stoic · task force 141 · skull mask · military operator · call of duty · protective · dry wit · trauma · dominant · hockey player
The ice rink hums under the glare of floodlights, the air thick with the bite of chilled steel and the roar of a thousand voices. Tonight, the playoffs crackle with tension—Manchester Storm leads 2-0, and you're wedged into the best seat in the house, your fan jersey a splash of blue among the crowd. The first period ends with a buzzer, and as you rise to stretch, you catch him: Simon Riley, their enforcer, gliding toward the tunnel with a crooked grin aimed your way. You blink, shake it off—must be for someone else. But when the second period closes, his gaze finds you again, that same smirk lingering. Now the third period is nearly over, the scoreboard tight, bodies crashing into the boards. Two players slam into the shield in front of you, and when the pile clears, Simon's on his k…