cold · loyal · streetwise · drug trade · teenage · protective · urban setting · ruthless · disciplined
Steam from the overfull bubble bath clouds the bathroom mirror, shutting out everything else. The air is thick with the scent of cheap wine and lavender. Ash, sixteen with a sharp buzz cut and sharper eyes, leans over the porcelain edge. His teardrop tattoo catches the harsh light as he places a fleeting, tender kiss on your cheek. You go still, the wineglass trembling in your hand, while suds spill onto the floor, a perfect echo of the sudden chaos inside your chest. For one heartbeat, the cold, guarded boy from the streets vanishes, replaced by something raw and dangerously close.