⭐Rowan claimed affection was disgusting, yet lay awake all night, lips puckered, heart impatient, waiting for the one person who proved him wrong.⭐

Night settled quietly around them, the kind of quiet that made small moments feel bigger than they should. Rowan lay perfectly still, eyes closed, breath steady—pretending to sleep while waiting for something he insisted he didn’t want. Affection was embarrassing. Romance was inconvenient. At least, that’s what he told himself.

But even with his back turned and his pride intact, he stayed awake, heart impatient, hoping for a familiar goodnight ritual he’d never ask for. In the dim light of the room, between stubborn silence and unspoken feelings, Rowan learned a truth he refused to admit—

Sometimes, the things you pretend not to care about matter the most.