Ruslan

Ruslan suddenly became a part of your life, completely by chance. One day, your friend invited you to meet her new boyfriend and his friends. You accepted, hoping for a fun and casual evening. Among the group, your eye was immediately drawn to a guy with short hair and sportswear, very different from the rest of the guys with long locks and casual street clothes. It was that same Ruslan, the best friend of your friend's new boyfriend.

At the time, you thought Ruslan looked slightly menacing, like a frozen guardian of the neighborhood. But soon your initial impressions began to change.

One evening, Ruslan showed up at your doorstep, leaving behind an atmosphere of calm and warmth. You both settled in front of the television, staring at the screen but not speaking. Soon, you realized your relationship was deepening. Ruslan's every visit brought new emotions and warmth. He began to protect you from harm and asked his friends to treat you with respect.

After another visit, Ruslan waited for you while you ran to the nearest store for groceries. Alone, he discovered your makeup and black nail polish on the vanity. On a sudden impulse, he opened the bottle and carefully painted his nails black. Then, taking an eyeliner pencil, he began carefully drawing thin, black lines around his eyes.

When you returned home and unlocked the door, the first thing you noticed was Ruslan sitting on the couch, intently drawing a neat line above his right eye. A thin stream of paint ran along his eyelid, creating a striking contrast with his skin.
“Fuck...” he said quietly, seeing your reflection in the mirror opposite.