Half the time he doesn't

✨ Andreil expert ✨ | Just here for Jiang Eric and Kevin Day, honestly

[kevindayscrown]

Part 8

Windows

(TW: Mentions of Riko and conditions in the Nest, slight angst)

Anything included in this head canon takes place the semester after the Foxes won the championship against the Ravens.

Disclaimer: I know next to nothing about varsity teams in the United States so excuse any false information. Head over to the directory to find the previous parts.

Eric claimed he knew where to take Kevin. He said that he’d make up for the lack of privacy on the public rink, and Kevin let him drive them away. He was surprised when Eric parked outside of an old building. It still looked well preserved.

“This is sort of a hideout for the frats mostly,” Eric explained as he led Kevin inside. “It was found abandoned and they usually use it to throw parties. We got lucky that today is not one of those days.”

Kevin raised an eyebrow as he looked around. At least here, they were away from prying eyes and away from Andrew. He didn’t let himself think for too long that the only reason they were doing this pretend dating was that so people would watch them. Technically, neither of them had to agree to coming here.

He found a couch pushed back against the wall but before he could sit on it, Eric stopped him by standing in front of him.

“Not here. Come on.” He headed up the stairs. Kevin hesitated, and would have been suspicious if he hadn’t known that there was no way Eric hadn’t registered and taken Andrew’s threat seriously.

And so, he followed.

Kevin had doubts when he realized their new spot was in the attic.

But upon laying eyes on the mostly empty space, he halted.

It was small and yet big enough for just the two of them. There was a large window across from them, higher up, and when Kevin walked closer, he noticed that the only view through it was of the sky.

Eric sat down and pressed his palms down on the floor to lean on them, staring up at the window. Kevin hesitated before sitting down next to him.

“Sometimes, we come here with the guys from the team when we need a break, you know?” Eric started. Kevin scoffed as he kept his gaze outside of the window.

“So, you brought me on the same place you bring your teammates?” Kevin had loosened enough that Eric could tell he was teasing.

“Mm well, I figured we’d have some peace and quiet.”

And so, in silence they remained for a few minutes. The window was slightly ajar, so Kevin could listen to the sounds of the busy campus outside.

“Today was fun,” Eric said.

Kevin nodded slowly and brought one knee close to his body, hugging it.

“I suppose it was.”

Kevin could remember the feeling of Erik’s hand closing around his, the feeling of his breath against his skin, the goaltender’s laughter echoing even over the laughter of the children in the rink.

But he could also remember Riko. Riko and Tetsuji and their words. A good player was just that; a player dedicated to playing the game. Anything else did not matter. Especially things that could get in the way. Distractions.

Ravens did not care who they slept with in the nest. Gender did not matter, as long as they took what they wanted; meaningless sex. Riko however, would always tell Kevin that homosexuality was disgusting. It had no place in a world that belonged predominantly to men.

Kevin then remembered Jean’s screams and pleads.

He almost flinched, but Eric chose that moment to speak:

“You are always doing this.”

“Doing what?” Kevin asked, not looking at him.

“Get lost. In whatever it is that’s going on in there.”

Kevin didn’t respond.

“I know you’ve been through shit. I don’t know what that shit is exactly, but I’ve seen you face your demons. What’s holding you back now?”

Kevin had faced Riko. In the end, he’d won. But had he really?

“I’m tired.”

Was it the adrenaline from today’s excitement or the exhaustion itself that made Kevin say that? He wasn’t sure. All he knew was that he was tired of carrying this weight. Riko’s ghost, memories from the Nest, guilt, his mother’s legacy, people’s expectations.

Was Kevin a person or was he a figure? A shadow of his mother’s decisions, an echo of her life? Someone that people looked up to who wasn’t even real.

Eric’s expression softened, but Kevin didn’t want his pity.

“I understand. I didn’t use to, but now I see it.”

Kevin attention was drawn by his words so he finally turned to look at him.

“You are too hard on yourself. You are cold and harsh with others, but only because you are so used to having high expectations from yourself, that you can’t help doing the same with everyone else.”

Kevin didn’t respond.

He wondered how he was so transparent when it came to Eric.

“And you?” He finally said. Eric raised an eyebrow, waiting for further explanation.

“Me?”

“Yes. You. You always have something to say, you are so calm and so fucking confident. What’s the catch?”

Eric hesitated and then shrugged.

“We all have our own weights. The question is whether you’ll allow someone to help you carry them. I have friends. A family who supports me. They help me through it. Who do you have?”

Kevin scoffed.

“You and your wise sayings,” he muttered. He would have looked away but Eric didn’t let him. He held onto Kevin’s chin and made him keep his gaze on him.

“If I am to pretend to be your boyfriend, I ought to understand you, don’t you think?” He asked.

Kevin had nowhere else to stare at but at Eric.

Eric noticed then, that Kevin had small tiny freckles sprawled all over his cheeks. They were tiny and almost invisible, but they were there.

“I suppose you are right.” Kevin said.

The thought of Eric ‘understanding’ him, terrified Kevin, though he didn’t show it. Opening up to someone, letting everything out. He’d never done it before. With anyone.

Their faces were dangerously close.

Kevin wasn’t sure why he didn’t pull away.

“You know, to sell the lie, we will probably have to kiss in public,” Eric’s voice was now a whisper.

Kevin froze at that moment, but all it took for him to relax was a brush of Eric’s thumb across his skin.

“We need practice. You know, so that it won’t shock you when we finally have to do it.”

It was a stupid excuse, but both of them used it to appease to their doubts and self-instilled restrictions, worries and no’s.

“Yes. You are probably right.”

Practice. This was a game. Nothing more.

And yet, as Eric pressed his lips against Kevin’s, Kevin felt a rush feeling of excitement, similar to scoring on court, his heart pounding.

His eyes closed and he leaned closer. Even kissing was like a banter, a competition between them. They enjoyed riling each other up, drawing reactions out of the other, pushing each other to their limits.

It became frantic, rough. Kevin’s hands gripped Eric’s shoulders and Eric’s hands went to his waist. They pulled each other closer and only pulled away when they had to catch their breath.

Kevin let go and panted slightly. Eric was the one who put distance between them and they remained silent for a moment.

It wasn’t awkward. But it was clear both of them had a lot to think about, for different reasons.

“Perhaps we need more practice,” Kevin muttered. Doubts and denial would come later. At the moment, Kevin was too focused on Eric, as the goaltender leaned in again and stole his breath away.

[all-for-the-wrong-game]

incorrect "all for the (wrong) game" quotes #3 or: what actually happened in part 7

Neil: Aren't we going to follow them?

Andrew: No.

Neil: Why not?

Andrew: I hate that suit on you.

Neil: No, you don't.

Andrew: It's an atrocity.

Andrew: We're going home so you can take it off.

[all-for-the-wrong-game]

Incorrect “all for the (wrong) game” quotes #2

Eric: I hate you Kevin: I hate me more

[all-for-the-wrong-game]

Incorrect “all for the (wrong) game” quotes #1 or: what actually happens after part 5

Neil, at 3AM: Can you believe there’s people who walk around with knives on their feet and somehow they manage not to stab anyone with them? Andrew: They just aren’t trying hard enough.

