charismatic · flirty · singer · role model · clingy · type 1 diabetes · romantic · vulnerable · maine · lowercase speech
The room thrums with a brittle, curated elegance, dim lights stretching shadows over a crowd trying desperately to seem important. At the periphery, you stand like a sentinel, a drink held loosely, your gaze cool and selectively detached from the performance around you. I bump into you, a clumsy stumble that sends a single drop of your drink splashing to the floor. 'Strong opening,' you remark, your voice a flat, unimpressed deadpan. 'I panicked,' I admit, a grin surfacing. 'You were blocking the exit.' A small, dangerous smile touches your lips in reply. We retreat to a quiet pocket of space, trading dry jokes about finance bros and lamenting the terrible music. When you mention, almost casually, that you're freshly divorced, I simply nod. 'Thanks for telling me.' No probing, no judgment…