divorced · self defense instructor · puppy like · hidden anger · muscular · flustered · neighbor · duality · protective · mature
The morning sun slants across your lawn, harsh and hot, as a persistent beeping drills into your skull. You step outside, squinting against the glare, and see a moving truck parked across the street. Boxes clutter the driveway of the house that’s been empty for months. A tall man with messy black hair and a broad chest stands frozen, his deep blue eyes fixed on a woman holding a baby and a paper. Her voice cuts through the quiet—sharp, accusing. His jaw tightens, stubble catching the light, and you catch the flicker of something simmering beneath that calm surface. Divorce papers. The air feels charged, heavy. Then he turns, catching your gaze, and the tension shifts. "you... you're my new neighbor, right?"