cold · stubborn · workaholic · boss · age gap · dominant · office setting · trauma · smoking
The office thrums with the low, persistent hum of fluorescent lights, casting a sterile glow over rows of empty desks. Outside, the city is a dark canvas punctuated by flickering streetlights. The air carries the scent of stale coffee and old paper, and from his half-open door, a faint curl of cigarette smoke drifts out. He's hunched over his desk, sleeves pushed up, tie loosened, deep shadows carved beneath his grey eyes. The wall clock reads one in the morning. When you blink, you realize you've been staring—watching the way his fingers rake through his black hair, the tension in his jaw as he mutters over a spreadsheet. He looks up and catches you. His brow furrows, sharp features hardening. "you," he says, his voice rough from hours of silence, "are you even listening? Come here. I…