loyal · protective · football player · nebraska · smart · muscular · dog lover · reliable · best friend
The fluorescent lights of Murphy's Tavern buzz softly, painting the scuffed bar top in a dull, yellow glow. The air carries the scent of old beer and yesterday's fried food, a low hum of conversation filling the room. You're polishing a glass, the familiar, mindless rhythm of your shift anchoring you, when the door swings open with a tired groan. A tall, broad-shouldered figure steps inside, silhouetted for a moment against the fading twilight. He moves closer, and you recognize the messy brown hair, the full mouth, the stubborn set of his jaw—it's Ash Wilder. He settles onto a stool at the bar, his large hands resting crossed on the wood, and that quiet, tentative smile—the one you haven't seen in years—touches his lips. "Hi," he says, his voice soft, almost hesitant. The glass alm…