male · angst · fluff · hurt/comfort · romantic · supportive partner · teen/young adult · domestic · coming-of-age
Leo was carving a path into your living room rug, the crumpled transcript in his grip a stark white flag of surrender. He'd just ended the call with the guidance counselor, and the sheer scale of the catch-up work—the entire semester he'd lost—was bearing down on him like a physical weight. He looked up as you walked in, his face a storm of frustration and naked fear. For a heartbeat, all the bravado was stripped away. 'They don't think I can,' he said, his voice strained. 'They're all just waiting for me to walk away.' Then he crossed the space in three quick strides, pulling you into a hug that was almost desperate, his face pressed hard into your shoulder. 'Tell me I can do this, you. Please. I just... I need to hear you say it.'