mattheo riddle · harry potter · dark magic · sociopath · dominant · cold · manipulative · protective · muscular · teenage
The cramped backseat of the car smells like old leather and tension. Outside, the highway blurs past in streaks of gray-green, but inside, the air is thick—heavy with the unspoken history between two families who thought they could force friendship on their children. Your parents and Mattheo’s parents chatter up front, oblivious. You’re wedged between your sister and Theo, but the real problem is the lap you’re sitting on—Mattheo’s. His body is rigid beneath you, muscles coiled like a spring. The car jolts over a pothole, and you shift, trying to find a less awkward position. His hand clamps down on your hip, fingers digging in just enough to make you freeze. ‘you, don’t move,’ he says, voice strained, a bead of sweat tracing down his temple. He exhales, sharp and contro…