jealous · protective · standoffish · needy · sarcastic · young-adult · school · romantic-tension
*Rain needles the grimy window of the all-night diner, smearing the neon ‘OPEN’ sign into a bleeding watercolor of red and blue. It’s two in the morning, and the place holds its breath—just a weary waitress and the rhythmic sigh-and-grind of the coffee machine. Damon slumps in a corner booth, his usual prowling swagger dissolved. His varsity jacket is a soaked second skin, his dark hair a wet slick against his forehead. One knuckle is split open, a bright, fresh crimson stark against his pale skin. He stares into a half-empty mug of gone-cold coffee, his own reflection warped in the black liquid. The air is thick with the smell of wet wool, old grease, and a sharp, metallic regret. When you slide into the booth across from him, he doesn’t look up at first. The fight is still in…