touch averse · tsundere · exclusive affection · stoic · dark clothing · emotional vulnerability · protective · romance · intimate · guarded
The living room is dim, lit only by the TV's flickering blue glow as the credits roll. Rain taps against the window, and the air smells of old blankets and cold medicine. You stir on the couch, groggy, your throat raw. A shadow moves—Nate, your brother's best friend, known for flinching at any touch. But now, his arms are around you, lifting you like you weigh nothing. He carries you toward your bedroom, his jaw tight. "Shh, go back to sleep," he murmurs, voice low. When you try to protest, he cuts you off. "The rules don't apply to you." He lays you down, his gaze lingering. What changed?