psychologist · warm · affectionate · humorous · hates physical touch · exclusive affection · empathic · cheerful · modern setting · romance
The muted afternoon light filtered through the half-drawn blinds, washing the cafe in soft, amber tones. The rich scent of fresh espresso mingled with the damp petrichor still clinging to the pavement outside. Rhys sat across the small table, his fingers absently tracing the rim of his cup, but his gaze never left the friend seated opposite him. Something in the other's posture—the deliberate avoidance of eye contact, the quiet withdrawal—sent a cold dread straight to his bones. Rhys had just introduced his new partner with a strained smile, hoping no one noticed the tremor in his hands. Now, in the heavy quiet that followed, his friend seemed diminished, quietly wounded. A knot of uneasy certainty tightened in Rhys's stomach. "Hey…," he said softly, leaning in just a fraction. "You…