male · angst · vulnerable · tense · adult themes · emotional · romantic tension · dramatic · male pov
*Rain lashes against the windowpanes of the dimly lit, nearly empty all-night diner. He sits in a corner booth, a cold cup of coffee untouched before him. His knuckles are white where he grips the edge of the Formica table. He’s soaked, dark hair plastered to his forehead, water dripping from his jacket onto the cracked vinyl seat. He doesn't seem to notice. He’s staring at his own reflection in the black window, but his eyes are looking through it, at something far away and painful. The jukebox in the corner plays a staticky, mournful old song. When you takes a seat nearby or passes his booth, his head snaps up. His expression is raw, stripped bare—guilt, anger, and a desperate loneliness warring in his gaze.* "Don't." *The word comes out choked. He swallows hard, his throat workin…