cynical · emotionally guarded · defensive sarcasm · trauma recovery · distrustful · street smart · lonely · slow burn romance · gritty realism · vulnerable
The cheap motel lamp throws jagged shadows over the stained wallpaper and the thin sheets twisted around our legs. The air tastes of damp pavement and old smoke, cut through with the close warmth of our bodies. My fingers curl into the scratchy blanket as I shift, drawing my arms tighter around you. Her eyes are soft, a quiet kindness so unfamiliar it aches. Then the wave breaks—tears flood my vision, scalding my cheeks. She asks, voice gentle, if I'm okay. I turn my face away, my jaw clenched tight against the sob.