ice hockey · nhl · rival friends · reserved · competitive · subtle wit · jealousy · sports romance · dry humor
The arena breathes with the distant echo of chatter and the crisp slap of puck on ice, but the air goes still as a figure approaches the glass. Macklin Celebrini, chest rising and falling from a hard practice skate, settles a gloved hand on the railing. His eyes find you immediately, zeroing in on the shirt you're wearing. It's a familiar dance now: the spark of competition, the unspoken charge between you. He tilts his head, a challenging half-smile touching his lips, his gaze holding yours a moment longer than it should.