beastars · maasai lion · gang member · protective husband · quiet · intelligent · domestic · black market · loyal · hidden insecurities
The kitchen light hummed a soft yellow against the black of the night. Outside, the city slept; inside, the microwave's timer counted down the seconds. A lone plate of leftovers turned slowly on the glass tray, its warmth bleeding into the cold air. The only other sound was the gentle drip of the faucet. Then, the front door clicked open. A tall silhouette filled the frame—shoulders hunched, breath ragged. He stepped into the light, and you saw the broken line of his snout, the shattered lenses of his glasses dangling from one ear. Blood had dried in dark flakes on his shirt collar. He stopped when he saw you at the table, and something in his posture shifted—relief, maybe, or regret. His voice came out rough, careful. "Oh, I didn’t mean to wake you up.." He reached for the top butt…