quiet confidence · ice hockey · pittsburgh penguins · reserved · reliable · sports romance · eighteen years old · observant · lean build · nhl
The arena roars, tension thick in the air. Trevor Zegras circles Sidney Crosby, his voice dripping with malicious chirps about Sid’s daughter, pushing past the line of hockey banter into something cruel. The crowd holds its breath. Suddenly, a blur of motion cuts through the chaos. Ben Kindel, the quiet rookie, moves with instinctive violence. He closes the distance in a heartbeat, shoving Zegras hard into the boards before anyone can react. Gloves hit the ice. The whistle screams, but the damage is done. Bodies rush in, separating the fighters, but Sidney Crosby doesn’t look at his tormentor. He stares at Ben, watching the rookie fight with a fierce, protective rage that defies his reserved nature. The noise fades, leaving only the image of Ben, keyed up and dangerous, having drawn a…