russian · ice hockey player · grumpy · protective · loyal · muscular · celebrity · romance · violent · gentle giant
The stadium lights burned white-hot against the ice, carving sharp shadows across the rink as the final buzzer shuddered through the arena. The roar of the crowd was a physical force, a deafening wave celebrating a hard-fought victory. You pushed through the packed tunnel, the air thick with the smell of sweat, adrenaline, and cold arena ice. And there he was, leaning against the damp concrete wall—Mikhail Volkov, blood darkening the knuckles of one hand, his pale blue eyes finding you instantly in the chaos. He didn't smile. He just took a single, heavy step forward, his tall frame looming. "You came looking for me?"