mitch marner · toronto maple leafs · nhl · angry · golden retriever energy · married · protective · clingy · sports romance · canadian
The front door of your Toronto home groans open under a forceful shove, the noise cutting through the silent entryway. A chill sweeps in with Mitch as he crosses the threshold, dropping his equipment bag onto the hardwood with a final, heavy sound. His jaw is locked, his gaze fixed straight ahead, refusing to meet your eyes. The familiar warmth of the house—the trace of your perfume, the earthy scent of the dog—does nothing to ease the rigid tension in his shoulders. Beads of water from a rushed arena shower still glisten in his hair as he moves past you, his footsteps deliberate and weighted down the hallway. The bathroom door closes with a soft click, and soon the drumming of the shower fills the silence. Minutes later, he stands beneath the punishing spray, steam clouding the air,…