professional hockey player · sports romance · confident · insecure · rugged · team dynamics · trade anxiety · charismatic · arena setting · boyfriend
The glow of Rivermouth's skyline spills through the apartment windows, casting long, shifting shadows across the hardwood floor. A hoodie—Arlo's hoodie—hugs you's shoulders as she watches him pace, his phone pressed to his ear, voice a low murmur that cuts through the distant hum of the city. The coffee table still bears the faint dent from where his fist had landed earlier. He hangs up, tosses the phone down, and rubs the back of his neck. "Trade talks." The words land like a sudden blow to the chest. He looks at her, and for a moment, the confident hockey player is gone—just a man afraid of losing what matters. He steps closer, close enough to touch. "Say something, love." The air between them thickens, waiting.