Work Text:
Fall 2021
Rozfather: wtf are you doing
Rozfather: why am I getting a picture of you tongue deep in someone on a dancefloor?
Vinny: because i AM tongue deep in someone on a dancefloor.
Rozfather: ???
Vinny: idk we connected
Vinny: he agreed to help me with something
Rozfather: was the something an erection??
Vinny: the something was an erection.
Vinny: thank your husband actually.
Rozfather: please do not thank my husband for your erections.
Rozfather: so you are just out now? both of you?
Shit. Who takes a fucking picture in a gay bar? It’s like... in the rules. Right? But nope, five minutes ago, Scott Hunter sent a picture of Vinny making out with his... something. And now Vinny is getting chastised by Ilya Rozanov, Supreme Leader of Unveiling Teammate’s Taboo Yearning. It doesn’t matter that Vinny is in his own bed, alone, because everyone involved has early flights tomorrow morning.
The thing about this weird group of Rozanov’s is they really do respect privacy. But, mostly public privacy... like, no one is going to the news with anyone’s dirty laundry. However, within the 50-odd people Rozanov has on lists strewn up around his home, it feels like there are very few secrets. It’s not Rozanov’s fault, in fact he tries to keep the gossip to a minimum. It’s everyone else. So Rozanov’s are just the first of too many texts. Next is Antonio.
Antonio: why’s everybody blowing up my phone?
Vinny: who is everybody
Antonio: Hunter and Roz. Feel like that’s everybody.
Vinny: Hunter texted you??
Antonio: yeah don’t tell Lord Rozanov though. I like it when he’s my little carrier pigeon.
Vinny: lol you need help.
Antonio: so that picture is real though?
Vinny: nah Scott Hunter learned photoshop exclusively so he could spread the rumor I’m making out with the fourth best goalie in the league.
Antonio: might be payback for being a dick to him?
Vinny: ohhh nooo don’t show people I can pull someone hottt
Antonio: ok so established it’s real.
Antonio: Are you like… ok?
Antonio Schnuck is probably Vinny’s best friend right now, which makes no sense considering they live across the country from each other, and he didn’t even know the guy four years ago. Vinny just got a text from Rozanov in 2018 saying “#15 told me to tell you he likes your name for the group.” They exchanged a few messages through Rozanov, found out they’re pretty similar, and the rest is history. They still go through Rozanov when Tony is feeling particularly like the Ringleader needs to be taken down a peg.
Since then, Antonio has seen Vinny in dozens of serious relationships. He knows Vinny pretty well, and he knows Vinny doesn’t just make out with people without picking wedding venues. This feels different though, and he doesn’t know how to tell Antonio that.
He doesn’t actually get a chance to, the next texts are already coming in fast.
Melnyk: just saw a verrrryyyyy interesting pictureee daddy!
Melnyk: Mateo told me what happened there and I’m 100% in on the ground level as an investor.
Vinny: fuck off kid who is sending this shit around???
Melnyk: Shane Hollander got it from Kip Grady and sent it to my boyfriend.
Melnyk: And you know how I hate it when Shane Hollander sends porn to my boyfriend
Vinny: yeah this is a common problem for you.
Vinny: That pesky Shane Hollander and his porn addiction
Vinny: And that was porn for sure
Melnyk: don’t tell Papa he sent it tho
Melnyk: we think it’s good choice in men, bad choice in setting.
Vinny: YOU want to talk about bad choices in setting??
Danny Melnyk is Vinny’s stupid little protégée. He seems to be as funny as Vinny with the same ability to keep his love life casual. That is, none at all. It’s a good thing the kid’s first hookup ever reciprocated his feelings. After a hard nudge— ok, maybe more like a shove off a cliff— from Vinny himself, the pair settled down. One time, he heard Rozanov giving himself credit for the couple’s happy ending, but it was all Vinny.
His first tiny hint that Melnyk liked Mateo Rivera was at the 2019 MLH awards, when Melnyk corrected Rivera’s name in casual conversation. To Vinny, that’s more than just a hookup. If you care about someone’s name, you care about them.
The other tiny, infinitesimal hint that maybe the two like each other was the same night, at the hetero after-party, when Vinny opened a stairwell door to find Melnyk going down on Rivera. They were fucking lucky it was Vinny who walked in to get away from the commotion when Brophy punched Roz in the face.
“Gentlemen,” Vinny had greeted the pair of deer in headlights. The thing about walking in on a blowjob is, if you’ve distracted the mouth covering the genitalia, then you can see the genitalia, and Vinny briefly wondered if it would be better if Melnyk kept covering it. “Do you want to maybe put it away?” Rivera scrambled to comply. Neither of them said anything, and Vinny didn’t want to be the dad here. That’s Rozanov’s job. But Roz was busy getting punched in the face... Fine. “If I say ‘get a room’ right now is it too on-the-nose? We’re literally in a hotel where you both have rooms.” Actually, do they? Maybe they’re staying together? Then why are they fucking around in a stairwell? Vinny doesn’t think he’s ever scolded someone before that night, and he’s alternate captain.
