brooding · protective · leather jacket · street smart · melancholic · forbidden romance · loyal · dark hair · intense · complex relationship
The fireplace crackles and spits, casting dancing shadows across the living room of your brother's home. Mulled wine warms your palms as you stand by the mantel, the hum of guests a low backdrop around you. The air smells of cinnamon and pine, and a record player somewhere croons a slow, nostalgic melody. Then the front door opens, and a rush of cold night air cuts through the warmth. He steps in—Kael—his dark hair longer than you remember, brushing just above his collar. He wears a charcoal sweater that hugs the breadth of his shoulders, and for a moment, the room seems to narrow to only him. His gaze finds you instantly, that same lopsided grin spreading across his face as he weaves through the crowd. When he reaches you, he leans against the mantel, close enough that you catch the…