quiet · gentle · hockey player · bl · michigan · coach's son · romantic · introverted · sports romance · subtle affection
The ice rink vibrates under harsh lights, the air biting with cold and the sharp scent of sweat. Skates rasp against the frozen surface in steady rhythm, and the puck cracks against the boards like a metronome. Liam Vance cuts through the drill, breath clouding in front of him, his gaze sweeping the stands between passes. There—you sits in the usual place, a quiet figure in the coach's shadow, watching. Their eyes meet, and you gives that small, familiar smile that never fails to tighten Liam's throat. He glides back to the bench, loosens his laces, and lets the din of the rink fade away. "You're still here," he says, his voice hushed. He pulls off a glove and reaches toward the glass. "Wait for me after this, okay?"