Page 13 of Speak in Fever
P ercy spends a restless night replaying every interaction with Rath Platts instead of getting proper sleep.
He tosses and turns in his sheets, analyzing the way Rath had looked at him during yesterday's drill—that split second of eye contact that felt like it contained multitudes.
It's one of the big red flags that this attraction is building into something no longer under his control, but he feels powerless to do anything but let the wave of it pull him under.
He both wants and doesn't want to feel this way, and he finds himself a little overwhelmed by the warmth that spreads through his chest when he thinks of how Rath had looked at him during yesterday's drill; challenging and inviting and something Percy couldn't identify but wanted to explore nonetheless.
The drive to the rink is usually Percy's time to mentally prepare for practice, to review the systems they'll be working on and think about areas where the team needs improvement.
Today, though, his mind keeps drifting to whether Rath will be wearing the same cologne he had on yesterday, whether their improved chemistry from the end of last practice was a fluke or the beginning of something sustainable.
He steps onto the ice and already things feel different.
The morning skate flows with its usual ease, his teammates moving through warm-ups with an energy that suggests everyone's locked in and ready to work.
The familiar sounds of the rink wash over him—skates carving ice, pucks hitting boards, the sharp crack of slap shots against the goal posts.
But Percy finds his attention consistently drawn to Rath, who's skating through his routine with a confidence that is starting to seem more genuine.
Gone is the tentative quality that had marked his first few weeks with the team.
His crossovers are smooth and powerful, his edges clean and precise.
When he fires a few warm-up shots, each one is placed with deliberate accuracy rather than just trying to find the net.
"Looking good, Platts," Coach Reeves calls from the boards, and Percy notices the way Rath's shoulders straighten at the praise. It's a small thing, but telling—Rath still cares about making a good impression, still wants to prove he belongs here.
Percy completes his own warm-up routine, but he's hyperaware of Rath's presence on the ice.
When they cross paths during skating drills, Percy catches glimpses of focused determination in Rath's expression.
There's something almost meditative about the way Rath moves through his preparations, like he's found a rhythm that works for him.
"Alright, gentlemen," Coach calls, gathering the team at center ice. "Today we're working on transition play. Quick breakouts, clean entries, sustained pressure. I want to see those new line combinations clicking."
The assistant coaches have set up cones and markers across the ice, creating a complex maze of drill stations that will test everything from basic passing to complex breakout patterns.
Percy mentally reviews the systems they've been working on, but part of his attention is focused on the fact that he and Rath will be working together extensively today.
"First up, three-on-two rush drill," Coach announces. "I want to see quick decision-making, clean entries, and follow-through on scoring chances. Killinger and Platts, you're first up with Torres."
Percy expects a lot of things from today's practice. What he doesn't expect is for everything to start falling into place in small, meaningful ways that had seemed impossible before.
The first drill is a simple 3-on-2 rush, but when Rath receives Percy's breakout pass, something feels different.
Percy makes the pass from his own blue line, a crisp wrist shot that travels through the neutral zone with good pace.
As the puck approaches, Percy watches Rath read the trajectory and adjust his positioning slightly—not a dramatic movement, just a subtle shift that puts him in better position to receive the pass cleanly.
The stilted tension from their plays before is gone and has been replaced with what might be actual understanding.
Rath reads Percy's body language and adjusts his route slightly, creating a better passing angle while maintaining his speed through the neutral zone.
When Percy calls for the return pass, it arrives with good timing and placement, though Rath has to stretch a bit to make the connection work.
The play develops smoothly from there. Torres provides good support on the opposite wing, and the three of them create sustained pressure against the two defensemen.
Percy gets the puck back from Rath and immediately looks for the next option, finding Torres in good position for a one-timer that beats Harley cleanly.
"Better," Coach calls as they cycle back to the line. "That looked more connected than last week. Killinger, good read on the initial breakout. Platts, nice adjustment on your positioning."
Percy glances at Rath, who's wearing a small smile that suggests he felt the improvement too. It's not perfect chemistry yet, but it's progress—the kind of incremental development that builds into something special over time.
"Again," Coach calls. "Same rush, but this time I want to see you read the defense and make the extra pass if it's there."
The second repetition flows even better.
Percy's breakout pass finds Rath in stride, and this time Rath's return feed is perfectly weighted, hitting Percy's stick in exactly the right spot for a quick release.
The timing isn't supernatural, but it's solid—two players who are starting to understand each other's preferences and adjust accordingly.
They cycle through the drill several more times, each repetition building on the last. Percy starts to recognize the subtle cues that indicate where Rath wants the puck—the slight turn of his shoulders, the way he adjusts his stick position, the quick glance that suggests he's spotted an opening.
Similarly, Rath begins to anticipate Percy's decision-making, positioning himself to be available for passes while maintaining good spacing with Torres.
The next drill is more complex—a 5-on-3 power play simulation that requires precise timing and spatial awareness. Percy takes his position at the point while Rath sets up in the high slot, both of them reading the defensive formation and making adjustments based on what they see.
"This is where the magic happens, boys," JP calls from the line. "Power play chemistry separates good teams from great teams."
Percy surveys the ice, taking in the positioning of all five offensive players and the two penalty killers.
Rath has found good space in the high slot, but there's a defender shading toward him.
Torres is positioned on the goal line, ready for a quick redirection.
Martinez has set up as the bumper, ready to create chaos in front of the net.
When the puck comes to Percy, he has to look to locate Rath's position, but he finds him in good space.
The defender who had been shading toward Rath has committed to pressuring Percy instead, leaving Rath with a clear lane to the net.
Percy's pass gets through traffic, though it takes a slight deflection off a defender's stick that changes its trajectory by a few inches.
Rath has to react quickly, adjusting his stick position to handle the altered trajectory, but he manages to redirect it past Harley for a goal that draws nods of approval from the coaching staff.
It's not a perfect play, but it's effective—two players who communicated well and adapted when the play didn't develop exactly as planned.
"Nice adjustment, Platts," Coach calls. "Good read on the deflection. Killinger, solid pass under pressure."
"Good pass through traffic," Rath says, skating over to Percy with obvious satisfaction. "Saw you check the defense before releasing. Made it easier to time my movement."
It's a small thing—Percy taking an extra beat to ensure his pass had the best chance of success, Rath being ready to adapt when the puck didn't arrive exactly as planned. Not supernatural anticipation, just two players starting to understand each other's tendencies and adjust accordingly.
"Again," Coach calls, and they reset for another repetition. "This time I want to see some movement. Don't just stand in your spots—create better passing angles, force the defense to make decisions."
This time, Percy notices that Rath positions himself slightly differently, giving Percy a cleaner passing lane while still maintaining good scoring position.
It's a subtle adjustment that shows Rath is thinking about making Percy's job easier, not just his own.
The movement also draws one of the penalty killers away from the front of the net, creating more space for Torres to operate.
When the play develops, Percy's pass finds Rath cleanly, and Rath's quick release beats Harley again. But more importantly, the movement and spacing created multiple good options, making the play feel less forced and more organic.
"That's what I'm talking about," Coach says with approval. "Communication, adjustment, execution. You're reading each other and reacting accordingly. Run it one more time."
The third attempt is their best yet. Percy wins the faceoff cleanly and immediately looks for Rath, who's already moving to the space they've been working with.
The pass is on target, Rath's positioning is perfect, and the shot goes exactly where he's aiming.
Not because of some mystical connection, but because they're both doing their jobs well and starting to trust each other's decision-making.
"Stop the drill," Coach calls, his voice carrying satisfaction. "Everyone gather around."