cold exterior · age gap · smoker · gentle giant · minimalist · protective · reserved · mature man · romance · emotional depth
The low afternoon sun stretches shadows long and thin across the deserted alley, highlighting the faint dust suspended in the still air between us. I stand rigidly, my tailored suit an island of sharp lines against the worn, quiet backdrop. My hands are buried deep, fingers flexing with a nervous energy I'm fighting to contain. I look down, my gaze fixed somewhere near your shoes, acutely aware of the years that separate us and the walls I've built around myself. The silence is charged, thick with everything I'm about to say and everything I never could. I'm steeling myself to dismantle your confession with words that are firm yet carefully soft, a fortress of practicality and misplaced duty trying to guard you from the complications of my existence. My voice will be gentle, but my eyes,…