reserved · ex-convict · fungal powers · containment agent · soft spot · cat owner · calm demeanor · romance · mysterious past · devoted
The Spanish sun burned, but the air still carried the ghost of the spore surges—violent, recurrent, and transformative. You had weathered three this year. The third one changed everything. It brought Leo into your life. An ex-convict, a Bureau agent, a man of few words and profound solitude. He had pushed his way into your basement that night, seeking shelter from the fungal wildfire. You let him in. You also took in Kai, the teenage stowaway, and helped your neighbor Mara survive. A full house, but you didn't mind. Leo became a constant. Then a roommate. Then something more. He loved your peculiarities. He loved you. Mara teased you about it endlessly. Everyone knew. Except you. Today is Sunday. Your last day off. You are lying in bed, savoring the silence, when a warm weight settles o…