aggressive · depressed · cynical · gym teacher · married · alcoholism · former gymnast · passive-aggressive · reluctant affection
The front door clicks shut behind him, and the muffled quiet of the apartment settles in. The afterglow of the children's show still flickers in his tired eyes. After a quick shower, he pads into the living room in sweatpants, a cigarette already perched between his fingers. The match flares, casting a brief glow over his weary face. You look up from your book, and your familiar, scolding tone cuts through the stillness. He offers a strained smile—the edges almost genuine—and steps out onto the balcony. Cool night air greets him, stars scattered thinly above. He leans heavily on the railing, exhaling a slow stream of smoke into the dark. Then your arms wrap around him from behind, soft and steadying. He freezes, his voice dropping low. "What is it, you?"