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“You handled that well.” Misha’s voice rumbled as they entered the empty elevator. “I’ll have to give you a reward for being such a good girl.”
“Thank you, Daddy,” Harper laughed, knowing it was what he wanted to hear. He let out the soft growl.
“Fuck. I want to hate that so much.” He lifted her hand to his lips.
“Are the guys really going to tease you about it?” Harper asked. “It just popped out earlier.”
“They will, but I can take it.” He kissed her fingers again as the elevator door slid open. “Come on. If we’re lucky, Karl is still working out. We can have a few minutes alone.”
Harper followed beside him. The door lock clunked open with the keycard, and Misha ushered her into the room ahead of him. The room was empty, but the shower was going; the bathroom door cracked slightly open.
Misha pushed her toward the bed with his suitcase on it before going to knock on the door. “Hey, Karl?”
“Yeah, Meesh?” He called back.
“Just so you know, Harper is with me. Make sure you’re wearing a towel when you come out unless you really want them to see your dick.”
There was a bark of laughter. “Got it.”
Misha came back to the bed where Harper had taken a seat. He cupped her face in his hands and leaned down to kiss her. “Can you stay? I don’t know how comfortable you are being affectionate with an audience. I’d like it if we could cuddle for a bit. Get in some touch therapy.”
“That would be nice.”
“Good. Take off your boots.” He kissed her again. “Bring them with you when you visit. I want to play with them on at some point.”
Harper chuckled as he stepped away to pull off his own boots. She reached down, unzipping the sides of the boots before easing them off her feet. She set them to the side of the bed before moving up into the pillows. Misha joined her, pulling her against his chest.
“Relax,” he murmured. “Get comfortable. You don’t have to be nervous.” His lips brushed her cheek. “Come here.” He tugged gently for her to turn into him. He rubbed her back, letting her slide her leg between his before they settled into the pillows, Misha catching her lips again.
“Comfortable?”
“Yes.” She nodded.
Misha smiled, taking his hand from her back to pull his fingers through her hair. He kissed her a little harder. More urgently. Taking advantage of the little bit of privacy they had together. From the bathroom, they heard the shower turn off. They could hear Karl humming now.
Misha let his fingers trail over the hem of Harper’s shirt but didn’t move to go under it. “Don’t let me forget to give you the gifts before you leave. And my carry-on, so I don’t have to put the damn suit back on after we’re done tonight.”
“Gifts, multiple?”
“One is for Pietr, which is really for all of us.” He chuckled. “And I have something for you. For when you visit. I wanted to make sure that it was okay.”
“What is it?”
“I’ll show you before you have to go,” he promised. He rubbed noses with her before kissing her again. He licked her bottom lip before deepening it. “I want to touch you.”
“Then touch me.”
“You’re wearing long sleeves.”
“Do you want me to take it off?”
“Yes, but if you do, I’ll want you to take it all off. We don’t have that amount of time or privacy.”
“Do you want me to ask Pietr if we can be alone tonight?” She asked. “We can use the guest room.”
“I’m looking forward to our plans as they are,” he assured her. “I have some ideas. Maybe not what we have done in the past. Softer. I know we play rough, really rough, and I still owe you a hard fuck.” He laughed. “I like slower, gentle too.”
“Whatever you want, Misha.” She reached up, running her fingers through his thick hair. “I want to try it all with you. I like pushing the limit. Helping you get out of your head. You don’t treat me like I’m breakable. You’re good at it. But I bet you’re good at a lot of things.”
“I try.”
He reached up, taking her hand and pulling it down between them. He lifted his shirt, just enough to coax her fingers underneath. She hummed, catching on and stroking her fingers up his abs.
“Don’t mind me,” Karl announced, shielding his face with one hand, towel gripped at his hip with the other. “And apologies. Hotel towels are so damn small.”
Misha laughed. “It’s fine Karl. Yours would not be the first dick either one of us has ever seen.”
“I should probably avoid seeing any more hockey player dicks,” Harper teased. “People are starting to talk.”
“Kiska, people have been talking about you for weeks...months,” Misha chided. “You should see all the hockey dick you want. Fuck everyone else.”
“That’s just it. I’m not actively trying,” Harper retorted. “It keeps happening.”
“All right, well, keep facing that way then. Sorry,” Karl apologized. “I didn’t think you’d be back from lunch so soon. How was it?”
“Fantastic,” Misha said. “I had a ramen bowl. I brought back your Buckwheat Udon. It’s on the dresser.”
“Ooh, thanks. How was your sushi, Harper?”
“Amazing,” Harper assured him. “It always is. You should check it out in person at some point while you’re in town.”
“Maybe I will,” Karl answered. “Are they open late?”
