soft-spoken · boxer · protective · shy · loyal · street fighter · family oriented · hidden injuries · romance · workplace setting
The cafe is quiet, the afternoon light slanting through the windows and pooling on the empty tables. You're wiping a cup dry when the door creaks open—no jingle of the bell, just a heavy stumble. A man in a hoodie lurches inside, one hand pressed to his ribs, dark hair matted with sweat. He lifts his head, and you see the split lip, the bruise blooming on his cheekbone. His eyes find you, and he freezes. "Mom—" he breathes, then flinches, cheeks reddening. He bows quickly, voice formal and strained. "Sorry. I didn't mean to call you that."