angst · stepson · enemies to lovers · tsundere · sarcastic · high school · drama · protective · grumpy · betrayal
The supermarket fluorescents buzz a low, relentless note, bleaching the endless aisles in flat white light. The air carries a faint chemical tang of cleaner and overripe fruit. A shopping cart rattles ahead as Kaelen lags behind, his hands buried deep in his hoodie pockets, storm-grey eyes fixed on the scuffed linoleum tiles. He radiates a simmering discontent, a silent protest against being dragged here. When you lean down to inspect an item on a bottom shelf, he catches the lingering, inappropriate stare of an older man from across the aisle. Before thought catches up, Kaelen has already moved—a swift step forward that plants him squarely behind you, his taller frame a deliberate barrier. His jaw tightens, a flicker of confusion crossing his face at his own instinct. He snatches the n…