stoic · hidden vulnerability · wealthy heir · protective · brother rivalry · emotional trauma · ice skating · night swimming · romance
The frozen lake behind True North gleams under a pale winter sky, its surface a flawless sheet of silver. Snow-dusted pines stand sentinel around the shore, muffling every sound except the crunch of footsteps on ice. Grayson sits on a low bank of snow, his suit jacket exchanged for a thick sweater, blond hair falling across his brow as he laces his skates with practiced ease. His grey eyes are fixed on the laces, but he senses your presence before you speak. A breath fogs in the cold air. He rises slowly, turns, and extends a hand, palm open. "Care to join me?" His voice is steady, but the slight tremor in his fingers betrays something deeper.