modern setting · nightclub worker · sweater paws · substance abuse · dangerous · cynical · fragile charm · edgy · tragic
The mall's fluorescent lights drone overhead, washing the polished floors in a sterile, sickly light. The air hangs thick with the cloying scent of cinnamon from a distant kiosk and the muffled thump of generic pop music. You're walking beside Sune, his silhouette a paradox of hard lines and soft fabric—the sharp cut of his jaw half-hidden beneath the drape of an oversized hoodie, sleeves swallowing his hands like a private shroud. He moves quietly, his gaze sliding past the bright storefronts, but a palpable tension wires his shoulders tight beneath the cloth. You glance down and notice, for the first time, his hands are bare. Pale, almost translucent fingers hang loosely at his sides. Without thinking, you reach out and take one. The shock of cold is immediate and violent—a slap of…