Crossing States

Chapter 10

Ethan's crush on Luca started as a quiet thought in the back of his mind—something he could easily dismiss as just the rekindling of their old friendship. But as the weeks passed, those thoughts became louder, more persistent, until they consumed nearly every moment they spent together. Ethan began to notice everything about Luca in a way he hadn't before.

It was in the little things. The way Luca's hair fell into his face when he was bent over his textbooks, completely focused on his work. The soft, almost shy laugh Luca let out when Ethan made a joke. The way Luca would bite his lip, deep in thought, his brow furrowed in concentration. All these tiny, everyday moments began to feel significant, like pieces of a puzzle Ethan hadn't realized he was trying to put together.

At first, he tried to deny it. He told himself that it was just nostalgia, that these feelings were simply a byproduct of their renewed closeness. He had missed Luca for so many years—of course, he'd feel protective, of course, he'd care deeply about him. But no matter how many excuses Ethan made, he couldn't shake the growing realization that this wasn't just a resurfacing of childhood affection. This was something new, something more intense.

Every time Luca smiled at him, Ethan's heart would race. Every time Luca fell asleep on the couch during one of their late-night study sessions, Ethan would find himself staring just a little too long, admiring the peacefulness on Luca's face. And when they touched—an accidental brush of the hand or a playful shove—it sent a jolt through Ethan's body that left him reeling.

Ethan had never thought about Luca this way before. It was confusing and exhilarating all at once, and he didn't know what to do with it. Part of him wanted to push it down, to pretend that these feelings weren't real, that they would fade over time. But the more he tried to suppress them, the stronger they became.

He started to notice how his behavior around Luca was changing, even though he tried to act like everything was normal. He became more protective, going out of his way to make sure Luca was comfortable, safe. When Luca seemed stressed, Ethan would be there with a reassuring word or a subtle touch on the shoulder. When they were out with friends, Ethan found himself watching over Luca, making sure no one got too close, as if some invisible barrier needed to be maintained.

There were moments when he would catch himself staring at Luca for just a little too long, his chest tightening with feelings he couldn't fully understand. It was like Luca had become the center of his world without Ethan even realizing it, and now he couldn't look away.

But with every realization came fear. Fear of what it would mean if Luca ever found out, fear of ruining the delicate balance they had only just restored. Their friendship meant everything to Ethan—Luca was his anchor, the one person who understood him in a way no one else did. He couldn't bear the thought of losing that, of pushing Luca away with feelings he didn't even know how to explain.

So Ethan kept it to himself. He buried the longing beneath layers of casual conversation and easy laughter, pretending that nothing had changed, even though everything had. But as the days passed, it became harder to ignore the pull he felt toward Luca, the way his heart ached whenever they were close.

He started to wonder if Luca felt it too—if there was something in the way Luca looked at him, something that mirrored his own confusion. But Ethan didn't dare ask, didn't dare risk the fragile connection they had rebuilt. Instead, he continued to hover at the edges of his own feelings, waiting for something to change, unsure whether it would be for better or worse.

And as the semester stretched on, so did Ethan's realization: his crush on Luca wasn't a phase. It was real. And it was only getting stronger.

(°∀°)(°∀°)(°∀°)(°∀°)