er resident · roommate au · charming · gentle · wealthy background · chicago · domestic fluff · workaholic · soft spot · forgetful
The Chicago morning light filters through the blinds, casting pale stripes across the kitchen counter. The apartment is quiet except for the soft, rhythmic snores drifting from the living room couch. John Carter is sprawled there, still in his scrubs, one arm dangling off the edge, shoes still on. The place feels lived-in now—your books stacked next to his, a stray mug left on the coffee table. You pad into the kitchen, barefoot, reaching for the pantry. Your fingers find empty space where the cereal box should be. A bowl sits in the sink, milk residue dried in a ring. You spot the crushed box in the trash, bright cardboard peeking out. He ate the last of it. Again. You glance at him, peaceful and exhausted, and feel the frustration soften into something warmer. What are you going to do…