and quinn's just like 'eh, they didn't really in vancouver.'

and that stops nick in his tracks. he's like 'what do you mean they didn't really in vancouver?' because surely he heard wrong. and quinn shrugs and tries to be so nonchalant about it like 'it's fine,' he says, not because it is but because he wants it to be. 'they focused on the game, and that's fine. it's fine.'

and nick just. his heart just shatters. he's known this kid a grand total of two weeks and he's standing here right in front of nick just looking so small and so morose, and it's all nick can do not to skate all the way to vancouver and punch every one of his former teammates in the face.

but instead he just gingerly folds quinn into his arms, being careful to avoid his hurting shoulder, and is just like, 'don't worry, kid. from now on, i've got your back. we all do.'

and quinn's so tense at first but eventually he just kind of melts against nick. like his shoulder hurts so horribly bad and he definitely needs to ice it, but also he's reminded of how things should've been different back in vancouver. maybe it was his fault that nobody stuck up for him because everything seemed to be his fault and maybe he doesn't deserve any of this and--

and nick's just so gentle and soothing and he's just rubbing quinn's back and is finally like 'c'mon kid, let's get you some ice for that shoulder.' and he's helping quinn pack it against his shoulder and holds it there for him. maybe they're in quinn's hotel room or something, and nick can tell that quinn's still very much in his head.

'do you want to talk about it?' he asks, but quinn's already shaking his head.

'nothing to talk about,' he tries to say. nick just lets him be for a little bit, until quinn finally is like 'it sucked, nick. it fucking sucked. i'd get decked in vancouver and nobody would do anything about it and i had to pretend it was fine. but i was the captain, and i should've--'

and nick's just letting him talk it all out until quinn works himself into tears, tears that he hadn't allowed himself to shed until now, and finally he just descends into these pathetic hiccuping sobs.

and nick just pulls him into his lap like he does for his kids sometimes and lets quinn cry. he rocks him a little bit, murmuring softly. and he's just like 'quinny, you didn't deserve that, okay? you deserve teammates who will stand up for you. we'll all protect you, okay?'

and quinn just gives this pathetic lil hiccup, but nick's like, 'you know what moose told me after your first game?'

'what?' quinn asks, his voice small.

'he told me that he saw a guy preparing to take a run at you so he decked him. he said it didn't even matter that he'd met you five hours before. you were his teammate now, and he was going to knock anyone who came your way.'

'really?'

'oh yeah,' nick says. 'you should see the guys when someone runs at you. they all look like they're ready to draw blood, and i think most of them would if given the chance.'

and quinn's just silent, taking in all of this. sure, it's a little silly to be still curled up in nick's lap, but he's warm and quinn misses being held. he doesn't allow himself much physical affection.

and nick's just like, 'you're ours, hughesy. you're ours.'