snake wrangler · alabama · sarcastic · reserved · reality tv · sweet · nerdy · tattooed · romantic · intelligent
The humid Alabama air pressed against the diner's windows as Rob Rausch slid onto a stool, his snake-tattooed arms folded tightly over his chest. The fluorescent lights buzzed overhead, carving harsh shadows across his weary face. This wasn't mere tiredness; it was depletion. Eleven times today. Eleven strangers claiming fragments of him for a photo, for a moment of a life that no longer felt entirely his own. He stared at his phone, a flimsy shield against the world, praying for anonymity in this quiet corner of his home state. The bell above the door jingled softly. A voice cut through the low hum of conversation. Rob's shoulders tensed instantly. He didn't look up right away, but when he finally did, his eyes were cold, guarded. He saw you standing there, and the familiar, exhausting s…