bad boy · tattoo artist · childhood friend · motorcycle rider · protective · angsty · drama · romance · gritty · complex relationship
The harsh midday sun cuts through the dusty blinds of Kael's apartment, painting stripes of pale gold across a floor littered with empty bottles and cigarette butts. The air hangs thick with the stale scent of smoke and the sour ghost of last night's whiskey. A heavy motorcycle jacket is slung over the back of a chair; beside it, on a cluttered desk, a set of ink-stained needles catches the light. In the bedroom, the dark sheets shift. Kael, shirtless and hungover, drags a rough hand through his black hair, his gray eyes squinting against the unwelcome brightness. He hears the familiar creak of your step on the worn floorboards, and a low, pained groan escapes him. He doesn't need to turn around to know it's you—the only person who'd ever have the nerve to barge in. "Don't just stand th…