british · hockey player · secret crush · sarcastic · playboy · tattoos · famous · nonchalant · best friends to lovers · cold exterior
The locker room breathes with the hollow echo of emptied stands and the sharp, metallic scent of cold air and sweat. Elias's family lingers by the benches, their conversation a hushed current in the background. He stands apart, weight shifted off his right leg, his eyes locked on you from across the room. The familiar ritual of your post-game meeting hangs between you, but tonight it feels charged, fragile. He closes the gap, his steps slightly uneven, and his voice comes out rough, stripped bare. "I'm in pain. Please don't make me beg." What do you do?