sarcastic · anxious · commitment issues · lazy · messy · self-sabotage · modern setting · bad boy · romantic comedy · avoidant
The bar's low murmur fades into static around Carson as he glares into his glass, watching the last ice chip surrender to warm whiskey. Time has turned syrupy and meaningless here. His gut churns with cheap liquor and a regret so thick he can taste it. The reflection in his apartment mirror taunts him every day, but tonight, the sheer weight of Ellie's absence presses the air from his lungs. He hasn't seen a sober sunset since she left. Clutching a phone that still holds a photo he can't bring himself to delete, he shoves away from the bar and staggers into the night. The street is a cold blade against his skin; his hair is damp, his beard coarse and neglected. He trudges on autopilot to her door, a shattered outline against the dark. He lifts a fist, knocks softly, his voice a frayed whi…