1

Ethan liked quiet mornings.

Which was exactly why the sound of the gym door opening pissed him off instantly.

He didn’t look up right away. Just tightened the laces on his sneakers, pulling them a little harder than necessary, like that alone could block out the interruption. His earbuds were already in, music loud enough to drown out most things, but not enough to erase awareness. It never did.

He had come early. Earlier than usual, even.

The gym still carried the remnants of yesterday. Faint sweat in the air, polished wood, the echo of every movement stretching just a little longer in the empty space. It was predictable. Controlled. His.

Most of the team wouldn’t show up for another fifteen minutes, or so he had thought. That window was his favorite part of the day. No noise, no pressure, no one watching. Just the rhythm of the ball and the sound of his own breathing.

Then the door opened.

Ethan exhaled slowly through his nose and pushed himself up, grabbing the ball. He bounced it once, twice, letting the familiar sound ground him before finally glancing over.

A guy walked in like he had nowhere else to be.

Not rushed. Not hesitant either. Just steady. Deliberate.

There was nothing flashy about him. No loud entrance, no unnecessary movement. But there was something about the way he carried himself that made the space feel… smaller. Like the quiet wasn’t empty anymore. Like it belonged to him just as much.

Ethan watched for half a second longer than he meant to. Then green eyes met his and didn’t look away.

It wasn’t curiosity. Wasn’t interest. It was something sharper than that. A quick, silent assessment that landed and stayed.

Ethan felt it immediately. And just as quickly, he looked away, jaw tightening.

Whatever.

He turned back to the court, starting his layup drill like nothing had changed. Like there wasn’t someone new in the gym shifting the air without even trying.

The bounce of the ball echoed louder now. Footsteps followed behind him, unhurried.

Ethan didn’t look again.

Didn’t need to.

Coach’s voice cut across the gym a second later, louder than necessary in the quiet.

“Everyone, listen up.”

Ethan straightened on instinct, catching the ball against his palm. Even alone, he liked to look ready. It was habit at this point. Discipline.

He turned just enough to see the new guy standing beside Coach.

“This is Marcus Hale,” Coach said. “Transfer. Starting lineup.”

Ethan stilled.

Of course.

Of course the guy didn’t bother introducing himself. Just walked in like he already knew where he belonged.

Marcus Hale.

The name settled in his mind, heavier than it should have.

Marcus didn’t say anything. Didn’t nod, didn’t smile. His gaze moved over the court, over the empty gym, then landed right back on Ethan.

Same look as before—Measured, calm, like he was already figuring him out.

Ethan held the eye contact this time. A second too long. Long enough to make it something. Then he broke it first, looking away like it didn’t matter.

It did.

He hated that it did.

By the time a few teammates started trickling in, the quiet had already shifted into something tighter. Less comfortable.

Ethan bounced the ball lazily as he moved toward his usual spot.

Then stopped.

Marcus was already there.

Standing exactly where Ethan always played. Like he had chosen it on purpose. Like he knew.

Ethan stared for a second, then walked closer, tucking the ball under his arm.

“Hey,” he said, voice flat. “You’re standing where I usually play.”

Marcus didn’t move. Didn’t even look surprised.

“Yeah,” he said. “I noticed.”

Ethan let out a short breath. “And you’re still there.”

“Also noticed that.”

A couple of teammates slowed near the entrance, clearly paying attention now.

Ethan stepped closer, closing the space just enough to make the point clear. “So move.”

Marcus tilted his head slightly, like he was considering something completely unimportant. “Or?”

Ethan blinked once, thrown off for half a second by how casual that sounded. “Or you’re in my way.”

“And you’re going to do what?” Marcus asked.

His tone didn’t change. No edge, no heat. Just calm and somehow that made it worse.

“I don’t repeat myself,” Ethan said, voice tightening as he took another step forward.

“Good,” Marcus replied. “Because I wasn’t planning on listening.”

There it was.

The line.

Ethan felt something snap, quick and sharp.

“You just got here and already think you can take over?” he said.

Marcus shrugged, completely unbothered. “I don’t think. I just play better in this spot. You can choose another one.”

Ethan stared at him for a second.

Then laughed, short and sharp. “Oh. You’re one of those.”

