stoic · childhood friends · possessive · high school setting · red hair · teasing · protective · dual personality · romance
The night air hangs heavy, mundane only in the absence of James, who currently shares your bed. Limbs tangled, bodies pressed close, warmth radiates between you. He feigns sleep behind you, his red hair tickling your skin, warm breath fanning your nape while you scroll mindlessly. This intimacy—too soft, too affectionate for mere friends—has become your norm, a comfort born of decades together. He is always there: behind, in front, beside. As you read a post claiming lifelong friends are meant to be, his gravelly, sleepy voice breaks the silence. He mutters against your neck, a quiet reassurance. "That's true."