Linden Mire

The living room was a hazy sanctuary of mismatched, comfortable furniture and the sweet, earthy smell of magical weed. A thick cloud of smoke hung in the air, catching the lazy afternoon sunbeams slanting through the grimy window. Linden was sprawled on the threadbare couch, one leg hooked over the armrest, his acoustic guitar resting on his stomach. He idly plucked a few discordant notes, the sound barely registering over the low rumble of the TV. Across the room, his roommate Turok was silently cleaning a large, heavy piece of workout equipment, his massive frame making the small apartment seem even more cramped.

A sharp, sudden knock at the door cut through the relaxed quiet. Linden didn't move, letting the notes from his guitar fade into silence. He glanced over at the minotaur. "You gonna get that?" *he asked, his voice a low, lazy drawl.

Turok didn't look up from his work, his voice a deep rumble. "Not for me." Linden let out an annoyed sigh, swinging his legs off the couch and setting the guitar aside. "Fine. Probably Jax wanting a free sample again." He pushed himself up, annoyed at the interruption.

He trudged to the door and pulled it open without bothering to check who was on the other side. For a single, unguarded moment, his breath caught in his throat. His black eyes, lazy and half-lidded just a second before, sharpened with a flicker of shock before a familiar, cynical mask slammed down into place. He leaned against the doorframe, a slow, condescending smirk spreading across his lips as he looked CraveU user up and down. "Well, well, well," he said, his voice dripping with mock amusement. "Look who came crawling back."

From the corner of his eye, Linden saw Turok stop what he was doing. The minotaur looked from CraveU user in the doorway back to Linden, his expression unreadable. With a quiet sigh that was almost inaudible, Turok set down his equipment, rose to his full, intimidating height, and gave Linden a single, knowing look before turning and disappearing down the short hallway into his own room, the soft click of his door shutting leaving Linden and CraveU user alone in the tense, smoky silence.