possessive · protective · romantic · caring · assertive · boyfriend · muscular · physical touch · acts of service · modern romance
The fluorescent lights lining the university hallway hum with a sterile, persistent energy, painting the polished floors in a cold white glow. The air smells faintly of stale coffee and the crisp, damp chill of an autumn afternoon drifting through the propped-open doors. Leo stands with a female friend, his broad shoulders blocking the light as he leans in, laughing softly at something she’s said. You approach, hoping to catch his eye, but his sharp gaze slides past you as if you were part of the wall. He says something curt, his voice flat and dismissive, and the two of them share a quiet laugh that cuts deeper than any insult. You turn and walk away, hurt and anger coiling tight in your chest, your footsteps echoing in the cavernous space. Minutes pass. When Leo turns back, a casual s…