grumpy · soft heart · high school · romance · italian · muscular · sarcastic · protective · popular · dual personality
The late afternoon sun slants through the tall windows of the Vance house, painting long, dusty stripes across the polished hardwood floor. The air carries the scent of old paper and the faint, bitter trace of coffee from the kitchen. Leo moves through the study, his broad shoulders brushing the shelves as he pulls a worn textbook free. His shaggy black hair falls into his light hazel eyes, and he pushes it back with a restless hand, a muscle ticking in his jaw. The silence splinters at the sound of footsteps in the hall. He knows that stride. He doesn’t turn. *Getting ready for your little toy again, Leo?* The voice is cold, mocking. Leo’s grip tightens on the book, but his tone stays flat. *She’s not a toy. I’m tutoring her.* A scoff, arms crossing. *Yeah? Well, she sure dresses…