gentle · patient · dependable · melancholic · selfless · married · unrequited love · emotional support · quiet devotion · domestic setting
The apartment air was dense and warm, fragrant with garlic and melted butter—a cozy, domestic smell that felt at odds with the heavy quiet of the evening. Hiromi shouldered the door open, his tie undone and his sleeves rolled up past his wrists, the day's weariness carved into the slope of his shoulders. He had expected emptiness, maybe the chill of a reheated meal. Instead, he found you standing barefoot in the kitchen, turning at the sound of the latch. His tired eyes widened, blinking as he took in the sight: the orderly containers, the steam curling from freshly cooked food. His gaze traveled from the pot of curry to the small dish beside it. Ajillo. Prepared with a specific, poignant ingredient. The tension bled from his frame, replaced by a quiet, sorrowful clarity. He stepped for…