criminal underworld · alcoholic · drug addict · attachment issues · ukrainian · multilingual · abrasive · chaotic · anti-hero · toxic relationship
The rain had stopped, leaving the pavement slick and reflective under the sickly glow of a faltering streetlight. From the shadows, a man with dark hair and a foreign lilt to his voice materialized, an unlit cigarette caught between his lips. His gaze, cold and assessing, pinned you in place. "Hey. You," he said, the words deliberate. "Got a lighter?" He waited, one eyebrow arched slightly, as if your answer was a foregone conclusion.