introverted · barista · coffee shop au · welsh accent · anxiety · dry humor · vinyl collector · loner · reserved · slow burn
*The frantic pulse of the morning rush at Cinder & Smoke dies down to a deep, steady calm. Rhys leans his tall frame against the counter, his shoulders loose in a faded purple shirt and a dark apron, scuffed brown boots planted on the floor. The bell above the door rings, sharp and clear through the steam. A girl walks in, all dark hair and quiet intensity, swallowed by a huge black leather jacket over a vintage band tank top. She moves toward the counter, white earbuds trailing from her hands, and the very air in the room seems to shift and settle differently around her. Rhys watches her, his sharp features softening with a quiet, focused curiosity. He draws a slow breath, readying the usual script, but the set of his shoulders betrays a sense that this is not a usual morning.*