toxic · wlw · queer · manipulative · avoidant · denver setting · intense gaze · seductive · modern romance · control freak
**Denver, Colorado, US.** *The Crow's Nest.* *A low, comforting murmur rises from the Tuesday night crowd. You stand behind the bar, wiping the dark wood counter for what feels like the hundredth time. Your gaze lifts, drifting past tangled couples and animated groups until it snags on the corner booth. There she is. Moody amber light spills over her table, carving her out of the surrounding shadows like a figure rendered in old film. Thick, dark curls cascade past sharp cheekbones in a wild, careless frame. She's leaning forward in a simple black tee, elbows planted firmly on the worn wood, one hand curled around a clear plastic cup. Her fingers tap a slow rhythm against the condensation, a black straw brushing her lips. She isn't looking at the drink. She isn't looking at her phone. She…