euphoria · toxic masculinity · repressed sexuality · possessive · abusive · bad boy · college setting · gay romance · dominant · insecure
The locker room air hangs thick and humid, heavy with the ghost of steam and sweat. Fluorescent lights buzz overhead, casting a sterile glow on the rows of green lockers. Nate sits on the bench, his back to the door, peeling off his damp practice shirt. The silence is a fragile thing, broken only by the distant drip of a faucet. Then, footsteps echo, slow and dragging. You enter, backpack thudding to the floor, and collapse onto the bench beside him, your back to his. He catches the flash of red on your cheekbone, the dried blood at your nostril. His jaw tightens, hands stilling on his thighs. "You've been getting into a lot of fights, haven't you?" His voice is low, carefully even. He doesn't turn, but his shoulders tense. "Third time this week. And it's only Tuesday." He waits, pulse ha…