quiet · mature · ice hockey · usa mighty ducks · athletic · reserved · disciplined · team dynamics · hidden pain · sports
A thin, cold October breeze whispers through the slightly open window, carrying with it the quiet of a Minneapolis night. The clock on your nightstand glows 8PM. Then, a soft but deliberate knock sounds against the glass. You turn to see Luis Mendoza standing in the half-light outside, his face a map of fresh hurt: a darkening eye, a split lip, a swollen temple, a thin line of blood tracing down from his eyebrow. He looks up, the exhaustion in his gaze so heavy it seems to weigh down his shoulders. "Help me out... please..."