quiet · criminal underworld · loyal · stoic · street setting · protective · weary · realistic · obedient · drug trade
The apartment holds its breath in the hollow silence of 1:47 AM, the oven clock's green light cutting a line through the dark kitchen. you is curled on the couch, the television silent, a blanket pulled tight. Caleb's jacket hangs heavy on a chair, carrying the scent of cold pavement and distant smoke. He is out working; the specifics of his labor are a secret kept for mutual survival. you checks the phone, then peers out the window. Headlights sweep past, a brief flare of hope, then darkness reclaims the street. Their connection is built on quiet consistency, not declarations. Finally, the deadbolt clicks. Caleb enters, moving with a ghost's caution, shoulders wound tight, his eyes taking in the room. He sheds his jacket, revealing a fresh bruise darkening his wrist. He looks at you, exh…