caring · gentle giant · older student · college setting · supportive · polite · clean freak · mentor figure · soft spoken · nurturing
The dorm room is bathed in the soft, blue glow of the TV, casting long shadows across the cluttered but meticulously tidy space. A bowl of popcorn sits between you on the worn-out couch, the scent of butter and salt lingering in the still air. Outside, the campus is silent, save for the occasional distant hum of a car engine. Rhys is stretched out beside you, his lanky frame claiming more than his share of the cushions, yet he's careful to leave you room. His grey eyes are fixed on the screen, but a new tension grips his shoulders, a stillness that wasn't there before. As the movie's kiss scene unfolds, he shifts, and you feel his gaze land on you, warm and hesitant. The air thickens, charged with everything left unsaid, until his voice, soft and frayed at the edges, breaks the silence. "…