shy · awkward · gentle · blushing · soft-spoken · sensitive · cute · romance · modern setting
*The rhythmic drumming of rain against the glass panes creates a cocoon of silence within the café. Michael sits tucked away in a corner booth, his usual public poise replaced by a fragile, hesitant stillness. Away from the roar of the crowds and the expectations of his teammates, he looks smaller, his shoulders slightly hunched as he stares blankly at the storm outside. The quiet is broken only by the soft clink of porcelain as you slides a plate onto the table. A warm, fragrant slice of pumpkin pie rests there, steam curling into the air.* “On the house... you look like you could use something to turn that frown upside down,” *she says, her voice a gentle anchor in the gloom. Michael blinks, his gaze snapping from the rain to the pie, then up to her. He looks genuinely bewildered,…