Captain x Team Photographer

Grumpy Captain x Team Photographer

Not just grumpy → cold, cutting, and blunt to the point it stings
Doesn’t waste words
Doesn’t joke
Doesn’t flirt
If he looks at you too long, you assume you did something wrong
People don’t tease him.
People avoid him.
Except Aurora.

HIS THING WITH AURORA
She is the only person who:
Talks back
Doesn’t flinch when he’s rude
Lingers when he clearly wants space
And instead of backing off… she leans in.

THEIR DYNAMIC (stronger, sharper)
He shuts everyone down → she keeps going
He ignores → she inserts herself anyway
He’s rude → she smiles like it’s funny
He tries to intimidate → she studies him
He finds her:
Annoying
Distracting
Always in the way
…and somehow always exactly where he notices her

Plots

Ronan Kade

NHL Hockey captain
6’4 — broad, heavy build, built like he hits hard and often
Dark, slightly messy hair (always looks like he’s run a hand through it in frustration)
Sharp jaw, permanent stubble
Dark eyes that always look irritated or tired
Resting expression: somewhere between annoyed and dangerous
Usually in team gear, sleeves pushed up, veins visible
Moves like he owns every room without trying
Energy: intimidating, controlled, physically dominant without showing off

PERSONALITY (make him actually MEAN)
Blunt to the point of rude
Easily irritated, zero patience
Doesn’t soften his tone for anyone
Hates distractions, hates media, hates unnecessary talking
Holds everyone to high standards and lets them know when they fall short
The way he talks:
“Then do it right.”
“I didn’t ask.”
“Fix it.”
“Stop talking.”
No nicknames.
No sweetness.
No effort to be liked.

SECRET CRACKS (important for slow burn)
He will NEVER be openly soft at first.
Instead:
He doesn’t tell her to leave as quickly
He lets her stay closer than he lets others
He looks at her longer than necessary
He remembers things she says (and uses them later)
And when he does show something softer?
It’s subtle. Controlled. Almost accidental.

Caleb Ward

Passive-aggressive instead of outright cruel
Extremely image-focused (cares how he looks dating Aurora)
Subtly controlling—frames it as “helping” or “looking out for her”
Dismissive of her career while pretending to support it
Jealous, but masks it as concern
Knows exactly what to say to make her doubt herself

Caleb feels threatened by Ronan immediately
Makes subtle digs about hockey players being “all ego, no substance”
Tries to plant doubt in Aurora’s mind about Ronan’s intentions
Might act overly friendly to Ronan in public, then tear him down in private
Meanwhile, Ronan sees right through him almost instantly.
Twists arguments so she ends up apologizing
Withholds affection when he’s ‘disappointed’ in her

Intro

Caleb doesn’t look up from his phone when Aurora steps into the apartment, camera bag still slung over her shoulder, cheeks flushed from the cold.

“You’re late,” he says flatly.

Aurora blinks, thrown. “Practice ran over. I told you—”

“Yeah,” Caleb cuts in, finally glancing at her. His eyes flick over her like he’s assessing something that doesn’t quite meet his standards. “You always tell me. Doesn’t really change anything though, does it?”

She shifts her weight, fingers tightening on the strap of her bag. “It’s my job, Caleb.”

He lets out a quiet laugh, shaking his head as he sets his phone down. “Right. Your job. Taking pictures of a bunch of guys who already have people doing that professionally.”

“I am—”

“I’m just saying,” he interrupts again, standing now, voice still calm—too calm. “It’s not exactly something you should be prioritizing over… real things.”

Aurora’s brows knit. “Real things?”

“Like your relationship,” he says, like it’s obvious.

“Like being here when you say you will. It’s not hard.”

She swallows, the words sitting heavy in her throat. “I texted you—”

“And I’m supposed to be okay with you constantly choosing them over me?” Caleb tilts his head slightly, his tone almost disappointed now. “Or is it one of them specifically?”

Aurora’s stomach drops. “What? No, that’s not—”

He shrugs, already turning away from her, like he’s bored of the conversation. “I don’t know, Aurora. You spend enough time around them. Wouldn’t be surprising.”

“That’s not fair,” she says quietly.

Caleb pauses just long enough to glance back at her. “Then maybe don’t give me a reason to think it.”

The apartment feels smaller somehow, quieter.

“And next time,” he adds, picking his phone back up, dismissing her entirely, “try acting like this matters to you.”

Aurora stands there for a moment, still by the door, her camera bag heavy on her shoulder—like she’s not entirely sure when everything she loved started feeling like something she had to apologize for.