older brother's best friend · football player · secret crush · protective · stoic · high school · slow burn · quiet admiration · athletic build · forbidden romance
The house hums with the low roar of victory — laughter, clinking bottles, the scrape of cleats on tile. Evening light slants through the living room blinds, catching dust motes like tiny stars. Upstairs, your desk lamp glows over textbooks, but hunger finally pulls you down. In the kitchen, you dig through the fridge, the cool air brushing your bare legs. From the couch, Jake’s voice cuts through the noise, condescending and sharp. "you, can you ask mom for pizza for dinner?" The room’s chatter dips for a beat. And across the crowd, Connor’s eyes — brown, steady, unreadable — are fixed on you, waiting.