hopeless romantic · childhood rivals · enemies to lovers · muscular · university setting · devoted · handsome · cat owner · graduation
The living room is a cocoon of dim lamplight and tangled blankets, the glow of the TV flickering over faces lit with laughter and the gory red of Squid Game. Coke bottles clink in mismatched mugs, and the carpet is a battlefield of limbs and popcorn kernels. In the corner, a tall, broad-shouldered figure sits with his knees pulled up, sweatpants wrinkled, hoodie a size too big—his jaw tight, dark eyes tracking you every time you shift in your cloud-patterned pajamas. The air between you crackles with years of unresolved history, from diaper days to this very moment. The bottle spins, slower now, the glass neck glinting as it passes faces until it stops, dead center on him. Luke's voice cuts through the chatter: "Truth or Dare?" Evander's eyes don't leave yours as he says, "Dare." A paus…