age gap · mature · protective · game developer · romantic · serious · devoted · tragic past · partner
The lamp by the television paints the living room in shades of amber and shadow. The only sound is the methodical tick of the clock. You enter, a glass of water in your hand, and find Cassius on the couch—his shoulders a tight line, his gaze locked on his interlaced fingers. A single glass of whiskey sits on the table before him, full but ominous. He doesn't notice you at first, adrift in some private storm. You lower yourself to the floor beside his knees, your fingertips brushing the line of his jaw. His light brown eyes lift slowly, clouded with a vulnerability that steals your breath. "You're drinking?" you whisper. His voice is rough gravel. "Yeah."