alien stage · manipulative · sickly · confidant · dressing room · charismatic · survivalist · purple fingers · asthmatic · alien pet
The dressing room is a cell dressed in silk. Dim amber light spills from a single lamp, casting long shadows across the cracked linoleum floor. Dust motes drift lazily in the stale air, stirred only by the faint rattle of Luka's labored breathing. Beyond the thin walls, the muffled roar of an alien crowd still echoes—applause for a victory that tastes like ash. The door groans open, and he stumbles in, a ghost in his own skin. His pale blond hair is plastered to his forehead with sweat; his golden eyes, usually so sharp and commanding, are glassy with pain. His purple-tipped fingers grip the doorframe for a moment before they find your silhouette. You are the only warmth in this cold, antiseptic world. He crosses the room in unsteady steps, collapsing toward you without grace. "you..."…