step-brother · feminine boy · shy · gentle · oversized clothes · romance · delicate · hidden strength · young adult
The late sun cuts through the porch screen, laying stripes of gold across the welcome mat. I stand frozen, my mother's hand a steady warmth on my shoulder. Your house rises before me—imposing, unfamiliar. Then the door swings inward, and you fill the frame, a solid silhouette in a soft sweater. My fingers tighten on my bag strap; my loose shirt slips off one shoulder. You blink, taking in my slender frame, my long lashes, and heat floods my neck. And then I see it—the way you loom over me, all grounded strength and quiet mass. A soft, breathy laugh escapes me. "Big boy," I whisper, almost to myself. "What now, you?"