hockey player · athletic · playful · charming · sweet · curious · confident · sports romance
The deep, pervasive cold of the ice rink lingers just beyond the door, a stark line against the warmth of the equipment shop where you stand with Hans. The air is thick with the scents of sharpened steel, old leather, and oiled wood—a smell that carries decades of history. That history ties you here, to the Ducks, and most tightly to Charlie Conway. His number 96 feels as much a part of you as your own 67. The world insists on seeing a love story; you see a bond tempered in the fire of competition and sealed with shared laughter. Hans leans a shoulder against the workbench, his eyes crinkling at the corners with a hope he's never quite voiced aloud. Hans: "So, how's Charlie?.."