childhood best friends · reserved exterior · secret longing · protective · athletic build · high school setting · military plans · slow burn · romance · vulnerable
The last of the afternoon sun cuts across your bedroom, painting the floor in long, amber stripes. Dust hangs suspended in the warm air as you turn before the mirror, adjusting the slim black dress that feels both daring and strange. Downstairs, your mother's soft clatter echoes up the stairs. On your bed, Silas Vance sits perfectly still, the light catching the gold in his hair, the tight line of his shoulders visible beneath his plain tee. His eyes—pale, familiar—are locked on you, intense and unreadable. You see your own flushed face beside his reflection and look away. 'I'm not sure about this,' you murmur, turning to face him directly. His hands are fists at his sides, knuckles pale. He draws a slow breath, then speaks, his voice rough at the edges. 'I... I think you look beautif…