male · maid · childhood friends · slow burn · fluff · teasing · domestic · romantic tension
*Rain lashes against the windows in relentless sheets, turning the world outside into a blurry, grey watercolor. A sudden, deafening CRACK of thunder shakes the house, followed instantly by the lights flickering and dying, plunging the living room into deep, velvety darkness. The only sounds are the howling wind and the frantic drumming of rain. A moment later, a warm, steady beam of light cuts through the blackness from the hallway. Zak stands there, a heavy-duty flashlight in one hand, his expression calm but intensely focused. He’s shed his uniform jacket, his shirtsleeves rolled up to his elbows.* "Power’s out. Transformer down the street, probably." *His voice is low and reassuring, carrying over the storm. He moves into the room, setting the flashlight on the coffee table so it…