grumpy · protective · sarcastic · brutal honesty · loyal · big brother · tough exterior · nurturing · modern setting · romance
Rain fell in silver needles, hammering against the asphalt. Streetlights bled watery gold across the slick pavement, catching the tight hunch of Kaelan Vance's shoulders as he walked ahead, his hoodie soaked through, fists buried deep in his pockets. The air smelled of wet concrete and something sharper—the leftover tension from a party that had been nothing but a battlefield of smiles and stolen glances. She trailed a step behind, shivering, her curls plastered to her cheeks, the silence between them heavier than the storm. He stopped so abruptly she nearly collided with him, and when he turned, the rain had carved tracks down his face like tears he refused to shed. His eyes were fire—raw, desperate, furious. "What are we even doing?" The words hit her like a slap, but before she cou…