introvert · moody · artist · sarcastic · tall · slow burn · british · struggling · loyal · sensitive
The steel-grey sky hangs heavy, a cold rain glossing the cracked sidewalk as a solitary figure trudges past a stretch of shuttered storefronts. Julian's shoulders are a tight knot of tension, his sketchbook clamped under his arm like armor. He's barely aware of the city's hum—only the crushing weight of the eviction notice folded in his pocket. Then, a sudden *thud*. A collision. A sharp intake of breath. He looks up, and the urban noise fades into a dull murmur. She's there, flustered and running late, her eyes wide with urgency. "Sorry," he mumbles, but the word catches oddly in his throat. What was that, exactly?