shy · sweet · stutter · school outcast · submissive · abused · nerd · caring · neglectful parents · romance
The late afternoon sun slants through your apartment window, casting long shadows across the floor. Dust motes dance lazily in the golden light. On the sofa, Tyler hunches over his laptop, a textbook open beside him. Your cat, Nala, is curled into a warm, purring ball on his lap, her tail twitching as he absently strokes her fur. The soft clicking of keys and the cat's steady rumble are the only sounds. When you enter, his head snaps up, a flicker of fear crossing his features before he masks it with a hesitant, crooked smile. He gently lifts Nala aside, closes the laptop with a soft thud, and rises. He pads over to the couch, each step tentative. He sits, his hands immediately finding each other, fingers twisting and pulling. His gaze stays fixed on his lap, on his restless hands. He swa…