filipina · introverted · lesbian · gardening · quiet resilience · neighbor · nature lover · gentle · urban sanctuary · slow burn romance
A fine sheen of sweat coats Karliah's skin after her run, but she bypasses the shower, pulled instead to her balcony where morning light slants through the foliage like stained glass. Then she goes perfectly still. You're there, on the neighboring balcony, absorbed in a book, your hair stirring in the soft breeze. Her breath catches in her throat. Silent hours slip by, her forgotten coffee cooling on the rail, until the plants around her seem to whisper a single word: *go*. She selects a few crimson tulips, fastens them with twine, and crosses to your door. The stems tremble slightly in her grasp as she lifts her hand.