It was another nine months before Vinny got the whole scoop from Rivera at 2020 All-Stars (what do you mean you live with each other for months and then don’t talk the rest of the season unless you’re in town? Fucking dysfunctional). Again, this isn’t Vinny’s fucking job. Rozanov is supposed to be these kids’ father but he was off somewhere inside of Shane Hollander, probably. It left only Vinny to talk some sense into Rivera. And it worked, because the couple came out a few weeks later.
So anyway, Melnyk can’t be judging Vinny for doing anything in public. He still owes him.
Unfortunately, Antonio and Melnyk aren’t the only ones who have seen this picture of Vinny’s public make-out, and by the time Vinny wakes up the next morning, his phone is drowning in texts.
Kakogiannis: Emperor Rozanov isn’t going to like this
Kyle (Bennett’s grandson): istg it wasn’t me! I didn’t even see you guys after we got there!
Bennett: goalies should know better than to hook up with you
Bennett: Let me guess: GOALIE- Guys Orally Affectionately Lusting Infrontof Everyone
Bennett: but that’s not vulgar enough, probably more like FOOTJOB or PISSKINK
Garza: are you out here turning people Marcho Man??
Helthon: He’s hot! I call next!
Bay: so you don’t need my brother's number??
Le: what happened to Jess? I liked her.
Umnov: what happened to Omar? He was cute
Kowalski: what happened to Chris?
Kowalski: ...actually I guess that guy was kind of an asshole
Kowalski: who doesn’t like showtunes?
Kowalski: can’t believe I didn’t charge him for the ride to the hospital
Doblen: I told you not to do it with another player.
Fredericks: I knew I wasn’t the only one
Richards: I just want to have it on record that I feel like I was there for history being made.
Rivera: guess he has two hall passes 🫢 welcome to PROLAPSE!
Hollander: you’re fucking welcome, seven.
Charlene Rhonda: so, Rozanov has this picture… have you seen it?
November 2020 (11 months before that picture)
Vinny stands outside the arena waiting for a cab. He loves playing Brooklyn because he can sleep at home, even if it’s technically an away game. Sometimes his team will get a hotel, but he’d rather sleep at home if possible. He likes being able to set the temperature exactly where he wants it and lay his head on the memory foam pillows Jude made him get when he moved in. Or was it Dave? Whoever it is, they’re long gone, but good call on the pillows, dude.
A few burly hockey players brush past him on the way out of the players’ entrance. Some say hi, good game, whatever. One says “I’ll catch up with you guys later.” And nudges Vinny on the arm.
It’s Chucky Rhodes. The jabroni who blocked every single one of New Jersey’s shots tonight.
“Hey, uhh. Vinny, right?” This guy can never remember his name. He’s lucky he’s hot.
“Yeah.”
“I got something awkward to ask.” Uh-oh.
Vinny has spoken to Charles Rhodes exactly once in his life. It was at All-Stars 2019 when Shane Hollander hit on Rhodes to prove his gaydar is functional. Not that his gaydar is functional, it’s just that Shane Hollander is a factory that takes straight men and turns them into confused balls of lust. Everyone Shane Hollander approaches has an attraction to at least one man: Shane Hollander. Vinny watched as Hollander flirted with a straight man with such success, it actually might have ended differently if Vinny hadn’t interrupted them.
Vinny wonders about that night a lot. If Hollander were single, would he have hooked up with Chucky Rhodes? At the time, it just confused the CIRCUS table who had conflicting understandings of Hollander and Rozanov’s relationship. Scott thought they weren’t a thing, just hooking up. Scott and Rozanov are really close, he would know better than anyone, so Vinny trusted that.
He’ll never forget watching the honest-to-God miracle of Shane turning a man queer in real time.
And now, on the street outside the Brooklyn area, Chuck Rhodes has a question to ask? Rumors about Vinny’s sexuality have spread; even the commissioner knows. And there’s a non-zero chance Rhodes likes men, if his reception to Shane Hollander was any indication.
So this guy is definitely looking for a manual on how to have butt sex.
Fine. But he’s going to show him, not tell him. Otherwise, deal’s off.
Ugh, but if he shows him, he’ll end up in a six month relationship with this coworker that’ll make things awkward when it inevitably ends.
Who is he kidding? This guy is way out of his league. “Shoot.”
“You’re uhhh… you’re friends with Hollander right?”
Vinny wants to laugh. Rhodes wants to shoot his shot with the most unattainable man in the league because he came out at the cup a few months ago? He’s probably been reframing that interaction at All-Stars since then. Sure, buddy. Good luck. “Yeah, I know him. Why?”
“Then you probably…” Rhodes trails off, adorably. “Is he the uhh… leader?”
“No? Well, I guess I shouldn’t really confirm or deny. But no, it’s not Hollander.” Vinny all but erases any doubt about his own status in the group. Namely, that he’s in it.
“Ok… But you know who it is?”
“Yeah. What’s it to you?”
“Can I get his number?” Rhodes starts to take out his phone.
“Fuck no! What if he’s in your phone already and his name comes up? I’m not outing anyone!”
“Ok! Ok!” Rhodes puts his hands up in surrender. “See, yeah… I don’t know any of this stuff. Here, take my phone and see if I have his number already. Try to put it in, see if it comes up.”
