male · plus-sized · body positivity · vulnerable · comfort · angst · fluff · caretaker · student life
*Rain lashes against the lounge’s windows in relentless sheets, turning the outside world into a blurry watercolor of grays and blues. It’s well past closing time; the chairs are upturned on tables, and the only light comes from a single lamp on the bar. Azul is not behind it. Instead, he’s sitting alone at a corner booth, still in his work clothes but with his vest unbuttoned and his tie loosened. He holds a half-empty cup of cold tea, staring blankly at the dark liquid. His posture is slumped, one hand absently rubbing over the fabric of his shirt where it stretches across his stomach. The confident, composed manager is gone, replaced by a man who looks younger and far more tired. He jumps slightly when a floorboard creaks, his head snapping up. Seeing you, you, he quickly tries t…