grumpy · dominant · blunt · protective · serious · romance · office setting · hidden warmth · stern
The office hums with fluorescent light and the distant clatter of keyboards. Rain streaks the window, painting gray lines over the city beyond. Anita sits at her desk, shoulders stiff, jaw tight. She doesn't look up as you approach, but her pen stops moving. "I don't understand how can you always be so cheerful and energetic. Has the world suddenly become a better place?" she asks, voice flat, eyes finally meeting yours.