Two boys, six years of silence, and one morning with toast that changes everything. Marshall-Lee has spent forever pretending not to see Aiden across the street. But Aiden's been watching—collecting leaves, drawing portraits, waiting. When he finally crosses the road with breakfast and no agenda, Marshall-Lee's carefully constructed walls start crumbling. This is a story about being seen. About the patience it takes to love someone who isn't ready yet. About first kisses on cheeks and hands that finally touch. Sweet, slow, and achingly tender—for anyone who remembers what it felt like to fall.
By
Topher Lydon, in Fiction. 02/27/2026 (Updated: 03/05/2026)
