Work Text:
FEBRUARY 2014
S: I just want to say again that I'm sorry. You deserve so much better
than this. I wish I could give you better than this.
K: Scott... You don't have to keep apologizing. I really do get it. I hate
that it's this way. I hate it especially for your sake! But I get it.
S: That doesn't change the fact that I'm sorry.
OCTOBER 2014
S: Hi Kip.
S: It's Scott.
K: Scott, I know your number. Hi.
S: I guess I was just wondering, how's grad school? If you don't mind me
asking.
K: It's great. Really fantastic, actually.
S: Everything you hoped for?
K: Yeah! Can't believe I was hesitating about doing this. I'm glad I did.
S: And you're good?
K: Yeah, I'm good. You're okay?
S: I'm fine.
S: Just wanted to hear that you're doing okay.
S: Thanks, Kip.
MAY 2015
K: That game was on fire! Looking excellent out there, captain.
S: You watched?
S: Thank you.
K: Of course I watched. You're still my favorite hockey player.
K: Well, and possibly the only hockey player I could pick out of a lineup.
K: Sh, don't tell anyone and take away my hockey cred.
S: ...I can't quite tell if I should be insulted or honored.
K: Maybe a bit of both?
JUNE 2015
S: Hey, I was wondering, would you want to meet up for coffee sometime?
I assume your semester is done and was thinking maybe you have a little
free time now.
S: As friends, I mean.
S: It sounds like such a stupid cliché, but, can we maybe still be friends?
K: Of course we can be friends, Scott. I miss seeing your face.
K: I see it on TV but that's not the same.
K: And I'd love to meet for coffee. Let me send you a pin of this
new café I like.
[LINK sent from Kip Grady to Scott Hunter, of a pin on a map of Manhattan]
[PHOTO sent from Scott Hunter to Kip Grady, of two men posing for a selfie with peace signs
thrown up in front of their faces and deliberately, self-consciously goofy grins on their faces]
S: Hey, thanks for meeting up earlier.
K: Thanks for suggesting it.
S: And thanks for telling me about your life and your grad program and
everything. And about your boyfriend. I mean it – I appreciate that you're
willing to tell me stuff like that.
K: Come on, he's not my boyfriend! Grad school is too intense for
anything as serious as a boyfriend. We're just having fun.
S: Well, then I'm glad you're having fun.
S: You deserve it.
K: Thanks, Scott.
K: It was good to see you too.
OCTOBER 2015
K: Good luck this season!
S: Thank you.
S: How are things?
K: Oh my god, so busy. They seem to think we aspire to nothing but
writing papers. All day and night, I drown in papers.
S: I'm pretty sure spending all day thinking and writing about
history *is* your life dream, isn't it?
K: Okay, I feel unfairly seen right now.
S: Don't forget I know you, Kip Grady. You are known.
JANUARY 2016
K: Hey, it was great running into you tonight. I guess that was the team you
were out with? And I hope I didn't make it too weird for you. I really tried to
be discreet. I'm just some guy who used to sell you smoothies for a little
while, right? Anybody might know a guy who used to sell them smoothies.
K: Anyway, I hope I didn't make things weird for you.
S: No, no, you didn't make it weird.
S: It was good to see you, Kip.
S: I miss you.
S: Sorry.
S: I shouldn't say that.
S: Forget I said that. That's not fair of me.
K: I miss you too. It's okay to say that.
S: Well. Then. I miss you.
MARCH 2016
S: This is dumb, but it made me think of you.
[IMAGE sent from Scott Hunter to Kip Grady, a meme about a blueberry]
K: Well, dumb or not, I chortled :)
S: :)
MAY 2016
K: I'm sorry about the playoffs.
K: Next year is your year, I bet.
S: Thanks, Kip.
AUGUST 2016
S: Congratulations on your new job – that's amazing!
S: I happened to see it on social media; I promise I wasn't deliberately
lurking.
S: I'm really impressed.
K: I know, somehow I landed my absolute dream! I don't even know how
this happened.
S: It happened because you're amazing.
K: Ugh, stop.
K: Wait, what I'm actually supposed to say is thank you! So thank you.
But also: I don't know how this happened. I just got lucky.
S: Are you kidding! Kip Grady, you're so much more than just lucky.
They obviously saw your talent and your passion. And could tell
that you're exactly the right person for this.
K: Thanks, Scott. I'm really excited about the museum. History and art
and education – it's everything I've ever wanted to do, basically.
S: When do you start?
K: Next week! Omg! And now I'm going to go hyperventilate for a bit.
S: You've got this. You're going to do an amazing job.
K: Thank you, Scott.
K: I appreciate you saying that.
DECEMBER 2016
S: Phew, that was one hot guy you were with, when I ran into you last
night. Not my place to comment, I know. But get it, Grady ;)
K: Oh my god, stop!
K: It's just a casual thing, truly.
S: But you know it's okay if you are ever dating someone seriously, right?
S: Not that it matters what I think.
S: Obviously it doesn't matter what I think.
S: But I'd be happy for you.
S: And heartbroken, goes without saying. But honestly, utterly happy for you.
S: Okay, I'm going to shut up now.
K: …
K: Scott, I don't know how to answer that.
S: Oh god, you don't have to answer anything! Forget I said anything.
You don't need to care about any of my stupid opinions.
K: But I do care about you. You know that, right? I'll always be a little
sad that things couldn't have been different for us.
S: Me too. So much.
K: You're still the best guy I know, you know? And it makes me glad
to know you're out there, still living your best hockey life.
S: I miss you, Kip.
K: I miss you too.
APRIL 2017
K: You're going to have an amazing playoff run. I can't wait to see it.
S: Oh god I hope so. Thank you for believing in us.
K: Always!
MAY 2017
S: Just wondering if you want to come to the game?
K: The game?
K: Meaning, the final?
K: THAT game?
K: The Admirals on home ice where you're going to absolutely
decimate San Francisco?
K: Scott, of course I want to come to the game!
S: Well, don't jinx us!
S: But I can get you tickets if you want.
K: Wait, really?
S: Of course. I'm the captain. They'll let me have tickets.
K: No, I mean
K: ...
K: You would want me there?
S: Of course I do.
S: Bring Elena, your dad, your friends, a boyfriend...anybody you want.
It's the cup final. I can get as many tickets as you need.
K: There's no boyfriend. But Elena would kill me if I left her out. And
I know Dad would really enjoy it too. If you don't mind 3 tickets.
S: Consider it done.
[ATTACHMENT sent from Scott Hunter to Kip Grady, PDF of tickets to 2017 cup final]
[THUMBS UP EMOJI sent from Kip Grady to Scott Hunter]
[HEART HANDS EMOJI sent from Kip Grady to Scott Hunter]
K: Two days to game time!
K: Tomorrow already. I can't wait.
K: Good luck today, cap. You got this.
[PHOTO sent from Scott Hunter to Kip Grady, of a man's foot wearing a blue sock with bananas on it]
S: You know I still wear these every game, right?
K: …
K: Scott.
K: Wow.
S: You're my good luck charm. Always have been.
S: Is that okay, if I'm thinking about you that way? Even though
I really have no right to?
K: Yeah, it's okay. It's very, very okay.
LATER
K: I'm texting this to you because you're asleep and I feel like if
I don't put it down in words I'm not going to be able to believe
all this really happened. I love you, Scott. I really, really love you
so very, very much. I can't believe what you did. I can't believe
how brave you are. I can't believe how happy I am right now and
I want you to know that I LOVE YOU.
THE NEXT DAY
S: I love you too. That never changed and it never will. I'm yours for as long as you'll have me.
.