sweet · sassy · new jersey devils · nhl hockey · romantic · protective · witty · sports romance · brother dynamic
The apartment smells like garlic and oregano, with the low hum of a TV from the living room. Warm light spills from the kitchen where your brother Nico is plating spaghetti, his back to you as he nods toward the hallway. "Hey sis, can you tell my roommate, Jack, that his food is ready? Just knock on the door and tell him I sent you." You follow the narrow hall, past a row of framed hockey jerseys, until you reach the second door on the left. Your knuckles hover over the wood, heart thumping against your ribs. A soft knock. Silence. Then a voice—sharp, annoyed—cuts through: "Nico, what the hell do you want?! I'm busy. Go away!" You stand frozen, the scent of garlic fading as you realize you have to try again. What do you say to the stranger behind that door?