“Fine.” Vinny does. There’s no reason Rhodes would have Roz’s number. He puts the Ringleader's contact in the phone. Sure enough, nothing comes up. Still, what if he took the phone number to someone who did have it? Crowell is trying some shady tactics this year. He remembers Rozanov has a weird Ringleader burner email address. He puts that in a contact along with ‘email address— text only’ then pauses before handing it back. “Should I put my number in, too?” This guy is hot, and Vinny is on autopilot with a hot person’s phone in his hand.
“Yeah.” There’s a look of relief and Rhodes says, “I’m not— I don’t know what I’m doing right now. And it would be nice to have friends who know their way around this. That’s kind of why I wanted to reach out to the Ringleader anyway, I have so many questions.”
Friends. Questions. These words have not been kind to Vinny in the past. But fuck it, did we mention this man is Fine? He’ll hang out just to look at him.
Plus, Rhodes could have DM’d Shane. Or Scott Hunter. He probably has Melnyk’s number from the two weeks the kid did in Brooklyn. At this point everyone is one degree of separation from an out queer player.
But he chose to nudge Vinny on the arm and ask him. Ok. “Sure. We can meet at the Kingfisher, maybe some night Scott’s playing so we don’t run into him.”
“Yeah! Thanks, he’s kind of intimidating.”
But I’m not? Vinny wants to say. Eh, actually that’s fair. Vinny doesn’t intimidate anyone.
December 2020 (10 months before that picture)
The first night at the Kingfisher, Rhody is a little skittish about Eric Bennett seeing them there together, but he gets over it quickly in favor of eyeing Bennett’s little preteen boyfriend.
“So what did it? Shane Hollander hitting on you?” Vinny would like Rhody’s eyes off of Kyle. Just because Kyle is taken, no other reasons.
Rhody looks back. “Yeah, actually. I still like women, don’t get me wrong, but that was kind of like… the opportunities doubled that day, you know?”
Vinny nods, “I do know. I’m the same way. Even though my ‘opportunities doubled’ in middle school.” Then he laughs, “But Shane Hollander is not one of those opportunities, for either of us.”
“Yeah, according to his statement he’s married? I’ve never known a happily married guy to hit on someone else, though. And I’m pretty sure he was hitting on me.”
“He is disgustingly happily married.” Vinny confirms, “But he was hitting on you, in his own weird way. Actually… I’m not sure what I should be telling you. But we were kind of roasting his gaydar. He thinks everyone is queer… because everyone probably is when Hollander’s in the room. He said you were, we all said no, so he wanted to prove it to us.”
“I was a bet? That’s kind of fucked up.”
“Yeah, it is. Oh! But part of Shane’s gaydar is he only assesses guys he thinks are attractive. So congrats on that, I guess. Still super married though.”
That compliment does seem to change Rhody’s mind about things. “I reached out to the Ringleader last week but no response yet.” Yeah, because Rozanov and Hollander probably aren’t done fucking about it. But Vinny can’t make that joke out loud.
“He’ll probably want to make super sure of you. Crowell might have spies infiltrating the group.” Vinny is still shaken by the rumors that Crowell is calling the rookies and threatening them.
“You think he would?” Rhody looks like Vinny is a tinfoil hat conspiracy theorist from r/MLHCorruption.
Vinny considers Rhody for a second. “This… thing? It’s not really good for your career. I know Rivera is cute enough to sell jerseys… eh you might be, too. And Hollander is good enough they can’t kick him off the team. But for most of us ugly mediocre guys, it’s going to be a struggle. Crowell fucking hates us.”
“Why?”
“Jilted by a gay lover.” Vinny deadpans. Rhody’s eyes widen until Vinny smirks, “I’m fucking with you! Can you imagine? His O-face would be magenta.” They both shudder.
Rhodes seems like he doesn’t want to acknowledge those downsides of Hollander’s effect on him. He quickly changes the subject. “Anyway, I haven’t acted on anything yet. I don’t know where to start.”
“You came to the right guy, all I can do is start.” Vinny catches what might have sounded like a pickup line. “That is to say, I’m good at the discreet dating game. I have plenty of tips.”
It’s weird, talking to someone without flirting or at least mentally undressing them. Hell, in a safe space like the Kingfisher he’d usually be comfortable sharing some PDA with his date. But Vinny is content to chat with Rhody and they end up laughing a lot. It seems like he really does just need a friend.
So they get to be friends. Vinny has fun showing Chucky around New York’s gay scene.
Years ago, just before the 2018 playoffs, Vinny noticed his second-year teammate, Rick D’Amato receiving text messages at the same time as Roz’s texts to Vinny. They’ve been going out every once in a while since, sometimes with Brophy, the team’s ally army liaison, sometimes Rick will bring a date. Vinny has been fiercely protective of Rick because Rozanov will sometimes ask for things that could potentially fuck up a career... or life. He finds himself volunteering for those tasks so Rick doesn’t have to.
Chucky agrees to be Known by Rick, so they all go out together now. Sometimes Eric Bennett’s boyfriend Kyle joins them because Bennett is too old to have fun with him. Kyle is more fun anyway; he’s just as bitchy as Vinny. They make a good little Sex in the City group showing Chucky the ropes. It’s fun, like a platonic relationship. It’s good because Vinny isn’t in an actual relationship for maybe the first time in his adult life.
That’s worrisome to Vinny’s mother. He was lucky to have been drafted an hour away from home, and visits often with his dates. Vinny has brought dozens of people home to meet the parents.
