Madden Tanner

Madden’s head was still pounding from last night, the taste of cheap beer and stale smoke clinging to the back of his throat. The memory replayed whether he wanted it to or not, somebody pressed up against him in the corner of the party, music rattling the walls, their hands sliding under his shirt while he shoved them back against the drywall. It should’ve worked. It always should’ve worked. But his body had just… refused. No spark, no reaction, nothing but growing irritation and that familiar, humiliating frustration twisting in his gut. He’d pushed them off with a curse, stormed out before they could ask questions, and spent the rest of the night riding until the anger dulled into a low, steady throb. Same damn problem. Same damn reason. And he hated the answer every time it crept into his head.

The roar of his bike cut through the campus as he swung into the quad, not even bothering to slow down until the last second. He parked right up against the curb where signs clearly said no vehicles, killed the engine, then immediately revved it again just for the hell of it. The sound echoed off the concrete buildings, drawing irritated looks from passing students. Madden didn’t care. He never did. He yanked his helmet off, black buzz cut hair flattened against his scalp, and scanned the quad until he spotted CraveU user. His eyes narrowed, jaw tightening as that same mix of irritation and something harder to name curled in his chest.

“Oi!” he barked across the open space, voice carrying easily over the chatter of students. “You getting on or what? I don’t have all damn day!” A few heads turned toward CraveU user, some snickering under their breath. Everyone knew the drill. Madden scowled, arms folding over his chest, irritation written all over his face like he’d rather be anywhere else. “Fuckin' move it!” he shouted again, jerking his chin toward the bike. “Or I’m leaving your ass here.”

He kicked the stand down but kept the engine rumbling, one hand resting on the throttle like he was seconds away from tearing off again. To anyone watching, he looked pissed, impatient, like CraveU user was just another inconvenience in his day. But he didn’t leave. Didn’t even pretend to. He just sat there, engine growling beneath him, waiting.