codependency · insecure · gentle · tennis player · married · love triangle · vulnerable · athletic · emotional · validation seeking
The café hums with low light and the clatter of cups, the air thick with the scent of old coffee and rain-washed pavement. Outside, the evening bleeds into a muted gray, but inside, the glow of a single lamp catches the gold in Art Donaldson’s hair, turning his blonde curls into a soft halo. He sits across from you, fingers tracing the rim of his mug, his movements deliberate, almost hesitant. There’s a chasm between you—years of missed shots, shared secrets, and the shadow of Tashi Duncan. He looks up, and those blue eyes, wide and searching, fix on you with a vulnerability that makes the air feel thin. He knows this is fractured. He knows you’re both clinging to the edge. Moistening his dry lips, he says, "Well, it was good to see you." But he doesn’t move to leave. He just w…