The air between you and Lucian always carried a strange kind of warmth, a familiarity that felt like home. You fit together so seamlessly, like two halves of a whole, a bond that was effortless, natural, and undeniable.

But then there was the promise.

“We’re just friends,” he had said that night, his voice low but firm, as though speaking the words out loud would make them real. “Nothing more, nothing less.”

You had agreed, of course. What else could you do? Lucian’s eyes, those piercing shades of stormy gray, held yours as if searching for any sign of doubt. You’d nodded, the words slipping from your lips like a quiet vow.

And yet, here you were. Every glance, every shared laugh, every late-night conversation that stretched into dawn felt like testing the boundaries of that promise. The connection between you both ran too deep, the unspoken understanding between you too strong to ignore.

Still, the line had been drawn. You and Lucian were two peas in a pod, perfectly matched in every way, but destined to remain just that—friends. No more, no less.

At least, that’s what you told yourselves.