August’s eyes went watery, and he hid his wobbling lip by biting into it. “Not today, though.”
Quinn shook his head.
“No. Not today.”
Chapter 36
August
Quinn left the room, and August seized the opportunity to shower and pile his gear neatly out of the way for easy pickup. Washing himself was difficult because he had to avoid getting his bandages wet, but the effort was worth it, if only so he could get the dried sweat and blood off.
When memories of Eren on the ice sent shivers through his body and brought black spots to his vision, he lifted his arm to his mouth and snagged the laces between his teeth, pulling them until the pain of losing blood circulation brought him back.
He couldn’t believe how well it worked, and he wanted to kiss Quinn again to show his appreciation. August had been dreading the mental breakdown looming under the surface because he didn’t want to be a fucking burden, but like this, he could wing it.
He had to.
One of the nurses stopped by with a set of scrubs that barely fit him. The fabric stretched tight in places and hung awkwardly in others, but at least they were clean. She hovered as he changed, fussing over the bandage to make sure it was dry while her eyes kept drifting back to his tied-up arm, curiosity slipping through her professional composure.
“Pressure points help me relax,” said August, hoping she wouldn’t think he was weird.
Anyone who knew about shibari would have no trouble spotting what the intricate knots were, but she brightened and patted him on the bicep. “That makes so much sense. Sorry for staring.”
August shrugged and tugged on the laces. “No worries. Thank you for bringing me clothes.”
She didn’t stick around once she knew August was okay and left the room with a reminder to use the call button if he needed anything.
The moment she was gone, August checked the score on the live tracker using his phone and was surprised to see that there were only three minutes left in the third period.
Had he really been at the hospital that long?
He was also surprised, and a little impressed, when he saw that the Eagles had zero goals, while the Bigfoots hadtwelve.
August was certain Niko was on a warpath. The temper on the kid would have put him into a feral frenzy after seeing his captain downed, and August was grateful that he had remembered to ask someone to grab his phone before he got into the ambulance.
A phone call would be necessary to calm Niko after the game, and August needed him, so dousing that rage was at the top of his to-do list.
But before that, he needed to call Diana, his therapist, so he could ask for a phone appointment on Monday. She answered him right away and praised him for reaching out, which left August feeling good after he hung up and moved to his next task—contacting the group.
August: I know you guys are worried because you haven’t said anything, but I’m okay. I don’t know about Eren yet. Quinn is talking to his doctors now to see if he can learn anything new, but it isn’t good. I don’t want to talk about it right now, but if something changes, I’ll tell you.
A lot of guys in the group were playing their own games, so he didn’t expect an answer, but one person read the text and was quick to respond.
Bash: Thank you for updating us, but don’t worry about it. Focus on your family and tell us if you need anything.
August’s eyes were too blurry to write a full sentence, so he settled for a heart emoji and left it at that. By then, the game was over, and Niko would be in the locker room. So, he punched in his number and braced for impact.
“August,” Niko answered, breathing hard through his nose.“Quinn told Emira and Alara’s babysitter to call me if she needed help, and I guess they’re freaking out. What do you want me to do?”
The typical locker room noise was absent in the background, with the occasional sniffle and thud from gear hitting the floor. The place had to feel like a silent battlefield right now, and August wished he could say something to ease the tension in his teammates.
“I can’t leave the hospital until I get discharged,” said August. “Neeks, gear down, get showered and make sure you work that aggression out before you stop at Eren’s place. I need you to bring the girls here, but I don’t want you to drive when you’re like this.”
Niko exhaled forcefully, repeating the process several times before he said,“Okay. I’m listening.”
“You’ll find a spare set of keys for Quinn’s car in Eren’s stall,” said August. “The girls need booster seats, so take his vehicle to save time. If you’re worried about not being able to handle them by yourself, ask Logan if he can come. The girls know him, so they’ll feel safe with him there. And I know you’re not familiar with his wife, so could you ask Logan if she’s okay with going to my house to pack clothes for Quinn and I? He has a suitcase in my room with his things that she can toss mine into.”
Niko was a guy who needed clear instructions and a game plan, so telling him what to do would make things simpler for him.
