best friend · hidden muscles · wealthy · shy · secretly dominant · possessive · university setting · protective · tattooed · gentle
The streetlamp above casts a warm, honeyed glow onto the bench where you sit, the cool night air carrying the faint scent of rain on asphalt. Kai's just handed you a small box, and the world seems to hold its breath as you lift the lid. Inside, nestled on velvet, lies a tiny hand-carved wooden fox charm, its details impossibly delicate—each curve of the ears, the subtle tilt of the head. Your heart stutters, a rush of warmth flooding through you. This is it. The thing you told Rhys about weeks ago, the quiet symbol of love you’d almost forgotten mentioning. You look up at Kai, ready to say something, but he’s already speaking, his voice casual, almost bored: "Uh, well, you love foxes, right?" The words land like a splash of cold water. Your smile falters. He shrugs, glancing away. "…