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They went into the bedroom, Ryan closing the door behind them.
“Rook, I can’t fuckin’ sleep. Where’d you go, anyway?” Hayes called out from the dark, then lit up the room with his phone. “Teek? Is that you?”
He crawled into the bed and under the covers, lying on his back and sliding over next to Hayes, who immediately draped an arm across him. Ryan did the same, interlacing his fingers with his boyfriend’s on TK’s stomach.
The three of them were snoring within seconds.
???
“You’re sure it’s cool with them?” Hayes asked, as they pulled up to Brandon Ice Sports Forum for the Lightning’s practice that Saturday. Ryan had gotten clearance from the coaches that Hayes and TK could skate with them, and Hayes was so excited he could hardly contain himself.
“Yeah, it’s fine. There’s extra gear available. I mean, it won’t be perfect, but it’s something.”
“Ryan, this is amazing. Thank you so much, baby,” TK said as they made their way through the parking lot and into the facility. They’d tried to get there a little early to avoid a huge crowd, but there were still a few people waiting around, so of course Ryan stopped to sign.
“Thanks, Ryan,” one of the fans said. “Good to see you, Tyler and Travis. You guys doing OK?”
“Yeah, we’re all good, baby,” TK responded, signing for a couple fans.
“What are you guys doing in Tampa anyway? Thought you were injured?”
“Slowly working our way back up to it. Just out here to visit with Ryan for a few days, man. Figured we’d get in some ice time,” Hayes replied, as they kept making their way through the crowd.
“Are all the rumors true about you guys? Did you guys really go to rehab for drugs?”
“Did you wreck a Lambo, TK? That’s what they’re saying.”
“People are talking, guys. You can’t hide from this shit forever.”
“Hey: watch your mouth,” Ryan warned. “There are kids here, man.”
“Sorry. It’s just…there are a lot of rumors flying around. People are saying all kinds of crazy stuff about you two.”
“Let ‘em say what they want then, eh?” Hayes shot back.
They finally made their way to the end of the crowd and headed down the hallway toward the locker room.
“You guys OK?” Ryan asked, looking at both boys, who appeared to be shaken from all the attention.
TK nodded. “It’s all part of the game, baby. I get it. Not like I haven’t heard nasty rumors about myself since the day I was born.”
Ryan turned toward Hayes, who didn’t have as much experience in this field. Aside from his smart mouth, he’d managed to keep a pretty good public persona up to this point, but that all seemed to be falling apart. “You good, Hayes?”
“Yeah. It’s…whatever. I just wanna get out on the ice,” he said quietly. They entered the locker room, and Ryan introduced them both to the coaches and a few of the other guys who’d shown up early.
“Glad to have you, gentlemen,” Mizrak told them, shaking both their hands. “Extra gear is in there when you’re ready,” he said, pointing to the equipment room off to the left.
“Baylor.”
The sound of Koski’s voice startled Ryan. It wasn’t like he didn’t know he was going to be there. It was just that, now that he had all these guys in the same room together, it was a little awkward to say the least.
“Hey. Um, Hayes, there’s someone I want you to meet. This is…”
“I know who you are,” Hayes responded coldly, extending his hand and shaking it with a kung fu death grip. “My boyfriend’s told me all about you.”
Koski pulled away, then looked over at Ryan. Immediately, and desperate to deflect the situation, he introduced Koski to TK. “Joss, this is Travis Kadin. TK.”
“Hey,” Koski extended his hand, scanning TK from head to toe. “Is nice to meet you,”
