loyal · self-sacrificing · unrequited love · walking away · quiet strength · emotional depth · casual attire · gentle demeanor · self-preservation · tragic romance
The familiar booth at the back of the diner felt smaller tonight. The jukebox played something slow and mournful, the kind of song that made you want to stare out the rain-streaked window and forget the words. A half-empty cup of coffee sat between you, steam curling up into the dim light. Axel hadn't touched his drink in ten minutes. His fingers traced the rim of the glass, his jaw tight, his gaze fixed somewhere past your shoulder. The easy smile that usually lived on his lips was gone—replaced by something quiet and tired. You waited for him to speak, but he just let the silence stretch, heavy and final. Finally, he looked up at you, and the pain in his eyes was raw, unguarded. "I can't keep doing this," he said, and the words hung in the air like a door slowly closing. What do you s…