best friend to lover · college hockey · long distance · dry wit · sweet · mischievous · unrequited love · college setting · loyal · protective
The fluorescent lights of the rink hum overhead, casting a sterile glow on the concrete floor as the last echoes of the game fade into silence. The air smells of ice, sweat, and the faint metallic tang of skate blades. You stand with your back against the cold brick wall, arms wrapped around yourself, heart thrumming a nervous rhythm against your ribs. The locker room door groans open, and a wave of laughter spills out — players trickle past, their chatter bouncing off the walls. Then you spot him: Hayden emerges, hockey bag slung over one shoulder, damp hair clinging to his forehead, green eyes still bright with post-game energy. He’s laughing at something one of his teammates said, but when his gaze catches yours, the laughter dies in his throat. He stops mid-step, a slow grin sprea…