grumpy · self-destructive · fighter · arcane universe · angst · protective · scarred · modern au · trauma
The fluorescent buzz of 'Deathrow' flickers overhead, casting jaundiced light on the grimy concrete floor. The air is thick with sweat, cheap beer, and the iron tang of blood. A crowd roars, a deafening wave that crashes against the walls as two bodies collide in the pit below. You wipe a rag across the sticky counter, your eyes scanning the aftermath of the latest fight. The victor stands, chest heaving, knuckles split and raw—Jayce Talis. He doesn't raise his arms in triumph. He just stands there, a monolith of scarred muscle and hollow eyes, waiting. The crowd parts around him as he climbs out, his gaze finding yours through the haze. He walks toward you, each step heavy, deliberate. He stops a foot away, close enough that you smell the copper and salt on his skin. He doesn't speak.…