Shutout

Chapter 21 - Logan

We have two days off after we get home from the road trip. Apart from a trip to my own house to get clothes and toiletries, I spend the whole thing at Kane's. For the first day, we both agree to turn our phones off completely and ignore the world for a moment. We text who may contact us at that time, and then Kane makes me stuff our phones in the bathroom closet as if we didn't turn them off completely. 

As anticipated, Kane was not pleased with the cut-off contact thing I did, but I can tell he's trying hard to understand. He only scolds me about half as hard as his face indicates he wants to. In the end, we make a pinky promise (Kane's idea) to be more open in communication and express our feelings to each other. He also suggested that I get a therapist. Like a real one outside of the sports psychologist, I've seen in the past. He told me they could help me exercise self-love and center more than he can, but it sounds scary. I'm not great at talking about myself for long periods of time, especially sensitive stuff like how I think or feel about things. But I also made a pinky promise to Kane to at least look into it. 

That first day, we spent most of the day on the couch or in bed. I watch K-drama at Kane's suggestion while he does a bit of work. He makes brownies and forces me to eat half of the pan so he doesn't feel guilty about eating it all. Harold sat by me on the couch, which made Kane cheer because that meant that Harold liked me or something. I tried not to breathe too much so he doesn't leave. Kane peppers kisses on my face whenever we are close, and I do more than kiss his face. 

The second day, Kane insists that we get out of the house. I don't really want to because someone is bound to recognize me. And what if they say something on social media about me? What if pictures of us spread and just give more evidence of my sick sexuality? But Kane forces my chin up and sternly tells me to fuck the eyes on me. I'm a famous hockey player, and everyone wants a piece of it, so of course, they're curious. I don't really agree with his words, but I let him pretend to have convinced me and agree to leave the house. 

When Kane suggested we get out of the house and do some exercise, I assumed we would walk around a park or something. Axe throwing was not even a single possibility for literally any scenario in my mind. 

Kane bounces in the driver seat after he parks, grinning evily as he stares at me in front of the axe-throwing building downtown. 

"Um, what?" I dumbly ask.

Kane just unbuckled and opened his door, "Time to get revenge on the fuckers." and climbed out before he could make any sense to me. 

I stumble to follow him and slip into the building. It's all concrete inside except for the wood rooms, which look like storage units inside the spacious building. It's kind of loud as screams and thuds and warrior cries escape from the wooden rooms. It does little to soothe my beating heart, but Kane looks utterly unbothered. He's already talking to a person behind a counter, swirling his blue cane around in his hand. 

He pays for a session before I can comprehend what's going on, let alone pull out my own card and pay. I blindly follow Kane and some man with the business name on the back of his shirt—I think he said his name is Theo—to a wooden room that has a big number five on the front. Inside is wood, too, and it clearly has been through some shit. The large black target spray painted on one end of the room has been hacked away. 

"Alright, let's talk safety first, okay?" 

This time, I focus on what Theo is saying because this is kind of terrifying, and I don't want to cut Kane up. It takes a while to cover all the safety measures, but that's probably for the best. After a while, though, Theo announces it's time to try and open a little cabinet that was positioned by the door. Inside i can see a bundle of little axes and hatchets.