Epilogue
Stanley Cup Final — Carson’s POV
This is the hardest game of my life. I’m pushing the team as far as they can go.
But we need to go further. I know they’re tired, but we’re so close to hoisting that cup into the air.
The game is tied, Montreal is proving to us why they deserve to be here as much as we do.
They’re not letting us have it easy. But we can fucking do this.
“Listen! We’re going home with this fucking cup!” I yell into the locker room. The boys need this last push of encouragement. They’re buzzing with just as much adrenaline as the crowd.
“We got you, Captain!” Dillan yells back, a grin wide across his face.
“Let’s fucking break this!”
We return to the ice, out for blood. The game is still grueling; the other team also back from break on a high.
They almost score, but our goalie saves it, the crowd going insane.
We’re a favorite to win this season. Even other teams’ fans are rooting for us, putting even more pressure on me and the boys, but we can handle it.
I can’t hear anything but my heart beating out of my chest as I pass what I pray will be the winning goal to Avery.
He catches it, and the rest of the guys swarm to protect him as Montreal desperately tries to stop what will happen in just mere seconds.
Avery flicks the puck; from here, it feels like slow motion.
The puck hitting the net, the buzzer ringing, the crowd roaring, and my team completely covering Avery’s body.
We just won the Stanley Cup.
My first as Captain of this team.
I hold the cup over my head, camera flashes light up the ice, my cheeks burning from grinning.
Sam comes out of nowhere, kissing me on the side of my temple and yelling into my ear.
There’s only one other feeling, I’m kind of sad I won’t feel it tonight.
But soon. I can’t wait to get back to my room.
The ice fills with reporters, coaches, and spouses. I give a quick interview to the newscasters, holding the cup. I hand it off to Avery; he deserves his time with it. That winning shot was incredible.
“Hey, you!” Kelly yells from across the ice, “Congrats! I guess being your friend finally paid off.” She laughs.
“You’re fucking annoying!” I laugh over all the noise.
“I’m annoying, but I got you the best gift ever!” She says, stepping aside and signaling to someone hiding off the ice. I crane my neck to see over her.
“Hey.”
Julian.
He waves, his dimples saying hello to me. I skate over to him faster than I did twenty minutes ago, passing that last shot to Avery. I pull him into a hug, the peach scent of hair and skin invading my senses. I’m probably crushing my poor baby a bit, but fuck.
This is a dream.
He’s a dream.
“What are you doing here?” I say, letting him step back a bit.
“Supporting my boyfriend, obviously.” He loves rolling his eyes, the eyes that sucked me in the first day we met and haven’t let me go since. I hope they never do.
“Congratulations, I can’t believe people actually listen to you.” He giggles, poking my side.
“Yeah, unlike somebody who never listens to me, look what happens when people do.” I pull him back in.
“If I listened to you, I wouldn’t be here, mister, no need to come back. I’ll be fine.” He says before pushing up onto his toes to kiss my cheek.
“I’m glad you’re here, baby.”
“Me too.” His voice is always so pleasing. I missed hearing it in person.
Kelly clears her throat, back after chatting with some of the other guys, “So, what’s the move tonight?” She grins.
* * *
I press his back into the wall of the elevator, his mouth perfectly fitted over mine. How could his kiss feel better than holding the fucking cup over my head?
This can’t be replaced.
Juyeon always melts when I touch him; his body chases mine when I pull away to lead us out into the hallway.
“Somebody’s needy,” I smirk.
“I am not!” He retorts, always hating to admit he loves what’s happening to him, what’s about to happen to him when I get this room door open.
I press my keycard to the door, and we spill into the room, our tongues still lapping at each other. Juyeon breaks apart from me, huffing and trying to catch his breath.
“I saw that guy trying to talk to you at the party.” He pouts, flirting around the room like a little cat, shedding his outer clothes as he goes.
“Oh yeah?” I smile, knowing exactly where this is going.
“Yeah, I should’ve started making out with you right there. But he looked so desperate, I felt bad.” He scoffs.
Juyeon walks past the couch, stopping to stand in front of the large floor-to-ceiling windows.
Look at that, my favorite views.
“Don’t worry, I was thinking of someone entirely different the whole conversation. Besides,” I say, padding over to join him, “he just wanted an autograph.” I look down into his eyes, glittering under the night lights showering the room.
“But I can make sure everyone knows who I belong to.” I smirk, “If that’s what you like.”
“Oh?” His fingers play with the collar of my half-buttoned shirt; the night got a little wild.
“How so?” He says, looking up at me.
I crowd him back against the window, his body having nowhere to go. A gasp leaves his parted lips, and his neck is warm against my mouth. I can feel his pulse. I could get high off this. His sounds, the taste of his skin, his heart beating in sync with mine.
I pull at the hem of his shirt before removing it from his body completely. The strands of his silky hair feel good between my fingers as I grip them, just the way he likes. Juyeon rewards me with a low whine. I trail kisses down his body, flicking my tongue over his nipple when I get to his chest.
“Carson…” He says, my name coming out just above a breath.
I love when he falls apart in my arms.
When he lets go of his control.
I turn him around towards the windows, pushing him flush against it before getting down on my knees. Juyeon pulls his pants down just below the curvature of his ass. But no, all of it needs to go. Now.
“Look at you being good for me already,” I say, pulling the fabric the rest of the way roughly.
With no warning, I spread him open, lapping at his hole long and slow. The sound he makes goes straight to my dick that’s already harder than a fucking steel pole. If I don’t get inside him soon, I’m going to cum just like this. I bury my face further into his ass, licking and sucking gently.
“Please…Carson.” He whines, his thighs trembling in my grip.
The wet sounds from my mouth and his moans bounce off the walls of the room, creating the perfect fucking soundtrack to my night. He sighs in relief when I stand up, crowding his body again as I start stripping my own clothes. Nothing should be between us.
