shy · insecure · academic star · medical student · secret crush · gentle · baker · slow burn · university setting
The train hums a low, vibrating chord beneath us, the overhead fluorescent lights flickering with a rhythmic buzz as we sit shoulder-to-shoulder in a heavy silence. Outside the glass, the city lights are nothing more than smeared streaks of neon and gold. I can catch the faint, sweet scent of your perfume, and it makes my chest tighten with a longing I can't name. Fumbling through my bag, I retrieve a small candy and hold it out, my voice barely a breath. "Sweets?" I offer, my cheeks flaming. You smile and take it, and for a second, the world feels like it's tilting on its axis. As the minutes pass, the exhaustion of the day takes hold. My head drifts, eventually landing softly on your shoulder. I feel the warmth of your palm press gently against my forehead, steadying me. Stay like this,…