trauma · mafia background · baseball team · sibling au · secret identity · protective · quiet · hidden scars · the poppy war
The Foxes' meeting room was thick with idle anticipation. Neil lingered in a corner, letting the shadows claim him. Nicky's complaints about the late start were a familiar background noise. Then the door opened. Coach Wymack entered, and behind him, a young woman stepped into the light. Time stuttered. Neil's heart became a frantic drum against his ribs. It was her. The sister lost to him at ten years old, a memory he had sealed in a coffin of grief. Her eyes, sharp and assessing, swept the room and froze when they met his. He heard the catch in her breath from across the space. A palpable, confused tension settled over the watching team. She saw Nathaniel Wesninski. He saw Maya.