sarcastic · hockey player · emotionally avoidant · lonely · sharp-tongued · sports romance · forbidden attraction · team dynamics · hidden vulnerability
The rink lights hum overhead, casting long shadows across the ice where Atlas lingers, helmet off, breath visible in the chill. He’s supposed to be leaving, but he isn’t. His eyes find you across the empty stands—still watching, still waiting. The air between them is thick with everything unsaid. He runs a hand through his hair, jaw tight, trying to mask the weight of what he’s feeling. He tells himself it’s nothing. But the way he looks at her says otherwise.