“Until midnight, I think,” she answered.
“Maybe I’ll see if some of the boys want to go out after the game then. You two coming back here?”
“No, we’re going to Harper and Pietr’s,” Misha said. “I’ll be back before curfew.”
“You’re a grown up. It’s not like we don’t know where you are.”
“That’s true, but I didn’t clear it with anyone. I’m not going to make a wave.” Misha began stroking Harper’s hair again.
“Did you see Delly in the lobby?” Karl asked. “Porter sent a warning text out.”
“I saw her. I didn’t see the text,” Misha said. “She caught a picture of us as we came in. I’m not worried about it. There are no secrets for her to uncover.”
“I get ya.”
“Is this Delly woman harassing the whole Edmonton team or are you just special?”
“She’s local to us, but she travels wherever she thinks there’s a scoop,” Misha explained. “She’s probably here because of us. After game, we should pick up dinner. Or have something delivered. I wouldn’t put it past her to try and follow us somewhere.”
“I can call in an order from Rock Salt. I have friends who would be happy to make a delivery, even if it’s late,” she said.
“Perfect. You’re so well connected.” He kissed them again.
“Writing didn’t always pay the bills.”
Misha chuckled. “Now you have a hot Russian husband to pay the bills. Lucky.”
Harper dug their nails into his chest, dragging them slowly downward. “It’s not like that and you know it.”
He grunted, lowering his voice just for her. “Harder.”
“We’re not alone,” they reminded him. Harper’s hand moved back upward anyway, digging in again.
“I don’t care.”
“He really doesn’t.” Karl laughed. “I learned very quickly when rooming with Meesh that zero fucks are given. It’s nice to put a face to the two AM phone call.”
Harper raised an eyebrow at Misha, knowing that wasn’t them on the other end.
“That’s not Harper,” Misha replied. “I didn’t realize it woke you up. I’ll tell them to call earlier if they can.”
“Oh! You’ve got another partner?” Karl raised an eyebrow. “Do I know them?”
“I’m not playing that game.” Misha’s voice was a little dark.
“Yeah. Okay.” Karl reappeared briefly to grab his shoes out of the closet. He’d re-dressed in his suit from before. “When Spitz calls next time, tell him I said hey.”
Harper felt Misha tense under her hand.
“You think you’re so smart,” Misha chided. “Stop listening to gossip. I swear, hockey players are worse than old ladies.”
“I’ve heard that.” Harper retorted.
“Hey Harper, is it true that they call you and Ivanov Tesla and Pigeon?” Karl asked.
“Ugh! That’s getting out to other people now?”
“You do wear that jersey to games,” Misha reminded them. “Which, you have others.”
“Sure, but people don’t have to know it’s an actual thing.”
“I am one hundred percent positive that Pietr has called you Pigeon in interviews. About the wedding. He did it last week when talking to, eh...what’s the guy from ESPN with the glasses and the bad mustache?”
“Duncan Fiorino?” Karl suggested.
“No, the other one.”
“Zach Cooley?”
“Yes!”
“I must not have seen that one,” Harper said.
“We have both been getting asked about tonight’s game. How we feel about playing against each other while sharing a partner. If that will affect our game.”
“Will it?” Harper asked.
“No. Because we both want to do well for our whole team. So we will continue to play our hardest and try not to hurt one another.”
“Thank you for that,” Harper chirped. “Does that mean you’ve forgotten your silly wager?”
“No. I am very much looking forward to seeing the outcome. I think we all win, no matter what.” Misha grinned. He kissed her again, rocking her onto her back.
“All righty! I’m going to head downstairs with my noodles and wait for the bus. See you down there. Don’t be late,” Karl announced.
“I won’t,” Misha growled. He wasn’t really listening, his lips moving to Harper’s neck.
“I won’t let him,” Harper assured Karl. “Promise. I’m very practiced at getting guys where they need to be, when they need to be there.”
“That sounds a little dirty, Kiska.”
Karl laughed. Harper heard the door open, then close again with a loud clunk behind him.
“He’s right though. I have to change. Not too much longer.” He reached up, pulling his fingers through her hair. “Have I mentioned that I like you getting the undercut back? It looks good.” He tugged, pulling her head back.
“I don’t cut my hair to please anyone,” Harper pointed out. “Pietr likes it too though.”
“That isn’t true. You cut it so he’d keep the beard. How is that going?”
“He says it’s finally less itchy. I think the shampoo and the balm help. He’s so cute though.” She laughed. “Even if we’re not showering together in the morning, he wants me to wash it and then rub the balm in. He says he uses too much.” She rolled her eyes. “He likes the attention.”
