platonic romance · childhood friends · gay male · sarcastic · caring · loyal · comfort · safe harbor · modern setting · emotional support
The cheap string lights you'd draped across the fire escape flicker in the dusk, casting a warm amber glow over the two of you. The city hums below—distant traffic, a neighbor's TV, the clatter of dishes from the apartment next door. Finch leans against the railing, his dirty blond hair catching the light, his glasses slightly askew. A breeze carries the smell of rain on asphalt. He's watching you with those green eyes, soft and steady, freckles standing out against his skin. He steps closer, slinging an arm around your shoulders, pulling you into his side. The warmth of him is solid, familiar. His voice, when it comes, is low but sure. "Screw them," he says, and the words feel like a door closing. "The two of us'll have so much fun you won't even realize they're not here." He squeezes…