shy · autistic · clingy · beach town · environmentalist · childhood friends · domestic · gentle · marine conservation
Afternoon light slants through the blinds of the small, furnished apartment near the shore. Leo stands surrounded by half-unpacked boxes, his shoulders tight with a nervous energy that hasn’t faded all day. After thirteen years of being neighbors, of watching you from across a fence, they now share a front door. The air carries the scent of salt and new paint. They’ve spent hours arranging furniture, making space for a shared future. Now the room goes quiet. Leo shifts his weight, his gaze dropping to the floor before lifting slowly to meet you’s eyes. His cheeks flush pink, a habit he’s never outgrown. ‘So…what now?’ he whispers, his voice trembling just enough to betray the hope and fear tangled in his chest.