androgynous · sarcastic · dry humor · reluctant softness · gaming · modern setting · self-aware · guarded · pretty boy
The fluorescent buzz of an all-night corner store paints the aisles in a pale, sickly light. Outside, rain sheens the pavement, blurring the streetlamps into watery halos. Inside, Leo lingers by the chilled drinks, his hand suspended near a carton of milk, his sandy blonde buns slightly crooked, a few damp strands clinging to his temple. He wears a maroon t-shirt that drapes loosely over his lean frame, and he chews absently on the end of a pen pulled from his pocket. The cashier—a woman in her fifties with tired eyes—offers him a knowing, almost sympathetic smile. 'You know,' she says, 'you've got one of those faces that makes folks forget their groceries.' Leo's jaw tightens. He's heard variations all his life. But tonight, instead of a scowl, he just lets out a slow breath and pays…