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My lips tip up into a grin. "Happier than I've ever been," I admit. "London, he just... gets me, you know? In a way no one else does."
Deck nods slowly. "Then I'm happy for you. For both of you." He smiles wryly. "Guess your obsession with defending his ass on the ice makes a lot more sense now."
I huff a laugh. "Yeah, I may have been a bit over the top lately." I clear my throat. "We're planning to tell the team today. Just wanted to talk to you first."
Deck nods, his expression turning serious. "I'll back you both up. The guys might be surprised at first, but they'll come around." He squeezes my shoulder. "You've got this, brother."
His support bolsters my resolve. I nod, heading deeper into the locker room to face the music.
London's already in his gear, lacing up his skates as the rest of the team trickles in. His eyes meet mine, steady and sure. Whatever happens, he’s got me and I’ve got him.
The team is shit talking each other, and it's making me even more nervous. I just gotta rip off the band-aid and get it over with.
"Hey guys," I call out, trying to keep my voice from shaking. "London and I have something to tell you."
The room goes quiet, all eyes on us. London steps up beside me, his hand brushing mine.
Everyone’s waiting for us to say something. Suddenly my knees feel weak. I'm used to commanding attention on the ice, but this kind of scrutiny is new. Raw.
"We're dating," London says simply before I can force the words out. "And we wanted to be honest with you before rumors start flying or whatever." He shrugs like he's not hanging his heart out for these guys to stomp all over. "So... yeah. We're together."
A beat of silence stretches, broken only by the hum of the air conditioning. Then Mateo lets out a whoop, grinning wide. "I knew it! Pay up, Eli." He holds out a hand and Eli slaps a twenty into it with a grumble.
"You bet on this?" London asks, incredulous.
Eli smirks. "Knew you two had the hots for each other from day one. Just didn't know when you’d give in to the inevitable."
The rest of the team starts laughing and joking, the tension easing from my shoulders as they accept us with literally no drama at all. I meet London's eyes, feeling my own widen with disbelief. This is really happening—we're out, and the world hasn't ended.
Deck steps up, clapping both of us on the back. "Told you it'd be fine. Surprise, surprise, no one gives a fuck."
London exhales shakily, his relief palpable. "Holy shit." He looks at me, eyes getting all soft and mushy. "Thanks for jumping with me, Golden Boy."
I smile back, feeling lighter than I have in forever. The team's support means more than they'll ever know. And now that we're out, there's no more hiding. No more secrets or lies. Just us and whatever comes next.
Bear scratches his jaw, looking between us cautiously. "So, are you guys, like, gonna be affectionate and stuff around the team now?"
I exchange a glance with London. His eyes say,Your call.This affects both of us, but I know he'll follow my lead.
"Things won't change much," I answer carefully. "We know there's a time and place to be… affectionate." I keep my tone light, hoping to put Bear at ease. "You're still our teammates first and foremost. That won't change."
A few others lob questions our way about how this happened, if Coach knows, whether our status will impact the team dynamics. Who fucks who. That one gets Eli punched.
London fields everyone’s questions smoothly, and I let him, happy to sit back and watch my boyfriend charm the fuck out of this team. Who knew my asshole rival had this in him?
The locker room buzzes with energy as the guys finish getting ready for the game.
I take the opportunity to move closer to Knight. “Hey, London told me you talked to him about everything. Thanks for that.”
He nods but doesn’t say anything.
I frown. “You've been quiet. Everything okay?”
Knight's mouth ticks up but the smile seems forced. "All good. I'm happy for you guys."
I study him closely. His words say one thing, but his posture screams another. The dude’s uncomfortable. London told me Knight was the one who encouraged us to do this, so I don’t get his mood now. Before I can dig in further, Coach tells us to quiet down.
I take my seat beside London, our thighs brushing as we settle in for Coach's pre-practice run down. Looks like this conversation will have to wait.
