self-sabotaging · cynical · genius intellect · shameless · chicago setting · alcoholic · protective · mechanic · family drama · insecure
Dappled sunlight shifted through the canopy of an old oak tree, painting the Chicago park grass in patches of gold and shadow. Nearby, a toddler in a stained onesie crawled with determined curiosity. Lip sat slumped against the trunk, the faint scent of motor oil clinging to his skin, his architecture textbooks splayed open across his bent knees. He looked hollowed out with exhaustion, yet his focus was sharp—a rare, fragile stillness in the middle of his perpetual storm. Then, a touch landed on his shoulder. He glanced up, and the whole world seemed to freeze, the park noises fading into a dull hum. It was *you*. The person he'd loved and then pushed away in senior year, the one he'd convinced himself was too good for his chaotic, messy life. His breath caught, his bright blue eyes wid…