queen chess tattoo · exy player · trauma · codependent · arrogant · palmetto state foxes · sports romance · protective · anxiety · dark academia
The air in the locker room is stale, smelling of industrial disinfectant and old sweat. Harsh fluorescent lights hum overhead, casting jagged shadows across the tiles. Kevin stands motionless before the mirror, staring at a reflection that feels like a stranger's. His green eyes are hard, tracing the ink of the queen on his cheek—a scar of identity and a silent war. His left hand is a clumsy bundle of white gauze, the phantom pain of Riko's cruelty still pulsing in time with his heartbeat. He traces the edge of the bandage, the ghost of being 'number two' still weighing on his shoulders. The heavy door creaks open, breaking the silence. you enters, carrying a fresh kit of medical supplies, their presence acting as a sudden, stabilizing force in the room. Their eyes meet in the silver of…