the whole team knew. It was both frustrating and very helpful at times. 

Reed sighed and tried not to think too hard on it. 

His phone pinged again, and Reed’s breath caught when he opened it. Nines had sent him a video, and the still frame to start it was Nines’s naked torso, just high enough not to see anything too scandalous. Nothing like they’d already shared with each other. Still, this was all new enough that Reed was still caught off guard by things between them. It was exciting.

i c ur bein productive tonite

Thought you might like an update on my afternoon. Just finished a run and a shower. Now I’m making dinner. What are you up to? Nines messaged back.

Reed was just at home trying to decide what to do with his evening. home bored, he sent. thinkin bout oru upcomingame.

I might not be playing this round. You’ll be up against Vladimery, most likely.

fuck! thats no fun 😡

Stuffing his phone in his pocket, Reed grabbed his newest lego set and plopped down at the coffee table in the living room. He stuffed a throw-pillow under his ass and opened up the brand new box. The Avengers Tower with over 2,000 pieces. Enough to keep him occupied while he chatted with Nines. 

I’m hoping we can have fun after the game, though.

absofuckinlutely we can. u takin me to ur place?

I can, yes. Have you still not told your team about us?

Reed felt his chest constrict at that. Maybe keeping in on the DL wasn’t actually what Nines wanted if he was asking that. Or maybe he didn’t trust that Reed was keeping his end of the deal, that he was blabbing about their shit to his team. Reed wasn’t quite sure how to respond, not able to predict what Nines wanted to hear. He typed: nah, thyre nosy enugh. He decided on a half-truth, hoping to get more from Nines’s reaction to really gauge things.

Fair enough. My brother could tell something was up, so it’s sort of common knowledge that we are fucking. Hopefully that doesn’t change anything for you.

nah its wahtevs

While Reed sent off a message that brushed aside any thought of this being a big deal, he actually did feel a bit nervous about that. Since Reed himself wasn’t sure what their relationship actually was, having people know that there was even something going on felt like an odd pressure to him. It wasn’t logical, but there it was anyway.

Reed really needed to figure out how, exactly, he felt about Nines.

Another game against the Bobcats, and the Devils were keeping up. Each goal made by one was returned by the other. It was going to be a long game, and Reed was on edge. It might have been affecting his gameplay a little, his skates slipping more or hand not reaching out as quickly as normal. Still, they were tied when the last buzzer went off, meaning even more ice time.

The overtime game only made it to the three versus three, seven minute game. Anderson scored on Ralph Vladimery, the backup goalie for Nines. Unfortunately, Nines had sat on the bench the whole game, and Reed didn’t like that. As he skated back to his own bench, Reed caught eyes with Nines and he felt his heart clench. Nines might not have gotten much action this game, but he was going to make sure he did tonight.  

Reed hurried to get out of his gear, and he did his best to avoid eye contact with his team. This is where the questions would come up, the secret would be out. But he couldn’t slow himself down. Having not seen Nines play all game made him frustrated; he wanted to know if the man was okay after watching his team lose while he was relegated to the bench. It was always an odd feeling to only be able to watch, and he really wanted to give Nines a good time. But his impatience would be noticed. 

Eyes on the ground, Reed shoved the last of his gear in his bag and stood up. 

“Where you going?” Hank asked, half his gear still on.

Because of course it was that fucker who noticed and questioned. 

“Out.” Reed yanked his bag behind himself, his stick over his shoulder, and tried to escape without further question.

“Are you not going back to the hotel with us?” Fowler asked.

Reed just waved, pushed through the door, and beat feet as quickly as he could. He did not want to get trapped. He hurried past the rink and toward the front doors, passing through the entryway and going from cold to warm. Out into the outdoors and back to cold. He'd forgotten to put his jacket on, but that didn't matter much. He would be in a car soon enough.

Nines was already waiting for him, leaned against his SUV, the trunk lifted and awaiting Reed’s gear. He looked pristine, not having played that game. Reed was sure he was a sweaty mess and felt a little self-conscious about it. He ran a hand through his sweat-slicked hair, pushing it away from his forehead. 

When he got close enough, Nines stepped into his space and leaned down to put a kiss against his lips. Reed met it with fervor, tugging at Nines’s collar to pull him closer and deepen the kiss. “I'm going to fuck you so good, Richard Stern.”

Nines pulled back with a chuckle. “Full government name, huh?”

“It's important you know I'm serious.” Reed tossed his things in the back of the car and slammed the gate shut. “Let's go.”

“Mm, yes sir.” Nines tossed his keys up and caught them, a smirk on his lips, then went to the driver's seat. 

Reed climbed into the passenger seat and sank into the cold leather. A winter chill went down his spine, but the growing hunger of anticipation warmed him right back up. He reached over and ran a hand up Nines’s leg, the slightly rough fabric of his jeans tickling Reed’s palm. He watched the man as he drove, the curl of his lips into a grin, the little lines at the edges of his eyes, the few freckles dispersed across his pale skin. Reed wanted to eat the man alive.

This wasn’t the first time Reed had been at Nines’s apartment, but he was always surprised at how cluttered it was. He expected him to have some right-out-of-a-catalogue type place, one that looked staged. But instead, Nines had books piled in random places, hockey gear that looked older than both of them combined in a corner of the living room, and different piles that looked like art projects or something scattered across tables and any other ledges that could hold things. 

It was something more about Nines that Reed got to see. He tried not to think too hard about what that meant for him. For them. 

A hand cupping his jaw brought Reed back to himself. He let Nines tilt his head back and meet his eyes. 

“You’re distracted…” Nines frowned, his eyebrows creasing in concern. “Something I did?”

Reed cleared his throat and shook his head. He planted his palms on Nines’s chest and pushed him back, further into the apartment. He grinned and watched Nines settle with the look. Reed grabbed at Nines’s shirt, pulling it over his head and tossing it aside, then he put Nines against the wall. He surged up on his toes and brought his mouth, his teeth, to Nines’s neck. He felt the man groan under his bite.

Lathing his tongue over the bite, Reed ran his hands down Nines’s abs, grabbing at his hips and holding him tightly. He loved how Nines felt, the taut feel of his musculature, the lithe build of him. Opposite of Reed’s stockier form. Reed rubbed his thumbs over hip bones and mouthed down to his collar bones, then down further until his teeth found a nipple. 

Nines arched off the wall at the sudden sharp bite, hands gripping at Reed’s shoulders tightly. Dull fingernails bit into his flesh. “Gav. Bedroom?”

“Mm,” Reed licked his chest and looked up at him. “Yessir.” He wrapped his arms under Nines’s ass and hoisted him up. Nines might have been taller, but Reed had muscle.

Nines wrapped his legs around Reed’s waist, and Reed held him up easily. He headed toward the back of the apartment where the bedroom was. All the while, his mouth was all over Nines and Nines had his hands buried in Reed’s hair.

“You’re going to trip over something,” Nines panted.

“You’ll break my fall.” Reed chuckled and groaned as Nines yanked on his hair. “Ow, asshat.”

Nines snickered. “You like it.”

In the bedroom, Reed felt his knees hit the edge of the bed and he flung Nines back on it. The man bounced on the mattress and glared up at Reed. Before he could say anything, Reed jumped up with him and cupped his jaw. “You’re so hot.” That seemed to cut off any arguments.

Instead, Nines yanked him down into a kiss. They tussled to get the rest of their clothes off, limbs a little askew and jostling. It wasn’t graceful, as much of their relationship had been. Messy, rough, and fast. 

Something at the back of Reed’s mind told him to slow down. He heaved in a breath and sat back on his heels, hands planted on Nines’s chest. Nine looked back up at him, mouth agape and slightly reddened from their kissing. Reed’s scruff definitely roughed him up a little. He looked good, and Reed wanted him to feel good, too.

“Gavin?”

That tone again. Concern, curiosity. Reed was acting weird, and he knew it. He shook his head and dipped back down, gentling a kiss over Nines’s lips. He breathed out, “Let’s slow down a little.”

  “Sure.” Nines stretched himself along the bed, arms going up over his head and lying there limply. So pale in contrast to Reed’s uneven tan and inked tattoos. “Is everything okay?”

“Stop…asking that.” Reed growled and buried his face in Nines’s neck. He reached up and wrapped his hands around his wrists, holding him still as he kissed from his neck over his chest. 

Sitting up again, he pressed Nines’s arms down in a motion to ‘stay’. When Nines didn’t move, Reed nipped his way down to his hips. He crawled between his legs and Nines hummed. 

“Should I shower first?”

The man didn't seem all that sweaty considering he hadn't played, but Reed was happy to watch the man get all wet for him. As he sat there between Nines’s legs he snorted a laugh, “Uh should I?” He lifted an arm, sniffing. He was definitely musky from the game.

But Nines just sat up, wrapping his arms around Reed. He nosed along his side, inhaling deeply. “Mm, no. Is it weird I like the smell of you all sweaty?”

Reed chuckled again. “Not at all.”

He nosed his way along Reed’s body some more, smelling and giving a content hum as he did. Nines’s cheeks were red when he sat back. “I still want to shower first if that’s okay.”

“If you do, I’ll rim you,” Reed grinned at him, remembering his promise during their phone-sex sessions to eat him out until his legs shook.

“Fuck, alright.” Nines pushed Reed back, laughing as he hit the bed and lounged there. “You can watch if you want.”

“Oh, I want.” Reed smacked his ass as he climbed off the bed and stretched out like a cat, eyes hungry for the man. “Don’t take too long, baby. I’m starving,” he said with a wink.

Chapter Text

Nines felt his hands trembling a little as he showered. He'd left the door open, and through the glass of the shower door he could see Reed sprawled across his bed, watching him. The musky, heady scent of Reed sat heavy in his nose and he was hard. He was also nervous. Nines wasn't exactly sex shy, but there was something about how blunt Reed was, how easy he was about everything that made Nines feel a bit shy. Afraid of messing something up. He couldn't explain it. 

He made sure to wash thoroughly, but also went quickly, wanting to get back under Reed. Even nervous, he was greatly enjoying being able to bottom and play a little more submissive. Another change of pace he wasn't exactly used to. He’d been preparing for it for a couple of days, and Reed wasn’t letting him down. 

After washing away the rest of the soap, Nines shut off the water and dried most of himself off. He was still toweling his hair when Reed grinned at him from the bed, crooking a finger at him. 

“I’m bored over here, Nines. Come give me something to play with.”

Nines rolled his eyes. “You’re such a child.” He dropped the towel on the counter and strolled slowly back into the room. He liked the way Reed’s eyes caressed over his body. It made him feel like preening a little, so he tilted his head and smiled from just one corner of his lips, messy, wet hair falling over his forehead and brushing close to his eyes. He narrowed them on Reed and stopped just out of reach. “Still hot though.”

Reed got to his hands and knees then crawled to the edge of the bed, stretching a hand out to Nines. “Stop being a tease and get over here.”

“Aw, too short a reach there, Reed?”

Reed frowned at him and swung his legs off the bed. He moved quickly for someone with such a stockier, muscled build. Before Nines could retreat, Reed had wrapped his arms around him and was tossing him back on the bed. Nines steadied himself with Reed’s shoulders and bounced a little on the bed. 

“I’m going to devour you,” Reed growled, following him back down. “Get comfy; I’m not stopping until your legs are shaking and you’re begging me to fuck you.”

Nines’s head went a little fuzzy at that as he sucked in a surprised breath. “Fuck, alright then.” He scooted back and grabbed a pillow, positioning it behind his head so he sat back comfortably. As he looked down his own body at Reed, he caught the man’s dirty green eyes and swallowed thickly. Reed looked intense. Focused. And the object of all of that energy was Nines. 

Reed sank between his legs and put his mouth to Nines's thighs, nipping gently before lathing his tongue over the bite. Nines shivered at the feeling, his heels digging into the mattress. Reed took his time teasing, ghosting breaths over Nines’s cock, tonguing his hips and thighs. Nines was already starting to shake by the time Reed spread his legs further and tongued at his ass. 

“Fuck!” Nines grabbed the sheets in his fists and groaned as Reed licked him. He felt like he was going to explode already. Sucking in a sharp breath, Nines tried to refocus himself. He took in a deeper, slower breath, and moved his hands to bury in Reed’s hair. 

As his hands tightened in the shorter locks, Reed groaned and slowed his pace. One of his hands gripped at Nines’s thigh, and his tongue pressed at his ass. Tasted him. Drove Nines fucking crazy. Reed licked up and sucked at Nines’s balls, fisting his shaft and slowly pumping him. Then he mouthed back down and circled his hole again, pressing in past the muscle. He growled as he ate him out, and Nines knew Reed was going to be a man of his word; Nines was going to have beg Reed to fuck him. 

Nines held out as long as he could, panting, legs shaking. Reed’s mouth felt too good. He obviously enjoyed this. Pulling hard at Reed’s hair, Nines tried to get him back up.

“You gotta ask, sweetheart. Use your words; you’re a big guy.” Reed kept himself planted there, blowing air across Nines’s twitching cock. “Beg me.”

As much as Nines wanted to fight back, to argue like they usually did, he also really wanted to cum. He gritted his teeth and let his head fall back on the pillow. “Fuck.”

“What was that?”

“Please fuck me, Gavin.”

With a chuckle, Reed extricated himself from between Nines’s legs and moved up his body until he loomed over Nines. “Good boy,” he hummed before kissing Nines.

As Nines pulled him down, deepening the kiss, he could taste himself in Reed’s mouth. It was intoxicating. They started rearranging themselves; Nines put his heels into the bed, grinding up against Reed and urging him on. Reed didn’t make him wait this time. He pulled away to grab the lube and slicked himself up before slotting himself back in place. 

Reaching down, Nines helped him line his cock up with his ass, and then Reed was pressing in. They groaned together, and Nines’s teeth found Reed’s shoulder. He bit down hard as Reed thrust into him. Reed tasted of salt - sweat. His breath punctuated each roll of the hips. He filled Nines, and ground inside of him until Nines’s head was spinning, his heart hammering in his chest. 

“Gav…”

“Almost there, Rich. Just…” Reed panted in his ear, nipped the lobe. He thrust faster, harder, bringing them both to the edge. “Fuck, Richard. Cum for me.”

Nines let himself go, dick spasming and making a mess of them both. Reed followed after him, hips jerking erratically as he finished inside of Nines. And they collapsed afterwards in a tangle of limbs and short breaths. 

A long time later, Nines dragged Reed to the shower and put him in a pair of his boxers. He liked seeing Reed in his clothes. They spent some time on the couch, some mindless television playing while they talked quietly.

A quiet spiral of panic settled in Nines’s chest as they spent the night together. He wondered where they would take this after tonight. Was there anywhere for this to actually go? Was he going to be brave enough to ask… Nines was a goddamned coward. He didn’t ask for anything more than Reed’s preferred side of the bed when they went to sleep. 

Reed took off the next morning, early, and the only thing he left Nines was a text. Without even waking Nines. 

had a good time. lets fuck again soon ;)

He laid in bed and stared at his phone screen, reading the text over and over as he thought about how to respond. A large part of himself didn't want to respond at all, annoyed that he'd snuck off. Eventually, he typed back: Yeah, me too. It wasn't much, but he left it at that.

Nines sighed and decided to spend the day with some of his team. He’d held off answering Markus and Simon about going out to the farmer’s market, so he texted back now.

Are you and Simon still going to the market today? If so, could you swing by my place and pick me up, too?

Markus was the type of person who was great about answering quickly. He messaged back an affirmative almost immediately, and so Nines had to finally get up and put himself together for the day. He tried not to think too hard on the fact that Reed left without waking him up, but it was definitely weighing on his mind.

When Markus and Simon got to his place, Nines was waiting outside on the sidewalk, the crisp winter air calming him down a little. He could feel his cheeks flushed from the cold. Climbing into the backseat, he was met immediately with questions.

“Did Reed stay the night?” Simon asked.

“Yes.” Nines looked out of the window, away from Simon’s prying gaze. 

“Why didn’t he come along with us?”

“Simon, let the man wake up before you interrogate him.”

Simon laughed and sank back in his seat. “I’m just curious.”

“It’s fine,” Nines offered. “He left early. We’re not dating. It was just a fuck.” He heard Simon make a thoughtful hum of a sound but Markus took up the conversation, turning it away from the prying direction.

