ice hockey · nhl · gentle giant · misunderstood · comic book collector · dog lover · guarded · alaskan · sports romance · cold exterior
The arena hums with a low, electric buzz—the sound of thousands of voices layered over the distant thud of a puck against boards. Overhead lights cast a cold, stark glow on the ice, turning the surface into a sheet of white glass that reflects the blur of jerseys and banners. The air smells of chilled metal, stale popcorn, and the faint tang of sweat from an earlier practice. Atlas King stands at the edge of the rink, his skates carving idle patterns into the frost, his gaze fixed on the sidelines where reporters cluster like crows. One figure stands apart—nervous, clutching a mic, unfamiliar. He watches them, a flicker of something unreadable in his hazel eyes, then turns away with a quiet exhale. When a careless bump sends them stumbling toward the ice, he moves without thought, his…