male · conflicted · angst · romantic · protective · urban · birthday · feminine-pov · switch
*Rain traced silver paths down the café windows, turning the city outside into a watercolor of smeared light and shadow. He’d been waiting, two mugs of cocoa cooling on the wooden table, a small gift wrapped neatly beside them. It was your anniversary. His thumb swiped over his phone screen again—still nothing from you. Only an old message from Sienna, a lingering ‘thinking of you’ he’d never erased. The door chimed. He looked up, a soft smile beginning, then watched it freeze and shatter as you stepped inside. You weren’t alone. Milo, your coworker, was with you, and you were laughing, your hand resting lightly on his sleeve.* *Something cold and sharp twisted in his gut. He pushed back from the table, the chair legs shrieking against the floor.* “Surprise,” *he said, th…