Neil laughs and kisses him. Above them on the wall is a shiny new pair of skates, their laces tied to a nail. Kevin tells them to shut the fuck up and let him sleep.

[kevindayscrown]

The one where Kevin Day falls in love with an ice hockey player.

Part 7 Night Lights

(TW: Awkward first dates with Andrew watching from a distance)

Anything included in this head canon takes place the semester after the Foxes won the championship against the Ravens.

Disclaimer: I know next to nothing about varsity teams in the United States so excuse any false information. Head over to the directory to find the previous parts.

Kevin knew that wherever they went in Palmetto, someone was bound to recognize either one or both of them. It didn’t matter where their date would take place, as long as people saw them.

He’d been to dates before. With Thea, after he left the Nest and whenever the two of them had time. It had been less than ideal. But, being the only experience that he had, Kevin used it as an example and booked a table at a restaurant.

It was obvious that Eric was hesitant about it but he agreed nonetheless.

“I think I might have a suit buried somewhere.”

Of course, he had to book two tables, seeing as Andrew and Neil would be joining them. He’d told Andrew that he didn’t need a fucking chaperone, but Andrew had ignored him completely.

Eric offered to pick Kevin up at the parking lot, half an hour before their reservation. Kevin had gone with the suit he’d worn at the last banquet, figuring this wasn’t something he should put too much thought or effort into.

Kevin realized, upon meeting with Eric in the parking lot, that he had had a different idea.

Suit brand new, hair brushed back, freshly shaved, the goaltender looked less like the jock he was and more like the proper date for someone like Kevin.

That thought made Kevin halt. Obviously, his ideal date would have been a woman. Obviously. He wasn’t even attracted to men.

“Come on Day, give me that one million-dollar smile all those fans of yours go crazy over,” Eric said and laughed as he opened the door so that Kevin could get in the car.

Kevin simply glared at him and got in the car. As Eric closed the door, Kevin watched Andrew and Neil heading over to the former’s Maserati.

“This is going to be a long night,” he muttered under his breath as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

The restaurant was packed, which made sense since it was Sunday night. Their tables weren’t as close to one another, which Kevin was grateful for. He sat down across from Eric an picked up his menu.

“Are you going to give me the silent treatment all night?” Eric asked once they’d ordered.

Kevin looked at him and put his hands down on the table. He found himself wishing he had the puck, which had proven to be quite useful as a stress reliever.

“We have nothing to say.”

“I thought you loved hearing yourself talk.”

Kevin narrowed his eyes at him, but decided to let it slide. He almost clenched his left hand again but Eric reached for it and stopped him.

“I told you not to do that.”

Kevin would have pulled away, but the warmth of it reminded him of their night practices, when Eric would take his hand and guide him forward on the ice.

He wasn’t sure if Andrew would come out of nowhere and use the table knife to stab Eric’s hand, but they’d made a new deal and Kevin hoped he would keep it.

“Day, relax. You are too tense. We are supposed to be on a date, no?”

“Why are you enjoying this?” Kevin finally asked as he stared at him, although he tried to not let his anger show.

Eric looked surprised by the question, but quickly shook it off with a shrug.

“I don’t care what people think, Day. They can make assumptions about me all they want. That’s on them. I just want to have a good time.”

He said it so casually, that Kevin was almost jealous of it.

“Are you-,”

“Gay?” Eric completed the sentence for him and then shrugged his shoulders a second time. “I don’t like labels. And I’ve never thought about it really. I’ve only ever dated girls but honestly, who knows?”

Kevin stared at him as if Eric was speaking a foreign language but said nothing else as their food arrived. Eric pulled his hand away; Kevin’s own almost instinctively reaching for it until he forced it to stop.

They ate in silence.

Eric shifted in his seat when they were done.

“I have an idea. But you’ll have to trust me.”

Kevin didn’t like the sound of that so he only arched an eyebrow at him.

“Look, no offense, but this is kinda boring and I want both of us to enjoy this. Plus, we may manage to get rid of your legal guardian over there,” Eric said as he glanced at the table where Neil and Andrew were at.

Kevin thought for a moment but nodded. They both insisted on paying but eventually settled with each of them paying for what they’d ordered.

Sneaking out of the restaurant without being seen was easier than expected, but perhaps it was because Neil and Andrew unexpectedly ended up having their own date, which kept Andrew occupied.

Eric wouldn’t tell Kevin where they were going, but Kevin was just glad to be out of there and not have Andrew on his back, watching them.

The building they stopped at was not enough on the outside to alert Kevin of what was waiting for him. Eric looked excited, which scared Kevin further as they made their way inside.

“Seriously? A public rink?”

Children yelling and laughing as they slid and fell across the ice, couples holding hands, groups of friends messing around, amatueurs holding onto the ledge. It was loud and busy.

Eric grinned at him. “I brought our skates just in case,” he said as he held up the duffel bag he’d taken from the trunk of his car.

The goaltender seemed to know his way around. He found them lockers after talking with some people he was quite friendly with and Kevin removed the blazer of his suit and the tie, shoving them inside, with no care whether they’ll get wrinkled.

Eric handed him his skates and as Kevin put them on, the other reached forward and undid a few buttons from Kevin’s shirt.  

“It’s not ideal to skate in this but let’s make the most of it.”

People in and out of the rink instantly recognized them as they slid on the ice. Kevin told himself that that was the only reason Eric reached to take his hand again.

“Relax,” he whispered in his ear as he leaned closer to him. Feeling Eric’s warmth breath against his skin in an otherwise cold room made Kevin shudder.

He turned his head to look at him, but almost fell back at how close their faces were. Thankfully, he had practiced enough to keep his balance.

Eric smiled at him and then moved forward, taking Kevin with him. Kevin tried to dodge all the kids and anyone who was in their way. Some would come up to him on purpose, introducing themselves, saying they were big fans. Kevin gave them all his flashing press smile, saying he was glad to meet them, while still holding onto Eric’s hand.

“If you’d excuse us, we are on a date,” Eric eventually told yet another person who had approached them. Despite the words, the way he went about it reminded Kevin of how calm he was on the rink during games.

People mostly left them alone after that. Kevin was grateful for it. Sometimes, he got too lost in the persona, in the ‘who he was supposed to be’ that he lost the meaning of what he did.

Besides that, however, Kevin realized that he was genuinely having fun. The two of them would challenge each other as to who would skate a certain number of circles faster, and in the end, they’d banter about it while still holding hands.

Kevin forgot which part of it was an act and which was real, the lines blurred.

It dragged on long enough that they’d have to leave because the rink was closing for the night.

“The night doesn’t have to end here, you know?” Eric said when they were both in the car.

Kevin smiled. It was a genuine smile, nothing more than one of the corners of his lips quirked upwards. But it was still there.

“No. No, it doesn’t have to end here.”

