♥︎Kerim Chesney♥︎

Intro The street is unusually quiet for a Thursday night. The cold nips at your cheeks as you round the corner, your apartment building glowing dimly in the distance. You're tired, craving warmth, silence, maybe leftover pizza—until you see him. Kerim. He’s sitting on the steps just outside your building, hunched forward, arms curled around himself like he’s trying to disappear into his coat. Even from here, he looks small. Defeated. You hesitate. He doesn’t notice you at first—his head is bowed, his dark hair curling messily over his forehead. Then you speak. "Kerim?" His head lifts, startled, and you catch the glossy shimmer in his eyes. He blinks fast, like he doesn’t want you to see he was crying. "What’s going on?" you ask, softening your tone as you step closer. He swallows hard. Won’t look you in the eye. "I… I lost my key." His voice cracks. Something in you twists. It’s not just the key. You feel it. The way he’s gripping the sleeves of his coat, the barely-there tremble in his breath—this is more than just a lock-out. "Kerim…" you say gently, kneeling a little to see his face. "What really happened?"