Page 29 of The Trade Deadline
“He’s a good player, right?”
He frowned. “Yeah.”
“Like, one of the best on the team?”
“I don’t know if I’d go that far?—”
“You should,” Lars said matter of factly. “He is. I’ve played with a lot of really good hockey players, and he’s up there. It’s weird that no one else sees it. I mean, he’s on a line with you and you guys get a ton of zone time and points. You don’t think he’s a big factor there?”
There was a pause. “I mean, he’s pretty good at face-offs…”
“Yes!” Lars emphatically. “He’s incredible at face-offs!”
“Better than you.”
“Much better!” he agreed, pleased. “You should tell him that.”
“Yeah, I probably should,” Jordy conceded. “He tells me all the time I’m doing a good job. Pay it forward and all that.” It seemed like he was about to drop it, but he hesitantly asked, “Is he really that good?”
“RJ is anamazingplayer. I’m glad I don’t have to play against him anymore.”
That was only half true. He’d admittedly not noticed much of Ryan before he’d come to the Blue Crabs, if at all, but that was likely due to the different conferences and their lines not matching up often. If Ryan had been on the first line, he might’ve crossed Lars’s radar. But Larswasglad his face-off percentages wouldn’t drop going up against him and that he wouldn’t have to get around him on the PK outside of practice. If they ever did play against each other in the future, Lars now knew what he was up against and wouldn’t take that matchup lightly.
Jordy didn’t seem to know what to do with this information, but they were both saved from having to answer by Jake’s arrival. The captain slung an arm around Jordy’s shoulder and slurred his way through appreciation that they’d made it out, that they were both playing great, et cetera. Taking the unintended hint, Lars grabbed a big glass of water. They got on the topic of their upcoming homestand, and once Lars asked if there’d be more team outings, Jordy took over. He went on happily about the team’s usual haunts and activities, with Jake occasionally offering incomprehensible stories about shenanigans the team had gotten up to the last time they’d been there.
Lars let them talk, cradling his water as he digested what he’d learned.
Fact one: Lars was into Ryan. Which…honestly not a surprise. He should’ve seen that coming. Ryan was unfairly hot, he was funny and nice, and he was a great hockey player. In isolation, any of those traits might be ignored, but together, Lars had never stood much of a chance.
Fact two: Ryan was bi. He had no idea what Ryan’s type was, but there was a teeny possibility that Lars might be it. This didn’t have to be an unrequited-crush-on-a-straight-teammate territory. Except…
Fact three: They were teammates. Even if Ryan liked him back, they couldn’t do anything about it. Lars wasn’t willing to risk his place in Baltimore on a fling, no matter how open-minded their General Manager might be. If he left the Blue Crabs too quickly, it could kill his career.
So that left him with the unfortunate task of nipping this in the bud. It’d snuck up on him already, but if he quashed any romantic feelings now, he’d be fine. This wasn’t the first time he’d had a crush on someone he played with (though thankfully he hadn’t had to deal with it since he was fifteen in Gothenburg). Lars could handle this.
Excusing himself from the table, he made his way to the bar to close out.
Briefly, he entertained the thought of finding his own hookup. That was usually the best way to get over someone, and he could use the distraction, but the idea made his stomach roil. Monroe had told him the team would be cool with his sexuality, and seeing that Ryan was openly out was heartening, but that didn’t put him in a place where he felt comfortable being so exposed. Anyone in hockeyknowinghim like that gave them a sort of power that he didn’t like them having. Look what had happened in Portland: his being gay could be turned into a weapon in the wrong hands. As nice as Jordy was, Lars wasn’t about to hand him a knife and hope he didn’t stab him in the back.
If he were being honest, he also didn’twanta one night stand right now. It sounded exhausting. He was tired from hockey, he was tired from drinking, he was tired from travel and had to get on a plane tomorrow, and he was just…tired. He wanted to crawl into his hotel bed, fall asleep to an audiobook, and hopefully not dream of brunet teammates with soft brown eyes.
Instagram: RJ Mic’d Up!
[Transcript from an Instagram Reel posted on @bmorebluecrabsnhl featuring highlights of when Ryan “RJ” Russell was mic’d up during a home game vs the Boston Militia.]
In the tunnel before the game:
RJ:You ready to get it, boys? (He bangs his chest against his linemates Jordan Foster and Pierre Laurent, then the goalie Vladislav Voronin.)
RJ:You gonna score for us tonight, Nilsy?
Lars Nilsson:I’m trying, but I broke my stick in practice today so…
RJ:Shit, that’s a new twig?
Nilsson:Yeah. I don’t like how I taped it.
RJ:Well, don’t score or you’ll have to tape it that way every time.
