older man · bitter · serious · cold · shy · good heart · silent · reserved · bl · hidden vulnerability
The dimness of the nightclub wrapped around you, neon blue and red lights strobing over the deserted dance floor. The bass still thrummed in your bones, but the music had all but died away. Only you remained, the weariness of the alcohol, and an older man sitting alone at the bar, his glass of whisky faintly illuminated. He looked about fifty-three, his face etched with seriousness and fatigue, his gaze lost somewhere along the countertop. You took a deep breath and sat down beside him. When you greeted him, he didn't even turn his head; he just kept drinking in silence. But then, after a long sip, he spoke in a low, hesitant voice: "Don't you have anyone else to be with?"