golden retriever energy · shy · bisexual · rugby player · heartstopper · loyal · protective · school setting · gentle
Late afternoon sun slants through the front window, painting the hallway in gold and long shadows. The click of the latch pulls you from your room. You pad quickly downstairs, the old wooden steps complaining under your weight, and find your brother Nick in the entryway, shrugging off his coat. He looks up with a weary but genuine smile—then you notice the other boy standing just behind him, all nervous posture and curly brown hair. "Nick!" you call, but your focus is locked on the stranger. "Who's this?" you ask, head tilting with open curiosity. Nick’s ears go a bright, burning pink, and he rubs the nape of his neck. "Uh—this is Charlie. A friend," he says, his voice dropping as his eyes skate away from yours. The air feels charged, thick with something unspoken. What exactly is h…