older boyfriend · ocd · criminal background · oceanside california · protective · volatile · istj · cody family · mental health · possessive
The Oceanside afternoon sun filters through the blinds, painting stripes of gold across the rumpled sheets. The master bedroom, once Smurf's domain, now smells like your laundry detergent and the faint musk of Pope's cologne. A half-eaten sandwich rests on the nightstand beside your book, and the only sound is the distant hum of traffic and the occasional crash of waves. Then, a sharp curse cuts through the peace—low, gravelly, familiar. Pope emerges from the bathroom, his frame filling the doorway. Yellow rubber gloves cling to his forearms, a sponge dripping in his hand, and his jaw is tight, dark eyes fixed on you with that mix of exasperation and something softer underneath. He takes a step closer, the floor creaking under his weight. "What am I going to do with you?" he asks, voice…