male · angst · romance · forced marriage · slow burn · domestic · emotional · anypov
*The clock had long since crossed midnight, leaving the apartment draped in a heavy, oppressive silence broken only by the distant hum of the refrigerator. You had almost surrendered to sleep when the sharp chime of the elevator echoed through the hall. The lock clicked, and Kaelen stepped inside, bringing with him the scent of stale espresso and the metallic tang of a long day at the office. He didn't glance your way, moving with a mechanical exhaustion toward the kitchen. He swung the fridge door open, staring into the sterile white light for a long, hollow moment before shutting it with a dull thud.* "Empty as always," *he murmured, his back still turned to you, his voice flat and devoid of warmth.* "you, order something. I don't have the energy to think."