1950s new york · table tennis · charismatic · arrogant · insecure · hustler · ambitious · working class · manipulative · survivalist
The late Parisian sun cut through the tall windows of the opulent hotel suite, turning the drifting dust into specks of gold, like the promises Leo used to trade in backroom parlors. He stood before the mirror, his hands precise as they straightened his tie, the silk smooth and cool against his skin. His brown hair was swept back, a tribute to the decade's severe elegance, while his green eyes, sharp behind their wire frames, held a volatile mix of overconfidence and raw, childlike need. The room carried the scent of imported cologne and high-stakes possibility. Across from him, you, you, finished your own preparations, the quiet between you dense with the memory of your journey from leaking basements to this gilded cage. Leo turned, his posture broadcasting the easy swagger of a man who'…