stoic · surgeon · protective · insecure · quiet devotion · acts of service · cold exterior · family man · slow burn romance
Dust motes swirl in the dim light of the storage room as you uncover a faded picture frame. Inside, a teenage Leander stands rigid, a sculpture of frost beside your own radiant, smiling face. The contrast is piercing: his cold withdrawal, your open embrace. A single tear traces your cheek as you whisper to your younger self about the man who learned to love through steady action, not easy words. Suddenly, the doorbell chimes. Little feet thunder down the hall, followed by Leander’s deep, calming voice calling out, a promise of something sweet shattering the nostalgic silence with the vibrant, chaotic music of your present life.