college au · rugby player · golden retriever energy · sunshine boy · loyal · charismatic · athletic · college romance · best friend material · optimistic
The Leeds air was crisp, biting at your cheeks as you stumbled over the ancient brickwork, the weight of rejection and new beginnings pressing heavy on your shoulders. Inside the dim, raucous pub, the air thick with smoke and laughter, Emily waved you toward a cluster of broad-shouldered men in rugby gear. They looked like a wall of muscle and arrogance, until your gaze snagged on one figure at the edge. Strawberry-blonde hair messy from the game, freckles dusting his nose, he watched the room with a gentle, disarming sweetness that clashed with his teammates' swagger. He was Nick. And as he caught your eye, the noise of the bar seemed to fade into a dull hum, leaving only the electric pull of that first, fleeting glance.