On The Rocks

13. Nerves

"What the fuck happened to your face?"

"Mitch! That's not how you greet people," Stephanie scolded from the couch to boyfriend just coming down stairs still rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"Something fell from a shelf in my closet and I thought it'd be a great idea to catch it with my face," I lied but my responds dripping in sarcasm as my face is it's usual bitchy self.

"Yeah, I at least said hi first," Morgan chirped from his spot in front me on the massage stool, my fingers digging into the tense muscles of his shoulders and back.

Morgan did at least say hello first but it was because he wasn't very awake, holding on the coffee and food he brought with a vice grip. It wasn't until we stuffed our face with fruits,
breakfast sandwiches and downed strong coffee did he asked the same thing Mitch did and got the same sarcastic answer.

The morning wasn't much different than other game days but the undeniable tension of tonight's game was thick in the room.

Mitch was going through his routine with visibly more jitters as his hands slightly shake well opening the container of protein or they way his bottom lip now holds permanent residency between his teeth as he nervously nibbles the already raw flesh.

As for Morgan his muscles are taking some extra effort into releasing any stress and me telling him to relax if he wants massage to do anything for him. Everything time I go to say I'm down he stops me and says different spot needs my attention. All I could do is roll my eyes an oblige, even though my hand are starting to cramp.

"Oh babe, you're bleeding!"

Mitch had managed to bite his lip so much, he broke the skin of lip resulting in a steady stream of red down his chin. Stephanie is quick to whip away the blood with a tissue from the coffee table.

"I get that you're nervous but you can't let it do this to you, babe," Steph spoke softly as she swabbed the blood from his face. her own face screw up with worry, her brows and lips tilted down as her eyes intense yet soft as she cares for her boyfriend, Who's face matches hers but his eyes hold his love for her.

"First aid kit is...in the laundry room?" Steph questioned pulling mitch up from the couch even though he it able bodied not dead.

"Yeah, middle shelf I think or it's in the washroom if it's not there," I couldn't exactly recall where I left it last. Steph pulled hey boy into the laundry room now out of sight but not earshot, could still hear Stephanie's reassuring words and coo's as she cared for her 19 year old boyfriend like a wounded pet.

"The anxiety is real," Mo whispered so quietly I wasn't sure if he was even talking to me or just himself. He took a deep breath before continuing. "My first instinct is to chirp for being fucking human. How fucked is that?" Morgan shook his head in what I assume is shame.

"Pretty fucked because you're all in the same boat," I quirked adding to his confession with him as I finished up with the last knot in his back before my cramps and I step away from the stool now trying to massage my own knots.

"He's my rookie, I should be building him up. Let's be real here we can't do anything without our rookies," Morgan vented pausing to pull on his shirt over his head. "I mean their skill as they also make up majority of the roaster," He noted his tone lighter than his facial expression. We move to the kitchen, morgan sat on stool at the island counter putting his head in his hands as I washed the massage oil from my hands.

"Do you think it'd be easier for them if they knew we were scared too, because I am." He raised his head as I flick water at him catching him in the face- his unamused face.