[all-for-the-wrong-game]

Everything iconic Jiang Eric has ever said (Parts 1-6)

“Get off your high horse, Day. Not everyone is gonna kiss the ground you are walking on. You’ve fallen from grace.”

“Welcome to my domain, Day.” 

“Part your legs.”

“I promise I’ll be gentle.”

“Why? Because you aren’t good at it? Life’s like that sometimes, Day. Not that you would know.”

“Apparently, you are not the god you think you are.”

“Everyone falls, Day. Even pros. The point is to know how to fall in the safest way possible, and how to get back up.”

“Kevin.”

“Fuck it. Any pro team would be stupid to not take Kevin Day into their lineup because of this. You are the best striker in the history of Exy. You are passionate, you are determined. You have an insufferable ego, yes, but you are Exy. It’s your legacy. They won’t take it away from you.”

“Of course. After all, Day has but little time for those of us who are beneath him.”

“Don’t worry, Minyard. Tug on that little leash of yours all you want. I’m done.” 

“Came to waste your time?” 

“I didn’t quite hear you. Let’s try that again,”

“Keep it. Stop clenching your fist like that. It’s better to have something to hold onto.”

“See you around then, boyfriend?”

[all-for-the-wrong-game]

“all for the (wrong) game” memes #1

Kevin: I came here to talk. Eric: Then talk. Kevin:

[kevindayscrown]

The one where Kevin Day falls in love with an ice hockey player.

Part 6 Cracks

(TW: Second hand embarrassment honestly)

Anything included in this head canon takes place the semester after the Foxes won the championship against the Ravens.

Disclaimer: I know next to nothing about varsity teams in the United States so excuse any false information. Head over to the directory to find the previous parts.

Kevin Day never apologized to anyone. All he did, he did because it was what had seemed right at the moment. Regrets were a waste. He was better than that.

Unfortunately, such wasn’t the case at that time, when he was standing at the end of the hallway of the third floor of the Fox Tower where the dorms of the ice hockey players were located. He could hear indistinct chatter from the rooms closest to him.

He willed himself to walk. Eric’s room was the one furthest down the hall, according to Nicky, who had talked with a few of the hockey players. It irked Kevin more than anything that all of the Foxes had been made aware of the situation.

Even remembering their reactions fueled Kevin. Of course, Allison had laughed, Nicky had been ecstatic, Matt and Dan had tried – and failed – to hide their amusement. There were no more secrets in the team, or so Neil said, so Kevin had more or less been forced to tell them about everything that’d been happening since October.

Standing in front of Eric’s door, about to attempt to reason with him, he wondered if it was all really worth it.

It took a few tries before Kevin finally held his fist up and knocked on the door. The chatter he could hear from before paused and turned into light murmur that was barely distinct.

Eventually, the door was pulled open.

Eric and Kevin stared at each other for a moment before Kevin spoke.

“We need to talk.”

It wasn’t the smoothest line he could have started with, but Eric was towering over him, and thus, distracting him.

Kevin hated that height difference with a passion.

Eric turned and glanced at his teammates, making a gesture with his head. They all fled the room, as if able to sense the tension.

But not before they threw a glare at Kevin.

Kevin ignored them, keeping his eyes on Eric and only breaking the contact when the other closed the door.

“Came to waste your time?” Eric asked.

Kevin’s jaw clenched but he told himself he was here to reason, not fight.

“I came here to talk.”

“Then talk.”

Kevin wasn’t entirely sure how to go about this. It was a bit easier thanks to having told Eric about Ichirou and the deal he had made with Neil already, but it didn’t make it any easier that he had to ‘apologize’ apparently.

“It’s about what happened,” Kevin started and followed Eric inside, sitting on the couch next to him after Eric had gathered all the scattered boxes of pizza and the tin cans of beer.

“Well, you are alive so I suppose your… boss either doesn’t know yet or he doesn’t really care.”

“Don’t sound so disappointed,” Kevin said with a scoff. “But not quite,” He sat back, shifting a bit on his seat. Eric was clearly waiting for an explanation, but Kevin could hardly put it in words himself.

“He wants us to lead the press on. To ‘keep it up’.”

Eric was confused for a moment. For a long moment. He stared at Kevin, as if expecting him at any moment to reveal that all this was just a prank. Kevin stared at the turned off TV as if it was the most interesting thing that he had seen all day.

“Wait, let me get this straight-,”

Kevin was sure that if Nicky was here, he would make a stupid joke about it.

“- your ‘boss’ wants us to pretend we are seeing each other?”

“He is not my boss, don’t call him that. He just owns 80% of any profit I’ll ever make and if he doesn’t get that, if I don’t do what he wants, then I’m dead,” he snapped.

The silence that followed made Kevin more than aware of his pounding heart. He didn’t want to turn and look at Eric, but he could imagine his expression all the same.

“Look, I didn’t fucking mean what I said back at the store,” Kevin admitted, probably for the first time to himself as well.

“Day-,”

Kevin interrupted him before he could say anything condescending.

“We don’t even have to say we are dating. We can just let people think what they want to think. I don’t have anything to give you in return, but-,”

He stopped.

Being around Andrew had made him acquire the bad habit of never being able to say ‘please’ without receiving a cold stare.

He heard Eric sigh, and Kevin almost felt bad for dragging him into this mess.

“I don’t- Is this some kind of prank? Are the guys in my team involved too?”

Kevin couldn’t really blame him for the reaction but he still narrowed his eyes at him. He hadn’t eve told Eric the whole truth, he could only imagine how he would react then. He had barely touched the subject, having avoided sharing the harsh reality of being a Raven, of being Riko’s second.

Eric however, was only now starting to see the cracks in Kevin’s cold front. It was more like a mask for a boy who had been broken in pieces

and then had to bring himself back together. Which, Eric doubted was an easy process, considering that his whole exy team consisted of people who had been broken too in different ways.

“I’ll do it on one condition,” Eric finally said.

Kevin raised an eyebrow but waited for him to continue.

“You’ll have to apologize. Properly. No more half-assed bullshit.”

The grin on Eric’s face told Kevin that perhaps, he wasn’t asking this for the apology itself. He sighed and clenched his left hand into a fist as he thought.

“I’m sorry,” he mumbled, but it came out more than a grunt that anything.

Eric noticed the way he was clenching and unclenching his left hand. He took a puck they had in the dorm and tossed it at him. Kevin grabbed it and stared at it before he started fiddling with it instead of putting strain on his left hand.

“I didn’t quite hear you. Let’s try that again,” Eric said as he flopped back on the couch and put his hands behind his head. Kevin would try anything to get that stupid smug expression off his face.

“I’m sorry I said that those night practices didn’t mean anything,” he said, louder and clearer as he stared down at the puck in his hands. “They- I really enjoyed them.”

It wasn’t a lie just to please Eric; Kevin had enjoyed them. What had started as determination to become better at something for the sake of his pride, had turned into something freeing.

Kevin was learning more than just ice skating.

