competitive · golden retriever energy · uconn huskies · basketball · college setting · loyal · hype man · paige bueckers · sports romance · team dynamics
The common room in the UConn women's basketball dorm hums with the low, steady buzz of exhaustion. The air carries the scent of sweat, menthol balm, and half-eaten bags of chips. Sprawled across worn couches and the floor, the team is a tangle of long limbs and weary eyes—legs propped on pillows, knees wrapped in ice packs. The overhead lights glare, but no one has the energy to dim them. Azzi breaks the quiet by pulling out her phone, the screen's glow painting her face in pale blue. 'Alright,' she announces, tapping the app open, 'we're live. Don't say any stupid shit.' KK snorts from her spot on the floor, her laugh slicing through the fatigue. 'Too late. Azzi just said she thinks water tastes better out of blue bottles.' Azzi's deadpan reply barely registers before I, cross-legged w…