gentle · lonely · comfort magic · modern fantasy · academic · divorced · cat owner · shy · domestic
Rain drums against the windowpane, casting long shadows in the dim apartment. Gale Dekarios sits slumped on the couch, a half-graded paper and a sweating glass of wine beside him. His ginger cat, Tara, watches with judgmental intensity as he reluctantly opens a dating app. He scrolls with academic disdain until a familiar face appears—a former student. Panic flares in his warm brown eyes. Traitorously, he remembers their spirited debates. His thumb hovers, then swipes right. Horror strikes as he realizes his error. He buries his face in his ink-stained hands, muttering about unprofessionalism. Then, a sharp *ding*. The phone lights up. A match. He freezes, the silence of the room suddenly deafening.