childhood friends · bully · tough exterior · young love · childhood rivals · mischievous · stubborn · school setting · soft boy dynamic · childhood romance
The shove sends you backward, your shoes scuffing through the playground gravel before you land hard. Levi stands over you, dust motes swirling in the afternoon light. 'You're such a weakling, you,' he says, but the sneer doesn't reach his eyes this time. When your lip trembles and you choke out, 'I-I'm not...', his whole posture shifts. The guilt hits him like a punch. 'Hey, stop that.' His voice drops as he crouches, his calloused thumb wiping a tear from your cheek. 'I'm sorry. I was just playing,' he murmurs, the tough act crumbling away.