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DYLAN

I WON’T

C’mon V I’ve known these guys for years, I’m not into them

They’re like brothers

There is the new guy

Baptiste?

He’s handsome

And he’s good at hockey

Which is 100% your type

Have you ever been with someone who wasn’t a handsome male good at hockey?

That’s neither here nor there

I’m not interested in Baptiste

You sure?

Even if I was (I’m not), the guy is struggling just to fit in

So you admit he’s handsome

I have eyes V, yes he’s handsome

Hot even

I SEE YOU TYPING LET ME FINISH

BUT…he’s had a rough career

I wouldn’t put him in a position where he has to take his focus off of hockey

Good.

And Sokolov is still a motherfucker

I’m putting my phone down V

Bye

Bye love you play good hockey

17 OCTOBER 2023

Henri’s skin buzzed with nerves, every sound in the bar sharp as a razor. A fresh season was on the horizon, and that familiar desperation to prove himself was consuming all his waking thoughts.

Training camp had gone well, so well that he’d once again secured his position on the top line. Despite his fears, the Turkeys seemed committed to giving him a fair shot and hadn’t acquired any additional forwards in the off-season. They had some promising prospects in the minors, but none had been called up. It would be Henri centering Novak and Everett again, and he finally felt that spark of connection with the other forwards as they’d finished up their preseason games.

Difficult, since Everett and Novak had only played in the last two while Henri had been forced to endure all of them.

“Big season ahead of us, babes,” Everett said, his deep voice drawing Henri out of his thoughts. He held up a beer bottle. Everyone followed suit, glass clinking together as they all pressed close. “Let’s get it done!”