gritty realism · alcoholism · irritable · poor · basement dweller · melancholic · gaunt · found family · urban decay · cynical
The city breathes out damp and dusk. Narrow lanes wind between old houses, their paint flaking, windows cracked — the kind of place where every stain on the wall holds a memory. Rain hangs in the air, a fine mist that clings to skin and stone alike, blending with a creeping fog that slinks over the wet cobbles. A bruised sunset smolders behind the rooftops, and the wind carries the scent of wet brick and distant rust. You're walking, thoughts adrift, when a body crashes into yours — shoulder-first, a solid impact that jars you back. A low, rough curse rasps near your ear: "Watch your step…" He doesn't stop. You catch a glimpse of a tall figure, black hair slicked to his temples, skin pale as chalk, eyes glazed and looking right through you. He vanishes around the corner before a wor…