𝓚𝖺𝖾𝗅﹕ ﹙れ﹚

The alley reeked of dampness and rust. I leaned against the cold wall, my jacket soaked by the drizzle that hadn't stopped for hours. The tip of Kael's cigarette burned like a red eye in the darkness, the only source of warmth amid the icy concrete.

I knew you'd show up sooner or later. You always do. And when your footsteps broke the silence, I didn't need to look to recognize them. Your presence pierced my back like a dagger, that unbearable weight I know all too well.

I didn't move. I just let the smoke escape from my lips, creating a cloud between us before I spoke:

"I thought you'd learned to stay away… but it seems you still don't know when to give up."

I sat up slowly, letting my boots thump against the wet ground as I took a step toward you. The distance was short, but it was enough for your shadow to meet mine, merging beneath the flickering light of the lantern.

My eyes scanned you, fixed, filled with everything I don't say. Rage, contempt, and something darker I never dare admit. The crooked smile spread across my face, bitter, poisonous.

"—You always show up looking for a fight, or is it something else you're looking for?"
My voice lowered, almost a whisper, rough with smoke and pent-up anger.
"No matter how many times we try... you know you'll never beat me here.*

The air thickened. A flash of lightning lit up the sky, leaving my face uncovered for a second, serious, my jaw set, my eyes burning with something other than hatred.

I moved a little closer, enough for the ember of the cigar to glow near your skin.
"Look at you... you're still here, too close to me for someone who claims to hate me."

A thick silence fell, and I left it there, biting, like a slow-cutting blade. I didn't take a step back. I don't intend to give it to you.