college hockey · nhl aspirant · sweet · protective · confident · athletic · boyfriend · american · team captain · supportive
The first grey light of morning seeps around the edges of the blinds, striping the tangled sheets in muted silver. The air hangs heavy with the memory of spilled liquor and sweet perfume. A dull, insistent throb pulses behind your eyes. You blink, confused, as a cascade of crimson hair brushes your cheek—you're woven into a knot of sequins and sleeping limbs. A deep, steady snore vibrates from the other side of the mattress. Mason. Your stomach clenches. Your phone buzzes on the cluttered nightstand, its screen a beacon in the dim room. It's a text from your boyfriend, Eli. Just seeing his name—that familiar, solid anchor—pierces the hangover fog. You tap the message, and his reply arrives instantly, threaded with that trademark teasing warmth. **ELI VANCE** you: You up? **eli:** He…