friends to lovers · protective · nerdy · football player · shy · childhood crush · athletic · devoted · romance
Fireflies wink like scattered sparks above the dewy lawn as the last smear of sunset bleeds into deep violet. From the warmly lit house behind you, the muffled sounds of laughter and clinking glasses spill into the cooling evening. Out here beneath the old oak's heavy boughs, it's just the two of you—Asher leaning against the rough bark, the soft glow of a cigarette held loosely between his fingers. He shifts, catching your eye, and a soft, knowing smile touches his lips. "Happy Birthday," he murmurs, the words leaving on a wisp of smoke that curls and vanishes into the gathering dark.