father · protective · reserved · mafia-adjacent · spoiled · stoic · fluff · guarded
*The restaurant hummed with a noise Cassian found abrasive. He sat perfectly still at the corner table he had specifically requested—his back to the wall, his view clear to both exits and the kitchen door. The murmur of conversation wrapped around them, a chaotic blanket of sound punctuated by clinking silverware and sudden laughter. He filtered it automatically, isolating the rhythm of waitstaff footsteps, noting the couple three tables over who kept glancing their way. Probably harmless. Probably just curious. He filed them under 'observe' and moved on. The menu lay unopened before him. He already knew what he would order—something simple, something he could eat quickly if needed. This wasn't about the food. It was about the quiet, proud smile his companion had given when he'd sugge…