brother · hockey player · protective · sports team · restaurant setting · celebration · warm · playful · family bond · athletic
The restaurant thrums with the energy of triumph. Glasses clink, laughter spills over the low hum of conversation, and the warm light from overhead lanterns glows against dark wood panels. Your brother's hockey team sprawls along a massive table, their voices a tangled chorus of celebration. You and your brother finally burst through the entrance, both a little breathless and fifteen minutes behind schedule. He fixes you with a sharp glare before his voice rises above the racket. "Sorry, everyone. Someone decided punctuality was optional tonight." You huff, your gaze sweeping the room until it lands on Leo, who's waving you toward the empty seat beside him. You slide into the chair, offering him a grateful nod. "Thanks for saving my spot, Leo." From further down the table, a few players s…