a private & highly selective multi-muse featuring original fandomless and [sometimes] canon characters. mostly musician based— but not always ! * this blog will contain sensitive & triggering material — follow at your own risk. [minors & personal blogs] do not interact.
⠀⠀★ 𓈒⠀ ─ this time [...] i'll make you proud. ⠀ ᭪ ˓
—— ﹙ 𝙰 𝚂𝚃𝚄𝙳𝚈 𝙸𝙽 ﹚ : satanic panic , toxicity in the metal scene , don't judge a book by its cover , sheep in wolves clothing , satan in the suburbs , overcoming your demons , and navigating fame.
#82 ☆ hunter benoit ! a private & highly selective original character set in the early ﹠ mid 2000's. * heavily inspired by the 2000's older brother trope. this blog may contain sensitive & triggering material — follow at your own risk. [minors & personal blogs] do not interact.
league: south jersey youth hockey league (SJYHL)
position: forward (rotated all three, but always drifted left)
coach: rick benoit (father, former ahl player)
number: #27
highlights: hunter first touched the ice with skates at age 3, and was actively training with his father by age 5. he scored his very first goal on his own team's net, but celebrated anyway. very dramatic cellys, including sticking his tongue out. team mvp at age 9. someone should have told him that he wasn't allowed to hip check at this age group.
league: atlantic amateur hockey association (AAHA)
position: left wing
coach: jerry taylor
number: #14
highlights: moved to AA level early due to speed and scoring talent. this was his first taste of traveling throughout the east coast. his first fight was at age 11 and he was suspended for one game. his dad made him apologize.. which he did. behind a juicebox and a smirk. he was given the role of alternate captain by 13.
league: tier I elite hockey league (T1EHL)
position: left wing
coach: lou rinaldi
number: #9
highlights: three inch growth spurt over the summer at 14, but still considered undersized. played high school hockey concurrently. hunter sustained his first serious injury at 15— a fractured wrist after being shoved into the boards, and he was forced to give up four games. he became captain during his final season at 16 and was scouted by multiple junior teams.
league: united states hockey league (USHL)
position: left wing, first line
coach: roy sanderson
number: #82
highlights: invited to usa hockey select 17s development camp but got cut in the second round for "attitude issues". fan favorite and infamous for chirping entire benches at once. he maxed out at 5'11" when he was 18. alternate captain in his final year, playoff mvp. bottom tooth got knocked out. college scouts started poking around, but he had his eye on going straight to pro. ahl scouts showed interest but wanted more development. he ultimately caught the attention of the long beach krakens after scoring twice and instigating a scrum.
“explosive off the wing. slightly undersized but plays like he’s 6'3". can disappear behind defense then reappear to break ankles and score. needs to rein in the extracurriculars, but undeniable upside.”
— mid-2003 recruiting notes from the long beach scouting staff
power play goals: 6
game-winning goals: 4
fights recorded: 5 (3 wins, 1 draw, 1 DQ for removing helmet)
suspensions: 2 (boarding; instigating)
“if you want a clean-cut player who sticks to systems and doesn’t rattle cages, move along. but if you want a kid who puts asses in seats and turns momentum with one shift, he’s your guy.”
— coach roy sanderson, trenton terrors
SCOUTING NOTES.
skating: high-end first step. agile, explosive laterally. can burn defense with quick edgework.
shot: quick release on the wrist shot. sneaky snapshot off the rush. power still developing.
puck skills: creative playmaker instincts, excels in broken plays. sloppy under pressure, but recovers fast.
hockey iq: solid reads off the wing. needs to improve backchecking urgency.
physical play: not afraid to chirp or physically engage. undersized for an enforcer, but fights above his weight class. big hit potential. may draw retaliation penalties.
discipline: red flag. hot temper. reacts emotionally and seems to get tunnel vision when frustrated. must learn when to walk away. coaches say he's maturing, but trend continues.
locker room: glue guy. locker room favorite with natural charisma.
durability: took some hard hits this year and bounced back fast. high pain tolerance. missing second premolar. will play hurt if allowed.
