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ajremixBack when I first started playing around with ideas for a hockey AU I'd written a number of snippets for it of which this originally started out as. Then, because I liked the idea enough to want to turn this snippet into a standalone for Fluri Week, I tacked on 3500+ more words. Between that, work, and being horrible ill for over a week, I didn't get to finish much else for the week :/
Title: Power Through
Fandom: Tales of Vesperia
Rating: PG-13 for language
Word Count: 4388
In Responds to: Fluri Week 2019: Whump Wednesday
Characters: Flynn, Yuri, Zagi, Estelle, minor appearances by others
Summary: Hockey AU. Zagi wants Yuri's attention but Yuri won't give his former teammate the time of day. Flynn gets caught in the middle.
He shouldn't do anything about it. He knew he shouldn't but Yuri couldn't help himself. All throughout the warm-up skate, whenever he wasn't being dragged away Dinoia or someone else, Zagi had been prowling along the center line, chirping at Yuri, trying to get his attention. Yuri had been doing a good job of ignoring him but, well... Zagi's patience in playing nice was far, far shorter than his determination to pull himself into Yuri's orbit. Yuri knew that far too well.
Yuri looped around to grab a puck passed to him by Raven and made a straightforward shot at the goal. Karol easily swatted it away with a pad and Yuri tapped him on the helmet with his stick as he skated passed, swing around behind the net and along the boards, eyes locked onto Zagi.
At least until a hand reached out to block his way.
"You're not obligated to him just because he's an old teammate," Niren said lowly.
"It's not that. It's probably better I go see what he wants before he decides to come get me." Yuri flashed a quick little grin and continued on his way.
~*~*~*~
"Lowell and Zagi are meeting up to skate center ice."
"Hope this isn't going to be a repeat of the last time these two teams met. Both got ejected early in the third for excessive fighting."
"If you asked me a month ago, I'd think it was possible. Now though, admittedly I may be biased, but I think Lowell's got a pretty good handle on his temper."
"Agreed. It's actually pretty interesting when you compare how these two have performed since they signed with their respective teams at the beginning of the season. Their stats were pretty similar by the time the Torim Renegades dissolved, which is to say they weren't favorable."
"Exactly. After Fedrock and Oltorain announced in the off season they'd be retiring at the end of their respective contracts, I was shocked that Zaphias decided to sign Lowell to an entry-level contract. With the team struggling with consistency for the last few years, losing two strong veterans in the near future and Lowell's bad tempered reputation, that was one heck of a gamble."
"To be fair, his college stats were phenomenal, he just had the bad luck to go into the minors signed to Torim. There's a reason the Renegades had a reputation for being the place players go to fester."
"Honestly, their folding should've happened a lot sooner."
"But the thing is- Zagi has some great talent. He has a killer wrist shot, he's one of the fastest skaters in the league and he's strong against the boards. The problem is, unlike Lowell, Zagi hasn't grown out of being a goon so while Lowell's stats have jumped considerably since the beginning of the season, Zagi's has been pretty stagnant."
"Maybe it's the difference in the teams' respective cultures. I'm sure having someone on the team like Scifo, who played with Lowell from childhood to college and knows what he's capable of really helps."
~*~*~*~
Yuri hit the glass hard, momentarily winded but he kept focused on keeping the puck wedged between his stick and the boards. Zagi pressed in hard against him, the end of his own stick jabbed into Yuri's side just below the padding, repeatedly slamming his shoulder into Yuri's back in a bid to jostle the puck loose. Zagi was being overly aggressive but not yet enough to draw a penalty and Yuri gritted his teeth, casting his eyes about to find someone he could try to kick the puck to.
Barbos eventually got tired of their stalemate and came slamming into the two of them, the angle causing Yuri to trip over Zagi, taking them both to the ice while Barbos cleared the puck. Zagi's cackling was muffled behind his mouthguard, pressing both his hands into Yuri's back to keep him on the ice while pushing himself upright and chasing after the action.
That was how it had been for the last one and a half periods, Zagi chirping at him, trying to provoke a response and, when Yuri ignored him, found some reason to check him. Yuri could already feel bruises starting up.
He pushed to his feet, pausing to suck in a breath and heard Whitehorse call for a line change. Yuri gratefully headed for the bench. As he hopped onto and over the divider, Whitehorse asked him lowly, "How you holding up?"
"I'll live," Yuri replied, accepting a waterbottle from Estelle. "I'll be feeling it, but I'll live." That seemed to satisfy Whitehorse who grunted and turned his attention back to the ice.
Next to him on the bench, Clint said, "I can take care of him if need be." Yuri just waved him off. It was still weird, though kind of nice, to have someone willing to fight on his behalf. Torim had been a much more 'every man for himself' kind of environment.
Another body plopped down breathlessly next to him. "Yuri-"
"I haven't started anything," Yuri cut Flynn off irritably. "I don't plan on it, either."
Flynn huffed at him. "I was going to compliment your restraint. He's been relentless in trying to rile you up, but you've really been keeping your head. I know it probably doesn't mean much, but I'm proud of you."
Yuri tilted his head back to squeeze a stream of water into his mouth, just to hid how much that did mean to him. "Yeah, well," he said, sticking the end of his mouth guard between his teeth to chew on, "I know how to deal with hotheads."
Flynn chuckled, knocking his shoulder into Yuri's and Yuri couldn't help smiling back.
