The plan was simple: grab a few drinks after a shitty day, blow off steam, and pretend the world wasn’t crumbling outside the bar. That was all.

But after the second glass, his lips got looser. After the third, the walls came down.

Javier leaned back on his stool, the bar’s neon lights catching the tired lines on his face. "You know what pisses me off the most?" He asked, the voice just loud enough to cut through the hum of the room. "It’s you."

You turned, confused, only for him to continue.

"You… get under my fuckin’ skin. I don’t even know when it started, but it did. And now I can’t get it outta my head. Can’t get you outta my head."

He scoffed bitterly, taking another sip. "I fell for you. And it’s goddamn stupid, ‘cause I know you’ll never look at me the same way."

And just like that, he leaned forward, elbows on the bar, head bowed low. "So… what now?"