Not a Duck, Never a Warrior
Disclaimer-Not mine
Adam yanked open the door to his dorm room and tossed his coat in the corner. His whole body ached from the multiple slams into the ice Charlie had dealt him. He sat down on the bed and buried his face in his hands. How had it come to this? He'd had nothing to do with the pranks that Varsity had been pulling on his old teammates. When he'd seen his clothes freeze dried along with the other Varsity players it had hurt so much. He felt like he did when he first joined the Ducks. At least back then Charlie had been willing to stick by him.
"Why Charlie?" he muttered into his hands. "Why did you turn on me?" He had tried to explain to Charlie that he hadn't known about the dinner. He'd tried to go back when they were in the parking lot and Riley had let him in on the joke. He rubbed his sore ribs…
Adam was confused. What the heck was going on? Riley and Scooter were pushing him outside.
"Oh man this is gonna be so sweet!" Cole said.
"What's going on?" Adam said. "Where are we going?" Riley laughed.
"Home." Adam felt sick as he realized what was going on. There had never been any tradition. They were gonna stick his friends with the check. There was no way they'd be able to pay for that dinner. He couldn't let it happen. He couldn't do that do his friends.
"I'm going back," he said turning around and starting to head back into the restaurant. He'd call his dad, he'd loan them the cash. Maybe then his friends would see that he hadn't abandoned them.
"The hell you are," Riley snarled grabbing him roughly. "You're varsity now. You're one of us. You better start acting like it." Adam ripped his arm roughly out of Riley's grasp.
"No," he said. "I won't let you do this."
"Why do you care about those jerks Banks?" Scooter said. "They iced your clothes right along with the rest of ours. As far as they're concerned you're with us."
"I'm not with you!" Adam shouted. "I never was!" Suddenly the wind was knocked out of him as Riley drove his fist into Adam's stomach. Adam barely had time to register the pain when he was on the ground. He shouted in pain as Riley's foot connected with his ribs. He tried to curl himself up to protect himself but Riley kicked him again.
"Hey enough!" Scooter shouted grabbing Riley. Adam reached up to his side. His ribs were aching, had Riley broken them?
"Put him in the car and let's get the hell out of here." Adam groaned as he was hauled to his feet. The ride back to the dorm was hazy. Somehow he'd found his way to his room. He hadn't even bothered to undress just collapsed on his bed. He'd been in a dead sleep when Riley and Scooter had woken him, covered in ant bites and informed him that they were playing the JV's at dawn.
He lifted up his shirt. There was a new bruise on his shoulder where Charlie had slammed him. It was not nearly as bad as his ribs. He laid down carefully and buried his head in the pillow. God, how had this happened? He wasn't a Duck anymore but he could never be a Warrior. He groaned as there was a knock on the door. Oh god what now?
"Adam, are you in there?" Adam raised his head. It was Guy.
"Yeah," he called. "Hang on a sec." He stared at his shirt. He was too sore to try and put it back on. He grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his neck. Hopefully, that would hide the bruises. He opened the door. Guy stood there, looking slightly uncomfortable.
"What are you doing here?" Adam said standing in the opening.
"Can we talk?" Guy said. Adam bit his lip. He and Guy had never been that close. Sure they'd gotten to know each other a little when they'd been roomed together for the Goodwill Games but they didn't hang out on a regular basis since Guy was usually attached to Connie at the hip and even before all this mess Connie hadn't been his favorite person.
"Adam please," Guy said. Adam sighed and opened the door. He stepped back and let Guy come in. The other boy stood there with his hands in his pockets looking everywhere but at Adam.
"So what do you want to talk about?" Guy ran a hand over his hair.
"I just…I guess I wanted to make sure you were okay. Charlie was pretty rough with you." Adam scoffed.
"I can handle Spazway. He hits like a girl." Guy smiled a little.
"Why are you really here Guy? Shouldn't you be with the other Ducks instead of with the traitor!" He hadn't meant to shout.
"I don't think you're a traitor man," Guy said. Adam felt a little jump in his heart at that but he couldn't find it in himself even to smile.
"You don't," Adam said.
