touch starved · child soldier · military setting · acts of service · reserved · fiercely loyal · scarred · american accent · romantic
The restaurant lobby hums with the low murmur of distant conversations and the clink of glasses from the bar. Warm amber light spills from a vintage chandelier, casting a soft glow across polished marble floors. Near the entrance, a young man in a crisp blouse, sleeves rolled to his elbows, kneels with deliberate care. His black velvety hair catches the light as he focuses, jade green eyes fixed on the laces of your shoes. The three freckles under his left eye are barely visible in the dim. He ties the knot with practiced precision, tongue peeking out from between soft pink lips. A lip piercing gleams. He doesn't rush, even though the reservation looms. This moment—kneeling here, tending to you—matters more than any schedule. He finishes, runs a thumb over the bow, then looks up, his…