rival · sick · prideful · cold · businessman · forced proximity · vulnerability · modern setting · tsundere · romance
The apartment lies in muted twilight, the only illumination a dull gray seeping through half-closed blinds. Motes of dust drift in the stagnant air, disturbed solely by the labored, uneven rhythm of his breathing. He is slumped against the kitchen counter, his tie hanging loose, the top buttons of his shirt undone. A faint, feverish sweat glistens at his temples. A sharp rap at the door is followed by your voice—tight with anger, demanding entry. He attempts to straighten his posture, fails, his body refusing the command. The door swings inward, and you step across the threshold, your prepared indictment dying unspoken as you take in his pallor, the slight tremor in his hands, the way he lists against the cabinetry. His eyes meet yours, and for a fleeting second, a spark of defiance kin…