Page 57 of Jockstraps & Newspapers
"Who.Stabbed.You?"Elliot cocked a brow.
"Timmy, Jimmy Three Thumbs’ brother," Rex confessed, looking at Jessie apologetically before squaring up with Elliot.
Elliot dead stared at Jessie as the three stood in silence.Jessie broke first, sighing as he shook his head."He wanted Dad, but I got in the way."
"I love you, Jessie.And I will support you in whatever you do, but…I don't approve.Because I'm protective of you.I don't know if Dad will forgive me, but I hope you can for choosing to leave that life behind."Elliot's heart thundered as Jessie stared at him, the silence between them thick as the Minotaur's thighs.His muscles ached from use but not stretching enough yet.Yet, the only thing he was worried about was his brother staring at him like he was going to break Elliot's heart.He couldn't speak, his throat closed with snap.
Jessie exhaled shakily, "Elliot, I never blamed you."
His lungs collapsed as all the air left him in a whoosh."What?"
"I don't need to forgive you, big guy, because I never blamed you.And you know, maybe Pops has lost his head a little, he wasn't thinking right, but I'll talk to him.Elliot, you're a Bonesaw, you're my brother—our brother," Jessie grabbed Rex by the bicep and pulled Elliot by the forearm."We stick together.So, you do the sports thing, I'll do the shop thing, and when Rex's old enough, he can decide what path to choose, but we never stop being the Bonesaw brothers, alright?"
Elliot pulled the other Minotaurs into his arms and hugged them tight.Heart hammering against his chest, he squeezed them with all his might till his arms shook.The words didn't come out, but he'd come to learn that words weren't always his forte.Elliot Bonesaw was a Minotaur of action, and they spoke volumes when his voice failed him.He didn't let them go for a long moment before Rex sniffled and broke the hug.Elliot punched both brothers in the meat of their chest with a warm smile.
"Yeah, we are," he breathed.
"And you're gonna get us tickets to the game, right?"
Elliot roared with laughter as he caught Rex in a chokehold, roughing up his stylized fluff until someone called his name from the field.He caught Toad's wave from across the grass, beckoning him over.Elliot spared his brothers a wicked grin, "You get tickets, but as long as you don't wear those to the game."
Jessie cackled, puffing his shirt once more, "But it's my best shirt."
"No!"Elliot bellowed over his shoulder as he jogged back toward Toad on the field.Renner and Trainer Lee were on the other end of the field, going over something on their phones.As Elliot got to Toad, he saw the look of horror on the Dragos face."Oh no, don't do this to me, Toad, I can't take any more bad news."
"It's not me, Cap…it's you."
"Bonesaw!"Renner barked, beckoning him over.Elliot spared Toad a look of shock and horror before crossing the rest of the field to his coach.
"What's up, Coach?"Elliot tossed back a gulp of water.
"We have a problem…a Slimy Stevie problem," Renner huffed, flipping the screen around.
Smeared and Cleared: A Stevie McMatterson Tell All.Elliot slapped a hand to his forehead.Oh great."How much did he pay to do this?"
"Probably not as much as we paid for the article on you, but more than Newsie got paid to write his, guaranteed."Renner flipped the phone back around."We're all about to be under public scrutiny, Bonesaw, get prepared.You thought you were famous before…that's nothing on what's about to happen."
"What's about to happen?"Elliot furrowed his brow.
"Press conference, after the game.There’s going to be about 80 journalists all packed sardine-style into the gym press room.I need you and Newsie to be prepared.Remember how I said being a coach was protecting my players?This is a part of that."Renner nodded his chin back to the field."Back on the pitch, and a full night's rest for you.I need you more Elliot Bonesaw than you've ever been before."
Elliot turned on his hoof and followed Toad into the fray of bodies on the pitch.He itched to rush to the locker room, call out to Cassie and see what she thought, but he couldn't think of that now.He needed to practice with the team, run them through drills, and somehow figure out how to be more him than he'd ever been.
"You good, Cap?"Toad whispered as they stood at the center of the field.
"I sure hope I am," Elliot grimaced.
"You got this, remember, you're Elliot Bonesaw."Toad clapped him on the arm.
"You're right," he laughed nervously.Elliot survived press junkets before, he was King's Fall's sweetheart.He could do this.This was no different than strategy, a play—he just needed to get his head in the game.
ElliotpulleduptoCassie's apartment, finding her SUV still parked in her spot.He sighed with relief, knowing he had a key was one thing…using it when she wasn't there was another.Climbing out of his truck, he jogged across the parking lot and to the stairs.The stench of body odor filled the concrete enclosing, he wasn't sure if it was him or all the bodies that lived in the building.He adjusted his duffel bag on his shoulder, climbing the steps two at a time till he was on the third floor.Her apartment building had one apartment on the left and one on the right.Putting his key in the lock made his stomach clench.The lock clicked and he stepped through the door.
The flowers he bought here were the first thing he saw.In a massive trout vase, mouth open and tail curled, flowers daintily draped inside it, the wildflowers he brought her lit up the kitchen island.
Cassie's apartment was always either in disarray or pristine.He'd never seen it in anything less than disaster or spotless.As he shut the door behind him, he realized now was a disaster.Clothes were strewn across the apartment, shoes were sat out as if to test them, and the furniture was pushed aside.Lily, her roommate was passed out, snoring loudly from the couch with a bag of popcorn on her belly.Cassie stood in the living room, wearing two different shoes.
"Fashion show?"He chuckled, looking up from the tizzy of fabric at his hooves.
