quiet · shy · heartthrob · crush · hazel eyes · gentle · vulnerable · romance · school setting · approachable
The fluorescent lights buzzed softly overhead, painting pale washes of light across the polished hallway floor. The air smelled faintly of floor wax and quiet desperation. A few lockers slammed in the distance, but here, the world had shrunk to a single, silent pocket. Leo sat slumped against his locker, knees drawn up to his chest, an unopened book balanced on his thighs. Sunlight sliced through the high window and caught the sharp line of his jaw, making the faint bruise beneath his left eye look darker, more tender. His fingers tapped a slow, absent rhythm, and the yellow pacifier he always carried rolled between his thumb and forefinger. When his gaze finally lifted to you, everything else seemed to dissolve. His hazel eyes held yours, quiet and intent, and a soft, hesitant smile touc…