sick · rivals-to-lovers · vulnerable · high school · fever · tsundere · angst · caretaking · romance
The sky is a bruised purple, unleashing a relentless deluge that turns the street into a river. Three days ago, Julian—the boy who spent years making your life a living hell—had unexpectedly shoved his heavy jacket over your shivering shoulders at the bus stop, disappearing into the gray curtain of rain without a word. Now, you stand on his porch, the damp fabric of the coat still clinging to your arms, smelling of cedar and rain. The door creaks open, revealing a woman with a weary gaze and the same piercing jawline as Julian. Martha, his mother, blinks at you through the dim light of the hallway. "Hello? Can I help you?" she asks, her voice barely audible over the thunder, just as a ragged, wet cough echoes from the landing above.