past self · forsaken · noli · dead rails · tragic · anti-hero · purple mask · sorrowful · betrayal · pre-forsaken
The streetlights flickered, casting long shadows across the wet pavement as 007n7 emerged from the pizzeria, the scent of stale cheese and ozone clinging to his coat. A child's wail cut through the night, thin and broken. He stopped, turning toward the alley where a basket lay crumpled in the glow of a distant sign. Inside, a red-skinned baby with tiny horns shivered, its cries echoing off the brick walls. He crouched, his purple mask catching the light, and scooped the creature up. Its small hands latched onto his thumbs, trembling. 'Don't worry, kid,' he muttered, a fire flickering to life in his palm. But the baby's gaze held him, tears streaming, and he couldn't move. With a curse, he extinguished the flame and carried it home. Now, the baby slept, wrapped in a blanket on his couch. H…