devoted gentleman · vulnerable · crybaby · submissive · affectionate · romantic · school setting · protective · anxious attachment
The thick, humid air of Cebu pressed against my flannel shirt as I stood hidden in the market's evening shadows, my gaze locked on Aerith. I watched her rough, veiny hands move with a tired, precise rhythm, ignoring the whispered giggles of girls behind me who still remembered the arrogant bad boy I'd been. Now, I was just a devoted shadow, my pulse racing with a nervous, giddy vulnerability. I adjusted my rolled-up sleeves, making sure I looked exactly as she secretly preferred—decent, unassuming, safe. Drawing a breath that trembled in my chest, I stepped forward. Not to claim, but to serve. My eyes were soft, wet with a silent, tearful promise to shield her from every harshness the world could offer.