Rating:

Teen And Up Audiences

Archive Warning:

No Archive Warnings Apply

Category:

M/M

Fandoms:

Heated Rivalry (TV), Game Changers Series - Rachel Reid

Relationships:

Kip Grady/Scott Hunter, Eric Bennett & Scott Hunter, Scott Hunter & Carter Vaughn, background Eric Bennett/Kyle Swift

Characters:

Kip Grady, Scott Hunter (Game Changers), Kyle Swift, Eric Bennett, Maria Villanueva, Elena Rygg, Carter Vaughn, George Grady

Additional Tags:

Christmas Party, Fluff, Getting Back Together, Meeting the Parents, Scott Hunter Loves Kip Grady, Kip Grady loves Scott Hunter

Language:

English

Series:

Part 4 of who are we to fight the alchemy?

Stats:

Published: 2026-01-19 Words: 2,196 Chapters: 1/1

you look a lot like my next boyfriend

Summary

“So why exactly aren’t you and Kip back together?”

What might just be a casual question in Eric’s mind, Scott would like to classify as psychological warfare on his sanity. Because the thing is, he has been asking himself that over and over again lately.

-
Set after blueberry season – with some of the obstacles removed, Scott and Kip start finding their way back together.

Notes

“So why exactly aren’t you and Kip back together?”

What might just be a casual question in Eric’s mind, Scott would like to classify as psychological warfare on his sanity. Because the thing is, he has been asking himself that over and over again lately.

He’s nothing if not an extremely goal-oriented problem solver, and it does seem that two of the bigger issues in his and Kip’s relationship – namely Kip having to lie to his friends and family and being holed up at the apartment all the time because they couldn’t be seen in public together – have been resolved as much as they currently can be.

As far as Scott knows, all of Kip’s friends as well as his dad have heard some variation of their story at this point. Maybe he’s even having the same kinds of conversations with his friends as Scott is currently being roped into (though Kip is probably a lot better at navigating that type of thing, being a well-adjusted human and all).

Public appearances aren’t really an issue anymore either. There are several pictures of them together on the Admirals official social media accounts by now; usually in group settings, but still. So maybe they can’t kiss in the middle of Times Square, but they could definitely go and get coffee together without a problem.

Then again, a relationship is more than a checklist of ticked boxes and Scott still largely has no idea what he’s doing.

“It’s, uh – it’s complicated,” he finally settles on.

“Well, I’m smart, try me.” Eric is relentless in his torture.

“Okay, Harvard,” Carter says and bumps his shoulders into Eric’s. “Fair question though. You need to lock that boy down.” He points at Scott with a meaningful look in his eyes. And now they’re ganging up on him!

“That didn’t work so well the first time.” Scott has never once in his life been in a position to talk to his friends about his love life, so he isn’t sure what he could even say. What’s too private? How much do they want to know?

“Yeah, but things are a little different now than they used to be,” Eric says.

“And I mean, you are still hooking up, right?”

Scott feels himself go bright red and, in his panic, shoves the last half of his sandwich into his mouth all at once to avoid answering Carter’s question. Turns out that, apparently, isn’t too private to talk about? And how does he know?

“I feel like that probably means yes,” Eric says.

“You’re so shy,” Carter coos. “But I bet that just means you’re secretly a freak.”

Psychological. Warfare.

---

The only thing that is scarier to Scott than potentially having to discuss his sex life with his friends is interacting with George Grady. Kip assures him that his dad is the nicest guy on the entire planet, but Scott is not very interested in testing the boundaries of that. He knows he messed things up with Kip the first time around, so being hit over the head with a shovel in a dark alley behind the Grady house isn’t a scenario he would completely rule out for their first encounter.

That’s why Scott decides to be proactive and invite the man to his home turf instead.

As briberies go, it does seem to work pretty well, because when Kip shows up to their practice session that afternoon, his dad as well and Kyle and Maria in tow, George’s face looks like Christmas came early. 