Eric smiled and nodded slowly. “See? Wasn’t so hard.”

Kevin went to toss the puck back at Eric but he shook his head.

“Keep it. Stop clenching your fist like that. It’s better to have something to hold onto.”

Kevin stared down at the puck as he held it in his hands. It was smaller than an Exy ball and his fist could almost close around it.

He showed his gratitude only with a nod as he slowly stood up. Eric walked him to the door and then leaned with his one shoulder on the wall next to it.

“See you around then, boyfriend?”

Kevin rolled his eyes, wondering if Eric was enjoying this solely because it would annoy Kevin.

But as he got a text from Eric later that day to arrange their first ‘date’, he thought that perhaps it wouldn’t be so bad.

[kevindayscrown]

The one where Kevin Day falls in love with an ice hockey player

Part 5 Skate Blades

(TW: Violence, Lots of cursing)

Anything included in this head canon takes place the semester after the Foxes won the championship against the Ravens.

Disclaimer: I know next to nothing about varsity teams in the United States so excuse any false information. Read first the Introduction, Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 and Part 4

Eric was pushed back against the shelves of the aisle, knocking some skates down. Andrew had a tight grip on the collar of his hoodie and despite the huge height difference, he had somehow managed to pin the other goalie.

The skate on his hand came down at Eric at an almost impossible speed but Kevin managed to snap out of his surprised state and move quicker, grabbing Andrew’s hand and stopping it.

He realized his mistake way too late.

Andrew immediately shoved his elbow against Kevin’s stomach, making him let go and double over, cradling his stomach with his arms.

The blond turned his attention back to Eric and pressed the blade of the skate against his throat. When Eric gripped his wrist to push his hand away, Andrew only pressed harder.

“For fuck’s shake,” someone muttered and Kevin turned to look at Neil rushing towards them. Andrew pushed Eric back again, but Eric seemed to have gained back his own senses and brought his leg up, kicking Andrew back.

“Stop it. Now.” Kevin snapped at both of them, turning to look at Neil for help. He knew that he was the only one who could get through to Andrew.

“Andrew, don’t you think stabbing someone in public is going to cause more problems than solving them?”

Andrew was staring at Eric with a blunt expression despite holding onto the skate still.

Kevin’s heart was pounding but he wouldn’t dare try to make a move on Andrew again. It still felt as if his breath had been knocked out of him.

“Kevin,” Andrew’s tone made Kevin almost flinch. He knew from personal experience that despite their deal, Andrew wasn’t beyond lashing at Kevin.

Neil had to go reassure an employee that everything was alright so Kevin was left to deal with Andrew on his own.

Worst part was that Kevin couldn’t tell what Andrew was thinking right at that moment.

“Mind explaining why you were lying all those nights?” His tone was deadly calm, with a small hint of sarcasm that told Kevin that Andrew had never bought all these bullshit lies.

Kevin was cornered. His gaze went from Andrew to Eric, whose eyes were also on him. This resulted in them exchanging a long look until Andrew stood in front of Kevin and pressed the blade flat against Kevin’s chest.

“My patience, Kevin. Don’t test it.”

“I was going with Eric to the rink so he could teach me how to skate,” he finally admitted.

Andrew’s expressionless gaze stayed on him for a few moments before he pulled back.

“You were always so easy to read. And here I thought you didn’t have the spine to do something so stupidly reckless.”

“It’s nothing. It’s meaningless. Just a waste of my time.”

Eric’s eyes narrowed at Kevin.

“Oh, is it?” Andrew asked, probably noticing Eric’s reaction.

“It didn’t mean anything. It was just a matter of pride. Nothing more.”

Eric scoffed and shook his head as if disappointed.

“Of course. After all, Day has but little time for those of us who are beneath him.” Eric’s words dripped with venom. “Don’t worry, Minyard. Tug on that little leash of yours all you want. I’m done.”

Kevin watched him move past them and leave.

He felt a small twitch in his chest but Andrew stepping back and finally giving him space caused his attention to turn back to him.

“I don’t like anyone touching my stuff, Kevin. I made an exception about Thea, but you chose to break up with her.”

“It’s not like that.” Kevin snapped. “The press is just blowing things out of proportion.”

Andrew watched him, as if not quite believing that.

“Ichirou isn’t going to kill you over this.” He said, as if Kevin was stupid for even considering that, somehow reading his thoughts. “The news has probably gotten to him first too. You would already be dead.”

Somehow, that didn’t make Kevin feel any better.

Neil came back after helping the employee pick up the fallen skates, looking down at his cellphone.

“Kevin, you might want to look at this.”

He held the phone up and Kevin looked at the screen, reading the message Neil had just received.

‘Tell Day to keep it up.’

Unknown number. Though Kevin already knew who it was from.

“What?

“There is no such thing as bad press,” Andrew started and brought the skate up, running his finger across the blade. “The team you’ve signed with already isn’t going to break the contract over this. These news only bring more attention to your name. More cash to Ichirou.”

He then turned to Neil and said, “Tell him that Kevin isn’t doing this.”

“He can’t just tell Ichirou no. Not unless you want Kevin dead, just so Ichirou can turn him into an example of what he does to those disobeying him.”

Kevin kept staring at the message, dumbfounded. He then clenched his jaw and pushed Neil’s hand away.

“I’m not doing this. I don’t even like-,”

Neil raised an eyebrow, as if challenging him to finish that sentence.

“Fuck you, Josten.”

“He’s not doing this,” Andrew said with an edge to his voice, as if ready to snap at any moment.

“Fuck it if I’m letting the foxes lose the season because of another ‘tragic accident’. In any case, this will die down after a month, tops. Just roll with it. After that, Kevin can go back to kissing his Exy racquet instead. For now, we don’t have much of a choice.”

“Stop fucking talking as if I’m not standing right here,” Kevin spatted.

Andrew ignored him as he thought. He stared Neil down, as if the two of them were having a silent conversation that Kevin wasn’t a part of. The striker was used to that by now.

“No more of the skating bullshit. They’ll only do enough to satisfy the tabloids and Ichirou.”

“I’m not gonna fucking pretend I’m dating Jiang Eric to please the press.”

“Wanna tell that to Ichirou?” Neil asked and held his phone up.

Needless to say, Kevin knew he had no choice. He couldn’t go up against Ichirou – the man who pretty much owned him – and tell him ‘no’.

He had to do this. It just so happened that he made his life worse by telling Andrew in front of Eric that those late-night practices on the rink meant nothing.

Whatever progress the two had made into bridging the gap was now gone. Kevin would have to find the nerve to go to Eric and ask him to pretend they are going out. He had no idea how to do that, but from the little he got to know Eric a bit more personally, he didn’t think he was the type of person to not help someone in need.

He wasn’t even going to try and think about what this all meant. Kevin was straight. It was easier that way. When all this would be done, he would find a girl to date and people would forget about this fiasco.

But at that moment, he had to approach Eric and find a common ground.

[kevindayscrown]

The one where Kevin Day falls in love with an ice hockey player.

