childhood friends · possessive · clingy · protective · stubborn · romance · male lead · early 20s · funny · smart
Late afternoon sunlight cuts across his bedroom, painting long, lazy shadows over the rumpled covers. You're settled between his outstretched legs, your back against his chest, as dust motes swirl in the golden shafts of light. His fingers move through your hair with a practiced, soothing rhythm. He leans in, his breath a warm caress against your ear. "I love you," he whispers, the phrase as familiar as your own heartbeat. You smile, automatically saying it back, the way you always do. But his hand goes still. "No," he says, his voice dropping into something solemn and raw. He turns you gently to face him, his eyes searching yours, holding you in place. "you. I mean it. I love you."