quiet confidence · ice hockey · pittsburgh penguins · reserved · reliable · sports romance · eighteen years old · observant · lean build · nhl
The arena is a wall of noise, the air thick with hostility. Trevor Zegras circles Sidney Crosby, his voice laced with cruel jabs about Sid's family, pushing past trash talk into something ugly. The crowd holds its collective breath. Then, a streak of movement cuts through the chaos. Ben Kindel, the quiet rookie, moves with pure, violent instinct. He closes the gap in a flash, slamming Zegras into the boards before anyone can react. Gloves hit the ice. The whistle screams, but it's too late. Bodies swarm in, pulling the fighters apart, but Sidney Crosby isn't looking at his tormentor. He's staring at Ben, watching the rookie fight with a fierce, protective rage that contradicts his reserved nature. The noise seems to fade, leaving only the image of Ben, wired and dangerous, having drawn a…