~*~*~*~
"One minute remaining," the announcer's voice boomed just loud enough for Yuri to hear over the slicing of the ice and his own blood thrumming hot. Karol's glove shot out, catching the puck out of the air. It tumbled out before he could cover it, but Yuri was right there to pick up the rebound. He shot it along the boards where Clint grabbed it and set it down to pass forward.
Zagi snarled at Yuri's shoulder, close enough Yuri could feel the heat coming off him. All throughout the game Yuri had been passing the puck to his teammates, limiting the amount of time Zagi had to check him without incurring a penalty. While it saved Yuri on bruises and fraying temper, it was also frustrating because he hadn't been making the plays he'd gotten used to making. No goals, no assists, the only thing he was doing was being a distraction for Zagi.
But that was fine, he told himself. Flynn and Raven had been picking up on his slack. Tarqaron was one of the top rated teams in the league currently, being tied 1-to-1 at the end of the second was pretty good.
"You can't ignore me forever," the shortness of breath made Zagi's words come out as a growl. "You lose your bite since going to Zaphias? If you won't give me the fight I want, I'll take it from you!"
"There's nothing you can do that's gonna make you worth my time," Yuri shot back. Then he shot sharply to the left, making Zagi stumble and giving himself room to join his team swarming in Tarqaron's zone.
Cumore only had about thirty seconds left in the penalty box, then the period would be over six seconds after that. If Zaphias was going to take the lead, their time was now. Yuri took his position along the boards, his teammates passing the puck around, trying to find an opening or trying to tempt one of the Kings out of position.
He caught a pass from Tison, moving the puck in a figure eight as he shifted side to side. Yuri hoped, given Zagi's behavior during the game, he'd jump at the chance to get in Yuri's face but he remained stubbornly in position. In the distance, the official had moved toward the door of the penalty, Cumore in position to charge out once it opened. If they were going to take the lead, it had to be now.
Abruptly Yuri moved back, hugging the back of the net, body outstretched as if attempting a wrap around. Luodor took the bait, moving away from the crease to put himself between Yuri and the goalie and Yuri flicked his wrist, passing the puck out to Flynn instead.
It was a beautiful shot. A one-timer from the offensive circle that threaded between two defenders to bounce off the goalie's shoulder and into the net. But Yuri didn't see it because the moment the puck left Flynn's stick, Zagi charged right through him, shoulder slamming into the side of Flynn's head. Flynn spun in a half circle before collapsing and Yuri saw red.
He charged at Zagi, ramming fist-first into the back of his helmet. He hit the ice hard but Zagi was laughing and Yuri flung his gloves off, straddling Zagi, thinking only about punching him until his teeth caved into his throat.
~*~*~*~
"Lowell's just wailing away on Zagi-"
"After that dirty hit on Scifo, who can blame him?"
"-the officials are trying to pull him off but- oh! Barbos just jumped in! Got an arm around Lowell's neck and dragging him off- Tison Hunter does not like that and now he's in the fray-"
"Yaeger's intercepting big brother Clint, trying to keep him out of the fight but he's not having that. Both benches are clearing, this is gonna be an ugly one, folks!"
"At least one of the officials has the sense to get Scifo clear. Doesn't look like he's quite able to skate on his own but Coach Whitehorse's got him now. Probably be missing a game or two, I think."
"Yeah, he definitely won't be the only one."
~*~*~*~
It hurt to scowl with the broken nose and bruised jaw, but Yuri did it anyway. "What?" He snapped.
"I can't believe you," Flynn gritted out. Both laid on their respective beds in their hotel room, neither were looking at each other but the tension was clear.
"Was I just supposed to let him get away with that?"
"He would've been penalized! What good did fighting do?" Flynn winced, head still aching from the concussion but still too angry to either let this slide or calm down. "Now both of us are going to miss the next game!"
Yuri finally spun on his roommate, sore fist slamming down on his bed. "I paid them back for you!"
"You know what would've been better payback? If we'd won the fucking game! Instead we gave up three goals because you got yourself ejected!"
"Those goals were my fault? Am I the only fucking player on this damn team?"
"Your actions have consequences, Yuri! Maybe we still would've lost, but at least you could say it wasn't because you weren't there, doing your best!"
"You're always like this," Yuri spat, heaving himself off the bed. "I don't know why I expected anything different."
"And what did you expect? That I'd be grateful you started a brawl on my behalf? That you got yourself kicked from another game? I'm the one that recommended they sign you, Yuri! Your reckless behavior is just- where are you going?"
Yuri didn't pause as he stomped toward the door, the small size of the room weighing oppressively on his chest. "Somewhere I won't be dragging you down, obviously," he snarled, moments before the door slammed behind him.
~*~*~*~
Flynn didn't fly back with the rest of the team. Wanting to err on the side of caution he had to take a commercial flight back five days after the game, Estelle traveling with him. While he was grateful for her company for the most part, Estelle did not give any quarter when it came to his health, pulling away his phone or book or turning off the tv with the admonishment of, "You'll heal faster if you rest. That means not overstimulating yourself." She at least didn't have a problem with his listening to things so Flynn finally had a chance to catch up on his podcasts.
Not that it didn't stop him from getting restless but he couldn't stand up or move for too long without starting to get a little dizzy. In which case Estelle magically appeared, gently pushing him into the nearest chair with a disapproving pout.
At least soon, waiting at the airport for their flight to Zaphias, Flynn could look forward to hiding from Estelle in the comfort of his own apartment. Even if he shared it with Yuri. The thought made him frown- he hadn't seen Yuri since their argument. Not that such things were uncommon between them, but...
"Yuri did the Charity Brunch today."
