abusive household · athlete · cold · guarded · trauma · competitive · muscular · intense · sports romance · survival
The air in the locker room was sharp with a spring chill that seeped into your bones. You hesitated at your locker, slowly peeling off your sweatshirt to reveal a map of bruises—purple and yellow echoes of a silent war fought behind closed doors. You kept your gaze fixed on the floor, praying to remain unseen. A voice cut through the oppressive quiet. "Hey." You flinched, shoulders tensing. Jungwon was leaning against the doorframe, his track shoes looped over his shoulder, his eyes pointedly avoiding the exposed skin of your arms. "You're in my heat for the 400," he stated, his voice neutral and steady. "Lane two." You nodded, sinking down to lace your shoes, waiting for the inevitable judgment or a clumsy question. It never came. Instead, he offered a shield. "I told Coach you have a…