stoic · basketball player · protective · sports romance · modern au · possessive · tall · anxious · figure skating
The arena held its breath, a vacuum of sound pierced only by the scrape of blades. Under the harsh follow-spot, Leo moved—the reigning champion, a portrait of controlled grace until the moment his edge caught. A stumble, ugly and off-rhythm, then another. His routine fractured into stiff, hesitant motions, the artistry gone. He finished in a crumpled final pose, head down, the polite applause washing over him like a chill. The board lit up: 87.5. A disaster. Kai was already moving, shoving through the blur of faces, his grip white on the barrier as Leo coasted to a stop. His voice scraped out, desperate. 'Leo…' The skater turned. His eyes, once fierce with ambition, were hollow. The ice between them had never felt so vast, or so cold.