10
Two weeks had passed since the cabin. Two weeks of waiting.
Two weeks of stolen glances and accidental touches and nights spent lying awake, thinking about what could have been.
Spencer sat in the stands and watched Layton and Zavier practice.
They were playing better than ever. The whole team was playing better than ever.
The chemistry that had been missing at the beginning of the season was finally there.
But the tension between the three of them was unbearable.
Spencer's shoulder was fully healed. He had been cleared to play. He was back on the ice, skating and scoring and doing exactly what he had been doing before. But his mind was elsewhere. His mind was on Layton and Zavier.
They hadn't talked about what happened at the cabin. They hadn't talked about the almost moment in the hot tub. They hadn't talked about anything. They were all waiting for something, none of them sure what it was.
Practice ended. Everyone headed for the locker room. Spencer followed at the back of the group, his eyes on Layton's broad shoulders, on Zavier's strong back.
The locker room was chaos as usual. Everyone was talking and laughing and yelling. Spencer sat at his locker and started pulling off his gear. Layton was at the other end of the room. Zavier was in between them.
Spencer could feel Layton's eyes on him. He could feel Zavier's too. The air was thick with unspoken words.
Drew Matthews was telling a story about his high school girlfriend. Everyone was laughing. Spencer forced himself to smile. He didn't want anyone to notice anything.
He finished getting dressed and walked toward the showers. The room was empty. The water was hot. He stood under the spray and let it wash over him, trying to relax.
The door opened. Layton walked in.
Spencer's heart stopped. "What are you doing?"
Layton walked toward him. His eyes were dark. His jaw was tight. "I want to touch you. I've been going crazy for weeks. I need to touch you."
Spencer should have said no. He should have pushed him away. Instead, he said, "Then do it."
Layton stepped into the shower. The water ran over both of them. He put his hands on Spencer's waist. He kissed him. It was deep and hungry and everything Spencer had been dreaming about.
Zavier appeared in the doorway. He watched them. His eyes were dark.
Layton pulled back. "Come here."
Zavier didn't hesitate. He walked into the shower and joined them. He kissed Spencer. He kissed Layton. They were all touching. They were all gasping.
Spencer was pressed against the tile. Layton was kissing his neck, biting softly. Zavier was behind him, his hands on Spencer's hips. They were both hard. Spencer could feel them. It was overwhelming.
Layton dropped to his knees. He took Spencer into his mouth. Spencer's head fell back. He moaned. Zavier's hands tightened on his hips.
Zavier said, "Look at him. Look at how beautiful he is."
Layton looked up. His eyes were dark. His lips were stretched around Spencer. He was looking at Zavier. They were sharing this. Sharing him.
Spencer came with a shout. Layton swallowed everything. Then he stood up and kissed Spencer, sharing the taste.
Zavier stepped forward. "My turn."
He turned Spencer around. Spencer braced himself against the tile. Zavier's fingers found him. They were slow. Careful. "Tell me if it hurts. Tell me if you want me to stop."
Spencer said, "Don't stop. Please don't stop."
Zavier entered him. It was slow at first. Then deeper. Spencer cried out. Layton was in front of him, kissing him. Zavier was behind him, filling him. He was surrounded. He was wanted.
They moved together. Zavier came inside him. Layton came against his stomach. They collapsed together, panting.
Spencer's body was shaking. His heart was pounding. He had never felt anything like this. He had never been so completely consumed by two people.
Layton pulled him close. "Are you okay?"
Spencer nodded. He couldn't speak. His throat was too tight.
Zavier wrapped his arms around both of them. "That was incredible. You're incredible."
Spencer looked at them both. They were still here. They hadn't run.
He smiled. It was the first real smile he had had in years.
They stayed in the shower for a long time, holding each other. Finally, they got out and dried off and dressed in silence. No one spoke. No one knew what to say.
They walked out of the locker room together. The hallway was empty. The campus was quiet.
Layton said, "I don't want to go home. I don't want to leave you."
Spencer said, "Then come to my room. All of you."
They went to Spencer's room. It was small and cramped, but it was theirs. They lay down on his bed, tangled together, none of them wanting to let go.
Spencer was in the middle. Layton on one side. Zavier on the other.
Layton said, "I love you. Both of you. I've never said that to anyone before. But I mean it."
Zavier said, "I love you too. I've been holding it in for so long. I can't hold it in anymore."
Spencer's eyes were burning. "I love you both. I never thought I would feel this again. But I do. I love you."
