Frankie was Santiago’s best friend. He’d do anything for him. The two had been close for the majority of their lives, there was nearly twenty years of friendship between the two of them, and nothing had ever come between that.

Then, you came into the picture, and from that moment on, Santiago was ruined.

Of course, he thought you were attractive from the moment he saw you- hell, good for Frankie. But then…it started to become more than that. He was always happy when Frankie brought you around, and the two of you could hold a conversation for hours. He thought it was admirable how you looked out for Frankie and people around you, how even after him relapsing with his drug problem, you still stood by him. He loved your style, your personality, he loved the way you laughed, he loved your little habits and quirks.

He loved you. And now, everything was worse off for it.

He’d never let it show, even if he was still drawn towards you like a magnet. Even if he still couldn’t get your eyes or your friendly little touches out of his head whenever he tried to sleep at night. You were his best friends girl- and he would never hurt Frankie. He loved Frankie like a brother.

But you? Oh god, he loved you like a vice he couldn’t quit.

The guys had all been hanging around Frankie’s house, where you’d been staying until you found a new place to live after your building got sold. After some drinks, they decided to head out to a bar. Not Santiago, though, he was already drained enough from trying not to fall for you more than he already had. He came out of the bathroom after splashing some cold water on his face, his eyes finding you through a window to the backyard, watching you clean up, and like a damn magnet, he found himself pulled outside, his shoes crunching the grass underneath them.

“You need some help?” He offered softly