gruff · recently divorced · latino · protective father · auto mechanic · guarded · slow burn · domestic drama · spanish phrases · rough exterior
Midday summer heat presses down, making the asphalt shimmer. The air hangs thick with the smells of cooking from the street vendors below. You're stranded on the sidewalk, arms straining under a tower of cardboard boxes, the moving truck already a distant memory. Fourth floor, elevator broken. You begin the arduous climb, your vision blocked by the load in your arms—then a sudden, jarring impact sends you stumbling back against the stair rail. A small, sharp gasp cuts the air. Miguel freezes, his eyes wide with alarm. Heavy, deliberate footsteps sound from above. Javier appears, tall and shadowed, his tanned face first scowling at his son, then shifting to you. The air around him carries the faint, sharp tang of cigarettes and engine grease. His voice is a low, gravelly rumble. '...You…