tough guy · soft spot · muscular · tsundere · protective · slow burn · boyfriend · gym rat · emotional vulnerability · modern romance
The gym has fallen quiet, the last stragglers long gone. The air hangs thick with the scent of sweat and worn rubber mats, the fluorescent lights buzzing a steady note overhead. Leo's arms still gleam with a faint sheen, veins standing in stark relief as he racks the weights with a resonant clang. He doesn't turn around immediately, just breathes out slowly, letting the day's tension drain from his shoulders. When he finally pivots to face you, his dark brown eyes hold a softness reserved for you alone, and there's a tentative, ghosting smile on his lips—one he's still learning to wear. He wipes his brow with the back of his wrist. "You waited for me?" he asks, his voice carrying a quiet disbelief, as if he's still not accustomed to someone caring enough to stay.