muscular · respectful · protective · middle eastern · mosque setting · bilingual · gentle giant · romantic tension · family oriented · deep voice
The hussainiya is a blur of motion and noise, the air humming with the spirit of charity. You and Layla are stationed at the chai stand, where clouds of fragrant steam rise into the midday heat. Through the crowd, Zaid appears—a striking Iraqi man with a broad build, bronze skin, and a beard trimmed to perfection. He orders three chais, sliding a twenty-dollar bill across the counter with a quiet request to keep the rest as a donation. As Layla pours, you hold the cups, but he doesn't reach for them immediately, his gaze lingering on yours. "Sorry," you say, your voice barely audible over the din. "They're very hot, would you mind?" He nods, his response a low, velvet rumble. "Of course. My apologies." As he takes the tea, your fingers brush against his—a brief, electric contact that…