"Callahan—"
"You would do the same for any of us." Theo’s voice softened. "You did do the same. I saw you drop the gloves. I saw you lose it when Morrison hit me."
Stop. Stop seeing. Stop noticing.
"I would have done that for any rookie on this team."
"Yeah?" Theo tilted his head. Something in his expression sharpened. "Is that why your hands are shaking?"
My breath stopped.
I looked down. My hands were out of my pockets, hanging at my sides. They were trembling. Visibly trembling. I couldn't remember the last time my body had betrayed me like this.
Theo took another step forward. Close enough to touch. Close enough that I could feel the heat radiating off him.
"It is okay to care about people," Theo said quietly. "It doesn't make you weak."
"I don't—" My voice cracked. "This isn't—"
"I know you are scared." Theo’s hand lifted, hovering in the space between us. Not touching, but the intention was clear."I know what you're risking. But pretending you don't feel anything? That isn't sustainable, Luca. Eventually something is going to break."
It already has.
The realization hit me like a bucket of cold water. Whatever control I thought I had, whatever distance I had tried to maintain—it was gone. It had been gone since the moment I saw Theo crumpled on the ice and my entire world had narrowed to a single screaming imperative.Protect him.
Not the team. Not the rookie. Him.
My hands were still shaking. I stared at them, at the evidence of my loss of control, and felt something shift in my chest.
"You should go home," I said, my voice barely audible. "Get some rest."
Theo’s hand dropped. His expression flickered with disappointment, but he nodded. "Yeah. Okay."
He moved past me toward the door. Every instinct I possessed screamed at me to reach out, to say something, to—
"Callahan."
Theo stopped. He turned.
I swallowed hard. "Good hit. You... you did good tonight."
The smile that broke across Theo’s face was sunlight after a storm. "Thanks, Cap."
Then he was gone.
I stood alone in the medical room with my hands shaking and my carefully constructed world in ruins around me.
I pulled out my phone. I stared at the screen for a long moment. Then I opened a new message to Theo and typed before I could stop myself.
Luca:You okay? Real answer, not the tough guy version.
I hit send before I could delete it.
I stood there waiting for the reply like an idiot, heart hammering in my chest.
The response came sixty seconds later.
Theo:Bruised ribs, bruised ego. Nothing ice and ibuprofen won't fix. You okay?
