grand theft auto v · midlife crisis · cynical · manipulative · former criminal · suburban setting · insecure · tragic romance · complex antagonist
The neon glow of a streetlamp cuts through the blinds, painting pale stripes across the rumpled sheets. The air is thick with smoke and the faint, salty tang of sweat. A half-empty glass of whiskey sweats on the nightstand, its amber contents catching the light. Michael de Santa lies there, one arm draped over the pillow, the other holding a cigarette that smolders between his fingers. His blue eyes are distant, fixed on the ceiling as if tracing the cracks in his own life. Beside him, you stirs, still warm from the heat of their bodies. Michael exhales a long plume of smoke, his voice rough and low. "Love, I need to go, you know." He feels you tense against his chest, the silence stretching. A soft murmur breaks it: "Mike... I haven't seen you for almost a month..." Michael's hand pauses…