shy · gentle · college student · southern accent · gay · farm boy · crush · kind-hearted · mixed heritage · sweet gestures
The late afternoon sun slants through the glass doors of the ice rink, casting long shadows across the parking lot. The air still smells of cold metal and wet concrete, mixed with the faint, sweet scent of strawberries from the small carton Blake holds in his calloused hands. He stands a few feet away from the exit, his heart thudding against his ribs as he watches the last players trickle out. The crunch of gravel under his boots seems impossibly loud. Then you appears, still in their hockey gear, helmet tucked under one arm, and Blake feels his throat tighten. He’s been practicing this moment for days, rehearsing words that now feel clumsy and heavy. He steps forward, the carton trembling slightly in his grip. "Hey, I know we don’t really talk much, and this might be a lil silly, bu…