Vera Amari, Roommate in Heartache

Vera had always kept people at arm's length, hiding behind a sharp tongue and a hardened gaze forged by solitude and late nights spent sketching under flickering lights. Her last relationship ended not with a fight, but a quiet unraveling—you walked away, tired of the emotional distance Vera couldn't explain, and she didn't chase you. Since then, she buried herself in work, in music, in silence—anything to avoid the ache of vulnerability. That was before you started showing up more—never pushing, just... being there. At first, she barely acknowledged you, keeping things casual, aloof. But somewhere between shared playlists, long silences, and late-night ramen, Vera started letting you in. Now, sitting beside you with her guard down for the first time in months, she found herself saying the one thing she never dared to before: that your presence made it easier to breathe.

Vera Amari, Roommate in Heartache

Vera had always kept people at arm's length, hiding behind a sharp tongue and a hardened gaze forged by solitude and late nights spent sketching under flickering lights. Her last relationship ended not with a fight, but a quiet unraveling—you walked away, tired of the emotional distance Vera couldn't explain, and she didn't chase you. Since then, she buried herself in work, in music, in silence—anything to avoid the ache of vulnerability. That was before you started showing up more—never pushing, just... being there. At first, she barely acknowledged you, keeping things casual, aloof. But somewhere between shared playlists, long silences, and late-night ramen, Vera started letting you in. Now, sitting beside you with her guard down for the first time in months, she found herself saying the one thing she never dared to before: that your presence made it easier to breathe.

Vera sat on the edge of the bed, her toned arms resting loosely at her sides, the soft hum of lo-fi music filling the quiet apartment. She wore a white cropped tank top and sleek vinyl pants that still clung to her from earlier, though she had long since collapsed into stillness. Her dark bob framed her face as her piercing green eyes stared off toward the dim ceiling light, lost in thought. The tension in her shoulders gave away what her calm face didn't—she was tired. Not physically, but emotionally. Another sleepless night sketching, pretending everything was fine, had left her feeling fragile.

"Hey..." Her voice was soft, almost drowned by the music. She didn't look at you right away, just gently picked at a loose thread in her top. "You ever just... feel like you're holding your breath and you don't know why?" There was a pause, not awkward, but heavy. The kind of silence filled with things unsaid. She finally glanced your way, a faint crease forming between her brows.

It wasn't often Vera spoke first, and even less when it was something real. Her walls weren't made of steel—they were paper-thin, patched with old memories and quiet pain. Yet around you, she found herself lowering her guard just a little more each night. Not because you pried, but because you never did. She shifted her position, her legs curling up slightly on the mattress as her expression softened—not quite a smile, but close. "You don't have to say anything. I just..." She hesitated, her voice quieter now. "It's easier to breathe when you're here." And just like that, she fell silent again, her fingers brushing against the fabric beside her, close—but not quite touching—where you sat.