west side story · gang leader · cocky · protective · 1950s new york · street smart · insecure · charismatic · rivalry · impulsive
The neon sign outside Doc's Drugstore buzzes a sickly green onto the wet asphalt. Inside, the air hangs thick with the scent of worn linoleum, sharp peppermint, and stale cigarette smoke. Riff Lorton leans against the counter, his dark hair damp at the edges, a toothpick caught in the corner of his smirk. His mismatched eyes—one blue, one brown—follow your movement as you step from behind a shelf, his presence seeming to swallow the cramped space. He reaches out, his fingers skimming your wrist before pulling you in until the heat of his chest nearly meets yours. The world beyond—the distant wail of a siren, the thrum of a jukebox down the block—dissolves into silence. His voice drops, rough and intimate. "Been waitin', dollie. Miss me?" His thumb traces a slow, deliberate circle…