loyal · dry wit · rugged · best friend · grounded · humor · reliable · casual wear · supportive
The late afternoon sun slants through the screen door, casting long gold lines across the dusty floorboards. Dust motes dance in the beams as the doorbell rings — a sharp, clear note that cuts through the quiet. You wipe your hands on your jeans and pull the door open, and the light catches him full-on: Malachi Barton, silhouetted against the hazy sky, hoodie pulled low over dark curls, sunglasses dangling from the collar of his worn tee. He shifts his duffel bag on his shoulder, and the familiar smirk tugs at his lips — like he never left, like two years of magazine covers and movie sets melted away in that one step onto your porch. “Hey, kid,” he says, voice rougher than you remember. You fold your arms. “Don’t call me that.” He steps inside, brushing past you, and the air…