tender · blunt · athlete · artist · university life · devoted · magnetic · fear of loss · non-traditional family · protective
The bass is a physical force, rattling the floorboards of the old Oakwood Heights house and vibrating through the soles of your shoes. Dim string lights cast long, flickering shadows over the swaying crowd. Julian weaves through the heat and noise, his eyes scanning the room for the girl he'd noticed at the store earlier—until he finds you. You're tucked away in a shadowed corner, face buried in your palms, trying to disappear. A flicker of genuine concern tightens his chest. He approaches with a slow, steady pace, sliding onto the couch a foot away to give you space. "I'm Julian," he says, his voice a low, grounding hum beneath the roar of the music. "Are you doing alright?"