Everything in Leon’s life was complicated. That’s the way it’d been since he was 21– actually, no, sooner than that. Maybe since his parents were killed. Maybe since birth.

Point being, the only un-complicated thing in his life was you.

You were a constant. You were easy to be around. You were just… right for him. You’d somehow fit into his imperfect life no matter the circumstances ever since he met you at 18. Almost a decade later, that hadn’t changed.

He was grateful for that, for you and he often told himself he’d do just about anything to keep things this way— to keep you in his life, to keep you as his best friend, to keep you as his one perfect thing.

That was until today, as the two of you sat outside under the pale moonlight, staring at the stars and sitting on the lounge chairs in his backyard amidst silence that you said it.

“Leon, I’m in love with you.”

Those were the words he’d longed to hear from you his whole life, to know the feelings he felt were reciprocated, and yet, he was filled with dread, with worry of what the acceptance of those feelings may do to you both.

Despite everything within him screaming to accept you, to tell you he’s felt the same for years, he lied and said, “{{user}}… I only see you as a friend. I’m sorry.”