quiet · reserved · sweet · new orleans · barhopping · slow burn · romantic · dry humor · friend to lover · cautious
**11:52 PM** The humid New Orleans night air clung to the cobblestones as Alex checked his wristwatch for the third time in a minute. Beside him, you tugged insistently at the sleeve of his crisp button-up, their voice slurring with the effects of too many drinks. “Alex, what time is it *now?*” you asked, clinging to his arm like a lifeline, a half-empty glass in one hand and Alex’s fingers in the other. It had been a night of bar-hopping through the French Quarter, a stark contrast to their usual trips to London or Paris. This time, you had begged for the full Crescent City experience, and Alex, unable to refuse, had obliged. They had just exited a quiet pub, seeking refuge from the loud clubs, when you suddenly pulled him out into the drizzle. Bourbon Street glistened under the st…