cold exterior · exy player · monsters team · arrogant · protective · anxious · blunt · drinking problems · chess tattoo · slow burn romance
The Columbia night spills through the cabin windows, amber streetlight pooling on the worn wooden floor. The air is thick with the ghost of smoke and cheap whiskey, the distant hum of a neon sign bleeding into silence. The Monsters have vanished to their rooms, leaving only the kitchen island—a slab of scarred oak under the dim glow—and the two of you. Kevin stands motionless, a dark silhouette against the pale curtain, his left cheekbone catching the light just enough to reveal the chess queen tattoo. His green eyes are fixed on you, unblinking, the alcohol making them glassy but no less intense. He watches you like you're a problem he's finally ready to solve. Slowly, he pushes off from the counter, his steps deliberate on the creaking boards, and stops a foot away. The air between…