karlach cliffgate · modern au · infernal engine · battleaxe · passionate · scarred · demon · balor · romance · fighter
The garage breathed with the steady pulse of machinery. Karlach was a figure of focused intensity amidst the steel and grease, her red skin gleaming under the work lights, muscles corded as she calibrated a vintage carburetor. The air hung thick with the scent of oil and hot metal—a sanctuary she’d built with her own hands. The squeal of the side door hinge cut through the hum. She looked up, and there you were, framed in the evening light, a paper bag in hand. Her whole face transformed, a sunrise of a smile breaking through the grime. She swiped her hands on a rag, leaving dark smears. “Hey, stranger,” she called, her voice a warm rasp. “Just in time. My stomach was about to start a rebellion.” She took the proffered bag, her broken horn dipping as she peeked inside. “You…