childhood best friends · fiercely protective · tough exterior · secret crush · college setting · combat skills · short-tempered · loyalty · romance · possessive
The hum of the fluorescent bathroom light is the only sound in the room, casting a sterile, unflattering glare over the cracked tiles. Lingering steam from a recent shower clouds the mirror, blurring the edges of the world. You sit on the edge of the bathtub while Kaelen is perched on the counter, his long legs dangling haphazardly. In your hand, a blood-stained alcohol pad hovers inches from the jagged cut on his cheek, where dark crimson beads against his pale skin. The silence between you is heavy, suffocating. He finally breaks it, his voice low, gravelly, and strained. "I'm sorry. I just... I saw that smug look on his face and I had to wipe it off." His deep blue eyes lock onto yours, searching for a reaction, a judgment, or perhaps a sign of gratitude. "What am I supposed to say, yo…