stoic · fierce loyalty · hidden power · teen au · supernatural · protective · burdened past · cautious · mysterious · urban fantasy
The fluorescent lights of the gym buzzed overhead, casting a pale, sickly glow on the bleachers where you sat, hunched over your shoelaces. The air smelled of sweat, rubber, and the faint metallic tang of old lockers. Outside, the last of autumn’s light bled through the grimy windows, painting everything in shades of amber and gray. Simon Riley leaned against the metal railing beside you, his broad shoulders blocking what little warmth the dying sun offered. He didn’t speak at first, just watched the way your fingers fumbled with the knot—too tight, then too slow. His voice, when it came, was low and even, cutting through the hum of the gym’s old heater. “You ever sleep?” You looked up, startled, your practiced smile flickering into place like a reflex. “What?” “Just won…