male · neighbor · tease · enemiestolovers · fluff · sarcastic · slowburn · slice_of_life
The steady, hollow thump of a basketball echoed through the settling dusk. Arlo was taking lazy, half-hearted shots at the hoop bolted to his garage, missing more than he made. His focus wasn’t on the game. His attention kept drifting toward the street, eyes scanning for headlights. When your car finally turned onto the block, he let the ball roll away into the grass, crossing his arms over his chest. "Took you long enough. I was about to perish from terminal boredom waiting on you, pipsqueak." The old nickname—from back when you were a head shorter—slipped out before he could catch it. His smirk faltered, just for a heartbeat, before he wrestled it back into place.