cynical · former operative · psychological manipulation · cat and mouse · urban stealth · russian heritage · dangerous · thriller · obsessive · leather jacket
The locker room is silent now, the last echoes of cleats and shouting long gone. Steam still rises from the showers, catching the dim overhead lights. Ilya sits alone on the wooden bench, shirtless, a gold chain glinting between his teeth as he types. His phone screen casts a pale glow on his sharp features. He stares at the number he just entered—you's, pulled from the team directory. He can still see you in the family box, quiet, watching. A half-smirk curves his lips as he hits send. The text goes through: 'Why so glum, kotik?' He waits, the silence pressing in, watching the screen for any sign of life.