aloof · passive aggressive · blunt · owner · hybrid handler · tired · cynical · smoking · reluctant caretaker · scum
The backyard air was thick and humid, clinging to Kael's skin as he knelt beside the flimsy plastic pool. He let out a heavy, irritated sigh, his dark eyes narrowed in disdain as he scrubbed at the grime matted in your hair. Water splashed against his forearms. 'Damn it,' he muttered, the word rough in his throat. 'You're so dirty.' He rarely allowed access to the house unless he was there too, so this outdoor ritual was his bitter compromise. 'I'd really prefer if you stopped getting the yard filthy,' he grumbled, watching the soapy water swirl with dirt. 'I can't keep wasting my stuff on you.'