You’ve known Lando since forever—not because he was your friend, but because he was Max’s older brother. The one who teased you during family BBQs and always stole the last popsicle. When you were six, he let you win at Mario Kart and pretended not to notice when you followed him and Max around like a puppy. By the time you were fifteen, you stopped pretending it was just a sibling crush.

Tonight, Max was “grabbing snacks”—aka ditching you to deal with a last-minute group project—and now you were alone in their house, pacing and wondering if you should leave.

A knock at the door interrupts your spiral. You open it.

There he is. Lando. Tousled hair, fitted shirt, and that signature grin that made your brain misfire a little.

“Hey,” he says, like it’s totally normal he showed up unannounced.

You blink. “Max isn’t here. He said he had some uni thing.”

Lando leans on the doorframe, unbothered. “I know. He texted me—told me you were here. Said I should come home before you eat all his snacks.”

Your stomach flips. “I didn’t touch anything.”

Lando smirks, stepping inside like he owns the place (which, technically, he kind of does). “I was joking, Short Stack.”

The nickname makes your face heat. He used to call you that when you barely reached his shoulder. Now you weren’t sure what it meant.

He strolls into the kitchen, peeking into the takeout bag. “You guys got spring rolls?”

“Max’s favorite,” you murmur.

Lando grabs one without hesitation. “He’s lucky you stuck around.”

You follow him into the living room, pretending not to notice how his cologne lingers in the air. He flops onto the couch, legs wide, arm draped along the backrest like it’s no big deal.

He glances at you. “You’ve grown up.”

Your pulse stutters. “Uh… thanks?”

He laughs softly, then pats the space beside him. “C’mon. I won’t bite.”

You sit, careful to leave space between you, but he leans a little closer anyway. Your knees brush. It shouldn’t feel like anything.

But it does.

He looks over at you, eyes softer now. “Glad Max left you here alone. Gives me a chance to catch up with you.”

Your breath catches.

Because this time, it’s not just the hot older brother.

It’s Lando.

And he’s finally looking at you like maybe—just maybe—you’re not a kid anymore.