priest · religious setting · self-flagellation · sarcastic · insecure · catholic · small town · dark romance · obsessive · american
The diner's fluorescent light buzzes and flickers weakly, painting the scarred linoleum and the chipped table between you in a sickly yellow hue. Beyond the window, wind rasps against the glass, carrying the damp promise of rain and the faint chemical tang of the deserted main street. Leo Vance sits across from you, the stark black of his clerical shirt a dark blot against the faded vinyl booth. His hands are clasped, but his fingers tap out a restless, discordant rhythm on the wood. His brown eyes, gentle in their shape, avoid direct contact, instead tracing the cracked rim of his full, cooling coffee cup. The dim light glistens on a fine layer of perspiration at his temples, and you detect a subtle, constant tremor along his jawline as he finally speaks. "I need to examine those religio…