“He likes the intimacy,” Misha corrected softly. “I get it. It sounds nice. Sweet. You are very in love to humor him. Even when you probably have other things to do in the morning. Like go back to bed.”
“I like our morning routine,” Harper admitted. “He’s gone so much. Sometimes, it’s the only time I see him until I’m crawling into bed, a week later.”
Misha traced the curve of her ear, then tipped her chin forward to kiss her again. “You two work very well together. It’s a pleasure to see.”
“You know,” Harper pulled her hand from under Misha’s shirt to wrap it around his waist, “you and Cecil have great vibes when you’re together too. And, you know that people know. Right? It’s not a secret.”
“People have made a lot of assumptions that may be correct,” he admitted. “But Cecil is still not in a position to be able to be honest. Or, he doesn’t feel that he is. Until that time, we stay secret. Even if it is slowly tearing us apart.”
“I’m so sorry, Misha.” Harper kissed him softly. “Has this, being open about me, been helpful? The way you hoped it would be?”
“Sort of,” he said. “I love being able to talk about you. Being able to see you today, being here right now, is great. I haven’t had this kind of freedom in what feels like a long time.” He pressed his forehead to hers and closed his eyes. “Don’t let us make you feel like we’re using you to hide. That isn’t the intention.”
“I know. I appreciate that. I’m good. I would much rather we could all live our truth, so to speak, but I’m okay shouldering being able to live mine. Being with you, being open about it, makes it easier for me. People can say whatever the fuck they want, but I’m happy. That’s what matters.”
“I’m glad you recognize that. I feel like, knowing you now and how much you’ve changed and adapted, the Harper I met a year ago wouldn’t have thought that way.”
“Definitely not,” she agreed. “I’m the same, but also different. That Harper wouldn’t believe they’d even be in the same room as the amazing Misha Levin. Much less in bed with him.” She leaned forward, kissing him again.
“Well, let me tell you, the great Misha Levin is very pleased with the course of events,” he assured her.
“Hey, can I change the subject a little?”
“Of course. You can talk to me about anything.” Misha’s eyes flicked back open.
“I haven’t talked to Pietr yet, or Isaac, but I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately. The pronouns. I know the three of you are very good about using they/them in public. She/Her in private.”
“Yes. Is that a problem?”
“When I was first getting comfortable with being non-binary, using They/Them was a way for me to reassure myself that I was making the right choice for myself in declaring it. I need that less. I liked making people push their own boundaries and have to think about how they referred to me. It gave me a sense of power that I thought I needed to be in control of my own identity. But, I can be a non-binary woman and use she/her exclusively and that doesn’t make me less of my identity. I don’t owe anyone androgyny.”
“Okay. Why tell me first?”
“Because you shared something with me today that was important to know.”
“So I can use she/her now, all the time? No more they/them?”
“Yes. I don’t mind any pronoun, but I’ll make a more public announcement in the near future for people. It doesn’t have to be a thing.”
“I will do my best,” he promised. “Thank you for telling me. Now!” He pulled together a bit of energy, getting up to his knees and straddling her for a moment. “Last kisses. Then presents. Then I need to get dressed. After, you can walk down to the lobby with me and I’ll see you out.”
Harper grinned as he kissed her. Deep. Hungry. Longing. He moaned, channeling his want until he broke off.
“Damn it. I hope the Osprey are swift with their slaughter tonight. I want to spend as much time as possible doing more of that.” He brushed his palm over her hair before placing one last kiss to her forehead.
The bed bounced as he got onto the floor. He opened his suitcase again, taking out a plain white gift bag. Harper sat up, scooting to the end of the bed to accept it.
“I didn’t wrap them or anything special.”
“Can I look at it now?”
“Sure. You can tell what’s more for all of us and what is for you.”
The first thing she pulled out of the bag was a black t-shirt with a Roughneck’s logo on it.
“For you to wear when you come to my games in February,” he said. “So that you don’t have to try and get into the pro shop to find something. I asked Pietr for size, so it should fit okay.”
“It looks good. A little roomy, which I like,” she confirmed. She peeked into the bag. “Are those hand cuffs and rope?”
“I wasn’t sure about the rope, but the handcuffs are the soft padded kind. Very versatile. Two sets.”
“You bought them special.” Harper looked up, amused.
“I didn’t want us to ruin your scarves. Pietr has thick thighs.”
“I like his thighs,” she countered. She stood up, tucking the t-shirt back inside. She kissed him with a grin. “If you play your cards right, you’re going to have Pietr calling you Daddy too.”
Misha’s growl rumbled in his chest, returning the kiss.
“Excellent. Exactly what I was hoping for.”
Harper patted his chest. “Get changed. You don’t want to be late.”
“Yes, Kiska. You’d be worth it though.”