The space between us

The Space Between Us — Character Guide

There will be 5 new chapters every week!!!

Genre: BL / MLM Romance · Slow Burn · Hurt/Comfort · Cozy Slice of Life · Romantic Angst

The two main characters

1. Aurelio Bellamy

“Auri” · 19 · Main character · The shy sweetheart

Appearance

Auri has soft chestnut-brown curls that never seem to sit properly, no matter how often he runs his fingers through them. A few loose strands fall across his forehead, and his warm hazel eyes have little golden flecks that become especially noticeable in sunlight. His skin is a warm honey-peach shade, with faint freckles across the bridge of his nose. His cheeks flush easily, especially when Evander speaks directly to him.

He's around 5'7", with a slim, softly built frame and delicate-looking hands that are usually dusted with flour. His clothes are inexpensive but carefully maintained: oversized cream sweaters, faded jeans, worn trainers, and an old brown apron belonging to his mother. He often smells faintly of vanilla, cinnamon, and fresh laundry.

Personality

Auri is affectionate, sensitive, shy, and secretly quite sassy. He has a habit of making sarcastic comments when he's nervous, but when someone he genuinely likes looks him in the eyes, his confidence disappears. He stumbles over words, fidgets with his sleeves, and suddenly finds the floor fascinating.

Around people he trusts, he's playful, talkative, and almost ridiculously loving. He remembers tiny details about people, makes little treats for friends, and worries about everyone except himself.

Background and emotional depth

Auri lives with his mother above their struggling family bakery in Deptford, South-East London. He works long hours trying to keep the shop alive while watching his mother exhaust herself working three jobs.

His previous relationship with Lucien left him with lingering insecurities. He sometimes mistakes someone's displeasure for his own wrongdoing and struggles to believe that he can say no without being punished emotionally.

Romantic dynamic

Auri has had an enormous crush on Evander for months. He recognizes his footsteps, remembers his order, and knows exactly where he likes to sit. Unfortunately, he can barely maintain eye contact with him for more than three seconds.

He's naturally submissive in the relationship dynamic he eventually chooses, but that doesn't make him weak or voiceless. He's stubborn, cheeky, and perfectly capable of challenging Evander when he thinks he's being ridiculous.

Little details: Bites the inside of his cheek when nervous, doodles on receipts, loves rainy afternoons, and secretly saves his favorite pastry for the days Evander visits.

2. Evander Ashcombe

31 · Main character · The quiet gentleman

Appearance

Evander stands approximately 6'3", with broad shoulders, a strong build, and a naturally commanding presence. His hair is nearly black, slightly wavy, and usually brushed back, although the London rain often leaves a few strands falling over his forehead. His steel-grey eyes are observant and difficult to read, framed by dark lashes and defined brows.

He has a sharp jawline, a straight nose, and a faint scar near one knuckle. His skin is a light olive tone, and his hands are large and well cared for. He dresses in fitted black turtlenecks, tailored trousers, charcoal overcoats, and polished leather shoes. A silver watch is almost always visible at his wrist.

His appearance is immaculate without being flashy. His wealth shows through the quality of his clothes rather than enormous logos or unnecessary displays.

Personality

Evander is composed, patient, private, and quietly observant. He rarely raises his voice because he doesn't need to. He's used to taking responsibility, making difficult decisions, and maintaining control of situations.

His humor is dry and subtle. He doesn't laugh easily around strangers, which makes the occasional genuine smile especially meaningful. He's considerate in small ways, such as remembering how someone takes their coffee or noticing when a person seems unusually tired.

Background and emotional depth

He's a successful property investor who has built a wealthy, independent life. He has had several previous partners, but most of those relationships were casual hookups without lasting emotional attachment.

Evander understands attraction and physical chemistry, but genuine emotional intimacy is less familiar territory. He keeps his private life carefully separated from his professional one and doesn't easily let people see his vulnerabilities.

Romantic dynamic

Evander is the more dominant partner, but his leadership is rooted in patience, responsibility, and mutual trust. He enjoys being someone Auri can rely on, while understanding that Auri's boundaries and choices matter.

He initially visits the bakery because he likes the coffee and cinnamon rolls. Gradually, he begins looking forward to the boy behind the counter, even before he fully understands why.

Little details: Drinks black coffee, folds his coat neatly over his chair, remembers conversations almost word for word, and quietly shows affection through practical acts of care.

Auri's family

3. Maribel Bellamy

52 · Auri's mother · The heart of the bakery

Appearance: Maribel has dark brown hair threaded with silver, usually twisted into a messy bun because she never has enough time to style it. Her brown eyes are warm but often shadowed by exhaustion. She has soft features, laugh lines around her mouth, and flour permanently clinging to her sleeves. Her wardrobe consists of inexpensive cardigans, comfortable trousers, and practical shoes worn thin from years of work.

Personality: Loving, resourceful, quietly stubborn, and fiercely protective. She has a gentle sense of humor and a tendency to pretend that everything is fine when it isn't.

Background: Maribel has spent years keeping Bellamy's Bakery open, even when it barely earns enough to cover its expenses. She works three jobs while continuing to bake and manage the shop.

Role in the story: She represents Auri's home, security, and greatest source of motivation. Their relationship is loving, but Auri's desire to protect her sometimes causes him to hide his own struggles. Maribel will also have to learn that accepting help doesn't mean she's failed her son.

