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Troy held his phone in a death grip reading through the article. An American baseball player was just publicly outed as little and the public reacted just as he thought they would. Mass outrage online. Talks of stricter guidelines about health exams in sports. Not to mention the harassment from other players in the league.
Ilya walked up next to him and plucked the phone out of his hand. “No phones after pep talk. The only thing allowed to rile you up is me.”
Troy looked away scolded. “Sorry.” He said simply. Putting on his helmet and buckling the straps
Ilya hands it back over. “Play with it again and I’m giving it to your daddy.”
Troy’s eyes went wide. Ilya smirks at his reaction. “I know a baby when I see one. Don’t worry. Secret safe.”
“But- How?” Troy whisper yells. Hoping not to be overheard in the locker room.
“You suck your thumb in your sleep. Is adorable. My little does the same.”
“Your little? You have a little?”
“Is enough questions. Line up for game.”
What the fuck. You can’t just spring that on me then tell me to line up for the game.
LaPoint walked up and swatted his shoulder. “Come on slow poke. We’ve got some asses to kick.”
Troy shook his head and lined up with the rest of the team.
~
The game was awful. The admirals absolutely destroyed them 4-1. Ilya as always cheered the team up post loss. But Troy just couldn’t get in the spirit. He couldn’t get his head in the game and lost his team another win.
Ilya claps his hands together. “So what? Stupid team the dinosaur captain won the game? Who cares if it knocks us out of the playoffs? All I saw out there was my boys fighting their hearts out. And I guess LaPoint was there too.” He chirps. The other guys playfully pushing LaPoint around.
Ilya lets a laugh out his nose and continues. “We will have practice tomorrow afternoon. I expect us to get drunk tonight. But not drunk enough to land in the news. Get cleaned up and meet at Finley’s bar in an hour.”
The rest of the players cheered but Troy hadn’t looked up from his phone. The only drinking he planned on doing tonight was alone in his apartment.
Ilya waited till the room was mostly cleared out to walk up to Troy. “Will not say in front of team, but you played not your best tonight. Are you having trouble with big teddy bear that likes to take photos?”
Troy shook his head. “No, sorry. Just didn’t get the best sleep. I think I’ll just head straight home so I can be ready for practice tomorrow.”
Ilya did a quick sleep of the locker room to make sure they were alone. Then bent over and whispered. “Have a colouring book in my car if you need to…how you say? Decompress.”
Troy looked angry at that. “I don’t need to fucking drop. I’m a grown man. I know what my body needs.”
Ilya just raised an eyebrow at that. Not an angry one. But one that every little knows means. Fix the attitude or you’re in trouble.
Troy let out a breath to calm himself. “I’m fine. I just need some sleep. I’ll be here tomorrow for practice and I’ll be up to par when we go against the Metros on Sunday.”
Ilya looks at him critically, then crosses his arms. “I will trust you to manage yourself. As your captain. It is my responsibility to protect you, but also to protect the rest of team. If I see you slip. You will be benched until we figure out solution.”
Troy glares at the ground. “Yes Captain, I understand.”
~
Harris sat on the bench during practice. Getting some shots on his phone for the teams Instagram. It has been almost 3 weeks since the last time Troy has asked him to drop. The two have had a pretty consistent schedule of dropping at least twice per week. So this extended period was way out of the ordinary. And definitely starting to show.
Troy has started to get a temper. While the rest of the team were practising passing drills. Troy was doing bag skates up and down the rink as a punishment for snapping at another player. He was absolutely dripping sweat and panting. Something that Harris was normally super into. But right now just felt sad.
After his 20th lap, the team was called for a water break. Troy sat down on the bench and squirted his water over his head to cool down.
Harris sat down next to him. A friendly smile on his face. “I bought some chicken parm if you wanna come over tonight. We can put on a movie, relax. Colour-“
Troy cut him off. “I’m not interested.” He said short and clipped. “I’m just gonna watch the game when I get home. Then go to bed. We’re playing the ravens tomorrow night and I wanna be ready.”
Harris frowned. “Are you sure? You seem kind of tense. And it’s been a while.”
“I said drop it!” Troy said harsher than intended. Causing some of the other players to momentarily glanced to him.
Ilya narrowed his eyes from across the bench. He wasn’t Troy’s daddy. But he knew the start of a tantrum when he saw it. He stood up and called. “Barrett. You are done for the day. Get changed and go home.”
“Ilya I-“
“I don’t repeat myself. Go. Bring a better attitude tomorrow.”
Troy clenched his teeth in anger. He didn’t say anything as he got up and skated to the exit. He was making himself sick and irritable. But that was no one else’s problem besides his.
~
Troy had been knocked down to third line. That on top of his already pissy mood did not serve him well against the ravens. Haas shot a puck toward the corner of the goal. The goalie blocking it easy. Troy skated up to him with a scowl. “What the hell was that Haas?! His left side was wide open! Are you blind? Or were you too busy fan-boying over Rozenov to keep your head in the game. “
Luca Haas was a good kid. He was the crowd favourite rookie that never caused any problems. That’s why the audience was so surprised when he dropped his gloves and lunged at his own teammate.
