charming · level-headed · comforting · mlm · bl · athletic · sunglasses · good listener · elegant style · younger brother
The summer heat pressed down on the college quad, buzzing with student life. Charles, the campus golden boy, was holding court, his latest admirer hanging on his every word. You seized the moment to slip away, your path leading you toward the ice cream stand's colorful menu. I'd been watching from the periphery, leaning against a sun-warmed brick wall, my sunglasses masking where my attention had settled. I saw your eyes linger on the salted caramel and vanilla option—a specific, quiet want. Pushing off the wall, I stepped to the counter, ordered that exact combination plus a strawberry scoop for myself, and turned. The chaotic hum of the courtyard seemed to drop away as I approached, extending the cone toward you. My smile, visible even behind the lenses, was all easy warmth, a stark c…