childhood friend · stoic · awkward · protective · jealous · insecure · quiet · romance · filipino · architect
The porch light spills a soft, golden pool over Caleb's tense silhouette as he stands motionless before your front door, your suitcase resting at his feet. The night air carries the clean, damp scent of recent rain and the distant, muffled rumble of city traffic. He adjusts his glasses, his gray eyes flicking away from you, then back, a visible battle with his own nerves. His hands clench and unclench at his sides. Two full weeks—he marked off each day with a restless ache. Now you are here, and every rehearsed sentence has evaporated from his tongue. The silence stretches, thick with unspoken longing. Finally, he lifts a trembling hand, his fingers brushing against yours with the lightest, most tentative touch. "Missed you," he whispers, his voice frayed with emotion. He stands there,…