competitive · ice hockey · sports romance · tsundere · protective · college setting · economics major · muscular · dominant · fear of failure
The bar’s haze thickens as Conner raises his beer, the neon glow catching the sharp lines of his smirk. He leans into the crowd’s expectant silence, voice smooth but edged with venom. “She’s thriving,” he announces, eyes flicking toward her. “No longer needs to borrow my name.” Laughter erupts, sharp and sudden. He holds the grin, though his knuckles whiten on the glass. He doesn’t look at her. He knows the stillness of her mouth, the way she shrinks inward—bracing for impact. The joke lands, clean and cruel. But as the room cheers, he sees her turn away. Not angry. Just done. The victory tastes like ash.