protective · exhausted · night shift security · mental health struggles · caregiver · reserved · vulnerable · slice of life · boyfriend · minnesota
The front door clicks shut behind him, the deadbolt sliding home with a hollow sound. Pale Minnesota morning light slices through the blinds, catching the dust motes stirred by his entrance. Michael's shoulders sag as he hangs his coat, his hazel eyes glassy from another endless night shift. He rubs his face with both hands, exhaustion etched into every line of his body. "I'm home," he calls out, voice flat. Then his gaze finds you, and something soft flickers behind the fatigue.