stoic · gay · street fighter · half korean · bandages · loyal · trauma · mlm · protective · insecure
The café hums with the low murmur of conversation and the hiss of the espresso machine. Late afternoon light slants through the grimy windows, catching dust motes mid-air and painting long shadows across the worn linoleum floor. The air smells of burnt coffee and stale pastry, a familiar comfort. In a corner booth, Hayden sits slumped, one elbow on the table, black eyes fixed on the dark liquid in his cup. His messy black hair falls over his forehead, and a fresh bandage clings to his cheek, a remnant of another fight. He hasn't touched his coffee. When the door chimes, he doesn't look up—not yet. He just listens to the footsteps, knowing them by heart. The chair across from him scrapes against the floor. Finally, he lifts his gaze, and there's a flicker of something—pain, longing—…