Flynn huffed a laugh through his nose. While Yuri didn't have a problem with kids- and never minded doing events that involved local Children's Hospitals - and Yuri in an apron handling food wasn't the least bit new to Flynn, Yuri escorting a child on a catwalk in a suit was definitely something Flynn needed to find images of.
"Apparently he volunteered to take your place."
That caused Flynn to open his eyes. "Really?" While it wouldn't have been surprising if Ioder and Whitehorse had made Yuri do those kinds of events in atonement for his two game suspension, he wasn't exactly known to willingly volunteer to 'flaunt himself', as he put it, so publicly without some sort of prodding.
Estelle hummed, phone tapping lightly against her cheek as she regarded Flynn. "Are you fighting with Yuri again? You haven't talked to him at all, have you?" Flynn shifted uncomfortably. "I thought so. Rita said she'd been updating him on your condition when he normally wouldn't have a problem just asking me directly." Her brow creased in a mild annoyance. "Honestly, he always has to be so roundabout about these things."
"We had an argument, yes."
"Over what?"
"That fight, of course."
"Is that all?"
Flynn tilted his head to one side, brow furrowing. "What makes you think it's something else?"
"Rita screencapped some of their conversation for me because she thought it was odd." Estelle scrolled through her messages. "I thought they were odd, too." Finding what she wanted, she passed her phone to Flynn. "What do you think?"
On the screen was Rita's name with a heart emoji on both sides and Flynn couldn't help wondering if Yuri knew about it. Maybe, when they made up from this fight, Flynn could let that information slip and let Yuri torture one or both parties about it. He pressed on the thumbnail for the first screencap, opening it to full size:
The kid charity part I get but you? Volunteer for a fashion show???? -Rita
gotta pay off my debt ya kno -Yuri
What debt???
Who thinks a guy that punched some dude's teeth out is a good role model anyway????? -Rita
Then a second screencap, the top part of the conversation cut off but the last line in Yuri's text, the most important part, was visible:
don wanna upset my sponsor -Yuri
What sponsor?
Are you talking about Flynn? -Rita
by his benevolence blahblahblah -Yuri
omg
I'm going to punch you. So hard.
Are you obtuse or just trying to tick me off??? -Rita
Flynn reeled back in surprise. "Wait- does he think he's only on the team because of me?" Estelle shrugged. "That's- he's not-" Flynn cut himself off, scrubbing a hand over his face, a whirlwind of emotions tumbling his thoughts into incoherence.
"I'm not trying to blame you," Estelle said carefully, leaning to rest her hand on Flynn's knee, "but did you maybe say something that made him think that?"
"Did I? I don't think I did." He leaned back in his seat, the force of his frustration starting to make his head pound again. "I don't remember exactly what I said. Maybe I did." Flynn tangled his hand in his hair, mussing it out of its carefully controlled chaos. "I'm not trying to hold anything over him. I just... want people to see how amazing Yuri is." He sighed. "I wish Yuri could see how amazing he is."
Estelle patted his knee before sitting back in her seat. "Don, Ioder, the team- we all know. Yuri has a home with us if he wants it." Her lips curled into a soft smile. "You just have to keep him here."
Flynn just snorted, closing his eyes and trying to will his headache away before their flight. He'd absolutely try but sometimes Yuri wanted to be contrary just for the sake of it. "Easier said than done."
"Well. Apologizing for your part of the fight is probably a step in the right direction."
He couldn't help smiling at Estelle's benignly tart reply. "Probably."
~*~*~*~
The flight back wasn't bad, the length of it- from boarding to de-boarding -was the most draining part. Raven picked them up from the airport, chatting away about the things they'd missed and any idle topic of interest. Estelle sat up front next to him, picking up the other half of the conversation as Flynn sat in the backseat, just wanting to lay down in his familiar bed.
He must have dozed because they were pulled up in front of his apartment building before too long. "You gonna make it up alright, kid?" Raven asked, though his expression said he already knew the answer.
Flynn smiled gratefully at him. "I can handle an elevator ride," he teased. "Thanks for the lift."
"Take care of yourself!"
"Have a good night, Flynn!" Estelle waved, smiling brightly as they pulled away from the curb.
Mere moments later had Flynn at his own door. He pushed his key into the lock and turned it open, waiting a moment for the clicking of nails on the floor. He couldn't help smiling to himself as he heard Repede snort at the door, then begin to paw it, obviously catching Flynn's scent.
Carefully he pushed open the door, giving the dog time to move back to avoid getting hit. Flynn knelt down, ruffling Repede's fur as the dog butted his head into Flynn's chest, tail wagging like a plane ready for takeoff. "Hey buddy," he pressed his face into Repede's neck, enjoying the feeling of warm fur against his cheek, "I missed you, too." After a sufficient amount of pets, Repede pulled out of Flynn's grip, trotting towards the front room before stopping to ensure Flynn followed him. The man chuckled, pulling his shoes off and setting them aside, then hung his jacket on a peg. Carry-on in hand, he went into the living room. Repede licked at his fingers and went over to the couch where Yuri was sitting, back to the door, headphones covering his ear, apparently not realizing Flynn had come home.
Then Flynn's brow furrowed because all Yuri was doing was sitting there. He wasn't watching tv or on his phone or tablet. He just... sat there. Flynn shifted closer, no point in trying to be stealthy when the tv reflected anything from the entryway, but still Yuri seemed to not notice him. He stepped closer, listening carefully- he couldn't hear any music coming from Yuri's headphones.