“I want to get some plants for the kitchen window. I’m hoping they’ll have some seedlings at one of the booths.” Markus and Simon had lived together for a little over a year now, and they seemed to be building a nice life together. 

Nines wondered about that, about the dynamic with playing hockey together. For now. “Do you two ever worry that one of you will be traded and have to figure out a long distance relationship?” he couldn’t help but ask.

Simon and Markus both glanced at each other. “We’ve talked about it,” Markus said.

“Mostly, we came to the conclusion that we like each other enough that whatever happens, we’ll figure it out.”

Nines supposed that’s what he needed to do with Reed. Figure it out. He just didn't know what Reed wanted to figure out. The man was boisterous, loud, overbearing, and really good at not saying anything about his actual feelings. He was frustrating, but Nines couldn't help to like him. He had a lot to think about…

Instead of dwelling too much on that, Nines spent the morning and early afternoon chattering with Markus and Simon about their house. They found plants, got some vegetables, and kept warm in the indoor farmer’s market. Then Markus insisted they do lunch together, and they all went back to Markus and Simon’s house to cook a meal. Nines stayed long enough to watch a movie with them, and mostly put Reed’s hasty retreat that morning out of his mind.

Chapter Text

Reed heard his phone buzz from across the room and sighed heavily. If it was Tina or Leo bothering him about not going out again, he was going to lose it. Hauling himself upright, he padded across the hardwood floor and tapped his phone. There was a message from Nines.

Tapping that open, Reed felt his cheeks warm excitedly at the picture he was met with. Damn, but Nines was hot. And he’d sent Reed a pretty well taken nude, all perfect lighting and shadows. He always took good photos. Was the man a fuckin photographer in his free time? Shit, how was Reed going to keep up with this level of sexting? His photos always looked like shit.

u better be outside my house mfer

Nines could be such a tease, Reed was discovering. He often dropped a photo or comment out of nowhere and didn't always follow up right away. Infuriating but tantalizing.

Sorry, still in Chicago. You could come visit though.

ur turn

Reed had been over at Nines's the last two times they’d hooked up, mostly due to the scheduling of the games, but it was Nines's turn to come to him. Reed glanced around his apartment, noting how messy it was. That was out of the ordinary for him, but he was just coming off a set of travel games and hadn't had time or energy to tidy. That was an easy fix. 

He wondered what Nines would think of his place, what he would think of the hobbies Reed had accumulated and were now about his apartment. The Lego sets, the shitty paintings, the half-carved wood. All hobbies grabbed and forgotten once the hyperfixation wore off. The money sinkholes of unmedicated ADHD. If he cleaned the place up, it was nice enough at least. He wasn’t embarrassed about the furniture or anything like that, but he still had a curling in his gut that told him Nines would judge him about shit.

Maybe he did need to go out with some friends, get his mind off of things for a while.  Reed opened the Detroit Devils’s group chat and messaged, asking for anyone interested in going out to eat. Solve his hunger and emotional needs all at once.

Nines didn’t stop messaging, and Reed didn’t stop answering. Even when Hank questioned him about it while a bunch of them were out at a burger joint. Another sinking feeling in his gut as they teased him made Reed cling tighter to his phone and answer quicker. 

You know, Nines texted while Reed tried to hide his phone from prying eyes. We both have a free weekend coming up. If you’re up for it, I think we should figure out a half-way point and meet there.

Reed chewed his bottom lip, ignoring the elbow he was getting from Hank. ok im in

“You making plans?” Hank asked around a bite of burger.

“Chew your food, old man,” Reed sniped defensively. “And yeah, I am. What of it?” He grabbed his milkshake and sucked in a big mouthful, using it to keep from emoting too much.

“Just curious. Haven’t seen you get serious about anybody in a while.”

Reed shrugged. “I don’t think it’s that serious.”

Hank shrugged back. “Didn’t mean that it had to be a big thing, just that you’re…having fun?”

“Oh.” Reed and Hank had a few things to work through still, but it was getting better. Reed just needed not to be so defensive all the time. “Yeah, I guess I am. Nines is fun. And hot.”

“I like his brother more,” chipped in Tina. “He’s got those puppy-dog eyes. Kinda like Leo’s got.”

“Connor does have a cuter look about him,” Hank agreed.

Reed just rolled his eyes. “I’m not into the cute puppy dog type.”

“Clearly. That boy would eat you alive and spit you back out,” Tina chuckled.

Leo snorted. “In a way you wouldn’t like. I think you picked right. You and Nines seem like you’re perfectly happy being assholes to each other.”

“We are.” Reed looked back at his phone to see more messages.

I found a place, and it has some events going on in towns around it. Plenty to do if we get bored, I think. I’ll book a hotel?

sounds good, lemme know the place n time

Conversation spiraled out of control, everyone talking about who was most attractive on the Bobcats, then most chaotic, then just straight up bitching about other teams. There were a few teams they hated. The Bobcats were a fun rivalry, and Reed was thankful they didn’t completely hate each other. Not like the team in Las Vegas. That was a much more…violent rivalry.

Reed couldn’t wait to see Nines again, and to play another game against him.

A free weekend was rare, but Nines and Reed managed to have one at the same time. And with it, they decided to meet up half-way between Detroit and Chicago. Literally. In Portage, Michigan was a park and the halfway point between the two major metropolises. It was the middle of winter, and Portage itself didn’t have much to offer that either of them were interested in.

“I’m driving us to Kalamazoo then.” Nines pointed at his car, and Reed leaned back on his own, staring at him. “It’s just down the road. Get in.”

“Says who?” Reed folded his arms over his chest. “I’m not leaving my car in the middle of nowhere.”

He watched Nines raise his eyebrow, eyes trailing over Reed’s car. “Your car is a piece of crap.”

Reed gasped dramatically, pushing off of the car, and jabbing a finger at Nines. “How dare you, asshole! This car has been with me for years. She’s gotten me through some shit. I bet your fancy little SUV there couldn’t even get out of a shallow ditch.”

Nines didn’t move, that eyebrow still arched high, a smirk in the corner of his lips. The playful argument built a fire between them as Reed got closer, looking up at Nines, and poking that finger against his chest. Nines batted his hand away, and Reed grabbed at him, yanking him down to his height. 

“Apologize to Betsy now.”

“If I do, will you get in my car so we can go find something to do?” Nines put his hands on Reed’s shoulders, hunched over to accommodate Reed’s grab. 

Reed narrowed his eyes. “If she gets towed, you’re paying the fees.”

“Deal.” Nines cupped Reed’s cheek and pressed a kiss against his lips. 

“Apologize,” Reed said, not letting Nines try to sneak his way out of it. 

Nines rolled his eyes, but he stood back up when Reed let go and brushed his jacket straight. “Fine. I’m sorry I offended Betsy.”

Reed pursed his lips together at the apology, gave it a moment for Nines to stand there, then nodded once. He patted his back pocket for his wallet, jacket pocket for his phone, and front pocket for his keys, then went around the SUV to the front seat. As he sank down in the leather seats, he had to admit to himself that it was really comfortable, and the heat probably worked better than Reed’s car. Of course, he wouldn’t admit this outloud for Nines to hear and use against him. 

“So, what’s in Kalamazoo?” Reed asked once they were on the road.

“A little German holiday festival.” Nines reached over, letting his hand rest on Reed’s leg. 

It was warm and covered a lot of Reed’s thick thigh. Comforting, Reed thought. He dropped his own hand down and rubbed his thumb over the back of Nines’s hand. “Interesting. I am hungry. I bet they have good food there.”

“We’ll find out.”

The festival ended up being quite large, taking up the length of a main street with booths set up in the road and walkways throughout the makeshift village packed with people. Even in the cold of winter, the space was bustling and warm. Small heaters were set up intermittently, and the smells of the food wafted from the booths, making Reed’s stomach growl.

“How about that stand?” Nines pointed out one that had beer cheese pretzels and different sausage rolls.

Reed grabbed his hand and tugged him toward it, ready to eat just about anything at this point. He heard Nines chuckle at his eagerness, keeping up just fine with his long legs. They got in line, and Reed used the cold as an excuse to keep clinging to Nines, arm in arm.

The line moved quickly, and when they reached the front, Nines took the lead in ordering and paying. They got drinks, pretzels, and sausage rolls then looked around for a good place to sit and eat. There were some picnic benches near some of the standing heaters, and they took a corner of one of them that still had a spot available. Squished together, they ate slowly, looking around at the crowd. 

“It’s good,” Reed said, licking some cheese from his fingers. 

Nines chuckled and reached over with a napkin, wiping away more from Reed’s chin. “I’ve never had mulled wine before. I…don’t hate it.”

“You don’t hate it huh? Sounds like a raving review.” Reed chuckled, bumping against Nines’s shoulder lightly.

“Hey, sometimes that’s all you get from me.”

“Mm, I bet I could get more.” He reached over and tugged at Nines’s jacket, pulling him down for a kiss. Nines dipped down and they pressed their lips together in a warm kiss that tasted of spiced wine. Reed liked it.

When they pulled back, Nines was smiling, his face lit by the orange glow of the heater and little twinkling lights strung above them. “I like you a lot, you know that, Gavin?”

A shiver went down Reed’s spine every time Nines used his first name. Being in sports for so long, he was just used to Reed, and it felt special when Nines said Gavin instead. It made him warm in ways the drink and food couldn’t. 

“I like you, too, Richard.”

Nines’s grin crinkled the corners of his eyes and he leaned back down for another kiss. “Alright, let’s go look at the shops. I want to find you something ridiculous.”

“Heh, okay.”

They wandered the street vendors for a while longer, and Nines ended up getting Reed a little reindeer ornament made of carved wood. It was ridiculous, but Reed liked the way Nines’s eyes lit up when he handed it to him. He'd find a good place for it when he got home.

It felt like it had been too long since Reed had been on the ice. The pre-game warmup had him off-center, and as the pucks flew toward him, Reed found himself missing more shots than he was stopping. It made his shoulders tense, an ache setting into his neck. As he looked across the ice, he saw Nines off to the side working on slides and ground movement against the wall.

He didn’t look like he was having any trouble getting into a good game headspace. That worried Reed even more. Now that their dynamic had been shifting away from rivals to… well, neither of them had put a name to what they were doing yet, but Reed had to admit at this point that they were seeing each other, if not actually dating. Did that mean the man at the other end of the ice was his boyfriend?

Was Gavin Reed dating Richard Stern?

A puck flew at his face and Reed was too distracted to stop it. The thing pinged off his mask, spinning away and down the ice and leaving him dazed. His teeth felt rattled.

“Fuck!” he snapped, skating out of the goal and glaring at whoever had hit him. 

Allen skated over, looking both a little scared and apologetic. “Shit, Reed, I’m sorry man. I thought you were ready.”

“Even if I was, don’t aim for my fucking head!”

“I-”

“Go practice your damn shots, asshole.” He was taking his anger out on people who didn't deserve it, he realized. Reed skated further away, claiming a piece of the wall near the benches. He glanced down the ice again, noting that Nines was watching him, and quickly looked back at the ice in front of himself. 

Dropping down to his knees, Reed went through his stretches for a second time, mostly as a way to look busy and keep the others away from himself. He needed to get himself re-centered and ready for this damned game.

As he led his team back on the ice for the actual game, Reed still did not feel right in the head. His chest was tight, and he couldn’t get himself to stand still for more than a few seconds. Reed didn’t know what had him so messed up; it’s not like he’d never dated anyone before. Sure, it had been a minute, and it certainly had never been someone he’d played hockey with, but those weren’t significant things. No, surely there was something else going on, and he needed to figure it out.

Perhaps it was something about the relationship that he was picking up on subconsciously. A warning his mind was trying to tell him. Maybe he needed to listen closer, pay better attention to his instincts. 

Reed jumped a little when the end of period buzzer went off. Somehow, he’d only let in one goal this period. He’d been sure that being so lost in himself would have meant he’d get demolished. Still, as he looked up at the scoreboard and found it 1-1, he knew it was going to be a long game.

Off ice in the locker room between periods, Reed stayed unusually quiet, and the others didn’t bother him. Hopefully that meant Allen had told them to leave Reed alone. He sat staring down at the floor, hands wringing as their coach lectured at them. The words were just background noise to him. A constant thrum underneath the roiling storm in his own mind.

He liked Nines. A lot.

That scared him.

He wanted someone in his life, and Nines understood better than anyone what the life of a professional athlete was like. The time it took. The dedication. The off-season hours Reed would still need to put in.

So what was it that bothered him so much about all of this?

By the time the game ended, 2-4, Reed was no closer to an answer and had another loss to his name.

Chapter Text

Nines watched the score grow further and further apart on the screen, the Devil’s score sitting at just one goal. He could see how Reed was starting to struggle, not just physically with how many shots on goal he was dealing with, but the mental game too as another puck found its way to the back of the net. 

The horn sounded announcing the goal, and Nines watched Reed’s body language. His shoulders slumped, he dropped his head, and he circled the net a couple of times. As he centered back at the top of the crease, he didn’t lift his head. He was clearly trying to center himself and get ready to finish the last few minutes of the second period, but it wasn’t good. Another twenty-two minutes to face, and they were down by six. It was a bad game.

Nines flipped his phone over in his hands a few times, contemplating. He wondered if Reed would see a text from him between periods. He could still try…

Rough game. Keep your head up. 

As the second period ended and the teams went back to the locker rooms, Nines tried not to feel anxious. He balled his fists so he didn’t keep reaching for his phone; the sound and notifications were on, so if Reed answered him, he’d be alerted. As a distraction, he got up and made a cup of tea. He took his time, falling into the ritual of putting it all together from loose leaf. Right in the middle of it all, his phone chirped from the coffee table. Dropping things immediately, Nines hurried back to the table and picked it up, swiping into Reed’s response.

ya no shit fuckin dyin here

Your defense isn’t helping. You’re doing what you can with what you’ve been given.

tell that to htem??? Theyrnt listen to me

The typos spoke to his annoyance, though Reed had never been a great texter. Nines frowned and could feel his eyebrows drawing tight with thought. I could come yell at them, but I won’t get there for hours.

It took a couple more minutes for the next response, still about two minutes before the next period. pssh do it. im pisssssssed

That was something. Permission almost? Nines tried to shake that thought away, but he honestly wanted to see more of Reed. They didn’t always get time together, and Nines had over a week before he was needed for a game. He’d miss a couple practices, but he could do some on his own. Or hell, with Reed’s team maybe. It wasn’t exactly a above-the-board thing, practicing with rivals, but there weren't any exact rules against it. And Nines decided he wanted to see Reed more than he wanted to keep to the exact rules. 

You’re in Buffalo for the weekend, right?

ya

What’s your hotel info and room number? I’ll send you some comfort food later. He hoped the lie went over without Reed picking up on his real intentions.

He really should have asked, actually planned with Reed, but the desire to just show up and surprise Reed made Nines act impulsively. Nines wanted to see how he reacted, to see him light up just because Nines was there for him. He’s not really sure how he’d fallen for this asshole so quickly, but the rivalry probably helped. Going from one intense feeling to the next was an easy thing for Nines. 

Pulling up into the parking lot of the hotel, Nines went up to the room he’d sent room service to the night before. His heart hammered as he stared at the number on the door, nerves making him worry that he’d gotten the wrong floor or wrong door. His hand was balled in a fist, but he couldn’t get himself to raise it and knock. What if Reed wasn’t happy to see him? What if Nines had fully taken this relationship of theirs out of context, and he was far more serious than Reed was? What if Reed was pissed…

The door yanked open and instead of Reed, there was a woman standing in front of him. She stared up at Nines, then smiled widely. Tina Chen; he recognized her from the team. 

“Hey Gavi, your boo is here!”

“The fuck are you talking about?”

If Nines had even a moment of thinking that Reed was cheating on him with a teammate, it was pushed so far away when Reed came around the corner in an oversized sweatshirt and a bag of chips in hand. He did not look like they’d come away from having sex or anything romantic, and Tina’s amusement at Nines being there was too great.

“Nines?” Reed looked at him slack jawed, a handful of chips hanging in the air as he stood there frozen.

“Hey Reed.” He held up a hand in a half-wave, feeling awkward as Tina slipped by, giggling. “Told you I’d come by. Although, was I supposed to yell at her?” He glanced at Tina as she slipped into the room next door, snapping the door shut on his words. 

