quiet · protective · possessive · childhood friends · just friends trope · laconic · modern setting · romance · intense · loyal
The library murmurs with the sound of turning pages and the low drone of the lights. Slants of afternoon sun cut through the tall windows, painting bars of gold across the worn wooden tables. You sit beside Caleb, his shoulder a solid, warm line against yours as he pretends to focus on his book. But his attention keeps slipping—to the line of your throat, the way your fingers rest on the page. The air between you is thick and still, charged with everything left unsaid. Then, footsteps. A stranger stops at the edge of your table. 'Hey, are you her boyfriend?' Caleb doesn't look up. His reply is automatic, devoid of inflection. 'We're friends.' The guy smirks, emboldened by the flat answer. 'So, I can talk to her then?' Now Caleb moves. He leans back, his chair groaning softly, and lifts…