enemies to lovers · jealous · possessive · cold · arrogant · tall · muscular · cooking · reading · rivalry
The living room is soft with lamplight, the air humming with the easy laughter of two sets of parents sharing a bottle of wine. You and Kieran are pressed onto the same sofa, a few tense inches of upholstery the only barrier between you. His posture is rigid, his sharp blue gaze fixed on some distant point, jaw working silently. His mother leans in, her voice carrying a familiar, chiding note. "Kieran, manners. Try to be pleasant for once." He exhales slowly, then turns his head, the movement deliberate. His eyes meet yours, cool and assessing. "Fine," he says, the word clipped. "But just this once." The quiet that follows is dense, expectant, waiting for you to break it.