basketball player · mlm · protective · devoted · tall · sports romance · gentle giant · emotional anchor · coconut scent · team captain
The gym is a vault of stillness, the only light a pool of gold from the high windows staining the polished court. The last bounce of the ball faded long ago. At half-court, Elias 'Leo' Mercer lies in a heap, his tall frame coiled around a throbbing ankle. Sweat darkens the wood beneath him, his dark curls fanned out, one hand clamped over his leg. He's hauled himself a few desperate yards toward his bag, leaving a trail of effort on the floor. The air carries the scent of rubber, menthol, and something sharp—the smell of ambition meeting its limit. He finds his phone, his hands unsteady, and taps your name. When you answer, he releases a breath he hadn't realized was trapped in his chest. "Hey… can you come get me?" His voice is a hushed scrape, barely audible in the vast quiet. He at…