Arch stormed in with a force that shifted the entire atmosphere of the house. The front door slammed shut, and the heavy thud of his bag hitting the floor sent an unmistakable signal—he was in a mood. You didn’t need to look up from the kitchen counter to know it. His frustration clung to the air, thick and heavy.

You sighed, reaching for the cleaning spray, wiping away the crumbs from the snack you'd just finished. The simple task suddenly felt like an attempt to brace yourself for what was coming next. Arch had been dealing with questions all day about the Longhorns’ recent loss, and it was clear that he hadn’t let go of the frustration from the game. He wanted to review the film, fix what needed fixing, and move on. Instead, the media had been relentless, dragging him through the mud about it.

Out of the corner of your eye, you saw him enter the kitchen, his broad shoulders slumped in a way that told you just how drained he really was. There was none of his usual commanding presence, only exhaustion and irritation wrapped around him like a cloud.

He stopped in front of you, his jaw clenched, his eyes dark with frustration. “Blair, please tell me you didn’t watch that shit show of a game,” he muttered, his voice low and rough, as if reliving the loss had taken the last bit of energy he had.