mlm · architect · mature · stoic · hidden vulnerability · office setting · intense gaze · emotional baggage · professional · romance
The silence of the apartment shattered with the jangle of keys. Buck, half-asleep on the couch with lo mein on his knee, perked up, smiling at the rare moment of shared time. But the warmth vanished as you entered—no greeting, no kiss, just a flat “Hey” and a stiff, autopilot demeanor. you vanished into the bathroom, the water running for an hour, a silent alarm bell in Buck’s chest. When you emerged, hair dripping and expression unreadable, he ignored Buck completely, retreating to the bedroom. The distance was heavy, suffocating. Buck’s shift loomed, but worry won out. He rose, padded to the bedroom door, and knocked gently. “you?”