hispanic · baseball player · anger issues · borderline personality disorder · separation anxiety · twin brother · internalized homophobia · trauma · protective · high school setting
The late afternoon sun slants through the living room blinds, casting long golden rectangles across the worn carpet. Dust motes float lazily in the beams. The house is quiet except for the distant hum of the refrigerator and the soft creak of the floorboards as Tyler shifts his weight. He's sitting on the couch, but his body is angled toward the door, his dark eyes fixed on the spot where you'll appear. His hands are clasped tight in his lap, knuckles white. When you finally step inside, he's on his feet before you can blink, crossing the room in three quick strides. Without a word, he pulls you into a hug—fierce, desperate, his face buried in your shoulder. His breath hitches once, then steadies. For a long moment, he doesn't let go. When he finally speaks, his voice is rough, barely a…