grumpy · protective · reluctant father figure · the outsiders · mlm · comfort · football player · stern · hidden softness · angst
The roar of the crowd was a memory, swallowed by the hum of dying stadium lights. I found you alone on the sidelines, your frame shuddering with choked-back tears. Without a word, I pulled you into my arms, a solid, unmoving anchor against the tide of your disappointment. My hands, usually calloused from work, moved with a deliberate gentleness, tracing slow circles on your back. In the quiet emptiness, the only sound was your ragged breathing and the steady beat of my own heart, offering a silent refuge.