Flynn rolled his eyes, momentarily annoyed at Yuri's inability to handle genuine emotions head-on. "Yuri," he said, knowing full well he was heard even if his best and oldest friend tried to pretend otherwise, "I'm sorry. I was angry about the loss and the fight and getting hurt, but mostly I was upsetting that Zagi did it to hurt you. And I was afraid. When you first started with the team, it was like I could barely recognize you on the ice. You played with such... anger, like you didn't think you could trust anyone and that you had to fight everyone to prove yourself. I was scared of you, honestly, at the beginning." Flynn went up behind the couch, hands resting on the back on either side of Yuri's shoulders that had gone stiff with tension. "And I was furious at whatever- whoever -turned you into that because that wasn't you. I was never worried about you embarrassing me or letting me down or anything like that, and I'm sorry I ever gave you that impression. I wanted you to be you again. Yes, you're reckless, and yes, you're not afraid to get into a fight, but you're not the kind to take a swing for no reason. I know what you're capable of, you're too good to be spending time in the bin.
"You've been doing so well, these last few months. You've learned to depend on the team, depend on me again, you realized you don't have to fight everyone on your own and I was afraid, after Zagi, you'd go back to how you were. That, because I wasn't paying attention, because I didn't think Zagi would bother to target me, you'd start shutting everyone out again. All because I was careless." He hesitated a moment before slipping a hand forward and squeezing Yuri's shoulder. "I should've had more faith in you. I'm sorry."
Yuri reached up and pushed his headphones back until they were down around his neck. His lips parted, forming the beginnings of a word but he hesitated. And stayed silent. After a moment, Flynn sighed and stepped back. "I had a long flight," he said quietly, trying not to be disappointed. "I'm going to go rest up. Let me know if you have any plans for dinner."
He ended up taking an impromptu nap, waking up an hour later to the smell of a meaty spaghetti and garlic bread wafting from the kitchen and Yuri gone to who knew where. On the counter was a piece of paper that read, "Sorry for everything except slugging Zagi".
Flynn shook his head with a fond smile.
~*~*~*~
"Eeeeey, Flynners!"
"Welcome back, man!"
"Lookin' good!"
Flynn laughed, letting his teammates pound on his back and shoulders or ruffle at his hair. He hadn't felt more at home all week than he had the moment he stepped into the locker room. A quick glance around proved that Yuri was, unsurprisingly, not there.
"You putting on the orange?" Karol asked excitedly, his mask perched atop his head.
"I wish," Flynn looked longingly at the no-contact practice jersey, toes itching to feel ice beneath them. "Docs said I won't be back until the end of the week."
"We'll be looking forward to it," Whitehorse said, draping an arm across Flynn's shoulders. "You sticking around? You know Judith'll hound you for an interview if you are."
"I'll probably watch from the seats." He took a deep breath, certain he could smell the ice from there. "Even if it feels like I'm taunting myself."
The coach laughed, but dropped his voice as he lowered his head in close to Flynn's. "You gonna be okay, though? That was a pretty bad hit."
That was a understatement. It was, bare none, the worst hit of Flynn's career, the worst injury he'd had on or off the ice. "I mean, I can't really say anything until I'm back out there, but I think I'll bounce back fine." A little more alert but, hopefully, not overly cautious. The last thing Flynn wanted was to get back on the ice and be struck with nerves, afraid at the first sign of getting hit.
"Niren and I talked it over, Clint's gonna be keeping an eye on you the first few games you're back, but you come right to me if you start getting overwhelmed. A hit like that could rattle anyone and I'd rather we take your recovery slow and get you back in full instead of pushing you too hard. Got it?"
Flynn smiled up at the giant of a man, warmth and pride filling his chest at the open concern in Whitehorse's face. "Understood."
"Now get outta here before the fans start dog piling on ya."
~*~*~*~
The cold was a pleasant tingle on his face, even with the observation deck being as high as it was. Flynn could hear the shouts and laughter, instructions and conversations but was too far away to make out any actual words. Flynn couldn't remember the last time he yearned for anything as much as he yearned to be down there with his team. He knew he'd be back on the ice soon, he just wished he were out there now-
Something hit him in the back of the head, not heavy enough to hurt but the weight of it certainly got his attention. Flynn turned, Yuri giving him a thoroughly unimpressed look. When Flynn glanced down at what hit him, he instantly recognized the jegi. The weighted end was about the diameter of a quarter, wrapped up in a plastic bag that was cinched tight with a rubberband, the plastic coming out cut into strips like a pom-pom. Just like they used to make as kids.
"Well?" Yuri asked. "You gonna mope or you gonna play?"
"You know we have a soccer ball for this same exact thing?" Flynn couldn't help smirking as he picked the jegi up.
"I like this better."
Honestly the memory of playing jegichagi- in the streets, in the alleys, in the halls of the orphanage until someone came to yell at them -always came to Flynn whenever the team did keep-ups with the soccer ball, always making him feel nostalgic and a little wistful. He tossed the jegi back at Yuri. "Why not. They can't yell at me for that."
They went into the hall outside the rink, kicking the jegi back and forth. They quickly fell into the game, doing trick shots to keep the other running around and guessing- knocking the jegi high into the air, quick shots that were saved by pure reflex or flubbed ones that required lunging forward. It was like that fight, like all those years they'd been apart had never happened, laughing and joking and taunting each other as they'd done their entire lives. Flynn did still get scolded by Estelle, however, for running around when he should have been resting but at least Yuri was right there with him.
---
a/n: jegichagi is a Korean game played much like hacky sack but with something more shuttlecock-like. I went with jegichagi instead of hacky sack because 1) that's what I always think of first when I think of those types of games, and 2) jegi is very easy to make, making it more economically feasible for orphaned kids who probably would've kicked dozens on top of building roofs just to prove that they could.
