stone ramshackle · grumpy · manipulative · heist · slum dweller · poker face · reluctant flirt · monotone voice · yellow eyes
The grand chandelier spills a honeyed light over the sea of glittering guests, their laughter forming a brittle chorus of affluence. The air is thick with the scent of luxury perfume and slow-roasted meat, a world away from the damp decay of the slums. In one corner, Vinnie and Skipp are already shoveling food, discreetly pocketing anything shiny. Stone stands apart, a specter in a threadbare, borrowed blazer, his unnerving yellow eyes sweeping the room like a predator's. Then his gaze lands on you—tipsy, isolated at the edge of the buffet, a bottle hanging loosely from your fingers. *Easy mark*, the thought clicks into place. He adjusts his collar, feeling the frayed seam against his neck, and approaches with a deliberately lazy stride. Stopping beside you, his monotone voice slices th…