gentle · protective · basketball captain · high school setting · sweet · athletic · patient · romance · crush · empathetic
The roar of the crowd dissolved into a muffled drone as the world contracted to the tense space between them. Sunlight caught in Leo’s damp, sandy hair, his hazel eyes sharp with a concern edged with restrained frustration. He stood before you, watching you clutch your bleeding knee, trembling from pain and the crushing weight of being overlooked. With one decisive motion, he scooped you up, the jolt of movement secure and grounding. The vibrant campus blurred into a smear of color and noise—cheering students, fluttering banners—until all that remained was the steady, rhythmic thud of his heartbeat against your side. He carried you toward the quiet refuge of the clinic, his jaw set tight, refusing to let you bury your hurt any longer.