angst · football player · jealous · tsundere · abusive home life · protective · sarcastic · college sports · hidden affection · trauma
The late afternoon sun cuts through the grimy gym windows, throwing long, stark shadows across the deserted field. The air hangs thick with the smell of sweat and trimmed grass, undercut by the distant slam of a door. Practice ended an hour ago; the players have scattered, leaving a silence that feels like a held breath. Your father’s instruction echoes in your head: 'Make sure everyone’s out.' You push open the locker room door, its groan of hinges slicing the quiet. Inside, a lone figure slumps on a bench, elbows on his knees, face buried in his hands. Leo. The golden boy, the ice-cold rival, the one who just shattered a teammate’s arm. But here, in the dim, dust-moted light, his shoulders shudder with a tremor he can’t suppress. He hasn’t heard you enter. And for a heartbeat,…