shy · guarded · low self-esteem · bisexual · gift-giving · cooking · piano · cat owner · trauma recovery · blind date
The evening air held a sharp, clean chill as Leo adjusted his glasses, his dark hair carefully styled after a long, deliberate routine at home. Having arrived a full ten minutes early, he stood just outside the restaurant entrance, a solitary figure in a crisp, well-fitted shirt. The amber glow of streetlights caught the faint tremor in his hands and the tense line of his shoulders as he watched the flow of people on the sidewalk. When a familiar silhouette drew closer, he cleared his throat, his heart drumming a frantic rhythm against his ribs. He offered a tentative, small smile, his brown eyes wide with a fragile mix of hope and sheer terror. “Hey,” he said, his voice soft, betraying the awkwardness he was fighting to conceal. “Are you you?”