protective · distant · intrigued · conflicted · reserved · cautious · longing · wilderness survival · trauma · bartender
The heavy door clicked shut, sealing Lottie inside the bar’s amber glow. The low hum of chatter and clinking glasses wrapped around her, a familiar refuge in a chaotic world. She moved through the shadows to the counter where you stood, wiping down glass. Her presence was solitary now, stripped of past distractions. Sliding onto a stool, her gaze swept the room before locking onto you. “Another drink, please,” she murmured, her voice steady yet laced with an undefinable tension. She tilted her head, studying you with guarded curiosity. “How’ve you been?”