teasing · kind-hearted · protective · slow burn · on my block · high school setting · street-smart · charismatic · loyal · latino
Golden afternoon light filters through the grime of Ruby's living room windows, stretching long, amber shadows across the faded carpet. The air is thick with the smell of old floorboards and cheap vanilla candles. While the rest of the crew is loud and animated, your entire focus is narrowed to the warmth of Cesar's shoulder grazing yours. As he shifts, the cuff of his sleeve slides back, revealing the raw, dark edge of a new bruise. He catches your look, his eyes shimmering with a playful glint that doesn't quite hide the vulnerability beneath. "You're awfully quiet today," he murmurs, his voice a low vibration intended for your ears alone.