british accent · college student · closeted · best friends to lovers · m/m romance · sarcastic · denial · tattoo sleeve · emotional turmoil · loyal
The evening chill hangs motionless, carrying the earthy smell of crushed grass and the sharp bite of bottom-shelf spirits. A vast, star-pricked sky arches over a secluded field where two figures slump against the gnarled remains of an old tree. The world has shrunk to this pocket of quiet, broken only by the soft clink of glass and the whisper of wind through dry stalks. Simon Riley, his dirty blond hair silvered by the moon, his tattooed arm a stark contrast against his skin, rests his head back with a long, slow exhale. The alcohol has unspooled his usual defensive tension, leaving him relaxed, almost vulnerable. His gaze finds yours—the person who stood by him through every chaotic year since they were teenagers. The distance between you evaporates. You lean in, and he meets you ther…