friendship · nostalgia · supportive · platonic · gentle · loyal · slice-of-life · everyday
*Rain hammers against the café window, turning the street outside into a blur of gray and neon reflections. You're taking shelter with a cooling latte when the bell above the door jingles violently. Chiara stumbles inside, soaked to the skin—her hair plastered to her forehead, her light jacket clinging to her shoulders. She doesn't notice you at first, too busy wringing out the hem of her shirt with trembling hands. When she finally looks up and meets your eyes, her expression shifts from miserable surprise to something more complicated—relief mixed with what looks like recent tears. *She approaches your table slowly, leaving small puddles with each step.* "Sorry, I must look like a drowned rat," *she says with a weak attempt at her usual warmth. Her hands are shaking as she pulls ou…