Chapter Text
Having grown up with a love for ice skating you only really quit when you started moving around to do sports photography you jumped at the opportunity to shoot for a big team in California. The bonus of the coach really needing a photographer so setting up an apartment for you made it a welcome change from the constant travel of your life. A kind but firm "Mrs Laswell" helped you set up in your apartment, explaining how your schedule would follow the players. Whilst helping you unpack she warned.
"The players dont particularly like photographers so expect some hostility your first day" You nodded, she continued.
"I've told Soap- Johnny MacTavish to pick you up in the morning as he's the friendliest of the lot." You continued speaking for a while before she left, reminding you to message her with any issues.
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The next morning you're waiting outside your new apartment, nervously picking at the strap of your camera bag. You weren't usually an anxious person but meeting knew people was always stressful. Normally you didn't need to get to know your subjects. A black ford ranger pulled up next to you, an alarmingly smiley man with an impressive mohwak stepping out the drivers seat.
"You the new paparazzi?" He says in a barley disguised Scottish accent. The word 'paparazzi' coming out more harsh than the rest of it.
"No uh- sort of, I'm the new photographer. I've never done paparazzi work" You respond, having a tall(er) bulky man slag off your profession in front of you was unnerving to say the least but he seems to warm up at your admittance so you continue. "I dont really respect the paparazzi, I tried journalism for a while in uni but it felt too invasive. People need privacy." He gives you a small nod, reverting to the smiley man from 2 minutes ago and pulls open the passenger door giving a dramatic bow before sauntering over to his side.
The car ride is relatively short and Johnny tells you about the other players as you go.
"So theres Garrick - he's a Forward, like me- do you know what that is?" You nod, trying to cover up your slight laugh as he continues speed talking at you.
"He's really nice once you get to know him, an excellent cook too although his baking is shoddy. Ghosts' our Goalie-" You cut him off, accidently,
"Ghost?"
"Right.. dumb team names, Simon, Simon Riley. He's number 16, we chose to match numbers after we came out of the academy together.. Sorry bonnie am i talking yer ear off" The Scottish comes out more heavily as he backtracks having realized how much he's been talking.
"Bonnie?" You question, trying to get him to continue talking. Any information you could get on the team was welcome information. "What's that mean?"
"It's a Scottish nickname- dont worry about it" He says, pulling up to the rink.
It's fairly empty being 7am and a private hire rink. The logo for the Cali Dogs plastered on the front of the building, a smiling blue hound you'd thought looked a tad evil after seeing it on the website during your late night 'information gather' on the team.
The Captain greets you, shaking your hand firmly as Johnny goes off to the changing rooms.
"Nice to meet you. I'm sure you've been told that the team isn't a big fan of photographers so if you have any ideas on how to get them more responsive I'm all ears." He says while shaking your hand.
"I was thinking I could get on the ice with them?" You say, slightly uncertainly, you'd been on ice occasionally in the past few years and every time it had come back to you fairly quickly. You'd even bought your skates to try get some practice in during your free time. "I figure skated for most of my childhood so It wont be a safety hazard, I have skates with me" Captain Price looks uncertain but smiles at you.
"Sounds like a good idea, I'll let you get on and let the lads know whats happening." He waits a beat before adding. "Be safe." You nod, moving away to find a place to set the rest of your things and to pull your skates on.
It feels slightly odd to be on your skates on the job but after a few laps you feel less rusty. Even doing a couple jumps while you wait for people to arrive. Johnny comes out and you notice him watching from the sides and skate over.
"Of corse you'd be a figure skater" He says with joking hatred. "Mucking up the ice" You laugh, the age old feud making you feel a little more at home. He gets on the ice and you skate around with him as he warms up, the rest of the team starting to trickle onto the ice. 'Roach' is the second player you meet, although he doesnt really speak. He smiles at you and you wave but Kyle claps him on the back and skates round with him. Some shoot you curious looks, John having explained you're the new photographer as he caught up with them. You get off as Price starts to bark orders, not wanting to be in the way of their warm up. He explains that as its a relaxed training day you might be on the ice to chat so if they had any questions to ask you directly. You give them an hour or so of normal practice before you get back on, your feet had finally stopped hurting and you took that as a sign. You got on the ice and a few of them came up to you, Kim, Hiro and König. You weren't short or anything but having 3 large guys surround you very suddenly was slightly scary. König started speaking
"You are the new fotograf, ya?" You nod, responding.
