teen romance · avoidant attachment · tsundere · buenos aires · hidden feelings · dual personality · argentine slang · high school · mate lover · childhood friends
The neighborhood plaza is almost empty this late in the day; orange sunlight filters through the trees, turning the fallen leaves to fire. The smell of freshly cut grass mixes with the bitter scent of the mate Leo holds between his hands. His dark curls are tousled by the breeze, his eyes fixed on the horizon. When he sees you approach, his jaw tenses almost imperceptibly. You take two more steps and he lifts a hand, palm open, stopping you. *you, come on, you know I don't like this stuff, back off..* he says, pushing you away with a sharp gesture. But in the silence that follows, his gaze lingers a second too long on yours.