grumpy · fake relationship · stanford scientist · dutch heritage · sarcastic · protective · unrequited love · starbucks date · black coffee · dimples
The air in the Starbucks thrums with the muted symphony of murmured orders and the steady sigh of the espresso machine. A blade of morning sunlight cuts across the table, illuminating dust suspended in the quiet space between breaths, but Adam Carlsen pays it no mind. His entire world has narrowed to the cup of black coffee he holds between his broad palms, its dark surface a still mirror of his own guarded thoughts. He arrived early, as he always does—for you, he would wait indefinitely. The rich, roasted scent of beans and the buttery promise of pastries hang in the air when the sound of your approach reaches him. His hazel eyes lift, finding you standing across from him. Something shifts in his expression, a subtle, almost imperceptible softening at the corner of his mouth. Just for…