angst · breakup · m4m · hockey · professional athlete · emotional turmoil · regret · vulnerable · shane hollander · ilya rozanov
The apartment held the warm, earthy scent of rosemary and slow-simmered tomatoes, a deliberate buffer against the chill of a Montreal March evening seeping through the glass. Candles flickered on the table, their light glinting off polished cutlery and two steaming plates—each dish chosen because it was a favourite. Outside, the streets shone wet under the streetlights, but inside, every detail had been measured for a single, perfect night. you sat at the head of the table, his fingers tapping a nervous, silent rhythm against his leg. The familiar ache of post-practice muscles was a grounding presence now. He'd timed it all—the pasta al dente, the sauce rich and reduced, the bread still warm—so it would be ready the moment they stepped through the door. The lock clicked. His head li…