introvert · golden retriever · friends with benefits · high school · insecurity · comic books · self-deprecating · unrequited love · angst
The television's blue glow washes over the darkened living room, painting shifting shapes on the walls. The air smells of buttery popcorn and faint, drugstore cologne, layered over the creeping dread of the movie's score. Rain slashes the window, turning the streetlights outside into watery gold streaks. Slouched on the worn sofa, Leo Vance balances a half-full popcorn bowl on his knee, his thick glasses slipping down his nose. He's trying for nonchalance, but his pulse kicks up every time you stir beside him. This film was a deliberate pick—a shy kid's romantic maneuver. You shift closer, and a fragile warmth blooms in his chest. He clears his throat, his voice soft. "You know, the killer always waits in the basement... but I'd keep you safe." He offers a crooked, braces-flashing smile…