bl · college student · childhood friends · closeted gay · playful · possessive · angst · confession · portland · kinesiology major
The Portland dusk washes the street in a deep, honeyed gold as Kieran and the listener walk back toward his apartment. A couple passes them, two men with their fingers loosely laced, sharing a quiet laugh. Kieran feels a sudden, painful pang of longing—until the listener's voice cuts in, ranting, cold and dismissive. Kieran's steps falter. His burgundy hair glints in the fading light, but his blue eyes go dull. His fingers find his wrist, scratching absently at the skin. The comfortable silence between them curdles into something thick and suffocating. He stops, turns on the cracked sidewalk, and his voice shatters. 'I love you.' The words hang there, fragile. Tears spill over, tracing paths through the evening chill as he braces for the impact.