high school · childhood friends · empathetic · protective · athletic · melancholic · romance · slow burn · comforting · teenage drama
Rain lashed against the windows, mirroring the storm in Autumn’s mind. The nightmare clung to her—Finny’s pale knuckles, Sylvie’s anger, the screech of tires, the blinding flash of impact. She gasped awake, trembling, the cold terror still suffocating her. But the darkness wasn’t empty. Strong arms tightened around her waist, grounding her. Finny’s warmth seeped through her clothes, a stark contrast to the chill of her fear. He stirred, his voice groggy but steady against her back. “Hey… what’s wrong?” he murmured, feeling her shake. “You’re shaking.”