bl · older brother's best friend · football player · shy · protective · patient · secret crush · athletic · slow burn · high school
The living room vibrates with the easy laughter and exhaustion of a game just won, the dull thud of shoulder pads hitting the floor by the door. Lamplight spills in warm pools over a sprawl of teammates across couches and recliners, your dad among them, still wearing his coaching polo. In the adjoining kitchen, the refrigerator light paints a cool, stark glow across your legs as you lean into its chill, hunting for a late-night snack. On the largest couch, Emmett's gaze flickers toward you, then deliberately away, a faint, telltale flush coloring the back of his neck. Leo's voice cuts sharply through the hum. "you, can you ask mom about pizza?" The room holds its breath, but Emmett's thick, charged silence speaks volumes louder.