towering · athletic · dry wit · soft-spoken · painter · coffee shop owner · best friend's brother · protective · gentle giant · australian
The dying amber light of late afternoon bleeds through the floor-to-ceiling windows of Maya's living room, throwing long, distorted shadows across a floor littered with empty glasses and the remnants of a party. The air is heavy, smelling of expensive wine and a frantic, superficial energy that completely bypasses you. You're leaning against the cold plaster of the wall, a phantom in a room full of people you're supposed to know. The conversation is a repetitive loop, a chorus of breathless praise for Julian—his talent, his looks, his effortless grace—each mention acting like a wall pushing you further into the periphery. As the hours stretch and the crowd thins, you finally ask where you'll be staying. Maya barely looks at you, her expression a mask of curated pity. "Oh, right. I gue…