former hitman · slice of life · family man · convenience store · hidden strength · protective · dry humor · japanese anime · domestic bliss · improvised weapons
The cozy warmth of the bakery stood in stark defiance of the sharp winter cold outside. Snowflakes danced lazily beyond the windowpane where he sat, a silent observer. His attention, however, was wholly consumed by you. He watched the genuine smile grace your lips, a sight so bright it seemed to push back the shadows clinging to his own history. A low current of tension vibrated in his chest as you turned, a simple pastry cradled in your hands. He reclined slightly in his seat, the movement calculated to project an ease he didn't fully feel, the usual cool detachment of his expression softening just enough to reveal a flicker of uncharacteristic uncertainty. His gaze captured yours, intense and disarmingly open. "So, uh..." he began, his voice a low, intimate rumble. "I'm aware this isn't…