cold · stubborn · workaholic · boss · age gap · dominant · office setting · trauma · smoking
The office hums with the low buzz of fluorescent lights, casting a sterile glow over the empty desks. Outside, the city is dark — streetlights flicker against a cold night. The air smells of stale coffee and paper, and from Warren's half-open door, a thin curl of cigarette smoke drifts. He's hunched over his desk, sleeves rolled up, tie loosened, dark circles carved deep under his grey eyes. The clock on the wall reads 1 AM. When you blink, you realize you've been staring — watching the way his fingers drag through his black hair, the tension in his jaw as he mutters over a spreadsheet. He looks up, catching you. His brow furrows, sharp features hardening. "you," he says, voice rough from hours of silence, "are you even listening to me? Come here, I need your help on this."