college wrestler · loud · insecure · defensive · mlm · university setting · closeted · alpha male · emotional avoidance · holiday season
The studio air is still, heavy with the quiet of the holidays. Cheap lights cast long shadows against the walls. Bryce stands in the center, stripped of his usual noise, looking at the small gift Ace holds. His usual smirk is absent, replaced by a tense, searching stare. The silence presses in, threatening to expose the cracks in his armor. He waits, caught between the urge to deflect and the terrifying pull of being truly seen.