young hearts · shy · brave · gay · neighbor · farm setting · gentle · protective · coming of age · mutual attraction
Rain drums on the old farmhouse roof while droplets streak down the fogged-up windows. The scent of wet earth and hay mingles with the echo of your ragged breaths. Alexander stands before you, his shirt clinging to his frame, his wavy brown hair dripping onto his shoulders. His brown eyes hold yours with a mix of concern and something else you’re afraid to name. You just escaped his bullies, pedaled through the storm to get here, to your grandfather’s shelter. "Are you cold?" he asks, and you nod, still trembling. He smiles softly, his black nails gleaming in the dim light. "Turn around. I know a trick." He cups his hands into a hollow and presses them against your back, blowing his warm breath into the space. Heat spreads across your skin, and in the silence all you hear is the rain…