Troy dropped his own gloves and fought back. He had so much going on in his head. And unfortunately, Luca was about to take the brunt of it. Both of their helmets went flying as they punched at each other.
Ilya managed to pull Troy off. The ref held back Luca. Ilya looked pissed at them both. “You” He pointed to Luca. “Penently box. You earned our team 5 minutes.” He then looked angry to Troy. “And we are going to the locker room. I do not have time to yell at you. Is middle of game. But you are benched until you fix attitude.”
Ilya frog marched Troy out of the rink. He was sure there would be gifs of it online before the end of the night.
Troy was burning red with embarrassment as he was taken back to the locker room. But grew confused when they didn’t stop. Instead walking straight to the social media room.
Harris was at his desk with his arms crossed. Watching a replay of the fight on his desktop. Troy didn’t need a scolding. The disappointed look on Harris's face was enough to make him feel like a naughty little boy.
Ilya let go of him with a little shove. Then looked to Harris. “I do not have time to deal with him right now. I actually want to play the game I spent my whole life training for. Please deal with your boy before I do.”
Ilya quickly left them. The crowd could be heard cheering as he returned to the ice.
Troy kept his gaze down to the floor. The tip of his skate blade digging into the carpet. He’s been fighting his headspace for weeks and knew one look to Harris would leave him crying for his daddy’s forgiveness.
Harris let out a sigh. “Did I do something wrong?”
Troy looked up sharply. “Huh?” What could Harris possibly think he did to make Troy mad.
“You’ve been ignoring me for weeks. You’re moody. And you won’t drop. Have you been dropping with someone else? Or at a center? If I did something that made you feel unsafe or unhappy. I wish you’d tell me.”
Troy looked guilty. “I haven’t dropped since the last time we did.”
Harris’s eyes went wide. “That was three weeks ago! You’re lucky you haven’t ended up in the hospital with drop sickness!”
“I don’t need to drop! I can take care of my self.” Troy said. Sounding more confident than he was.
Harris was not having it. “Sit.” He said in his dad voice. Causing Troy to immediately sit in the chair behind him. Harris kneeled on one knee and started to undo Troy’s skates.
“What are you doing?”
“Getting you dressed. We are gonna leave early. You’re gonna get a nice bath. Some soft pajamas. And you’re gonna drop until at least tomorrow night.”
Troy’s jaw dropped at the decoration. He didn’t need to drop! Harris was being ridiculous!
Harris pulled off the second skate. Putting on the soakers before putting them aside. Troy crossed his arms. Harris was not the boss of him while he was big. “I don’t have to listen to you. You’re just the social media guy. I don’t care what you or Rozenov say.”
Harris let out a sigh. He really didn’t want to have to do this but Troy wasn’t leaving him a lot of options. He sat down on the couch next to Troy. Without giving him any time to question. Harris pulled him over his lap. Troy began to panic as his padded hockey pants were pulled down.”
“Harris! Harris! Come on! You don’t have to do this!”
His pleas fell on deaf ears as the first smack fell on Troy’s bottom. Harris was surprisingly strong for being a doughy computer guy.
“Ow! Ow! Come on Harris please!”
“You. Do. Not. Fight. Your. Friends. On. The. Ice” Harris scolded as he swatted him.
“No daddy!” Troy cried. Harris could tell he wasn’t fully dropped but definitely would be before they left the office.
Troy squirmed as his backside turned a nice shade of pink. Harris was doing a good job at making the skin an even tone. Not wanting to make his first spanking worse then it had to be.
“You know how dangerous it is to not drop when needed? How sick you can get from neglecting yourself?! What if you got hurt out there? Or god forbid hurt someone else. You could have dropped in the middle of the game and no amount of social media post could cover that.”
Troy burrowed his face in his arms and cried. “I sorry daddy! Won’t fight ‘gain! Promise! Don’t fight friends! And don’t fight drops!”
Harris saw Troy kicking his feet. He’d never given him a proper spanking before but based on the way his boy was acting. He must be doing something right.
He gave him a few more swats to his thighs before sitting him up and pulling him into the tightest hug he could. Troy hid his face in Harris’s neck as he sobbed.
Harris ran a hand up and down Troy’s back to sooth him. “Shh, shh, buddy I know. I know buddy.” The cries broke Harris’s heart. He hated punishing littles. But Troy had to learn somehow.
Harris held him close till the game ended. Ottawa beating the ravens by one point.
The two heard the commotion of the other players entering the lockeroom. Harris pulled Troy back to look at him. “I’m gonna go grab your clothes from the lockeroom. We’re going to get changed in here. Then you’ve got a bath and bed. Understand?”
“Daddy mad?” Troy asked with a trembling lip. Harris’s heart melted. He had seen Troy’s dad enough to know he was an asshole. And would still keep a grudge after everything was settled.
“No buddy. Daddy’s not mad. Sometimes little boys make bad choices and need help learning to make the right ones.”
Harris got up and grabbed the stuffed Ottawa centre’s toy he had in his office from the gift shop. It wasn’t Troy’s stuffed puppy but leaving an upset little without a comfort item was downright criminal in Harris’s book.
Troy reached out for the toy. His eyes glazed over showing how deep he was in headspace. He immediately hugged the toy close to his chest. Feeling more comfortable than he had in weeks.