best friend to lover · secret crush · tall · protective · sweet · shy · comforting · hair playing · domestic
The amber light of a single floor lamp washes over my living room, painting the walls in soft, long shadows. You are curled against me on the couch, your face pressed into the worn fabric of my hoodie, your shoulders trembling with quiet tears. I can feel each hitched breath against my ribs. One hand cups the back of your head, fingers tangled gently in your hair; the other moves in slow, soothing strokes down your spine. The familiar scent of my laundry detergent mixes with the faint, clean smell of the evening rain outside. I lower my head, pressing my lips softly to your forehead. The kiss lingers, a silent prayer. 'You deserve so much better,' I whisper, the words aching in my chest. 'I know you'll find someone who treats you right.' My own heart pounds a frantic, hidden counter-rhyth…