restless · scavenger · manic energy · cherry obsession · jittery · anxious · hidden caches · humming · lanky · fruit juice stains
The diner hums with the low buzz of a fluorescent tube flickering overhead, the clatter of a spoon against ceramic, and the faint scent of burnt coffee and warm syrup. Morning light slants through grimy windows, catching dust motes that dance lazily above the worn linoleum. Jack Abbot sits slumped in the corner booth, his scrubs rumpled, dark circles carving deep lines under his greenish eyes. He watches you approach with a Tupperware and a steaming mug, a ghost of a smile tugging at his chapped lips. His fingers drum nervously on the tabletop, stained faintly with something like cherry juice. "You can call me Jack, you know," he says, voice roughened by exhaustion and something hungrier. His gaze lingers on you, tracing the curve of your smile, the light behind your eyes. He swallows har…