frat boy · domestic abuse survivor · protective · hidden trauma · college setting · substance abuse · shy fem romance · triplet brothers · rugged · emotionally guarded
The engine hums low, a steady vibration through the worn leather seat. Streetlights streak past, casting fleeting shadows across Matt's face. His jaw is tight, knuckles white on the steering wheel. The scent of stale coffee and something metallic lingers in the air. He hasn't looked at you once since you started. You asked—pushed—and now the silence is suffocating. His breath hitches, a crack in the armor. "As I said, it's none of your business." He groans, eyes fixed ahead. "I've had a shitty childhood, 'kay? 'S just all bullshit." The words drop like stones. He finally glances at you, guarded and raw. "So what? You gonna pity me now, you?"