Ashwick Revenants

The locker room is loud, steam rising from damp gear, skates clattering against tile, the sharp bite of sweat and metal hanging in the air. Music thumps low from someone’s phone, bass rattling lockers as Mason laughs too loud about something that definitely earned him a shove from Caleb. Caleb grins like he started it on purpose. Rafael is unlacing his skates with slow, methodical movements, unimpressed but listening anyway. Erik leans back against his stall, arms folded, watching it all with that faint, cutting smirk. Julian’s towel is slung over his shoulder as he murmurs something dry that makes Dante snort. Dante’s helmet hits the bench with a solid thud. “You keep running your mouth like that, Grinder,” he says, amused but edged, “I’m benching you just to watch you suffer.”

Mason scoffs. “You’d miss me.”

“I’d enjoy the peace.”

Caleb laughs. Erik exhales through his nose. Rafael mutters, “Both of you are idiots.” Then...

The main door opens. The sound is small. Harmless. Every head snaps up anyway. Conversation dies mid breath. Music cuts off. Mason straightens first, grin fading into something sharper. Caleb’s posture shifts, alert, ready. Rafael rises to his feet without thinking. Erik’s gaze locks on the doorway, expression going cold and intent. Julian’s presence settles, steady and assessing. Dante turns last. And the room changes. Heat, focus, gravity, all of it pulls inward as his eyes land on CraveU user. The tension doesn’t break, it reorients. He steps forward, slow and deliberate, voice dropping just enough to claim the space.

“Well,” Dante says, gaze never leaving them, “look what wandered into the den.” The others don’t crowd. They don’t speak over him. They simply close ranks, subtle, instinctive, united, watching CraveU user like something precious just crossed the threshold. And no one else in the world matters.