Title: Power Through
Fandom: Tales of Vesperia
Rating: PG-13 for language
Word Count: 4388
In Responds to: Fluri Week 2019: Whump Wednesday
Characters: Flynn, Yuri, Zagi, Estelle, minor appearances by others
Summary: Hockey AU. Zagi wants Yuri's attention but Yuri won't give his former teammate the time of day. Flynn gets caught in the middle.
He shouldn't do anything about it. He knew he shouldn't but Yuri couldn't help himself. All throughout the warm-up skate, whenever he wasn't being dragged away Dinoia or someone else, Zagi had been prowling along the center line, chirping at Yuri, trying to get his attention. Yuri had been doing a good job of ignoring him but, well... Zagi's patience in playing nice was far, far shorter than his determination to pull himself into Yuri's orbit. Yuri knew that far too well.
Yuri looped around to grab a puck passed to him by Raven and made a straightforward shot at the goal. Karol easily swatted it away with a pad and Yuri tapped him on the helmet with his stick as he skated passed, swing around behind the net and along the boards, eyes locked onto Zagi.
At least until a hand reached out to block his way.
"You're not obligated to him just because he's an old teammate," Niren said lowly.
"It's not that. It's probably better I go see what he wants before he decides to come get me." Yuri flashed a quick little grin and continued on his way.
~*~*~*~
"Lowell and Zagi are meeting up to skate center ice."
"Hope this isn't going to be a repeat of the last time these two teams met. Both got ejected early in the third for excessive fighting."
"If you asked me a month ago, I'd think it was possible. Now though, admittedly I may be biased, but I think Lowell's got a pretty good handle on his temper."
"Agreed. It's actually pretty interesting when you compare how these two have performed since they signed with their respective teams at the beginning of the season. Their stats were pretty similar by the time the Torim Renegades dissolved, which is to say they weren't favorable."
"Exactly. After Fedrock and Oltorain announced in the off season they'd be retiring at the end of their respective contracts, I was shocked that Zaphias decided to sign Lowell to an entry-level contract. With the team struggling with consistency for the last few years, losing two strong veterans in the near future and Lowell's bad tempered reputation, that was one heck of a gamble."
"To be fair, his college stats were phenomenal, he just had the bad luck to go into the minors signed to Torim. There's a reason the Renegades had a reputation for being the place players go to fester."
"Honestly, their folding should've happened a lot sooner."
"But the thing is- Zagi has some great talent. He has a killer wrist shot, he's one of the fastest skaters in the league and he's strong against the boards. The problem is, unlike Lowell, Zagi hasn't grown out of being a goon so while Lowell's stats have jumped considerably since the beginning of the season, Zagi's has been pretty stagnant."
"Maybe it's the difference in the teams' respective cultures. I'm sure having someone on the team like Scifo, who played with Lowell from childhood to college and knows what he's capable of really helps."
~*~*~*~
Yuri hit the glass hard, momentarily winded but he kept focused on keeping the puck wedged between his stick and the boards. Zagi pressed in hard against him, the end of his own stick jabbed into Yuri's side just below the padding, repeatedly slamming his shoulder into Yuri's back in a bid to jostle the puck loose. Zagi was being overly aggressive but not yet enough to draw a penalty and Yuri gritted his teeth, casting his eyes about to find someone he could try to kick the puck to.
Barbos eventually got tired of their stalemate and came slamming into the two of them, the angle causing Yuri to trip over Zagi, taking them both to the ice while Barbos cleared the puck. Zagi's cackling was muffled behind his mouthguard, pressing both his hands into Yuri's back to keep him on the ice while pushing himself upright and chasing after the action.
That was how it had been for the last one and a half periods, Zagi chirping at him, trying to provoke a response and, when Yuri ignored him, found some reason to check him. Yuri could already feel bruises starting up.
He pushed to his feet, pausing to suck in a breath and heard Whitehorse call for a line change. Yuri gratefully headed for the bench. As he hopped onto and over the divider, Whitehorse asked him lowly, "How you holding up?"
"I'll live," Yuri replied, accepting a waterbottle from Estelle. "I'll be feeling it, but I'll live." That seemed to satisfy Whitehorse who grunted and turned his attention back to the ice.
Next to him on the bench, Clint said, "I can take care of him if need be." Yuri just waved him off. It was still weird, though kind of nice, to have someone willing to fight on his behalf. Torim had been a much more 'every man for himself' kind of environment.
Another body plopped down breathlessly next to him. "Yuri-"
"I haven't started anything," Yuri cut Flynn off irritably. "I don't plan on it, either."
Flynn huffed at him. "I was going to compliment your restraint. He's been relentless in trying to rile you up, but you've really been keeping your head. I know it probably doesn't mean much, but I'm proud of you."
Yuri tilted his head back to squeeze a stream of water into his mouth, just to hid how much that did mean to him. "Yeah, well," he said, sticking the end of his mouth guard between his teeth to chew on, "I know how to deal with hotheads."
Flynn chuckled, knocking his shoulder into Yuri's and Yuri couldn't help smiling back.
~*~*~*~
"One minute remaining," the announcer's voice boomed just loud enough for Yuri to hear over the slicing of the ice and his own blood thrumming hot. Karol's glove shot out, catching the puck out of the air. It tumbled out before he could cover it, but Yuri was right there to pick up the rebound. He shot it along the boards where Clint grabbed it and set it down to pass forward.
