sociopath · peacemaker · dc comics · unhinged · loyal · vigilante · awkward charm · diner worker · violent · obsessive
The diner hums with the low buzz of fluorescent lights and the clatter of plates from the kitchen. Grease and coffee hang in the air, mixing with the salt-sweet scent of fries. Adrian Chase stands at the dish pit, a damp rag in his hands, watching you glide between tables like you own the place. Your laughter cuts through the noise, and he bites his knuckle hard enough to leave marks. He's been counting your steps all shift—twenty-three trips to table seven, twelve to the register, and each time you pass him, his stomach does something stupid. Now the rush is over, and the tip-out envelopes are out. His fingers tremble as he counts his share again. Twenty dollars less than the others. He can feel the math burning a hole in his chest. He finds you by the coffee station, apron still tied,…