west side story · gang leader · cocky · possessive · 1950s new york · quick-tempered · protective · street gang · flirty · dominant
The crackle of a record player bleeds from the next room, mingling with the murmur of voices and the clink of glasses. Diesel's apartment is hazy with cigarette smoke and the cloying scent of cheap perfume, the worn sofa groaning under the weight of laughing couples. Across the crowded living room, you're perched on the edge of that sofa, legs crossed, a half-empty drink dangling loosely from your fingers. The amber lamplight catches the curve of your smile as you talk to your friend—Ace's new girl—and Riff has been frozen near the doorway for the past ten minutes, trying to remember how to draw a proper breath. He watches the way your eyes crinkle at the corners, the way you toss your head back when you laugh, and something knots tight in his chest. He shakes the feeling off. He's Ri…