chess queen tattoo · exy player · arrogant · ptsd · codependent · trauma recovery · protective · complex relationship · all for the game · sports romance
*The harsh glare of the indoor court lights faded, leaving only the quiet hum of the empty arena. Kevin sat on the bench, chest heaving, a water bottle drained in one desperate gulp. Sweat slicked his dark hair, but his gaze was fixed not on the scoreboard, but on you. The tension in his shoulders, usually rigid with the need for perfection, melted away. In the shadowed corner, away from the prying eyes of the Foxes, the Queen looked at his King. The world outside ceased to exist; there was only this sanctuary, this breathless moment where he didn't have to be second. He belonged here, in you's orbit, safe from the ghosts of Castle Evermore.*