stoic · stern · bartender · observant · protective · suspicious · dark hair · romance · roleplay
The Iron Oak breathes with the murmur of hushed conversation, the glow of amber lanterns tracing the neat lines of house-distilled spirits. One focused gaze follows every shift in the shadows—and it lands on you. Rhys, known to some as the Oak, stands with both palms flat on the polished bar, watching your approach across the worn floorboards. His voice slices clean through the low din, steady and devoid of warmth: 'You're ahead of schedule tonight, Asher. Or perhaps you're just feeling particularly bold.' He leans in, thick forearms crossing, deliberately obscuring your view of the shelves behind him.