A bit of a preamble with a school-age bully, but it definitely heats up in this chapter, don't worry ;)
Kai was ready for a break, but didn't want a literal break.
OK, it was a sprain, but it
felt
like he broke something. Kai tore his ACL during a rugby match last week, while getting tackled by this insanely huge fullback during a final sprint. While Kai is a fly-half on his team, he was a little more lithe than his teammates. Still with that beefy rugby build, but Kai can sprint like no one else. He is still regarded as one of the best in the league, but needed to be pulled out for a few weeks while his sprain healed.
To be honest, he'd been feeling like he needed a break for a while. Having such an important role on his team and being viewed as the leader was a huge responsibility. And lately, he'd been out of it. Not connected to the game, not connected to his teammates.
Kai would always see guys in the locker room and during practice really close with each other, pal-ing around. Especially Lorne and Ben. He was jealous of how tight they were, and how tight everyone seemed to be with each other. He sensed with his heightened local fame and skill, there was always a bit of a disconnect.
But Kai felt disconnect for more than that. Kai was envious of these tight male bonds everyone had because Kai was gay and would always pull back when teammates got too close, for fear of them perceiving him as gay. Kai had a lot of bad experiences in school growing up, constantly getting bullied for his effeminate voice, for having only female friends, or the fact that he'd never had a girlfriend. One group of boys, the football players, were especially brutal to him. Keith, the football team captain, and his friends would push him in the halls, call him slurs, and really made life a living hell with especially devious plots. One time, they stole his clothes from the locker room and left only a skirt in there, taking even the towels out, so he was forced to run to the office across the school in a skirt to grab extra clothes. They were evil.
So Kai did the only thing he thought would help. He doubled down on passing as straight. Had a few "girlfriends" and joined the rugby team. That was where he figured out he was good at rugby. Well, not just good,
great
. Like, get scouted his penultimate year at school "great." That started to shut up Keith and his gang.
Kai got signed for a local league a few cities over, right out of school, and didn't look back. Fuck that place and how they made him feel.
So now, Kai was feeling stuck in a position most guys who played sports in school would kill to be in. Because he didn't feel like he belonged there. He loved the sport, how it could take him out of his brain and into the moment, feeling blood and adrenaline coursing through his veins. The physicality the sport brought to his body wasn't anything worth complaining about, either. He definitely got stares in the locker room or when he'd run around town shirtless. That was a bit of a self-esteem boost, but he needed much more than that right about now.
Kai stewed over all this while in the waiting room for physical therapy. Coach Gerald got him a last minute appointment to the area's best physical therapist and sent him to some random address. Apparently it was a private practice. "O'Connor Physical Therapy." Generic enough name, but he'd never heard of it.
"Kai, we're ready for you." said the nurse, a 20-something man with a deep V in his shirt showing a delectably hairy chest.
Please tell me you're going to warm me up first
, thought Kai.
Kai got up and followed the nurse, eyes stuck on his ass swaying back and forth as they were led into the therapist's office.
"Dr. O'Connor will see you shortly, but I'll just take measurements in the meantime if that's OK. You're, uh, not wearing any shorts underneath that, are you?"
Shit. I'm wearing jeans to a fucking physical therapy appointment for an issue with my knee
. Kai said to himself.
"Uh, no, I'm not... sorry..." Kai eked out, looking down.
"Perfectly fine," said the nurse. "If you're comfortable with it, we can just have you in your underwear. Dr. O'Connor is a male, so it'll be just us guys, no worries there."
Well, no worries for you, maybe. What if I get a stiffy looking at that fucking jungle of a chest you've got there?
"Um, yeah, that should be fine. So, strip now, then?" Kai asked.
"Yes please, and probably remove the jersey, too, for weight purposes," said the nurse, gesturing for Kai to step onto the scale first.
Kai undid his belt and dropped his pants, thinking it was a bit odd that the nurse stood there and watched. He didn't look too interested and probably thought this was just normal. Which, Kai guessed, to him it was. Kai then took off his jersey to reveal his perfectly toned chest.
The nurse looked him up and down, glanced at the jersey on the floor, and suddenly said, "Oh, shit, Kai Green! I knew I recognized you. Fucking killer fly half you are man, my money always goes on you."
Guess the muscles gave it away
, thought Kai.
"Haha, yeah, that's me. Thanks man, I appreciate it."
The nurse multi-tasked, getting the weight, writing it down, and continued complimenting him. It went in one ear and out the other. Kai just wanted to be Kai at the moment, not star player Green.
After grabbing his blood pressure, the nurse said Dr. O'Connor would be right in. He shut the door and left Kai with his thoughts for a few minutes, which was then interrupted.
"Kai Green... I knew it sounded familiar." said a voice from behind Kai. He turned around and saw Dr. O'Connor in a tight polo, showcasing a slim, yet muscular build, replete with khakis that were perfectly form-fitting. As Kai's eyes moved upward, he saw Dr. O'Connor's not quite full beard, and then his gorgeous blue eyes.
Wait a minute
, Kai thought,
I know those eyes.
Shit.
Keith.
Keith O'Connor.
As in, football captain Keith, the bully.
How did I fucking get into this situation and how do I get out, quick?
"Keith? What are you... what—" said Kai, feeling himself hiding away. Feeling like a little kid again.
"Yeah, from school! This is crazy to see you again! How long has it been? Like, 7 years?" said Keith, with a grin on his face.
Yeah, seven glorious years away from you
, thought Kai.
"Uh, yeah, I think about 7 years now..."
"And now you're some rugby star! I would kill to be where you are right now, that's amazing," said Keith, obviously not thinking about the years of abuse he threw at Kai.
"Yeah, well..."
"Listen, I wanna address the elephant in the room..." said Keith.
Oh, how you were a piece of shit to me? Let's hear what you have to say
.
"Since we knew each other before... we have patient-doctor confidentiality. Nothing we do or say goes beyond these walls. I like to confirm that with all my patients that I know out in the real world."
That's it?
thought Kai.
