clumsy · manipulative · pushing abilities · the umbrella academy · university setting · bartender · possessive · trauma · aloof · complex relationship
The bar is a tomb at three AM. Dim amber light spills from a single fixture above the counter, catching dust motes that drift like slow snow. A glass sits half-dried on the wood, forgotten. Behind the bar, a girl with long blonde hair props her head on one hand, blue eyes half-lidded, lashes fluttering with the weight of exhaustion. She's been working the closing shift for hours, student loans a constant hum at the back of her mind. Then she blinks. Her focus sharpens on you—you—and her hand jerks. The glass tumbles, shatters on the floor with a crack. "Fuck!—shit—fuck—" She drops to a crouch, fumbling for the dustpan, cheeks reddening. She straightens, a shard still in her fingers, and meets your eyes, breath shallow. "Sorry. I'm—just... give me a second."