They held each other tight. None of them wanted to let go.
Spencer fell asleep to the sound of their breathing. He woke up in the middle of the night to find Layton still holding him. Zavier was pressed against his back.
He didn't move. He didn't want to wake them. He just lay there and let himself feel it.
He was loved. He was wanted. He was home.
The next morning, they woke up together. The sun was streaming through the window. The room was warm and quiet.
Spencer looked at them both. They were still here. They hadn't run.
Layton kissed his forehead. "Good morning."
Zavier kissed his shoulder. "Good morning."
Spencer said, "Good morning."
They lay in bed for a long time, talking about nothing and everything. They talked about hockey and school and their families. They talked about their hopes and their fears.
They talked about their future.
Layton said, "I want to be with you forever. I know that sounds insane. But I want it."
Zavier said, "I want it too. I want to wake up like this every day."
Spencer said, "I want that too. I want all of it."
They made a decision. They were going to tell the team. Not the world. Not yet. Just the team.
They were going to tell them at the end-of-season banquet. It was a week away.
Spencer's heart was pounding. He was terrified. But he was also hopeful.
They were going to do this. They were going to be together. Openly. Honestly.
And nothing was going to stop them.
The week before the banquet was agonizing. Layton was jittery. Spencer was quiet. Zavier was trying to hold everything together.
They practiced. They studied. They had sex. The sex was better than ever. Desperate and needy and full of love. They were saying goodbye to the secrecy.
Late one night, Spencer was with Layton. Layton was having a panic attack. He was terrified of his family. He was terrified of the scouts. He was terrified of losing everything.
Spencer held him. "It's going to be okay. We'll figure it out. Together."
Layton sobbed. "What if they don't accept us? What if I lose everything?"
Spencer said, "Then you'll have us. You'll always have us."
Zavier found them. He joined the embrace. They were all crying. They were all terrified. They were all in love.
The night before the banquet, they were all in Spencer's room. They were not having sex. They were just holding each other. Talking about their futures. About what comes next.
Layton said, "I want to be with you forever. I know that sounds insane. But I want it."
Spencer said, "I want it too."
Zavier said, "Me too."
They fell asleep tangled together. It was the best sleep any of them had ever had.
Spencer woke up the next morning with Layton's head on his chest and Zavier's arm around his waist. The sun was streaming through the window. The room was warm and quiet.
He looked at them both. He loved them so much it hurt.
He kissed Layton's forehead. He kissed Zavier's cheek.
They stirred. They woke up. They looked at him.
Layton said, "Are you ready?"
Spencer said, "I'm ready."
Zavier said, "We're in this together. Remember? Together."
Spencer nodded. "Together."
They got dressed. They walked to the banquet together. They held hands. They didn't care who saw.
The banquet was held at a fancy hotel downtown. The room was filled with people. Players. Coaches. Families. Alumni. Scouts.
Spencer stood in the corner with Layton and Zavier. They were all nervous. They were all holding hands.
Coach Miller gave a speech. Terry King gave a speech. Drew Matthews made everyone laugh.
Then it was Layton's turn.
Layton walked to the podium. He looked out at the crowd. He was terrified. Spencer could see it in his eyes.
But Layton started his speech. He talked about the season. He talked about his teammates. He talked about how much this team had changed him.
Then he said, "There's something I need to tell you. Something I should have told you a long time ago."
The room went quiet.
Layton looked at Spencer. Then at Zavier. They nodded. They were ready.
Layton said, "I'm in love. I'm in love with my teammates. With Spencer and Zavier."
Gasps. Whispers. His mother's face went white.
Layton continued. "I know this might be hard for some of you. I know it's going to be hard for my family. But I can't pretend anymore. I can't hide who I am. Who we are."
Spencer stood up. He walked to the podium. Zavier followed. They stood together.
"We're together," Spencer said. "All three of us. And we know it's unconventional. We know it's confusing. But we don't care. We're in love."
Zavier said, "We hope you can accept us. But even if you can't, we're not going to hide."
Silence. The room was frozen. No one moved. No one spoke.
Then Coach Miller stood up. He started clapping. He was the first one.
The rest of the team followed. They were all clapping. Drew Matthews was cheering. Terry King was wiping his eyes. Sophie Gibson was crying happy tears.
The scouts were nodding. The alumni were uncertain, but they were polite.
Layton's parents stood up. They walked toward him. Layton's heart pounded.
His father said, "You're my son. I love you. I'm sorry it took me so long to understand."