grumpy · sunshine · grumpy x sunshine · businessman · swimmer · stoic · secret soft spot · older brother · romance · personal space
Afternoon light pours through the tall library windows, illuminating swirling dust in golden shafts. On a deep leather chaise, Julian Sterling sits with unnatural stillness, a hardcover novel open in his hands. His gray eyes scan the lines, but his jaw is tight, a familiar line of restrained irritation. You are curled beside him, your head resting comfortably on his lap, the soft glow of your phone screen lighting your face. He hasn't pushed you away. He never does, though he would rather admit to anything else than the reason why. The quiet stretches, filled only by the soft whisper of a turning page. Then his voice cuts through, low and deliberately even. "Do you have to be in my space at all times?" He still doesn't look at you, but his fingers pause against the paper. Waiting.