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Stephen misses Gabe when the Canucks are on the road. Of course.
And now he misses Jared, too. He’s far more attached to that adorably snide boy than either of them would care to admit. (And vice versa, he’s pretty sure.)
Sure, he loves Gabe, and he likes Bryce, and he even usually likes Dima but…they’re all…hockey players?
Jared is obviously technically a hockey player, too. Well, more than just technically, he’s Gabe’s linemate, the linemate that un-cursed the line. But he really seems more like a younger version of Stephen’s university friends than like the rest of Gabe’s teammates.
As Stephen’s heading to the bar to spend time with those very friends, he starts to get an idea.
--
He twirls the stem of his half-empty glass of objectively shitty yet delicious sangria and smiles as he watches Iris and Nathan get into it about some movie that Iris insists didn’t do one of her favorite books justice. He’s missed them. It’s been too long.
As the evening winds down, Stephen checks his calendar. “So next time…” he proposes a date and then adds, “and there’s someone I want you all to meet, so I’m going to bring him along next time.”
Nathan looks puzzled. “But we’ve already met Gabe? Or at least, like, we know who he is and stuff? Or did you guys…”
“Not Gabe. This isn’t a partner, more like a…minion,” Steven says with what he realizes is a ridiculous attempt at a sinister grin. “Good kid, has a lot to learn, and I want to get him around some better people.”
There are a lot of raised eyebrows, some slightly confused looks, but on the whole people seem okay with it.
Cunning Plan, Part One, is in motion.
--
The next part of Stephen’s cunning plan involves informing Jared. Specifically, informing Jared that he doesn’t have enough friends, he doesn’t have enough of the right kind of friends, and that Stephen, out of the kindness of his heart plus some assurance that this process will be entertaining, will be providing Jared with some of those friends.
Jared isn’t impressed, at first.
He has friends.
What Stephen wants to say, can’t really say in front of – or even in potential earshot of – Gabe, is “they’re such fucking hockey bros, though.”
Jared reminds Stephen about Ashley. And about the literal infant that managed to put Jared’s husband on injured reserve, not that anybody’s supposed to know that’s how Bryce got hurt.
When Stephen changes tactics and offers to introduce Jared to some fellow mean people, he realizes he’s finally gotten somewhere. Jared is trying his best not to look that interested, but he’s certainly coming around to the idea of hanging out with a bunch of snide, cynical malcontents while Jared’s husband plays happy-go-lucky host to a bunch of excessively cheerful hockey bros.
--
“Stephen, he’s adorable! Where did you find him?”
That…isn’t exactly the reaction Stephen expected from Iris.
The face she makes when Stephen explained that he was Gabe’s linemate, and the aggressive question about whether Jared is even capable of talking about anything other than hockey? Those are a little more expected.
Jared’s sarcastic response to that question? Brilliant. Clearly he was going to fit right in. Ridiculous white wine spritzers and all.
Stephen is proud of Jared, who is clearly holding his own in both words and appearances, and is a little proud of himself, too, for coming up with this scheme.
He has some second thoughts once Iris moves on to grilling Jared about Alberta politics.
Until Jared snaps, “I’m LITERALLY GAY, so yes, I know what conversion therapy is.”
Good for Jared for being willing to come out! Even if Bryce isn’t there yet.
Not so good for Iris for making heteronormative assumptions about hockey players, even though she knows Gabe, even though she’s well aware both that Stephen used to play and the reasons why he isn’t playing any more.
Not so good for Stephen realizing his own hypocrisy, that the entire reason he brought Jared here was to get him away from hockey and yet he’s bristling as Iris brings up all the stereotypes Stephen is still capable of holding about the players he doesn’t actually know personally. Shit, Stephen’s literally an agent, he needs to assume less and ask more if he’s truly going to represent his clients’ best interests.
Okay, so maybe this is another good reason to have brought Jared here – it’s like a weird extra kind of networking that just helped Stephen get better at his job.
Mostly, though? He’s still really proud of Jared.
--
The gang loves him and wants to see him again. Stephen’s happy to arrange that. Bryce is happy to play video games with Dima and Gavin and Jan, and Jared is happy to escape Dima and Gavin and Jan playing video games with Bryce. Well, Jared admits that Jan isn’t so bad, he’s the only one that consistently helps clean up after. So that’s something.
Nathan actually asks Stephen if Jared is single, after the second time they all get together, and Stephen points out that the ring on the left hand isn’t just there for show.
It’s not too long after that Jared’s sister’s boyfriend accidentally outs Jared AND Bryce to everyone who’s paying attention, and their general manager throws fuel on that fire by cursing out multiple publications and telling homophobic Canucks fans to find another team.
Nathan texts Stephen to comment that he guesses Jared was always out of his league, sounding suspiciously like the fangirls on Tumblr.
Iris sends properly concerned texts both about Jared being outed and about who it turned out his husband is. You know, Bryce Marcus, the guy who drove drunk and punched out an opposing team’s fan? Is Jared, well, safe with someone like that?
Stephen sighs and reminds Iris of the lowlights of stupid shit Iris did when SHE was in the closet. Sure, she never punched anyone that Stephen knows of, but she literally tried to get Annie on My Mind banned from the very same library she now works for! Funny how things change once you’re willing to be honest with yourself.
The gang actually plans to go to the next Canucks home game, even the ones who don’t like hockey, just so they can bring some supportive signs into the place.
They don’t tell Jared. They think it’ll be a nice surprise for him. Stephen doesn’t have the heart to tell them that Jared tries so hard to tune everything out when he’s playing that he might not even notice.
He loves them for trying, though.