Chapter 1
Thornwood Stingrays Updates
@StingraysUpdates
Jasper Langford stuns in a new Donovan Voss underwear campaign!
Replying to @StingraysUpdates
> emily²⁴
@L4NGF0RD5
UMMM HELLO?
> m
@captainsok
JASPER LANGFORD?
AS IN HOCKEY GOLDEN BOY JASPER LANGFORD FOR DONOVAN VOSS?
Holy shit
> paulie ☆
@coleschiron
do NOT ask me the color of anything right now
> matt
@pucktalk
i did not see this coming but i am absolutely not complaining!
m
what did men do to deserve jasper langford
Replying to @captainsok
> adrianna !
@jasperscup
what did DIMITRI SOKOLOV do to deserve jasper langford
Replying to @jasperscup
> > m
like yes i am grateful he brought thorn's princess back home, but DAMN.
PLEASE SHARE
jules ⋆˚ʚɞ
@langybrina
Girl ain't nobody looking at that damn beach background
langsokolov's #1 defender
@langfordsdog
omg why is the background so boring
lyssa
@goodvibesonly
ok so who was going to tell me that jasper langford the HOCKEY PLAYER is hot
Replying to @goodvibesonly
we've KNOWN langy is hot
that's three-time Continental Cup winner, all-star athlete, former captain, number one hottest man in the IHL (per Panorama) Jasper Langford to you, excuse me
daisy
@sokynov
i would like to formally send out a thank you letter to nina langford for whoring out her son to the public... the people appreciate it
matt
ok but why is langy lowkey going viral right now
Replying to @pucktalk
> jess
@soseey
VIRAL?
Replying to @soseey
> > matt
THERE'S A CLIPLOOP OF THE SHOOT THAT HAS NEARLY 1 MILLION LIKES
> > > jess
HOW DARE THEY PERCEIVE MY THORNWOOD PRINCESS NOOO
emily²⁴
there's a cliploop of jasper that has 1.1 million likes... name five of jasper langford's best hat tricks right now
Replying to @L4NGF0RD5
REAL we need to gatekeep
> > Michael R.
@windermeremike
Imagine trying to "gatekeep" the best and most famous hockey player in the world right now
Replying to @windermeremike
> > > adrianna !
and i will continue to keep trying until it works thank you very much
paulie ☆
dimitri sokolov can NAUGHT handle all that
Replying to @coleschiron
> cece <3
@cendimitris
real @sokolov81 can you fight?
Replying to @cendimitris
> > paulie ☆
PSSSH not you actually tagging him
> > > cece <3
it had to be said!
"Well, if it isn't the world's most sought-after man!"
Jasper flinches slightly when Riggs's hands land on his shoulders in the locker room, squeezing hard enough to startle him.
Dimitri chuckles low and gives Jasper's hand a reassuring squeeze of his own.
Jasper glances at him, offers a small smile, and laughs it off.
The response to Jasper's underwear ad was... unexpected, to say the least.
He'd been doing cologne and sportswear campaigns since his rookie season, so having so many sponsorships had long since become second nature.
Still, stripping down to nothing but briefs and putting practically every inch of himself on display had made him hesitate.
He'd nearly turned Donovan Voss down.
Surprisingly, Dimitri had been the one to convince him.
Dimitri knows he's possessive.
Jasper, after all, is the one person in the world he guards most fiercely.
But Jasper is shy—too shy, sometimes—and it hurts Dimitri to watch him struggle to love himself the way Dimitri loves him without question.
So yes, Dimitri is a little jealous that the entire world now gets to look at his husband's gorgeous body.
But it's hard to stay mad when every compliment makes Jasper's ears burn pink.
Besides, he knows who that body really belongs to.
"Shut up," Jasper mutters, shaking his head as he heads for his stall.
"Your commercial came on while I was watching the news," Preston says from across the room, tugging on his gear.
"The
news
Not SportMax.
Not a sports channel.
The news."
"You're just jealous Jasper is more popular and successful than you," Dimitri replies easily, grinning as he gets dressed.
"Very tragic.
Sucks for you."
Jasper laughs, swatting Dimitri lightly with his shirt.
Dimitri's found that joking about the campaign makes it easier for Jasper to handle—turns the attention into something manageable instead of overwhelming.
"Hey, Langy knew doing this ad would get some chatter," Riggs says.
"I just don't think any of us expected it to
leave
the hockey world."
"Langy's going global," Preston sing-songs.
Jasper winces.
"Global?"
Cole snorts.
"Murray says that all the comments on the social media accounts are about you.
At least it's good exposure for the team."
"They're calling you Laurentia's finest export," Preston adds.
Jasper wrinkles his nose, looking like a deeply offended kitten.
"That makes me sound like a product."
"I thought you liked being treated like an item,
da?"
Dimitri murmurs, stepping closer until his lips brush Jasper's ear, his voice pitched low enough that no one else can hear.
Jasper's face immediately flushes.
Dimitri has always enjoyed making him blush—both on and off the ice—and he knows exactly which words cause which shade.
This one is his favorite, a light pink that creeps up fast and warms Jasper's ears.
A hockey glove smacks into Dimitri's chest, forcing him back a step.
He looks up to find Riggs scowling from across the room.
"The fuck was that for?"
"No inappropriate talk in the locker room!" Riggs exclaims.
"You didn't even hear what I said!"
"I don't need to," Riggs shoots back, gesturing at Jasper's still-flushed face.
"Langy's red enough to tell me it wasn't workplace appropriate."
"What I said is true." Dimitri shrugs.
"I can repeat it aloud if you are all curious."
A chorus of immediate no's and protests fills the room, and Dimitri laughs.
The Stingrays adore both Dimitri and Jasper, and they're happy their marriage only sharpens their chemistry on the ice—but they've endured enough PDA to know better than to challenge their captain.
Dimitri's always liked the Thornwood team, even when they were undeniably awful in the early days.
After years with him at the helm, they'd finally found their rhythm—working harder, showing up earlier, taking pride in the grind.