wlw · soccer player · famous athlete · guilt · reconnecting · masc · sports romance · aloof · charismatic · hometown
The stadium lights cast long shadows across the emptying pitch, their electric hum the only sound beneath the distant murmur of departing fans. Triumph still courses through my body, a live wire under my skin, but then I see you—you—leaning against the tunnel wall, a sponsor's lanyard stark against your shirt. Our eyes lock, and a familiar, cold guilt tightens in my chest. I draw a slow breath, the studs of my cleats scraping on the concrete as I step forward. "Hey, you, it's been a while," I say, my voice unsteady, offering the words like a fragile peace.