“What?” Reed still stood there looking confused. He blinked and shook his head, finally deciding to drop the chips back in the bag. “No, don’t yell at- no, what are you doing here?”

“I thought you could use some support. Cheering up after a really rough game.”

“So you came to New York?”

Nines looked up and down the hallway, still waiting outside of the door as Reed waffled through his feelings. “Could I come in?”

Reed blinked again and it seemed like his brain finally caught up to him. “Yeah.” He gestured inside the hotel room and padded away himself, just around the corner to the bed. “Fuck, I didn’t think you meant you’d actually come here.”

“Should I leave?” Nines smirked like he was joking, but there was a thread of seriousness to his words, tangled with the worries he’d felt about making the wrong choice here. 

“No!” Reed answered quickly, body tensing. He cleared his throat and sat on the edge of the bed. “Ah, no. Don’t leave. I’m just surprised you actually came. Didn’t expect anything like that.”

Nines hovered slightly awkwardly in the middle of the room, a bag slung over his shoulder. He watched Reed sitting on the bed, and as his shoulders dropped and he settled down, Nines did, too. He dropped his bag next to the desk in the room and sat on the bed next to Reed. “I was worried about you.”

Reed looked over at him, then moved quickly, surging up to kiss Nines. They tumbled back on the bed, knocking the bag of chips to the floor. Neither really cared. Instead, Nines let Reed devour him. 

They lay together afterward, breathing heavily, and Nines felt like he should say something. The heavy silence that permeated the room pressed for words, but Nines wasn’t sure what to say. It turned out, he didn’t need to worry about that as Reed turned himself over, throwing a leg over Nines’s hips, and did the talking for him.

“Thanks for coming all the way here. I honestly really didn’t expect you to do that, you know.” He was tracing little circles over Nines’s chest.

Nines let his own hand wander up over Reed’s arm, fingers following the pathways of tattoos on his bicep. “I know we’re just…” Nines swallowed his words, a worry thickening his throat. What if he said the wrong thing and Reed rejected him? “Um, I know we’re just starting whatever this is, but I do like you, Gavin. And I just felt like you could use somebody. Not that you don’t have somebody. Clearly, your team is very supportive, and you have that young woman, Chen. Maybe it was presumptuous-”

“Richard, hush. It’s fine.” Reed’s face flattened out and it was hard to figure out what he was really feeling. Still, he kept talking and Nines could cling to that. “We’re having fun right? And fucking around with you was definitely better than wallowing in my own shitty attitude about losing a game.”

Nines snorted a laugh and shoved at Reed’s shoulder. “Right, well said.”

“Now, if you’re good, I’m hungry. Let’s order some room service.”

“Sounds good to me.” Nines let his own face soften, calming down a bit. Perhaps he really was just making a big deal of nothing. Clearly he and Reed were just fine.

Chapter Text

Too fast. Things with Nines were moving too fast for Reed, and he was feeling a twisting in his gut. Discomfort at the thought that Nines had taken time off to make sure Reed was okay. Who does that? Who does that for him? Reed didn't feel worthy of that kind of care. He'd never been in a relationship where he or his partner would do something like that. 

Most of the time, his partners would tell him he was away too often for hockey. That the job and the practices and the late nights were too much. Reed had dated so many different types of people, and they all had the same concerns– his inability to give them enough. 

And if Nines was willing to do what he did, he had to be looking for more than Reed could give in return. Reed needed to call this thing, whatever it was between them, off. If he dragged this farce of a relationship out any longer, it would only hurt Nines more in the end. 

Reed stood in the middle of his living room, his cellphone sitting on the coffee table. Should he do it through a text? That’s how they started, some stupid text messages. Why not end it the same way… He stepped over and picked it up, flipping it around and around in his hands.

“Fucking coward,” Reed grumbled at himself. 

The phone lit up before he could do anything. A phone call. Fucking Richard Stern, like he could just read Gavin’s damned mind. Swiping his finger across the screen, he watched it flicker to life and put it to his ear. 

He managed only to choke out a soft, “Hey.”

“Um, okay.” Nines was frowning, he could hear it in his voice. “Not the tone I was expecting. What’s wrong?”

Reed fisted a hand in his hair, the sharp feeling of pain giving him something to focus with. “I uh, I was about to message you.” He tried to say more, but the words felt stuck in his throat, making it hard even to swallow.

Nines was quiet for a moment, but when Reed didn’t continue, he cleared his throat. “What were you going to message about?” While there was a hesitation in his voice, it was filled with a knowing tentativeness. 

Reed could picture his long fingers gripping around the phone, holding his breath as he waited for Reed to confirm his fears about this conversation. Reed should be better about this. He should just do it quickly and not draw it out, hurting Nines more. No, he wasn’t really hurting him. He was helping him. Reed wasn’t enough for Nines, and trying to pretend to be was worse than this.

“We need to break up.”

“Why?”

Reed tugged his hair again. “Because I’m- we’re not, this just isn’t working. It’s not, um, it’s not what you want.”

Nines scoffed. “How do you know what I want? Did you ask me?”

“I can just tell. And it’s not me, Richard. Just, it’s time to be done.” Reed paced the room, focused on one step after the other as he waited for Nines to say something more. To yell at him. To hang up. Anything.

Instead, he sat in silence for what seemed like way too long. He even pulled his phone from his face and checked that the call was still connected. The seconds ticked by one after the other. Step after step. He stopped and dropped his hand to his side, pressing the phone to his face. “Nines?”

“Yeah, Gavin. Fine, whatever you want.” 

The phone clicked. He’d hung up.

“Fuck.”

Reed stared off over the balcony of his apartment at the city below, and he felt shitty. It was nearing midnight, and his mind would not let him rest. He kept thinking back to the last words he’d said to Nines, hating himself for pushing the man away. He was right to do it, though. Whatever they thought they were creating together was not going to work, and it was best to end it earlier than later. 

Shifting the cushions around on the little couch he had on the balcony, Reed sought the half pack of cigarettes he’d hidden there. He wished it was as easy for him to quit smoking as it was to quit people, but his nerves were too high tonight. Plus cigarettes didn’t say ‘I love you’ for no reason. 

Reed found the crumpled box of smokes in the far corner, flattened but still able to be smoked. He lit up and inhaled deeply, feeling the nicotine course through his system. As the smoke trailed upward, it disappeared into the silvery light of the moon, and Reed leaned his arms on the railing. His hands were shaking.

What was he going to do the next time he had to see Nines? They had a game against each other in two weeks, after all. It wasn’t like he could avoid the man. This is why… His thoughts were sharp in his mind, pricking angry at himself. This is why you don’t get involved with anyone in the league. 

Reed glared past the city line and over the river that wound its way along the back end of the industrial part of Detroit. Somewhere across the border was Nines in Canada for an away game, probably not having the same sort of existential crisis that Reed was. The man was more put together than that. He certainly wouldn’t let someone like Reed or anything stupid Reed had said ruin his night. 

Stubbing the cigarette out, Reed flicked it into an empty ashtray and retreated inside. The moon was too bright, the city too loud. He shut the door and pulled the long drapes across it to close himself in his apartment and away from it all.

His phone sat on the kitchen counter where he’d dropped it a couple of hours ago. Making his way across the room, he flicked a finger over it and brought the screen to life, finding a few messages waiting for him. He checked Tina’s, ignoring the ones with Nines’s name on them. 

Hey Gavi, drinks? Her text read.

Sorry not tonight

Reed was a couple hours late responding anyway. He was sure she’d be out with others from the team by this point. Instead of seeing if they were nearby, Reed decided on food and some mindless television. He pulled the fridge open to find it mostly full of condiments. It was sparse, and it was far too late to order anything. A frozen pizza in the back of the freezer would have to do. 

Collapsing on the couch, Reed flipped through channels and picked at his food, willing his mind to shut off long enough for him to get tired. He couldn’t stop thinking about Nines, though. He couldn’t stop wondering what the man was doing tonight - probably sleeping - or if he was thinking about Reed - definitely wasn’t.

Reed needed to sleep, too. He wondered if he’d get any rest tonight.

The next game Reed was at four days later, he was on the bench. Adam Chapman was in goal for him, and he was doing a great fucking job. Better than Reed would be able to do right now, and they needed the win. Fortunately, they weren’t playing against Nines’s team this time. A small mercy.

That didn’t make Reed’s mind calm down any. Instead, it was running wild with questions. Questions about if he had done the right thing, what Nines was feeling right now. Picturing Nines with someone else and how much that hurt Reed. He hadn’t expected this choice to affect him so much, but since that conversation, he hadn’t stopped thinking about it or Nines.

When he didn’t react to Adam’s next big save like the rest of his team, it was noted. Leo pushed Allen out of the way and sat next to Reed. 

“What’s going on?” Leo glared at him, clearly not going to take a brush-off for an answer today.

Reed looked back at him and ground his teeth. “Don’t wanna talk about it.”

“Too fucking bad my guy.”

“After the game.”

Leo punched him in the arm. “Then at least pretend to be here for your team, huh?”

“No one cares.”

Leo narrowed his eyes, staring through the plastic of his visor and assessing. The look buried deep in Reed and he felt like squirming under that gaze. Eventually, Leo shook his head and half-turned, nudging at Allen’s arm. “Hey, Allen. You care that Reed’s part of the team?”

“Yeah, man. Why? He’s not thinking of quitting or something, is he?”

“No, he’s just being a little shithead.” Leo leaned back so Allen could look at Reed. “Tell him he’s being a shit and to start cheering for Chapman.”

Allen reached over and slapped Reed on the chestpads. Hard, not that it hurt, but he was making a point. “Stop being a shithead, Reed. We’ll drink your problems away after the game.”

“Why’s Reed being a shithead?” Hank hopped off the ice as another player took his place, and he jammed himself between Reed and Leo. “The fuck’s wrong with you? Being a baby about sharing your net?”

“No,” Reed snapped. “I broke up with Nines, okay?!” He didn’t mean for it to slip out, but they were pissing him off.

The three looked at him with different looks; Allen in surprise, Leo with a sad frown, and Hank with narrowed eyebrows that read concerned. 

“Huh.” Hank tilted his head, looking Reed over with a new perspective. “Why?”

“I don’t really wanna talk about it right now?”

Hank nodded slowly. “Fine. But you’re going out after the game and talking then.”

Reed realized he was in the middle of a fight he was never going to win, so he conceded to the three. Great. When all he wanted was to go home and pout, he was instead going to have drinks with the guys and tell them all about his self-inflicted heartbreak. Fuck him, that was his nightmare.

Reed tried to skip out, but Hank cornered him. Tina, Leo, and Allen were not far behind. He would not get out of going with them for drinks tonight. And he was going to have to talk. 

Who knew, maybe a drink and bitch fest would do him some good. 

The group decided on an Irish pub that had pretty good food for pretty cheap, and they all crammed into a circular booth in the corner. Tina wrapped Leo’s arm around her shoulders and Reed tried not to feel some sort of way about it.

Food and drink orders placed, eyes turned to Reed. In that quick moment, he felt like a gazelle turned on by a pride of lions. He reached up and rubbed the back of his neck as he tried to avoid their eyes.

“So.” Hank was the one to start the attack.

The others waited a moment, but when Reed didn’t jump in, Leo went for him next. “You were crying on the bench.”

“I wasn’t fuckin’ crying you asshole.” Reed tossed back a gulp of his beer and slammed it back down again, sloshing some on the table. “I’m just thinking I’m a fucking idiot.”

Tina chortled. “No one’s questioning that, Gavi. But we need more information.”

“I broke things off with Nines.”

“You two were dating?” Allen pipped up, eyebrows nearly to his hairline. “Since when?”

Reed rolled his eyes. “We weren’t dating,” he said brushing a hand through the air dismissively. “I mean, I guess we were. It wasn’t serious.”

Hank tapped the table and shook his head. “If you had to officially break up, you were dating. Doesn’t matter if you said it or not.”  

“Why’d you break up with him?” Tina asked.

Pushing his face into his hands, Reed scrubbed at it. Then he dropped his hands to his lap and sank low in his seat, head thumping back on the seatback. “Because he came to New York. He knew I was having a shit time, and he came to New York.”

“Um…” Leo frowned.

The others took a minute to look around at each other, clearly confused. 

“Why…” Tina held up her hands, a shrugging confusion. “Why would that make you break up?”

“Because he was acting like we were serious! Like he, he…”

“Like he cared about you?” Hank offered.

Reed couldn’t form an actual word but managed a grunt of agreeing. 

“Good God, Reed. You’re the most frustrating person I know,” Tina sighed. She leaned over, pressing their arms together. “You’re an idiot, and you might want to fix that.”

“Fix being an idiot?”

“No,” Tina patted his arm. “Fix your mistake with Richard. You might be able to apologize well enough to get him back.”

If Reed had thought sending a break up text was difficult, the thought of trying to get Nines back after just breaking it off was worse. He would probably just die instead.

Chapter Text

Nines had not been expecting Reed to end things. Maybe he should have seen it coming, maybe there'd been signs, but he'd missed them all if that was the case. He'd thought the two of them were doing well and that they'd finally be heading into territory of officially saying they were boyfriends. 

While neither had really broached the topic and said the words ‘dating’ or ‘boyfriend’, they hadn't been subtle with the fact that they were at least seeing each other. And fucking. Both teams knew it. Some fansites posted about the theory thanks to a couple of pictures of them together on social media. But they hadn't said it.

And now they wouldn't. Because something scared Reed off. 

And Nines wasn’t sure how to deal with his feelings about it.

He didn’t have a lot of time to think about it as a knock on his door interrupted his thoughts. He opened it to find Connor, North, Luther, and Kara there. “Um.” Nines raised an eyebrow and hung on the door, staring out at the little group. “Can I help all of you?”

North rolled her eyes and pushed past him into the house. “We knew you wouldn’t come out if we texted you, so I told them we were going to come kidnap you instead. Let’s go, get yourself dressed.”

Nines shook his head but moved out of the way so the rest of the group could invade his house. “Out where?”

“Same as usual,” Luther said, politely shutting the door behind himself and not moving further in with his shoes on. “North tried to talk us into bar hopping, but Kara reminded her we have Alice at home and can’t be out all night.”

With a sigh, Nines decided a few drinks might be a good solution to the Reed shit he was dealing with. He headed for his bedroom, North still following behind him. He opened the closet and just moved aside, already knowing she was going to give her opinions on what he needed to wear.

“Alright, what’s with that?” she asked, wiggling a finger in his face. 

“What’s with what?” Nines swatted her hand away from himself and gestured to the clothes hanging up. 

“Your face. You look like a rain cloud. Who pissed in your cheerios, Richie?” She turned to the closet and started her perusal, pushing clothes aside and occasionally tugging something out and holding it up to him.

Nines rolled his eyes. They knew he and Reed were broken up, or not seeing each other, or whatever, but he hadn’t actually talked to them about it. Nines was great at avoidance and repression. North, though, was a force to be reckoned with when she wanted information. Nines knew he wasn’t going to win in a stubborn-off with her. 

“I don’t know. The shit with Reed has me messed up, I suppose.” Nines eyed the newest shirt in her hand, a high-necked button-up. Sleek, black. His typical style. North stuffed it away and grabbed a brightly colored shirt, something Connor had gotten him that he’d worn maybe once.

“Put this on.” She shoved it at him and sat on the end of his bed, staring at him. “You liked him a lot?”

Nines shrugged his shoulders, pulling his t-shirt off to trade it out for the colorful button-down. 

North made a thoughtful humming sound. “That asshole broke up with you then. Want me to punch him in his dick?”

That made Nines snort. “No, it’s fine. I’m mostly trying to figure out my own feelings with everything.”

“Do you want to punch him in the dick.”

“Maybe.” Nines sighed and grabbed his favorite pair of jeans. “I liked being in a relationship. I didn’t realize just how much until it was over. What about when you and that girl broke up? You were single for a long time after that. That didn’t bother you?”

North sighed and flopped back on the bed. “Nah, I needed time to myself after that. I realized I was in the relationship for the wrong reason and needed to figure out what I actually wanted.”

“Hmm.” And what did Nines really want? Just a relationship? Or was Reed an integral part of what he was missing now? All he knew was that the strong feelings of hate came back pretty quickly after they broke it off. 

“Let’s go drink about it, huh?”

From the front of the house, Luther’s voice rang out, “You two coming?”

