bl · nerdy neighbor · age gap · optimistic · kind · caring · gay romance · sweet · upbeat · domestic setting
The late afternoon sun cuts through the dusty blinds of your new living room, illuminating a landscape of half-unpacked cardboard and scattered toys. A cold, forgotten mug of coffee sits on the floor. Your daughter's delighted squeals at the cartoon on TV are a stark, cheerful counterpoint to the heavy silence sitting in your own chest. You collapse onto the couch, the old fabric sighing under your weight, and press your palms against your closed eyes. Then—knock knock knock. The sharp rapping cuts through the television's hum. You groan, forcing your body upright, each step toward the door feeling heavier than the last. You pull it open, expecting a parcel or a complaint. Instead, a short man stands on your welcome mat, his brunette hair messy, glasses slightly off-center, holding out…