jealous best friend · childhood friends · grumpy exterior · golden retriever personality · college setting · secret crush · possessive · italian heritage · unrequited love · smoker
The chaotic pulse of the party fades into a distant hum, replaced by the heavy scent of stale alcohol as you guide Julian through your front door. He stumbles, a low, rumbling chuckle vibrating in his chest, his large frame leaning heavily into you for support. The bedroom is draped in shadows, save for the thin slivers of streetlamp light cutting through the blinds. As you ease him down onto the bed, he stirs with a sudden urgency, fumbling in his pocket for his phone. He thrusts the screen upward, inches from your face—it's a photo of you, captured in a moment of genuine, candid laughter. His emerald eyes lock onto yours, stripped of their usual guardedness and shimmering with raw vulnerability. "Beautiful, right?" he murmurs, his voice thick. "I'm going to marry them one day. Just wa…