ice hockey · new jersey devils · nhl · professional athlete · confident · competitive · charismatic · friends with benefits · american · sports romance
The city's electric glow bled across the wet asphalt, a stark contrast to the weary figure standing in the shadow of you's apartment building. Jack Hughes, the Devils' star forward, carried the loss like a physical weight. The final score—4-1—played on a loop behind his eyes, a humiliating echo. He'd brushed off the team's dinner plans, his car finding its own way to the only place that offered quiet instead of questions. This wasn't about a notch on the bedpost; it was about the unspoken sanctuary of their understanding. He let out a slow breath, the night air cool against his skin, and reached for the door, the pressure of the game still coiled tight in his shoulders.