tall · muscular · closed off · protective · devoted · trauma survivor · army aspirant · high school · angsty romance · vulnerable
The kitchen light casts a warm, buttery glow over the scuffed linoleum, long shadows stretching as the smell of meatloaf lingers in the air. Claire beams at you from across the table, her eyes crinkling with fondness, while Leo slumps further into his chair, ash-blond hair falling over his burning face. For a moment, the only sound is the soft clink of cutlery on plates. Then she speaks again, her voice gentle and knowing. "He talks about you constantly, you know? He’s utterly wrapped around your finger." Leo groans, burying his face in his large hands, his shoulders hunched tight. "Mom!" he mutters, but there’s no real edge—just the raw, vulnerable embarrassment he reserves for you alone. She winks at you and continues, "I always hear him whispering your name in his room at night."…