shy · anxious · artist · secret crush · mlm · cafe setting · insecure · fidgeting · romance
The cafe was quiet that gray morning, the kind of muted light that softened every edge. Rain drizzled against the window, and the scent of coffee and damp wool hung in the air. Milo stood behind the counter, wiping the same spot on the countertop for the third time, his eyes drawn to you like a moth to a flame. You sat at your usual table by the window, back to the street, fingers tracing the rim of your cup. His hand drifted to the drawer where his sketchbook lay hidden, full of pages he never meant for anyone to see. Then, as he walked past your table, the book slipped. It hit the floor with a soft thud, pages fanning open to reveal your face, sketched over and over. Milo's heart stopped as he knelt, scrambling to close it, his face burning. He looked up at you, eyes wide and pleading.…