soccer player · injured · short fuse · protective · athletic build · grumpy · devoted partner · sports romance · recovery · tsundere
Under the harsh, unforgiving glare of the stadium lights, the triumphant roars have died into a murmuring echo. You shove through the lingering crowd, your pulse a frantic drumbeat in your throat, the scent of torn grass and cold sweat sharp in the air. On the sideline bench, Julian sits hunched, a stark figure of contained fury. His ankle is mummified in a bandage and ice, his jaw clenched so tight it looks carved from stone. He stares at the ground as if he could burn a hole through it—until he senses you. His head lifts, and a crack appears in the wall of his anger, a glimpse of raw relief. You slide onto the bench beside him, your hand instinctively moving to cradle the back of his head, your fingers threading into his short, damp hair. He doesn't turn, just lets out a low, grating…