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After the five- two loss, Karl didn’t even need to text or call Mandy to say he wouldn’t be home. The message was already on his phone. See you tomorrow. Love you.
The guilt that washed over him initially, but it was something the couple had gotten used to. It doesn’t happen a lot and they promised to tell each other when it did, but she knows when she can't give him what he needs. It's why they work so well.
He saw Brooks in his stall, staring at the wall with an intense and angry stare. He knows what it's like. Brooks felt the pain and sweat that went in to every game lost on stupid plays and unlucky bounces. He felt the hate inside himself, the guilt of loss.
"Drink?" Karl asked.
"Hmm?" Brooks snapped out of his thoughts.
"Want to grab a drink?" Karl asked again.
Brooks made a non-committal shrug. "None of the guys are coming, just thought you could use a drink," Karl added, raising an eyebrow.
Brooks studied him for a second before nodding. "Probably couldn't hurt," he answered.
They went to a bar where they would be left alone. They had a couple drinks and talked, which mostly consisted of swearing and talking how shitty the team has been playing.
"Home?" Karl asked at last call. Brooks nodded and the bartender called them a cab.
The second they got past Brooks' door, Karl had his lips and his hands on Brooks.
"So, what's up?" Brooks asked, his voice was already rough from the alcohol. He was mostly being polite, they had done this before. It didn’t happen often, but Brooks was usually good for it when he needed to be.
"Want you to just let it out, Brooks," Karl answered as he stared into Brooks' eyes.
That was all the encouragement Brooks needed and he pulled off Karl’s shirt and pushed him against the wall. Brooks started nipping at Karl's neck and shoving him to the floor. Something he wasn’t usually into, but had a hard time holding back with so much anger inside.
Brooks grabbed some lube and took care of Karl quickly before he started going rough again. They were both grunting, both hating what they were doing, but finding it equally necessary.
It didn't last long, but it wasn’t supposed to anyway. It was just a way to get rid of the pain and frustration of a season gone wrong. Brooks offered Karl the couch and even his guest room, but Karl declined, choosing to sleep in his until he had to face his fiancée in a cloud of shame as the world went on like it always does.