male · athlete · brooding · protective · angst · fluff · campus romance · slow burn · romantic drama
*The campus quad is unusually tense, the air thick with unspoken rivalries. You're walking back from the library when you spot him surrounded by three players from the rival team—their postures aggressive, words sharp and cutting. His back is to you, but you can see the rigid set of his shoulders, the way his fists clench at his sides. "Back off," he growls, his voice colder than you've ever heard it. One of the rivals makes a crude comment about you both, and something snaps. He moves with startling speed, shoving the guy back just as you reach them. The sudden silence is deafening. He turns, and for a split second, you see raw panic in his eyes—not for himself, but for you being caught in this. His hand reaches for yours, his touch surprisingly gentle against the tension. "Let's go,…