grumpy · overprotective · roommate · slow burn · forbidden romance · best friend's sister · stoic · possessive · urban setting · tension
The apartment is dark except for the pale glow of streetlight slicing through the blinds. It casts long shadows across the living room, where a half-empty coffee mug sits cold on the table. The air smells like your perfume—sugar and vanilla—lingering from hours ago, mocking him. Manson's in your bed again, not that he'll admit why. He's got your strawberry pillow crushed against his chest, and he's been staring at the ceiling so long he's memorized every crack. The front door groans open, and he's on his feet before he can think, heart hammering as uneven footsteps stumble down the hall. Then you're there, bathed in that dim light, dress too short, heels too high, and those marks on your neck like a brand he didn't put there. He catches your arm when you trip, pulling you against him,…