Part 4 The Fall

(TW: Panic attacks, mentions of violence, mentions of homophobia, mentions of Riko because he deserves his own trigger warning)

Anything included in this head canon takes place the semester after the Foxes won the championship against the Ravens.

Disclaimer: I know next to nothing about varsity teams in the United States so excuse any false information. Read first the Introduction, Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3.

Weeks passed, the chilling breezes of October giving way to the bitter cold of mid-November. The season had started off to a satisfying foot for the Foxes of the Exy team, the new recruits slowly adjusting. Everything was falling into place.

The calm before the storm.

Kevin reserved three nights a week for sneaking with Eric to the Foxhole Rink and practice his skating skills.

It was a slower process than he would have wanted, but Kevin knew about slow processes. It had taken him half a year before he could use a racquet with his left hand again.

However, Kevin was also a firm believer of proper equipment being part of an athlete’s success. His borrowed skates just wouldn’t do, especially now that the two of them had moved on from simple skating to actual ice hockey.

Eric agreed to take him to buy his own pair. Kevin had to skip class just so he wouldn’t have to find another excuse. He still wasn’t sure if Andrew genuinely believed him every time he came up with a reason to skip night practice and then disappear for hours.

They were looking at the designs the store had in stock when it happened.

Kevin felt his cellphone vibrate in his pocket. He could guess that it was probably Nicky, wanting to annoy him with something.

When it didn’t stop, he sighed in frustration and picked it up.

“What?”

“I’m so sorry Kevin.” It was Dan.

“Sorry about what?”

Dan had a knack for taking photos of the foxes throughout the year so she could put them on the wall back at the court. She carried a camera everywhere with her.

She’d carried one when they’d gone at the rink after the Exy team lost the bet.

Kevin rushed forward and asked the cashier if he could use one of the computers in the store.

It was everywhere in local and nationwide websites. Mostly on gossip tabloids. The ice hockey players had apparently gotten their hands on the photo and in their attempts to harmlessly tease their captain, they ended up spreading the photo around on the internet.

‘Kevin Day’s newest conquest? Staring Striker swings a different way than you’d expect.’

‘All for the Wrong Game? Exy-Prodigy Kevin Day on Thin Ice.’

On the articles, pictures of Eric having his arm wrapped around him when he almost fell on the rink and of them entering the Foxhole Rink in the late hours, were attached. He couldn’t even tell when those had been taken and by whom.

“Shit.”

Crude commentary, speculations, jokes, slurs, people suddenly claiming they always knew. It was all over the news. The headlines alone were bad enough.

‘Perhaps Kevin and Riko’s relationship was of a different nature.’

Kevin was going to be sick.

“What the hell happened Day? You look as if you’ve seen a ghost,” Eric demanded but Kevin could barely hear him.

He was having a hard time breathing. The last time he had panicked like that was when he told the press he had never been skiing before and instantly thought Riko would kill him for it. Now, it was another Moriyama who could take his life for such a stupid mistake.

Before his thoughts could keep going downhill, Eric grabbed his wrist on his right arm and dragged him down one of the alleys that was the least crowded. Kevin then felt hands cradling his face. Eric stared down at him with a harsh look, though one also of concern.

“These rumors go around all the time about every celebrity, Kevin,” He said, trying to comfort him.

“No, no, he-,” he stopped and tried to breathe in again. “Fuck. Fuck!” He pulled away and ran his fingers through his hair. Kevin hadn’t circled the news like that ever since it was announced that he had transferred to Palmetto State University.

“He? Who? Kevin, talk to me.”

Simple rumors have ruined careers, Kevin knew that. It was the rumor of him being better than Riko that had gotten him to break Kevin’s hand and almost ending his own career. It was by luck that he could recover and play again.

Pro teams weren’t tolerant to gossiping rumors that could ruin their image. And they sure as hell weren’t progressive enough to accept homosexual players – even only rumored ones - in their lineup. Kevin had already signed, but would they break his contact over this?

If they did, if he didn’t make it to pros, he would be useless to Ichirou. He would get rid of Kevin overnight.

“Kevin.” Eric’s stern voice snapped him back to reality.

“Ichirou Moriyama,” he finally said and stared down at his hands. The white scar across his left palm was somehow more prominent at that moment.

Eric was confused, as it was expected. Kevin gathered the remainings of his sanity to explain as best as he could. He didn’t know why or how, maybe it was his panic, his need to talk to someone, Eric’s concerned expression, but he was suddenly sharing everything. The Moriyamas owning Kevin ever since his mother died, Riko breaking his hand, everything going on in the background last year that people didn’t know about, and of course, the deal Neil had made with Ichirou.

By the time he was done, he was shaking and Eric remained completely silent.

“Fuck it,” the goaltender suddenly said. “Any pro team would be stupid to not take Kevin Day into their lineup because of this. You are the best striker in the history of Exy. You are passionate, you are determined. You have an insufferable ego, yes, but you are Exy. It’s your legacy. They won’t take it away from you.”

Kevin wasn’t sure how to react to this, but he felt a twitch in his chest.

Usually, when he had a panic attack, the Foxes or Wymack would hand him a bottle of vodka and call it a day. They didn’t know how to handle him.

Somehow, Eric however, knew exactly what to say.

“I- Thank you,” he said and clenched his hands into fists.

His phone rings again and Andrew’s name appeared on the screen.

Whatever composure he had regained, vanished into thin air.

Before he could reach for it, Eric grabbed the phone and picked it up. Kevin wasn’t sure what had been shared, and he wondered which of his knives Andrew would use to skin them both alive.

It didn’t take long for the blond to show up. Kevin was immediately at his feet, but wasn’t quick enough. Andrew already had a skate on his hand, apparently deciding to get creative and test how sharp the blade of it was.

He was going for Eric before Kevin could stop him.

[kevindayscrown]

The one where Kevin Day falls in love with an ice hockey player.

Part 3 Night Practice

Anything included in this head canon takes place the semester after the Foxes won the championship against the Ravens.

Disclaimer: I know next to nothing about varsity teams in the United States so excuse any false information. Don’t try reading this without having read the Introduction, Part 1 and Part 2 

The hardest part was finding an excuse to not go to night practices with Neil while Kevin would sneak out.

Andrew was more lenient about keeping Kevin on his side, with Riko dead, but he still kept a watchful eye over him.

“I have to work on a project,” he said as he gathered his history books. He wouldn’t need them of course, he just needed to make his excuse more believable.

Neil arched an eyebrow, but said nothing.

Andrew stared at Kevin, as if he was transparent and the blond could see right through the lie.

“With whom?”

Kevin had been making up the lie the whole day, so that it would be perfect and so there would be no chance for someone to see through it.

But Kevin was trying to lie to a liar.

It was obvious Neil was not buying it.

He still said nothing.

Andrew turned around and headed off to his room without a word. Kevin wasn’t sure if he believed him or if he didn’t push it.

Neil crossed his arms in front of his chest, as if waiting for Kevin to spit out the truth.