Scott puts on his best Captain’s face and gives them the behind-the-scenes tour of the rink, as many selfie opportunities with all the players as they’d like, and then sets them up with snacks and drinks and skates off to join his team for their warmups.

If some of his teammates make sure to give him extra good assists so he can show off a few tricks and Eric is letting him score a lot more than he usually would – well, no one has to know that. A little showmanship is worth it for the way seeing Kip smile and clap in the stands makes his heart swell.

---

Kip [20:01]: I keep telling you my dad is NOT secretly plotting to murder you

[20:01]: But if he ever was, definitely not anymore after today. You made him very happy and all our Christmas presents for him are gonna be giant disappointments now

[20:02]: So thanks I guess…!!

[20:02]: But seriously, thank you, it was a great idea

He has attached a photo that Maria took on Kip’s phone of him and his dad with Scott in the middle, his arms around them both, all three of them with big smiles on their faces. And that…Scott wants that. He wants that for real. So maybe it really is about time he tried to do something about it.

---

“So, Maria and Kyle are doing a little Christmas Eve party thing at their place.” 

It’s been a really busy week for both of them, with the Admirals doing a lot of seasonal charity gigs and Kip frantically trying to meet the deadlines for all his coursework while also wrangling the hordes of influencers that keep descending upon the Kingfisher due to their new gingerbread martini going viral.

(Scott just keeps being surprised by how the world outside of hockey works – he also didn’t enjoy the gingerbread martini all that much, while Carter, despite calling it white-people nonsense about three times, turned out to be quite a fan.)

Anyway – they haven’t had a lot of time to talk, so Scott is happy to actually get Kip on the phone during a study break.

“It’s mostly for those of us that aren’t seeing family – and, I mean, I’m with my dad for Christmas day, obviously, but – anyway. It’s just Maria and Kyle and Elena. And we thought maybe, keeping with the theme, that you and Eric might want to come, if you’re not busy?”

“I’d love to come,” Scott says immediately and then proceeds to completely turn his brain-to-mouth-filter off without meaning to. “To both actually.”

“Uh –”

“I – wow, okay. Let’s forget how I just invited myself to your family Christmas, that was really weird.”

“No, I – no.” Kip takes a deep breath and then says more quietly, “I’d really love that, actually.”

“Me, too.”

“Yeah, I could kinda tell,” Kip teases and Scott figures he might as well go all-in.

“So, uh, since I’m already overstepping. Hypothetically. What if I wanted to go to Maria and Kyle’s thing…not just as your friend?”

“You wanna be my date for the Christmas party?”

What Scott wants is to move Kip back into his place and politely ask his father for his hand in marriage. But within the frame of slightly more reasonable options, a Christmas party date does sound like a pretty good first step.

“What do you think?”

“Scott. Yes. God, yes. I’d like that a lot.”

“I think we’re ready for that,” Scott adds, maybe more to reassure himself than Kip.

“I agree.” Kip laughs, and Scott imagines him all bundled up in a scarf and hat, right outside the NYU library for some fresh air before he goes back to working on his last assignment for the year. Smiling. Happy. He wants to make him happy forever.

---

Scott [09:35]: Do you want to come over later and get ready for the party together?

He’s not the best at being subtle, but figures he should at least try. Because what he actually means is this: Do you want to fuck me before we leave so I have any kind of shot at keeping my hands off you while we’re with your friends?

Which Scott thinks would only be the polite thing to do, because he doesn’t just want to be a plus one making heart eyes at Kip all night, he actually wants to talk to everyone and get to know them better. Things are going to be more balanced this time around, not just Kip fitting into Scott’s life and interacting with his world, but the other way around too. (And he’s still gonna be making eyes, but maybe in a more controlled and socially acceptable manner. He hopes.)

Kip gets it immediately.

Kip [09:36]: You know what I would like to say to people who think sex on the first date is moving too fast?

[09:36]: Have sex right before the first date

[09:36]: Really takes the pressure off the evening

[09:37]: Anyway, what time should I be there?

