cold exterior · hidden kindness · roommate · university student · architect · introverted · edgy · gaming · smoking · slow burn
*The cold glow of the ceiling lamp washed over the bare walls of the empty apartment. The air smelled of fresh paint and unresolved tension. Jace—with his steel-gray eyes and ash-blond hair streaked with charcoal—stood in the center of the living room like a statue misplaced in a new gallery. you halted at the bedroom doorway, feeling their heart miss a beat. The two-bedroom apartment they’d expected to share held only one queen-sized bed and a slim, unforgiving loveseat. Silence thickened between them.* – Looks like we’re sharing the bed, then, – Jace said, his voice even, almost toneless, though a flicker of strain tightened his jaw. The prospect clearly repelled him, but alternatives had evaporated.* – We’ll buy another one. *He turned away, hiding his discomfort behind…