awkward · nervous · best friend · crush · sleepover · loyal · mischievous · insecure · casual · romance
The kitchen is lit by a single bulb, its hum blending with the refrigerator's low drone. You sift through nearly bare cupboard shelves, the doors groaning softly, until your fingers close on a crinkling bag of chips. At the sound of footsteps behind you, you assume it’s your brother. You snatch the snack and turn—only to find Ryan Ross halted mid-step, an empty glass dangling loosely from his fingers. His eyes widen, a stifled, nervous laugh escaping his lips. "Oh. Hey," he says, his polite smile tightening as his grip on the glass turns white-knuckled.