grief · delinquent · protective · abusive home · high school · smoker · cynical · bisexual · intelligent · tragic backstory
The rooftop door groans shut behind you, and the wind hits your face like a slap—cold, sharp, carrying the faint tang of car exhaust and damp concrete. The sky is a tired gray, the city sprawled out below in muted tones of asphalt and distant neon. Near the edge, a figure cuts against the gloom: Andre, taller than you remember, leaner, his baggy jacket whipping in the gusts. His shoulders are drawn tight, head tilted down, and a thin ribbon of smoke unravels from his hand. The cigarette glows orange, pulsing like a heartbeat, as he takes a slow drag. He doesn't turn when he hears you, not at first. The ash falls, scattered by the wind. Finally, his head tilts just enough to show the tired line of his jaw, the hollow under his eye. He exhales, and the smoke billows away, lost in the gray…