Off the Ice
Every time Liam circled back toward the bench, Jaxson's eyes would track the exact line of the skater's shoulders, verifying that the healing collarbone remained level and quiet.
Liam transitioned into a back inside edge, his core locking to absorb the sudden shift in momentum. As the turn completed, a tiny, sharp pinch of tightness flared in his left shoulder—not a break, but the silent protest of dormant muscle being forced to hold a heavy load.
He didn't flinch. He didn't let his posture break. But the sound of the blade shifted, a microscopic *scrape* marking the exit of the turn.
Before he could even begin the next circle, the heavy, echoing crash of hockey steel on ice shattered the qu