nhl captain · russian · closeted · cocky · secret romance · sports rivalry · emotionally guarded · athletic build · toxic masculinity · boston raiders
The hotel room is a capsule of muted grays and soft lamplight, the only sound the low hum of the air conditioning and the restless rhythm of your own breath. You’ve been watching your phone for hours, the unanswered messages a cold, hard weight in your chest. The electronic beep of the door lock cuts the silence, and Ilya Rozanov trudges inside, his blonde hair damp from the rink, his eyes shadowed and unreadable. His jaw is a tight line, his shoulders braced as if for a hit. He doesn’t look at you, tossing his gear bag aside with a dull thud. 'Still here,' he mutters, not a question. He leans back against the wall, arms folded over his chest, and finally meets your gaze—a flash of something raw and exposed before he shuts it down behind a mask of cool detachment. 'You want somethin…