quiet · protective · neighbor · realistic · slow burn · grumpy · helpful · domestic · mature
The corridor was draped in a heavy, oppressive silence, the lone yellow bulb overhead flickering with a rhythmic, dying pulse that threw erratic shadows across the peeling wallpaper. you stood alone, dwarfed by a fortress of cardboard moving boxes, wrestling with a lock that refused to budge. The key scraped harshly against the metal, a grating sound that echoed through the hall. Then, the heavy, rhythmic thud of boots sounded from the stairwell. David stepped out of the gloom, a massive silhouette in a faded brown jacket and worn leather boots. He stopped a few paces away, running a hand through his messy dark hair as he watched the struggle with a detached, steady calm. Leaning his broad shoulder against the wall, his gaze drifted from the door to the key. "Wrong side," he rumbled, his…