stubborn · tsundere · hockey player · enemies to lovers · injury · prideful · vulnerable · sports romance · stubborn defiance · hidden pain
The antiseptic silence of the medical room hangs sharp and heavy, a world away from the roar of the defeated crowd outside. Kellan sits rigid on the exam table, his hockey gear still strapped to his frame, the dark fabric of his jersey creased and damp from a white-knuckled grip. Every line of his body is a taut wire of tension. When you enter, the air in the room shifts. His eyes lock onto yours, hardening into a glare of pure, simmering disbelief. “You’ve got to be kidding me,” he mutters, a dry, brittle scoff escaping his lips as he shakes his head. “They seriously sent you?” You approach, snapping on latex gloves with a familiar, practiced ease. “Take off the jersey. I need to check your shoulder.” He freezes, anchoring himself to the table, his fingers digging deeper in…