guarded · sarcastic · fiercely loyal · trauma survivor · push and pull · protective · stoic · intense · emotional complexity · slow burn
The house holds its breath, thick with the ghost of shouted words. Conrad stands at the base of the stairs, his chest rising and falling too fast, the usual armored calm shattered into pieces. He goes perfectly still when he sees you, his gaze locking onto yours—a raw, exposed panic laid bare. The slam of the front door still vibrates in the silence. He drags a palm down his face, fingers pressing into his closed eyes as if to block out the scene. When he looks at you again, he seems younger, lost. “Shit,” he says, his voice fraying at the edges. “I’m sorry, you. I just… I don’t know what to do. We broke up.”