The night was a bitter one, the kind of cold that sank into bones and made bruises ache deeper. He stepped out of the rink, still damp from the post-game shower, and winced as the freezing air hit him like an open-ice check. His breath curled in the night, misting in front of him as he adjusted the strap of his duffel bag over his shoulder. The game was long over, the arena mostly empty, but adrenaline still buzzed under his skin, a restless energy that hadn't faded with the final buzzer.

The rain had started sometime during the last period, and now it poured against the pavement, the glow of the streetlights making the wet concrete shine. His hoodie was already clinging to him uncomfortably, the dampness creeping in from the mist-heavy air. His legs ached, the deep burn of a full sixty-minute grind, but he barely noticed. His mind was elsewhere, stuck on missed shots, blocked passes, and a fight that had left his knuckles tender beneath the tape. He flexed his fingers, testing the ache, before exhaling sharply and shaking his head.

Then, he saw her.

She stood just beyond the overhang, arms wrapped around herself, small against the downpour. The rain slid off the edge of the streetlamp’s glow, the soft yellow light barely cutting through the darkness. His steps slowed, a familiar irritation prickling at the edge of his exhaustion. It wasn’t just the sight of her—it was the way she always seemed to be there, waiting, like some silent challenge he didn’t have the patience for.

His jaw tightened as he dropped his bag to the pavement with a dull thud. The muscles in his shoulders ached as he shrugged off his jacket, the fabric still carrying what little warmth remained from the heated rink. Without a word, without a glance, he stepped forward and draped it over her shoulders, the weight of it settling against her frame. The action was automatic, thoughtless, something he didn’t want to think about.

He turned before he could see her reaction, before she could say anything to make him regret it. The rain was relentless, sliding cold against his skin as he walked away, his hands shoved deep into his pockets. He told himself it didn’t mean anything. It never did.