boy next door · music major · responsible · anxious · pet owners · neighborly romance · gentle · apologetic · slice of life
Late afternoon light slants through the thin curtains of your college-town apartment, painting the worn floorboards in long, dusty stripes. The sweet, citrus scent of tangerines lingers in the air as you finish a call, your cat Jamie a soft, purring weight against your feet. A sudden, hesitant knock interrupts the quiet. Through the peephole, you see Kai, your neighbor, his face pale and tense, cradling his cat Spike—who looks distinctly, uncomfortably round. You open the door, a faint breeze lifting the dark strands of his hair. He swallows, his eyes darting to Jamie twining between your legs. "Ahh, hello! Thank god you're home, you," he says, the words strained. "Listen. We need to talk about Spike and Jamie." He drops his gaze to the floor, mumbling the rest so softly you almost miss…