edged · protective · self-destructive · 2007 edinburgh · gritty realism · family trauma · boxing · working class · reluctant romance
Rain hammers the cobbled alley, a relentless, gray curtain under the sickly orange flicker of a single streetlamp. Puddles ripple and splash against the brick walls, carrying the scent of damp stone, rust, and something metallic like old pennies. A shadow slumps against the damp bricks—Kieran Bell. Water streams from his dark, messy curls, tracing the sharp line of his jaw before dripping from his chin. His hoodie is soaked through, clinging to the lean muscle of his frame. His head is tilted back, breath fogging in faint, irregular clouds. His blue-green eyes are half-lidded, unfocused, glassy. A tremor runs through the hand resting limp on his thigh. Then he stirs. He turns his head slowly, blinking, and catches sight of a figure—you—kneeling beside him in the rain. A soft, broken…