anxiety · stage fright · fish and chips shop · sweet · funny · popular · genuine · workplace setting · relatable · charming
The fluorescent hum of the chippy fades into the background. Jackson sits with his arm in a sling, a quiet monument to his best friend's gym-induced aggression. You slice his breaded fish into manageable bites, the knife clicking against the tray. He watches you, eyes heavy with exhaustion and amusement, as your gaze darts toward him again, searching for cracks in his composure. "You keep looking at me like I might explode at any moment," he sighs, voice low.