"No way man," Guy said. "You didn't ask to be on Varsity. They put you on Varsity cause you're a great hockey player." Adam bit his lip hard. All the anger he'd been feeling lately was starting to bubble to the surface.
"Yeah well tell the ducks that! Hell, tell Varsity that! This was the first time I've been on the ice all season! The coach is a total asshole, won't let me play! But that doesn't matter to anybody! I'm on that team so I'm a traitor!" He hadn't meant to go off on Guy but he just couldn't take it anymore.
"If it had been you, or Charlie, or Fulton man, the team would have been happy for you. But because it's me, little rich boy from Edina I'm a damned sell out." In frustration he threw the towel against the wall. He heard Guy gasp and suddenly remembered the bruises. He tried to turn away but Guy grabbed his arm.
"Damn Adam," Guy hissed. "I didn't think Charlie hit you that hard." Adam turned away and hung his head.
"This wasn't from Charlie," he said softly. Guy looked confused.
"Riley?" he asked. Adam sucked in his breath trying not to let the tears fall. He sat down on the bed and held his hands to his head.
"I didn't know they were gonna stick you with the check," he said. "We got out to the parking lot and they were all laughing. I tried to go back and warn you guys. I would have called my dad…at least I would have stayed and helped do the dishes. Riley…he was pretty mad."
"I'm so sorry Adam," Guy said sitting down on the bed beside him and wrapping his arm around Adam. Adam stiffened at Guy's touch but he didn't pull away. The tears that had been welling up in his eyes fell down his face. Guy held him tighter as he started shaking.
"I'm not Warrior, I've never been a Duck," Adam whispered. "I don't know who the hell I am anymore."
"Yeah," Guy said. "I know how you feel."
"No you don't," Adam said. "You've always been a Duck. You've always belonged to the team ever since it was District 5. Before Bombay."
"Yeah, well things change," Guy said bitterly. "The Ducks ain't the ducks no more. Heck, we may not even be a team anymore."
"What do you mean," Adam asked. Guy sighed.
"Charlie quit," he said. Adam looked up in shock.
"What? He quit?"
"Yeah, and Fulton quit with him," Guy said in disgust. Adam couldn't believe it. Charlie had turned into a real jerk lately but he never thought he'd quit. Charlie loved hockey almost as much as he did, or as much as he used to.
"That's why I came here," Guy said. "The team's falling apart. We need you to come back." Adam looked at him in disbelief.
"They need me? Guy they HATE me," Adam said.
"No they don't," Guy said. "I promise they don't. When we set those ants on the team, no one even thought about setting them on you." Adam ran his hand over his eyes. He wanted to believe Guy. He wanted to go back. He didn't belong on Varsity. He just didn't know if it was possible.
"I don't know," he said. Guy squeezed his shoulder.
"Will you think about it?" Adam sighed. They sat in silence for a long time. Adam glanced at the clock. It was past 10.
"Oh man," Adam said. "You missed curfew." Guy glanced at the clock and laughed.
"Just another black mark on my record," Guy said getting up.
"Wait," Adam said. "Just stay here tonight." Guy gave him a look.
"Yeah right," he said.
"I'm serious," Adam said. "If you get caught you'll just give the dean another reason to kick you out. It's not like you and I never shared a room." Guy shrugged and nodded.
"Fair point," he said. "You got an extra pillow and blanket?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well you're injured so there's no way I'm gonna make you sleep on the floor, and it doesn't look all that soft." Adam rolled his eyes.
"Oh grow up will ya," he said. "The bed's big enough for both of us." Guy looked away and his ears turned pink.
"I don't know," Guy said. Adam grinned.
"I promise not to grope you," he said raising his right hand. Guy laughed.
"I don't know if I trust you," Guy said. "This bod of mine is pretty irresistible." He punctuated the statement by flexing his bicep. Adam laughed so hard he nearly fell off the bed.
"As fabulous as your bod may be," Adam said when he could breathe again. "It's not worth the beating Connie would give me." Guy's smile vanished and he looked down.
