Kessak

February 26th, 2014.

Tyler stretched his arms out and then jerked back quickly, thinking he was going to wack Phil beside him by accident. But nothing was lying there other than the messy white bedsheets. Bozie rubbed his eyes and looked around the bedroom.

"Kess?" he called out. No response. "Ah, he's probably in the kitchen." He rolled onto his other side, and peaked open his eyes again.

He noticed a white folded paper on his nightstand. He didn't remember putting it there beside his bottle of Spring water and blue lamp. He sat up and grabbed the letter, and unfolded it to see a page-long paragraph with familiar printing.

Dear Tyler,
Good morning. I left pretty late last night after we both fell asleep, so by the time you read this, I will alreAdy be somewhere else. I'm sorry I didn'T take you with me, I jusT needed a break to get away for a bit. I guess I'm just pretty bummed out after Sochi, and tHe media here didn't hElp yesterday. I'm fine, I just need some time so don't come searching for me. It's not Like they wAnt me back, anyway. Those fucKers always find away to makE fun of me. But I guess tHey have every right tO. I'm stupid, lazy, and fat flUffy. I didn't mean for thiS to turn into a rant lEtter, but don't worry about me.
With love,
Phil.

Tyler sighed heavily and let his head hit the backboard of the bed. He cursed and tried calling his boyfriend's cell 5 times, along with 2 texts. He got dressed and headed downstairs with the letter in his hand, wondering where on Earth he was.

Then, he clicked on Jake in his contact list and pressed the phone to his ear. "Hello?"

"Gards! Hey man,"

"Sup?" Jake replied.

"Listen, have you heard from Phil in the last 12 hours by any chance?"

"Um no, why?" he asked.

Tyler sighed. "He left me a letter and went off somewhere last night. I have no idea where."

"What does the letter say?"

"You know how reporters were ganging up on him yesterday, saying he was sluggish and shit in practice?" he rolled his eyes.

"Yeah?"

"He said he was mad, and he sounded so upset and was putting himself down. I'm worried." Bozie's voice got quieter. "I don't know why he was capitalizing some stuff though."

"What do you mean?"

"Meh, I'm sure it's nothing." he shrugged.

"It could be a clue. Take a pic and send it to me." Gards told him.

Boz hesitated, remembering that the letter contained I Love You and such. "Um, alright."

He took a quick snap of the letter but cropped out the 'With love' ending, and texted it to Jake. He waited and waited until he got a response that made his eyes widen. 'AT THE LAKEHOUSE'

Then, Jake called him back. "I'm pretty smart."

"Don't get carried away now." Tyler chuckled. "But thanks, you rock."

"You know what they say." he replied.

Tyler grabbed his black toque and jacket. He knew what he meant by lakehouse---Tyler's lakehouse. The team had many parties there in previous Summers, and that was also where his friend had his bachelor party last year.

It was about a half an hour drive, but Tyler finally arrived there and parked in the cleared pathway he'd asked for by the wooden logs. He glanced over at Phil's car, but there were 4 other familiar vehicles there as well. He grew confused.

The lakehouse was two stories high, brand new with chandeliers and wooden walls. He had his personal boat by the dock with the beautiful view of the lake. Tyler walked up the wooden stairs and unlocked the door. The place was quiet, just as he'd left it two months ago after the New Years Eve party they had.

"Phil?" Tyler yelled out, searching upstairs. He found a hockey bag full of his clothes unzipped on the fur covered bed. "So, he's here. But where?" he said to himself.

"Anyone?" he called out on his way downstairs. Just then, he glanced outside the glass back door.

He opened it, only to see the hunched over backs of his teammates. Kess, Reims, Naz, and Dion turned their heads around and looked at him, nodding their heads as a hello. There was a case of beer laying in front of them on the porch.

Phil smiled weakly. He patted the space beside him on the ground as Reims scootched over. Tyler sat down though he was very confused at what was going on.

"Glad you figured it out." Kess said lightly.

"What are you guys doing here?" he glanced to his left and right.

"We all have our own little problems right now." Reims said, his elbows on his knees while holding a cup of coffee.

"Yeah." Bozie nodded blankly, staring forward at the icy lake.

"The media won't back off." Phil said. "I came home without a medal, didn't skate fast enough in practice apparently and it's the end of the world, and I'm hungry."

After listening, James spoke. "I lost my job to Bernier, everyone forgot about the last few seasons, Randy hates me, they all want me traded." He then sighed.

Tyler then glanced at Nazzy who talked next. "I feel you, man. Randy likes me one minute, hates me the next hour. I've been in every trade rumor my whole career."

Bozie grabbed a beer. Even though it was 10AM, it truly was not too early to be drinking. All their stories made sense, but something made him pause. "But wait--Dion, why are you here?"

"What, you really think most of this fanbase likes me as captain?" he raised an eyebrow, sitting on the end by Kadri.

Tyler sighed. "You guys are so hard on yourselves. Obviously people suck and they're gonna try to rip you apart piece by piece until you're left alone on the side of an abandoned road in just your underwear. That's Toronto, for ya. But c'mon. The best part is surviving that."

"Yeah, you're right. It's just BS, you know? Bernier thinks he's all that..but..I guess he's more than me." Reims said quietly.

"Don't even go there. I don't even like him much, honestly. He only thinks about himself. He said we can't make the playoffs without improved D, seriously asked why he would get pulled, and stormed off after that one game without talking to us." Naz raged.

"We'll always defend you, Optimus. Ya know that." The captain added.

James let out that same hopeful smile. "Thanks guys."

"And Phil, you're the face of the franchise. Eat as many cookies as you want, you're still the main man. Fuck 'em." Dion told him.

Phil blushed and felt Tyler's hand sneak onto his thigh without anyone noticing. Bozie spoke to all of them as a whole, "What do you say we go inside and play NHL for a bit? I have Oreos in the kitchen."

"I'm in." Naz squeezed his empty beer can.

The four pals got up and headed inside. Phil and Tyler walked behind so they could sneak a soft kiss and murmur those three precious words to each other.