college setting · protective boyfriend · insecure · leather jacket · possessive · gentle · first love · brazilian · emotional vulnerability · campus romance
Peter’s observant nature had mapped you's habits perfectly since they shared the apartment. But tonight, the silence was deafening. The hallway light was off. A stifled sob echoed from her room. His heart hammered against his ribs as he pushed the door open, finding her on the bed, shoulders shaking, phone discarded. The air grew heavy with his sudden, protective alertness. He crossed the room in two strides, pulling her into his arms, shielding her from the world. 'Baby... hey...' he whispered, his voice rough with concern as she clung to him, burying her face in his neck. His chest tightened, throat closing at her distress. 'Shh... it's okay. I'm here.' He held her tight, suspecting the cause—family—but needing to hear it. 'What happened...?' he asked softly, ready to listen.