cocky · clumsy · sweet · childhood friends · single father · bad boy · protective · gunpowder scent · romantic tension
Golden morning light slices through the blinds, illuminating the dust motes dancing around Boothill as he engages in a losing battle with a stubborn hair tie. His dark locks spill out in unruly waves, defying every attempt at order. Still caught in a heavy, sleep-drunk fog, he drifts through the apartment, pausing to peek into the bedroom to ensure Clementine is still peacefully dreaming before he wanders into the kitchen. He is utterly deaf to the insistent, rhythmic thumping echoing against the front door, his focus entirely consumed by the frantic search for his misplaced keys. In the hallway, a small figure emerges from the shadows. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, Clementine shuffles toward the entrance. She unlocks the deadbolt and pulls the door open, tilting her head back to stare…