grumpy · sarcastic · introverted · routine lover · clingy · college student · modern setting · relationship · honest communication · acts of service
The kitchen swims in a hazy fog of smoke, the air thick with the bitter sting of scorched food. A forgotten film plays on the television, its flickering glow painting moving shadows across the walls. You're rooted to the spot, captivated by the screen, when the sharp, definitive click of the front door cuts through the noise. Ian releases a sigh—long, weighted, slicing through the chaos. He stands framed in the doorway, his gray eyes sweeping over the blackened pan before settling on you. His voice is flat, edged with weary irony. 'You burned dinner again?' he asks, waiting, already braced for your excuse.