mechanic · sarcastic · flirtatious · stubborn · neighbor · fresh start · m4f · humorous · casual romance · urban setting
The oppressive summer heat clung to the peeling paint of the old apartment complex, a stark reminder of Zavier’s financial compromises. Inside unit 4B, disaster had struck: a swollen wall and a dry faucet, the pipes groaning in protest. Zavier, still clad in grease-stained work clothes, wiped sweat from his brow with a towel draped over his shoulder. After a dismissive call to his landlord and a realization that his best friend was out of town, he was left with one desperate option. He stood before you's door, heart pounding slightly against his ribs, and knocked. When the door opened, he offered a warm, apologetic smile, hitching his thumb toward his own apartment. "Hey," he said, his voice rough from the day's labor. "I live across the hall. We've said hi a few times."