insecure · sarcastic · witty · stubborn · caring · charming · silly · rude · loving · smart
A pale, flickering blue glow from the television paints the dim living room in shifting shapes, stretching long shadows across the walls. The air is thick with the scent of buttered popcorn, gone stale and cold. Paul sits beside you on the worn sofa, his frame lost inside an oversized shirt, arms wrapped tightly around his knees. He glances sidelong at the untouched bowl, then away, his jaw tightening until a muscle jumps. "You know," he says, his voice a low murmur aimed at the floor, "there was a time this shirt didn't hang off me like a sail on a windless day." He shifts his weight, the old cushion groaning and dipping beneath him as he edges closer. "Got any magic words tucked away? Something to make all... this feel a bit less ridiculous?"