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“Sorry.” He dropped and repositioned his hands on his stick. He gritted his teeth, knowing he was in for it. This whole game was going to suck in a way that was designed specifically to ruin Henri’s mood for days.
Seeking the only form of comfort he’d get until he was back at the hotel, Henri stole a glance to his right. There was Dylan, not watching the impending face-off, but glaring daggers at Grab.
Henri snapped his head back forward and felt a nervous trickle of sweat go down his temple. Had Dylan heard any of that?
But then the ref was beside them, the puck in sight, and Henri could mercifully let hockey-brain take over.
He lost the face-off and had to sidestep Grab and chase after it. Collins on defense corralled the puck and looked to make a play up ice when BOOM.
Not two seconds later, Collins was on his back after a monstrous hit from Dylan, who’d snatched the puck and was breaking towards the goal. The arena was in an uproar about the hit and lack of call (a beautiful open-ice hit), and then the cheers turned into a thunderous chorus of booo when Dylan scored.
First shot of the game. Wow.
Henri was the first to Dylan’s side to congratulate him on the goal and the last to leave. Mostly because he was holding the bottom of Henri’s jersey tightly.
“Let’s fuck ‘em up,” Dylan said. “Show them giving you to us was the worst mistake they ever made.”
Henri nodded. He might’ve cried if he tried to speak.
abqturkeysnhl (January 12, 2024): The Turkeys take away the W in LA. They won 5-0 against the Devils, a fantastic start to this California road trip! Let’s hope they can build off the momentum as the trip continues!
turkeytalk (January 12, 2024): Can we talk about Dylan Everett? I know I was skeptical after last season, but the man has proven he’s still got the magic. He’s been on a point streak lately, and then he shows up in LA and just fucking WRECKS them. 7 hits, 8 SOG, 17 shot attempts, 2 goals, 2 assists, and 2 penalties. The only place he didn’t show up was 0 fights, though it seemed like he was trying his best. I don’t know what the Devils did to Everett but daaamn was he not happy about it.
↪ gobblegoals: did it look like the devils forgot baptiste ever played with them? he broke up every play, took advantage of all their bad habits, and ended with four points tonight. four points. bet they’re regretting that trade last year…
↪ turkeytalk: I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: the league has underrated Baptiste since the day after his draft. And for those saying it’s just because he’s out with Everett—the man scored a short-handed goal while Everett was in the box for roughing.
↪ gobblegoals: lol omg did you catch any of the devils’ feed? they literally were pushing a “well anyone would look good playing with Dylan Everett” narrative about getting their asses handed to them by a guy they traded for a bag of peanuts and a half-empty bottle of water, and then he scored that shorty and you could HEAR their brains exploding. fantastic. 10/10 would recommend
luc-henri-sourit (January 12, 2024): Not a smile but smile-adjacent. Look at that little smirk on the bench after Everett pushed someone over the boards next to him
gobblegoals (January 12, 2024): omg guys I’m gonna cry - did you catch that LHB interview after the game?? “It’s never easy to change teams and readjust, but the Turkeys have been great to me in ways other teams haven’t. It’s hard to come back into a city and arena that I used to belong to and be on the opposite end of the ice, but the Turkeys had my back. Helped settle those nerves.”
↪ turkeytalk: Oh I caught the interview. @luc-henri-sourit did you get the photos of him when they asked how it felt to shut out the Devils? Bro looked like the definition of smug right there
↪ luc-henri-sourit: IT IS LIKE CHRISTMAS AGAIN!! LOOK AT THAT EVIL GRIN HE IS AMAZING MERCI @turkeytalk MERCI BEAUCOUP
It was agony waiting through the media coverage. Through the showers and the bus ride and celebrating with the team in the lobby. Okay, that last one wasn’t agony. Henri was man of the hour for having bested his old team so decisively that the goalie had smashed his stick against the goal posts after his short-handed goal.
He was tipsy by the time he was allowed to escape to his room. Dylan had disappeared a while ago with Henri’s extra room key, leaving Novak and Knox with the job of escorting him to his room. They were absolutely drunk, which made them great hype men as they serenaded the hallway with a terrible rendition of Queen’s Don’t Stop Me Now.
They dropped him off at his room, ruffling his hair and pounding his back before Henri was able to escape. How long would he have to wait until they were gone? What room did Dylan say he was in?
“Hen.”
Henri whirled around. Dylan was in his room, smiling shyly and looking so beautiful. He was practically glowing with happiness, so Henri did the only thing he possibly could do: he strode across the room, threw his arms around Dylan’s neck, and smashed their lips together.
“Your side still hurt?” Dylan asked between kisses. It looked like it pained him to have to keep their lips apart for even a second.
“Yes,” he said, and immediately regretted it. Whatever Dylan wanted to do to him, Henri would deal with his stupid bruise. “It’s not bad. Why?”
Dylan grabbed his thighs and pulled him into the air, urging Henri to wrap his legs around his waist. As if Henri needed any encouragement. He tangled his hands in Dylan’s bronze hair and moaned when Dylan squeezed his ass in response.
“I’m so angry those dumbasses didn’t see how amazing you are.” Dylan kissed him long and deep as he laid Henri gently on the bed. His whole world was Dylan, the only thing he could see or feel or hear or taste. Every breath in was Dylan invading him a little more, taking him over from the inside out. Eyes locked, Dylan continued: “But I’m so fucking happy because that means I get to have you.”
If there’d been any pieces of Henri’s heart that didn’t belong to Dylan yet, they would’ve crumbled right then and there.
“Show me,” Henri whispered. “Show me how happy it makes you.”
