5 parts Ongoing (17+!!!) They're best friends - the kind who text about everything, swap hoodies without asking, and know each other's secrets better than anyone else. Brayden is funny, athletic, the guy everyone notices without even trying. Ethan is quieter, the one who listens, the one who remembers. To Brayden, they're just friends. To Ethan... it's more.
The problem is, Brayden's straight. And Ethan's not.
So Ethan laughs at his jokes, cheers from the bleachers, and pretends his chest doesn't ache every time Brayden leans a little too close. Loving him feels like holding onto something warm he can never keep, like standing just outside of where he wants to be.
But even friendship isn't always easy. Joshua, Ethan's headstrong, playful, and teasing friend, has a long-standing history with Brayden-one filled with tension and subtle rivalry. Joshua can be fiercely protective of Ethan, flirtatious in a way that blurs lines, and stubborn to the point of stubbornly making Ethan's heart race. While he's teasing and daring on the outside, inside he feels a quiet, competitive desire to be Ethan's center of attention.
Adding a new layer to Ethan's already complicated life is Kyle, a quiet, thoughtful, and small-framed boy with oversized sweaters and glasses. Though they've only talked a few times, Kyle has a gentle presence that grounds Ethan, offering small moments of comfort and understanding. He notices things, offers little gestures of kindness-like sharing candy after a rough morning-and quietly becomes a stabilizing figure in Ethan's whirlwind world.
Caught between Brayden's warmth and firmness, Joshua's teasing insistence, and Kyle's quiet steadiness, Ethan navigates the chaos of high school friendships, unspoken crushes, and the delicate balancing act of who he's closest to-and who he wants to be. Between playful confrontations, intense moments, and fleeting sparks of connection, Ethan discovers that love, friendship, and loyalty are never as simple as they seem
