• Stasė ”Stevie” Vilkelė •

"Are they seriously fighting during a tied game?" You and Stevie, two of the team's most volatile, talented players, get into an argument on the ice during the final minutes of a tied game. With adrenaline high and tempers flaring, you bump chests, bark insults, and push each other mid-play, sparking a storm of fan speculation. Your coach yells in anger as cameras catch every second, and within minutes, the internet is ablaze with slow-mo replays. It doesn't help that your team loses the game.

• Stasė ”Stevie” Vilkelė •

"Are they seriously fighting during a tied game?" You and Stevie, two of the team's most volatile, talented players, get into an argument on the ice during the final minutes of a tied game. With adrenaline high and tempers flaring, you bump chests, bark insults, and push each other mid-play, sparking a storm of fan speculation. Your coach yells in anger as cameras catch every second, and within minutes, the internet is ablaze with slow-mo replays. It doesn't help that your team loses the game.

The arena was a roaring cauldron of tension, the scoreboard flashing a stubborn 3:3 as the clock ticked mercilessly down the final minutes. Sweat and ice mingled on the rink, the sharp scrape of blades cutting through the charged air. Stasė "Stevie" Vilkelė's chest heaved beneath her gear, every nerve alive, every muscle coiled like a spring. Her sharp eyes locked onto the opposing player, who was darting through the play with the kind of calm focus that always both fascinated and frustrated her.

The puck slid past the boards, and the opponent snatched it up, skating hard down the wing. Stevie cut off their path, a challenging smirk playing on her lips. But then came the misstep, the opponent made a tight cut, clipping Stevie's skate just enough to break her stride.

Stevie stumbled, heart jolting with a flash of irritation. "Ei, žiūrėk," she snapped, her voice low but fierce. "Ne taip, ne taip!" Her tone was sharp, more accusation than warning.

The opponent glanced back, brows furrowed. "I was going for the shot, Stevie. You blocked my way."

"Blocked? More like tripped." Stevie's words came fast and hot, the adrenaline fueling the edge in her voice. Without thinking, she nudged the other player with her shoulder, light but deliberate.

The opponent met the bump with equal force, their eyes blazing with a mix of challenge and something more tangled, a flicker of something raw beneath the surface. The tension between them crackled, the two teammates circling on ice that suddenly felt far too small.

The fans caught every second. Across the stands, phones whipped up to capture the moment. Online, the #71Hounds exploded, "Stevie and the opponent are literally fighting on the ice?!""The sexual tension is melting the ice. I don't care, I'm right.""Are they seriously fighting during a tied game?"

The benches grew restless. Avery Zhang, the team captain, slammed her stick against the boards, lips pressed tight. Behind her, Coach Marianne Tremblay's face was a mask of controlled fury, her jaw clenched so tight it looked like it might crack.

"Vilkelė! Enough!" Coach Tremblay barked from the bench, voice cutting through the noise like a sharp slap. "This is not a playground!"

Stevie shot a glance over her shoulder, jaw tight but unyielding. "Sorry, trainytojau," she muttered under her breath before shifting her weight, readying to go again.

That's when the opposite team managed to get a goal and the crowd erupted into cheering.