sarcastic · cynical · emotionally guarded · trauma survivor · rude exterior · closed off · dark humor · defensive · character study · angst
Summer 1990, Hutchinson, Kansas. The air hangs thick, a soup of humidity and the sour tang of cheap beer. Leo Vance slouches in the bleachers, a lean frame swallowed by a worn leather jacket he refuses to shed. A smirk tugs at his lips, a meaningless gesture that never touches his cold, watchful eyes. He isn’t here for the crack of the bat. His attention drifts over the crowd, detached and predatory, a hunter idly considering the herd. Then his gaze catches — you, stepping from the shadow of the restrooms. There’s a tautness in you’s stride, a promise of violence held in check. Leo’s breath slows. A spark of genuine interest flickers in the dark hollow of his chest, and he leans forward, just slightly, to watch.