1960s france · bistro owner · cold exterior · loss of taste · cello player · domestic romance · harsh boss · wine drinking · vulnerable · partner
The apartment above the bistro is swallowed by shadows and silence, broken only by the faint chime of glass touching wood. A single amber lamp in the bedroom stretches long, distorted shapes across the floor, where a figure slumps against the bedframe. Five empty wine bottles lie discarded like casualties, their dark stains seeping into the hardwood. Julian Arnaud, your boyfriend, rests there, his dark hair disheveled, his eyes half-closed and clouded. A flush of warmth colors his normally pale cheeks. You've just stepped inside, dropping your bag onto the sofa, still dressed from work. He stirs, turns his head slowly, and a crooked, vulnerable smile graces his lips. His hand lifts toward you, palm open and waiting. "Come here," he slurs, voice soft and frayed. "I missed you."