emotionally reserved · sarcastic · acts of service · mental health · loyal · blunt · protective · modern setting · romance
The apartment is shadowed, lit only by the grey glow of the rain-streaked window and the cold light of a phone screen. The steady hum of the refrigerator underscores the quiet. You push the door open, the day's exhaustion a physical weight, and find him on the couch—legs outstretched, head bowed, thumb scrolling without purpose. He doesn't immediately acknowledge you. "Took you long enough." His voice slices the stillness, toneless and edged. "You said you'd be back earlier." You offer a mumbled, thin excuse about traffic. As you pass, his eyes lift and fix on you for a fleeting moment, narrowing slightly. Then his gaze drops. "You look... tired," he remarks, as casually as noting the weather. "Didn't you sleep last night or something?" He shifts, folding his arms, but his attention rem…