"Lukas right?" He gently interrupts, a soft smile on his face.
"Call me König, please. You seem diffrent from our last few"
"What do you mean by that" You ask but he skates away. You skate around for a bit, not wanting to interrupt anyone and feeling slightly intimidated by the masked goalie who had been staring you down. The players have migrated into corners to do small drills so you decide to just practice some tricks, not wanting to start taking photos yet incase you freak out the players. Soap sneaks up to you after you do some spins.
"What're you up too Bonnie" You jump slightly.
"Jeez Johnny you scared me" You start. "I was just messing about, doing some spins. Why?"
"Is that what they're paying you for" He chuckles.
"Is this what they're paying YOU for" You retort.
"Teach me a trick" You shake your head, about to start explaining to him the fact its not safe for everyone to try immediately. "Common.. I'll get the lads to agree to take some photos today" You sigh, this is probably your best gateway right now.
"Fine." You teach him the basics of an altered spin, making sure he could do it without toe picks. Kyle and Roach come over to 'watch Soap fall on his ass' and end up trying as well just to show Soap up. It takes a while but Roach is the first to get it, smiling at you widely and holding out his hand for a high-five. Soap gets it before Kyle, taking the piss out of him immediately despite only being a few minutes quicker. Soap gathers the team and explains that he said they'd pose for pics, they groan and start to complain but you take over.
"I know you guys dont like photos so how about this, those of you who really hate photos I will take some today of you training but wont make you pose or focus on you for overall photos" The group consider for a moment but König speaks out agreeing and everyone follows. You get them to group into who hates photos and those who dont mind and get Price's advice on running some average drills. Getting off the ice and taking pictures of those who hate them to get it over with before moving onto Soap, Kyle, Alejandro and Rodolfo. The 4 who agreed to do some more posed photos. You speed through taking photos and sit down at the side to look through them. You would've waited until you got home but you wanted to show Mrs Laswell some results. You put some music on and work on editing, you'd prefer to do this on your PC but your laptop would work for sorting and basic fixes. You were so focused you didn't even notice when the team got off ice to have some food and do off ice training. Soap appeared next to you with a silent Simon in tow.
"Hey you actually look pretty nice mate" He said nudging the man next to him. It was a photo of Simon from slightly higher up, you'd gone up to the stands to get it, he was blocking the puck with his stick. He looked focused and honestly quite hot but you pushed that thought out your head. You're not admitting how gay you are on your first day of the job. Simon looks at it somewhat approvingly and utters the first words you've heard from him.
"Send it to me when you are done." It's short and said as a statement as opposed to a question, you respond affirmingly making a mental note to prioritize that one for editing. You finish your basic edits and send a preview to Mrs Laswell before heading off. You walk back, its only 30 minuets and get back to editing when you get home.
Editing takes a couple hours but you've had practice, use your pre-sets and only edit the ones you think are best. You send them to Mrs Laswell and she responds quickly with thanks, you ask for Simon's contact as he asked you to send the photo over and she gives you his number. You send a message with the image.
'Hi Simon, Here's the photo you wanted. Let me know if you ever want me to take some more." It's a risky move but it might work. He doesn't respond but reacts with a thumbs up which will have to do.
Later, when doom scrolling Instagram you got a follow from @McTav15h ,it was Johnny's account, most of it was pictures of his dog, the occasional game day selfie and a post of the whole team from a couple years ago. He Dm'd you a dumb meme and started messaging.
@McTav15h > Soo you comin back tmmr?
Do you need picking up?
That would be great if you don't mind. < You
@McTav15h > No probs :D, btw i told the team about your insta so you might get some requests.
You did get some requests, @TheKönig, @Garrick_CD_3 and @Ghost- who has put your image as his profile picture, although he had nothing on his account. You fell asleep a little later, having gone back to doom scrolling.