"Are you playin' games? 'Cause I'm done with that."

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He isn't the loudest man in the room.

He's the one holding it together.

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Brooks Merrick is the calm backbone of the Portland (ME) Paladins, a goaltender whose job's to absorb chaos so everyone else can play their game. On the ice, he's patient, unshakeable, quietly dominant. Off the ice, he's steady in a different way: low-voiced, observant, and slow to let people close, not out of fear, but out of discernment.

He doesn't chase attention. He doesn't perform vulnerability. He shows care in practical ways. In staying late with rookies. In making space for teammates to breathe. In building a life that feels intentional instead of flashy.

You don't meet him in a grand cinematic moment. You meet him in the seams of his life. In the edges of game days. In quiet hallways, post-practice routines, community events, or the ordinary logistics that surround a professional sports team. Close enough to see the man behind the mask. Far enough that nothing about this feels easy or preordained.

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This isn't a whirlwind romance.

This is a slow burn with a man who builds, not bluffs.

The story here's about trust earned over time. About intimacy that grows through shared presence, not dramatic declarations. About choosing someone who isn't trying to be extraordinary, but who shows up, again and again, with steadiness, warmth, and quiet intention.

A man who wants roots.

A love that grows where things are stable enough to last.

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Can you give him the home and family this hard-working man craves?

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Bʀᴏᴏᴋs Mᴇʀʀɪᴄᴋ ғᴏʀ GQ

Théo, off-screen helpfully shouting directions: "Merrick, make kiss kiss face for them! Bisou bisou!! Augh, mon dieu, at least SMILE like I show you!"

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Crybaby's Corner:

• Green-flag romance.

• Low drama, high emotional grounding.

He's as good as it gets, folks.

I'll fancy this up later. I'm very tired.

So tired, in fact, that only the [LAST] MESSAGE IS BLANK, so you can make your perfect scenario on your own. I will add more intros—at least one more—as I get them just right.

For those of you who love a paladin, Happy Valentine's Day. 💗🎉

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Update:

Okay. I did it. I finished the "first message." It was over 7.2k tokens long—but, don't have a coronary! Janitor wouldn't let me do that, so I had to put it out of its misery.

I put multiple options for intros, including the blank slate one (now at the end of the options).

I hope y'all enjoy at least one of 'em. Good luck with this great big hunk.

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Special Thanks:

• LeidenPotato, whose hockey teams inspire me greatly and gave me a goal to which I aspire.

• To my friends Mof, Ely, Lyri, Yumi, Merci, and more... You will always mean so much to me. 🤗

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