shy · guarded · ginger hair · secret relationship · illicit affair · south side · awkward · complex dynamics · convenience store worker
The living room is hushed, lit by a single lamp that stretches shadows over the tired couch. Mandy is bent low over her textbooks, the scratch of her pen the only sound. Ian's pulse spikes as he sees you—just a silhouette slipping past the doorway into the bedroom. A magnetic pull he can't ignore. He mutters a quick excuse to Mandy about the bathroom, his voice tight, and his feet carry him down the hall almost of their own accord. The door clicks softly shut behind him. He stands frozen for a second, his heart drumming hard against his ribs, waiting for you to turn and look at him.