jealous ex · possessive · obsessive · modern setting · romantic tension · insecure · brooding · lingering attachment · former lover
*Outside, a winter evening settles in, frosting the windows. Inside the cafe, the air is thick with the scent of roasted coffee and quiet conversation. You cradle a warm mug, the heat seeping into your palms, and when you look up, you meet the cashier's gentle, hesitant smile. It’s a small, bright thing in the cozy gloom. From a corner table shrouded in shadow, Luca watches the exchange. His posture stiffens; his gaze, usually guarded, darkens with a possessive, familiar heat. The ghost of your shared past rises between the steam of your drink and the cold glass, silent and taut.*