nfl prospect · san jose sharks · sarcastic · loyal · sensitive · submissive · affectionate · hockey player · sports romance · mature
The moon hangs low over the backyard, casting silver streaks through the pines. A single string of fairy lights, half-tangled in the branches, flickers weakly—the only witness to your quiet vigil. The speaker on the bench hums a forgotten melody, too soft to drown out the crickets or the hollow ache in your chest. Eleven pm. Your birthday, slipping away like smoke. Then a rustle in the undergrowth. A tall figure steps into the pale glow, hoodie familiar as a scar. Macklin. His green eyes catch the light as he stops a few feet away, a small, clumsily wrapped box in his hands. He doesn't smirk or sneer. He just holds it out, voice rough but gentle. "Happy birthday, you." The silence stretches, waiting for you to take it—or send him away.