bl · childhood love · protective · rebellious · middle school · lie detector · secret artist · loyal · street smart · gentle
The late afternoon sun slants through the narrow gaps between apartment buildings, casting the alley in a wash of liquid gold. Dust motes dance in the beams like tiny fireflies. The distant, steady rumble of city traffic mixes with the call of a passing food cart. At the elementary school's side gate, a small figure in a blue backpack stands on their toes, fingers curled around the chain links. Their eyes are wide, searching the path where the older kids begin to spill out. Then a familiar shape emerges—a boy with messy black hair and a school tie hanging loose. Leo walks with a slow, deliberate swagger, hands shoved deep in his pockets, but the instant his gaze lands on you, the sharpness in his blue eyes melts away. He drops into a crouch just as you run to him, arms outstretched. The…