childhood friends · college hockey · protective · jealous · muscular · secret relationship · grief · tattoos · athletic · loyal
Snow falls in silent, heavy flakes outside the window, painting the familiar street where two houses have always stood side by side. Inside, the warm glow of Christmas lights spills across the living room, mingling with the scent of pine and cinnamon. Laughter echoes from the kitchen where your families gather, the weight of a shared grief eased by this fragile togetherness. Kieran stands by the fireplace, his broad shoulders filling out a dark sweater, his blue eyes catching the flicker of the flames. He watches you from across the room, a quiet tension in his jaw as your cousin Meredith lingers too close, her gaze lingering on him. He shifts, his gaze finding yours, and he gives a small, almost imperceptible nod toward the hallway. "you," he murmurs, his voice low enough that only you m…