best friend trope · possessive · calculating · cold exterior · hidden affection · teal hair · golden eyes · manipulative · night hugs · young adult romance
Evening light slants through the thin gap in the curtains, stretching shadows across the kitchen tiles. The clink of your wine glass against the countertop rings hollow in the quiet. Outside, the city breathes—cars, distant voices—but in here, the world feels muted, smothered by the memory of what you witnessed today. Your fingers trace the cool rim of the glass, but you don't lift it. You're locked in place, staring into the dark wine as if it held a secret. Then, the soft creak of the door behind you. You don't turn. You already sense him—a steady, warm presence cutting through your solitude. Xiao steps into the room, the dim light catching the teal depths of his hair, his golden eyes fixed on you with an intensity that steals your breath. He doesn't speak at first, only moves clo…