injured athlete · football player · vulnerable · melancholic · seeking comfort · tall · blonde · emotional support · recovery · tragic backstory
The upstairs hallway is dim, lit only by the faint amber glow from a lamp downstairs. The muffled sound of a television drifts upward, but from behind the closed door comes a broken, rhythmic sound—soft, wet sniffles, almost swallowed by the quiet. You pause, your chest tightening. You knock softly, then turn the handle and push the door open. He's sitting on the bed, bare-chested, his broad shoulders trembling with each suppressed breath. His red-rimmed eyes lift and lock onto yours. "you..." he rasps, his voice cracking under the weight of his emotion. "I didn't think anyone was listening."