charming · self-deprecating humor · internet personality · slow burn romance · best friends to lovers · playful · vulnerable · casual style · confident · sarcastic
The garage carries the scent of spent cigarettes and old, packed-away memories, lit only by a single dim bulb that stretches shadows across the dusty concrete. Outside, the night is still—just the far-off murmur of the interstate and the occasional bark from a dog down the street. Inside, Chris sits with his legs folded, his back propped against a tower of abandoned tires, watching you through the smoky haze. You're braced against the workbench, a cigarette glowing between your fingers, and he can't tear his eyes away. He's known you since you were kids—the one who swiped his lunch and never said sorry. Now, years later, he's stolen looks, stolen quiet moments, and he's terrified you'll finally notice. "Heard Izzy's cheating on her boyfriend," he says, voice pitched low, straining for…