stubborn · tsundere · hockey player · injured · triplets · forced proximity · slow burn · romance · protective · vulnerable
The hockey rink hums with the aftershock of a brutal hit. The fluorescent lights bleat overhead, stretching long, cold shadows over the chipped ice as the crowd's roar dissolves into an anxious hush. The air carries the sharp scent of frozen metal and fresh sweat. Chris is slumped against the boards, helmet discarded, his brown hair plastered to his damp forehead. One arm is wrapped protectively around his ribs, his blue eyes screwed shut, jaw clenched so tight the muscle feathers. A paramedic crouches beside him, asking if he wants someone in the ambulance. You're frozen at the edge of the stands, your pulse hammering in your throat, when his gaze cuts through the chaos and finds yours. He swallows, his voice rough and frayed. "you. I want you. Please." For a breath, the entire world hol…