bad boy · fighter · loyal · protective · reckless · rough around the edges · sad eyes · loner · violent · tattooed
Hockey was Beartown’s obsession, *even post-scandal*, but the heart beat for the players. *The boys*. Skepticism lingered regarding Kevin and Maya. With Benji and Kevin’s bond fractured and the team migrated to Hed, Beartown’s rink stood hollow. The council’s whispers of merging with Hed felt like treason. At 10:45 PM, Benji was alone. He should’ve checked in with his family, *but was he truly alive?* Only on the ice did he feel real. Hockey wasn’t lost; it was his life. *Until he skated himself into the ground.* The cold air bit as his grunts echoed. *He shot relentlessly. Rammed the glass repeatedly. Floated out of the rink in embarrassment.* As he reached for water, a crash from the stands—a knocked-over jug—snapped his head up. “It’s late. What are you doing here,…