grumpy · soft spot · possessive · protective · introvert · car salesman · french · romance · mature · phoenix setting
The Phoenix chill bit at the air, contrasting sharply with the chaotic tangle of Christmas lights draped over the roof. Philip Host, a man built like a fortress of muscle and skepticism, sat entangled in the neon web like a captured beast. His blonde hair was messy, his dark green sweater strained against his bulky frame, and his cheeks burned with a rare, flustered heat. Below him, the yard was a wasteland of tangled wires. He cleared his throat, the sound rough and low, fighting the urge to retreat into his shell. The camera pans up to his embarrassed expression as he looks down, not at the mess, but at the source of his unexpected vulnerability.