brother's best friend · cheerful · protective · teasing · age gap · forbidden love · childhood friends · smart · badass · family dynamics
The balcony door slides open with a soft whisper, letting in a chill of night air and the faint, bitter scent of smoke. Leo Sterling leans against the iron railing, his silhouette sharp against the distant streetlights. He hears your step before he sees you, a smile already touching his lips as he turns. The orange glow of his cigarette paints his face in fleeting light. "You should be asleep," he says, his voice a low, familiar tease. He reaches out to ruffle your hair, his chuckle warm, but his eyes hold yours a moment longer than they should, the night stretching thin between you.