“You haven’t come here alone twice in a row since you were 19, Vin. What’s wrong with you?”
“Nothing, ma. Just not dating.”
It’s true. Even though he goes out whenever he can, he hasn’t picked someone up and told them to stay the weekend/week/month. He’s been busy showing Chucky around.
He can pinpoint exactly when Rozanov got his new friend in the bet because Rhody comes to the bar with glistening eyes.
“Ilya Rozanov??” he whispers excitedly.
Vinny smiles and recounts his first interaction with the unlikely Ringleader.
It was after a home game in February 2017. Vinny was coming off a 3-week injury that let him get out of All-Stars weekend. Vinny was surprised to see Ilya Rozanov in the parking garage instead of getting on his team bus. Rozanov was smoking a cigarette, leaning against a car, looking like a model. He straightened up when he saw Vinny, like he was waiting for him.
“Vincenzo Marcello.” God, Vinny never noticed how creepy his name sounded when uttered by a threatening Russian accent. It was like a witch’s spell or something.
“Please, Vincenzo Marcello was my great-great-grandfather. Vinny.”
“Ok.” Rozanov smoked his cigarette. “You are queer.”
That couldn’t be— maybe his English was wrong? “Uhhh, what?”
“Queer, gay, bi, whatever.” Rozanov brushed a hand through the air. So no, not a problem with the language.
Vinny knew he wasn’t the only one, that there were tons of queer guys in the league. Hell, he dated Ryan Price’s sloppy seconds for a whole four months after Price got traded. He saw the way Scott Hunter looked at dudes, or didn’t look at dudes. But Vinny was still cautious. He could lose his job if he was caught in a scandal. 99% of his ‘friends’ in the league would have disowned him or worse if they found out. Lots of these guys are super conservative.
And Rozanov was scary. He was unrepentant on the ice, insulting in his chirps. Clown to clown, Vinny knew some of it was an act, but not all of it could be. The guy was at least willing and able to start a fight, even if the position he plays isn’t meant to. For all Vinny knew, that could extend off the ice if provoked... like if he found out you were queer, or something. Hypothetically.
So between those factors, Rozanov asking about his sexuality— or, really, just stating it outright— in the middle of an empty parking garage freaked him the fuck out.
“What are you talking about, Rozanov?”
“I am.” He blew some smoke.
“…ok?” Vinny didn’t trust it. An opponent pulling this shit when they were both having decent seasons, probably trying to get Vinny out of the lineup… it was shady. He was probably recording him, waiting to sell it to TMZ or something. TMZ would ask ‘Who the fuck is Vinny Marcello?’ because hockey doesn’t make him a celebrity, really. But then Rozanov would send it to his team management, who would fire him.
“Relax.” Rozanov said, like that was a thing Vinny could do at that moment. “Why are you not out?”
“Me? Buddy, I don’t know what you’re looking for, but I don’t think it’s me.” Actually, Vinny would absolutely love to take Ilya Rozanov for a spin. But he never had sex with anyone without falling head over heels for them, and Rozanov didn’t seem like the type to be amenable to that.
Rozanov sighed, clearly frustrated. “Ok. I will just tell you about me. I like both. I think you might be the same. I have one steady man I like a lot.” Holy shit, Rozanov was not joking. For some reason one of those facts was more surprising than the other.
“No… You’re like, a slut right?”
“I have not been doing… the slutty thing. Recently. Just the one guy.”
“Like a boyfriend?”
“No!” Rozanov said defensively. “No, not like that.” …but that’s exactly what it sounded like. Vinny was even more confused.
“If you’re exclusively having sex with one guy, isn’t that a boyfriend?”
“No.” Rozanov insisted, “I could have sex with anyone. I don’t want anyone. I like this one guy.”
“So you’re having sex— exclusively— with someone you have feelings for? But he’s not your boyfriend.” Vinny knew he was getting hung up on this, but the concept was so foreign to him. “Is he with other people? That’s why?” That sucks, Vinny’s been there before.
This might have been a bad question to ask. Just when he was getting less scared of Rozanov, something really scary happened to the air between them. Rozanov stared at a spot on the ground with narrowed eyes like he was trying to set it on fire.
“He cannot be my boyfriend.”
“So he can have regular sex with you but—” They’re getting off track. “Ok. It doesn’t matter. Why are you telling me?”
“I am not out. So many reasons. But if I win the cup, this year. I will come out.”
Vinny’s jaw dropped. “Like… publicly?” Did Rozanov have a death wish? No one was out. It wasn’t just Russia who would kill Rozanov. It’s the league, and probably his not-boyfriend, and public opinion— Unlike Vinny, Rozanov was a celebrity. If you asked a random person to name a hockey player, they would say Ilya Rozanov. Or Shane Hollander. Maybe, if they were from the area, they’d know Scott Hunter. This was the dumbest thing Vinny had ever heard. It would burn hockey to the ground.
“Yes, like publicly.” Ilya took another drag of his cigarette. “Will you do it too?”
Hell no. But saying that here would confirm his suspicions. “Do what?”
“God, this sucks.” Rozanov tipped his head back and said something in Russian. Then, “I need to start carrying around a picture of me sucking dick so you people trust me.”
“You don’t already? I have a whole photo album in my wallet.” Vinny joked. “I hand them out like business cards.”
