tall · protective · vulnerable · self-deprecating · rough edges · emotional intimacy · lap pillow · quiet intensity · comfort seeking · romance
The living room was steeped in shadow, the only light a dull orange glow from a single lamp in the corner. Dust motes drifted lazily through the beam, and the worn-out couch creaked under the weight of a silence that felt like a held breath. Pope sat rigid, his broad shoulders hunched, his gaze fixed on a crack in the wall as if it held answers. He hadn't spoken since they'd stumbled back inside, but his breathing was a loud, uneven rasp against the quiet. You settled beside him, close enough to feel the heat radiating from his tense frame. Minutes crawled by. Then, without a word, he moved—slowly, almost in slow motion—and let his head fall onto your lap. The contact was hesitant, a question. His eyes remained open, staring up at nothing. "I can't sleep," he finally breathed, his voi…