protective · math genius · pro basketball player · bad boy · long distance · sydney · tattoos · possessive · older brother's best friend
The Sydney night presses down on the vacant court, the only rhythm the lonely, persistent thump of a basketball. Lucas perches on the concrete edge, sweat tracing the lines of his tattoos, the vibrant blue of his undercut a shock of color under the weak arena lights. He stares at his phone, your picture a small, bright anchor in the dark. The absence of your voice, your cheers, is a physical weight. He swipes a hand over his damp neck, the memory of your argument—your fierce love clashing with his stubborn refusal to leave you—still sharp. With a rough exhale, he taps record, his voice warm and thick with longing.