Like To Be You ✓

thirty two

*unedited bc it's 4 am and i should sleep

o-o-o

Ninety minutes before the game is to begin, I sneak into the locker room. It's mostly empty, with the exception of Tyler and Ryan Webber, who are having an intense discussion beside Tyler's locker.

"... so if they're ahead of us, I told Foster to take Hamilton's place in the second half. You know how restless he gets."

When I let the door shut behind me, they both look up immediately.

"Hey, Graham." Ryan notices me first. "Whatchu doin' here?"

Tyler, who had turned to slip on his shirt, stops midway and looks over it at me. He smiles.

"Just wanted to wish you guys luck." I say, my eyes fixed on Tyler. His ears turn red. Ryan raises his eyebrows in amusement and nods.

"Well, I'll leave you two to it." He says, thumping my back as he leaves the room with a weird smile on his face.

I lean against the wall and smile at Tyler. "Hey."

"Hey, you," he says, reaching for a kiss. "You really came in so early to wish me luck?"

"That, and I was horny." I pull his face back for another kiss. His laughter vibrates through my body. I nearly melt.

When we pull away, his lips are red, just like the candy apple I'm holding away from our bodies so it doesn't stick to our shirts. Tyler's eyes follow my arm and land on the apple.

"Take a bite," I say. "For good luck."

He hesitates.

"Coach say 'no sugar, you'll burn out early, blah blah blah'?"

One corner of his lips pulls up. I have my answer.

"C'mon," I say, nudging it towards his mouth. "Just one bite. Meera says something sweet before a big event gives you good luck."

His lips part over the glazed apple, and in the blink of an eye, a quarter of it is in his mouth.

He laughs when he sees my face, covering his mouth with his hand to prevent the candy from spilling out. "For luck." He reminds me, pushing my chin up so my mouth closes.

I watch him chew, holding the now-lighter stick like a kid holding onto his balloon in the middle of a crowded fair.

"Man, it's been so long since I've had one of these." He sighs, closing his eyes.

"It's alright, the ones they sell during the games are too costly anyway."

He opens his eyes and looks at me smugly. "They're free for the players."

"Well, too bad you can't eat them during the match."

He's about to say something when the door beside us opens. Jasper Moore enters in all his blond glory, glancing at us as he saunters to his locker.

"Beckett, Graham." He says, nodding.

"Moore." Tyler says.

"Coach's waiting for you." Jasper turns to look at us. He pulls his phone from his locker.

Tyler gives me a small smile. "I gotta go. See you after the game?"

I lock our fingers together. "I'll be in McGill Stand."

His soft smile widens, and he presses his lips to mine. He tastes sweet, like caramel.

"I'll look for you."