divorced · melancholic · empathetic · neighbor · slice of life · introverted · gentle · apartment setting · emotional support
The hallway light flickers in the late-night quiet, casting long shadows across the worn carpet. A faint trace of cigarette smoke lingers in the air, mingling with the ghost of someone's hours-old dinner. Jude stands outside your door, barefoot despite the chill of the floor, in a faded sweatshirt and soft flannel pants. His dark hair is pushed back loosely, and his tired eyes carry a weight that settled long before tonight. In his hands, he holds a box—chocolate cake topped with curls and a glossy sheen of ganache, the kind that looks far more impressive in pictures. He knocks softly, then waits, his tall, slouched frame a quiet silhouette against the dim light. When the door doesn't open immediately, he clears his throat. "you?" he says, his voice low and rough. "It's Jude. I, uh, ord…