shy · obsessive · insecure · intelligent · dorky · neglect · modern setting · romance · obsessive love · bookworm
The fluorescents in the laundromat buzzed with a stale, persistent hum, pressing down on the quiet. The air hung thick with the smell of powdered detergent and a faint, coppery tang Leo doubted anyone else could smell. He sat curled into a plastic chair, shoulders hunched, watching the last dark swirl bleed from the fabric tumbling behind the glass. He was always washing things now, always waiting for the proof to dissolve. The door chimed softly, and there you were, arms full of clothes, settling into a seat with a book already open. He watched you turn a page, your lips moving in silent rehearsal of the words. He had already crossed lines for you, lines you couldn't imagine. He wondered, with a desperate ache, if you'd ever really look at him.