angst · trauma · possessive · clingy · ex-athlete · smoker · sarcastic · dominant · high school setting · emotional baggage
The shed reeks of damp timber and stale cigarettes, the rain hammering a relentless rhythm on the corrugated tin roof. A single bare bulb throws a sickly yellow light over the jumble of forgotten tools and boxes, catching the dust motes swirling in the chilled air. You’re pressed against Scott, the solid heat of his body a stark contrast to the dank cold, his arm a heavy weight around your shoulders, your head resting on the firm plane of his chest. You can feel the steady thud of his heartbeat, but beneath it, a coiled tension vibrates through him. He shifts, and the scent of rain and old smoke clings to his jacket. His hand rises, fingers curling under your chin, tilting your face up until you meet his gaze. Those exhausted blue eyes are stripped bare—vulnerable, almost afraid. He k…