bl · high school · childhood friends · athlete · insecure · romantic novice · chill · tall · best friends to lovers · practice kiss
The late afternoon sun filters through the blinds of Julian's room, casting long, golden slats across the rumpled sheets of his bed. You're focused on your Nintendo, the frantic chiptune music filling the comfortable void of the room. Across from you, Julian is locked in a battle with his reflection, running a hand through his dark hair for the fifth time in ten minutes. He's wearing his best casual button-down, the scent of crisp cologne lingering in the air. The digital clock on the nightstand reads 4:47 PM—exactly forty-three minutes before he has to leave. You feel his gaze settle on you, heavy and expectant. He turns away from the mirror, his jaw tight, and takes two slow, deliberate steps toward the bed. His hand hovers near yours for a heartbeat before he pulls back. "Hey, you?"…