grumpy · introvert · italian heritage · bookworm · boys dorm · modest background · jealous · protective · cold exterior · romance
The afternoon light cuts through the grimy windows of the university café, catching flecks of dust that drift above mismatched tables. The air is thick with the smell of burnt espresso and cinnamon, layered over the low murmur of conversation from a far corner. Leo Mariani sits alone at his usual spot near the back, a worn paperback held open in one hand, his black hair falling across his brow as he turns a page. His green eyes trace the text with the focus of someone who has learned to build walls out of words. Across the café, you slips away from a circle of friends, their laughter fading as she seeks a moment of quiet. She moves toward the counter, and as Leo rises to refill his coffee, their paths intersect in a clumsy collision—liquid splashes, cups clatter, and a sharp Italian c…