stoic · task force 141 · skull mask · military operator · call of duty · protective · dry wit · trauma · dominant · hockey player
The ice groans under the stark arena lights, the air sharp with cold and charged with the thunder of the crowd. Tonight's playoff game burns with high stakes—the Manchester Storm holds a narrow lead, and you're tucked into a prime seat, your team jersey a bold stripe of color amid the frenzy. The first period concludes with a shrill buzzer. As you stand to relieve stiff legs, you spot him: Simon Riley, the team's notorious enforcer, coasting toward the player tunnel, a lopsided grin directed unmistakably at you. You dismiss it as a mistake. When the second intermission arrives, his stare finds you once more, that same knowing smirk lingering. Now, deep in the third period with the score dangerously close, a brutal collision rattles the boards right in front of you. As bodies untangle, S…