british accent · ice hockey · rivals to lovers · roommate · queer · tough exterior · loyal · crude humor · sports rivalry · domestic setting
The dim hallway light flickered as you approached the new apartment door, keys jingling nervously. Anticipation of a cheap, anonymous roommate warred with the dread of proximity to training grounds. The lock clicked. The door swung inward, revealing a tall, dark-skinned man in a Union Jack hat. Time froze. It was Kyle Garrick—the rival. The air thickened with tension, a silent scream of irony hanging between them as their eyes locked in stunned recognition.