Nines nodded and headed back out to the front of the house. Kara had an arm looped through Luther’s and they looked ready to go. Connor was helping himself to snacks from the fridge and just grinned when Nines glared at him. Older siblings could be quite annoying. 

The bar was bustling tonight, and the five of them had to steal an unused chair to smush together at a table. They ordered a couple buckets of beer and settled in for conversation in the corner of the bar. 

North handed over the first drink to Nines. “Should we start looking for someone new for you?”

“No, I’m fine.”

Connor snorted and shook his head. “You’re a bad liar, Nines.”

Kara frowned, reaching across the table and placing her hand over Nines’s. “I didn’t know it was that serious with you and Reed. Is that why you’ve been hiding away the last few days?”

“I’m not hiding!” Nines kept trying to lie even though he’d just been called out about it. He knew he wasn’t a good liar; it was just a skill he hadn’t acquired, and it was something that wound up getting him in trouble in his youth while Connor could smile and charm his way out of anything. 

Kara patted his hand. “Sure, honey. But if you want to talk, we’re here.”

“And if you wanna fuck, I can wing-man you.” North grinned wickedly, wagging her eyebrows at him. 

“Don’t be so crude,” Luther said, pushing a beer toward North. “Are you sure you’re good, though, Richard?”

Nines wanted to snap back again that he was perfectly fine, but his friends knew better, and he didn’t have the energy to try and keep up a lie. So instead he just shrugged and took a long pull from his beer. 

“I’ll take that as a ‘no’,” Luther hummed. He took a drink himself and sat back, giving Nines space. 

Just being out with the group was helping, though. They moved on to other topics, hockey and changes in houses. An upcoming birthday. Alice’s grades. Things that Nines could listen to and get lost in thinking about, happy it wasn’t about Reed. He liked hearing about his friends’ lives, even if watching Kara and Luther put a pit in his stomach when he looked too closely at them. The soft touches, the smiles given to each other are almost a private thing even in public.

He nearly let North talk him into buying a drink for a guy at the bar. Nearly. But by the time Luther and Kara left to get back to Alice, Nines was buzzed and slouching in his seat. Happy and distracted.

Nines gripped Reed’s jersey in a tight fist, making sure he couldn't back out of this, like he'd backed out of their relationship. He was an idiot, and Nines needed him to see he was wrong. Punching him in the face a few times might not actually help that, but it would make Nines feel better. So he swung. 

Reed took the hit across his jaw, and he snapped back looking furious. “Fucking hell-”

“You're an idiot, Reed. Why did you-”

Reed swung next, their hands gripping at each other, fists connecting with faces. Words were lost in the fight, and Nines pushed. He got Reed against the boards, right at his bench. Behind Reed, his team yelled and tried to break them apart. But they don't relent. 

“You're really that scared?” Nines managed to snap at him.

“What?” Reed froze for a moment, just enough time that they both took hold of each other with both hands, fingers gripping sweaters as the refs circled to stop them. “No, I was just…” Reed swallowed heavily and spat out, “Just tired of you.”

Nines could see the lie on his face, hear it in the way he choked out the words, but it still pissed him off. He yanked Reed from the boards and slugged him across the cheek. Reed’s eyes rolled back and he went limp in Nines’s arms. 

That wasn't exactly what he'd meant to do, and Nines's eyes went wide. The refs and Reed’s team stepped in, calling for the medic. Nines was escorted off the ice. As he stumbled down the hall toward the locker rooms, he knew he was going to get a fine for taking the fight too far. He was more concerned with the fact that he'd actually knocked Reed out.

And that Reed was lying. 

After this little display, there likely wasn't a chance of them getting back together now. Nines sat on a bench in the locker room, letting his head rest back against the wall behind him. He let his eyes close as the adrenaline slowly fell back down and his mind settled back to reality.

The uneven thud of someone walking in skates sounded down the hall, and the locker room door was pushed open. A soft voice, “Hey, you good?”

Connor. 

Nines kept his eyes closed but could hear him coming in and sitting next to him. “Just great. Thanks for asking.”

“Reed walked off the ice. He wasn't out for long.” Connor kept his voice low, good at managing his brother's moods. 

“What is wrong with me?” 

 A hand on his thigh, hard to feel under all the padding, but there all the same. “Nothing. You just gravitate toward assholes. Well,” Connor chuckled. “I guess that’s what’s wrong. You’re an asshole magnet.”

Nines actually chuckled at that. “Yeah, I guess so. Any advice on fixing that?”

Connor sighed and shook his head slowly. “Not really, unfortunately. I do have a question, though.”

When he stayed quiet instead of continuing with the actual question, Nines rolled his head along the wall to look at him. “Yeah?”

“Do you still like him?”

That wasn’t a question he really wanted to answer. He’d rather sink further into the hard wood of the bench and concrete of the wall, hoping it would swallow him whole. “Yes.”

“You might want to actually talk to him instead of just punching him then.”

Fuck. Nines really didn’t want to do that.

Chapter Text

Art from Glasspunk in this chapter!! Enjoy the beautiful work <3 And give Glasspunk some love over on Tumblr

Reed needed to apologize. He had been the one to spring the break-up on Nines, and he hadn’t even offered a good reason. Reed had straight-up lied to him on the ice. And while it had taken Nines absolutely rocking his shit to wake something up in him, Reed now knew he couldn’t leave things the way they were right now.

Was he picturing showing up at Nines’s uninvited, getting on his knees, and begging forgiveness so well that Nines took him back? Hell no. Absolutely not. Definitely not what he was fantasizing about as he drove his ass all the way to Chicago. He was just going to apologize in person, and make the end of their relationship official in a polite way. He was not going to try and win the man back. Because he was sure he couldn’t possibly.

His hands gripped the steering wheel until his knuckles bled white and his fingers ached, loud music pouring through the car speakers at full volume. His heart thumped along with the beat of the music, and wind whipped at his short hair from the open windows. The cold of mid-winter helped keep him awake on the long drive. The entire time, he tried to think of what he was going to say to Nines. 

By the time he was pulling up into the parking lot of the large apartment complex, all he’d figured out was ‘hey’. 

Fucking idiot…

Reed climbed out of his car and felt his joints pop and muscles stretch uncomfortably. He twisted around a few times, using it as an excuse to take his time. Just a few more words. Something other than hey. He locked the door and stared at his reflection in the window; frowning at himself, Reed ran a hand through his hair and attempted to look like he wasn’t completely feral. 

He rode the elevator, still running lines through his head.

Sorry I’m such a prick… 

If you take me back, I promise not to fuck up again… 

Hey, hope you don’t hate me…

The elevator opened, and Reed was out of time. He went to the apartment door and knocked, breath stuck in his throat as he waited. He could hear footsteps. Bare feet on tile floors. He closed his eyes and dropped his head down. His hands were balled in the pockets of his jacket, and his stomach felt like it might try to heave its contents on his boots. 

The door opened and silence followed.

Reed took a breath and looked up. Nines was standing there in a pair of sweats and a Bobcats shirt, glowering. When Reed didn’t say anything, he raised an eyebrow and gave a slight ‘what’ shake of his head.

“Hey.” Fucking idiot. 

“You have three seconds to say something else or I’m going to punch you, Gavin.”

Reed gaped for a second, his mind twisted for another, and he managed to spit out the mantra running through his head for hours, “I’m a fucking idiot.” Once that got out, he was able to keep talking. “And I’m really sorry. You were right, you know, before you knocked me out.” Gavin’s hands started moving with his words, nervous energy making him wind them together. “I just got scared because I’ve never been with someone like you,” he said, extending his hands out at Nines, like putting him on display. “You just kept showing up, and caring about how I felt.” Gavin’s hands came back to his chest, fingers tangled in his shirt. Then he flailed them out in exasperation, saying, “And I didn’t know what to do with that. So I panicked. And I was wrong. I’m sorry.” His hands finally stilled, falling to his sides.

The silence that hung between them when Reed finally stopped rambling made him nervous all over again. He reached up, hooking a hand around the back of his neck, and ran his fingers over the short hairs there. He watched Nines, waiting for any sort of reaction besides the blank-faced stare he was getting. He supposed at least he wasn’t being punched in the face. Then he thought that might hurt less than this quiet.

With a roll of his eyes, Nines’s shoulders sagged, and he stepped aside. He opened the door further and motioned for Reed to come inside. As Reed stepped past him, Nines shut the door behind them and led them to the living room.

They each grabbed a spot on the couch, keeping some space between them. “Did you drive all the way here to apologize?” Nines asked.

“Yes.” Reed wanted to say more, but he bit his tongue. He didn’t want to come off too eager and ruin whatever little progress he’d just made.

“What do you expect from this, Gavin? You think I’ll take you back?” Nines sat back and crossed one leg over the other. He looked so composed, so opposite of how Reed felt. 

Reed shook his head. “Not really.” He leaned forward, elbows on his knees. He wanted to get up and move around, fidgety, but kept himself sitting still for now. “I guess I thought about that as I drove up here, but I started the drive without thinking much beyond knowing I shouldn’t have left things the way I did.”

“Hmm.”

The apartment was warm enough that Reed felt sweat beading on himself from the nerves. He hadn’t realized just how anxious this all would make him. Around them, reddish-orange light from the setting sun came in through the couple of windows, and the apartment itself was low-lit. It was clean. Much tidier than normal, and Reed wondered if Nines was the type to clean and rearrange things when he was stressed. Reed wondered if Nines had maybe missed him as much as he missed Nines.

“I understand if you just hate me now, but I guess I was hoping that I could apologize and get a second chance,” Reed said.

“Not an insignificant part of me wants to say yes, but you really hurt me.”

“I know-”

“And you’ll have to make up for that.”

Reed nodded, legs tense with the desire to move closer to Nines. “I will. Whatever you need me to do.”

Nines chuckled. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep.”

“I mean it.”

“If I said I need you to post on social media that we’re dating…take a picture with me on some fancy date, that you pay for, you’d do it?”

“Yes,” Reed said immediately. Beyond the immediacy of wanting to promise Nines the world, he realized the idea of that scared him a little. He wasn’t used to doing things so openly, and he wasn’t used to a relationship being so important. But for Nines, he could put aside the fear, he thought.

Nines looked at him with raised eyebrows and a half grin. “Oh yeah?”

“Yeah.”

“Prove it.”

Rental skates were a mistake. But, in for a penny… As Reed and Nines took a few hesitant strides, they knew right away how this was going to go. Not well. The skates were clearly not sharpened well, and they weren’t goalie skates.

“It’s been like eight, nine years since I’ve put on a pair of player skates,” Reed said, flailing his arms out to keep his balance. 

“I don’t remember ever even wearing player skates anymore,” Nines said as he tried to push off and glide. He looked shaky and his arms went out just like Reed’s. 

As they tried to turn the corner of the rink, they both tilted too far forward and grabbed each other for balance. Legs and arms went flying, and the two hit the ice in a pile of limbs and groans. Reed ended up on his ass, the pain radiating up already. Nines on his hip. He flopped to the side and pushed Reed a bit away from himself. 

“Fuck!” Reed gasped, rolling over to his knees to try and get back up. “You were supposed to catch me.”

“Me? I’m not doing any better on these piece of shit skates.” Nines pushed up and reached for the wall of the rink nearby, trying to get a foot under himself.

Reed followed him over and hauled himself back upright. “Okay, we can do this. We literally get paid to skate.” He looked over at Nines, both of them still holding tight on the wall. Reed didn’t want to let go; his ass hurt.

Nines raised an eyebrow at him, glancing at the people skating around them and nodding to a group of teens. “They have those support things.”

“Absolutely not. I’d die first,” Reed growled, following his gaze. There were plastic walker type things that helped people glide on the ice without falling, and he refused. He was a damned AHL player, thank you very much.

“You just might.” Nines chuckled and pushed at his shoulder.

Reed flailed again, letting go of the wall. His feet slipped under him, but he managed to hold himself upright. For now. “It’s the weight distribution. The skate blades are shorter than the goalie ones.”

“So sit back on your heels.” Nines let go of the wall as well, bending his knees slightly.

“Ha, if it’s so easy, take a lap Richy.”

“Don’t call me that.” Nines took a few strides and actually stayed up.

The prick. Reed, not wanting to be outdone, tried to sit back on his heels a bit and crouched in the typical hockey stance. He hadn’t had to use these techniques since first learning how to skate. He managed a few more gliding steps without falling and felt his confidence grow a bit. “What should I call you instead?” Reed teased.

Nines grinned at him, holding out a hand. “If you can keep up with me, you can call me yours.”

Reed groaned, his head falling back as he felt desire run through him, and a pride that just maybe he would win Nines back for real. So, he reached out a hand and skated after him. 

Instead of letting him hold his hand, Nines skated backwards, keeping just out of reach. Reed bared his teeth, gritting them in frustration, and skated faster. So Nines turned and skated away, making him chase him. “Damn your long legs!” Reed had to quicken his pace, but at least he had figured out the skates.

Well, mostly. They both still tripped a bit, arms still swinging out, feet sliding the wrong way. Reed managed to catch him at the other end of the ice, snagging his hand, and somehow not going completely off balance. They kept on their feet, and Reed clung to Nines’s hand. 

Nines slowed finally, and Reed drew closer, their shoulders bumping with every second stride as they skated next to each other. Hand in hand because Reed was definitely not letting go this time.

“So…” Reed wasn’t sure what to say, but the desire to say something built in his chest. He felt a flush over his cheeks that had nothing to do with the cold air. 

“So.” Nines glanced down at him then squeezed his hand. “More to that thought?”

Letting out a rush of air, Reed shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t know. I keep wanting to apologize more, which is fucking not my thing, by the way.”

“Yeah, you don’t seem like the type to say sorry,” Nines chuckled.

“Why did you give me another chance, Richard?”

“Because I like you.” A red blush painted Nines’s pale cheeks now.

The tension of needing to say something turned to warmth in Reed’s chest. “Do I still have to post on social media?”

“Do you still want to date me?”

“Fuck,” Reed whispered. 

He shook his head but dug his phone out of his pocket. Pulling Nines closer, Reed held up the phone camera and smiled. In the reflection was Nines, tilting his head down a little, grinning alongside Reed. Reed snapped the picture and made a quick post with the caption, Out skating with a hottie. Who’s jealous? Because he’s a prick and can’t help but be antagonistic.

“You’re going to pay for that,” Nines said. He put a hand to Reed’s jaw and tipped his head up, putting their lips together in a kiss that was much softer than the growling tone of voice.

“Hey,” Reed snatched his collar to keep him there. “I did what you asked.” He kissed Nines again, deep this time, taking his time. 

“That you did. Now, let’s keep skating and afterwards, buy me a hot chocolate.”

“Sure thing, babe.”

With the way Nines grinned from the corner of his lips, Reed figured that nickname was a good one. He’d be using it more often.

Nines was gracious enough to let Reed stay a few days, and Reed was determined to do what he could to make it up to the man. Staying at his apartment while Nines was doing a weekend of home games made it a little easier. And Gavin might not have been able to cook for shit, but there were still gestures he could make.

Like waking up early and going to find good breakfast and coffee to bring back for when Nines woke up. Reed had scoured the internet, reading reviews and looking at the earliest opening times, and finally found a place that looked promising. The picture of the food showed fresh, healthy options and handmade pastries alongside fancy coffee drinks. 

So Reed slipped quietly from the room and walked the couple blocks around the corner to the shop. He hoped to time his return with Nines's usual time of waking up and found the place thankfully not busy. Reed ordered what he thought Nines would like and hurried back out after he was handed a bag of breakfast.

As he rode the elevator back up to the apartment, food and drinks in hand, he couldn't help the nervousness that burbled in his chest. He really didn't deserve a second chance, and yet, here he was. Reed really needed to not mess this up.

As he opened the door to the apartment, he was met with quite a sight. Nines had a yoga mat rolled out in the spacious living room. He wore a pair of tight athletic shorts and nothing else. And he was bent in a position. Reed was pretty sure the pose was called the scorpion, and he could see why; Nines had his forearms flat on the ground, his face looking down at them, and instead of being up in a hand stand, his legs curved around to where his pointed toes nearly touched his head, sort of like a scorpion’s tail. And as Reed stood there taking it in, Nines slowly pushed upward from his forearms onto his hands, extending his legs further so he feet slid on the floor toes still pointed, but his face was now between his biceps looking away from himself, back arched even more. It was like he'd fallen into some advanced bridge pose that made Reed’s back ached just looking at it.

