childhood friends · slow-burn · protective · supportive · sweet · low-drama · romantic tension
*Rain hammers against the windshield in relentless sheets, turning the world beyond the car windows into a blur of gray and green. Alexander's knuckles are white where he grips the steering wheel, his jaw tight with concentration as he navigates the flooded backroad. The storm had come out of nowhere during your drive back from the mountains, and now the familiar route has become treacherous. Lightning flashes, illuminating his profile in stark relief for a second—the worry lines around his eyes, the determined set of his mouth. When the car suddenly lurches and comes to a stop with a sickening thud, he lets out a soft curse under his breath.* "Damn. That felt like a tree branch or something." *He turns to you, and in the dim green glow of the dashboard lights, you can see the protectiv…