projection: echl starter, ahl potential with growth.
league: east coast hockey league (ECHL)
position: left wing, first line
coach: william sutton
number: #82
highlights: the krakens scout attended three more games in a row, and hunter signed a minor league development contract with them later that summer. the west coast transition was easy for him— he grew up spending his summers on the jersey shore, on the water, bleaching his hair under the sun and chasing lifeguards. he might as well have lived here his entire life. and the fans immediate taking to him was more than he could have ever asked for. game one: one assist, one fight, one minor for boarding. game three: breakaway goal and chirped the entire opposing bench. game five: krako plushies started selling out after one was tossed to him and he kissed it on the jumbotron. he survived two fights and a puck to the face in his first ten games, and his "high-risk, high-reward" label was solidified. coach was happy. hunter still calls his mom before and after each game, and he still can't keep his tongue in his mouth during a celly. lost that infamous front tooth in his second season and deals with a lisp until he gets his replacement. alternate captain in his final year.
league: american hockey league (AHL)
position: left wing, third line / bump to line two when there's injuries
coach: danny cardwell
number: #82
highlights: hunter is coming off one hell of a season. he's been consistently productive, wildly entertaining, and wearing an "A". his speed and grit combo finally clicks into something sustainable and he starts showing more vision on the ice. not just crashing the net, but reading plays, setting them up, being the guy teammates trust to close out tight games. that summer, he signs a one-year two way contract with the fort lauderdale firehawks- nhl's houston wranglers affiliate team. he's invited to training camp, competes hard, accidentally calls the coach "bossman", and doesn't immediately get cut.. instead he makes the roster outright. goodbye video store ! he wonders if he's out of his depth the first time a 6'5" AHL veteran buries him into the boards, but proves himself when he scores a shorty and gets a standing ovation from a crowd that didn’t even know his name two months ago.
CONTRACT TERMS:
$42,000 AHL salary
$500/week ECHL fallback
performance bonuses for games played, goals, and penalty minutes
★ —— ﹙ MEET HUNTER BENOIT, THE BABY FACE OF THE PENALTY BOX. ﹚
by: stevie ramos, long beach pulse (march 2005)
if you’ve caught a long beach krakens game lately, you’ve probably seen number 82 flying down the left wing like he’s late for something important —— and if not, you’ve definitely seen him in the penalty box... hopefully not spitting out another tooth.
hunter benoit, 21, is in his rookie season with the krakens, but you wouldn’t know it by the way he plays: loud, fast, and with enough confidence to rattle the toughest goalie. listed at 5’11”, benoit is one of the smaller guys on the roster —— and one of the scrappiest.
"release the krakens."
— unofficial fan slogan spray painted outside the locker room
the long beach krakens are a professional minor league ice hockey team based in long beach, california, competing in the echl’s pacific division. founded in 2000, the krakens play their home games at the shoreline arena, a converted events center just off ocean boulevard. their home jersey's are a black base with red and white trim, while their away jersey's are a red base with black and white trim, and they have a white alternate jersey. despite a rocky start as one of the first teams established during the echl's westward expansion, the team has gained a passionate following for their gritty, unpredictable play style, high penalty minutes, and love for their tentacle laden mascot— krako. their rivalries include the bakersfield scorchers, san diego seals, and california's weather as a whole.
hunter is the embodiment of "2000s older brother who taught you how to skateboard and then laughed when you fell, but also carried you home." other than his dad, who works as a head youth coach, he grew up in a girls world; he was just living in it. he has two younger sisters who he learned how to braid for... except he only learned a french plait. he's not even entirely aware that there's different types. but he can do it in approximately 90 seconds, while wearing the beaded charm bracelet the youngest made for him.
benoit is a product of youth hockey starting from the age of six and a house full of sisters. “i grew up braiding hair and dodging barbie dolls,” he says with a laugh. “you learn pretty early how to be tough without being mean.”
