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Tavir floated slowly back into the real world. His vision wavered, then settled as he blinked a few times. He was lying down, staring at a white ceiling.. what was going on? Then he remembered the hockey game. He tested his leg. Only minute pain remained, but he felt woozy; painkillers stronger than his over-the-counter variety, no doubt.

"Tavir?" The voice sounded distant, and he blinked a few more times, trying to get in sync with the world around him.

"Tavir? Can you hear me?" Shurik's voice. He turned his head slowly. Shurik was sitting by his bed, still in his hockey uniform, and worry clouded his face.

"Hi kid." Tavir attempted a smile. He'd hoped Reyn would be here, but he guessed he hadn't really expected it.

"How're you feeling?"

"I'm.. okay. Doesn't hurt so bad right now." He paused, but he had to know. "Reyn?"

"He's still playing hockey." Shurik's face filled with sympathy. Tavir closed his eyes. <I should've known, really.>

"Do you know what's wrong with my knee?" He tried to focus on something other than Reyn.

"I.. the doctor said lots of stuff that didn't make any sense to me, but..." Shurik paused. "He said you should be okay to walk, but it's not going to heal well.. you'll probably get a limp. Something about torn tendons." He took a deep breath, then added in a quieter voice, "and he said if you're not careful, you may never play hockey again."

"Never?" He wondered if that was really true. He wondered if he even wanted to play hockey ever again. And he wondered how Reyn was going to react to hearing that.

"Never.. he.. Tavir, why didn't you see someone? You didn't have to be hurting like that.." Shurik sounded so sad, and all for Tavir's well being. What could he say in response? And then he didn't need to, as the door was flung open. He opened his eyes.

"Reyn.." He couldn't help the thrill which always passed through him at the sight of Reyn, and at times like this he hated himself for it.

"Tavir." Reyn stood in the doorway, glancing around the room, and then he crossed it with quick steps, standing over Tavir to stare down at him.

"How.. how did the game go?" Tavir managed to ask.

"We lost," was Reyn's curt reply. Tavir took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry, Reyn," he all but whispered. Reyn nodded, acknowledging his words, but not bothering to respond to them.

"What do the doctors say?" Reyn had never had much faith in doctors, he knew that. He didn't expect it to be any different today.

"They.. they say I might never play hockey again, unless I'm very careful," he said, glancing to Shurik for support. Shurik nodded, but Reyn paid him no attention.

"Never? How do they know that? They don't know what's best for you." He glanced around. "Where are your things? I'll take them home and bring something more suitable for you to wear home."

"You can't make him leave here so soon!" Shurik's startled exclamation saved him from having to reply, but he didn't wish Reyn's temper on the kid.

"We might've won the game if you hadn't left." Reyn finally gave notice to Shurik's presence, but ignored his words. Tavir expected Shurik to crumple under that harsh glare, but Shurik met it with a determined stare of his own.

"I care more about Tavir than I do about hockey," he stated simply. Reyn flushed -- embarrassment? Anger? Tavir was willing to bet it was anger.

"I'll be back with your clothes, Tavir." He gave Shurik a final glare, then stormed out and was gone.

Tavir closed his eyes. He dared not open them, for fear he'd see pity on Shurik's face. He didn't want pity.

"I hate seeing someone tear you apart like this, Tavir." Shurik's voice was gentle, and Tavir's eyes opened again, slowly. Then he sighed.

"He loves me in his own way, Shurik." He hated to sound like he was blindly defending Reyn, but it was true. "He's just.. driven. By success. He wants me to be the best."

"At the cost of your health?"

"He.. thinks it's all in my head. He thinks illnesses and pains come from fears and stress and stuff like that." It always seemed to make sense when Reyn explained it to him, but now the words sounded silly, childish.

"What do you think?" Shurik's question was quietly insistent. Tavir stopped to consider it.

"I don't know.. I just know that no matter what I've tried, it's been getting worse and worse." He closed his eyes again. Shurik was silent a long moment.

"What are you going to do now?" he asked, finally. Tavir reached up to brush hair away from his face. <What a question.> He didn't know. But something had to change. He'd tried so hard, for so long.. there was only so much you could do to please someone else. You had to do what was best for yourself, too. He'd tried Reyn's way, and he'd tried to make Reyn happy, but it just wasn't working anymore. He'd been so close to breaking point, for so long, knowing that just one more thing would push him over the edge, just this, just that.. but it never had. Until now. He couldn't remember the last time he'd thought about himself first, but it was time to start. If he didn't, he was going to end up even less of himself than he already was. A nothing.

"I don't know, Shur. But I'm not leaving here. I'm going to get well first." He opened his eyes.

"Sounds like a good start." Shurik offered him a smile, and he smiled back.