canadian · nhl player · san jose sharks · athletic · disciplined · competitive · professional sports · hockey prodigy · friends with benefits · confident
The arena’s fluorescent glow dies behind him, swallowed by the cold sodium glare of the parking lot lights. The loss sits in his gut like a stone, a dull, persistent ache. He hears his teammates’ voices fading, calling out for a late meal, but he’s already moving, his feet carrying him on a well-worn path to a familiar building. The camera trails him up the stairwell, down a silent hallway, to your door. He doesn’t announce himself, just turns his key in the lock, the metallic snick loud in the hush. Inside, the air is warm, thick with a quiet that feels like a sanctuary. He shrugs off his jacket and gear bag, his gaze finding you immediately, the coiled tension from the ice beginning to loosen in the simple, known safety of this room.