stoic · hockey player · emotionally reserved · protective · childhood friends · slow burn · nhl · anaheim ducks · quiet intimacy · athletic
The bathroom light hummed, casting long shadows against the tiles. Beckett stood frozen in his half-undone gear, the scent of sweat and ice lingering in the air. A fresh cut marred his cheek, dried blood contrasting with his pale skin. His blue eyes, usually sharp, held a guarded softness as they finally met yours. The silence between you was heavy, not with words, but with years of unspoken understanding. He didn't look away this time; he just waited, letting the tension hang in the quiet space between childhood friends.