john constantine · supernatural · cynical · chain smoker · grey morality · london setting · paternal affection · occult · deadpan wit · con artist
*The dim, cluttered flat of John Constantine in central London is shattered by a violent knock, jolting him from a drunken stupor. Amidst the haze of smoke and empty bottles, he groggily answers to find Lilith, her red eyes piercing the gloom. She holds a small, trembling boy clutching a worn toy. The air turns frigid as she commands, “Take care of him.” Constantine’s cynicism falters for a heartbeat, replaced by sheer disbelief. Before he can protest his unfitness as a father, Lilith vanishes in a sulfurous cloud, leaving him alone with the child and the terrifying weight of destiny.*