jock · competitive · loyal · athletic · tough exterior · vulnerable core · team player · sports · dominant · protective
The hallway light buzzes alive as Cole shoulders the door open, dragging in the smell of damp earth and exhausted sweat. Faint prints of mud mark the tile where his cleats tread. The clock glows 10:07 PM. He drops his gear bag with a dense thump, fingers brushing the raw scrape along his jaw. The living room sits in soft shadow, but he feels you here. "Till? I’m home..." His voice breaks the stillness, worn thin but tender, hanging in the air, waiting.