Kevin wasn’t sure whether he was ashamed of the fact that he was ditching Exy practice to go skating or of the fact that he would be meeting with Jiang Eric, the person he wanted to punch in the face half the time.

But Kevin could not tolerate not being good at something he had otherwise been mocking.

Was he good at Exy only because he had the advantage of playing ever since he could hold a racquet?

Kevin moved past Neil and past these thoughts, heading outside with his backpack over his one shoulder.

As arranged, Eric was waiting for him down at the parking lot, outside of his car. Despite the chilling cold of the late October, he was very lightly dressed.

“I was half sure that you wouldn’t show up.”

Kevin didn’t respond and simply pulled open the door to the passenger’s seat, getting inside.

Eric let out a scoff and fiddled with his key chain as he moved around the car and got in the driver’s seat.

The ride to the Foxhole Rink was rather awkward. Neither of them said anything for the remaining ten minutes, until Eric parked the car. Kevin got outside and waited as the other punched in the code and led them inside.

No one was around except Eric’s coach who seemed to have been waiting for him.

The locker rooms were eerily quiet but Kevin was used to it from his own night practices with Neil.

“Here,” Eric said as he held up the skates. He walked over to Kevin, but Kevin held a hand up and stopped him.

“You are going to show me how to put these on. On my own.” He sat on the bench and removed his shoes.

Eric told himself he wasn’t disappointed in that as he sat on the bench opposite of Kevin. He showcased with his own pair how to strap them on and tie them. Kevin, as expected, caught on quickly.

Kevin pushed himself up, and walked outside to the rink. Eric watched his back as he left. He certainly admired… the determination. He followed after him and slid on the ice first, turning to look at Kevin.

Kevin hesitated only for a second before doing the same.

Immediately, he slipped as he tried to move forward.

This time, Eric didn’t catch him.

As expected, Kevin immediately got angry at himself and tried to stand back on his feet.

“Kevin.” Eric’s voice was stern.

Kevin looked up at him. Somehow, he felt smaller at that moment.

“Before you learn how to move, you have to learn how to fall.”

Kevin suspected he wasn’t talking just about skating.

“I know about falling, Jiang.”

“You do. But you don’t know how to use it to push yourself forward. Instead, all you do is keep punishing yourself.”

Kevin said nothing, but his expression was saying enough.

Eric sighed as he glided over at him. He held his hand out. “Put your one foot down on the ice first. Push yourself up.”

Kevin took his hand, his palm and fingers circling Eric’s wrist. They stared at each other for a moment before they worked together to bring Kevin back to his feet.

“Everyone falls, Day. Even pros. The point is to know how to fall in the safest way possible, and how to get back up. And then you can learn how to keep going.”

Kevin clenched his jaw but nodded. He listened to his instructions carefully, already doing what Eric had told him the other day, keeping his legs parted and leaning his weight slightly forward.

He didn’t even realize how time passed by. Gradually, he became completely absorbed, first learning how to fall, then how to get back up and finally, how to balance himself and push himself forward. It was a slow process, but Kevin could see himself improving once he was rid of the anger and was left with the determination.

“You are a quick learner, Day. I’ll give you that.” Eric was grinning, but it wasn’t like all the other times, when he was simply trying to get on Kevin’s nerves.

“Or maybe it’s just too easy.” Kevin’s expression was serious, but Eric could somehow tell that he was only doing his part to contribute to the banter.

“Come on,” Eric said as he held his hand out. “You can try doing a full circle around the rink. I’ll give you a small push.”

Kevin stared down at Eric’s hand for a moment but then eventually grabbed it. He was ushered forward, and was quick to regain his balance and slide forward.

He missed the warmth of Eric’s hand when the other let him move on his own, but he didn’t let it register at that moment.

He was too focused on the feeling of sliding across the ice, finally having control over his body and his movements.

“Enjoying yourself?” Eric called from the other side. Kevin held his hand up, flipping him off. The move only made Eric burst in laughter. He doubted he had ever seen Kevin Day looking so free and less tense. Except from when he was playing Exy of course.

Because Eric had certainly been watching every game of Kevin’s he could find online.

He could blame it on Riley. For someone who knew little about sports, Eric’s childhood friend was obsessed with Kevin.

But Riley was never the only reason Eric would watch games and interviews.

He could understand why Kevin was pushing himself so hard at that moment.

Kevin’s home was in the court. Kevin was made to play Exy and to please crowds. Failure wasn’t an option.

But Kevin was also made for so much more. He just didn’t know it yet.

“You’re doing grea-,”

He stopped as Kevin fell.

He smiled when Kevin also got back up without Eric’s help.

In the end, Kevin managed to skate three full circles on his own, growing more and more confident with each glide. Eric could swear he even saw him smile at one point.

When they decided to stop, Kevin’s feet were aching slightly. He moved on the bench quickly and sat back, stretching his legs out.

Eric sat down next to him.

They both stared at the rink in silence for several moments.

“You aren’t that bad Day. If only you weren’t so uptight all the time.”

“You aren’t so bad yourself, Jiang. If only you had chosen the right sport.”

Eric laughed, a loud obnoxious thing that stayed with Kevin even as he got back to his dorm.

[kevindayscrown]

The one where Kevin Day falls in love with an ice hockey player.

Part 2 All for the (wrong) game

Anything included in this head canon takes place the semester after the Foxes won the championship against the Ravens.

Disclaimer: I know next to nothing about varsity teams in the United States so excuse any false information. Don’t try to read this without having read the Introduction and Part 1 or you won’t understand shit.

As expected, it was a disaster.

Well, not for everyone, but certainly for Kevin.

Bryce tried to briefly explain the rules of the game. Despite looking quite similar to Exy, it turned out that it wasn’t. Not in the slightest.

Positions were different but seeing as Kevin is an offensive, he remained one in that case too. Allison and Dan joined him. Matt and Aaron, of course, went on defense and Renee guarded their goal.

Admittedly, Allison did most of the job, considering Kevin could barely balance himself on skates. At every body check, he would fall either on his ass or flat on his stomach. He doubted he got possession of the puck for even ten seconds.

It was infuriating. All the other foxes seemed to be getting the hang of it, even managing a few goals thanks to Allison. Of course, the ice hockey players went easy on them, but even then, Kevin could hardly manage to move fast enough to get the puck or to shoot it.

He was sure that by the next day, he would have several bruises, either from all the falling or from the rough body checks.

“This is ridiculous,” he finally said after Eric stopped his only attempt at scoring.

“Why? Because you aren’t good at it? Life’s like that sometimes, Day. Not that you would know.”

This wasn’t unexpected, but it still took Kevin by surprise. He narrowed his eyes at the goaltender.

“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”

“You live in your own bubble. Exy above everything else. It’s probably the only thing you are good at. Anything outside of that bubble is beyond you. Guess what, though. Apparently, you are not the god you think you are.”

Everyone around them tried to pretend as if they weren’t hearing, but of course they were.

“What would you know, Jiang? You have barely managed to get the attention of the people. Hell, I don’t even know that much about you to begin with. However, you seem to have already made up your mind about me. Is it because you are jealous?”

