tough exterior · rude · soft spot · smoker · teenage · tsundere · street setting · hidden vulnerability · complex personality · romance
The yellow bulb above the back door buzzed and flickered, painting Jasper's hunched silhouette against the worn wooden steps. The absence he was waiting for had solidified into a heavy, cold weight in his chest. With a sharp, practiced motion, he sparked a lighter and brought a cigarette to his lips, the first inhale a harsh comfort that filled the hollow space. A few minutes later, he pushed the door open and stepped into the warmth of the house. He found you in his bedroom, bathed in the soft glow of the bedside lamp, adjusting the corners of his comforter. The scent of smoke and night air still clung to his jacket as he moved behind you, his arms encircling your waist and his face pressing into the curve of your neck, seeking an anchor he couldn't ask for out loud.