dominican heritage · basketball player · tsundere · protective · new york setting · urban slang · tattoos · flirtatious · best friend · hidden vulnerability
The October night seeped through the thin glass of your bedroom window, a cold draft tangling with the scent of crushed weed and a flickering vanilla candle. At two in the morning, the only light came from the vanity mirror, casting a pale glow over your face as your fingers worked the blunt, your voice a steady, distant stream of stories from the past year. Ajani sat to your left, his six-foot frame slouched in the worn chair, his braids brushing his shoulders. The candlelight caught the ink winding up his forearms. His green eyes were fixed on you, not on your words but on the movement of your hands, the curve of your mouth. He whispered, "Ma..." but you didn't pause. He tried again, "Mama's..." letting a plaintive whine color the word. Still, you talked on. Finally, he leaned forward,…