he's currently renting a mancave of an apartment with his teammate, marco "the brick" delvecchio (who once was suspended for beating up a mascot), eating off a paper plate over the sink, and driving a red 1997 jeep wrangler with hockey sticks poking out of the backseat.
he works at the local video store 2-3 weekdays post practice, and an occasional sunday afternoon. this schedule becomes a bit more unreliable during the season when he's doing back to back games with travel, and he's lucky he has a boss that's a hockey fan. his staff pick shelf is a chaotic mix of slap shot, coyote ugly, and i know what you did last summer. but the girls love him, and he gives a free bag of caramel corn to the ones he thinks are super cute or look like they just broke up with their boyfriend. regulars in general know him well. the kids love him, moms think he's sweet, and cinephiles hate him.
👤 puckbunnyxoxo69
➤ ok so. i saw him at the video store and he recommended bring it on and then said “it’s like hockey but with more hair pulling.”
➤ he was chewing bubblegum. had a missing tooth. he wore a backwards hat.
➤ why did that do something to me.
👤 penaltyprincess88
➤ i want to be his flipper.
➤ that’s all.
hunter is, overall, a fan favorite. co-captain marcus shields calls him "the most chaotic player on the roster, and somehow also the most beloved." this is a man that smells like axe, coughs like a toddler, says "sick" as a full sentence, and could get away with murder if the jury was 90% women and one golden retriever, by the way. the team affectionately calls him "beno". he knows the bar staff at his favorite joint, is friends with the bartender, flirts with the server, and owes the bouncer $20.
his favorite drink is cherry coke (maybe with a splash of rum), is bold enough to say he knows how to cook for someone who is constantly eating fast or gas station food, and guzzles light blue gatorade like he gets paid for it. he doesn't ever forget to say "ma'am" or "sir", and his music taste is all over the place. from outkast to metallica to eminem to sublime.. his mix cds are an adhd's wet dream. going from "stacy's mom" to "aerials" makes for an interesting drive.
he's a speed demon on the ice and his stature makes him more agile. yeah, he gets chirped for his size, but that's really the only thing they can trash him for. he never backs down from a fight (out of, perhaps, dumb bravery) and will 100% start one if he sees something he doesn't like.
a total softie outside of the rink. he'll help you move, hold your hand if you're scared, and give you a ride at any time of the day or night. not necessarily a jerk, but can accidentally hurt feelings by being too blunt, too aloof, or too honest. the media gets the brunt of it.. especially if he's just finished a game. he doesn't give a shit when talking to them. he's either leading the pack of the sassy man apocalypse or it sounds like it's his first time talking. it's either "yeah we got whacked, so last thing we wanna do is stand here talking to you guys" or, "yeah i mean uh... i dunno i mean—" unfortunately he will never be able to be media trained.
but he's a little more self aware than he lets on. there's a deep confliction about "making it", he has dreams of the nhl just like most guys in the sport. and he worries he might peak here, though he won't say it.
when asked what he wants out of his career and the future, benoit shrugs. “i mean, nhl would be sick, yeah. but if all i do is play my guts out, talk to some girls, and keep the fans happy? that’s not the worst life.”
the restaurant only had her feeling a little out of place... even for her more expensive tastes. and it's a shame she's a rich girl living in a starving artist's body —— a girl that knows her worth and what she deserves in this world but still struggling to achieve them. ( it's no biggie, of course ! ) the way the joke slipped from her sweet serpentine tongue hopefully didn't give away her nerves, her anxieties; she thinks she's just about mastered the art of hiding them at this point. it's what you learn to do when raw dogging your entire life without any medication or therapy. but the uncertainty of why he had invited her out still bubbled under the surface as she sat at the table across from @bloodiedice. lithe fingers and the black painted claws attached to them smoothing out the napkin draped across her lap —— ( thank god she did a brief google search on the place before getting ready; ) helped her decide that this little silky black number wrapped around her was appropriate enough.
