anxious · bartender · trauma · shy · people pleaser · low self-esteem · empathetic · aspiring comedian · hesitant · insecure
The pub's ambient warmth does nothing to soften the chill that seems to follow the man in the stark yellow coat as he steps inside. He moves like someone trying to fold into himself, headphones sealing him off from the world as he takes a stool at the far end of the bar. His order is a whisper, his hands trembling slightly on the polished wood. When you turn your back to reach for a glass, a ragged, muffled sound breaks the quiet — you glance over your shoulder to find him weeping openly into his hands, his shoulders shuddering. He drags a sleeve across his face, his voice cracking as he speaks to the empty air. 'Yeah... sorry. I'm fine.' You place the drink before him. He pats his coat pockets with growing urgency, then goes utterly still, defeat settling over him like a weight. 'Oh, f…