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“Thanks again guys. It's so nice of you to let me sleep here this weekend.” Tango said for the hundredth time as Bitty and Chowder helped him with the spare blankets and pillows.
“Don't mention it, sweetheart! Just make sure there's always a blanket between you and this monstrosity of a couch. Can't risk you getting ill before the season even starts.” Bitty replied.
“Yeah. We've got you're back!” Chowder beamed, “And we can watch movies and play Mario Cart. Or built a blanket-fort. Like a real sleepover!”
At that moment Lardo came downstairs, followed shortly by the rumbling of Holster on the stairs.
“Oh! Hi Tango. What's with the blankets?” she asked.
“Well, my roommate's girlfriend is visiting this weekend and he asked me if I could find somewhere else to sleep while she's here. Is- Is this a problem?”
“What? Bro! You're always welcome.”
“Tango is here! You know what that means guys? Mario tournament!” Holster yelled out from the stairs.
Bitty and Chowder whooped while Tango blushed a little. Truth is, he hadn't thought he would be that welcome in the Haus. Not only two weeks into his first semester.
“Y'all set everything up. I'm gonna make some snacks.” Bitty announced and vanished into the kitchen.
“Where's Ransom?” Lardo asked Holster.
“He's on a date.” Holster's answer was a bit dejected, but nobody seemed to notice.
“He has a date? And you're not flipping out? I thought you two where together?” Tango asked confused.
“Why does everybody always think that? We're just best bros.” Holster defended himself.
“I ship it.” Lardo chimed in.
“Me too!” Chowder agreed, before asking: “Which month is it?”
“It's still September. Why?” Holster looked as confused as Tango felt at the sudden off-topic question.
“Shit! I-I wanted to ask what her name is?” Chowder was getting red as a tomato.
“Her name's Julie. But why did you ask for the month?” Holster asked, even more confused as Lardo began giggling.
Chowder was beet-red and looked like he wanted the floor to swallow him.
“Because Ransom dated a March, an April and a May last semester.” she eventually explained when Holster and Tango both looked a her expectantly. “The frogs were the ones who started calling them The Months. And Julie fits right in there.” she continued giggling.
“But the month is called July, not Julie?” Tango piped up.
“Right. Does Julie count as A Month?” Chowder contemplated.
“Julie is totally the French form of July, I'm sure”
At that moment Bitty came back with two bowls of freshly made popcorn and a box of cookies he had hidden somewhere from the team. “Actually the French word for July is Juillet.” he said, then blushed at their unimpressed look “What? I'm doing French as a language requirement. What were you even talking about?”
“Language requirement, yeah right.” Holster mumbled so that only Chowder could hear him.
“They were wondering if Ransom's date, Julie, can be considered A Month. Because that's apparently a thing. Actually, that's brilliant. Why didn't I have the idea first?” Holster complained.
“Oh god, y'all. If Shitty would hear that… But I think Julie should definitely count.”
“Does he only date girls who are named after a month? And if he dated March, April and May last semester and is out with Julie today, did he leave out June?” Tango was back to questioning.
Holster groaned and shook his head, “Actually there was a June. How could I not see this? There is definitely a pattern to this.”
“There was a June? When, and why haven't we heard about it? I can't wait to see Dex' and Nursey's face when I tell them!” Chowder practically bounced with excitement.
“Yeah, tell us what you know about June, Holster! We want deeds!” Lardo looked at him expectantly.
Holsters ears went a bit red at that, “It- He didn't really date her, it was just a one time thing. We met her at the Niagara-Falls during summer break.”
“Oh my God! There's only August left for him after that. Or Augusta.” Chowder blurted out, “Do you think he will stop at that or will he branch out?”
“Like doing flower-names next, or something?” Tango asked.
“He did flowers before. Lilly, Sakura, Violett, Jasmin, Rose… How did I never realize this?”, Holster asked himself incredulously.
“Does anybody of y'all actually know someone called Augusta or August?” Bitty asked, “I mean, they're such old-fashioned, boring names. Does anybody actually call his children that? It seems somewhat gruesome.”
“My grandpa's oldest sister's name is Augusta. But she's almost ninety.” Tango told them.
“Better watch out that Ransom never meets her. You never know what would happen.” Lardo chirped.
“See? It wont be easy for him to find anybody with this name. Perhaps he stays with Julie.” Bitty looked around triumphantly.
“Actually… I know someone on Campus.” Lardo announced after short consideration. Holster's head snapped up and he looked like a deer in the headlights, “I think you know him too, Holster. Or should I say Adam A-”
At that Holster tackled her to the ground clasping one of his giant hands over her mouth, looking absolutely horrified.
The other hockey-players stared at them petrified as Holster tried to keep his hand over her mouth while Lardo, who was about half his size, tried to squirm free. Suddenly she stilled, causing him to drop his guard a little, that was his first mistake. And when she dug her fingers into his sides starting to tickle him, Holster knew he was doomed.
Only a short time later the D-man was on the floor laughing madly and begging for mercy as he tried to get away from Lardo who was straddling him, both totally winded.
“His middle name is August!” Lardo cried at the same time he finally succeeded to buck her off.
“I hate you.” he wheezed. Both of them were lying on the floor trying to get their breath back.
Bitty hastily put his phone away before Holster would notice that his defeat had been filmed. This would go up to the group chat and maybe YouTube later. He grinned to himself, then innocently asked:
“Who else thinks Ransom and our August here are destined to date?”
Everybody raised their hands as Holster tried and failed to glare at them.