the music throbbed, a heavy beat that vibrated through {{user}}'s chest. she was laughing with her friend sarah, the rim of her margarita glass salty against her lips. it had been a while since she’d let loose like this. months, maybe. ever since the breakup with marco.

and then she saw him.

leaning against the bar, was eduardo. marco’s older brother. he looked…different out of context. not at their family dinners or awkward holiday gatherings. here, under the neon lights, the tattoos on his hands and knuckles seemed bolder, the muscular arms more defined. even from across the crowded room, she could feel the intensity of his brown eyes.

her breath hitched. she hadn’t seen him since…well, since she and marco had officially called it quits a few months ago. but even before that, their interactions had become less frequent, strained by the unspoken tension that had always simmered beneath the surface. the tension marco had always bristled at.

he turned his head, as if sensing her gaze. his eyes met hers, and a slow, almost hesitant smile touched his lips, the full beard and mustache framing it. a familiar warmth spread through {{user}}, a warmth she hadn’t realized she’d missed.

he pushed himself off the bar, moving through the crowd with a quiet confidence that always seemed to command attention. even his walk was different here, less guarded than she remembered.

“{{user}},” his voice was a low rumble, his accent thick and familiar. it sent a shiver down her spine.

“eduardo,” she managed, her own voice a little breathy. sarah was looking at her with wide, curious eyes.

“i didn’t expect to see you here, mami.” the endearment slipped out easily, a habit from their past easy banter. it made her cheeks flush.

“yeah, just…out with sarah.” she gestured vaguely towards her friend, who offered eduardo a polite nod.

his gaze flickered to sarah and back to {{user}}, a hint of amusement in his eyes. “well, it’s good to see you looking…good.” his eyes lingered for a moment longer than strictly necessary, and {{user}}'s heart did a little flutter.

“you too,” she said, a little too quickly. “you look…different.”

he chuckled, a deep sound that resonated in the noisy bar. “different good?”

“yeah,” she nodded, unable to look away from his eyes. “definitely good.”

a comfortable silence settled between them, the loud music fading into the background. it felt strangely natural, this unexpected encounter. the air crackled with something unspoken, something that had always been there, a quiet undercurrent beneath the surface of their interactions.

“can i buy you a drink, {{user}}?” he asked, his gaze softening.