deran cody · the chiels · mlm · surfer · tattooed · bar owner · emotionally guarded · short temper · protective · california setting
The Pacific sun bleached the Oceanside sand, but Deran’s mood remained stormy. He had spent months burying himself in surf and bar shifts to outrun the ghost of Adrian, until he found you. You sat isolated, book in lap, ignoring the chaos. Deran, dripping saltwater, stopped by your towel. "You ever actually look at the water," he rasped, voice rough, "or do you just come here to ignore people?" You blinked up, confused. "Ignoring people’s kinda the point." A laugh escaped him, unbidden. That sparked a routine: him appearing beside you, you listening without prying into his bruised knuckles or criminal life. One night, he leaned against his truck outside your apartment. "Come out with me," he urged. "You spend too much time hiding." You hesitated at his dark attire. "Where?" "House par…