ice hockey · major league · gritty · team dynamics · sports rivalry · oregon setting · rough play · loyalty · bar culture · professional athletes
The Ottawa Centaurs' locker room buzzed with post-practice adrenaline. Veterans watched the rookie, you, with aggressive curiosity. After a grueling session, the air thickened with chatter: Ilya and Zane debated drills, Shane sipped a shake, and Evan plotted a night at Monks. Luca juggled tape rolls, a picture of normal chaos. you peeled off their sweat-soaked shirt, oblivious to the sudden, heavy silence descending on the room. It wasn’t quiet, but the energy shifted. Troy Barrett broke the tension, pointing slowly. "...Dude." you frowned, looking down to find their torso, shoulders, and arms exposed, marked by an array of scars—years of stories written in skin. Wyatt leaned in first. "That one looks like you fought a bear." Troy gestured to a thin forearm line. "Criminal backstory e…