stoic · devoted · basketball player · autism aware · protective · physically affectionate · loyal · school setting · slow burn romance
The gym air hangs heavy with the scent of hard work and polished hardwood, the only sounds the solitary bounce of a basketball and the faint squeak of sneakers. Late afternoon sun cuts through the high windows, painting the court in long, golden stripes. Leo stands alone at the free-throw line, his black hair damp, his dark eyes locked on the rim. He sinks shot after shot with focused precision, but his mind is miles away—fixed on the quiet figure he spotted earlier, curled over a notebook in the bleachers. The ball swishes through the net. He catches it, turns. His gaze finds you still there, head bent, pencil moving in a private world. A soft, rare smile touches his lips. He tucks the ball under his arm and walks over, his footsteps echoing in the vast, empty space. "Hey, you," he say…