Page 12 of Playing His Game

Or that young people would think he was hiding from his sexuality—fromhappiness—just to avoid having his private life exposed?

“The video looks bad. I’d rather have people think we’re dating than that we almost got in a fistfight at a bar.” Adam shrugged.

Mo visibly gathered himself, leaning forward and fluttering his lashes in an obvious attempt to reclaim some of his camp. “Just trying to avoid a scandal, then, darling?”

Adam let it pass. “Aren’t you?”

“Touché.” He poked at the remnants of his donuts.

“Shit. Sorry.”

For a moment, Mo stared at him as though he were afraid he might be hallucinating. Then he groaned and shook his head. “No, God, don’tapologize.That’sterrible.”

Well—Adam had expected more surliness, if he were honest. “Um. Sorry?”

Mo made another animal noise and then something that sounded like it might want to be a laugh. “Fuck. Stop it. This whole thing is a clusterfuck, and the only thing I am actually sure of is that it isn’t your fault, and if you’re nice to me about it, that’ll make it worse.”

“Um,” Adam said again. He stopped himself before he could apologize for a third time. “Do you want me to be mean?”

“Could you, actually?” Mo tilted his head. Beneath the redness, his eyes were a bright hazel.

“I probably wouldn’t be very good at it.” Chirps didn’t come naturally. Adam could mostly tell when other people were joking, when they were saying something to get someone riled up on ice and when they were just being silly. And he could be silly back, but he’d never mastered the art of saying mean things to be silly. He always worried people would take him seriously. “Not without being provoked.” Adam wasn’t any good at starting a fight, but he could definitely end one.

“Like every previous conversation with me, you mean?”

Adam winced. Yes. But he hadn’t meant to admit it.

“No, no, it’s fine. I probably did start it every time,” Mo agreed with a sigh. He wore the ghost of a smile now, though. “If you couldn’t tell already, I don’t like hockey players very much.”

“Yeah, I remember you saying that.” He even remembered the reason. Adam probably wouldn’t like hockey players much either if his parents had expected him to play at an elite level and homophobia had drummed him out of the game before he could even find out if he had what it took. Not everyone had the same experience he did. And his own experience hadn’t beenthatgreat. “What about just guys?”

“Just guys.”

Adam nodded seriously. “Guys who keep you from falling on your face and accidentally end up fake dating you. For example.” The last thing he needed was for Mo to spend the next however many months resenting his presence. He’d like to make this as tolerable as possible.

Mo regarded him for a moment before nodding. “Just guys are okay,” he agreed. “As long as they understand the ground rules. Like, this?” He gestured between them. “Not going to happen for real.”

Adam snorted. “You think a lot of yourself. But yeah, obviously.” He paused. “It’s Mo, right? Not Moritz? Any other no-gos?”

“Yeah. Adam?” He wrinkled his turned-up nose a little. “Or do you prefer Murph?”

“Not from a boyfriend. Even a fake one. Adam’s fine.”

Mo hummed. A smirk played at his lips.

Before Mo could say whatever thought had prompted that look, Audrey returned and closed the door behind her. “Gentlemen! Let’s talk about soft launching your relationship.”

Posted on Rainbowhockey Threads October 28

Holy shit, did you guys see this?

[TEAM REPRESENTATIVE CONFIRMS MURPHY, DU PONT RELATIONSHIP]

Is this even legal!? (I mean from an ethics standpoint given Moritz’s parents OWN ADAM’S EMPLOYER) I’m just kidding, I don’t actually care if it’s legal-legal, God is real and she loves me personally.

Reply: OMG we stay winning

Arizona Canyons Captain Adam Murphy confirmed his romantic relationship with Moritz Du Pont, son of team owners Orson and Claire Du Pont, amid rampant speculation.