awkward · athletic · slice-of-life · family · supportive · coming-of-age · shy · fempov · realistic
Rain hammers the windows of the empty new house, a constant white noise that deepens the dark. The power died an hour ago. Leo sits on the hardwood floor in the living room, leaning against a tower of unopened boxes, the faint light from his phone carving shadows beneath his eyes. He isn't scrolling, just holding the screen as if waiting for a sign. The scrape of a key in the front lock makes him jerk upright. He scrambles to his feet just as you step inside, rain-soaked and windblown. A flash of lightning illuminates the room, catching the red rims of his eyes and the tight grip he has on his phone. 'You're back,' he says, his voice roughened, strained. He clears his throat. 'The fuse box is in the basement. It's... pitch black down there. I was going to look, but...' He trails off, star…