“I’m going to fuck you, right here where everyone will know who we both belong to.” I growl in his ear, “How’s that sound?”
“Yes, please..” He pants, “Hurry, Carson.” Pushing back against me.
“Be good, baby.” I give his ass a light smack, a groan escaping his lips.
I head to the bedroom, chuckling to myself when I fish out the lube I brought, initially for a smoother slide during the phone sex I was sure we’d be having tonight. Looks like someone had better plans for us.
Juyeon still has his body pressed against the window, his breath coming out in little pants. I’ve never witnessed anything so fucking tempting in my life.
“What are you doing to me?” I whisper in his ear, returning to his waiting form, the heat of us kissing again.
He hums in response, trembling against me as I press my slick finger into him. We haven’t done this in a while. I don’t want to hurt him despite how impatient he’s becoming, pushing back against me again, but I stop him with a firm grip on his waist. He feels so perfect in my hands.
“Carson, I can’t take it, please just put it in.” Juyeon whines.
“Relax, you’ll get what you need in a minute,” I say, pressing in the second finger to relieve him.
“Yes, more!” He pants.
I play with his body a little more, opening him up, before pulling out completely, and lining my dick at his entrance to give him what he’s pleading for. A gasp rips through him when I sink into his warm, tight hole, wet with lube. He consumes me slow, inch by inch.
“Carson…” He chokes.
“This is the real reward.” I groan, nuzzling into his neck.
I want to devour him whole.
We immediately find our rhythm, our hips meeting perfectly in sync. But I need him to stay where he is. So I hold his body in place, his panting fogs the glass.
“You feel so fucking good.” I moan, picking up the pace, snapping into him hard and fast.
Juyeon mewls, almost losing his footing against my thrusts. My grip doesn’t let him. I think he’ll love the marks I might be leaving tonight.
“You’re making a mess, baby,” I growl, noticing the way he’s leaking pre-cum onto the floor. Such a sweetheart, but he loves it rough just like this. I think it frees his mind, he can just let go.
And I’m happy to give him that freedom.
I turn him towards me; I need to see those eyes when he’s free-falling. Juyeon whimpers from the loss of me inside him. I lift him, wrapping his legs around me and reentering him.
“Oh my god!” Juyeon chokes out, his head tipping back; I can feel his body shaking in pleasure as I fuck up into him,” I won’t last like this, Carson, please.” He sobs.
“I’m not fucking you like this for you to last.” I chuckle.
“I hate you!”
“Oh, really?” I say, nipping at lower lip.
I punish him with a few more body-wracking thrusts, his warm cum spilling between us. My climax soon follows, filling him as he claws at my back. His long lashes are wet with tears. He always cries when he cums, it’s so cute.
Juyeon presses his lips against mine in a searing kiss. I sigh into his mouth. Every knot of stress in my body, uncurling. He’s getting good at kissing. I hope no one else ever gets to experience this feeling with him.
This needs to belong to me forever.
* * *
The bed dips under our weight, fog escaping the bathroom after our shower.
Where I couldn’t help getting another taste of him.
I have to get everything I can while I can.
I know he needs to go back in the morning.
His absence has been suffocating, especially now that the season is over and I’ve nothing to focus on.
“What time do you need to be at the airport?” I ask, kissing his forehead. He’s curled against me, hair still damp.
“Too early.” Juyeon sighs, “How about I just stay here for a week?” He says, batting his lashes at me. I know he’s hoping I’ll cave, but he’s so busy back in Korea, there’s no way I would keep him, no matter how much I want to.
“No, baby, you can’t.” I chuckle.
“It’s just a bunch of photoshoots. It’s not like training has even started.” He rolls his eyes.
“Yeah, but this will be good for you.” I smile, caressing his cheek.
“I guess…” He says, his voice just above a whisper.
Sometimes I worry about him, with everything that will come with being Korea’s biggest hopeful for the Olympics. But what really worries me is Juyeon doesn’t easily surrender his feelings, let alone his thoughts.
“How’s your dad?” I ask.
“He’s doing ok. I wish he’d rest a bit more, but you know how that goes.” He sighs.
“Yeah…”
“Do your parents know about me?” He asks, taking me by surprise.
“Yeah…actually. Matter fact, I think they care more about you going to the Olympics than me.” I laugh cause its true.
My mom went down a whole rabbit hole of his programs. But I don’t want him to feel any more pressure than he likely already does by telling him she won’t accept anyone else getting gold.
“I hope you can meet them soon, when you’re ready, of course. My sister would love you.”
“I’d love that.” He says, smiling up at me.
“Why didn’t they come tonight?” His eyes are bright and curious. And I know he’s hoping the question isn’t coming off awkwardly. That he’s not prying. He tends to do that sometimes. It’s endearing.
“My sister graduated uni today. I think that’s more important. I’ll see them after I drop you off tomorrow.” I chuckle.
“That’s amazing, tell her I said congratulations.”
“I will,” I say, twirling strands of his hair between my fingers.
“Me and Kelly went to brunch before the game.” He murmurs, yawning.
“Oh yeah? How was it?”
“It was so amazing, the food was great, and she’s so nice and funny.” He giggles, “She had me try this dish.”
“What was it?” I ask.
“Banana pudding, it was good. Have you tried it?”
“Mmhm, at her family’s dinner once or twice. Sweet, but I like it.”
“Ah, speaking of…”
Juyeon’s soft voice keeps us up, eventually catching me up to his life back in Korea.
I know he’s doing this because sleep means us going back to our long-distance.
He hates it, and I hate it more. If I tell him just how much it hurts, how much I’d rather keep him warm beside me, I’ll cloud his judgment.
So I let him keep us awake until the sun kisses the sky.