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With the immediate roar of the Colorado crowd hyped MacKinnon up more, it made him kinda forget the earful he’ll hear after the game. It was the last 6 minutes of the 3rd Period of the game with a tie game and the coach had advised for no more penalties for this period. But, Nate will argue that the Tampa player, who was now laying on the ice, started the fight.
After being escorted to the box to serve this 5 minute penalty he joked with a Aves fan next to the box before opting to just relax for the rare penalty, he doesn’t like fighting but when he wins, he’d do it again for the arena praise once in a great while.
A minute or so went by when the whistle was blown, and what sounded like ‘oooo’s’ from the crowd made him look up. To see his teammate, Cale getting pummeled by 2 taller Tampa players, his face kinda scared as he pleaded. The ref yelled Cale to the box while he avoided Tampa players with a death eye at him. Nate looked up for a replay and saw a brutal high-stick to a Tampa player which sent him to the trainers.
Cale sat next to Nate looking really upset, knowing he fucked up.
“Colorado Penalty, 5 Minutes for intent to injure.” The ref stated and was met with boos from the crowd.
“What?!” Cale yelled, “I-I didn’t mean to,” Cale shuddered. Nate saw in the corner of his eye, Cale curled his arms across his chest and looked down ashamed.
Nate knew that Cale didn’t have it in him to hurt someone on purpose, especially a purposeful hit to the face. He thought Cale just had to shake it off, his penalty was five minutes, but there was 4 minutes left of the game. Nate will be out in the last few seconds of the period so they could kind of relax and wait for them to go into overtime.
Nate bent over his legs to grab a water bottle below the seat, when his eyes caught Cale’s legs shaking and his foot aggressively tapping the linoleum floor. Looking up from his position gave him a perfect view of his friend’s teary eyes as he was curled into himself, his shaky eyes and trembling hands. Hiding his face from the crowd under his helmet and propped shoulder.
Nate bounced back up, placing a gentle hand on his friend’s shoulder. Which he curled his body away from the older one. Nate curled around Cale trying to get a view of his face, but giving up when he just put his arm and hand in front of his face.
“Hey, Kid. It's okay, it was an accident.” Nate tried to comfort but he was just pulling away from Nate. “Are you okay… Cale?” Nate softened his voice, but it only made it worse when Cale started loudly sobbing into his arms. Which gave Nate a view of his face, as a single tear ran down his red face.
“Dude. Accidents happen, it’s okay. You’re fine,” Nate tried to reassure but he couldn’t hear himself over the younger one's sobs. He was getting more worried as time ticked down and the more Cale was making himself smaller in his seat.
Everyone’s head shot up to the board as the horn rang throughout the arena, making it shake.
TBL 4-3 COL
Tampa scored with 3.12 minutes in the game left. Cale’s already tear stained turned into panic at an instant, he stood with his stick in his clenched fist.
“No!! No, No. NO!!! Fuck!” He slammed his stick against the fibreglass, breaking it in two. The glass rattled as Cale kept slamming the already broken stick against the glass. Another Tear ran down his face as his legs gave out and he fell to his knees on the wet floor. Bowing his head as he sobbed again. Nate knelt down next to Cale and forcefully pulled him to look at him.
“What is wrong with you? Are you okay? I’ve never seen you act like this, relax!” Nate yelled as he held Cale’s wrists tightly in his gloved hands. Cale tried to fight, but he knows that in this state he has no chance of getting free. Nate stood, still holding tightly.
“I.. J-Just let me go! Y-You. You’re hurting m-me!” Cale pleaded with the older man as he stood with Nate. Nate manhandled the younger man back in the wooden seat of the penalty box. Nate looked into the swollen teary eyes of Cale as he let off one wrist but held the one closest to him still. His heart broke the more he heard Cale rubbing his eyes and sniffing. Until he had to leave Cale alone in the box for the final couple seconds of the game.
The final horn sounded and Cale darted, skating quickly off the ice. Nate followed suit now that he has a dark pit in his stomach about this. The way Cale acted when Tampa scored was extremely unsettling to him. Him and Cale had never been incredibly close as best friends but they were close enough to be called just friends, but that doesn’t mean Nate doesn’t care about him. If Cale is struggling, he thought Cale would know that he was a safe person to talk to, but he guessed wrong.
Finally catching up to him, Nate grabbed his wrist and Cale yelped in pain at the pressure. “Fuck off!” Cale screamed at the older man, “NO! I just saw you self-destruct, I’m not leaving you alone!” Nate screamed back at him, before Cale pulled his sleeve and arm out of Nate’s grasp, slamming the door almost on Nate’s hand. The rest of the team filled into the locker room and was confused on why Nate and Cale had left in such a hurry.
Nate chased Cale down the halls until he turned a corner, finding the younger panic unridden man pushing himself up to a wall, audible breaths and shudders wreaking the skinny hall. Nate ran to him, practically sliding in front of him. Cale’s bare hands tightly clutching his heart through his jersey, his breathing physically moving his whole body as he racked in sobs and trembling uncontrollably. Nate grabbed his shoulders but the tears just kept flowing down his face.
“I-I C-can-Can’t Br-Breathe,” Cale pleaded as he tried so hard to control his wheezes. Nate quickly leaned in and enveloped Cale into a tight hug. He felt the fast thump of Cale's heart through their equipment. Cale’s hands clutched onto the back of Nate’s jersey and he continued to sob in shallow quick breaths. Nate snaked a hand up Cale’s back and into his short, sweaty hair, combing through it. Cale buried his head into the crook of Nate’s neck for comfort. The gentle hand through his hair helped him focus on the breathing until his breathing and heart slowed down enough to talk. Nate pulled off to look Cale in the face finally.
“What is happening with you?” Nate asked to comb through Cale’s hair one more time.
“I-I.. I really didn’t mean to hurt him. I don’t even remember why or when I started crying. It was more just the embarrassment of you… and the fans. Seeing that.. I got scared.” Cale pulled his legs up to his chest.
“I just want to go home…” Cale said before tearing up again. Nate stood holding a hand out to Cale, “That’s where we’re going, c’mon.” Nate smiled and Cale got up with his help.
The locker room was filled with the half-assed inside jokes they all had with each other. It was explicitly obvious that Cale had been viciously crying but no one even acknowledged it. They undressed quickly and left in a rush, no words exchanged. Getting in the car, Cale put his headphones in and fell asleep quickly in his seat.
Parking in Nate’s driveway he got out, opened the door before returning to the car. With a little resistance, picked Cale up from his seat and walked him into the house, swiftly laying him down on the fluffy couch. Grabbing a blanket from behind his armchair, covering the younger one up. He leaned down next to Cale, seeing his eyes flutter open as he reached to run a hand through his hair again.
“Hey, you can always talk to me, Cale.” Nate reassured before standing again, “If you need me, come get me. Goodnight,” Nate said before Cale heard him walk upstairs.
Cale rolled over on the couch, it moulding to his body as he turned. He lifted his arm up over his head and pulled down his long sleeve of his compression shirt. Admiring the deep bite marks, some new and some bruised over and healed as they were illuminated by the kitchen light that was still on. Cale sat up looking at the stairs.
“Yeah, I might take you up on that offer,” Cale traced the scars and bruises on his arm over again, “Cause’ I might need you…”