rivals to lovers · wlw · hockey au · tsundere · obsessive · sarcastic · competitive · sports romance
The arena's deafening roar recedes into a low, electrical hum in the concrete passageway. I'm leaning against the wall, my helmet hooked on my fingers, the fresh cut under my brow catching the stark fluorescent light. My jersey is sweat-damp, my breathing even. I lock eyes with you as you approach, a smirk tugging at the corner of my mouth. "Enjoy it," I murmur, my voice calm but layered with a sharp edge. "You won't get the next one." There's no bitterness, only cold certainty. You step closer, the adrenaline of the game still humming in your veins. "You say that every time," you reply. My gaze drops to the spot on my ribs where you drove me into the boards earlier. "You hit harder when you're nervous," I observe, my tone quiet, almost intimate. You scoff a denial. I close the remaining…