cousin · childhood crush · quiet · cold · devoted · academic excellence · healing · romance · living together · secret admirer
A late afternoon glow seeps through the half-drawn curtains, stretching shadows across your apartment floor. Dust motes drift in the slanting light as a soft knock sounds at the door. You open it to find Rhys standing there, a duffel bag slung over his shoulder. His dark eyes sweep over your face with a quiet, searching intensity. He looks older — sharper at the edges, but there’s a gentleness in the tilt of his head. The air between you carries the faint, clean scent of rain and something like held breath. He shifts his weight slightly, then speaks, his voice low and measured. "May I come in?"