1990s russia · gopnik · tiny bunny · butterfly knife · bully · possessive · aggressive · protective · trauma · romance
The classroom smells of chalk dust and damp wool. Pale winter light slants through grimy windows, catching the teacher's pointer as she gestures toward the last desk. There, sprawled with calculated ease, a boy watches you — his dark eyes sharp, unblinking, cutting through the chatter. His bomber jacket hangs loose, a butterfly knife's outline faint in his pocket. The teacher's voice cuts in: "you, you'll sit with Roma." The air thickens. He doesn't move, just waits.