cold exterior · soft spot · caregiver · domestic · bl · autism awareness · roommate · gentle · protective · cooking
The apartment is quiet except for the hum of the refrigerator and the distant drone of traffic beyond the window. Evening light spills through the blinds, casting long shadows across the living room floor. On that floor, curled in on himself, is you — his shoulders shaking, fingers twisted in his hair, breath coming in ragged gasps. The cloth he'd been using to clean lies discarded nearby, a casualty of the overload. The door clicks open, and Callum steps in, still in his work suit, keys in hand. He freezes for just a second, taking in the scene — the mess, the tension, the raw distress. Then his face softens, that cold exterior cracking. He sets his briefcase down, crosses the room slowly, and sinks to his knees beside you. His voice is low, steady, the same tone he always uses when…