#anguish

Malone's was considerably more crowded than usual that night.

The buzz that filled the bar brought a vibrant energy, and every penny raised from drinks, merchandise, and raffles already had a specific purpose: to cover the season's expenses and secure new equipment for the rookies who had just joined the team.

The idea to create this charity event had come entirely from Logan. He perfectly remembered when he was just a scared freshman without enough financial resources to support himself in university, a time when the veterans of that era came together to lend a hand and ensure that he and the freshmen didn't have to give up the sport.

However, Logan was fully aware that none of this would have come to fruition without crucial support.

From the moment the idea began to take shape, Y/n was unconditionally by his side. She helped decorate the bar, organized the guest list, checked the raffle tickets, sorted out each prize, managed the evening's schedule, and even amidst all the hustle and bustle, still found time to ensure he ate and stayed hydrated.

Supporting hockey for Y/n was simply another way of supporting the man she loved.

Now, with the event running flawlessly, the two finally allowed themselves a moment of rest. They were leaning against one of the high tables in the hall, watching the students enjoying each attraction they had prepared with such care.

"I have to admit... I thought half the people would show up just for the free food."

Y/n let out a low laugh. "The other half came from the drinks."

"So my plan was a success."

"Your plan was a success because you spent almost an entire month organizing it."

"With a little help."

"Just a little bit?" She raised her eyebrows, tilting her head slightly to the side, and Logan pretended to think for a few seconds.

"Okay... That helps a LOT."

Y/n laughed, shaking her head.

"We probably raised much more than I imagined."

"And you deserve it!"

He turned his head immediately to face her. "Me?"

"You!" Y/n smiled fondly. "You care about this team more than anyone else. It was obvious that everyone would want to help."

Logan looked deeply into his girlfriend's eyes, feeling an immense affection that seemed impossible to contain in his chest. However, before he could utter a word about what he was feeling, a familiar voice interrupted the moment as it approached.

"I have to admit... You did a great job, Logan," Dean commented, approaching with a bottle of beer in his hands.

"Thank you, Di Laurentis." Logan smiled genuinely, grateful for the compliment from his friend and brother-in-law.

Dean discreetly gestured with the bottle toward the hall. "Seriously! It turned out much better than when we were freshmen."

"I couldn't have done this alone." Logan smiled at his girlfriend and then pulled her closer, making their hips bump together.

Y/n let out a little laugh, and Dean stared at the scene for a full second before theatrically rolling his eyes.

"Wow... Very romantic."

Y/n started laughing at her brother's sarcastic tone, and Logan just shrugged, completely unconcerned.

"I'm an incurable romantic."

Dean let out a laugh. "You're tacky, that's what you are."

"And you're still my brother-in-law."

"Unfortunately," Dean replied in a voice of feigned indignation.

"Hey!" Y/n nudged her brother lightly before looking at Logan again, still smiling. "Go on, my Romeo. Grab another drink for your girlfriend here."

Logan picked up her glass from the table and held it. But before heading towards the bar, he winked at Y/n, and she lowered her head, letting out a soft laugh. Dean watched the whole scene, finding it genuinely affectionate how the two continued to show so much affection even after years of being together.

As soon as Logan disappeared among the people towards the bar, Y/n rested both forearms on the high table and Dean remained beside her, distracted, his eyes following the other side of the room. More specifically, Allie, who was talking to Garrett and Hannah.

He followed her every move almost involuntarily, and Y/n looked at her brother in silence, holding back a laugh.

"What was that?" Dean asked, frowning as he brought the bottle to his lips.

"You're staring at Allie like a crazy person."

Dean nearly choked on his beer. "I'm not."

"You've been staring at her ever since you got here."

He took another sip of his beer, clearly buying time to think of a convincing answer. Y/n just kept staring at her brother, amused.

"Go talk to her."

Dean shook his head immediately. "I can't. Because... we have a challenge to meet..."

Y/n frowned even more. "And that's stopping you two from talking?"

"No, but I can't meet that challenge."

"Dean... it's literally just a matter of walking up to her and saying 'hi'. Forget about that challenge, who knows what it is!"

"It's not that simple."

She let out an incredulous laugh. "You guys manage to turn anything into a competition."

He simply shrugged and took the last sip of his beer, Y/n just shook her head in disbelief and sighed loudly.