---

As soon as Kip walks through the door, Scott loses what small amount of chill he has ever had in his life. Because he looks amazing and he’s smiling so big it lights up the entire apartment and Scott is only human. He’s only human, okay, and he’s finally going on a real date with the man he is so head-over-heels in love with like he wouldn’t have believed was even possible before they met, and they’re really doing this, they’re trying again, it’s all gonna be so much better –

“Scott, are you okay?”

Kip’s concerned tone snaps him out of his own head and Scott laughs nervously. “Yeah, I’m just – I’m happy, I guess.”

“Me too,” Kip says and folds Scott up into the world’s warmest hug, kissing his cheek, stroking his hair. It’s heaven.

“So, uh…I know this is technically bad form on the first date, but…” Kip pulls back a little so he can look at Scott, holding his face in both hands. “I really do love you so much, still. And I wanted you to know that.”

Scott didn’t know this day could possibly get any better, but right now? Fucking fireworks. He crowds Kip back against the nearest wall and kisses him so wildly that it knocks Kip’s glasses right off his nose.

“I love you, too. So much, you don’t even know,” Scott says softly. “So, uh, you know. Extenuating circumstances for any first date faux pas.”

“Extenuating…you need to stop with the true crime podcasts.” Kip presses one more kiss to his lips and then turns to walk towards the bedroom, giving Scott an adorable little look over his shoulder. “You coming?”

---

“Where’s Kyle anyway? And where’s Eric?” Elena asks, briefly breaking the intense focus she has on Mario Kart. If Scott thought his teammates were competitive, it was only because he hadn’t seen Maria and Elena play video games against each other drunk yet.

“They were gonna make new drinks like an hour ago.”

After his first two losses, Scott has decided to give up the controller and focus on cuddling Kip on the couch while he plays instead. Which might be minimally distracting, but Kip isn’t as intense about winning as his friends and seems more than content to be snuggled together, Scott’s chin propped up on his shoulder as he watches the TV screen. Inbetween rounds, Kip holds his hand. It is the best.

“Is Eric…?” Kip tilts his head and looks like he’s thinking very hard.

“Is Eric what?” Scott asks.

“I got kind of a vibe with them.”

“…with Kyle? With Kyle and Eric?”

“Yeah.”

“I mean – not that I know of. But he was married for a long time.”

“Oh my God,” Kip whispers. “Late-blooming bisexual? I’d love that so much for him. And he is so Kyle’s type.”

Scott laughs and presses his face into the side of Kip’s neck, where he smells so very good. All of this is warm and joyful and normal, and his heart feels so light. “Christmas season is really bringing people together, huh?”

“We definitely know how to make the yuletide gay around here, I can tell you that much,” Kip replies and Scott snorts, then kisses his cheek.

“All you boys keep it up and I’m gonna have to start kissing Maria,” Elena comments drily.

“But what if I want a hockey player, too?” Maria whines, dramatic and pouty, and puts her arm around Elena’s shoulders.

“Excuse me, you’re turning me down for a hockey player?”

“I know, being straight is so boring.”

“As someone who was in the locker room after your visit last week, I’d say you could probably take your pick,” Scott offers.

“Oh my God, what did they say? Did Matti Jalo say something about me?” Maria asks with wide and eager eyes, ignoring the way Kip and Elena laugh at her.

“They all think you’re really funny and very beautiful.”

Maria mock-swoons into Elena’s side and clutches her heart. “Yes!”

“That sounds weirdly tame for locker room talk,” Elena observes with a suspicious look.

“Well, they know to keep it respectful because their Captain won’t tolerate any bullshit.”

“Okay, hot,” Maria says.

“Who’s hot?” Kyle asks, reappearing from the void (or more likely his bedroom) with a small tray full of drinks as if he didn’t leave to go make them a full hour ago.

“Respecting women is hot,” Maria says and Kyle hums his agreement as he puts the drinks down. At least they aren’t gingerbread martinis. “Also, your shirt’s on inside-out, babe.”