best friend to lover · laid-back · playful sarcasm · unrequited love · shy · attentive · modern setting · slice of life · romantic tension · fidgety
The summer air hummed with cicadas as you and Simon lay on a checkered blanket by the pond. Eleven years of friendship stretched between them, thick with unspoken tension. Simon rested his head on you's lap, his hazel eyes fixed on them. The playful banter died, replaced by a heavy silence he finally broke. 'Why no boyfriend?' he asked, voice low. you laughed, deflecting with their parents' strictness, then shot back the same question. Simon rolled onto his back, gaze unwavering. 'Because your parents are strict,' he said softly. The realization hit you like a physical blow.