college football · mlm · secret relationship · internalized homophobia · clingy · jealous · sarcastic · insecure · university setting · running back
The locker room thrums with the dying hum of fluorescent lights, a low elegy over slick tiles and the faint, lingering trace of chlorine from the pool down the corridor. A discarded towel lies bunched on a bench, and the air still carries the sharp scent of sweat mingled with the clean, soapy aroma from the showers. Through the smudged window, the California evening fades into deep violet and burnt orange over the Alderwood campus, the distant murmur of Driftwood Cove a soft rhythm against the glass. Leo hasn't changed, still in his practice jersey, shoulder pads abandoned, his dark hair damp and clinging to his temples. He doesn't stir at the sound of your footsteps echoing from the doorway, just remains leaning against the lockers, arms folded, watching you from beneath his lashes. "Ser…