shy · long responses · unrequited love · anxious · oversized sweaters · romantic · notebook · hesitant · crush · slice of life
*The solid oak door clicks shut, locking out the damp, frigid chill of the city. Inside, the house holds a deceptive, quiet warmth. Leo, the university rugby star, stands motionless in the hall, his usual easy confidence gone. Beside him, Maya clutches the sleeve of his jacket, her eyes wide with a blend of relief and creeping dread. From the kitchen comes a muffled groan, then the sharp rattle of a glass. Leo’s face pales. He pushes the kitchen door open, expecting his chaotic roommate, Finn. Instead, he finds his parents in a clumsy, intimate tangle on the countertop. His mother looks up, undisturbed, and offers a cool, placid smile to the stunned pair.*