Zagi snarled at Yuri's shoulder, close enough Yuri could feel the heat coming off him. All throughout the game Yuri had been passing the puck to his teammates, limiting the amount of time Zagi had to check him without incurring a penalty. While it saved Yuri on bruises and fraying temper, it was also frustrating because he hadn't been making the plays he'd gotten used to making. No goals, no assists, the only thing he was doing was being a distraction for Zagi.
But that was fine, he told himself. Flynn and Raven had been picking up on his slack. Tarqaron was one of the top rated teams in the league currently, being tied 1-to-1 at the end of the second was pretty good.
"You can't ignore me forever," the shortness of breath made Zagi's words come out as a growl. "You lose your bite since going to Zaphias? If you won't give me the fight I want, I'll take it from you!"
"There's nothing you can do that's gonna make you worth my time," Yuri shot back. Then he shot sharply to the left, making Zagi stumble and giving himself room to join his team swarming in Tarqaron's zone.
Cumore only had about thirty seconds left in the penalty box, then the period would be over six seconds after that. If Zaphias was going to take the lead, their time was now. Yuri took his position along the boards, his teammates passing the puck around, trying to find an opening or trying to tempt one of the Kings out of position.
He caught a pass from Tison, moving the puck in a figure eight as he shifted side to side. Yuri hoped, given Zagi's behavior during the game, he'd jump at the chance to get in Yuri's face but he remained stubbornly in position. In the distance, the official had moved toward the door of the penalty, Cumore in position to charge out once it opened. If they were going to take the lead, it had to be now.
Abruptly Yuri moved back, hugging the back of the net, body outstretched as if attempting a wrap around. Luodor took the bait, moving away from the crease to put himself between Yuri and the goalie and Yuri flicked his wrist, passing the puck out to Flynn instead.
It was a beautiful shot. A one-timer from the offensive circle that threaded between two defenders to bounce off the goalie's shoulder and into the net. But Yuri didn't see it because the moment the puck left Flynn's stick, Zagi charged right through him, shoulder slamming into the side of Flynn's head. Flynn spun in a half circle before collapsing and Yuri saw red.
He charged at Zagi, ramming fist-first into the back of his helmet. He hit the ice hard but Zagi was laughing and Yuri flung his gloves off, straddling Zagi, thinking only about punching him until his teeth caved into his throat.
~*~*~*~
"Lowell's just wailing away on Zagi-"
"After that dirty hit on Scifo, who can blame him?"
"-the officials are trying to pull him off but- oh! Barbos just jumped in! Got an arm around Lowell's neck and dragging him off- Tison Hunter does not like that and now he's in the fray-"
"Yaeger's intercepting big brother Clint, trying to keep him out of the fight but he's not having that. Both benches are clearing, this is gonna be an ugly one, folks!"
"At least one of the officials has the sense to get Scifo clear. Doesn't look like he's quite able to skate on his own but Coach Whitehorse's got him now. Probably be missing a game or two, I think."
"Yeah, he definitely won't be the only one."
~*~*~*~
It hurt to scowl with the broken nose and bruised jaw, but Yuri did it anyway. "What?" He snapped.
"I can't believe you," Flynn gritted out. Both laid on their respective beds in their hotel room, neither were looking at each other but the tension was clear.
"Was I just supposed to let him get away with that?"
"He would've been penalized! What good did fighting do?" Flynn winced, head still aching from the concussion but still too angry to either let this slide or calm down. "Now both of us are going to miss the next game!"
Yuri finally spun on his roommate, sore fist slamming down on his bed. "I paid them back for you!"
"You know what would've been better payback? If we'd won the fucking game! Instead we gave up three goals because you got yourself ejected!"
"Those goals were my fault? Am I the only fucking player on this damn team?"
"Your actions have consequences, Yuri! Maybe we still would've lost, but at least you could say it wasn't because you weren't there, doing your best!"
"You're always like this," Yuri spat, heaving himself off the bed. "I don't know why I expected anything different."
"And what did you expect? That I'd be grateful you started a brawl on my behalf? That you got yourself kicked from another game? I'm the one that recommended they sign you, Yuri! Your reckless behavior is just- where are you going?"
Yuri didn't pause as he stomped toward the door, the small size of the room weighing oppressively on his chest. "Somewhere I won't be dragging you down, obviously," he snarled, moments before the door slammed behind him.
~*~*~*~
Flynn didn't fly back with the rest of the team. Wanting to err on the side of caution he had to take a commercial flight back five days after the game, Estelle traveling with him. While he was grateful for her company for the most part, Estelle did not give any quarter when it came to his health, pulling away his phone or book or turning off the tv with the admonishment of, "You'll heal faster if you rest. That means not overstimulating yourself." She at least didn't have a problem with his listening to things so Flynn finally had a chance to catch up on his podcasts.
Not that it didn't stop him from getting restless but he couldn't stand up or move for too long without starting to get a little dizzy. In which case Estelle magically appeared, gently pushing him into the nearest chair with a disapproving pout.
At least soon, waiting at the airport for their flight to Zaphias, Flynn could look forward to hiding from Estelle in the comfort of his own apartment. Even if he shared it with Yuri. The thought made him frown- he hadn't seen Yuri since their argument. Not that such things were uncommon between them, but...
"Yuri did the Charity Brunch today."
Flynn huffed a laugh through his nose. While Yuri didn't have a problem with kids- and never minded doing events that involved local Children's Hospitals - and Yuri in an apron handling food wasn't the least bit new to Flynn, Yuri escorting a child on a catwalk in a suit was definitely something Flynn needed to find images of.
