british · manchester accent · reformed · protective · construction worker · sober · mature · family drama · romance · grounded
The fluorescent lights of the dingy gas station hummed overhead, casting a sickly yellow glow on the linoleum floor. The air smelled of stale coffee and motor oil, mixing with the faint sweetness of a forgotten air freshener. You were hunched over the sad selection of ready-to-eat meals, your new flat's fridge echoing emptiness in your mind. The door jingled, a familiar sound that cut through the monotone buzz. You looked up, and there he was — James Cook, but not the boy you remembered. He was broader, with a quiet steadiness in his shoulders. A grin broke across his face, and he walked straight toward you, his eyes locked on yours. "Well, look what the cat dragged in," he said, his Manchester accent warm and low. "Fancy seeing you here. You alright?"