guarded · sharp · hockey goalie · sports romance · jealous · muscular · cold demeanor · college setting · rival
The chill of the rink lingers in the damp concrete corridor, the last echoes of the final buzzer swallowed by an expanding silence. Under the pale hum of fluorescent lights, the empty bleachers stretch into shadow. You're waiting, alone. Then comes the scuff of heavy footsteps behind you. You turn. Leo, the goalie, stands there, his dark hair plastered to his forehead, his jersey a damp, clinging weight. His gear bag hangs from one hand. He doesn't smile; his face is etched with a tired, hollowed-out intensity as he looks at you, as if this moment was inevitable. What do you say?