her glass was still pressed against lips when he voiced his proposition, his reasoning —— and it gave her pause from pulling it away immediately. made the sticky residue left behind from her lipgloss all the more thick when she settled it back onto the table by its stem with an expression of.... shock? ( shock that was soon twisting, ) a smile forming on the sharp corners of her mouth instead. ❛❛ really? ❜❜ the pitch in her cadence was higher than intended— but it's in the name of a growing excitement swiftly replacing anxiety. does he really think she gives a fuck about frequent traveling, or having to find out a way to lug around her constantly growing set of tools? ( she'd laugh if she thought about it too long, ) at how silly it sounded when she's being presented a rather large offer alongside it. ❛❛ are you insane? traveling is like, one of my favorite parts about this job. ❜❜
laughing softly, her fingers grasped her fork —— but she's not eyeing it, just idly pushing around a cherry tomato instead. the salad before her no longer seemed appealing; she's just trying not to let her entire body buzz with a girlish giddiness. ❛❛ we can talk numbers later but, i'd love to. when do i start? ❜❜
‘ i can’t believe you actually gave him your number. ’ Yasmin from joey
platform boots marched against pavement as they walked —— only a slight and occasional stumble in her step, and she'd correct it each time by grasping onto his arm with a sugary giggle. ( was it the heels or the alcohol? ) didn't really matter either way at this point, as the club she'd dragged him to earlier that evening was now left in their wake. out of sight and out of mind... she just hoped he had a good time. but she'd suddenly stop, gripping onto the shirt stuck to his side to not only make sure he doesn't get ahead— but to give herself some leverage as she bent down. the sound of a zipper cut through as he continued talking, and she was busy trying to step out of the boots while she laughed.
❛❛ i didn't ! ❜❜ a shocking revelation as she finished while still clutching onto him —— she'd straighten herself out and push back the dark hair from her shoulders before glancing back up at him. ❛❛ i gave him a fake ! y'know, like one of those prank numbers? ❜❜ the kind you can find on the web and use at your disposal. and she found them as a totally fire way to keep creeps satisfied. ( she reached out toward him with the boots dangling from her hand, ) a silent way of asking him to carry them for her without actually saying it. ❛❛ why? you jealous? ❜❜
‘ i don’t start fights, okay? i only finish them. ’ @ jason
a denim covered hip leaned into the edge of a wooden shelf in the center of the store currently housing newest arrivals —— various stacks of flimsy comics tucked into their little slots. and he'd been idly flicking through them with an extended index finger for a few minutes now, waiting for the next best thing to jump out at him, while listening to her from behind the register. ( really, he's listening ! ) though it might not seem like it with the way his eyes roamed over all the cover art splayed out before him... looking for something gory and totally not for appropriate for all the pre-teens that wander in after school. but a crooked smile tugs on the corners of his lips alongside a breathy laugh that escapes from his nose— proving his attention is still on her. despite being just a little divided. ❛❛ yeah, sure ya' don't. ❜❜
a swift hand finally plucks up a crisp copy of something that looked like a rip off of evil ernie, and just as quick is flipping it open to fan through the pages. ( the minute rule doesn't apply to employees, ) because how else are they supposed to recommend shit if they haven't at least taken a sneak peak? his neck cranes to glance over at her from his shoulder —— and there's something absolutely fucking stupid about the smile that has stretched across his cheeks. a twinkle of amusement swimming and drowning in dark eyes. ❛❛ if you don't start fights, then why did that kid run out of here lookin' like he was about to cry the other day? ❜❜
yeah hunter is super cool and super hot blah blah blah but guess what. he coughs like a toddler. and in 2025, he's a twenty-something year old ipad kid.
