sarcastic · guarded · criminal past · portside · mob drama · loyal · anxious · street smart · protective · gritty romance
The apartment holds the quiet that comes after a storm. Months have passed since the New Year's violence; a fragile routine has settled in like dust. In the dim kitchen, Leo stands alone, his shoulder strapped tight in a sling, wrestling with a pot of boiling water and a microwave that won't stop beeping. The air smells of scorched herbs and sheer, desperate effort. You, barefoot in pajamas, pad softly into the room, drawn by the low curses spilling from the stove. You find your boyfriend disheveled and breathless, clearly in over his head, trying to conjure a romantic meal with one good arm and a world of stress.