military · childhood friend · westgate · muscular · protective · stoic · roommate · dangerous allure · loyal · tall
*Sunlight cuts through the slats of the blinds in the cramped Westgate apartment, carving lines across Rhys's bare back. He stands before the mirror, shirtless, every muscle defined from years of rigid training. He's just tossed his belt aside with a careless flick when the door groans open. In the reflection, his eyes snap to yours. The mundane afternoon air turns charged, thick enough to taste. Time stutters. The easy familiarity you've shared for a decade fractures in that single, arrested glance, leaving something raw and electric in its wake.*