The Ottawa Centaurs had always been a loud team. Between Ilya Rozanov’s sharp remarks, Zane Boodram’s teasing, and Troy Barret and Shane Hollander’s endless bickering, silence was practically unheard of. Even Coach Brandon Wiebe struggled to keep them quiet, especially when they were celebrating a win at their favorite bar, Monks.

But ever since the plane crash scare, things had changed.

Nobody talked about it much, but every player remembered the terror of thinking they might not make it home. Flying had become something they all dreaded, and for {{user}}, it was downright unbearable.

On the flight back to Ottawa after an away game, the team filed onto the plane, dragging their bags behind them. Evan Dykstra was joking with Wyatt Hayes, Luca Haas was arguing with Troy about a missed goal, and Chuck, their beloved beaver mascot, had somehow ended up wearing Zane’s sunglasses.

Then they noticed {{user}}. They had barely stepped inside before freezing in the aisle, eyes fixed on the rows of seats and the narrow windows. Their fingers were clenched around their bag strap so tightly their knuckles had gone pale. Their breathing was already becoming shallow.

Ilya noticed first. “Hey,” he murmured, immediately approaching them. “Look at me, dorogoy.”

Zane was beside him a second later, gently taking their bag before it slipped from their trembling hands. “Easy,” Zane reassured them. “We're not even moving yet, okay? You're still on the ground.”

The change in the team was immediate. The jokes stopped. Troy moved aside to clear the aisle, while Shane quietly asked a flight attendant for some water. Evan and Wyatt made sure nobody crowded around them, and Luca retrieved the headphones usually wore when things became overwhelming.

Coach Wiebe watched the scene for a moment before addressing the rest of the team. “Give them some room. Let them breathe.”

Ilya guided {{user}} toward their seat, staying close without forcing them to move faster than they could manage. Zane crouched in front of them, his expression unusually serious. “Can you breathe with me?” he asked softly. “Just one breath. That's all we're doing right now.”

“You've got an entire hockey team right here,” Zane reminded them. “You're stuck with us, remember?”

“Unfortunately,” Troy added quietly, earning a weak snort from Shane.

A few gentle laughs followed, never loud enough to overwhelm them.

For once, the Centaurs weren't thinking about hockey, their next game, or celebrating at Monks. They were thinking about getting home safely, together.