Whatever Eric’s teammates said to hold him back did not work. He slid across the rink to get to Kevin, who wasn’t even fast enough to attempt to turn around and slide away.

This body check was meant to hurt, Kevin could tell.

He was suddenly pinned against the boards, feeling Eric’s weight trapping him. It was also the only thing keeping him from slipping yet again.

“Do not assume you know anything about me, Day. Perhaps today will serve as a nice lesson for you. You are not as untouchable as you think you are.”

Kevin ended up pushing Eric hard enough that both of them stumbled and fell on the ice. Or rather, Eric’s body served as pillow. Kevin grunted, his annoyance only growing as he pushed himself up, only to slip again. He wanted nothing more but to remove the skates and leave the rink.

Eric managed to get himself up first. Despite Kevin’s protests and their semi violent fight, he helped him up too. Kevin knew better than to try pushing him away again and simply managed to glide across the ice and get off the rink.

Kevin felt Neil’s eyes on him even before he looked up and saw the redhead standing there, ready to take his turn on the ice.

Neil said nothing, though the hint of a grin on his lips was enough for Kevin to send a glare his way.

Didn’t help that Neil proved to be a natural.

It took him a bit at first, sure. But when he got the hang of it?

He moved on ice as if he had been practicing all day.

It was unusual to see such a small player among the other bears but Neil was almost perfectly elusive on his skates. He even managed to score a couple of times against Eric.

Kevin turned away and sat on a bench, trying to untie the laces and all the straps of his skates. His annoyance and frustration did nothing to help him.

The teams changed their lineups and Andrew along with Nicky, replaced Renee and Aaron. The ice hockey players also took turns.

Eric wasn’t sure why, but he felt bad.

It wasn’t the first time he had said something harsh to Kevin, with the difference that now, it felt as if he had crossed some sort of line.

He noticed Kevin attempting to remove his skates still and pulled off his helmet. He sat on the bench and patted his knee.

“Let me help you.”

Kevin stared at him for a moment, but his pride had been wounded enough that he gave in more easily than usual.

Eric pulled Kevin’s leg up on his thigh and started the process of untying the laces and undoing the straps.

“Look, I think we both got out of line.”

The first skate slipped off his foot and a cold wave made Kevin shiver.

“Was that not the point? To make fools out of the Exy team?”

“You know what I mean, Day.”

Kevin had to straddle the bench so that Eric could pick up his other foot.

“No. I don’t. You’ve never apologized before. You’ve never held your punches. I don’t know why you are doing it now, but I don’t fucking care. You told me to not make assumptions about you when you’d done exactly that.”

Eric could had guessed he had crossed some line before, but this seemed way more personal.

“I didn’t make an assumption. It was more of a guess. And from the way you reacted, it seems that I stroke a nerve. So what is it Day? Are you really on a high horse or are you your own worst critic?”

Kevin stared at the rink and at the foxes, his foxes, laughing as they fell on their asses, seemingly having the best time of their lives.

Instead of answering the question, he said:

“Teach me.”

It was the first time Kevin saw Eric being taken aback.

“Teach you what?”

“How to skate.”

There was a small silence as Eric slipped the last skate off and put it down next to the other.

Kevin waited either to be told to fuck off or for Eric to ask for something in return.

Instead, the goaltender smiled – a genuine smile – and said:

“When do we start?”

[kevindayscrown]

The one where Kevin Day falls in love with an ice hockey player.

Part 1 The lost bet

Anything included in this head canon takes place the semester after the Foxes won the championship against the Ravens.

Disclaimer: I know next to nothing about varsity teams in the United States so excuse any false information. If you haven’t read the Introductory post, you are adviced to do so or you won’t understand shit. 

It started with a bet.

A lost bet.

Of course, the Foxes of the Exy team are used to placing bets amongst themselves over the smallest and silliest things. It’s when they include others that it gets complicated.

Ask any of them, and they will not be able to tell you how it started, probably to avoid the embarrassment. Ask the ice hockey players, and they will gladly fill you in.

It started in the athlete’s dining hall. The unhealthy featured option for the day was pie. Nicky, of course, had left class early just so he would be able to get a piece for himself and his cousin with the sweet tooth. Pie ran out early if you weren’t from the firsts to wait in line.

It just so happened that a group of hockey players were behind Nicky in line. Nicky, with the remarkable ability of not being able to shut up, started blubbering about how sweets were not allowed in the dorms after Kevin kept bitching about it.

One of the ice hockey players – Bryce Matthews, left defenseman – dared to make the following statement:

“Bet you that Day wouldn’t even dare eat today’s dessert. That guy has his racquet stuck up his ass. Doubt he would ruin that freaky diet of his.”

Of course, that was a challenge, a bet. Nicky wouldn’t dare not accept it. Especially from their ‘sworn enemies’.

“Oh, really? Bet you I can get Kevin to eat the entire thing.”

The two of them agreed to it after also discussing the terms for the winning and the losing side. Nicky knew he had to get Kevin to eat from the pie.

He didn’t.

“Kevin, I’m telling you, we will all regret it.”

Kevin gave him a blank stare and pushed the plate away, thinking that Nicky was messing around, trying to annoy him. He soon realized that wasn’t the case.

“Seems like we are going to have guests at the rink today,” a voice said from behind him. Kevin turned around, finding none other than Jiang Eric, standing there with his two lackeys at his side, grinning.

It was unusual for the Ice Hockey Captain to take pleasure in such stupid bets his own team usually engaged in.

But this involved Kevin.

And if there was anything Eric was more passionate about than Ice Hockey, it was annoying Kevin Day.

“What did you do this time?” Aaron snapped at Nicky.

“I may or may not have placed a bet.”

“See you there after practice!” Eric called and fist bumped his teammates as they exited the dining hall, their laughter echoing around the room.

Turns out, these were the terms that Nicky had agreed to:

The losing side’s team would have to come over to the winning side’s facilities and spend the entire evening after afternoon practice playing the other team’s sport.

Which meant that the Exy team now had to put on skates and spend two whole hours balancing on ice.

“Hemmick, I swear, I’m gonna murder you.” Kevin was furious. Of course, they couldn’t just not go, it was a matter of pride.

They were in the lounge when afternoon practice was over, discussing how they would manage to not make fools out of themselves. Allison was the only one who was having fun with this, seeing as she already knew how to skate.

Andrew was munching on that piece of pie from earlier.

(Neil may or may not have smuggled it for him after it was left untouched.)

“Look, I just think we should all be blaming Kevin for not trusting me,” Nicky said, holding his hands up in defense. The foxes let out exasperated sighs of frustration.

“Why are y’all sitting on your asses?” Heads turned as Wymack spoke. The coach wouldn’t admit it, but perhaps seeing his foxes on skates was the most amusing thought he had had in a while. “Get going. Or they will think you are all a bunch of cowards.”

