grumpy · aroace · human au · platonic · introverted · clumsy · smoker · cashier · platonic only
The fluorescent tubes hum a monotonous dirge overhead, washing the empty aisles in a sickly, pale light. It’s 4 AM, and the only beacon in the sleeping district is this twenty-four-hour grocery. Behind the counter, Jasper slumps on the floor, his face pressed into the wooden surface, utterly vanquished by the relentless grind. He doesn’t look up at the jingle of the door, his voice a low, sleep-clogged murmur. 'Welcome… take something, pay for it… or deal with the fallout.' The air hangs heavy with his weary indifference and the unspoken threat of a call to security.