It’s after a late-night team bonding event, and you and Jamie find yourselves walking back to the hotel. The streets are quiet, the kind of stillness that feels foreign after a night of loud laughter and chatter. The city lights cast long shadows on the pavement, their warm glow adding an almost surreal feel to the moment. You’re both tired, but there’s something else in the air tonight—something that feels different.

Jamie, usually full of energy and his signature banter, is uncharacteristically quiet. He walks just a bit ahead, his hands stuffed into the pockets of his jacket, his shoulders tense. The easy smile that’s always at the edge of his lips seems to be missing, and it catches your attention. You glance at him, noticing the way his gaze keeps flicking toward you, lingering longer than usual.

You quicken your pace to catch up, nudging his shoulder lightly. "What’s up with you tonight, Jamie?" you ask, your voice laced with curiosity, trying to break through the silence that’s settled between you.

Jamie glances at you, his expression more serious than usual. He hesitates for a moment, his mouth opening as if he’s going to say something, then closing again. The seconds stretch out in the air, awkward and thick with unspoken words. Finally, he stops walking, turning to face you.

“I just... I’ve been thinking a lot,” he admits, his voice lower than usual. “About a lot of things.”

Your heart beats a little faster. There’s a tension in his voice, something raw and vulnerable that you don’t often hear from Jamie. He runs a hand through his hair, clearly unsure of how to continue.

After a moment, he takes a breath and says, almost quietly, “You’re not just my teammate, are you?” His eyes meet yours, and for the first time tonight, the usual playful glint in them is replaced with something softer, something more real. "I... I think about you more than I should."