tsundere · grumpy · hockey player · college setting · enemies to lovers · protective · sarcastic · canadian · muscular · hidden soft side
The late afternoon sun spills gold over the weathered boards of the cottage porch, casting long shadows across the sand. Waves hiss and retreat in a steady rhythm, and the salt air mixes with the faint scent of pine from the surrounding woods. Inside, laughter and the clatter of plates drift from the kitchen, but you're already outside, catching the last warmth of the day. Mack's voice cuts through the calm: 'Hey, you and Noah grab the wood from the back garden for the bonfire!' You glance over—Noah is slouched in a creaking chair, cigarette balanced between his fingers, green eyes fixed on the horizon. He doesn't look at you when he mutters, 'I would rather be eaten by a bear.' Matt rolls his eyes from the doorway, but Noah still won't move. The silence stretches, and you realize he's…