Chapter 2
Andrei lowers his head again to touch his lips to Dylan's wrist.
"I want to know that the world I live in when you leave still has you in it."
Dylan can't... he has no defences against that, against Andrei.
He doesn't want to defend, he wants Andrei to be everywhere, always.
He wants to exist, in Andrei's life.
So he can do this.
He has done, objectively, much scarier things, and at the end of the day he owes Andrei so much.
And it's terrifying but also... this was the point of the Foundation, right?
To make it okay for them to just... hang out.
He reaches down with his free hand to twist his fingers into Andrei's hair.
"We could go as friends?
You can do that?"
Andrei's face breaks into a smile and Dylan thinks he would do anything Andrei asked for that smile.
He just has to remember that, has to hold on to that when his brain says the fear is stronger than the love.
"Sure thing," Andrei says, adopting an exaggerated drawl.
"Buddy.
Chum.
Business partner."
Fortunately his face is still in Dylan's hand so it's easy to shove him backwards, although harder to make him go far when Dylan can't bear to let go of his hair.
"You're an idiot."
Andrei takes the opening to crawl forward and kiss his neck, his collarbone, before nestling himself in the space between Dylan's neck and shoulder, running a finger down Dylan's bare chest.
"Is easy," he says.
"I say 'Mercer is in town and we have meeting about the foundation, can I bring him to yours instead?
Promise he is house trained, will not scratch the furniture-"
Dylan shoves him off again but he can't help the laugh bursting out of him.
It's ridiculous, it's stupid, it feels like it can't possibly work but also like there's no reason it wouldn't work.
From everything Andrei's told him about the Vipers.
Although that's how they are with Andrei who's on their team, their captain and their top scorer.
Not some asshole from a team that smashed them 8-2 the last time they met.
God, what if they hate him?
"You think they'll say yes?"
Andrei looks at him, then leans down to kiss him properly, slow and lingering.
He must have brushed his teeth before going out, he tastes like mint and Dylan probably should have got up to brush his while he was out but Andrei doesn't seem to care.
Not if the way he licks into Dylan's mouth like he wants to map every inch of it is any indication and, god, Dylan will never get tired of this.
Of Andrei's hair between his fingers, Andrei's teeth catching lightly on his lip, Andrei's hand running down Dylan's stomach sending all the blood pooling downwards.
Andrei pulls back slowly.
"I need to feed Masha," he says.
He stands up, pulls his phone out of his back pocket and types something before tossing it onto the bed next to Dylan.
"Stay here, I will be quick."
On the mattress, his phone buzzes once.
Then again.
Then about ten more times.
Dylan manages to ignore it for almost thirty whole seconds before he has to look.
There's already a string of replies to Andrei's message.
Group chat:
R GOIN 2 DA PLAYOFFS!
I am meant to be meeting Mercer for a Foundation thing.
Okay to invite him?
More fun at yours instead of boring fancy restaurant?
Park
that sound you all heard was Brandy imploding
Ramsey
is he going to steal all our trade secrets?
Crownley
do we have trade secrets?
Reed
if we do I'm not sure Stonebridge needs them.
Dex
don't listen to them Niko! if it gets you to come to a team BBQ you can bring the captains of every team in the PHL
except Oakwood
Fontaine
Fuck Oakwood!
Brandy
Shut up it wasn't even that loud of a noise
and like
Dylan Mercer
Kid you've been playing with Andrei Novak for nearly a year now
Shaw
I mean Niko is great and all but...
Dylan Mercer
Shaw!
What!
Nik would agree with me here.
Foster
The whole of Bellmore tends to agree with you there
He's a hometown boy with more cups than our whole team.
Can't really blame them.
Guys you're freaking Brandy out!
Sorry kid
Dylan Mercer is a perfectly normal guy and not intimidating at all.
Didn't you say after you came back from his camps that he was a terrifying hockey machine?
Not helpful!
I'm fine!
Everything's fine!
Cole!
You've met Mercer, right?
I guess at Elite Showcase?
He has this way of looking at you like you're completely worthless
shit sorry, that was back when I was an asshole
I'm sure he's very friendly to people who aren't homophobic dickheads!
Foster, come get your man.
I have confiscated Theo's phone.
I am very disappointed in all of you.
Davies
I played with Mercer when I was at Stonebridge.
Very focused on hockey but decent guy.
Would always try to help the rookies on the ice.
THANK YOU.
That's more like it.
Wasn't great at it though.
Mostly like, 'well your passing's a bit slow, have you tried being a once in a generation hockey prodigy'
is it still once in a generation when there's two of them?
Lindgren
why are we talking about Dylan Mercer
Nik is bringing him to Dex's, learn to backread.
WHAT?
THE ONE TIME IM OUT OF TOWN?
et tu Novak
Andrei comes back into the room, shutting the door to keep Masha out.
He strips off his tank, tossing it into the laundry basket, and Dylan manages to tear his gaze off the frankly slightly terrifying string of messages still coming in to ogle the glisten of sweat on his boyfriend's chest.
As distractions go, it's a good one, until Andrei catches him looking and smirks, turning to give Dylan an even better profile view.
"Did you miss me?
You are hungry too, so tired last night you could not even suck my dick."
Dylan throws a pillow at him.
"You're terrible."