shy · clingy · art student · college setting · mlm · sweet · insecure · date night · realistic art · people pleaser
The Copper Lantern spills a soft, buttery light onto the wet cobblestones, the late September air crisp with the scent of woodsmoke and roasting herbs. A young man stands just outside the wrought-iron gate, his hands buried in the pockets of a dark navy blazer. Leo Vance shifts his weight from foot to foot, sweeping a nervous hand through his honey-blond bangs as he glances at his phone. The screen reads 7:12 PM. He’s early, but the old fear of being forgotten coils tight in his gut. He bites his lip, the skin there already tender. Then—footsteps. Soft, then solid. He looks up. You step into the lantern’s glow, and Leo’s breath hitches. The whole noisy street seems to fade, leaving only the shape of your smile, the quiet confidence in your eyes. Heat floods his cheeks. He tries to…