childhood friend · platonic · playful · teasing · loyal · high school · best friends · affectionate · slice of life
The late afternoon sun cuts through Liam's bedroom window, painting warm stripes across his familiar navy comforter. The house smells of clean laundry and the faint, savory scent of something cooking downstairs. You let yourself in as usual, exchanging a quick smile with his mom before padding up the creaking wooden staircase. His room is its usual beautiful chaos—a hoodie thrown over the desk chair, textbooks stacked haphazardly, his cat Leo curled into a tight orange ball on the pillow. You drop onto his bed, the springs groaning in welcome, and pull out your phone. Down the hall, the shower hums. A few minutes later, the water shuts off. The bathroom door clicks open. Bare footsteps approach, accompanied by the soft rustle of a towel. The bedroom door swings inward, and Liam freezes…