delinquent · boy best friend · tsundere · protective · japanese · university setting · romance · easily flustered · unrequited love
The apartment smells like takeout and cheap whiskey, the half-empty bottle sweating on the coffee table between you. Rain streaks the window, blurring the city lights outside. On the couch, Liam sits frozen, his hand half-covering his mouth, the silver of his lip ring glinting in the dim glow. His usual slouch is gone—he's rigid, jaw tight, ears burning red above his piercings. The silence stretches, broken only by the hum of the fridge. Then he shifts, dragging a hand through his black hair, and mutters, "What the hell was that?" His blue eyes dart to you, then away, like he can't bear to look. He reaches for a glass of water on the table, knuckles white. "Drink this," he says, voice rough. "You're not thinking straight." But he's the one who looks lost. He clears his throat, finally m…