Shortly after, Logan reappeared, bringing a bottle of ice water for himself and a fresh drink for Y/n. She greeted him with a warm, silent smile, a gesture he immediately returned. And naturally, Logan's free hand found his girlfriend's back, caressing it absentmindedly.

"So... Have you finally mustered the courage to truly confess your feelings to Allie, or are you still playing this dare game?" He looked at Dean.

Y/n immediately let out a little laugh. "That's exactly what we were talking about before you arrived."

Dean raised both hands in indignation.

"Hey! I'm still here, you know?" They both laughed, but Dean frowned at his brother-in-law. "And wait a minute... How do you know about me and Hayes?"

Logan simply shrugged before taking another sip of water, and Dean turned quickly to Y/n.

"Did you tell?"

"What? NO!" She felt offended, and Logan stifled a laugh.

"It's very obvious. You can feel the tension between you two from across campus."

Dean let out an incredulous laugh. "No!"

Logan raised an eyebrow, Dean opened and closed his mouth a few times without being able to articulate any sound, and Y/n covered her mouth to stifle a laugh, while Logan sported a victorious expression.

Before Dean could formulate any argument, Beau walked past the table and gave an amused smile.

"I'm with the Logan-Di Laurentis couple on this one. Incredibly right in their argument!" He gave two light taps on the table before continuing to walk across the room. "Good luck, partner."

Y/n burst into laughter, and Logan joined in immediately. Dean just closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath.

"You guys are unbearable."

"But we're right!" Logan replied with a laugh, and Dean just rolled his eyes.

However, the sound of Malone's main door opening caused Y/n's gaze to turn towards the entrance.

The smile vanished completely as soon as she identified the figure removing the coat. A bitter, warm sensation ran down her spine, her jaw clenched, and her eyebrows furrowed in an expression of profound discomfort.

Hunter Davenport.

He greeted some freshmen with handshakes, smiled broadly, and exchanged friendly waves throughout the crowded hall. For a moment, any unsuspecting person observing him from afar would swear he was just another charismatic and popular student entering university life.

But Y/n knew exactly who she was dealing with. And likewise, Dean, Logan, and Beau knew as well.

"What the hell..." The phrase escaped in a low tone, imbued with pure disgust.

Logan and Dean immediately interrupted their conversation, turning their attention back to her in the same second.

She kept staring at the front door, which caused them both to follow in the same direction almost reflexively. The moment they recognized the standing figure, the celebratory atmosphere completely vanished.

The smile vanished from Logan's face in the same millisecond. His hand, which had been resting tenderly on Y/n's back, slid discreetly to her waist in a firm, protective motion, while the muscles in her neck visibly tensed.

Dean, for his part, froze in place. His shoulders stiffened and his eyes locked onto Hunter with intimidating intensity, eliminating any trace of the good-humored boy from moments before. All that remained was the extremely protective brother, ready to intervene at any cost.

The newcomer continued to distribute smiles and greetings to veterans and freshmen alike as if he were a movie star. He acted exactly like the boy who, years ago, mercilessly destroyed Y/n's self-esteem, manipulating her feelings and transforming one of the most beautiful phases of her life into a memory marked by deep scars.

Dean took a few determined steps toward the entrance, catching Hunter's attention, who changed course to meet him.

"What are you doing here?"

"I came to save your team!" Hunter replied disdainfully.

The approach caused Logan to take two quick steps, stopping shoulder to shoulder with Dean.

Allie hurried over to where Y/n was standing, while Beau strategically positioned himself beside the table. The small group remained in absolute silence, watching as Dean and Logan stared intently at the newcomer.

"Then you can get in your car and leave!" Dean suggested, his voice icy.

Hunter raised his eyebrows in feigned surprise and directed his gaze to Garrett, who was observing the scene standing a few meters away.

"Graham! You said he called me here!"

"Did you do what?" Logan and Dean asked in unison, raising their voices and drawing the curiosity of those around them.

"I had to make a decision, I'm the team captain!" Garrett explained, visibly confused by the level of hostility that had arisen.

"Correction! I'm the team captain now, you're on leave...or have you forgotten?" Logan retorted, taking a sideways step away from Garrett.

The movement cleared Hunter's field of vision, allowing his eyes to fall directly on Y/n.