“how mad would you be if i fucked up your hair?” the absolute last thing anybody wants to hear during a haircut—but a free haircut was too good to be true.
yet she snips again, another lock falling at her feet. “no, no, no, it’s ok! i can fix this,” she mumbled, rather trying to convince herself that she didn’t fuck up this cut.
the sound that comes from him is something of a snort at her initial question, like he thinks she's just fucking with him... so he keeps his focus down toward the gameboy in his hand —— blues blinking beneath stupidly long eyelashes. ( there's a bunch of little pixelated men kicking around a ball while he mashed on buttons, ) and it kept his terribly short attention span busy when he otherwise had trouble sitting still. he couldn't manage it on the bench, in the penalty box, and definitely not in this chair while pieces of his shaggy hair fell to the floor.
it's not like he really needed a cut —— he didn't think so, anyway. with a preference to keep the length to his shoulders. but she so kindly offered; free was free, and he didn't want to tell her no... and that regret would sink in as the sound of shears cut again while she mumbled.
❛❛ okay, say sike. ❜❜ much like she's trying to convince herself, so is he. but she didn't do so fast enough for his liking; and the device was dropped into his lap before he could think twice about reaching behind his head. ❛❛ maggie, say sike— ❜❜
“how mad would you be if i fucked up your hair?” the absolute last thing anybody wants to hear during a haircut—but a free haircut was too good to be true.
yet she snips again, another lock falling at her feet. “no, no, no, it’s ok! i can fix this,” she mumbled, rather trying to convince herself that she didn’t fuck up this cut.
with a thumb busy scrolling and swiping through social media —— vic had been purposefully silent for ninety nine percent of the cut as she worked. ( out of fear of distracting her, ) not wanting her to yap away and mis-snip... but it seems like it was all for naught. because a noise suddenly came from behind him; which made his scrolling come to a quick halt while his gaze shot away from the screen. but then came the question—
and suddenly she's lucky that she wasn't some random fuck at the barber shop, and that he cared enough about her to not whip himself around in that chair with a heated glare. ( lucky that god gave him his mother's heart, ) and that he's been doing well in keeping his shit in check.
❛❛ qué chingados... ❜❜ it's a quiet exasperation paired with his eyes briefly shutting, a deep breath that made his chest and shoulders lift ! yeah, she's lucky —— but then she snips again and it makes his stomach twist like a fucking knife; so he grips the armrests and begins to pull himself forward in a panic. ❛❛ nah nah nah, put 'em down. we're done. we're done ! ❜❜
“is there a reason i’m here?” rae asked, her voice light but laced with just enough sarcasm to make her point. she shifted slightly atop the counter near the register, the old laminate surface cool beneath her palms. the video store was quiet now, save for the low hum of a dusty ceiling fan and the soft murmur of whatever vintage movie hunter had left playing in the background.
she gave a half-hearted wave to the young couple who had just finished browsing the shelves, their arms loaded with dvds like it was 2007 again. once the door jingled shut behind them, she turned her attention back to hunter, who was busy pretending to alphabetize the horror section. "i have a store of my own to run, and yet here i am, keeping you company at your part-time job. you owe me. big time. and not in store credit.”
the cart he's been tugging around has dwindling stacks of rental returns and a fucked wheel —— and he's half ready to push what was left to the backroom and leave it as a gift for the next shift. ( he doesn't rank number one in the worst employee department around here, ) but he definitely gives ian valone a run for his money... hunter's just lucky that the boss likes him more. and he'll happily make himself pretend busy with restocking on slow days if it keeps him away from register duty. there's only so much scrambling for change he can handle in six hours !
but now his knees were crouched over questionable carpet as he fucked around with the plastic cases shelved in front of him. ❛❛ uhhh, because you like hanging out with me? ❜❜ even with his back facing her, a smile bled through his voice with the response to her initial question that rolled from his tongue a little too easily. ( off behind the counter ) —— slap shot played on the display television, and he could vaguely hear the muffle of it, but he mostly just heard her. ❛❛ and my store is so much more fun than yours. ❜❜ it's his turn for sarcasm, but... he kind of meant it. he'd definitely rather be here than surrounded by books. ❛❛ sure, yeah, i owe you— ❜❜ reaching behind him on the cart, he stands and grabs freddy vs jason from the stack; promptly shoving it into an empty slot before glancing back at her. ❛❛ what d'you want? other than a free weekend rental of... beauty and the beast or something. i don't fuckin' know. ❜❜
