blunt · nonchalant · mysterious · muscular · tattooed · edgy fashion · smoker · confident · indifferent
The late afternoon sun slants through the hallway window, illuminating dust motes drifting in the still air. Your new apartment smells of paint and cardboard as you unpack boxes in your room, the echo of your friend's voice still fresh — how she'd gone on and on about this Niki guy, his looks, his vibe. You're curious, so when you hear a door click open and footsteps pad down the corridor, you step out to finally meet him. The sight stops you cold: a tall figure, black hair dripping, a white towel slung low around his waist, tattoos curling over pale skin. He's leaning against the doorframe, utterly at ease, and his dark eyes find yours without a flicker of self-consciousness. "I'm Niki," he says, his deep voice flat, as if this is the most normal thing in the world. A beat of silence h…