“Holy shit,” he breathed out in awe.

Nines finally cracked an eye open and grinned at Reed. “Yeah, you haven't gotten to see just how bendy I can be in bed, baby. Glad you apologized?’

“Fuck yeah. And I have more apologizing I'll do, cause holy fuck Richard, that's…hot.”

Nines kicked his feet back over himself, unbending his spine and curling into child’s pose. “Give me a couple minutes, and then I'm going to eat whatever that is you brought because it smells great.”

Reed stood, still locked in staring awe, trying to come back to his senses. “Uh, right. Sure yeah.” He stumbled into movement again and set the food and drinks on the coffee table before seating himself on the edge of the couch to watch and wait.

Nines moved himself through what looked like a familiar routine, and Reed fought down the boner pressing against his jeans. He didn't do a good job as his boyfriend -fuck, his boyfriend!- twisted and stretched himself in ways that had Reed imagining all sorts of terribly depraved things. 

And he would have to wait to act on those thoughts as Nines had his breakfast. 

When Nines finished and put the yoga mat away, the two grabbed the food and sat next to each other on the couch to eat. 

“Hope you like it. I sorta guessed based on what I've seen you eat before and things we talked about.”

Nines smiled, taking a bite of the egg white omelette smothered in chunky salsa. “You made a good choice.”

Reed settled at that and dug into his own breakfast sandwich. “You don't have to be at the rink until six tonight. Could I take you out today?”

“Sure. What did you have in mind?”

“Well, there's a bunch of museums, an aquarium, and I heard there's a magic themed speak-easy? Not sure the hours that runs though.”

Nines chuckled. “Not until later. The museum is cool though. There's a T-Rex skeleton in it named Sue. She's pretty awesome.” 

Reed nodded, only half forgetting his boner for the talk of dinosaur bones. “If you would like that, I'll take you!”

Nines leaned across the space on the couch, bringing his lips to Reed’s jawline. “You could take me in other ways before we go, too.”

Reed swallowed hard and turned just enough to catch Nines's lips in a kiss. “Anything you want, babe.”

"I want you.”

And Reed was excited to see just how bendy Nines could be.

Chapter Text

The end of the season came quicker than anyone was hoping for, especially Nines. While he had put his whole being into doing well, getting his stats up, and kept his eyes on the NHL prize, he was still uncertain of how his future would go. Playoffs were exciting, but they were also an ending, and that made him a little nervous. His relationship with Gavin the last few months had been going well, too, and that could certainly shift with whatever changes came after playoffs.

Sure, they were doing the long distance thing pretty well. They called each other often, almost every day, and a lot of those calls were video calls where they shared the boring parts of their lives through simply existing on the phone together. They also made whatever time they could to meet in person. And they have been counting down the looming days to playoffs starting.

Even with the rough start of the season, the Devils managed to make it into the playoffs alongside the Bobcats. Nines was happy for them, and he was relieved that their teams were not matched to play against each in the first round. That would only become a problem if they both won and advanced to the next bracket. Nines had too much on his mind to worry about that hypothetical now. No, now he had one weekend free and he was spending it with Reed. 

The two men were sprawled on the couch together in Reed’s living room. Nines was laid back against the arm of the couch with Reed between his legs, head on his chest, and they had a t.v. show playing episode after episode while they chatted in hushed voices. Nines ran his hand up and down Reed’s back slowly, the soft fabric of his t-shirt feeling nice under his fingers. 

“What if you don’t get called up to the NHL? Are you happy with where you’re at?” Nines asked, still unsure himself what he would do. He hoped that Reed’s answer might give himself some clarity. 

Reed made a thoughtful humming noise, shifting slightly under Nines’s touch. “I mean, I have a lot of friends in this league. And if it means I get to keep playing, I’m going to keep signing whatever contracts they hand me.”

The answer felt fine, but Nines needed to hear something more. There was a thought floating around the edges of his mind that he couldn’t work out for himself, and talking with Reed might just knock it free. “What if you couldn’t play hockey? Is there something else you would do?”

“Pssh,” Reed snorted a half-laugh. “Not sure I’m qualified to do much else. I mostly went to college to play hockey, barely passed some classes.” Reed lifted himself up, folding his arms over Nines’s chest so that they were looking at each other. “You have a reason for these questions?”

Nines stared at him for a moment, gathering his thoughts to come up with a satisfactory answer. “I’m nervous about the playoffs and coming contracts. I don’t know what I will do when my hockey career ends, and suddenly I feel like I should start thinking about it.”

“You can’t really think you’re not going to be moved up. You have an amazing record, Nines. You’re best in the league and you’re doing a fuckton better than a bunch of the NHL guys.”

“You’re just saying that because we’re da–”

“Because I know how to read statistics. It’s fact, babe. You’re a damned good goalie, and you’re going to retire rich as fuck. You won’t have to worry about another job, so long as you figure out how to invest or something.” Reed rolled his eyes. “Get an accountant person or whatever.”

Nines chuckled and drew his hand up, running it through Reed’s hair. “Okay, well let’s say I get a career ending injury. I have no idea what to do.”

“And you think figuring out what I would do will help you? Nines, we are very different people. I can’t sit still for two seconds. I’d probably find a way into construction or something hands on. Not sure that’s your vibe.”

It wasn’t, and Reed was making some great points. “That’s fair. I don’t know why I’m feeling like this.”

“Mid life crisis. Just get a motorcycle or super expensive car like our grandparents used to do.” Reed tipped his head a bit to the side, leaning into Nines’s hand. 

Giving his hair a little tug, Nines shook his head. “Fine, I’m being ridiculous. I’ll stop.”

“No.” Reed sat up a bit more, a seriousness falling over his face. “You’re not being ridiculous, I just think you underestimate yourself. It’s normal to worry about these things, that’s all I meant.” He scooted up and brought his lips to Nines’s.

Nines let his eyes flutter closed as Reed kissed him, and he kissed back. The softness of it was different from their usual frantic passion, and it felt nice. Just what he needed. 

Nines stood in the locker room, half-dressed for the game, holding his helmet in his hands. It was game seven, and the Bobcats had to win their bracket with this game. Nines could be a step closer to the Calder Cup and moving to the NHL. He just needed to stay focused and do his damned job tonight.

Setting his bucket on the shelf above him, Nines fished his phone from where he'd stored it in the little cubby of his space. He flicked open the messages and found the one Reed sent him a little bit ago. He was in the stands, grinning.  Good luck, babe! the message read. He'd flown all the way from his own game to watch Nines’s. It gave him even more reason to play well tonight. Nines hadn’t recently thought about people in the stands as those he needed to impress, but knowing that Reed was there put that feeling back in him. 

Getting into the rest of his gear, Nines took a deep, settling breath, then put on his helmet. He was ready.

Leading his team out to the ice, Nines skated his way over to his goal and tossed his water bottle on the top of the net. He went back and forth over the crease, cutting it up to create some friction for better maneuverability, then stood at the top of the line and looked out over the rest of the rink. Players moved about with pucks, or stretched along the sidelines, getting into the mindset of a game. 

Nines followed the other team, picking out their best scorers and watching their habits as they practiced. Routine, he was following his routine. This would be the seventh game against them, and he was sure he could win it. 

A prickling at the back of his neck made him pull his attention from the ice. He glanced into the stands, seeking out Reed. It would be near impossible with the crowd and how far away he was from most of the seats, but he still looked anyway. He tried to remember if there was anything in the photo Reed sent that would give his position away, but he couldn’t remember. It didn’t matter; Reed was there, watching and cheering him on.

Nines focused back up as the game was getting started. He crouched as the puck dropped, and felt that burst of adrenaline as play began. His team skated hard and fast right out of the gate; they won the puck and went for the other side. He watched North and Markus pass the puck between themselves, get into position with Josh trying to keep the other players off of them. Simon moved in to be able to make a rebound shot if the goalie knocked the puck away.

Markus passed back to North, and she fired a shot at goal. It went off the goalie’s blocker, but Simon was in the perfect place. He tipped it in around the goalie’s skate, and they scored the first goal of the game in just under thirty seconds. 

Nines smacked his stick on the ice a few times in celebration, the echo of it sharp against the cheering crowd, then drowned out from the goal sirens that went off. Loud, raucous, exciting. Everything that Nines loved about the game. 

The play passed back and forth, the teams going up and down the ice, fighting for control. The other team wanted to reciprocate the goal, and Nines was determined to make sure that didn’t happen. When they managed a breakaway, Connor skating as fast as he could to back-check for his brother, Nines sank into position, ready. He squared himself to the puck, shuffling with the changes in direction of the skater, realizing what they all saw. Connor wouldn’t make it in time to wrestle the puck away, and it was all on Nines.

His glove was ready, heart hammering as he watched the skater come closer. A dip to the left, but not a shot. Nines t-pushed to the right, angling his blocker, dropping down on a knee and sliding with the momentum. The puck smacked hard on his gear and bounced down in front of him. He dove at the same time the player came in for another shot. Nines made it first, covering the puck with his glove and taking the hit of the stick across his arm. It stung a bit, but he still had the puck in his control, and the ref blew the whistle, stopping the play.

Hopping back up, Nines felt good. This was his game, and his boyfriend was watching just how damned well he was doing. Tonight was going to be a good night.

The Bobcats won.

Nines felt a swell of excitement, then a slight drop of dread. If the Devils won their next game, they would be up against each other for the next bracket. It was looking more and more like a reality. He wondered if Reed was feeling anxious about it at all. He’d soon find out.

After congratulating each other on the ice and Nines getting all his head-bumps for a job well done, they headed for the locker rooms in victory. North pulled open her locker and grabbed candy bars, tossing them to everyone as they started stripping out of their gear.

For Nines, she pulled out a chocolate powerbar and tossed it to him with a wink. “Wouldn’t want to upset your delicate constitution with something like fun food after a win,” she teased.

Nines rolled his eyes but bit happily into the protein bar. “You can’t bash my methods when I help you win so often.”

Tossing her chest pads on the bench, she tramped across the space and draped an arm around his shoulders. “You have to learn to blend fun and work together a little more. You’re making good steps fucking Reed, but you got a way to go yet, Dick.”

Connor snorted from his corner. Nines glared at his brother as he knocked North’s arm away. “This is why I’m going home with him tonight and not out with you monsters.”

“Awww, come on Dicky, we have to celebrate.” North couldn’t help but bother him, apparently. She smirked and dashed away before Nines could retaliate more. 

“Absolutely not. If I have to hear one more nickname like that, I’ll play sick next game.” Nines tossed his leg pads on the ground, his body covered in sweat from the exertion of the long game.

“Good, then Ralph can play more!” Ralph, their backup goalie, grinned from where he was taking off his gear. 

North snorted. “Yeah, let Ralph play a bit, Nines. You’re just going to leave us next year anyway.” She smirked like she was teasing, but there was a bit of real hurt underneath it all. 

Nines had been so focused on advancing his career that he might have missed some things with his team. Like how they actually felt about him. As he looked around the locker room now, catching eyes with a few people, Nines realized he had a lot more friends than he’d allowed himself to believe. When he caught eyes with Connor, his chest tightened. His brother forced a small smile but looked away quickly. Connor was not getting called up as far as rumors went. While Nines would be happy to move up, he hadn’t thought about how sad he’d be to leave so many behind.

Looking down at the ground, he focused on putting his gear away, letting the voices of his team fade into the background. His mind raced and he desperately wanted to see Reed now.

Chapter Text

Reed leapt from his seat as the game ended, cheering on Nines as the Bobcats took the victory. Even though they were in the opposing team’s barn, Reed still proudly wore a Bobcats jersey. One with Nines’s name and number across the back. He was surrounded by the opposing team, lost in the sea of jerseys unlike his. Nines had no idea he owned this jersey, and he couldn’t wait to see the look of surprise on his face when he saw Reed wearing it.

Fighting through the crowd as they poured out of the arena was going to be a bitch, so Reed just stayed seated. He needed to wait for Nines anyway, and they didn’t exactly have a meet-up plan. Reed had rented a car so they could use it to get around the city, and he messaged Nines letting him know he didn’t need to get on the team bus after the game. As Reed watched the crowd filter out, his stomach started to clench in a swirl of excitement and nervousness. It had been a couple of months since he and Nines had gotten back together, but there was still a bit of awkward tension. Mostly from Reed’s part, he was pretty sure. He still felt bad about having broken up with Nines in a panic.

His phone buzzed and he swiped his phone screen to read the message.

Meet me at the back of the rink, by the jersey stand.

Around him, the stands were pretty empty now. Most of the people had filtered out, so he got to his feet and found his way to the jersey stand, only jostling by a couple lingering groups. He scrolled on his phone while he waited, knowing it would likely take the team a long time in the locker room what with celebrations of winning and moving up to the new bracket of the playoffs. 

Reed purposefully liked the post Nines made a few minutes ago, a wide shot of him and the team piled in the locker room cheering. He looked good, and Reed couldn’t wait to get his hands on him. 

“Hello Gavin.” The voice that drew him from his phone minutes later was close to Nines’s, but it definitely wasn’t his. Connor, his brother, stood a few feet away with a tentative smile on his face.

Reed had not really interacted with Nines’s brother, and certainly never when it was just the two of them. He’d mostly seen him on the ice, trying to score a goal against Reed. “Uh, hey Connor. What’s up?” He glanced around him, seeking Nines. The man was nowhere to be seen.

“I just wanted to talk to you before you took off with my brother.”

“Okay…” Gavin swallowed nervously, his throat tight as he tried to imagine what Connor could possibly want to talk about. He put his phone in his pocket and tried to decide what to do with his hands. After wringing them together a few times, they followed the phone into his jacket pockets, balled up and tense.

“You really hurt him when you broke up with him before.” Connor took a couple of steps closer, tilting his head and looking Reed up and down. Reed could only nod. “Richard is a lot more…sensitive than he lets on, and I’m very protective of him. The only one who should be upsetting him is me.”

Reed nodded again. “Sure, makes sense,” he murmured. He gripped his phone tight in his pocket, some lifeline to cling to as he felt like a cornered animal just now.

Connor’s smile widened a little, and it did not feel friendly. “You don’t plan on hurting him again, do you?”

“No!” Reed surged with the spit-out words, stepping closer and reaching a hand out like some physical placation would help show his sincerity. “No,” he said again, softer, retreating. “I made a mistake, but I really like Nin- uh, I really like Richard. I’m in this for real, I swear.”

There was a long pause between them, Connor tucking his hands behind his back and staring Reed down. Finally, he broke into a real smile and nodded. “Good. I’m happy for you two, Gavin. Don’t fuck it up this time.” He glanced at the jersey, the number 09 on the sleeve. “Nice sweater.”

“Hey, what are you two doing?” Nines’s voice called from down the way and he jogged over, eyebrows creased with worry. 

“Just talking,” Reed and Connor both said at the same time.

“What about?” Nines dropped his bag at their feet, and stood next to Reed, wrapping an arm around his shoulders.

Reed looked at Connor, not sure what to say.

Connor rolled his eyes. “About you, Richy, what else?”

“Don’t fuckin’ call me that,” Nines growled.

Reed chuckled, slipping an arm around Nines’s lower back. “What’s wrong, Dick? You look grumpy for someone who just won the first bracket.”

Nines groaned and pulled himself away, ducking under Reed’s grasping hand and away. “You’re both on thin fucking ice here.”

“What a mouth. You’re picking up some bad habits from me, Nines.”

“And you’re picking up some bad habits from my brother,” Nines fired back.

The pout that Nines wore was too much, and Reed busted up laughing at it. He could hear Connor chuckling as well. Nines grabbed his bag and started to walk away from them. 

“Wait! Oh come on, babe!” Reed called after him.

“Not even going to say goodbye to the team, Richard?” Connor folded his arms over his chest, raising an eyebrow and looking so much like his older brother. 

That stopped Nines. He glanced over his shoulder and sighed. “I’ll celebrate with everyone tomorrow. Tonight, I’m going with Reed. If he’ll get his ass over here.”

“Fine, I’ll tell them getting laid was more fun than partying with the team.” Connor chuckled again and headed back toward the locker rooms, leaving Nines and Reed alone.

