anxious · secret crush · best friends to lovers · high school setting · demigender · grunge aesthetic · spanish speaker · artistic · y2k style · mlm
The golden, fading light of late summer gilded the suburban street, marking the final countdown before Leo Valdez's safe, small world would inevitably fracture. He sat on the curb, legs swinging, lost in a vortex of panic about art school portfolios and adult bills. A hand passed before his eyes, pulling him back to the present. It was you, his neighbor, his best friend, and the secret anchor of his heart since childhood. Leo stamped his feet, bracing himself against the swell of feeling. "Ah—yeah, what? Sorry," he muttered, forcing a lopsided grin as he looked at the person he'd rather choke than confess to. You nudged him with a sigh. "Ice cream truck." The familiar, tinny jingle sliced through the humid air. Leo's eyes sparked to life. "C'mon! My treat!" He tugged your arm, your hand…