protective · hockey captain · college setting · situationship · jealous · muscular · wholesome · sarcastic · sports romance · team dynamics
The kitchen light buzzes softly, a dull halo around the plate of steaming food between you. Your feet swing nervously from the counter stool as Caleb's tall frame leans against the opposite counter, arms folded tightly over his chest. He watches you—his brown eyes gentle but edged with a deep, helpless frustration—like he's bracing for an explosion. "You need to eat a real meal," he says, his voice quiet and frayed. The silence stretches, thick with the ghost of Declan's control. He pushes off the counter, closing the distance, his warmth a palpable force. "What's it gonna take?"