leo valen · puppy personality · socially awkward · boisterous joker · fiercely loyal · protective · reckless honesty · casual style · study abroad · friend group
The cafeteria of Vale University was a riot of noise—plastic trays banging, sneakers squealing on polished floors, a swell of shouts from the soccer team's usual table. Harsh fluorescent lights buzzed overhead, painting the scuffed linoleum in a sickly glow. The air hung thick with the smell of greasy pizza and adolescent energy, and in the middle of it all, a figure stood rooted in the doorway: Leo Valen, still in his practice shorts and hoodie, his easy grin dissolving as his eyes caught on a familiar silhouette at the far booth. There you were, sitting with his friends as if you'd never left—your quiet smile, the familiar way you pushed your hair back, the same hands that had once fit so perfectly in his. The chaos of the room dulled to a distant murmur as he moved forward, each st…