"Apparently he volunteered to take your place."
That caused Flynn to open his eyes. "Really?" While it wouldn't have been surprising if Ioder and Whitehorse had made Yuri do those kinds of events in atonement for his two game suspension, he wasn't exactly known to willingly volunteer to 'flaunt himself', as he put it, so publicly without some sort of prodding.
Estelle hummed, phone tapping lightly against her cheek as she regarded Flynn. "Are you fighting with Yuri again? You haven't talked to him at all, have you?" Flynn shifted uncomfortably. "I thought so. Rita said she'd been updating him on your condition when he normally wouldn't have a problem just asking me directly." Her brow creased in a mild annoyance. "Honestly, he always has to be so roundabout about these things."
"We had an argument, yes."
"Over what?"
"That fight, of course."
"Is that all?"
Flynn tilted his head to one side, brow furrowing. "What makes you think it's something else?"
"Rita screencapped some of their conversation for me because she thought it was odd." Estelle scrolled through her messages. "I thought they were odd, too." Finding what she wanted, she passed her phone to Flynn. "What do you think?"
On the screen was Rita's name with a heart emoji on both sides and Flynn couldn't help wondering if Yuri knew about it. Maybe, when they made up from this fight, Flynn could let that information slip and let Yuri torture one or both parties about it. He pressed on the thumbnail for the first screencap, opening it to full size:
The kid charity part I get but you? Volunteer for a fashion show???? -Rita
gotta pay off my debt ya kno -Yuri
What debt???
Who thinks a guy that punched some dude's teeth out is a good role model anyway????? -Rita
Then a second screencap, the top part of the conversation cut off but the last line in Yuri's text, the most important part, was visible:
don wanna upset my sponsor -Yuri
What sponsor?
Are you talking about Flynn? -Rita
by his benevolence blahblahblah -Yuri
omg
I'm going to punch you. So hard.
Are you obtuse or just trying to tick me off??? -Rita
Flynn reeled back in surprise. "Wait- does he think he's only on the team because of me?" Estelle shrugged. "That's- he's not-" Flynn cut himself off, scrubbing a hand over his face, a whirlwind of emotions tumbling his thoughts into incoherence.
"I'm not trying to blame you," Estelle said carefully, leaning to rest her hand on Flynn's knee, "but did you maybe say something that made him think that?"
"Did I? I don't think I did." He leaned back in his seat, the force of his frustration starting to make his head pound again. "I don't remember exactly what I said. Maybe I did." Flynn tangled his hand in his hair, mussing it out of its carefully controlled chaos. "I'm not trying to hold anything over him. I just... want people to see how amazing Yuri is." He sighed. "I wish Yuri could see how amazing he is."
Estelle patted his knee before sitting back in her seat. "Don, Ioder, the team- we all know. Yuri has a home with us if he wants it." Her lips curled into a soft smile. "You just have to keep him here."
Flynn just snorted, closing his eyes and trying to will his headache away before their flight. He'd absolutely try but sometimes Yuri wanted to be contrary just for the sake of it. "Easier said than done."
"Well. Apologizing for your part of the fight is probably a step in the right direction."
He couldn't help smiling at Estelle's benignly tart reply. "Probably."
~*~*~*~
The flight back wasn't bad, the length of it- from boarding to de-boarding -was the most draining part. Raven picked them up from the airport, chatting away about the things they'd missed and any idle topic of interest. Estelle sat up front next to him, picking up the other half of the conversation as Flynn sat in the backseat, just wanting to lay down in his familiar bed.
He must have dozed because they were pulled up in front of his apartment building before too long. "You gonna make it up alright, kid?" Raven asked, though his expression said he already knew the answer.
Flynn smiled gratefully at him. "I can handle an elevator ride," he teased. "Thanks for the lift."
"Take care of yourself!"
"Have a good night, Flynn!" Estelle waved, smiling brightly as they pulled away from the curb.
Mere moments later had Flynn at his own door. He pushed his key into the lock and turned it open, waiting a moment for the clicking of nails on the floor. He couldn't help smiling to himself as he heard Repede snort at the door, then begin to paw it, obviously catching Flynn's scent.
Carefully he pushed open the door, giving the dog time to move back to avoid getting hit. Flynn knelt down, ruffling Repede's fur as the dog butted his head into Flynn's chest, tail wagging like a plane ready for takeoff. "Hey buddy," he pressed his face into Repede's neck, enjoying the feeling of warm fur against his cheek, "I missed you, too." After a sufficient amount of pets, Repede pulled out of Flynn's grip, trotting towards the front room before stopping to ensure Flynn followed him. The man chuckled, pulling his shoes off and setting them aside, then hung his jacket on a peg. Carry-on in hand, he went into the living room. Repede licked at his fingers and went over to the couch where Yuri was sitting, back to the door, headphones covering his ear, apparently not realizing Flynn had come home.
Then Flynn's brow furrowed because all Yuri was doing was sitting there. He wasn't watching tv or on his phone or tablet. He just... sat there. Flynn shifted closer, no point in trying to be stealthy when the tv reflected anything from the entryway, but still Yuri seemed to not notice him. He stepped closer, listening carefully- he couldn't hear any music coming from Yuri's headphones.
