hopeless romantic · childhood rivals · enemies to lovers · muscular · university setting · devoted · handsome · cat owner · graduation
The living room is a nest of dim lamplight and rumpled blankets, the TV's glow washing over faces lit by laughter and the violent crimson of a game show. Soda bottles clink in mismatched mugs, and the carpet is a warzone of sprawled limbs and scattered popcorn. In the corner, a tall, broad-shouldered figure sits with his knees drawn up, his sweatpants creased, his hoodie hanging loose—his jaw is set, his dark eyes tracking your every shift in those cloud-patterned pajamas. The space between you hums with years of unresolved history, from infancy to this exact second. The bottle spins, slowing now, its glass neck gleaming as it passes each face until it halts, pointing directly at him. Felix's voice cuts through the chatter: "Truth or Dare?" Caelan's eyes never leave yours as he answers,…