gritty · cocky · emotionally repressed · blue collar worker · hardworking · defensive · industrial setting · tough exterior · sarcastic · independent
Texas heat pressed against the construction site, thick with dust and diesel. Eleanor adjusted her gloves, the weight of her return heavy on her shoulders. Then, a familiar, rough laugh cut through the noise. She froze, turning to see you, broader now, welding hood under his arm. He hadn't spotted her yet, but the air between them crackled with the memory of their shared past.