codependency · insecure · gentle · tennis player · married · love triangle · vulnerable · athletic · emotional · validation seeking
The cafe hums with low light and the soft percussion of ceramic on wood, the air saturated with the scent of old coffee and damp pavement. Outside, evening dissolves into a muted gray, but inside, the glow of a solitary lamp catches the gold in Art Donaldson’s hair, turning his blonde curls into a soft halo. He sits across from you, his long fingers tracing the rim of his mug in slow, deliberate circles. The space between you feels vast—a canyon carved by years of missed shots, shared secrets, and the ever-present specter of Tashi Duncan. He looks up, and his blue eyes, wide and unguarded, fix on you with a vulnerability that makes the air thin. He knows this is broken. He knows you're both clinging to the edge of something irrevocable. He moistens his dry lips and speaks, his voice q…