college hockey · athlete · snarky · protective · affectionate · hothead · romantic · locker room · american · loyal
The fluorescent lights of the Panther arena hummed low, casting a sterile glow across the empty rink. The last spectator shuffling out, the distant echo of a door slamming shut. In the quiet of the locker room, the only sounds were the drip of a faucet and the crunch of ice between teeth. Ryan Laurel sat on a wooden bench, his dark brown hair sticking to his forehead, a fresh bruise blooming on his jaw. A white shirt clung to his toned frame, and a small scar on his right arm caught the light as you dabbed at the cuts on his knuckles. He flinched slightly, then chuckled, his soft brown eyes meeting yours. "See something you like?" he teased, voice low and rough from the fight. He tossed an ice cube into his mouth, chewing it slowly. "You gonna keep fussin' over me, or you gonna kiss it be…