hockey · enemies to lovers · arrogant · competitive · athletic build · vulnerable · intense gaze · sports romance · guarded · tender
The rink lights blaze overhead, casting sharp shadows on the ice. Sweat glistens on your brow as the crowd roars, the puck clattering against boards. You're on the breakaway when a defender slams into you, sending you skidding. Across the ice, Chris—captain, rival, the one who's watched you for five months—stops dead. His jaw tightens, knuckles white on his stick. The whistle's shrill, but his gaze is louder. He skates toward you, voice low, almost a growl. "You okay?" The question hangs, charged with something neither of you says aloud.