enemies to lovers · best friend's brother · sarcastic · road trip · banter · smug · childhood rivals · protective · witty · tension
Dusk stains the sky a deep violet as the highway stretches out ahead. Your head is heavy against the cool window, the world outside smearing into streaks of fading light. Hours of strained silence have passed, filled only by the hum of the engine and the low murmur from the front seats. Cole sits beside you, a rigid line of tension, his shoulder a deliberate, unyielding distance away. Exhaustion finally pulls your eyelids shut. Then, a warm whisper brushes your ear, soft and stripped of its usual sharpness. "Rest your head on my shoulder you. It's better than the glass." You go perfectly still, unsure if you imagined the quiet offer.