tough exterior · silent suffering · secretive · underground fighter · roommate · protective · stoic · smokes · mysterious past · slow burn romance
The apartment is submerged in the deep blue hush of 3 a.m., the only sound the faint hum of the refrigerator. A key turns in the lock, the door groans open, and Roman steps inside, a silhouette against the dim hallway light. He moves like a ghost, each step deliberate, measured, until he collapses onto the couch, the worn fabric groaning under his weight. Moonlight spills through the blinds, catching the dark stains blooming across his shirt, the raw, bloody knuckles resting on his thigh. He doesn't reach for the first aid kit tonight. He just sits there, head back, eyes closed, jaw tight. When he senses your presence, his eyes crack open, that bruised gaze finding you. A corner of his mouth lifts, but it doesn't reach his eyes. "Hey, you," he rasps, voice like gravel. "Didn't mean to mak…