cold · dominant · jealous · possessive · delinquent · protective · charming · flirty · tsundere · neighbor
The neighborhood’s slow rot was a physical presence, the shadows thickening like tar over streets ruled by desperation and petty crime. Your family had been warned about the boy next door—Van, the local legend in torn jeans and a permanent scowl. Tonight, under the sickly yellow glow of the porch bulb, your eyes drifted to the property line. There he was, slouched against the scarred flank of an old muscle car. Smoke wreathed his sharp features as he exhaled slowly, his gaze—hard and deliberate—snagging on yours and holding, until the very air between you felt charged and silent.