Rozanov laughed and Vinny surrendered, “Ok.” Making people laugh always eases him and crushes his defenses. “What exactly are you asking me, again?”
“Just… like a bet. If you win the cup, you come out. If I win, I will. Someone needs to be the first and then everyone else can come out.”
Vinny almost asked if Rozanov was planning on throwing games so he didn’t have to come out, but actually that would be fine. So he shrugged.
“Alright. Ok. I can do that.” They shook on it. Vinny knew he probably wouldn’t win anyway. He opened his mouth to tell Rozanov to ask Scott Hunter and Ryan Price, too, but decided against it. He went a little more subtle, “I think it’s New York’s year anyway. And you guys play Buffalo soon too, right?”
Rozanov nodded with a mischievous twinkle in his eye.
Four months after that, Vinny watched the 2017 cup from his couch with… ah fuck who was it? Daniella was earlier in the year, right? And Javi was later in the summer. It must have been Ash. Anyway. He was with someone on his couch when the Admirals won. Vinny didn’t really care to watch all the circle-jerking after the game ended, and he didn’t have any good friends on the Admirals, so he went to get another round of drinks from the kitchen.
When he got back, the handshake line was— oh hang on. Hunter hugged Lundin? He was whispering something? Vinny didn’t know they were on hugging-and-whispering terms. Lundin pulled back looking relieved and said “good luck.” Hunter looked nervous, like he was about to do something dumb.
Holy shit. Rozanov actually made this bet with other people?
Vinny: how many of us did you have??
Rozanov didn’t respond.
Scott Hunter called some farmhand down from the stands, and they started making out. What the fuck?
It was so shocking and mesmerizing and badass, Vinny couldn’t look away. Scott Hunter had already impregnated the little mechanic’s face with his tongue when Vinny was brought back to earth by his phone buzzing.
Rozanov: so many
Vinny: a number, jackass.
Rozanov: 12 made the bet.
Vinny: Jesus. Ok.
Vinny: Hunter’s boyfriend is hot
Rozanov: he is waiting for next year and he will be a widow and inherit everything.
Vinny could not have known then what this thing would become. Because obviously Rozanov didn’t tell him, for one. But more importantly, no one knew.
Roz texted him in the Fall of 2017 asking if he’d come out now that the ice was broken. But that didn’t seem fair... Scott Hunter gets this fanfare and a summer dedicated to him, everyone else has to just be a wimp? No. He’ll do it with a splash or not at all.
This led to some admittedly strange behavior on Vinny’s part, he won’t lie. He wanted badly to recreate Scott Hunter’s cup kiss, to the point where he’d break up with a woman if they were dating before the playoffs. It needed to be another man coming down on the ice to greet him. He dated other players’ brothers a lot, especially on good teams who were likely to see a cup. The odds of the brother, let alone the brother’s date getting to go on the ice with the families were slim-to-none, but slightly better than New Jersey’s odds at a cup, especially with Rozanov rigging every game.
Another player would be the best bet, but Vinny didn’t see the appeal of shitting where he eats. He also had heard horror stories from Lundin. Over time he learned about Hollander and Rozanov, then Rivera and Melnyk, but those couples both had these epic love stories that spanned decades... Vinny would probably just have his standard few months of getting too attached and weirding the other guy out. How do you see each other at work after that? Plus, long distance is a hard no for Vinny, who needs to live on top of his significant other. He has no clue how Rozanov and Hollander live two hours away and make it work.
“So?” Vinny asks Chucky Rhodes, who is still reeling from the Ringleader’s identity reveal, “Did you make a bet?”
“I guess. I still don’t really know if I’d do it, but I guess I have a few months to figure it out. My team might not get very far. Hopefully, anyway.”
Vinny laughs. “It changes everything, right? At least at first, you don’t know if you actually want to win the cup. But now, I want that moment like Scott Hunter had.”
“We’re running out of time for that. You only have a few more shots before you retire. You got a back-up plan?”
“I’ll figure it out.” Vinny brushes his hand through the air.
He tries not to look as annoyed as he is. Yes, he wants the cup moment to be RASHYCOCK. But he wants to feel useful, too. If Rozanov needs someone to come out, he would. He almost dropped everything to help Melnyk when Roz asked last season.
But now kids are clamoring to come out. At the awards last year, they had to take a fucking vote. So Vinny feels like he missed the opportunity to make it known he wants to come out. He has a good 5, maybe 6 more years of hockey. Then he’ll probably stretch it until the team puts him out to pasture. Every year, the chances of RASHYCOCK Vinny Marcello dwindle a little more.
April 2021 (6 months before that picture)
His fate is the exact opposite of what Vinny wanted, not a bang but a whimper: his name is in the leaked Crowell audio. It’s kind of cool, don’t get me wrong. But now it’s just kind of… speculated. A known secret that’s not even really a secret. It’s not the shock and scandal of making out with a man on the ice after winning a cup. Maybe that’s just not in the cards for him. Hell, it might not even be that scandalous or shocking anymore. Vinny explains this to Rhody the best he can, but this isn’t a problem with being bisexual in hockey. This is just a Vinny Marcello problem, so why would anyone else care? Rhody indulges him and listens anyway, which is more kind than Vinny thinks he deserves. Maybe they’ve turned into actual friends.
