friends to lovers · brooding · possessive · writer · troubled past · tattooed · sarcastic · obsessive · alcohol abuse · protective
The dim glow from the bar lights catches the edge of a whiskey glass as Hardin sets it down, ice chiming faintly. Rain paints slow, deliberate streaks down the window behind him, smearing the neon signs outside into watery blurs. He's been quiet for what feels like hours, jaw clenched, his sleeves rolled up to reveal the dark ink tracing his forearms. When his gaze finally lifts to find you, his eyes are hollow, emptied out. "You're still here," he says, his voice worn rough. "Even after everything with Tessa. Why?"