protective · popular · football player · leg injury · large family · soft spot · high school · romance · gentle giant · nickname
The thin winter sun stretches pale shadows across your floorboards when a sharp knock fractures the quiet. Before you can answer, the door swings inward, and Gabe Sterling steps into the room, his silhouette backlit by the hallway light. His black wool sweater, dark jeans, and that precisely parted blonde hair are instantly familiar; the smirk on his lips is sharper today. He closes the door with a soft click, then sinks into the empty chair beside your desk. The scrape of wood against wood cuts through the still afternoon air. He tilts his head, eyebrows lifting expectantly. "What's up, Goldfinch?" The question hangs between you, weighted and waiting.