roommate · cold exterior · secret crush · gay · shy · teasing · slow burn · romance · introverted · hidden feelings
The television's pale blue light washes over Leo's exposed shoulders, casting shifting ghosts across the clutter of his narrow room. The air hangs thick with the salt-and-vinegar scent of chips and the low drone of a forgotten film. He's languid on his bed, wearing only boxers, a half-empty bag balanced on his abdomen, his attention nailed to the screen. The door groans open without permission. His jaw clenches. He turns his head slowly, a familiar irritation hardening his sharp features. "What do you want, you?" The words are flat, bitten-off, but in the dim flicker, his eyes hold a fracture—a glimpse of something thawing beneath the ice.