Sidelines

Part title

Harry pulls on jeans and a hoodie hurriedly, and has about ten minutes to get all the way to the economics building by the time he pulls a beanie over his wet hair.

-

"Fucking get your shit together lads!" Cowell screams at the team as they have their huddle in the locker room. It's the end of first period and they're losing two to zero with four penalties under their belts, James out for the rest of the game due to the fight he picked with the other team 15 minutes in. Louis' panicking a bit, because they can't afford to be losing this hard so early in the championship. Ohio State isn't even that good, for fuck's sake.

"Zayn you're going in the rest of the game, I don't want one fucking puck making it past you, Horan you better be making sure no one even gets near that fucking goal." Cowell says as he grips his clipboard tightly, running through everyone's positions.

"Styles, Tomlinson. I don't know what shit you're pulling today, but the last time we talked I don't remember telling you to completely fucking ignore each other. This is a communication sport, and while I'm glad you're not at each other's throats, whatever you're doing is not working. I need you working together if you're both out there. Don't make me put a second-string on that ice."

"Yes coach." The two of them say in unison.

"So we're gonna go out there, and show them that we have some of the most valuable players in the NCAA, right?" Cowell raises his brow.

"Yes coach." The whole team screams, making Cowell nod and shout for them all to get their asses out on the court. Louis follows the team back out, and they've got a little less than three minutes before the game starts back up. Someone pulls hard on his arm, making him stumble slightly as he turns to see Liam with a stormy expression.

"Don't fight with him, work together and we can fucking win this, alright?"

"Yeah, Payno. 've got it," Louis agrees, nodding before fitting his mouth guard back in. Liam nods, patting Louis hard on the back before jogging up to Niall and Harry. He can't help but let his eyes catch on Harry just before he puts his helmet back on, cheeks flushed and hair wild. Louis shakes his head, putting his helmet on and slapping himself twice on the head before heading into the court.

Their second period starts off just as messy as the first, because Ohio gets a good head start after Andy fucks up at center line. It picks up though, around three minutes in, when Harry intercepts a bad pass and gets the puck on their side. He gets it halfway down the court before three guys are on him, only passing the puck over to Louis just before he gets slammed into the wall. All Louis can hear is noise, but that's the sort of thing you tune out at times like this. He's got no open players, so his only choice is to get around Ohio's defence and fucking score, already. He weaves his way through two defenders, shouldering his way through another before finally being able to take a shot at the goal. He has about half a second to strategize his shot and make it, but Louis' always been good at working under pressure. He hears a muffled shout of his name that sounds like it could be Harry just as he takes his shot.

At first he thinks it got blocked, but it's hard to distinguish through all the adrenaline and he's watching for a rebound, but the buzzer signals a point and his teammates are on his back in the next second. His grin feels likes it's going to split his face in half, but he knows it's not over yet. They still need two more goals to win.

The rest of the second period is a game of back and forth, vigorous and fucking irritating, but Harry pulls something in the last seven seconds that gets them tied for the start of third.