#ijaoe

He played well when he was called up for half a dozen games at the end of last season when half the roster they started with was out on IR. And he's been pushing himself to keep up with Bryce in training all summer, which he hasn't quite managed to do, but then again neither can most of the league.

It only didn't come up last year because Bryce was one of the half that were out, home with a separated shoulder while Jared played his first NHL games.

"We're not telling anyone anything" Bryce says, sounding worried and confused and Jared is fucking this conversation up.

"No, not like that. But like it's going to be pretty obvious we've met before," Jared says, because like, yeah, they're not sitting down and telling people about their relationship. They've had that conversation ad nauseum, and as much as he's not planning to hide, he needs to make the team first. He's not going to take himself out of contention with off-ice drama now.

"I don't see why," Bryce says.

"What, are you going to introduce yourself to me like we've never met before?" Jared asks. "Because that would be weird."

"I'm not part of the welcoming committee or anything. If I don't say anything, no one will bother with me about it." Bryce trails off, like he's not sure how to explain it to Jared.

Jared liked all the guys well enough last year, hockey guys are hockey guys, although he was too focused on trying to prove himself on the ice to really get to know anyone off it. But Jared gets enough to know that Bryce doesn't really have friends on the team. Jared kind of hopes that someone does notice something about them, not that Bryce and Jared are together, but that they were wrong about Bryce.

"Okay, but like, what if someone does notice?" Jared says.

"Lie about it," Bryce says, like it's just that easy.

"When have you ever known me to successfully lie about anything?" Jared says, because he can't lie to save his life. He's good at saying as little as possible when he doesn't want his parents to know something, and playing the pronoun game when guys talk about hooking up, but actual lying is something he sucks at.

"That's just because you don't want to lie to me," Bryce says, and it's sweet that Bryce thinks that.

"Um, no. If I could lie, I definitely would have told you I loved that pendent when you gave it to me." Jared reaches out to touch where he knows his initials are resting over Bryce's breastbone under his t-shirt. If Jared could lie he absolutely would have been appropriately thankful about like, any gift Bryce has ever spent too much money on. He thinks that's the sort of little white lie that would be good for a relationship. But he can’t lie, and the truth is that he likes the pendent a lot more on Bryce than he ever would have if he kept it for himself.

Bryce takes Jared's hand, twining their fingers together and letting them fall to his lap. "What do you want to say then?"

Jared shrugs. "I don't know. The truth, I guess, or at least a little of it. That we met at a hockey clinic you were helping to coach. That we're friends."

"Okay," Bryce says. "If someone notices, you can say that we're friends." Bryce pauses before continuing resignedly "But I bet no one will."

"What are we betting?" Jared asks, because that's too sad of a thought otherwise.

"Blowjobs?" Bryce offers, and Jared is suddenly startlingly aware of the way Bryce's thumb is stroking at the back of his hand.

"Giving or receiving?" Jared says, pretty sure they're getting this whole wager thing wrong if he can't tell the winning scenario from the losing scenario. He's not complaining either way. Everyone should have a boyfriend as into giving head as Bryce is.

"Winners choice," Bryce says.

"If you want to blow me, you don't need to lose a bet to do it," Jared says.

"I'm not going to lose," Bryce says, pushing Jared back on the couch. Jared reaches out to pull Bryce with him, so he lands sprawled on his back under Bryce.

"If you want to blow me, you don't need to win a bet to do it either," Jared says, grinning up at Bryce.

Bryce doesn't answer. He just kisses Jared instead.