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“Everyone leaves him alone to stew in silence — they all know from experience that it’s the only thing they can really do.”
But what if actually the team decide to take Jack’s insecurities on, with a play they've been planning for a long time now?
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Plotting how to get Jack to realize his feelings n get w bitty
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he keeps thinking about Bitty and Whits’ kiss last night. He doesn't want Whits’ hook-up lifestyle, but he envies the ease with which he can slip into seduction. Jack is always too safe, too guarded, even now he’s sure about what...who he wants. He’s good at taking risks on the ice, goddammit, why can’t he do that when it comes to his happiness?
He knows Shitty’s worried about him and right now he’s not grateful for it. He’s tempted to snap at him, start a pointless argument. But Shitty knows him too well, and Jack would get tied up in knots. He bites his tongue and moves the pizza box further away from Shitty in the hope it will annoy him.
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Jack is currently lying third on the NHL power play goals table. Every team he’s played with has known his real genius is his astonishingly quick reactions in front of the goal. He’s been practising getting his stick on the puck and deflecting it in for twenty years now. His body reads the team play before his brain does.
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“Bits?” he says, his right hand cupping Bitty’s cheek and his left hand wrapping round the slim waist to steady him. Bitty’s lips are already on his, slanting together into the sweetest kiss Jack has ever experienced. Something slots into place in Jack’s heart; he knew it’d be like this when it finally happened, he’s not a man to linger in the gray areas. His arms tighten around Bitty and they deepen the kiss. Jack swears he can hear cheering, supposes it must be coming from the TV in the living room before he tunes it out in favour of Bitty’s contented murmurs.
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[the day before]
Everyone who’s ever played hockey with Jack knows he’s at his most instinctive on the power play. With the team working hard in front of him, he slips into place in front of the opposing goalie and his hockey-seeped body responds without thought or question. If his team can get the puck within arms length of him, the klaxon will sound before Jack’s even aware he’s taken a shot. Jack’s best teams have learned the surest way to get points is to plan exactly how to get Jack the puck.
Bitty texts the planning team to meet [.] Everyone’s kinda tired from holiday travelling and getting up so early, but they've been working on this high-risk strategic play for a while now.
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Play one: boarding
Boarding: checking a defenseless player in the back, causing them to violently fall/impact into the boards. This typically leads to the face/head of the unaware player to hit first, causing greater chance of injury. Usually a penalty.
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He looks round at Jack and his laughter stops as he sees Jack heading off down the corridor, his shoulders clenched and his head down. Bitty always knew this was going to be the hardest bit and Whits has to grab his elbow and physically hold him still
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Play two: neutral zone trap
Neutral zone trap: defensive strategy focused on preventing the opposing team from proceeding with the puck through the neutral zone and attempting to take the puck from the opposing team.The next day everyone is grumpy and a little worried and it takes a pep talk from Lardo to keep the strategic attack on track. Jack is his belligerent worst, clearly not doing a good job of holding in too many bubbling emotions
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Play three: deke
Deke: when a player handles the puck or himself in such a manner to fool the opponent into moving out of position, allowing the player to get past.
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“How’s it going so far?” asks Kevin and Bitty sighs, keeping his voice low.
“I'm honestly not sure, I hate that I've hurt him. I keep telling myself I have to be cruel to be kind but lord, I wish we could have found a better offensive play.”
[.] Kevin [.] and Karen have rapidly become Bitty’s favourite people this semester and he definitely owes Karen a pie when this is all over. [.] lending her fiancé [.] was above and beyond the call of friendship
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Play four: shutdown pair, slew foot
Shutdown pair: two forwards or defensemen working together, fundamentally to stop the opposing team's offense players; slew foot: sweeping or kicking out a player's skate or tripping them from behind, causing them to fall backwards.
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And then, a little more hesitantly, “Are you angry with us… with me?” It’s one thing to try a complicated risky play on the ice, but Jack would have every right to walk away from this sort of manipulation. Or at least not invite more of it, and Bitty wants more, he really really does.
Jack thinks about it carefully and realises that his head is quiet and his heart is full. He can’t remember the last time that happened. He doesn't want to talk about it yet, although he suspects the team might have something in mind to combat that weakness too. He knows he’ll have to define it all soon. He puts a gentle finger under Bitty’s chin and pulls him up for another kiss