Seb yelped when he stumbled into his dorm room and found Kalmin lounging on his bed.

“Jesus Christ!” He cussed. He looked tired with bags under his eyes, a jitter in his step, and glasses that were swapped out for his contacts.

“Pulled an all-nighter?” Kalmin cocked an eyebrow.

Seb sighed and rubbed his eyes, nodding slowly. “Yeah, fell asleep in the library. No one cared. Probably thought I looked pathetic or something.”

“Studying what?”

“Bio, I get the gracious opportunity to have three out of four of my exams in the first week of Final Month.”

“Holy shit, dude.”

Seb laughed weakly and dropped all his things in the middle of their room. If his appearance wasn’t such a big hint that his life was falling apart, their dorm room was. Seb’s half was cluttered with dirty and clean clothes littering the floor as well as empty coffee cups, energy drinks and pizza boxes. Kalmin’s half looked untouched, almost eerie. There wasn’t a lot there, maybe some jackets and sweaters he didn’t end up bring to Deimos’ place. (All his essentials were at Deimos’)

“You gonna take a nap?” Kalmin questioned as his buddy collapsed onto his unmade bed.

“I’m going to sleep and never wake up,” Seb groaned. “I’m sorry, K. I’d love to celebrate the fact that you’re actually home for once, but I’m exhausted.”

Kalmin chuckled and sat up. Calmly, he walked over and patted him on the shoulder. “No worries. I’ll just hang out with Riley and the others. Gonna stay over a little bit more often so I can study with the buddies.”

Seb whined. “Thank God. Can you make me that insane coffee drink again?”

“The Resurrection 3.0?”

“Yes.”

“Only for emergencies. Now go to sleep.”

“I love you, dude.”

“I appreciate you, too, dude.”

And then Seb was out like a light. Kalmin chuckled and left him be, wandering out of his dorm into the halls. It was around dinner time in the middle of exam season, and most doors were open than not with boys inside crowding around desks studying with piles of takeout and pizza boxes around them. Kalmin’s complained a lot about having an actual dinner with actual food for their high-intensity lifestyles, but with their scholarships and grades on the line, he couldn’t really blame them. He could only write on the whiteboard in the kitchen reminding them to eat their fruits and veggies, and try cooking once in a while.

Surprisingly, however, Kalmin did find some people in the kitchen. And they weren’t dead drunk or trying to get drunk.

He laughed and leaned against the doorframe.

Ajax and Daren were currently hunched down at the counter cutting vegetables while Riley washed dishes at the sink and Theo oiled up a pan at the stove. The sight was hilarious. His teammates looked like giants crowded around such a small and cramped kitchen set up. Ajax’s gangly arms stretched over Daren’s broad shoulders to grab a paper tower that Riley tossed. All three of them had to stand shoulder to shoulder to share the counter space. Theo was the exception to the rule, looking like the only normal person proportional to all the kitchen supplies and cupboards.

“Daren, are you actually cutting onions right now?” Kalmin snickered.

The boys jumped and swirled around. Riley smiled at him big, surprised to see him.

“Kalmin! Been a while!” He sang sweetly.

Daren rolled his eyes and Ajax barked a laugh.

“Hey, dude!” Ajax waved, holding a knife loosely in his hands. Daren dodged his wave, cussing.

“Hey,” Kalmin replied to both the captain and ace-defence player. “I’m actually astonished to see you guys in here.”

Riley wiped his hands on his pants before slinging an arm around Theo. “When you were gone, Theo’s been teaching us how to cook. ‘Rents own a Vietnamese restaurant.”

Kalmin cocked an eyebrow and glanced at Theo, whose shoulders bunched up and looked away from his stare.

“What’s for dinner?” Kalmin asked him as sweetly as he could. If those Three Musketeers first years were right and a bunch of brats were bullying Theo, he needed to keep an eye on him. He looked skittish, as if one wrong move- one inflection in his voice- would send him running away. He was grateful his buddies kept Theo company when he was away.

“Stir-fry,” Daren chirped, popping a sliced carrot into his mouth.

“Oooh,” Kalmin beamed, sliding into one of the stray chairs in the kitchen. “Lots of veggies?”

“And lots of meat,” Riley joked. “We’re growing boys, we can’t survive on just some cabbage and carrots.”

“Need any help?”

Riley glanced at Theo. He stared back, eyes widening and cheeks reddening.

“Well, do we?” Riley questioned the tiny first-year. “You’re Mission Control.”

“You’re also Neil Armstrong in this situation since you’re the once actually cooking,” Ajax added on as well. Daren snickered.

Kalmin smiled at him. Theo met his eyes for a second before staring at the tiled floors.

“Um, you could actually cut the beef… if you want,” he mumbled softly.

Kalmin beamed at him. This kid was so darn cute.

“You got it, Neil,” he joked, getting up and prepping his station, opting for the island than the counters that currently had four hockey players surrounding it.

Stir-fry was something he knew, and easily fell into the rhythm of things. He’s made different variations with his parents millions of times, and the smells that wafted through the kitchen were awfully nostalgic. A smile naturally spread across his face as he watched Theo cook, seeing his younger self in him with his lanky body and crouched stature. Shy, closed off, and still very awkward with people.

Also kind of reminded Kalmin of Deimos in a way. First few times he met him, Deimos always hunched his back and tried to make himself small. But what differentiated his boyfriend to Theo was that Deimos always exuded hostility. He didn’t want people to talk to him, especially not strangers. He’d glare often. Frown, too. But Kalmin learned later on he did those things because he was shy. Afraid of people. Afraid of opening up. To the people he did love like Mira, Raven and Gabriel, he seemed to stand a little taller, and smile more often.

