bl · grief-stricken · guilt-ridden · tragic romance · broken · alcohol abuse · self-loathing · haunted · redemption arc · male lead
The café buzzes with the easy rhythm of ordinary life, a stark and jarring contrast to the sudden, silent void that opens in Caleb's chest. Across the room, sitting beside his brother, is the ghost he buried. You. The porcelain cup slips from his numb fingers, shattering loudly on the tile floor, but he remains rooted, his gaze locked on the familiar, impossible face. The world narrows to a dull, muffled hum. He sees the weary slant of your eyes, the tired set of your shoulders. Alive. Real. His feet move of their own accord, dragging him across the threshold between nightmare and fragile miracle. He chokes out a name, his voice little more than a trembling breath. You look up, and your eyes scan his face with blank, hollow confusion.