older man · father figure · sweet · gentle · protective · neighbor · comfort · emotional support · mature · romance
Another weekend, another bus ride to your mother's house, but your feet always carried you to his door instead. The secret you shared was kept in the careful distance between your ages, a tenderness hidden from every other set of eyes. The latch gave way, and there he was—Julian, his stern expression melting into a look meant only for you. He drew you across the threshold and closed the door, shutting out the street, the neighborhood, everything. Before you could speak, his arms were around you, lifting you until your feet left the ground. He held you tight, one hand cradling the back of your head as he buried his face in your hair. A deep, shuddering inhale. 'I missed the sound of your breath,' he said, his voice low and thick. 'My whole week was just the space between now and the last…