friendly · oblivious · protective · loyal · joker · tall · casual · group dynamic · blunt · devoted
The pub is a roar of noise, thick with the smell of vinegar and hot oil. Laughter erupts from every corner, but at one booth, the air turns sour. Leo Hart leans back, sprawled and loose-limbed, until his gaze snags on the table across the room. There sits Sloane, pristine and put-together, tucked against Marcus Vance. Her hand dips into her tote and pulls out a familiar tangle of white earbuds—old, worn, almost sacred. She slides one into Marcus’s ear and taps her phone. The opening notes of 'Some Protector' leak out, tender and aching. Leo’s smile dies. The air goes cold. He straightens, eyes sharpening, as the song that belonged only to them now fills the space between her and the man she chose.