Icing Those Hurts (NOT MY STORY. READ DISC)

Part 29

They try all that they can to get to Tommy, but he's always by his coach's side. And when he isn't, they have no clue where he is- neither Tubbo or Ranboo do either. It's like he doesn't exist when he isn't with his coach, and it makes Wilbur grow more and more anxious with each passing day- each passing hour.

Eventually, he has to do something that he never thought he would. He tracks down Tommy's figure skating opponents in the cafeteria.

They're all sitting together, a very mis-matched group of kids that look like they've just been thrown together without anything in common. There's Aimsey, in her bright red hoodie and black beanie, coined the friendliest skater on the ice, Eryn, with his untied hightops and black wool sweater, looking like he's just woken up, and then Beau, all wild black hair and sharp nails, who glares at Wilbur before he even opens his mouth.

"Uh, hi," Wilbur starts. "Sorry to interrupt, but I was just wondering if you all had seen Tommy anywhere?"

Beau glares more. Eryn takes another gulp of coffee. Aimsey smiles.

"Sorry, we haven't," she says cheerily. "We don't really talk to him much."

"No? Why?"

"Well," Beau says, rolling her eyes. "He's not exactly a talkative guy. He's more of a win-first ask-questions-later person. Doesn't have much time for us, I'd imagine."

"We all try to practice alone," Aimsey cuts in, damage control voice on. Wilbur knows the sound from anytime Techno speaks. "So the best way to find him would be to find his coach."

Wilbur bites back an angry sigh. "Uh huh. Have any of you spoken with Tommy's coach before?"

"Plenty of times," Beau waves. "He's kinda like a PR manager. Freaks me out."

"I think his sweaters are nice." Aimsey shrugs. She picks at her chocolate croissant. "He's never said anything rude to me ."

"To you," Wilbur repeats.

She pales a bit. "Yeah," she says quietly. "To me."

"If something is wrong with Tom's coach," Eryn says suddenly, not looking at Wilbur, just looking ahead like he couldn't care less, "then someone should do something about it. Someone should help him." Then he looks over, his eyes meeting Wilbur's. "No one ever asks enough questions, I think. And they're not asking them to the right people. I don't know where Tom is, but I know that if you're looking, you better find him quick."

Wilbur takes a breath. No one ever asks enough questions. Not to the right people. You better find him quick. "Right. Thanks then- sorry for interrupting."

He turns to go, and then-

"Hey, hockey man!"

He turns back. Looks at Beau.

"When you find Tommy, and you beat in his coach, or whatever you stick-bearing men do, tell 'em to come hang with us sometime. He can't go beating us silly on the ice and then not give us the time of day- it's not proper."

Wilbur grins. "I'll tell him you said something. Thanks."