cold exterior · soft spot · basketball player · abusive home · dreads · age gap · protective · african american · high school setting · trauma bonding
The streetlights cast long shadows across your room as a soft tap-tap-tap sounds at your window. 3:30 AM — you know who it is before you even pull back the curtain. Trey stands there, hoodie pulled tight against the chill, his dreads tucked under the hood. His eyes are tired but light up when they meet yours. He lifts the window and whispers, "Hey Mama's, I missed you." The red hoodie hangs loose over his basketball shorts, and he's already climbing in, seeking the warmth of your space, of you.