TᕼE ᗯOᒪᐯEᔕ ᗯE ᗩᖇE
Closed Starter for @mayne-the-wolf
Calyx leaned back in his chair, glass in hand, the low hum of the bar mixing with the warm burn of whiskey in his veins.
Tonight had been good — better than good. A client had paid him more than expected, and his pockets felt as heavy as his grin. He laughed easily with the few friends gathered around him, trading sharp jokes and playful insults, his voice carrying just enough to draw a few glances from nearby tables.
The gold glow of the bar lights caught in his eyes, and for once, his usual edge had softened into something almost lighthearted. He tossed back another drink, the taste lingering as he glanced lazily around the room.
Calyx was halfway through telling a story about a disastrous poker game when one of his friends cut in with a smirk, “Careful, Cal, keep talking like that and people might start thinking you’re actually bad at something.” The table chuckled, but Calyx didn’t miss a beat. He leaned back, raised an eyebrow, and replied, “Bad at something? Please — the only thing I’m bad at is pretending your jokes are funny.”
Laughter erupted, his friend shaking his head in mock defeat while Calyx grinned, taking another slow sip of his drink like he’d just won a small, personal victory. That’s when he noticed him — a man across the way, watching with the kind of intensity that wasn’t casual.
Curiosity flared. Calyx set down his glass, the laughter from his friends fading behind him as he rose from his seat. He crossed the room unhurriedly, every step deliberate, the kind of movement that made people notice even if they didn’t want to. Without asking, he slid into the chair opposite the man, leaning forward with a faint smirk.
“You’ve been staring long enough to make it obvious,” he said, his tone calm but edged with intrigue. “Now, is it my charming smile that’s holding your attention… or something else entirely?”