There was a thick tension there. Connor’s laugh didn’t sound like amusement; it was tight and forced, portraying a real annoyance instead. Reed felt himself tense, staring at Nines still walking away, and he wondered if he really should be taking Nines away from his team tonight. Since Nines didn’t stop, didn’t even acknowledge Connor’s comment, Reed figured it wasn’t his place to interfere. Yet.

Reed jogged to catch up to Nines. “I parked just down the street. Figured it was easier than fighting with the crowded parking garage.”

“And you got a hotel, I’m assuming?” Nines draped an arm over his shoulders once more.

“Sure did. It’s fancy.”

“Perfect. I could use a shower and some time with you.”

The car ride to the hotel was short, and Reed was buzzing. “You didn’t say anything about my jersey.” He needed conversation, needed something for the two of them to focus on. And Nines had been a bit distracted, thanks to Connor, to notice the jersey.

“What?” Nines leaned over in the passenger’s seat and looked at the front of Reed’s jersey. Seeing the Bobcats logo, he grinned. “Oh, is your team going to murder you for that purchase?”

“They could try. Here, look.” Reed leaned forward toward the steering wheel, revealing the name NINES written across the back. “I think they’ll forgive me since it’s your jersey specifically.”

“Jesus fucking Christ, Reed. You’re something else.” 

Hearing the smile in Nines’s voice, Reed was happy to have made the expensive, custom purchase. Nines’s actual jersey had “R. Stern” written on the back to differentiate from Connor’s “C. Stern”, so Reed had to pay extra for the change. But making Nines happy was worth it. And when Nines put his hand on his thigh, giving it a little squeeze, Reed felt his heart stutter.

“Yeah, well. I wanted to support you, even though it means going up against you next if we win our final game.”

“Mm, I’m sure there’re more ways you can show me some appreciation.”

Reed grinned wickedly.

Reed pressed Nines back against the glass wall of the large, fancy shower. He had his arms pinned, and he brought his mouth to the man’s collarbone, sucking at the skin there. He still tasted of sweat, Reed not having given him any time to actually wash up yet.

Nines groaned, tipping his head to one side and sinking down the wall so Reed could better reach more of him. “Gav, I missed you.”

“Mmm,” Reed hummed over his skin then moved up to kiss him. He pulled back enough to say, “Missed you, too,” before pressing their lips together once more. Reed slowly worked his way down, biting at a nipple, his abs, the jutting hip bone. He licked over that V-cut and lower to Nines’s slowly hardening cock.

Taking Nines in hand, Reed licked the underside of his dick and up. He ran his hand up as he got closer to the head, tugging down the glans and flicking his tongue over the slit. The foreskin glided like silk as he sucked at the head of his cock and stroked him at the same time. 

Nines’s fingers were splayed along the glass of the showerwall, slipping through the water droplets, arching as they tried to get some grip. He moaned out Reed’s name, eyes squeezed tightly shut and mouth dropped open. 

He looked fucking debauched, and Reed loved looking up at him like this. Gripping Nines’s hip with one hand and flattening his other over Nines’s stomach, Reed slid his mouth down his cock until his nose was buried in the trimmed hair nestled at the base of his cock. The noise it elicited from the man put a shiver down Reed’s spine, so he pulled back and did it again, creating a slow rhythm of deep throating Nines.

A hand tangled into Reed’s hair and tugged, hard. “Unfh, gunna…” Nines groaned. “Gunna cum if you don’t stop.”

Reed pulled off his dick, panting. “So cum.”

Nines looked down at him, eyes hooded. He licked his lips and gave a nod, letting Reed go back to work on him.

Reed sucked his way back down Nines’s dick and grabbed at his ass with both hands. He spread his cheeks and teased at his hole, running a finger over him as he sucked him off. When he felt everything tighten, Nines tipping over the edge, he held him there so he would cum in Reed’s mouth. And then he swallowed it all down.

Nines nearly collapsed as he came down from his high, and Reed chuckled. Getting to his feet, Reed helped hold Nines up as they soaped their bodies and cleaned themselves. “Can you make it to the bed there, big guy?”

Nines snorted, “Barely. That was good.”

“Just wait. I have more planned.”

“You’re going to be the death of me, Gavin Reed.”

Reed laughed this time, laying Nines out on the bed and straddling his hips. “Just a little one, I hope. Now, think you can get hard again so I can sit on your dick?”

Nines’s eyes flashed, a tired grin spreading over his lips. “Sure. The sight of you like that helps.” His hands moved up to glide over Reed’s hard, muscled body, and Reed felt that cock twitch with interest against his ass.

Reed ground back on him, his own hands resting on Nine’s chest, thumbs flicking at his nipples. “Fuck, you feel good. Can’t wait to get you inside me.”

“You’re amazing, Gav.”

“Mm, say it again?”

Nines smirked and grabbed Reed’s ass, spreading him and grinding against him. “You’re amazing.”

“Damn straight.” Reed reached around, jerking Nines back to a fuller erection. “Lube, there,” he said, pointing to the little bottle he’d tossed on the bed earlier.

Nines handed it to him and Reed applied a slick to Nines’s erection before guiding that cock slowly into himself. He seated himself to the hilt with a groan, deeply rocking his hips. Nines moaned with him, and they could only stay slow with each other for so long. 

Rocking their hips together, Reed bent down to kiss Nines. They grabbed at each other, pace going faster, the sound of skin on skin echoing through the hotel room. Groans and cries of each other’s names, the repeated “fuck” cut short and sharp in Reed’s mouth, the building heat between them. 

Reed came all over Nines’s stomach and chest, head tossed back and thighs clamping tight around Nines’s hips. Nines stilled beneath him, hands trailing along Reed’s sides, over his abs and chest. Reed wanted more. Wrecked, he grabbed Nines’s hands putting them on his hips and directed him to keep fucking Reed. “Use me until you cum again.”

“Fuck, you sure?” Nines rolled his hips slowly upward, testing.

“Yes!” Every thrust Nines gave made Reed’s oversensitive self shiver and burn, but he nodded, craving more.

Nines was relentless, fucking up into Reed until tears were running down Reed’s cheeks. When Nines finally came, filling Reed with cum, Reed felt destroyed in the best way. He collapsed to the side, panting, mind spinning.

“Damn,” he breathed out.

“You alive?” Nines asked.

“Heh, barely,” Gavin chortled.

They lay there basking in the head-spinning come-down. Their hands were entwined, breathing slowly syncing as they caught their breath once more. Whatever stress from facing each other in playoffs or dealing with the feelings of their teammates and family was not something they needed to focus on now. And it was easy not to. The night passed slowly, and they stayed up way too long. Reed wouldn’t have it any other way.

Chapter Text

The playoffs against the Devils had finally come. Nines stood in the hallway leading up to the ice, head bowed, trying to get himself settled before they were to play. To say he was nervous was an understatement; his rivalry with Gavin Reed had changed significantly, and any excitement he’d once held at the idea of playing against his team during the playoffs was changed as well. Nines wanted to win, but he didn’t want Reed to lose to make that happen. Whatever tangled emotions he had didn’t matter. He was a professional, and this was his job. He needed to do his best no matter the personal complications. 

A heavy thud on his back drew his attention, and Nines looked back at their captain. Markus gave a nod and a smile. “Show us what you’ve got, Nines.”

Nines nodded back, bulked by Markus’s belief in him. He had a lot of talent to show. As the announcements started, Nines jogged the last little way down the shoot and past the cheering of the stands. He hopped onto the ice and found his place on the line, sinking into the routine of the announcements and anthems before they could start. 

Reed was on the other line, always moving. Skates sliding back and forth, shoulders rolling. He was like that out of his gear as well; constant movement. The way he’d moved his way into Nines’s life had been just as frantic.

Nines stood still and tall, pulling his eyes away from his boyfriend and rival goalie. He looked around the crowd, across the ice at the goal. He took a deep, settling breath, and then the lights came back up. Game time.

Skating across to his net, Nines cut it up as he always did and centered himself at the top of the crease. He watched as the other players got to the faceoff and the ref lifted the puck between the two teams. In nearly slow motion, the puck fell to the ice and sticks attacked to gain possession. Nines crouched as the puck came loose into the Devils’ control.

Nines watched carefully as Anderson and Fowler passed the puck between each other, dodging his brother and Simon and heading his way. Pushing forward, Nines squared himself to the puck, watching it slide over the ice. He was not going to let a puck in within the first two minutes. He followed it as it was passed again, and saw the windup. Dropping his knees down and flexing his arm, Nines went into a butterfly and snatched the puck out of the air, making sure his legs were lined up for a rebound in case he dropped the puck. 

The black, rubber disc was enclosed neatly in his glove. Letting out a short huff of relief, Nines popped back up onto his skates as the whistle was blown to stop play. They all gathered at the puck-drop to his left, and Nines sank down, ready once more. 

By the time the first period ended, the score read 1-1. Nines led the way down the tunnel towards the locker rooms, but he was stopped by a shout.

“Yo! Nines!” Reed called at the crossroads.

“Gav.” Nines stepped out of the way of his team and started down the short connecting tunnel as Reed did the same. “Hey. Good game.” Nines lifted his helmet off and waited as Reed did the same.

Reed grinned up at him. “Good luck kiss for next period?”

Rolling his eyes, Nines knew he wasn’t going to deny the man anything. He bent down and brought their lips together. Their heavy padding pushed against each other, and the angle was a little awkward, but the warmth of Reed’s breath over his lips made it worth it. “Good luck, love.”

“You too, babe.” Reed leaned back, still grinning, and smacked Nine’s leg pads with his stick. He stepped backward, leaving to go back with his team.

Nines stepped away as well, though he felt reluctant to leave him. He needed to give his team his attention though and keep his head in the game. They had two periods to go still with a tied score.

Collapsing onto a bench in the locker room, Nines set his helmet next to him and looked around. The team looked good, full of energy as they joked around and talked about how the game was going. 

Markus clapped Connor on the back, smiling at him. “Good set up at the end of the period. If we do that again, I think we could get it to goal and hopefully score on Nines’s boyfriend.” Markus smirked, shooting a wink at Nines as they caught eyes.

Nines glared at him but felt more playful about it than he normally would. “Just don’t throw your back out when you wind up for a shot there, old man.” Markus was barely the oldest of the group, but enough in terms of sports that Nines could use that against him. 

North snorted and nudged Markus’s shoulder. “You gunna take that from him, Manfred?”

“When I don’t chase down the next breakaway and leave him hanging, that’ll make up for it.” Markus raised an eyebrow, taunting him. “Unless Nines wants to say sorry.” 

Nines chuffed and rolled his eyes. “Keep dreaming, Manfred.” He lounged back on the bench. “I’ll stop whatever comes at me, anyway. I have a record to maintain if I’m moving up to the NHL.” 

As he said it, he felt a collective intake of breath, and knew what everyone was feeling. While they were supportive of him, there was that sense of loss. Teams could be very fluid, depending on the year and the politics behind the managers and owners, but this was more of a player’s choice. This was Nines actively trying to leave the team. 

“We’ll come cheer you on if you leave us,” Connor said, breaking the tension. “Now, Captain Manfred, you owe us a pep talk!” 

As the team jeered at him, pushed at his shoulder, and tossed miscellaneous hockey gloves at him, Markus climbed on the bench, the skate guards making him wobble just a little, and shushed them all. He was a good captain, and a good orator. He knew how to hype them all up and get them excited to go back out on the ice for period two. 

Nines tried not to let nervousness seep back in. He tried to ride the excited wave of his team. Skating back out to his goal, Nines carved up the crease then stood at the top. His gear felt heavy as he stared across the way at Reed. His boyfriend, his rival. The stick pressed hard into the crook of his thumb and Nines tightened his fingers around it as the puck dropped at center ice. The clock started and sticks clashed for control. As the players’ skates slashed over the ice, Nines’s head suddenly spun, thoughts too loud and everything too much. 

He choked. During one of the most important games, Nines fucking choked. A slide too far to the wrong side, a glove too high, blocker too low. 

1-3, in favor of the Devils. Nines had let his team down. Had let himself down.

Lining up to give a handshake to the other team, Nines gave Reed as genuine a smile as he could muster while feeling upset with himself. 

Reed pulled close, stopping him for a moment. “My place, just you and me.” His voice was serious and he kept his eyes on Nines until he nodded at him. 

He certainly didn’t want to be around his team after this, so Nines would hide at Reed’s for the night. He couldn’t get out of the locker room confrontation, though. Trudging back, Nines sank onto the bench and kept his head down. He slowly pulled the gear from himself, sweat-slicked and mind racing with his mistakes. Nines knew that wasn’t the way to face a loss, but it was all he could get himself to do.

“Hey,” Connor said sitting down next to him. “What’s going on? You seemed off the last two periods.” Connor tried his best to keep his voice flat, Nines could tell from the flat way he pressed his lips when  he finished talking, but it still came off tinged with blame.

Nines shrugged and shook his head. “I don’t know. I started thinking about what it would mean for…the team, me, us if I did move up. I got in my head. It won’t happen next time.”

“Hope not. You can’t worry about the future when we have things to handle now.” Connor clapped him on the back. “We can still win this. Just get your head sorted.” As he stood up, others started to banter and plans for going out started up. Connor turned to add, “Come out with us tonight?”

Gritting his teeth, Nines knew his answer was going to disappoint, but he really didn’t want to be around people tonight. “Um, Gavin is here.”

“Oh.” Connor didn’t say anything else, just went over to his assigned space and started to change out of his gear. 

Nines shoved his things in his bag quickly now, needing to escape.

Chapter Text

The car ride to Reed’s house felt a little tense. He wasn’t sure what to say to Nines. The man had lost, Reed’s team had won, and they were in direct competition with each other. Perhaps they hadn’t really thought out the feelings that would come with this sort of rivalry between teams while also dating. Reed snuck a quick glance at Nines, trying to gauge how the man was feeling.

His eyebrows were drawn tight, lips a thin slash, and his hands were wringing around themselves in his lap. Nervous, maybe. Annoyed. Reed wasn’t used to seeing Nines fidget.

Reed decided to reach out. He stretched a hand over, slipping between Nines’s hands and intertwining their fingers together. He rubbed his thumb back and forth over Nines’s knuckles and when he didn’t get any resistance, he lifted that hand to his mouth and placed a kiss on the back of it. 

“I’ve got some FPS games you can take some frustration out on if you want,” he offers, testing the waters.

Nines nodded then shrugged. “Perhaps. I also wouldn’t mind some mindless television and talking with you.”

“We can definitely do that. I think it’s time for you to eat some of your feelings, too.” Reed squeezed his hand, letting it sit on Nines’s lap, still holding onto it. “What do you say, babe? Live like me a little tonight?”

“Fuck, that might just kill me. But you know what? I’m feeling it tonight. Let’s do things your way, Gav.” Nines grips Reed’s hand tightly for a moment, then slouches in the seat and lets their hands rest together gently. “Dare I ask what sort of tv you watch?”

“Well, we gotta go stereotypical, don’t we? I’ve got all of Shoresy.”

“Of course you do. Fine, let’s watch Shoresy.”

“Perfect.” Reed sped up just a little, eager to get home and try to get Nines to enjoy their night together.

The apartment was warm after feeling the cold dregs of a winter pushing into spring outside. Comfortable, even in the weird dismay-joy of the game that they’d just played. They both showered and got into Reed’s clothes - t-shirts and sweats. The shirt Nines wore was a bit big on him considering their builds, and Reed loved the way he looked in it; a bit of it hanging wide on his neck to reveal some of his collarbone, baggy about the waist and making it easy to ride up with his movements.

They sat cuddled together on the couch, snacks laid out on the coffee table in front of them. Chips, cookies, some microwaved monstrosities. Anything that Nines would normally refuse to eat that Reed felt was needed when emotionally compromised. There were also mugs of hot chocolate on the table, and a pie in the fridge for later.

Shoresy was playing on the television, but the volume wasn’t high so they could actually talk to each other. Only, neither of them were talking. Instead, Nines had his head resting on Reed’s chest, slowly eating snacks from the table as Reed kept an arm around him, tracing his fingers up and down the man’s arm. 

As the silence stretched on, Reed thought he should say something. Check in at least. He dipped his head down to give a soft kiss to Nines’s temple. “How ya feeling?”

Nines nuzzled back up and stretched with a yawn, reaching up to skritch at the back of Reed’s neck affectionately. “Kind of blank.”

