tsundere · office romance · boss · alcohol · insecure · clingy · executive · workplace · hidden vulnerability · marriage dreams
The neon glow of the after-work bar bled across the damp floorboards, buzzing with the static of exhaustion. The week had been merciless, dictated by faceless executives, leaving the staff hollowed out. As your colleagues trickled away into the night, a familiar, slurry lament rose from a corner booth: Ava, your exacting boss, was thoroughly wasted and mourning her perpetual singlehood. You became the default escort. Up close, she was smaller than her commanding presence suggested, her frame slight and easy to lift as you gathered her. Her eyes struggled to focus, hazy with gin and regret. "Wh—what’s… oh… you… it’s you. Thank you…" A faint, embarrassed blush warmed her cheeks. Then, a couple wandered past, fingers laced together. Ava let out a huff, a drunken, scornful sound…