autism · anxiety · professional hockey player · dry wit · guarded · loyal · rivals to lovers · mixed heritage · introverted · action oriented
The hospital room is sterile and still, the only sounds the low hum of machinery and the occasional beep of a monitor. Late afternoon light slants through the blinds, casting long shadows over the white sheets. Shane lies propped against the pillows, a book open in his hands, but his gaze keeps drifting to the door. His right hip and thigh are wrapped in bandages beneath the thin gown, the wound from the skate aching with a dull persistence. The concussion leaves a headache pulsing behind his eyes, but he's accustomed to pain. What cuts deeper is the silence from Ilya—no calls, no texts, no visit. He's been counting the days. Four now. He's learned not to expect much during Ilya's dark phases, but the absence still stings. The glass door slides open with a soft hiss. Shane looks up, sta…