Little details: Keeps old family recipes in a flour-stained notebook, remembers every regular customer's favorite pastry, and always tells Auri to eat something before his s

The Ex boyfriend

4. Lucien Voss

23 · Auri's ex-boyfriend · The beautiful warning sign

Appearance: Lucien has sleek auburn-brown hair that falls neatly around his forehead, pale green eyes, and refined features. He's around 6'0", lean, and always carefully dressed. He favors dark fitted jackets, expensive-looking boots, and a subtle fragrance. His smile is charming enough to make strangers assume he's kind.

Personality: Charismatic, possessive, manipulative, and deeply concerned with maintaining his image. He can be attentive and affectionate when things go his way, which makes his cruelty more confusing for the people close to him.

Background: Lucien was once someone Auri trusted completely. Over time, his behavior became controlling, and he taught Auri to second-guess his own feelings. Their relationship has ended before the main story begins, but its effects remain.

Role in the story: Lucien is crucial to Auri's emotional journey. His eventual return will test Auri's boundaries and force him to confront the difference between familiar affection and genuine love. Evander will not simply fight Lucien and magically fix everything; Auri's own decisions and healing will remain central.

Little details: Gives thoughtful gifts when he wants to make amends, remembers exactly what people want to hear, and becomes noticeably less charming when he cannot control a situation.

Important distinction: Lucien's abusive behavior will be portrayed as harmful, not as proof that he secretly loves Auri.

Auri's friends and the neighborhood regulars

These characters will help the bakery feel like a real little community rather than a place where only the two main characters exist.

5. Nessa Quinn

21 · Auri's best friend

Appearance: Short copper-red hair, bright green eyes, freckles, and a wardrobe of oversized denim jackets, striped shirts, and colorful earrings. She has an expressive face that makes keeping secrets nearly impossible.

Personality: Loud, funny, loyal, and wonderfully nosy. Nessa says what Auri is too shy to say and notices his crush on Evander almost immediately.

Background: She works part-time at a nearby café and has known Auri long enough to recognize when his supposedly casual comments are actually emotional catastrophes.

Role in the story: Nessa brings playful energy, friendship, and occasional comic relief. She also provides emotional support when Auri struggles with memories of Lucien.

Little details: Gives people ridiculous nicknames, sends voice notes instead of texts, and considers it her personal mission to make Auri admit that Evander is handsome.

6. Arthur Finch

68 · Retired postman · The neighborhood grandfather

Appearance: Silver hair, round spectacles, kind blue-grey eyes, and a slightly stooped posture. He wears wool cardigans, old-fashioned coats, and comfortable shoes. His face is full of wrinkles that deepen whenever he laughs.

Personality: Patient, observant, dryly funny, and quietly compassionate. He doesn't pry, but he notices far more than he lets on.

Background: Arthur has lived in Deptford for decades and has watched the neighborhood change around him. He's been visiting Bellamy's Bakery for years.

Role in the story: He's a source of warmth and continuity. His small acts of kindness help Auri and Maribel feel less alone, and his quiet observations sometimes reveal things the younger characters have overlooked.

Little details: Orders a plain scone, reads the newspaper from front to back, and insists that every bakery needs at least one customer who comes in purely to complain about the weather.

7. Imani Okafor

26 · Nurse · The gentle realist

Appearance: Deep brown skin, natural dark curls, expressive brown eyes, and a bright smile. She often wears comfortable coats, colorful scarves, gold hoop earrings, and practical shoes after long shifts.

Personality: Warm, perceptive, grounded, and direct without being harsh. She is a good listener but doesn't encourage people to ignore their own needs.

Background: Imani lives nearby and often visits the bakery after hospital shifts. She understands exhaustion and the importance of having somewhere peaceful to sit for a few minutes.

Role in the story: She becomes a steady friend to Auri and a reassuring presence during emotionally difficult moments. She helps him understand that healing takes time and that love shouldn't require him to abandon himself.

Little details: Carries emergency snacks in her bag, remembers people's birthdays, and can tell when someone is pretending to be okay.

Evander's family — reserved for a later reveal

We're deliberately not introducing these characters in the early chapters. Their appearances, personalities, and family dynamics will become part of the story when Auri has begun getting closer to Evander.

8. Evanders brother—name not revealed yet

Appearance: give him a distinct look from Evander rather than making him a copy. I'm imagining softer features, expressive brown eyes, and slightly less formal clothing to contrast with his older brother's polished style.

Personality: To be developed when he enters the story, with his own strengths, flaws, humor, and relationship with Evander.

Role in the story: His relationship with Evander will reveal a more personal side of the usually guarded man. Their sibling bond will matter independently of Auri's romance, and his experience as a gay father will add another perspective on love and family.

9. Evanders Neice—name reserved

Young child · Evander's brother's daughter

Appearance: A little girl with soft dark curls, big curious eyes, round cheeks, and a wardrobe of colorful cardigans, tiny dresses, and comfortable trainers.

Personality: We'll develop her age-appropriate personality when she's introduced. She can be curious, funny, affectionate, and occasionally mischievous without becoming an unrealistically perfect child.

Role in the story: She'll allow readers to see Evander in a completely different light. His interactions with her can reveal his gentleness, patience, and capacity for affection without immediately explaining everything about his private life.