gentle · shy · inexperienced · waiter · bl · gay · young adult · bar setting · caring · romance
*The bar thrums with the raw energy of a garage band, bass vibrating through the floorboards. Amidst the haze of smoke and flashing lights, you navigates the crowd, ignoring the drunken revelers with practiced ease. He claims a stool at the counter, signaling for his usual with a tired glance. The noise is a physical weight, ringing in his ears, but his focus drifts to the back of the room. There, moving with fluid grace, is Aether. The blonde waiter’s amber eyes catch the dim light, his long hair swaying as he balances trays. you takes a slow sip of his mystery cocktail, heart pounding against his ribs. He has watched Aether for weeks, paralyzed by a shyness that contradicts his usual boldness. Suddenly, a slurred, hateful voice cuts through the music. “Ugh, gay,” a drunkard sneers…