Theo seemed to be like that too, minus the hostility. He was more cautious than anything. There was this invisible bubble around him, and if anyone invaded that bubble, he’d freeze up. Riley did it often, and Kalmin could see the first year bristle.

Kalmin wondered if it was because he was afraid of people, like Deimos. Has he been hurt too many times to trust them? Or was it simpler than that? A young freshman straight out of high school was thrust into the spotlight surrounded by a bunch of buff hockey-playing twenty year olds. That could be nerve-wracking. Especially since these twenty year olds could easily kick him off the team.

Or Kalmin was over-thinking this whole thing. The Dorm Mama in him just cared too much, he didn’t know. He never had siblings. Never had the experience of caring for a younger generation. Maybe he craved it now.

Theo was a sweet kid. Kalmin learned that through dinner. He was polite enough to share his meal he basically made all by himself with not only the boys in the kitchen, but the ones who wandered in and asked. He always said “please” and “thank you,” and let everyone take the dinner table while he opted for the couches in the living room. He did all the hard work, and didn’t even ask for anything in return.

Kalmin had to say thank you.

“Y-You’re…welcome,” Theo replied softly as Kalmin flopped into the empty seat beside him. Behind them the fourth and third years were yelling and joking around again, and Kalmin had to lean in to chat with his underclassmen.

Kalmin hugged his bowl of stir-fry to his chest and smiled. “It’s really good.”

Theo blinked and played with his food nervously. “Thanks.”

His voice was unexpectedly lower than Kalmin thought. For a moment, he studied the young boy’s features, noticing the redness near his neck. He sighed and leaned back, noticing his nervous demeanour.

“Does Riley often pester you to cook?” Kalmin joked light-heartedly.

Theo blinked and he shrugged. “I usually cook for myself…and then he walks in on it.”

“And then usually ropes a bunch of other people to cook for the whole team?” Kalmin guessed.

Theo nodded, and chuckled, a little smile finally breaking that nervous expression. “Y-Yeah, that’s usually how it is.”

Kalmin laughed with him. “When I was in my second year, he did that to me as well,” he giggled. “He’s such a people-person, he can’t stand cooking by himself. Don’t feel pressured to follow with his antics, though!”

His underclassmen glanced down at his stir fry and quietly nibbled on a carrot. “I…I-I don’t mind. Aside from hockey and studying, I don’t have anything else to do.”

“You could just relax?” Kalmin laughed. “No shame in that.”

Theo’s expression changed and he rubbed his neck nervously. “I-I’m used to always helping my parents with their restaurant, so cooking is therapeutic.”

“That’s really admirable,” Kalmin chuckled. He leaned against the couch, stretching his arms out and balancing his bowl on his thighs. “You’re a sweet kid.”

Theo sputtered and shook his head. “N-No! I just don’t wanna be in my dorm room, that’s all.”

Kalmin blinked, and his easy-going smile faltered. Theo noticed the change, and looked like a deer in headlights. He swallowed nervously, his Adam’s apple bobbing.

“Theo, I’m not going to be coy about this,” Kalmin said softly, placing his bowl on the coffee table in front of them. “Is Nikola bullying you?”

He looked taken aback, eyes going wide and darting all over the place.

“U-Um…” He stuttered out. His mouth snapped shut and hastily, he shook his head. He said nothing more.

There was a beat of silence, and Kalmin quietly set his food to the side.

“You can talk to me,” he murmured. “We’re teammates, now. That’s stronger than most friendships. I want you to know you can trust me.”

Quietly, Theo sighed and shook his head once more.

“Nothing’s going on with Nikola and I,” he whispered.

“I’ve heard that’s the complete opposite.”

“It’s not true.”

Kalmin frowned. Theo shifted in his seat and slowly began eating his food again as if Kalmin didn’t exist. He was shutting down on him.

Exhaling quietly, Kalmin slipped out his phone, opened his contacts and handed it to Theo.

“Can I get your number? Just in case if you ever need to contact me? Because I will always be there for you,” he said cautiously.

Theo looked offended, and Kalmin felt a little sick to the stomach, but he did take his phone and put in his number. Kalmin tried to rebuild his trust by patting his shoulder and getting out of his hair. He was like Deimos. He needed space from strangers. And Kalmin was a stranger to Theo despite wanting to be more.

He deflated a little as he opted to eating in his room. Seb was still sleeping while Kalmin plopped into the chair in front of his desk. What did he really expect of Theo if a stranger asked such a big question like that? If Kalmin was him, he would probably lie about it too. He didn’t want a stranger worrying about him. It’ll probably be a while until Theo can open up to him. But, he could talk to the others for any clues. Seb was out of the picture right now, but he’ll talk to him when he wakes up. He could just barge into Nikola’s room and demand if he’s been terrorizing the poor kid. But that kind felt a little bit too much, and a little part of Kalmin wondered if any of this was actually true, and if it wasn’t and he did confront him in such a hostile way, he might lose any chance gaining trust and respect from him, which he’ll need on the ice.

So he wandered through the halls, poking his head in to say hello to his teammates, joking and bantering with his old friends before asking if there were any problems going on. He tried to make the conversation as casual as he could, but a few times some of the second years teased him about being such a mom. His mates that were actually his age or older were kinder, and they responded around the same saying of “everything’s fine,” to “freshmen can be a bit rowdy on weekends,” but that wasn’t out of the ordinary.