"I'm not going to play with that jerk!" Dean declared, pointing his index finger firmly in his direction.

Hunter ignored the gesture, keeping his focus completely fixed on the girl.

"Hello, sweet Y/n Di Laurentis!" Hunter gave her a dramatic, ironic bow.

At that same instant, Dean and Logan positioned themselves directly in front of her, completely blocking the boy's view.

"Wow! So much stress, I just wanted to say hi to an ex-girlfriend!"

The visceral aversion that Dean and Logan harbored for Hunter Davenport went beyond any common rivalry or the simple fact that he had been a former flame of Y/n's.

Hunter was that classic manipulative boy, a specialist in weaving grand promises to make a fifteen-year-old girl believe every word. For months, he made her believe they were building a life together, refusing to label the relationship under the justification that they didn't need a status to prove what they felt. Y/n gave him her trust in a pure and innocent way, until she discovered that while he swore his feelings for her, Hunter repeated the exact same speech to other girls.

However, the deception was only the initial chapter.

When Y/n decided to cut ties and distance herself permanently, Hunter turned his rejection into a personal vendetta. He began spreading malicious rumors and lies throughout the school hallways, resorting to constant emotional blackmail because he couldn't accept the end of his control over her.

Noticing that the virtual lynching wasn't having the desired impact, a photo that Y/n had sent her in a moment of extreme trust was leaked and began circulating in other students' chats a few days later.

Hunter never took responsibility for the leak, but he also never bothered to deny it. Instead, he watched the girl's humiliation from a privileged position, feigning complete neutrality in the face of the damage.

Y/n spent months altering her routes through the hallways, skipping classes whenever possible and keeping her eyes on the floor to avoid the whispers that arose.

Dean lived through that nightmare alongside his sister. He was the one who picked her up crying from the floor of her room dozens of times, who heard the jokes in the school hallways, and who had to channel his boundless rage to avoid being expelled after trying to physically attack Hunter on several occasions.

Logan, for his part, only learned about her past years later. Right at the beginning of their relationship, when their feelings were still blossoming, Y/n chose not to hide anything about her life, wanting him to know both her achievements and the wounds that were still slow to heal.

Sitting on a secluded bench on campus in the quiet of the afternoon, she shared the story in detail. That same night, Logan vowed to himself that he would never again allow anyone to shame her for something she had been entirely a victim of.

"What's wrong?" Hunter stared at Logan, then tried to look over his shoulder toward Y/n. "Are you afraid I'll steal your girlfriend?"

"Get out of here!" Logan replied in a firm and extremely controlled tone, although his jaw was locked with force.

Hunter let out a nasal laugh full of mockery.

"Wow, very demanding." He tilted his head slightly to the side, trying to see Y/n behind the barrier between the two boys. "You still let others speak for you?"

She remained completely silent, her expression totally closed and impassive. Hunter's smile widened even further.

Logan took a large step forward, closing the distance. "Didn't you hear? I told you to get out of here."

Hunter moved closer, staring at him without flinching. "Or what?"

The silence in the room lasted only a fraction of a second. Logan reached out with both hands and pushed Hunter's chest with enough force to send him staggering several steps back before regaining his balance. Conversations at the nearby tables ceased immediately upon hearing the impact.

"Look at that..." Hunter let out a short, dry laugh. "She really knows how to pick a guard dog."

Logan's eyes darkened. "And you're still a coward."

Hunter turned his attention to Dean.

"And you... Are you still the overprotective brother?"

Dean raised his index finger, pointing directly at his face. "You have five seconds to disappear."

Hunter cast one last provocative glance at Y/n.

"In high school, she also used to hide behind you."

That was the last thing he managed to say before everything exploded in the blink of an eye.

Dean delivered a violent shove to Hunter's chest, and before he could react or take a step forward, Logan lunged with full force against Hunter's chest, aggressively throwing him until he collided with the bar counter. The impact caused glasses and bottles to fall, shattering into dozens of pieces across the floor.

In the next second, any possibility of dialogue was swept away. Logan and Dean moved forward together.

Hunter still managed to land a heavy punch that hit Logan in the face, but ended up receiving a direct hit to the jaw from Dean in response. The three grappled in the middle of the hall in a tangle of violent blows and punches.

