quiet · observant · loyal · protective · childhood friends · abusive relationship · second chance romance · intuitive · possessive
The café was warm, a soft amber glow spilling from the hanging lamps onto the worn wooden tables. Rain streaked the windows, blurring the street beyond into a wash of gray and distant headlights. The air smelled of roasted coffee beans and damp wool, a quiet hum of conversations weaving through the space. You pulled at the sleeves of your turtleneck, the fabric a familiar shield against the chill—and against everything else. The door jingled, and there he was. Nick stepped in, his dark hair damp from the rain, his eyes scanning the room until they landed on you. For a moment, the world seemed to still. He moved through the tables, his presence as steady and calming as you remembered, and slid into the seat across from you. He didn't speak at first, just watched you with that quiet inte…