It would make sense. Vinny has made some of his closest friends, his only friends that remain just friends, through this group. If you asked him years ago whether he’d be invited to Scott Hunter’s wedding or texting weekly with Ilya Rozanov, he would tell you to fuck off. It kind of sucks because it means his best friend lives in Anaheim, but they go to the Kingfisher whenever Antonio is in town to play any of the area teams.
Vinny has also been going to the Kingfisher with Chucky every time they’re both in town and Scott Hunter is not.
So when Anaheim comes to New Jersey on one of these rare days, Vinny makes the very, very stupid decision to not cancel either of the standing plans. He texts both Antonio and Chucky to make sure it’s ok if they know each other. Then, he feels a little weird about it just being the three of them. So he asks Rick D’Amato to come. And texts Kyle to make sure he’ll be at the bar.
They’re having fun. Well, Vinny thinks they are. Until he gets up to get another round and Antonio corners him at the bar.
He’s smiling devilishly, “Dude, what is going on over there?”
“You’ll have to be more specific.”
“I’m not talking about D’Amato’s weird new haircut— though we probably should at some point. He looks like the asparagus from VeggieTales.”
“The asparagus from VeggieTales is sexy.”
Antonio ignores this. “Is Rhodes living with you?”
Vinny almost drops the drink the non-Kyle bartender just handed him. “What? Where’d you get that idea?”
“The fact that you haven’t hooked up with anyone and not had them move in. Since I’ve known you.”
“That’s not—” Ok yeah, that’s true. “I’m not hooking up with anyone.”
“Yeah, right. That would also be new for you.” Tony raises an eyebrow when it becomes clear Vinny is serious. “You got a rule or something?”
“A rule?”
“Yeah. Like, Doblen is constantly saying he won’t hook up with hockey players.”
“That’s bullshit, I’m pretty sure he’s hooked up with—”
“I know,” Antonio waves a hand through the air. “But you don’t have a rule?”
“You finally hitting on me? I could never make long distance work.” Vinny jokes. They are not each other's type. Well, Vinny doesn’t really have a type, but Antonio does.
“Fine, be a dick. I’ll just ask Rhody what’s going on.”
“Don’t!” Vinny says quickly. This conversation is awful, but he can’t let Rhody ever know it happened. “We’re just being friends, I don’t know.” This is true, Vinny doesn’t actually know what’s going on here. Since the first few times, he always thinks he’s being annoying, so he lets Rhody ask to hang out first. But Rhody has asked almost every time they’ve had the opportunity. They text in between, too, stupid memes and jokes about the teams they’re playing. They gossip a lot. Vinny hasn’t done the stupid thing he always does when making a new friend, he hasn’t fallen completely in love. He doesn’t think so, anyway, it doesn’t feel like that.
Something about his face must tell Antonio the subject is off-limits. They leave it at that, but it doesn’t stop the snide smirks Antonio and Rick keep sharing, or Kyle whispering to the two of them. Or Vinny blushing every time that happens.
Cup night, 2021 (4 months before that picture)
Vinny steps out onto yet another deck at Rozanov’s house, completely lost with no clue how to get back to the party. Two rookies emerge from a shadow and scramble through the door he just exited, looking suspiciously like they were up to no good. He’ll save that gossip for Hunter’s wedding anniversary. He leans against the banister and just breathes in the night air, the sounds of the party either on the deck above or the one below him. Maybe he got lost for a reason.
He’s not alone for long. A sliding door opens behind him and Shane Hollander steps out, without Rozanov for the first time probably all night.
“Hey. You got our Russian tumor removed?” Vinny was starting to actually fear the two had melded together.
“Wow, fuck you. Now I’m definitely not giving Wayne your number.” Shane gets a small smile. Is he drunk? “I think you can do better anyway. He’s a fucking terrible goalie.”
“Maybe that’s my type.”
“You should aim for a good goalie. Like Chucky Rhodes.” Shane giggles.
Why is Shane saying that name at Vinny? He looks like the name is an inside joke for them. Chucky doesn’t want to be out to everyone, that's why he’s not here tonight. But he kind of is out to Shane. After all, Shane kind of set him on the course he's on now.
“I think you changed a life that day.”
Shane looks surprised. “I really didn’t mean to. I really thought he was already…”
“He wasn’t. Power of Shane Hollander.”
“No way. Fuck off.” Shane blushes. “Wait, how do you know? Does Ilya have him?”
Ah, fuck. Vinny is confirming what was just a suspicion. “We live closeby. We talk.”
“You talk.” Shane smiles like he’s gloating. “Are you jealous that I was the one who turned him?”
“No one should have taught you the concept of ‘turning’ anyone.”
“But they did,” He teases. Vinny has never seen this man inebriated. It’s super fucking attractive. “So you and Rhodes? PROLAPSE?”
“What? No!” Vinny’s throat feels tight. “No, we’re friends.” Shane hums in response. And maybe it’s his own alcohol content, or the fact that it seems like Shane isn’t going to remember this in the morning, but Vinny continues, “I’ve never been friends with someone who lives nearby. Like, just to hang out, not fuck and seriously contemplate a future.”
“My mom says it’s good to be friends with someone before getting together.”
“Oh? That worked so well for you?” Vinny says. Shane married his arch nemesis.
