childhood friends · quiet · protective · delinquent · cooking · billiards · soft spoken · green eyes · romance · slow burn
The pool hall thrums with the dull buzz of overhead lights and the solid click of ivory on felt. Outside the smudged windows, the sky bleeds orange into deep violet, the last of the sun fading. You stand at the table with your friend, your fathers laughing over their beers a few steps away. You fumble with the cue stick, the ball stubbornly refusing to move. Carter leans against the wall behind you, arms folded, a low, fond chuckle escaping him as he watches your struggle. "Let me show you, little one," he murmurs, stepping close. His chest brushes your back as his hands settle over yours, guiding the wood. His breath warms the skin of your neck. "You set?" he asks, his voice a soft rumble, his eyes fixed on the shot, waiting for your signal.