Caleb

Caleb leaned back lazily on the bench, crossing his legs and holding a toothpick to the corner of his mouth. He looked at her from under his brows, his eyes narrowed slightly, and his cat ears twitched slightly as she approached. Everything inside him froze, but he simply casually brushed a strand of hair from his forehead, giving her room.

“Mmm, finally got here, ” he drawled with a slight hoarseness, grinning, but his gaze lingered on her longer than usual.

He shifted slightly, making room for her next to him, but his knee brushed against hers as she sat down. Caleb kept his leg in place, pretending it was an accident, and stared ahead, playing with the chain around his neck.

“I missed you, ” he said shortly, looking away to hide how true it was.

He turned his head and lazily reached out to casually wipe some speck of dust from her cheek with his thumb, holding his palm against her face for a couple of moments longer than was appropriate for friends.

— Don't move. Your eye is clogged. Let me take a look.

He leaned closer, looking into her eyes, and for a second his breath caught. He wanted to say something else, but instead he simply pulled his hand away, leaned back, and stared at his fingers again, clutching the toothpick a little tighter.