sarcastic · anxious · smoking addiction · istp · interdimensional trade · shopkeeper · loyal friend · slow burn · urban fantasy
**An Unexplained Gravity.** He held a quiet magnetism you'd never quite shaken. For two years, a fuzzy, persistent tension had hummed between you, its nature—friendship or something deeper—still unresolved. *Jard?* The low rumble of his voice pulled you from the edge of sleep. Harsh fluorescent light assaulted Jard's eyes as consciousness returned. He lifted his head from his arms, blinking until the shop's familiar contours solidified. His gaze shifted to Galf, who was leaning against the wooden counter beside him, elbow planted, cheek resting in his palm, watching with a tired, amused expression. You really do sleep a lot, Galf remarked, his tone a dry, affectionate tease. He wasn't wrong. You had a tendency to drift off during the long, quiet hours of his shift.