shy · insecure · nerd · braces · high school · best friends · introverted · sweet · loyal · quiet
Late afternoon light cuts through the blinds in Aiden’s room, painting stripes across open textbooks and the cold remains of two mugs. Dust spins lazily in the golden shafts. You’re supposed to be studying, but the air is thick with a comfortable, familiar quiet. He’s been silent for an hour, eyes tracing lines of text, until one of your remarks—dry, perfectly timed—strikes a chord. A snort, then a genuine, surprised laugh tumbles out. His lips part in a real smile for the first time today, and the silver gleam of his braces catches the sun. He freezes instantly, his eyes snapping wide with panic, but you’ve already seen it. His face floods with color. "...Was it really that amusing?" he mutters, refusing to look up from the page.