**Steve's POV***

You know, I'm not perfect. I have done things wrong in my life, I have done things that have hurt other people. Generally though, when I hurt someone, I generally know what I did. Right now, I have no clue.

I stare at the door Boyd had just run though. What the hell just happened? I run through all the things I said. None of them seemed threatening...maybe he was hurt. That's the only thing I can think of that would make him be so afraid to be touched...

Whatever is wrong with him, I can't let it end like this. I have to go after him...who knows what he could do if I let him go home in that kind of state. I walk through the door and make my way into the locker room. Just before I walk through the locker room door, I hear shouting coming from inside. "You fucking PROMISED!" It was Boyd's voice, sounding angrier than I'd ever heard him before.

"I don't know what you're talking about," That's Shanny in full defense mode. Alright, so maybe it would be a better idea not to go in there right now.

"You said you wouldn’t tell him. You said you'd forget all about it. And then you went and you TOLD HIM!" A note of panic is slipping into Boyd's voice, and for a moment, I feel bad about eavesdropping, but if it’s the only way I can find out what's going on, I'll do it.

"Boyd, look, I swear, I didn't tell him..." Brendan's voice is gentle, like he's talking to a wounded animal.

"Don't patronize me! I KNOW you did!" I peek around the corner and see Boyd push Shanny away from him. "He told me that you did!"

Shanny's eyes widen. "He told you what, exactly?"

Boyd crosses his arms over his chest. "He told me that you said he should talk to me. Thanks a lot. I TRUSTED you!"

Shanny grabs Boyd's arms, holding him tightly. "Boyd." Boyd tries to struggle away, but Shanny's grip stays firm. "Boyd! Listen to me!!!"

Boyd is trembling. It's almost painful to watch. "What?"

"I told him he should talk to you. I didn't tell him anything else. I promise."

"Why should I believe you?" Boyd's voice quivers, like he's about to cry.

Brendan sighs and lets go of Boyd. "I wouldn't do that to you. I'm not just trying to spread gossip. I thought that getting Stevie to talk to you would help you..."

"HELP ME?" Boyd exclaims. "How would that HELP me? How would humiliating me do any good?"

Shanny rubs the back of his neck, obviously frustrated. "Because nothing ever gets done if you just stand there and stare at someone. Talking is what gets things done."

Boyd just stands there, frozen. "What exactly was supposed to get done?" he whispers. Shanny opens his mouth to answer, but Boyd cuts him off. "No, forget it, forget it. I think I know." He swallows. "I was supposed to tell him, and then he'd laugh at me, and then the two of you would tip off the rest of the guys, and I could amuse everyone on the team. That was the plan, wasn't it?"

Ok, now I'm confused. What did Shanny supposedly tell me that would be so awful? Shanny shakes his head. "No... Boyd, where is this paranoia coming from? No one is out to get you..."

"Fuck you!" Boyd shoves a startled Brendan against the wall. "Fuck you! You're lying! Don't turn this around on me! You PROMISED you wouldn't tell him, you promised me! And then you went and you TOLD him!" Tears are streaming down Boyd's face by this point. "Why do you want to do this to me? Why do you get some sick joy of making me into some locker room joke? Boyd Devereaux, the idiot who fell in love with the captain! Yeah, that's really funny, Shanny."

Oh shit. That's what it was? That's what Boyd has been panicking about? It all makes sense though...the way he was watching me, the way he wouldn’t let me touch him. Oh my God. The poor kid.

Brendan is just staring at Boyd. "Oh come on. I wouldn't do that. That would be cruel. Boyd, please, I would NOT do that to you. You have to believe me."

"Why? Why should I believe you?" Boyd pushes Shanny again.

This time, Brendan shoves back, knocking Boyd away. "Because you have no reason NOT to! I didn’t do anything!"

Boyd starts to go back after Shanny, but a voice from the hallway stop him. "Well, look at that. Concussion Boy and Broken-Thumb Man are going at it. Anyone up for taking bets?"

Shanny spins around. "Brett, what the hell are you doing here?"

Hull grins. "I was just coming to ask if you were gonna eat the rest of your Dorito 3-D's?"

Brendan rolls his eyes. "No, you can have them. They're not real Doritos anyways. They're fraudulent snack chips."

Brett laughs. "So, you ready to get going?"

Shanny glances over at Boyd. "I don't know. Boyd, do have more to accuse me of, or can I leave?"

"Go. You’re just going to keep denying it anyways." Boyd's staring at the floor now, looking utterly defeated.

Shanny just shakes his head and walks away with Brett.

I keep watching Boyd. He sits down on one of the benches and wipes his eyes. Then, he buries his head in his hands, and I see sobs wrack his body. The captain in me wants to go to him, to tell him that whatever is wrong is not worth getting this upset over, but I'm smarter than that. I'm the last person Boyd wants to see. I think this is one problem I don't think I can help with.

I head back down the hallway, out to the parking area. As I'm heading to my car, Mathieu Dandenault stops me. "Hey Stevie, you seen Boyd anywhere?" he asks.

I suppose if I can't help Boyd, I might as well let Dandy help him. "I think he's in the locker room. "

"Thanks!" Dandy runs off and I get into my car and lean my head against the steering wheel. It finally sinks in. He's in love with ME. Not just in love, in love with me. This is worse than I thought. Much worse. He's in love with me? With ME? Why? I'm not that special. But whoever said love makes sense? Fuck. This is very very bad. How am I supposed to captain a team where one of the players is terrified of me? And he is definitely terrified of me; I've never seen anyone get that upset by a simple touch. I sigh. I think it's going to be a long night.

I've never seen you look like this without a reason
Another promise fallen through another season passes by you
I never took the smile away from anybody's face
And that's a desperate way to look for someone who is still a child...
- Big County, "In a Big Country"

Part 9 | Part 11