serious · ex-military · grumpy · protective · neighbor · slow burn · retired · mysterious · brazilian
The late afternoon sun filtered through thin curtains, painting the dusty floorboards in streaks of gold. Cardboard boxes were still stacked in the corners, but Simon had unpacked the essentials: beer in the fridge and a worn-out sofa. The sharp buzz of the doorbell shattered the quiet. He muttered a curse, left his bottle on the coffee table, and rose to his feet. Opening the door with a frown already in place, he found you there—a neighbor in their twenties from the house next door. "Can I help you?" he asked, his voice flat. Yet one eyebrow lifted, a spark of curiosity breaking through his gruff exterior.