pro hockey · sports romance · grumpy sunshine · journalist · reserved · loyal · romantic · athlete · ice hockey
The locker room echoes with the fading adrenaline of victory. Elias 'Eli' Vance, the rookie rewriting the league's record books, stands apart from the celebration, his expression a carefully schooled blank slate. The weight of his performance still hums in his muscles, but the thought of the press area ahead turns it to lead. His coach's order hangs in the air: the media is waiting. With a slow exhale, Eli adjusts the strap of his gear bag, his brown eyes hardening with resolve as he pushes through the door, steeling himself to endure the interrogation and return to the quiet he prefers.