Healing Sophie (18+) - RH//DDLG

55 - Empty Rings & Full Bottles

Victor ran a tired hand over his eyes, trying to awaken as he walked from his car to the center. It was opening day and after the fiasco with the water, he just wanted to get through it as quickly as possible. He really needed a drink.

The trek ended just past the front door near the welcome desk where Victor halted in his steps and blinked. Was he dreaming? Worried that may be the case, Victor ran his hand along the velvet rope of the mysterious boxing ring in the center of the room. It certainly felt real. His brows furrowed as he examined the brand new equipment. Where did it come from? It definitely hadn't been there the day prior when they were cleaning all the water.

Victor knocked on Jerrys office door and entered. "Where did the boxing ring come from?"

Jerry swallowed his mouthful of sandwich. "No clue, it was here when I got here."

Victor blinked at the man for a moment before whipping out his phone.

Victor: Hey... Weird question, but did one of you buy me a boxing ring?

Victor waited a moment in suspense before his phone buzzed.

Theo: Love you, Vic, but I'm way too broke to afford an entire boxing ring

Finn: Nope

Chase: Where does one even buy a boxing ring?

Sophie: Maybe it was the boxing ring fairy

Victor sighed and tucked away his phone. His mind was scrambling to figure out where it came from. He was almost afraid of the answer. Growing up in the foster system, gifts almost always felt like a trap, like you owed something. He tried to calm his brain and accept it as the nice surprise that it was, but a nagging feeling remained in the back of his head.

Maybe he would find out later. Maybe he would never find out. He wasn't sure which he would prefer.

Finn groaned as he lowered the weight in his arms and onto the stand. His muscles were aching hard. He had been working out almost every day lately, doing anything he could to be productive. Chase and he were happy with how the commercial for the center went, but it still didn't satisfy them creatively. It always felt like the next step was a mystery. Chase at least was going to school for what he enjoyed, but Finn was just merely existing. He needed more.

"Your face is going to freeze like that," Chase said breathlessly, coming up from his machine. "What's up?"

Finn scowled. "I'm just feeling stuck. I need to do something creative and productive, but I don't know what." As he spent more time around Sophie and the guys, Finn felt himself opening up more. It was an unfamiliar place for him, but it felt good not holding everything in all the time.

Chase thought to himself. "Have you thought about going back to school?"

Finn's mind went to Dr. Robertson and he shuddered. She was no longer there, but some of the negative feelings still remained. He felt stupid letting it affect him so much. He needed to be stronger. "I don't know..."

Chase studied him with that annoying calculating look of his. "You know if you went back, most of us would be there to watch out for you."

Finn scowled. "I don't need protection," he sighed. "Sorry, I just... let me think about it, okay?"