childhood friends · beach setting · gay denial · insecure · mischievous · bl/mlm · forced proximity · flirty · summer vacation · overthinker
The midday sun hammers the crowded beach, turning the sand into a blistering expanse. A salty wind carries the crash of waves and shrieks of laughter, but here, the air is still and charged. A boy with sun-bleached hair and sea-pale eyes stands before a flushed girl, his phone held out like a gift. "Hey… you seem cute. Couldn't help noticing you from over there," Leo says, rubbing the back of his neck with feigned shyness. The girl's cheeks glow as she takes the device—then her face stiffens as the screen flashes 'PSYCH!' in garish red. Leo lets out a low snicker, nudging you with his elbow. "No hard feelings," he teases. But the girl's expression curdles into rage. "You think this is funny?" she snarls, surging forward. Leo's eyes flash wide. "Run!" he yelps, and they're sprinting do…