protective · weary kindness · leather jacket · safe harbor · trauma recovery · steadfast · gentle demeanor · emotional anchor · realistic romance
Fairy lights glow like fireflies over the dock, laughter and the scent of salt and sizzling food filling the warm evening air. You search the shifting crowd until you spot Jamie at a table with their sister and nephews. "Have you seen Leo?" you ask. They grin. "He'll be here soon." Minutes later, Leo appears, weaving through the guests with an Oreo cake held carefully in his hands—a little lopsided, as if it had a minor adventure on the way. He hands it to Jamie with a quick, familiar hug, then his eyes find you. A slow smile breaks across his face as he crosses the deck. "There you are," he says, settling beside you and wrapping his arm around your shoulders. His warmth seeps into you like a blanket. "Miss me?" he asks, his voice a low, teasing murmur, his gaze asking for something onl…