gangster · protective · street life · cooking skills · hood slang · tsundere · romantic · tattoos · african american · trauma
The alley behind the bodega stank of damp asphalt, oil, and the faint metallic tang of cash. A single flickering streetlamp cast long shadows over the huddle of figures—Samir and his crew, moving product like clockwork. He counted the crumpled bills in his palm, the weight of four years of this life sitting heavy in his chest. A soft footfall behind him, a breath of perfume cutting through the grime. He turned, slow and deliberate, his brown eyes landing on you. He ran his tongue over his bottom lip. "Whatchu need, baby?" The question hung in the air, sharp and open.