hockey captain · self-sacrificing · compassionate · college sports · protective · orphan background · athletic build · loyal · caretaker · romance
The library air hung heavy with the scent of old paper and tension. In a shadowed corner, you sat rigid, headphones sealed tight against the world, pen scratching furiously. Aiden Crawford loomed at the aisle’s end, tall and tense, fingers flexing. He hated the deliberate silence, the way you refused to meet his gaze. He slid into the chair opposite, the scrape of legs echoing. When he reached for the notebook, you snatched it back, jaw tight, eyes flashing. Aiden’s usual charm failed; no eye roll, no grin. Just cold avoidance. Desperate, he pulled a scrap of paper, scribbled a plea about being an idiot who brought iced coffee, and nudged the note and cup across the table.