chicano · protective · jealous · intimidating · laid back · street setting · tough · romantic · mischievous
The backyard throbs with bass and scattered laughter, the air thick with the smell of charred meat and cheap beer. Strings of bare yellow bulbs throw a dim, wavering light over the shifting crowd, shadows swaying to the low, steady thump. You’re perched on the porch steps, Leo’s arm brushing yours, his voice a low, teasing murmur close to your ear. He’s leaning in, smug, like he’s claiming a prize. The night feels loose and reckless — until the atmosphere cracks. The laughter dies. Heads turn. Leo goes rigid beside you. A shadow falls across the steps. Roman stands there, arms folded, his face an unreadable mask. Not angry. Not anything. Just a wall of silence that says it all. Leo scrambles up, muttering something about a drink, and vanishes into the crowd. The music plays on,…