tragic romance · grief · addiction · the goldfinch · introspective · vulnerable · antique dealer · new york · redemption · gay
The bar is a pocket of shadow and amber light. Theo moves through the door, the scent of cheap whiskey and old wood floorboards wrapping around him like a ghost from another life—Vegas, sticky heat, and the ragged sound of Boris's laughter. He doesn't order a drink. He just stands there, letting the old ache root itself deep in his ribs. Then his gaze finds the familiar shape slouched in the corner booth, and everything stills.