“Yeah,” Marcus said easily. “And you’re exactly what they said you were.”

Ethan’s smile faded just a little. “What did they say?”

Marcus met his gaze without hesitation. “That you don’t like competition.”

Silence stretched between them.

For a second, Ethan stepped forward again, too fast, too close. Close enough to feel the shift in tension, like this wasn’t just about the court anymore.

Like it could turn into something else entirely if one of them pushed. He didn’t.

Instead, he took a step back, slow and deliberate, eyes never leaving Marcus.

“Cool,” he said. “Let’s see it.”

Practice started. And it was worse than Ethan imagined. Not because Marcus was bad—he wasn’t—but because Marcus was good in a way that made Ethan grind his teeth. Every cut, every pass, every play executed almost too easily, like he had been doing it for years.

It was controlled.

Too controlled.

Halfway through a drill, Ethan went for a pass he had made a hundred times before.

Marcus intercepted it like he had seen it coming the entire time. Smooth. Easy.

The ball was in the hoop before Ethan could react.

“Too slow,” Marcus said, already moving away.

Ethan stood there for half a second longer than he should have, jaw tight, then forced himself to move again.

Next play, he didn’t pass. Didn’t even consider it.

Marcus was open, completely open and Ethan shot anyway.

Missed.

“Ethan.”

Coach’s voice was sharp.

Ethan barely reacted, grabbing the rebound and moving on like it didn’t matter.

Marcus didn’t say anything that time. He didn’t need to and that somehow made it even worse.

By the end of practice, the air felt different. Thinner. Sharper. Conversations were quieter and glances lasted longer.

Everyone had noticed.

Ethan grabbed his water bottle, already heading for the exit. He didn’t feel like sticking around and didn’t feel like hearing anything else.

Footsteps behind him.

Of course.

“You missed three open passes.”

Ethan didn’t stop walking. “You counted?”

“Someone has to.”

Ethan turned, walking backward now so he could face him. “Obsessed much?”

Marcus’s mouth twitched, barely there. “Trust me, you’re not that interesting.”

“Then stop talking.”

“Start playing properly,” Marcus said, voice even, “or I’ll assume you’re not as good as people say.”

Ethan laughed under his breath, shaking his head. “You know your problem?”

Marcus raised an eyebrow. “Enlighten me.”

“You think you’re better than everyone.”

Marcus stepped closer, a shit eating smirk playing on his lips. “I don’t think that.”

“Right.”

“I just think I’m better than you.” Marcus shrugged in absolute nonchalance.

That did it.

Ethan stopped.

For a second, it looked like he might actually swing. His hand tightened around the bottle, shoulders tense, body angled forward.

Close again.

Too close.

But instead of moving, he smiled—slow and sharp.

“Okay,” he said. “We’ll fix that.”

Marcus didn’t react. “Looking forward to it.”

Later that night, Ethan lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling.

Sleep wasn’t happening.

His mind kept replaying everything. The way Marcus moved. The way he talked. The way he didn’t react to anything, like nothing got under his skin.

It was irritating.

Worse than irritating.

It stuck.

It wasn’t the first time a new recruit came in with an attitude. Most of them got humbled eventually. They talked too much, pushed too hard, then realized they couldn’t keep up.

Marcus wasn’t like that.

That was the problem.

He had the skill to back it up.

And Ethan hated that.

He shifted onto his side, jaw tightening slightly.

There was something else too. Something he didn’t want to focus on too much.

The way Marcus carried himself. The way his voice stayed calm no matter what. The way he didn’t flinch, not even when things got close to turning physical.

Something twisted in Ethan’s chest at the thought. Sharp enough to annoy him. Unfamiliar enough to linger.

He exhaled and dragged a hand over his face.

Whatever.

He could deal with it.

Actually… he could do more than that.

A slow grin spread across his face as the idea settled in.

Nothing big. Nothing obvious. Just small subtle things.

A water bottle moved at the wrong time. A locker switched. A message sent from the wrong number. Little reminders that Marcus wasn’t untouchable.

That he didn’t get to walk in and take over without consequences.

Yeah. That would work.

Ethan let out a quiet breath, the tension in his chest easing just slightly.

This wasn’t over.

Not even close.

War had officially started.