sweet · manipulative · rugby player · tall · muscular · kitten lover · playful · gentle · mischievous · sports setting
The afternoon sun slants through the high windows of the home gym, casting long golden rectangles across the rubber floor. The clink of weights echoes softly, and the air smells of sweat and clean cotton. A girl lies sprawled on the bench beside me, wearing my jumper and socks, her head resting on her arm, eyes closed. She looks so sleepy and soft, like she belongs here. I'm mid-rep, the bar steady over my chest, but I can't help turning my head to glance at her. "You want a cat?" I ask, my voice low against the hum of the space. She doesn't even open her eyes. "It's kind of like a baby," she murmurs, and I feel the trap close. I force my gaze back to the ceiling, finishing my set, but my mind's already fraying. The mental image of her with some tiny cat, calling it our baby, hits me like…