“Shut up.” Shane says playfully. Then he gets more serious. “Ilya and I were… friends. For a long time before we got together.”
“Shane Hollander, am I hearing guarded lore?” Rozanov is always seriously careful about muddying their timeline as much as possible. No one really has any idea how they got together. Even Scott Hunter holds onto what he knows.
“I can tell you, you’re not the press.” Shane considers this, “Actually, I probably shouldn’t even tell you.” He shrugs and continues anyway. “But yeah, we knew each other before we got serious.”
Vinny exhales. Here goes. “We haven’t done anything. But I haven’t dated anyone since I started hanging out with him.”
“That’s big for you. Has he?”
“I don’t think so. I think he would tell me.”
“I was a lot happier when Ilya told me he wasn’t with anyone else.” Shane looks like he’s admitting something he doesn’t often say, “I wish we had done that sooner. So maybe you should tell him that.”
God, is he getting relationship advice from Shane Hollander, and is it kind of spot-on?
And hang on— “Wait. When I made the bet, 2017, right after All-Stars. Rozanov told me he was exclusive with some guy for a long time, that was you?”
“He said we were exclusive? For a long time?” Shane looks dreamy and sighs, “I gotta go find him.” He wanders off without another word. Vinny thinks maybe Rozanov owes him for the impending orgasm he’s about to receive, but tonight there were probably thousands of things he could have said to set Shane on the same course. It’s not the first time Vinny has been jealous of those two at these events, but usually he has someone of his own to text or lean on and pretend he has the same thing. He pulls out his phone and stares at Chucky’s contact. It’s 3 in the morning, and Vinny’s not in a sober state to be making decisions that would involve actually clicking on the name, but he can stare at it, right? No harm in that.
When Vinny gets back from the Ottawa cup celebrations, he goes for a night out with Rhody. It’s been a few weeks, and Vinny doesn’t really know if they’ll keep hanging out in the off-season. But when he texted, Rhody agreed to come hang out at a different place. They checked out a bunch of bars when Rhody first started exploring, but hadn’t been back to this one in a while, mostly confined to the Kingfisher. During the off-season, they don’t have Scott Hunter’s schedule, though, and they still don’t want to run into him. This place has booths and a dance floor just like all the places they like, even though they always opt to sit and talk.
“...so the guy’s name was Wainwright Strainer.” Which, Vinny realizes as he says it, isn't actually all that funny without spilling a few beans to answer the background questions.
Like, “Wait, why did Rozanov have to make up a fake gay?”
Vinny brushes the air, “No idea.” Rhody doesn’t know about Rozanov and Shane, and he doesn’t have to. Vinny is quick to change the subject. “You hear Rozanov is looking for MICROPEENs? People who want to come out while there’s a big media distraction. It sounds up your alley.” Chucky doesn’t want to make a splash like Vinny does.
“Nah. I’ll figure something else out.”
“Good, now I can make fun of these MICROPEENs.” Vinny doesn’t, though. Any judgement he’d pass about the wimps who want to fade out of the closet might apply to Chucky, too. “Anyway. What are you up to?”
“I’ve come up with some acronyms for your list.” Rhody pulls up the Notes app on his phone. “What about BUTTMUNCH?”
They do this for a while. Then Rhody chews his lip. “I’m going to get another round. Do you maybe…” he looks around, “you wanna maybe scope the place out? Or check out the dance floor or something?”
Vinny is being hit by a train, surely. The realization floods every sense and overwhelms his nervous system. This guy just wanted to be shown the gay ropes and Vinny turned this into a weekly gab sesh. They’ve never hit the dance floor, and with the exception of a tour the first time they were here, they never really left this booth. Same with every bar they frequent. But Rhody probably doesn’t want to spend all his gay exploratory time sitting in a booth with his coworker, he probably wants to find someone to dance with. And get laid.
And then the train pulls into reverse and backs over Vinny’s body. He doesn’t want Rhody dancing with someone. Vinny has never once been jealous of anyone. He’s never wanted to keep someone for himself. He probably should have been more protective— he’s been cheated on more times than he can count. But even then, he broke up with them because he figured they didn’t like him as much as they liked whoever they cheated with. He was sad, not angry.
But if Rhody danced with someone right now, Vinny would lose his fucking mind.
“If you want to dance, you can. I can head out.” He chugs the rest of his drink to make good on that promise.
“No!” Rhody puts his hand over Vinny’s. “No, sorry. We can keep talking. Sorry, it was dumb.” But Rhody’s hand is still on him. “I don’t want to dance without you.”
A tractor-trailer collides with the train on top of Vinny’s body.
Vinny swallows and looks at the hand. “I don’t want you to dance without me, either.”
“Can… let me rephrase. Do you want to go dance, with me?”
Vinny nods.
Present: Fall 2021
Vinny stares at his phone, showing a picture of something he has now done dozens of times with this person and never gotten caught. They’ve gotten less cautious about it. Neither of them really would lose much if they got outed. It’s not like it was a few years ago.
It puts a damper on the plan they made last month, when they realized no one but the Cens would win the cup, maybe ever again. Chucky vowed to help Vinny come out with a splash. The next time Vinny scores on Rhody, they would pull a Scott Hunter. Who better to help him with this than his first-ever fuckbuddy, someone Vinny just casually enjoys being around?