Logan landed another blow to his face, but Hunter reacted immediately by delivering a firm elbow strike to the bridge of Logan's nose.

Allie and Y/n took two steps back, their eyes wide with fright. Hannah ran without a second thought to position herself beside them, while Beau instinctively positioned himself as a shield in front of the trio, keeping his attention fixed on the fight, ready to intervene if necessary.

Dean exploited any opening in Hunter's guard to deliver firm blows. Logan, however, seemed impossible to contain; even absorbing the impact of the punches he received, he continued marching toward Hunter without retreating an inch.

The chaos intensified when Hunter managed to open a bloody cut on Dean's eyebrow and then landed another punch on Logan's face, causing him to stagger slightly.

The opening allowed Garrett to finally reach Dean from behind, trapping his arms to restrain him. With Tucker, however, the task proved infinitely more complex; he practically hung from Logan's shoulders and neck in a desperate attempt to pull him away from the fight.

The attempt was in vain, as he continued to forcefully break free, trying to advance on the boy again.

Realizing the seriousness of the situation, two players from the football team rushed to support Tucker.

At that moment, everyone knew with absolute certainty: if John Logan broke free from that blockage, Hunter Davenport would leave the bar on a stretcher, heading straight to the hospital emergency room.

And then a red drop hit the ground. Then another fell right next to it, and then another, and it just kept falling.

Y/n's eyes widened in pure terror, her gaze following the trail of blood. She involuntarily took a step forward to intervene, but Beau quickly extended his firm arm in front of her, preventing her from moving into the danger zone.

"They're bleeding!" Y/n exclaimed, overcome by overwhelming despair.

"It's Logan." Allie brought both hands to her mouth in shock.

"WHAT?" Y/n immediately turned her attention to the commotion in the center of the hall.

That's when she saw blood gushing from Logan's nose, who was still struggling against Tucker's grip to try and reach Hunter.

Without considering the consequences, Y/n slipped under Beau's outstretched arm at the exact moment Tucker, using every last drop of strength, managed to push Logan several meters away from his rival.

"Get him out of here." Tucker said, panting heavily from the effort while keeping his hands firmly on Logan's shoulders.

As soon as Y/n reached him, she grabbed his shoulders and quickly scanned every inch of his face to check the severity of his injuries. Then she turned her face toward the counter and found Dean sitting there, pressing his hand against his eye while Garrett stood beside him.

Y/n's gaze met Allie's for a second. No words needed to be spoken, as her friend understood the message instantly.

"You can go. I'll take care of Dean."

Y/n offered a quick, deeply grateful smile. "Thank you."

Without hesitating for another second, Y/n put her arm around Logan's shoulders and firmly led him to the nearest bathroom to get him away from the crowd. As soon as they crossed the threshold, she closed the door carefully, causing Logan to lean against the sink counter.

He remained completely silent.

His eyes followed her every gesture and micro-expression on her face, carefully searching for any trace of anger at having started a fight and ruined the evening. However, all he found was a serene, focused expression overflowing with affection as she carefully folded a piece of paper.

"This might sting a little, I'm sorry!" Y/n said sweetly, gently removing his hand from the area to press the damp paper against his injured nose.

Logan flinched slightly at the contact.

"Does it hurt a lot?"

"Not so much..." He replied, tilting his head slightly back as Y/n examined the affected area.

"I don't think it's broken, but it could leave a nasty bruise over the next few days. We should go to the hospital to be sure." Her voice sounded incredibly calm, which in a way only increased Logan's anxiety.

After all, it seemed impossible that she could remain so calm and patient after all the chaos that had broken out in the hall just minutes before, with her injured boyfriend in front of her and her brother with a black eye in the next room.

Y/n pushed the paper away for a moment and gently tilted Logan's chin to the side, examining the swelling that was beginning to appear around his nasal bone.

"It doesn't look misaligned yet... That's a good sign." Logan remained silent, and she went back to dampening a new piece of paper. "Even so, I want a doctor to examine it. Sometimes the fracture is small and—"

"Y/n..." Logan's low voice interrupted her.

"Yeah?"

He hesitated for a few seconds before gathering his courage. "Why aren't you angry?"

Y/n blinked in surprise at the question. She looked deep into his eyes for a moment and then refocused her attention on the bandage.

