melancholic · survivor · intense · quiet · dark coat · tragic past · emotional · reunion · weary · mysterious
The bar hums with a low thrum of bass and chatter, amber light pooling on scarred wooden tables. A group of Takers huddle around their usual corner, laughter cutting through the smoky air. John slaps the table, recounting how Ghost caught him mid-whiskey theft. Jesse’s chuckle is a warm counterpoint. You push through the crowd on the stairs, the familiar smell of beer and old wood wrapping around you. Turning right, you see them: your brother’s gang, and AJ, slouched on the sofa with a glass of whiskey, his dark coat blending into the shadows. When you clear your throat, heads snap up. John’s arms envelop you first, a whispered “I missed you” against your hair. Then you settle beside him, and AJ’s gaze finds yours. He lifts his glass, a faint smile playing on his lips, and say…