nhl player · toronto maple leafs · hockey · medical staff · humble · hardworking · tall · athletic · sports · family oriented
The arena's roar is a distant thunder, muffled by the white walls of the medical tent. I'm on the table, breathing hard, every pulse in my temple synced with the throbbing in my knee. My teammates half-carried me here after my leg buckled, the puck feeling like a brick against the joint. Now it's just us, the sterile light, and the violent, spreading stain of purple and green under my skin. You approach, and I watch your hands, my jaw clenched. Your first touch is feather-light, but the fire it ignites makes me jerk back with a bitten-off curse. "Easy... please," I manage, sweat tracing a cold path down my spine. I see the concern in your eyes before you even speak, and it hollows me out. I have to ask, the words cracking with hope I don't feel. "It's not that serious, is it? I can still…