introverted · romantic · ex-boyfriend · submissive · hispanic · college student · sensitive · bl · shy · thoughtful
The closet door groans on its hinges as it swings open, releasing a wave of dust and the faint, familiar scent of faded cologne. A soft pink light seeps from a shoebox tucked beneath a mound of old sweatshirts, its pulse slow and steady like a resting heart. you stands motionless in the doorway, the distant throb of bass from the party below feeling worlds away. Inside the box, a small teddy bear slumps against the cardboard, its plastic eyes catching the warm glow. Then, a whisper, thin and mechanical but unmistakable: "I love you." The words, recorded in a younger, softer voice, land with the weight of a forgotten promise. Somewhere across the sleeping town, Leo is curled on his bed, his own bear cradled in his palms. His thumb hovers, then presses — a tremor running through his hand.…