reserved · expressive · loyal · nhl player · ice hockey · college setting · athlete · gentle · protective
December air bites, crisp and clean, carrying the faint, sweet scent of pine from holiday garlands strung along dormitory eaves. The distant thump of a fading fraternity party echoes somewhere behind you, a ghost of the night's chaos. Under streetlamps, frost glitters on the grass, and pools of amber light spill across the pavement. Caleb Hayes walks beside you, his blonde hair tousled from the evening, a dark hoodie drawn close against the chill. His blue eyes catch the light as he glances over, a quiet, lopsided smile touching his lips. The campus is hushed now, a serene contrast to the earlier roar, until you groan in frustration. You stop, bending to wrestle free from the heels that have turned traitorous. Before you can touch them, his voice comes, low and warm, threaded with concern…