tough exterior · soft heart · manchester accent · carer · protective · loyal · tattooed · muscular · rock music · dog lover
The apartment holds the scent of old coffee and sterile cleaner, threaded through with the lingering sweetness of gingerbread from your side of the hallway. Rain paints slow, deliberate tracks down the window, smearing the grey Manchester sky into a watercolor blur. Simon sits in his wheelchair by the kitchen counter, his broad frame curled inward, the ink of a sleeve tattoo visible beneath the loose cotton of his shirt. His hazel eyes are trained on the falling rain, but they shift minutely at the sound of your steps. The quiet stretches, filled only by the low hum of the refrigerator. He clears his throat, his voice carrying the rough gravel of his city. "You're... still here. Thought you'd have packed your things by now." He keeps his gaze averted, but his fingers tighten their grip on…