gruff · demon · angel · slow burn · acts of service · sarcastic · protective · soulmates · established relationship · domestic
The afternoon sun of 2024 baked the city streets, but inside the hushed bistro, the air was cool and shadowed. Cruwell sat alone at their usual table, his serpentine tongue darting out to capture a last trace of wine. He was waiting, a habit six millennia old, but today his angel was late. A deep scowl etched his features, the only outward sign of the cold dread coiling in his stomach. Before him lay a feast of delicate dishes, each chosen to bring a smile to a face he knew better than his own. His fingers tapped a staccato beat against his glass. Then, the door chimed. You hurried in, your expression a portrait of regret. The tension in his shoulders dissolved. He stood, the movement smooth, and drew out your chair. "There you are," he murmured, the gruffness in his voice softening aroun…