“Anything I can do to help?”

Nines breathed in deeply, twisting so he could bury his head further against Reed’s chest. “Not sure. I feel like I let the team down.”

Reed moved his hands from Nines’s arm to his back, massaging it as they talked. “Nah, shit just doesn’t always work out the way we want. One wrong move or a fucking crazy shot and the game goes completely differently from how it started.”

“Yeah, and it was my shitty wrong moves that changed the course of the game.” Nines hunched back a little into Reed’s touch, making him press his fingers in harder against his strained muscles. 

“Okay, you had a bad game. Does that really mean you let the whole team down?” Reed frowned, wondering about the dynamics of the Bobcats. “They really so shitty that they’ll put all the blame on you like that?”

Nines grumbled something Reed couldn’t understand then answered more clearly. “No, I’m the one putting blame on myself.”

“That doesn’t seem healthy.”

“Really? You’re lecturing me on healthy?” Nines pointed at the snack food.

“Look,” Reed said, grabbing a powdered donut and biting into it, absolutely spilling crumbs all over himself and Nines. “Some food is good for your body, some for your soul. You’re sad because you’re too hard on yourself, so we had to go with good for the soul.”

“I hate that you’re making sense right now.” Nines tried to pull up and swat some of the crumbs away. “I also hate that you’re getting that all over me. Let me up.”

Reed wrapped his arms tightly around Nines, squeezing him in a hug before actually letting him go. “You shouldn’t hate my advice. You just need to let someone take care of you once in a while. I get the feeling you don’t let that happen often.”

Nines sat up and brushed away the crumbs, grabbing his own snack and chewing thoughtfully. Or maybe as a way to avoid elaborating on Reed’s point. “You’re right,” he said so softly that the t.v. drowned out his words a bit. 

Instead of pushing further, Reed just looked at him, waiting. 

“I’ve always been the one to take care of other people. My brother, my past relationships, the team. At least, I feel like I’m supposed to be taking care of my team. And now if I move up, I’m abandoning them.” Nines put his elbows on his knees, hunched over and staring at the ground. 

“That’s…a lot.” Reed grimaced, knowing that wasn’t the most helpful thing to say. “You know, you can still support them even if you move on to the NHL, right? And you need to let them give you some support. I’m sure they'll be happy to see you doing well.”

“But Connor-”

“Fuck Connor.” Reed cleared his throat. “Sorry. But for real. He can work on his own issues about it. Talk to him or whatever you need, but don’t let yourself get stuck on his problems.”

Lifting his head, Nines looked over at Reed and actually gave a soft smile. “You’re not the most eloquent, but the points you’re making are good.”

“Yeah, yeah. I suck at words, but the intention is there.”

“No, it was good, Gavin. Really.” Nines reached over, tugging at Reed and pulling him into a kiss. “Thank you.”

“Anytime.” Reed kissed him back then hauled him up onto his lap, deepening the kiss and running his hands up and down his back. “I won’t go any further than this unless you want me to.”

Nines hummed against his lips. “I could be convinced to do more, but you have to bring me to your bed. I’m not fucking on your crumb-covered couch.”

“I might just fuck you on my coffee table.”

“I will walk out of here if you don't bring me to bed, Reed.”

Smirking, Reed wrapped his arms under Nines's ass and hauled him upright. Nines managed to wrap his legs around Reed's waist and his arms around his neck, ensuring he didn't fall backwards. While it was a little difficult to see around Nines, Reed held him easily enough. And walking them to his bedroom wasn't as difficult as he thought it would be. 

Kicking the door shut behind him, Reed turned and put Nines up against it. He nuzzled into the man's neck, nipping the soft, warm flesh. As he leaned into him, their hips ground together, drawing a moan from each of them. And Reed wanted to hear more of that. So he undulated his hips, grinding their erections through too many layers, and felt more wanting than pleasure. Too many clothes, too many barriers.

“Shirt,” he gruffed against Nines’s neck. “Take it off.”

Reed leaned back just enough that Nines could slip out of his shirt. It wasn’t easy, and Reed didn’t help by nuzzling at his chest the moment it was bared to him. He lathed a tongue over one of Nines’s nipples then teethed at it, drawing a hiss from the man struggling out of his shirt. 

“Gavin!” he tossed the shirt to the ground before grabbing at Reed’s shirt and jerking it upwards, the back of it over Reed’s head since that was all he could do in this position. 

As much as Reed didn’t want to, he knew he needed to put Nines down. With an annoyed sigh, he set him on his feet, and they worked quickly at dropping the rest of their clothes to the floor. Reed kicked them out of the way and pinned Nines back to the door, mouthing over his collar bone, over his chest, down his stomach. Lower, living for all of the sighs and mewls he heard as Nines dropped his head back against the door and did little more than hold on for the ride Reed was directing. 

Dropping to his knees, Gavin palmed Nines’s cock, giving it a couple of pumps before running his tongue over the silken skin. Nines was warm and the heady scent of him made Reed salivate. He rocked forward and took the man’s cock down his throat in a sloppy blowjob. 

“Fuck, that’s hot,” Nines breathed out as he looked down at Reed’s spit-slicked lips and chin, head bobbing on his dick, tilting this way or that to drag his tongue over the head or along the underside.

Reed grinned up at Nines. “Yeah? Keep talking, big guy. I like it.”

“You feel amazing, Gav.” Nines let his head rest back again, but he kept his eyes on Reed, staring down through his dark lashes. “Can’t wait until you’re inside me.”

With a hand at the bottom of the shaft, Reed wrapped his lips back around Nines and drew him ever closer to orgasm. He could feel the way Nines clenched his thighs, the stutter of his hips as he couldn’t hold back shallow thrusting into Reed’s mouth. He didn’t want him to cum like this though. He wanted the man crying his name as Reed fucked into him.

When he felt Nines losing more control, his breath coming out in heavy pants and words turning to nonsense, Reed pulled back to sit on his heels. He looked up at Nines, a smirk on his face as he dragged the back of his hand over his drool-wet face. 

“Gav?” Nines was practically whining. 

“Bed. On your knees, grab the headboard.”

Bright blue eyes went wide a moment, then Nines hurried to the bed. His long, lithe body stretched out across the messy comforter, hands reaching up for the wooden headboard. Reed watched him wrap his fingers over it, curling beautifully. Reed knew what those felt like on his body, and he shivered at the memories as he stared. Nines stared back over his shoulder, arms tensed, and Reed’s gaze moved over his shoulders, down his back to his arched ass and muscled legs. He looked ready to be devoured.

“Just going to stare or are you actually going to come fuck me?”

Reed chuckled, “Hush asshole. I’m enjoying the view.”

Nines rolled his shoulders and winked at him. “I know it’s a good one.”

“Fucking hell, it is.” Reed stepped over to the bed and dragged a hand along Nines’s backside up to his shoulder. Then he buried it in his hair and gave a sharp, short tug, turning Nines’s head so he could plant a kiss on his lips. “Ask me nicely.”

“Hmm?” Nines hummed against his lips, confusion running through the groan of pleasure.

“Ask me nicely to fuck you.” Reed tipped his head again away from the kiss, creating just enough distance to be a tease.

Nines dropped his mouth open, panting before he answered. “Please, Gavin. Fuck me, please. I need to feel you in me.”

“Good job baby.” Reed gave him another kiss before stepping away to grab the lube and condom. 

He climbed up on the bed between Nines’s legs and put the head of his dick to his ass, slowly pressing the lube-slick cock into him. He went slowly, listening to the gasps, watching the tensing of muscles, to make sure he didn’t hurt Nines. Slowly, inch by inch, he filled Nines until he was pressed skin to skin. Reed dropped his forehead to Nines’s shoulder, panting out a held breath. “Good?” he murmured over the sweat-slicked skin.

“Mmm-yes.”

“Good.” Reed sat back up, pulling his hips back then rocking forward. He started with a slow, rolling movement as they both shifted into comfortable positions. He wrapped his hands around Nines’s hips, then ground his hips faster. Thankfully, being a goalie meant Reed had strong thighs and enough stamina for this position. He wanted to fuck Nines until the man couldn’t think straight, and that would take all his strength. 

“Oh fuck,” Nines groaned, hands sliding along the headboard and recatching a purchase as Reed fucked him in quick, deep snaps of his hips. “Fuck, that’s…” his words devolved into a moan and he rocked his own hips back against Reed.

Reed lost track of time, lost track of all sense of the world outside of this moment. His hands roamed over Nines as he watched the man writhe in pleasure beneath him. When Nines had to drop his arms down to the bed and support himself there, Reed’s thighs were burning and his knees ached even with the soft bed. 

Reaching down, he tangled his hand in Nines’s dark, soft hair again. His other hand held his hip tightly, and he shifted his legs, angling differently. Perfectly, according to the cry that Nines gave. A few more quick snaps of his hips, a deep rolling thrust, and he felt Nines tighten around his cock, his body arching.

“Gavin! Fuck, uhn, Gav…” Nines cried out and spilled cum over the blankets beneath them.

That was all Reed needed. Those clenched muscles squeezed him deliciously, and the lazy pumps he gave through Nines’s orgasm pushed him over the edge as well. 

Nines and Reed collapsed next to each other, heavy breathing the only real sound in the room around them. “Feel better?” Reed asked past the heaving of his chest.

“Mmm. Mhm.”

“Perfect. If you have any other anxieties you need me to fuck out of you, uh, just give me an hour.”

Nines snorted a laugh, rolling over and wrapping an arm around Reed. Reed let himself be pulled closer and they tangled together, putting off cleaning up until they both couldn’t stand it any more. 

This was the final game that would determine if the Bobcats or the Devils would be the ones to move on to the final bracket of the playoffs. One of them would have the chance to take the Calder Cup, and Reed was scared about what that would mean for himself and Nines. So far, they’d handled the back and forth of win-loss fairly well. The first game, they’d spent together away from their teams. The next five, they went with their teams at the start of the night and always ended up in one or the other’s place.

Reed wasn’t used to a relationship that revolved around talking to each other at the depths with which he spoke to Nines, but it was a welcome change. Healthy, he was sure. And they were open about their fears alongside their hopes. The fact that they’d both gotten this far with their teams was already a big deal, and the scouts were definitely watching them whether they won the Cup or not.

But tonight…

Reed’s gut twisted as he skated out to his goal. He wasn’t sure he could look across the ice at Nines this time. Instead, he kept his attention on his team and himself. He settled into position and tried to drown out the fears.

Reed had a great game, and he was a big part of why the Devils won over the Bobcats. As Reed was surrounded by his team, cheering and celebrating on the ice, he finally got a good look at Nines. The man was also surrounded by his team, though with a more somber tone to their movements. Consoling not celebrating. 

In the locker room, Reed pulled up Nines’s stat page. It wasn’t updated with tonight's numbers yet, but it didn’t need to be to reassure him. Nines had the best numbers of the league, even with losing this bracket. He was going to be fine. Reed would move up and hopefully be drafted due to the team’s whole efforts, and Nines would get drafted because he truly was the best in their league. Everything was going to be fine.

But Reed planned to have a short celebration tonight so he could comfort Nines properly tonight. Tina and Leo, arms about each other, caught his eye and they knew. They’d help him slip out early and they’d cheer him on the whole time.

Chapter Text

Nines sat in the stands at the final Calder Cup game, the Devils going up against the aggressive team from LA. Reed was in goal, and this was his last chance to grab a win. Since the Devils had taken the Bobcats out of the running weeks ago, Nines was there to cheer him on. Next to him, Connor was juggling a hotdog, popcorn, and a too large drink. On the other side, Luther and Kara had Alice in their lap, explaining things to her as she waved a little Devils pennant. The disappointment of losing was outweighed by the camaraderie he felt now.

“Here, hold this,” Connor said and pushed the popcorn into Nines’s hands. 

“Mhm.” Nines glanced at Connor, the snacks, and grinned. “Sibling tax,” he said before shoving a handful of popcorn in his mouth. 

“No! You shit!” Connor couldn't grab it back without spilling anything, so Nines just shoved in another mouthful.

Luther’s large hand came into view, swatting at the two of them. “Language. If Alice learns anything from you two, you’re in trouble.”

“Hey, I didn’t say anything! That was him,” Nines said, jerking a thumb in Connor’s direction.

Connor snorted. “I’m more afraid of Kara, and she didn’t hear me.” He set his cup down on the ground next to him then yanked the popcorn back into his possession. “And you specifically said you didn’t want anything. So back off as- uh, butthead.”

“Butthead is not a nice word either, Mr. Connor.” Alice looked over at him and flapped the pennant back and forth. She grinned at him, very clearly knowing she was antagonizing. 

Nines laughed and smacked Connor’s shoulder. “Yeah, hear the girl? You should be nicer, Connor.”

“You say much worse than me!”

“Not in front of the child.” Nines held his hand up to Alice for a high-five, which she gave with gusto. “Who is your favorite on the Devils, Alice?”

“Chen! She’s defense, like dad.” Alice strained upward trying to get a better look at the players on the ice. 

With a smile, Nines pointed Chen out. “There. Good choice.”

“Do you know her?”

“A bit yeah. She’s one of Gavin’s best friends.” Nines peered down at Reed, watching him slide across the ice to catch a shot in his glove. A solid save. He gave a cheer along with the crowd, and Alice waved her little Devils flag vigorously. 

The game was exciting, goal after goal denied by the net minders and the teams getting more physical the longer it went on without a score. The penalty box had a near steady rotation on both sides. Reed was playing magnificently. He kept himself positioned perfectly, pressed further up the crease to deny shots early, went from his knees and back up again. Nines was both impressed and…well, a bit horny watching the display. He couldn’t wait to get the man alone tonight.

The final game of the Calder Cup went into overtime with a score of 1 to 1. Reed took a moment to skate to his bench, refocusing with his team and getting a new water bottle. Nines wished they’d been just a bit closer so he could possibly catch eyes with him, but they were too far up in the stands for that. Reed looked good though, posture still tall and focused. He would win this, Nines was sure of it.

Nines and Reed had been dating for a few months now, and it was going well. While the Devils had won the Cup, Nines had a fantastic save percentage record, and there were stirrings of the NHL pulling people to teams these last two weeks.

Both impatient, Nines and Reed sat in Hank’s backyard with a bunch of people from the Devils and Bobcats. Reed was checking his phone every few minutes, worried that he'd miss some phone call that would be his ticket to the NHL. Nines had his phone close but didn't dare look at it. He'd hear a call from the agents if they needed him. He felt checking it too much was bad luck. 

“How are you so calm?” Reed reached over and grabbed Nines's hand, slotting their fingers between each other's. He moved both his free hand and their joined hands around as he spoke. “You're not on edge about this? Announcements have been going out for days now.”

Nines tugged Reed’s hand to his lips, kissing the back of it and holding it still. “I am nervous. But there's no use actively worrying about it right now. Try to enjoy the barbecue.”

Reed made an impatient whine and sank down in his seat, leaving his hand in  the possession of Nines. He mumbled what sounded a lot like curses but he dropped his phone into the drink holder attached to the cheap, plastic camping chairs they'd claimed. Maybe he could forget about it for a while.

“How about I get us some brats?” Nines offered, pecking his lips across the back of Reed's hand some more.

“Oh!” Reed sat right back up again. “And sides. Whatever they have! Well, not the potato salad…Leo made it.”

“Hey!” Leo yelled from a picnic table off to their side. “I heard that!”

“Leo, babe…It is pretty bad.” Tina chuckled. 

Nines decided to skip on the potato salad. He got up, pulled his hand from Reed's who was reluctant to let go, and tracked down Hank at the grill. 

Markus and Luther were with him, and all three seemed to have strong opinions about the grilling being done. 

“Well I ain't got wood smoker money,” Hank was saying to a frowning Markus. “So char-grilled is all you get.”

“I'm almost tempted to buy you one.” Markus glanced at Nines as he came over. 

Luther gave him a friendly pat on the shoulder. “Don't mind them. What can I get you?”

“Three brats please.”

“Three?” Luther raised an eyebrow. “Not watching your figure anymore?”

Nines rolled his eyes. “Two are for the bottomless pit I'm dating.”

“Three brats it is.” Luther gently prised the tongs from Hank and served Nines. “Anything else?”

