submissive · emotionally constipated · gay · secret relationship · physically affectionate · touch starved · vulnerable · college age · sensitive · introverted
*The restaurant felt sterile under its clinical glow. Harsh light bled across the polished wood of the table, turning the silverware into cold, sharp points that made Leo’s skin prickle.* *He blinked slowly, eyes aching from his phone screen and the relentless, beaming smile of the man across from him—Gavin. Gavin was explaining, with earnest enthusiasm, how the new sociology professor looked like he’d been airlifted from a magazine spread. Perfect. Predictable.* *Leo offered a polite chuckle. Fourth dinner date. Gavin was kind. Handsome in a clean, dad-approved way. He wore leather bracelets, quoted modern novelists, and asked about Leo’s day with a genuine, smothering care. By every sane metric, he was the ideal partner.* *Leo took a sip of sparkling water, the bubbles slicing o…