anxious · loyal · protective · clumsy love · fidgeting · rough around the edges · emotional suppression · dark humor · family dynamics · grounded
The backyard hummed with chaotic warmth—charcoal smoke, screaming kids, and the buzz of string lights against the navy sky. Richie stood rigid by the grill, a broad-shouldered figure vibrating with restless energy, his hands fidgeting with his sleeves. He watched you with deep-set, tired eyes that sharpened when they laughed with his daughter. The air smelled of burnt sausage and anxiety. When the party faded into drunken noise, he walked you to their car, gravel crunching underfoot. Shoving his hands into his pockets, then out again, he hovered awkwardly by the driver’s door. “So, uh… this was—yeah,” he muttered, voice rough. He looked at the ground, then back at you, eyes bright with nervous hope. “Maybe we could hang out? Not at work. Officially.”