“No, thanks.” Nines gave a nod to the trio and went to the tables of sides. He stacked the plates high, thinking some stress eating was appropriate. 

Handing a plate over to Reed became a problem because he had his phone again, incessantly refreshing his social media then flipping to the news feed his phone provided. It was mostly hockey articles, a few things about Detroit and Chicago, clearly very well tuned to what Reed clicked on. Was that a jewelry ad?

“Gavin Reed, I'm going to throw your phone in the pool if you don't put it away right now,” Nines snapped, standing in front of him, holding his food hostage.

Reed's head snapped up and he clutched his phone to his chest. “You'll have to pry it from my dead fingers, Dicky.” 

Nines narrowed his eyes, calculating how quickly he could put the food down safely and tackle Reed through the flimsy chair he was on. Clearly, Reed read the thought on his face as he jammed the phone in his pocket and sprang to his feet. 

“I'd choose your next move very carefully, my love.” One thing that had not died down between them as their romantic relationship blossomed was the heated playfulness and their desire to rock the absolute shit out of each other.

“Pretty sure I can take you,” Reed grinned. “Put the food down and let's go. No punches, first to keep control for…I don't know, five seconds? Wins.”

“If you two break any of my shit, I'm gunna have North and Tina kick the crap outta you!” Hank called out from across the yard.

“Hush old man!” Reed snapped back. 

Nines put the food on the picnic table then rolled his sleeves as he turned back to Reed. He didn't have to wait long as Reed launched himself at him, and they immediately sprawled on the grass. Reed was heavy, his short, stocky build making it hard to flip him over. But Nines was wiry and very flexible. As they wrestled for control, trying to pin one another down, they gathered a little cheer squad. The Devils and Bobcats chirped each other, and cheered on Reed and Nines respectively. 

Their wrestling match wasn't anywhere near as heated as the fights they'd had on the ice, their feelings for each other dampening any real hatred. But they didn't go easy on each other either, especially when their friends got involved. Neither wanted to lose in front of the group. 

However, Nine's long arms and overall bendiness proved the most useful. He wound an arm around Reed just right, flipped him over, straddled him while he was still reeling, and claimed victory. Of course, Reed was a sore loser and yanked him down off balance. He rolled him over and kissed him, the crowd breaking off now to Tina shouting at them to get a room. 

“We could sneak into Hank's room,” Reed whispered. 

“Absolutely not. I'd blow you in the bathroom though,” Nines winked.

“Fuck.” Reed sucked in a sharp breath at that “For real?”

Nines nodded. “Give it a minute to calm down so we don't look suspicious.”

Reed clambered to his feet and held out a hand to help Nines up. They went back to their chairs, plates of food in hand, and ate while eyeing each other conspiratorially. Things settled around them, Markus and Leo starting up a backyard soccer game and North replacing Markus to argue about grilling. Groups of them spread around, conversing and coming together all thanks to Nines and Reed.

Food finished, and Nines still having his mind set on a sneaky hookup, he peeked at Reed again. They made eye contact, and he nodded toward the house. Reed went first, dodging the groups of their friends with a snappy comment or two. Nines followed shortly after, his tendency to be bad at socialising helping him slide by easily. 

Opening the bathroom door, Nines found Reed sitting on the closed toilet seat, pants undone and shimmied down just enough that he could palm his half-hard cock. Nines snapped the door shut and locked it behind him. 

“Damn, that's a sight.” Nines stalked over and dropped to his knees in front of Reed. They didn't have time for build up, so he dipped his head right down and sucked Reed into his mouth. 

He heard the groans from Reed, and swirled his tongue just the way Reed liked. He loved the feel of the man in his mouth, the heaviness of his cock against his tongue. Nines’s mouth watered at the taste of him. 

And Reed could never let himself just be pleasured. His foot pressed between Nines’s legs and against his own erection, rubbing at him. And Nines couldn't help but rut against it, drawing whatever little pleasure he could for himself. 

As Reed’s breathing harshened, Nines drew him deeper down his throat. He managed to get his hand between his own legs and shimmy his dick out so he could hump against Reed’s foot and not cum in his pants. Nines hollowed his cheeks and pulled up to Reed’s tip, flicking his tongue over his slit. As Reed came, he swallowed him down again, letting Reed orgasm down his throat.

“Go on,” Reed panted post-cumming. “Fuck against my shoe until you cum, too.” He grinned lopsided, posture sank and boneless after his pleasure.

Nines whined but did as he was told. He grabbed Reed’s leg for leverage and rubbed his cock against Reed's still proffered foot. The texture of the rubber boot sole against his cock was odd but far from unpleasant. And Reed rocked his foot against Nines’s humping, urging him to orgasm as well. A few heavy thrusts, and Nines spilled over the boot with another whine.

Reed reached over and ruffled his hair, their erratic breathing slowly coming back to normal.

A knock on the door made them both jump, and Nines was quicker at answering. “Just a moment.”

They hurriedly cleaned themselves up and checked each other over to make sure their clothes were properly in place. Now all they had to do was walk out. Together. In front of whoever had knocked. Nines hesitated, hand on the doorknob. 

“Oh just get it over with,” Reed grumbled and moved him aside, popping the door open. 

Connor stood there, then slowly grinned. 

“Don't –”

“Does Hank know you're fucking in his bathroom?” Connor asked, looking way too delighted at having found his brother like this. 

“Shut up, Stern. You're just jealous your brother is getting dicked down and you're not.” Reed barrelled through, using his penchant for being obstinate and gruff to his advantage, and dragged Nines with him. 

Nines felt a flush over his cheeks, embarrassed but also thrilled. His heart beat quickly, and he…was happy. Connor yelled something after then, but Nines didn't hear him clearly, too focused on the feelings Reed provoked in him.

Getting back to their chairs, Reed grabbed his phone again and turned the screen on. Richard was going to yell at him again, but there was a look on his face. His lips were a thin, tight line and his eyebrows drew tightly together as he stared at the screen. Then his mouth dropped open, mouthing along to words he was reading but not saying them aloud.

“Gavin?” Nines asked, leaning closer and trying to look at it as well.

“I…” Reed’s head snapped up and now he was smiling from ear to ear. “My agent said I was offered a contract with an NHL team! He wants me to call. Nines! Check your phone. Maybe you got one, too.”

Nines slipped his phone from his pocket, but he just stood there looking at the dark screen, a nervousness burbling in his chest and keeping him from unlocking it just yet. Next to him, Reed was pressing the phone to his ear, calling his agent.

What if Reed got placed on an NHL team and Nines didn’t? How would that affect their relationship? What would change about their ability to see each other, to plan around their already chaotic schedules? If Reed moved up and Nines did not, this could spell out the end to their relationship. And Nines wasn’t ready to face that.

Reed stepped away, going to a corner of the yard where he could speak on the phone without being too close to other conversations. Away from Nines who was in the middle of a panic attack that no one was going to notice. Mostly because he was just stood there, calmly staring. 

Nines needed to know. There was no point in him freaking out if there wasn’t actually anything to freak out about. He needed to open his phone and just check. He forced his thumb to click the phone on, he swiped through the code, and his phone came to life. There was an unread message waiting for him.

Fear gripped his chest tight, his heart was hammering in too small a space, and he thought he might throw up. But Nines clicked the message and found himself looking at an offer. To the NHL. With a pretty damned nice number for a salary - the higher end of what could be offered to him. 

He read over the message three times before Reed came back over at a jog. As he looked up, Reed raised an eyebrow. 

“So?” he asked Nines.

“I got an offer.”

“Yes!” Reed shouted and launched himself into Nines’s arms.

Nines had to drop his phone to catch Reed, but he managed. Reed’s excitement bled past the initial surprise, and Nines spun him around. They both broke out in laughter and drew the attention of their friends. As Nines put Reed back on his feet, they found themselves surrounded. 

Connor handed Nines his dropped phone. “What’s all the excitement about?” There was a darkness to his eyes, a hesitation in the way he asked.

A familiar drop of contention mixed into Nines’s excitement. His brother had not received a contract to move up yet, and he’d been in the professional leagues a couple years longer than Nines.

“We both got offered NHL contracts!” Reed said before Nines could temper the announcement. 

A cheer went up through the gathered party, and Connor did smile, giving a slow couple of claps. But as he made eye contact with Nines, their brotherly rivalry burned bright between them. A shadow cast over the excitement. It was something they would have to talk about privately. 

But when Reed wrapped an arm around him and congratulated Nines again, he was drawn back into the celebration. “What team, babe?”

“Um.” Nines had to pull his phone out again and re-read it, mind mostly blank from the overwhelm. “The Wild.”

“Holy fucking shit, me too!” Reed exclaimed and lifted Nines this time, spinning him around again. “Same fucking team!”

“That’s lucky,” Tina said.

“Congrats, man,” Luther offered, giving Nines’s shoulder a little punch when he was back on his feet properly. 

Nines and Reed looked at each other through the cheering of their friends. Nines smiled and pulled Reed in for a hug. He put his lips to Reed’s ear, “Love you.”

“Love you, too, Richard.”

Nines thought it was crazy how fast things were moving between Reed and himself, but it only made sense. They were both on the same team, had to move to the same town, and they were dating. Why shouldn’t they get an apartment together? Reed had agreed immediately, excitedly chattering away about how they’d set up the place and how much fun it would be to live together. And Nines was excited, too. They’d spent so much of their dating states away from each other, texting, video chatting, driving hours upon hours to surprise each other in person. Now they were living together.

Nights were spent reading and sharing hobbies with each other. And the days. Well. Nines had always suspected that Reed was just as intense in every aspect of his life as he was in the moments Nines had gotten to know him. And he was proven right as he got to see Reed training. While Nines relied on yoga and sprinting cardio to keep his physique, Reed was all about the intense weight-cardio.

The two had access to the Wild’s training facilities while they waited for the season to start and to properly meet the team, and Reed was spending a lot of time there. As much as Nines might have wanted to complain and have time sitting around the house together or go out with the man, watching his routines was…well Nines was at least half-hard every time they were there.

Today, Reed was working on some leg-cardio sets. Nines was on the treadmill with a great view of his boyfriend. Reed had a 25 pound round barbell weight lying flat on the ground. He stood over it and lunged to one side, using his stretched out leg to then drag the plate over to his other foot. His shoulders were kept square, arms kept bent and moving with his side movements across his body. Reed moved everything perfectly in sync. 

Reed had, blessedly, abandoned his shirt a few minutes ago. Now he was covered in a sheen of sweat, and Nines watched how each muscle flexed and relaxed with the movements. His breath was coming in quickly, almost as quickly as Nines's, who was absolutely amazed at the man’s ability. The way his calves flexed and bulged with the effort made Nines’s heart skip a beat. The intricate inked tattoos shifted with the constriction and expansion of his biceps, the twist of his forearms. 

When Reed moved onto the next set, a ski-lunge and jump upward with a weighted barbell, Nines stumbled in his sprints. He had to drop the speed of the treadmill down and grip at the stability bars to keep from falling flat on his face. The man was a beast, and Nines wanted to devour him right there on the gym floor. He wanted to lick every inch of Reed’s rippling body. 

Feeling like he was going to explode if he kept watching him, Nines shut the treadmill off and grabbed a yoga mat. He needed a meditative routine to come down a bit and get back in control of his thoughts.

At the end of Reed’s routine, he finally looked over at Nines and caught his eye. Reed grinned, wiping a hand over his forehead, and strolled over to where Nines was stretching on the ground. “Hey babe. You look flustered. Something I can help you with?” Reed stood there, hands on his hips, sweating and beaming at Nines.

Nines narrowed his eyes. “Your a fucker, you know that?”

“Mhm. I can live up to that right here, if you want.”

A choking sound cut off whatever response Nines tried to have in the moment. He looked around the empty facility, tempted. But they weren’t the only ones that put the place to use, and Nines felt a rush of nervousness at the thought of getting caught. Instead of answering, Nines figured two could play this game. He sank into a split then maneuvered his legs into pigeon pose. As Reed’s eyes narrowed and his grin turned darker, Nines grabbed his back leg and pulled it upward, tilting his head back to meet his toes. His chest and neck were stretched back, exposed to Reed’s hungry gaze.

“Fuck, you better say no or I’m not stopping where this is going,” Reed growled.

Nines just chuckled. He was not going to stop Reed from whatever he planned on doing. And Nines found himself bent and twisted in all sorts of ways beneath Reed’s hot, sweat-slicked body. They managed not to get caught by anyone, but by the end Nines wouldn’t have cared anyway.

Living with Reed helped Nines to feel less alone since they’d been away from their team and their family. Nines was already missing Connor, and he’d moved only a few weeks ago. He really needed to talk to Connor…

“Hey babe? We have our first practice with The Wild tomorrow. Wanna order in to celebrate?” Gavin was hanging on the frame into the bedroom, a grin on his face and phone in his hand. 

“Sure, but I pick the place.”

“Ugh,” Gavin sank a little but walked over and handed him the phone with the ordering app up already. “Don’t make it so healthy that I can’t enjoy it.”

Nines just shook his head, scrolling through to a place they’d found that they both like. “You said celebrate. I won’t be mean to you.” He placed his order and handed the phone back. “I uh, I think I need to talk to Connor before we settle in though.”

Gavin must have heard something in his tone because he lowered the phone and gave Nines his full attention. “Something up?”

Nines shrugged. “Same thing as always. I just feel bad about how I left things with him. It was…”

“You two have a very competitive relationship. Fuck, more than ours in a way. Were you always like that?” Gavin quickly flicked his fingers over the phone, placed his order, and sat on the bed near where Nines was folding clothes.

“Mostly I was.” Nines tossed a folded pair of jeans onto the pile of pants and sighed. “I always felt like I couldn’t live up to Connor. He was a good student, better at sports, and always won the stupid games we played. It was like everything he did I was playing catch up and couldn’t. Then hockey came along, and I tried out goalie since it was directly opposed to his position as forward. And I was really good at it. I’d found my thing. And still…hockey had been his thing first. And he took that personally, I guess. Saw me finally as something to lose to.” Nines realized he was gripping the shirt in his hands really tightly instead of folding it, so he dropped it. “I want that to go away, but me moving up and him staying back at AHL level probably fucked that up.”

“Don’t know until you try to talk to him.”

Nines looked over at Reed, seeking some sort of strength from him. “And what if he hates me, and we never fix our relationship?”

“Then I’ll be here for you to help you through that.” 

Reed and Nines didn’t often find themselves in these deeper conversations, but Nines liked to hear that from him. As they dated longer and longer, they got to learn more about each other and find ways to be supportive of more aspects of their lives. It was nice. And it gave Nines the courage he needed to try and have that conversation with Connor.

“Alright. Give me a few minutes?”

“I’ll be in the living room waiting on the food.” Reed stood up, pulled Nines into a kiss, then headed out to give him space.

Nines looked at his phone for a long few seconds before dialing Connor’s number.

“Yeah?” Connor answered.

“Hey, Con. Can we talk?”

There was a pause where Nines wondered if they’d disconnected. “Sure.”

The call lasted a lot longer than Nines had thought it would. By the time he stepped out, Reed had their food on the table and was playing a game on the Xbox. He paused it and got to his feet, giving Nines a nervous look.

“So? How’d it go?”

Nines sighed, shoulders sagging as the adrenaline from the conversation left him and exhaustion set in. “Better than I had hoped. I think we’ll try to be better with each other.”

“That’s something. I didn’t think a single conversation would solve everything, but it’s a good step.” Reed stepped closer, offering Nines a hug.

Stepping into Reed’s arms, Nines let himself be comforted. Until his stomach growled. “Sorry I took so long. Hopefully dinner’s not cold.”

“We have a microwave.” Reed pushed him along and they sat together, talking about tomorrow’s practice, the first time they’d officially meet with their new team.

Gearing up in the forest green pads, sitting next to Gavin Reed in the locker rooms, Richard “Nines” Stern felt his heart soar. He had made it. He was in the NHL, his biggest rival-now-lover was on the same team, and he was about to step out on the ice for the first time as an NHL goalie. He couldn’t be more excited.

Nines and Reed grabbed their sticks and shuffled down the tunnel to the ice. Nines hopped over the divide and onto the ice, gliding over the newly cleaned arena and out into the chaos of players skating around in a warm-up. Reed was right behind him. And they were pulled onto center ice to meet the rest of the team. It was surreal. It was nerve-wracking. 

It was perfect.