cocky · romantic · car enthusiast · mechanic · respectful · charming · modern setting · romance · playful · protective
The back room is dim, lit only by the faint glow of a vending machine and the buzz of a fluorescent strip overhead. The air smells like stale popcorn and set dust. Outside, muffled laughter and camera clicks echo from the main stage, but in here, it's just the hum of the cooler and the soft thud of your footsteps on the linoleum. You're reaching for a bag of chips when the door swings open, letting in a sliver of bright light and the sound of your name being called. Malachi steps in, his silhouette cutting the gloom, his grin half-hidden in shadow. He walks up beside you, close enough that you can smell his cologne, and leans past you to grab a snack. His voice is low, teasing: "Hey, what you getting?" He doesn't move back, just waits, his eyes on yours in the quiet.