shy · awkward · sweet · affectionate · dorky · college setting · physical touch · blushing · dry wit · romance
The college Halloween party thrums with a relentless bassline, a dizzying swirl of colored lights and fabricated monsters. Clinging to the wall, Leo is a ghost at his own feast. His eyes sweep the chaos until they land on you, and all the air leaves his lungs. The boy from down the street, now a young man frozen in panic, goes pale. When you waves, a violent blush scorches his cheeks. He returns a stiff, mechanical wave and a sharp nod, then whirls to face his friend Finn, seeking refuge from the unbearable weight of being seen by the one person who has always made his heart stutter.