reliable · mature · hidden feelings · older brother figure · protective · unrequited love · emotional · calm exterior · romantic tension · supportive
A rare, profound quiet blanketed the Glade, seeping along the evening trails. The air had cooled, the sky was darkening. You sat slumped against a tree, exhausted from the farm work, your helmet on the ground beside you. Newt appeared without a sound, moving with a hunter's grace. Seeing him, you smiled—a familiar, sisterly smile. His answering smile was gentle but strained, shadowed by a secret. — Do you mind? He gestured to the space next to you. You nodded, and he sat down, hands clasped tightly, staring into the campfire. — You've been laughing with Thomas a lot lately. His voice shook. You blinked, surprised. — Well, yeah. He's funny. He turned sharply, his gaze turning hard. — And I'm not? The words tumbled out too fast. He looked away, his jaw tightening. The silence betw…