Almost no other hockey players would be surprised about Vinny himself. The last shocking surprise Vinny had was Chucky.
But now, with this picture, it seems like just another hole punched in the bottom of a bucket. The secret is dripping out, not splashing at all. It sucks.
Charlene Rhonda: so, Rozanov has this picture… have you seen it?
Vinny: yeah. No one is leaking it, but all the guys have it. Probably the ally army, too.
Vinny: I’m sorry
Charlene Rhonda: What? Why?
Vinny: I feel bad, everyone knew about me already, but not about you.
Charlene Rhonda: What are you talking about? I don’t care.
Charlene Rhonda: I feel bad for you, I know this isn’t the way you wanted to do anything.
Vinny never responded to that message last night; he doesn’t know what to say. It’s true. When he gets to the hotel room for his away game, he stares at the last texts. It’s weird to think just twelve hours ago he was grinding up on a really hot guy, and today the guy is texting him, but there are no moving boxes at Vinny’s house. As he’s staring, he gets another text.
Charlene Rhonda: Ok. Well do you want me to start sending this around instead?
Charlene Rhonda: [photo]
Vinny opens the picture and laughs through the panic attack.
It’s the same picture from the club. But what was a dark dance floor is now the bright white of a hockey rink. It’s a crude photoshop job, nothing fancy. In fact, the charm is how badly the lines of their bodies are cut out. The lighting is all wrong. But the details are fun. Chucky put jerseys on all the people surrounding them, including a few drag queens. One dancer in the background had his hands raised up, and now there is a cup in his hands. The same left skate is copy and pasted on every foot you can see. And the disco ball is a Jumbotron.
Vinny: You did this?
Charlene Rhonda: you like it? I could maybe get Scott Hunter in there crying if it will make you feel better.
Uh-oh.
This is much worse than anything Vinny thought it was. He thought the difference between how he felt in the past and how he feels about Chucky was the reason not to commit to a relationship. But this feels—
His revelation is cut short by the phone in his hand ringing. It’s Chucky. Vinny clears his throat and tries to stave off the panic. “Hello?”
“Hi, sorry. I thought maybe you were mad about it, I was just trying to make a stupid joke from the picture, it—”
“No! No… it’s perfect.” Vinny tries to sound unaffected, but his heart has been doing something insane since he saw the photoshopped picture.
Chucky seems relieved to hear it. “Ok good. I just wanted to make you laugh, I know this stuff bums you out. I remember you said it feels like it’s a slow leak and not an explosion.”
“That was so long ago. How do you remember that?”
“I remember everything you say. I’m your boyfriend, that’s my job.”
…what?
Vinny didn’t know he had a boyfriend. “Wh— we’ve never said that.”
“Oh? Sorry, is that not…?”
“No— well are you sure?”
Chucky sounds like he’s smiling. “Of course I’m sure. I like you. You like me, right? It’s not just… I mean hooking up is cool too, I guess, but—”
“Rhody, I’m going to post this picture.” Vinny suddenly wishes they were in the same room, not hundreds of miles away from each other at away games.
“Oh. The…?” he trails off.
“Yours. Your version.” Vinny clarifies. “Can I?”
“Yeah. Yes, yeah. I wish I could be there with you. It’ll be ok?”
Chucky never wanted a big splash, but just being implicated in Vinny’s splash means he’ll only get a ripple. It’s kind of perfect. He won’t need to make a statement or actually make out on the ice or anything.
“Yeah. It’ll be good.”
@WinnyMarcello
[Poorly photoshopped photo]
Breaking news: After winning the cup last night, I brought my WAG to the ice and celebrated Scott Hunter-style. So weird no one has come out in the Fall, when the real cup finals are played. 🏳️🌈 🏳️🌈 🏳️🌈 I am the #7 #FREAK and #PROLAPSE
@RhodesInGoal: I didn’t consent to you being the one winning the cup in this scenario, but ok.
RASHYCOCK + DICK COMA + PENIS Group Chat
Hunter added Vinny and Charlene Rhonda to the group chat
Hunter: I’d like it on the record that I never wanted Marcello in here. But hey Rhodes, nice to see you!
Hunter: And I guess it’s nice to see you here too, Vinny.
Melnyk: you’re just jealous because he’s our real dad
Vinny: Feel like I just got into a Freemason temple
Barrett: This is going to be so shitty in four months.
Hollander: Do I get any credit for this?? I feel like I’m going to take credit for this.
Rozfather: How? This was all me.
Hollander: ??? Are you fucking kidding?
Hollander: I told Marcello to go for it.
Vinny: And we all know I only go for it when Shane Hollander tells me to.
Lundin: Ok ok, FREAK?
Vinny: ...yes?
Bennett: I hate this group
Vinny: Fellowship of Rozanov’s Elite Anal Kings
Charlene Rhonda: I don’t even know why I gave him BUTTMUNCH if he wasn’t going to use it
Melnyk: You’re clearly not munching butt for the right reasons
Rivera: be nice to him, he’s new to this
Charlene Rhonda: you know you don’t have to be with men to munch butts, right?
Lundin: ugh too many bi guys in here now, I don’t want to have to talk about sex with women
Vinny: ok, we can talk about sex with Doblen if you want
Hunter: I regret saying it was nice to see you in here.