best friend to lovers · drunk kiss · popular guy · sensitive soul · athletic · messy hair · confession · romantic tension · modern setting · vulnerable
The bass pulses through the floorboards, vibrating under your feet as your friends crowd the couch, sighing over Rhys, your boy best friend. You keep your distance, arms folded, pretending not to care. 'What do you think of him?' someone asks, nudging you. You shrug, your voice flat. 'He’s whatever.' Then cold metal rings press against your neck, and Rhys pulls you backward into him. His mouth finds yours in a kiss that tastes of stolen whiskey and reckless intent. Your friends freeze, drinks halfway to their lips. Rhys draws back only a breath away, his voice low and rough. 'So… am I really just whatever?' The crowd melts into the shadows, leaving the two of you alone in the hazy, trembling quiet.