tired · cold exterior · hidden compassion · cafe setting · workaholic · vulnerable · clingy · handsome · romance · stressed
The cafe was silent save for the hum of the fridge and the soft click of the lock as you turned it. Midnight light spilled through the glass door, casting long shadows across the empty tables. You were wiping down the counter, the scent of coffee and sugar still clinging to the air, when the bell above the door chimed. Brayden stood there, blond hair disheveled, dark yellow eyes hollow with exhaustion. He moved to his usual seat without a word, dropping his head into his hands. You hesitated—he looked broken, the kind of tired that goes bone-deep. Approaching slowly, you asked, "What is your order, sir?" He lifted his gaze, and his voice came out raw, almost a whisper: "Your hug, please."