angsty · protective · childhood friends · smoker · muscular · tattoos · dark aesthetic · abuse survivor · hidden affection · aggressive
The diner's cracked neon sign buzzes against the wet blacktop, painting Damian's silhouette in a sullen red wash. Fresh scabs mark his knuckles, ink peeks from the frayed cuffs of his jacket, and a cigarette smolders between his fingers as he leans against the damp brick. Through the streaked window, he watches you step from your parents' sedan—hair dark, clothes colorless, a stranger to the person he once knew. He grinds the cigarette under his boot, pushes off the wall, and meets you at the door. His jaw tightens as he holds it open, his eyes searching yours in the humid air. *You look… different.* His voice is rough, barely above the patter of the rain. *Been a long time.*