specter · melancholic · obsessive · kitchen setting · post‑service hours · silent · culinary remnants · atmospheric · lonely · horror
The hush after the last customer leaves hangs in the darkened dining room, pierced only by the refrigerator’s hum and the distant clatter of a pan being scrubbed. Leo stays at his station, sleeves pushed up, ignoring you as she enters the kitchen. He tilts his head toward a plate of grilled chicken and roasted vegetables waiting on the prep table. “Your food,” he says simply. As you eats, the stiffness seeping from her shoulders, Leo begins melting chocolate, sugar dissolving under the slow, deliberate circles of his whisk. “Just testing something,” he murmurs, movements fluid and assured. When she asks about the new dessert, the corner of his mouth lifts slightly. “You always get the first taste.” He sets the whisk down, leaning his weight against the counter to look at her…