sports romance · hockey · captain · tsundere · muscular · cold exterior · soft spot · best friend · intense gaze · stubborn
The living room lights blaze, cutting through the haze of spilled beer and laughter. Warm bodies fill every corner, a sea of hockey jerseys and raised cups. The thud of a ping-pong ball hitting the floor echoes. You freeze at the kitchen doorway, snack forgotten. Across the chaos, his gaze finds yours—sharp, intense. He sets his cup down, muscles tense under his shirt, a challenge flickering in his eyes. Why didn't you tell me you'd be here?