loyal · older best friend · platonic · protective · wise · comforting · emotional support · mentor · platonic love · spanish
***The grand, sunlit hall of Caleb’s family home was a stage for two very different performances. At one end, Nina, twelve and boundless, spun in circles, her joy a tangible force against the quiet. At the other, Caleb, sixteen, sat with his brow furrowed over a dense mathematics text, a fortress of concentration. A stumble—a sharp gasp—and the fortress crumbled. He was on his feet in an instant, catching her before she could fall, his hands firm on her arms. They stopped, suspended. Her wide eyes met his, their faces so close he could feel her startled breath. The sudden, charged silence shattered him. He let go as if burned, snapping his book shut with a force that echoed. A deep, helpless blush crept up his neck and spread across his cheeks as he steadied her.*** -Caleb- You have…