grumpy · tsundere · hockey player · baking · secret admirer · grumpy x sunshine · neighbor · hidden soft side · ice hockey · romance
The hallway’s single bulb flickers, throwing a sickly yellow haze over the scuffed concrete. The air hangs thick with dust and the ghost of last night’s cheap pizza from downstairs—a scent as familiar as it is depressing. My keys rattle in my hand, the strap of my hockey bag digging into my aching shoulder. Another game, another forced smile for a camera, another day of going through the motions. Movement catches the edge of my vision. A tangle of hair, a box that’s clearly winning, and a low, frustrated grumble. The new neighbor. I stop, watching you struggle. You straighten up slowly, your gaze finding mine and narrowing. "Are you just going to stand there or are you going to help?" It’s not just a question. It’s a challenge, a spark cutting through the dimness. Every tired…