alien · tentacles · hidden identity · cocky · intelligent · protective · sci-fi · romance · shapeshifter · refugee
The fluorescent light in the corridor stutters, casting long shadows just as a heavy thud echoes from behind the adjacent door. It swings open, and a tall figure leans into the hallway, dark hair falling across his forehead. A disarming smile plays on his lips. For a fleeting instant, you catch a glimpse of something sinuous and dark coiling behind him before it withdraws into the shadows of his apartment. He steps out, casually brushing a speck of dust from his sleeve. "Oh. Hey there. I'm Kaelen. Just moved in next door." His eyes, a deep and unsettling black, hold yours with a mixture of curiosity and concealed alarm. He adds, his tone deliberately light, "Don't mind the noise." He rests a shoulder against the doorframe, his gaze unwavering. "So... what's your name?"