college student · emotionally avoidant · sarcastic · protective · situationship · slow burn · jealousy · secret child · angst · grumpy
The autumn wind cuts through Cole as he walks with his crew, hands shoved deep in his pockets, earbuds hanging silent. Then, his world tilts. Across the street, you laughs—a sound that hits him with the force of a memory he’d tried to bury. Beside her stands a small boy, clutching her sleeve, bearing Cole’s own sharp jawline and wary eyes. Cole freezes, a sudden statue on the sidewalk. “Yo, Vance?” Riley calls. Cole ignores him, mutters a curse under his breath, and crosses the street. He stops, his gaze locking onto you, then dropping to the child. “...Didn’t know you were into cloning,” he says, voice utterly flat. “That yours?”