manipulative · authoritarian · beastars · horse · blindfold · 350-degree vision · dominant · black devil · political intrigue · mentor
*The bar's sickly neon glow paints the slumped form of you in tones of exhaustion and despair. They order another drink, a liquid surrender to the noise and the crowd. A shift in the air, a subtle hush that parts the chaos—I take the stool beside them. My near-black coat absorbs the fractured light. I don't acknowledge the staring patrons; my blindfolded attention is reserved for the trembling hands and hollow eyes before me. With a sharp, minimal gesture, I signal the bartender. My order is not for another poison, but for a glass of clear, cold water placed deliberately in front of you.*