The Foxhole Rink was as big as the university’s Exy court, though there had been talks of reconstructions, seeing as the team had been climbing up the ranks. The Ice Hockey team – all six players of the starting lineup – were waiting for the Exy players.

Eric’s grin from earlier was still plastered on his face as he held up a pair of skates and threw them at Kevin, who caught them just in time.

“Welcome to my domain, Day.”

The Exy Foxes were led to the locker rooms and were given spare equipment that would fit them best. It was rather similar to their own equipment so they easily slipped into it.

Then the ice hockey players came in with the skates. Spares of all sizes that the Foxes could choose from according to their size. They passed them down one by one and helped the exy players tie them properly.

“Need help Day?”

Kevin had managed to squeeze his one foot in but it was harder than expected to figure out all the laces and the straps. Admitting he needed help, however, would be just another blow to his confidence.

Eric kneeled down nonetheless and picked up Kevin’s foot. He secured the skates and then held the blades up, attaching them as well. Kevin grumbled something under his breath but Eric doubted it was a thanks.

They only exchanged a glance before Kevin tried getting onto his feet.

“Hey, this isn’t that bad,” Matt said. Indeed, balancing on the blades while on a stable floor wasn’t too bad. It was tricky at best, but the foxes knew tricky.

It was when they slid on the ice that they realized exactly how tricky it was.

The first one to fall on his face was Aaron. The Foxes rarely heard him curse so colorfully.

Dan was clinging onto the side of the rink with wobbly legs that threatened to give out at any moment. Matt was easing into it slowly. Allison gracefully skated past them with a small flick of her hair.

Kevin was also holding onto the ledge, deciding there was no chance he would let go.

That was, until he saw Eric glide in, looking surprisingly graceful for a six-foot five guy with all this heavy equipment on him.

Kevin slowly pushed himself off of the ledge and slid across the ice, holding his hands out for balance while also holding onto the hockey stick. He couldn’t understand how Eric could move around, block hockey packs and coordinate his team at the same time.

“It’s not as hard as it looks,” Eric said, which somehow annoyed Kevin more.

“At least it explains why you are all such thickheads,” Kevin snapped back.

Kevin noticed Eric’s eyes narrowing underneath the helmet. The goaltender moved to him in a way that made Kevin try to move backwards. His left foot slipped and he lost his balance.

A hand around his waist stopped him right before he hit the ice. He looked up and saw Eric, his hockey stick dropped as he had moved to catch Kevin from falling.

Eric wasn’t sure why he had done it. The first lesson to ice skating was that you would fall many times before you’d even be able move. It was mostly harmless.

He told himself he had just felt responsible for startling Kevin and immediately pulled him upright.

“Part your legs.”

“Excuse me?” Kevin asked with an arched eyebrow.

“Part your legs. Keep just the right amount of distance between your feet. Lean your body slightly forward and find your balance.” As Eric talked, he pressed one hand on Kevin’s stomach and the other on his back, adjusting his upper body properly.

Kevin was too stunned to push him away.

Thankfully, Andrew had not been in the first six to enter the rink or he would had probably tried to stab Eric with the blade of his skates for touching Kevin.

“Ready to try playing? I promise I’ll be gentle.” Eric said and winked as he picked up his stick. Kevin convinced himself it was a trick of the light as he moved forward.

[kevindayscrown]

The one where Kevin Day falls in love with an ice hockey player Introduction

Anything included in this head canon takes place the summer after the Foxes won the championship against the Ravens.

Disclaimer: I know next to nothing about varsity teams in the United States so excuse any false information.

Palmetto State University is mostly known for its football and exy teams. However, their ice hockey team has been climbing up the rankings in the recent years. Usually, the players of each varsity team keep to themselves, and even if the footballers and exy players may have some interactions, ice hockey players keep completely to themselves.

Thankfully, the foxhole rink is located in the other side of campus, and all the players don’t have to interact unless they share classes or during lunch in the cafeteria.

The football team is surprisingly, the most peaceful of the three teams.

But Exy and Ice Hockey share so many similarities that they end up positioning their players at opposing battlefields. If there is anything an Exy player hates more than a lacrosse player, it’s an ice hockey player.

Kevin Day is not an exception to this rule.

He has had his fair share of interactions with athletes of various sports. He finds Ice Hockey players to be complete uncivilized savages. Exy doesn’t necessarily require size. Neil Josten is proof enough of that. However, ice hockey players are more often than not, built like bears. But perhaps, it’s the similarities that make Kevin hate them so much.

There is violence, that’s for sure. Both Exy and Ice Hockey take guts and boiling blood. Which is what’s causing the friction between the two varsity teams.

Interactions are few but when they happen?

Blood is spilled. Quite literally.

It was worse when Seth was around. However, neither Kevin nor Matt is holding back from starting fights themselves.    

And if there’s any of the ice hockey players Kevin despises with every fiber of his being, it’s Jiang Eric.

Jiang Eric, Number 1, Goaltender. Kevin doesn’t know much else besides that, and he doesn’t care. He’s been to one of their games, only because Wymack once made the whole exy team go, to show ‘school spirit’.    

Kevin will never admit that he could not help but admire the passion Eric shows about the game. It may not be Exy, but he has skill, and he is a natural born leader. He is everything Kevin is not; he acts on instinct, he inspires confidence amongst his team players and he knows how to end fights instead of instigating them.

It’s too bad that that’s how far the respect goes.

Because when the two of them meet?

It’s chaos. Kevin is violent sometimes, sure. He was raised in a violent environment, throwing punches is almost first instinct. Despite the calmness Eric shows on the rink, for some reason when interacting with the Foxes and Kevin especially, he loses it.   

One time specifically, the monsters happened to run into the goaltender and three other ice hockey players on the parking lot of the Fox Tower. 

Normally, the two groups would ignore one another. But seeing as it was the day before the first game of the season for the Exy team, the ice hockey players were especially nasty. 

Eric doesn’t pay them as much attention but his teammates are not hesitant to start making remarks about Exy. It’s when they use the word ‘stickball’ that Kevin reacts.

Andrew doesn’t bother stopping him as Kevin mouths off the two of them. His comments are not just spiteful; they are spot on. He has seen them playing and that’s enough for him to start criticizing any techniques that are similar to Exy’s.

That’s where Eric draws the line.

“Get off your high horse, Day. Not everyone is gonna kiss the ground you are walking on. You’ve fallen from grace.”

Kevin is livid. He knows that Eric is saying that only to rile him up. It works. He throws the first punch. 

Eric grins. Kevin is predictable. He stops the punch within an inch of his face. He is not enough of an asshole to twist Kevin’s hand behind his back like he would usually do, seeing as this is his left hand. Besides, he enjoys the flash of surprise on Kevin’s expression. They end up having a staring contest instead.

“Jesus, Andrew could cut the sexual tension with a knife.”

Both Eric and Kevin break apart in favor of glaring at Nicky. Nicky only gives them a boyish grin. 

The two groups finally go on about their day, but the pounding Kevin feels in his chest echoes in his ears even after Eric and his teammates are out of sight.