Flynn rolled his eyes, momentarily annoyed at Yuri's inability to handle genuine emotions head-on. "Yuri," he said, knowing full well he was heard even if his best and oldest friend tried to pretend otherwise, "I'm sorry. I was angry about the loss and the fight and getting hurt, but mostly I was upsetting that Zagi did it to hurt you. And I was afraid. When you first started with the team, it was like I could barely recognize you on the ice. You played with such... anger, like you didn't think you could trust anyone and that you had to fight everyone to prove yourself. I was scared of you, honestly, at the beginning." Flynn went up behind the couch, hands resting on the back on either side of Yuri's shoulders that had gone stiff with tension. "And I was furious at whatever- whoever -turned you into that because that wasn't you. I was never worried about you embarrassing me or letting me down or anything like that, and I'm sorry I ever gave you that impression. I wanted you to be you again. Yes, you're reckless, and yes, you're not afraid to get into a fight, but you're not the kind to take a swing for no reason. I know what you're capable of, you're too good to be spending time in the bin.
"You've been doing so well, these last few months. You've learned to depend on the team, depend on me again, you realized you don't have to fight everyone on your own and I was afraid, after Zagi, you'd go back to how you were. That, because I wasn't paying attention, because I didn't think Zagi would bother to target me, you'd start shutting everyone out again. All because I was careless." He hesitated a moment before slipping a hand forward and squeezing Yuri's shoulder. "I should've had more faith in you. I'm sorry."
Yuri reached up and pushed his headphones back until they were down around his neck. His lips parted, forming the beginnings of a word but he hesitated. And stayed silent. After a moment, Flynn sighed and stepped back. "I had a long flight," he said quietly, trying not to be disappointed. "I'm going to go rest up. Let me know if you have any plans for dinner."
He ended up taking an impromptu nap, waking up an hour later to the smell of a meaty spaghetti and garlic bread wafting from the kitchen and Yuri gone to who knew where. On the counter was a piece of paper that read, "Sorry for everything except slugging Zagi".
Flynn shook his head with a fond smile.
~*~*~*~
"Eeeeey, Flynners!"
"Welcome back, man!"
"Lookin' good!"
Flynn laughed, letting his teammates pound on his back and shoulders or ruffle at his hair. He hadn't felt more at home all week than he had the moment he stepped into the locker room. A quick glance around proved that Yuri was, unsurprisingly, not there.
"You putting on the orange?" Karol asked excitedly, his mask perched atop his head.
"I wish," Flynn looked longingly at the no-contact practice jersey, toes itching to feel ice beneath them. "Docs said I won't be back until the end of the week."
"We'll be looking forward to it," Whitehorse said, draping an arm across Flynn's shoulders. "You sticking around? You know Judith'll hound you for an interview if you are."
"I'll probably watch from the seats." He took a deep breath, certain he could smell the ice from there. "Even if it feels like I'm taunting myself."
The coach laughed, but dropped his voice as he lowered his head in close to Flynn's. "You gonna be okay, though? That was a pretty bad hit."
That was a understatement. It was, bare none, the worst hit of Flynn's career, the worst injury he'd had on or off the ice. "I mean, I can't really say anything until I'm back out there, but I think I'll bounce back fine." A little more alert but, hopefully, not overly cautious. The last thing Flynn wanted was to get back on the ice and be struck with nerves, afraid at the first sign of getting hit.
"Niren and I talked it over, Clint's gonna be keeping an eye on you the first few games you're back, but you come right to me if you start getting overwhelmed. A hit like that could rattle anyone and I'd rather we take your recovery slow and get you back in full instead of pushing you too hard. Got it?"
Flynn smiled up at the giant of a man, warmth and pride filling his chest at the open concern in Whitehorse's face. "Understood."
"Now get outta here before the fans start dog piling on ya."
~*~*~*~
The cold was a pleasant tingle on his face, even with the observation deck being as high as it was. Flynn could hear the shouts and laughter, instructions and conversations but was too far away to make out any actual words. Flynn couldn't remember the last time he yearned for anything as much as he yearned to be down there with his team. He knew he'd be back on the ice soon, he just wished he were out there now-
Something hit him in the back of the head, not heavy enough to hurt but the weight of it certainly got his attention. Flynn turned, Yuri giving him a thoroughly unimpressed look. When Flynn glanced down at what hit him, he instantly recognized the jegi. The weighted end was about the diameter of a quarter, wrapped up in a plastic bag that was cinched tight with a rubberband, the plastic coming out cut into strips like a pom-pom. Just like they used to make as kids.
"Well?" Yuri asked. "You gonna mope or you gonna play?"
"You know we have a soccer ball for this same exact thing?" Flynn couldn't help smirking as he picked the jegi up.
"I like this better."
Honestly the memory of playing jegichagi- in the streets, in the alleys, in the halls of the orphanage until someone came to yell at them -always came to Flynn whenever the team did keep-ups with the soccer ball, always making him feel nostalgic and a little wistful. He tossed the jegi back at Yuri. "Why not. They can't yell at me for that."
They went into the hall outside the rink, kicking the jegi back and forth. They quickly fell into the game, doing trick shots to keep the other running around and guessing- knocking the jegi high into the air, quick shots that were saved by pure reflex or flubbed ones that required lunging forward. It was like that fight, like all those years they'd been apart had never happened, laughing and joking and taunting each other as they'd done their entire lives. Flynn did still get scolded by Estelle, however, for running around when he should have been resting but at least Yuri was right there with him.
---
a/n: jegichagi is a Korean game played much like hacky sack but with something more shuttlecock-like. I went with jegichagi instead of hacky sack because 1) that's what I always think of first when I think of those types of games, and 2) jegi is very easy to make, making it more economically feasible for orphaned kids who probably would've kicked dozens on top of building roofs just to prove that they could.
