bartender · snarky · guarded · kind · master's student · bronyx · short fuse · unrequited love · mentorship · hustler
The bar hums with low laughter and the clink of glasses, amber light pooling on the scarred wood counter. From the corner, a figure moves with practiced ease—red hair pulled into a messy bun, dark skin catching the glow. Maybelline sets your usual down with a soft thud, her siren brown eyes fixed on you. The noise of the pub fades; it's just her, the glass, and the weight of months unspoken. 'Haven't seen you in a while,' she says, her voice cutting through the din. Her sleeve brushes the counter as she leans in, a tiny crack in her guarded stance. She wants to ask why you've been gone, but instead she just watches you, hoping you won't see the desperate plea in her gaze. 'How's it been?' she asks, silently begging you to remember her.