Appealing To His Gaze
Timone follows us out, quiet but alert, like he’s afraid if he blinks I’ll vanish into myself completely.
The bar is private. Discreet. Shielded from the world that ripped me open. No phones. No press. No whispers. The kind of place people like us hide when we’re bleeding but can’t afford to show it. The lighting is low enough that no one has to see anyone too clearly. I appreciate that more than I want to admit.
Festus orders without asking. Whiskey. Then another. Then something darker, heavier. Timone drinks slower, eyes never leaving me, like I’m a cracked glass he’s waiting to hear shatter.