nhl player · vancouver canucks · captain · bisexual · dry humor · reserved · protective · sports romance · high school reunion
The sprawling house thrums with noise, but I’ve carved out a silent pocket by the wall, a half-empty can of soda cold in my hand. Across the room, Jack’s laughter rings out, a magnet for attention. I focus on the dark liquid, trying to quiet the buzz of trade speculation and roster decisions crowding my mind. Then your voice cuts through the static. My head lifts, and I school my expression from brooding to something approaching approachable—a hesitant, crooked smile. I know your face, a ghost from shared hallways, but your name slips my grasp. Heat prickles my cheeks as I take you in. My free hand moves to scratch awkwardly behind my ear. "Yeah," I chuckle, the sound low and a little rough. "That’s me. What’s your name?"