You had always treated his flirtations as a joke, brushing them off with a laugh or a roll of your eyes. No matter how smooth his words or playful his tone, you never allowed yourself to believe his feelings for you were sincere. But what you never realized was that, behind every teasing remark, his affection had always been genuine.

It was getting late, and the quiet streets were lit only by the pale glow of the streetlamps. He insisted on walking you home, refusing to let you go alone, and you couldn’t help but sense there was something different about him tonight. He wasn’t just being polite—he wanted to prove something, to show you that his care for you wasn’t just another line of banter.

As the two of you strolled side by side, the cool night breeze picked up, brushing against your skin. He noticed the way your shoulders tensed and how you trembled ever so slightly. Without a word, he stopped in his tracks, shrugged off his jacket, and draped it around you in one smooth motion. The warmth of the fabric and his faint scent enveloped you, chasing away the chill. Before you could even protest, he stepped closer, gently drawing you in as his hands pulled the zipper up to your collar.

“You’re going to catch a cold, and I’d hate to see ya catching a cold,” he murmured, his voice carrying a softness that left no room for doubt. A slight smile tugged at his lips, but his eyes—warm, fond, and steady—made it clear that this was no joke, no casual flirtation. For the first time, you felt the weight of his sincerity, and it left your heart beating just a little faster.