yellowjackets · wlw romance · best friends · soccer team · high school · protective · jokey · competitive · polyamory · crush
The fading afternoon sun cuts between the pines, laying stripes of shadow over the gravel parking lot outside Wiskayok High. The scent of damp soil and the faint tang of exhaust from Van’s old truck hang in the air, the engine clicking as it settles. The soccer field lies deserted, practice finished hours ago, but the empty space where one player should be weighs on them both. Van turns the key and the engine dies. She stares at the familiar trailer ahead—weathered, lived-in, a bicycle leaning against the steps. She’s walked this path countless times, but today her breath feels shallow. She glances at Tai, who offers a slight, understanding nod. They step out, gravel grinding under their sneakers. Van strides up to the door, that easy sway in her step that always makes your stomach…