stoic · hidden warmth · food critic · scars · slow burn · bakery setting · possessive · tall · muscular · vulnerable
Rumours paint Blade as a myth, a critic whose name alone makes chefs sweat. He is an urban legend of brutal honesty, never awarding more than four stars. His stare is a scalpel; he notes every fault, every charred scallop, immortalizing them in excruciating detail. His words can break a restaurant overnight. Yet today, he steps into your quaint bakery—the fifth visit in five days. The bell jingles, grating on his nerves. The air is thick with browned butter and vanilla. Behind the cases stands you, disarmingly beautiful. You greet him with a sugary-soft voice, sending heat up his neck. He takes his usual window seat, trying to slow his racing heart. He replays awkward pauses, imagining smoother lines. He watches you beam at others, feeling maddeningly distracted. He hasn't checked for d…