"I don't think she'd mind too much," Guy said softly so Adam almost didn't hear him. "Okay, I'll stay." Adam got up and went to his dresser and pulled out two sets of sweats. He passed one pair to Guy.
"I'll change in the bathroom," he said. He took a little longer brushing his teeth and changing into his pajamas than he usually did so as to give Guy a chance to change. When he returned Guy had laid his clothes over Adam's desk chair and was dressed in Adam's sweatpants which were a bit long on him, Guy being several inches shorter than him.
"After you," Guy said gesturing to the bed. Adam pulled back the covers and slid into bed. He shifted a little till he was comfortable and then patted the space beside him. After a moment of hesitation Guy climbed in beside him. There was a little shifting, Guy's ears growing red when his body touched Adam's but he was finally still.
"Comfy?" Adam asked. Guy smacked him on the arm. Adam grinned and reached over and turned out the light.
"Goodnight Guy," he said.
"Night Adam," Guy said turning on his side. Adam lay against the pillow, exhausted but unable to sleep.
"Guy," he said.
"Yeah," Guy's voice came back in the dark.
"Whatever happens, thanks."
"Anytime Adam."
When Adam woke the next morning Guy was gone but there was something on the nightstand that hadn't been there before. Adam picked it up. It was a picture of him and Guy from the Goodwill Games. They were standing under a Rodeo Drive street sign. Guy had his arm around Adam's shoulder and they were both pointing up at the sign. They had been wondering around Beverly Hills with Connie, Charlie, Julie, Jesse and Luis. Julie had had her camera out and was snapping pictures of everything. They had been standing under the street sign when Julie had told them to freeze. It had been one of the best times of his life.
Adam cheered as he shot the puck into the goal. Pain exploded through his arm as Sanderson's stick came down on his arm.
"Adam you okay?" Guy's voice said in his ear.
"I'm okay" he said waving them off.
"You sure Banksie?" Charlie said.
"I'm okay," he said again. He couldn't let them know he was hurt….
"God, can you believe Bombay!" Guy groaned as he collapsed on the bed. Adam stepped inside and shut the door. His wrist felt like it was on fire. Twelve to one. They'd played terribly. The only goal they'd scored and he'd suffered the price for it.
"Oh man, I'm not gonna be able to move tomorrow," Adam wasn't listening as he pulled off his jacket with his good hand. He turned away from Guy and slowly rotated his wrist. He winced loudly and quickly tried to hide it.
"Adam," Guy's voice was right behind him. He tried to hide his wrist but Guy was too quick for him. He nearly howled in agony as Guy grabbed his wrist.
"Jeeze Adam," he said his eyes wide.
"I'm okay," Adam said.
"The hell you are," Guy said. "Your wrist could be broken. Why didn't you say anything?"
"If Bombay knew I was hurt he wouldn't let me play. I have to play."
"Adam," Guy said.
"Please Guy," Adam said seizing Guy's arm. "You can't say anything." Guy was frowning but he nodded. He got up and went to the freezer that sat in one corner of the room. He pulled out a tray of ice and set in on top of the freezer. Then he dug through his bags and pulled out an ice bag. Adam watched as Guy dumped the ice and put it into the bag.
"Here," he said handing Adam the bag. "Keep the swelling down at least." Adam took the bag gratefully.
"Thanks, man."
Guy hadn't said anything at the time, but Adam remembered how at the next game Guy had skated extra close to him, taking most of the hits that could have been meant for him. Then after Bombay had finally gotten his head out of his ass and quit acting like a crazy dictator he had confronted Adam about his injury and made him get it x-rayed. Bombay had told him later that it had been Guy who told him he should check on Adam. He had wanted to be angry at Guy for betraying him but he couldn't. Not when Guy had been trying to look after him. He flipped the photo over and saw the message in Guy's handwriting.
"Ducks Fly Together" Adam swallowed hard. He glanced at the clock. It was still early but Coach Wilson was probably already in his office. He got up and dressed quickly. He needed to see the Varsity coach right now. He needed to tell him he was going back to his REAL team.
Like it? Hate it? Let me know. There will be more coming. Guy and Adam are just too amazing to leave this as a one shot