"I'm mad."

Logan swallowed hard, and at that same instant Y/n pressed the paper a little harder against his nose.

"Ahh..."

She grimaced immediately. "Sorry, it's going to hurt a little."

Logan shook his head slowly, indicating that there was no problem, and silence returned to the small bathroom space. He didn't take his eyes off her for a single second, while Y/n remained completely focused on stopping the bleeding.

"Are you mad... at me?"

Y/n frowned slightly. Her hands continued working with extreme delicacy, wiping away the dried blood that had reached his upper lip.

"Why would I be angry specifically with you, John?"

"Because of everything... I lost my temper, went after him, and ended up ruining the party we spent weeks organizing." Logan took a deep breath. "And now... You still have to take care of me because I managed to get out of that mess with a bloody nose."

Y/n finished cleaning up the last traces of blood before discarding the used paper in the trash can and pulling out a new, dry sheet.

"Can I tell you something?" Logan nodded slightly. "I'm really angry, but not with you. And not with Dean either." Y/n confessed, causing Logan to stare at her intently. "Actually... After everything that idiot did to me when I was fifteen... It was even satisfying to see you two beating him up."

Logan couldn't suppress a small smile that appeared at the corner of his lips, though it quickly faded when the pain in his face twinged. Y/n chuckled softly at the sight of his grimace.

"Don't laugh, it will make your nose worse."

Logan continued to stare at her in silence, searching for the full explanation in her gaze, and Y/n understood the message without needing any more words.

"I'm not that fifteen-year-old girl anymore. Back then, I had to face everything alone... almost, because I had Dean by my side. But I felt ashamed, scared, and deep down I thought it was my fault." Y/n looked into Logan's eyes, and he subtly lowered his face. "Not today. Because besides having a brother who would overcome any obstacle for me, I have a boyfriend who knows every scar from my past and who didn't think twice before putting himself in front of me to protect me from something he didn't even cause." She smiled extremely sweetly, leaving him completely speechless and without reaction.

Y/n took a step to the side just to grab another piece of paper, since the bleeding kept trickling down. As soon as she positioned herself in front of him again and met his gaze, she continued to speak.

"I'm not happy that you two fought, especially since violence is never the ideal solution to anything." A small, provocative smile appeared at the corner of her mouth. "But I'm not going to pretend I felt sorry for Hunter either. Because I didn't feel sorry for him at all." She chuckled softly, and Logan ended up laughing along, this time taking great care not to move his facial muscles too much.

"Did he deserve it?"

"VERY!"

The two smiled together. Y/n snuggled comfortably between Logan's legs, who remained seated on the counter.

"But you know what really made me angry?" Logan shook his head negatively.

"The shock of seeing that blood on the floor... My heart just stopped." Her eyes finally revealed all the anguish and worry she had been suppressing. "I wasn't thinking about Hunter. Or the party. Or anyone else... I could only think about what that idiot had done to you. And that truly terrified me."

He remained motionless for a moment, absorbing each word, and then, with immense affection, he raised his hand and placed his fingers on her cheek, caressing her soft skin with extreme gentleness, his gaze overflowing with tenderness.

"I'm sorry," Logan said softly.

"You don't have to apologize for wanting to protect me." Y/n smiled and lowered her gaze for a second to examine the purplish bruise that was beginning to form on the side of her nose. "And honestly, after all these years with Davenport getting away unscathed... I think it was worth every punch, wasn't it?"

Y/n moved her eyebrows up and down in a comical and funny way, eliciting a loud laugh from Logan.

"Don't do that. It hurts to laugh!"

Y/n laughed openly. "Well done."

"You just said you weren't mad at me."

"And I'm not." She leaned closer and placed an extremely delicate kiss on the tip of his bruised nose, taking the utmost care. "I'm just reminding you that the next time you decide to play the hero..." She gently rested her forehead against his, keeping her eyes fixed on his. "...you'll have to let me take care of you again."

A genuine, passionate, and radiant smile blossomed on Logan's lips.

Even with the pain throbbing in his nose, the cut on his brother-in-law's eyebrow, and the party having ended in a huge mess, he would face Hunter Davenport as many times as necessary. Because in the end, protecting and seeing the smile of his sweet and beloved Y/n truly made every punch worthwhile.